Thursday, January 27, 2011

Imperial Trellis



I am falling in love with trellis again! The first time, was back in the mid 90s when I had just started venturing into murals and every other client that called wanted some ivy topiary and trellis painted in their kitchen.
After a decade or so of free form designs, I am so happy to see bold and crisp repeated designs are all the rage. (trend alert in this photo: Sunburst mirror and ceramic animal head!!!)
I have been seeing projects all over the 'net using this design from Cutting Edge Stencils ("Allover Trellis"). Because it's AWESOME!!!!








The first place I saw it was at the adorable blog, Three Men and a Lady. Michelle, the blogstress, has lots of photos of her crisp and creative home to inspire you ( and meee!) Check out the ceiling in her guest bath!
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This is Chloe Sevigny's house (original photo source unknown). Not sure if this is wallpaper, or stenciling, but I'm going to take a guess and say wallpaper. This is the classic "Imperial Trellis" design. Notice the I I design within.
There is no denying that wallpaper is hot right now. But then you have to remove it when it's not longer hot, and given the speed with which trends shift anymore, will be in about 10 minutes. So of course, you are going to want to stencil it, instead of papering it!
I have run out of bathrooms to redecorate, but I'm thinking an imperial trellised wall would look just smashing in the dining room!

Okay, okay...one more....for dessert! Ahhh....perfection. (via the decorologist.com)


Sunday, January 23, 2011

You're so bold with your white walls!










My mother is making me a quilt for my 40th birthday and I've been trying to figure out what to do with my master bedroom, which currently has cocoa brown Venetian Plaster on the walls and Olive Green and Burgundy bedding. (ugh, so not 'me'. Twas a " Marital Compromise" , no longer an issue).
So, I have this amazing quilt coming my way that is being made out of 11 or 12 different fabrics...black, white, red and aqua with a bit of pale lime green. Can't wait to see it!
I found bedding to coordinate with it at TJ Maxx that is black and white piped in lime. It's very similar to the bedding shown above.
So now the big question is...what to do with the walls...and I'm thinking.....white.

Yes I am.






Last weekend, Mike and I lightly remodeled my master bathroom. Poor Mike. Not only has he put up with the 'downtown Baghdad' themed bathroom for the last 16 months...he also was the one to figure out that the wiring in the bathroom was shot. (Even the lighting was keeping with the deconstructed theme!) The photo above is very similar to what we have going on now. I don't have black and white on the floor, and I have a vanity,not a pedestal...( 'cause this girl has got to do her face in the mornings! ) But we do have icey blue walls, white tile going up the walls, chrome fixtures and a simple pivoting mirror. I'm in love with my bathroom, I can hardly believe the transformation! I am loving all that absence of color and chaos!

As a decorative artist, I don't do a lot of white rooms. I'm starting to think that my home should be a place for my eyes to rest though and I'm really starting to dig this idea.
All of the photos from this posting are courtesy of House Beautiful .com ....here are a few more examples of how bold white can be.

Thursday, January 20, 2011

Headboard ideas





I know, I haven't blogged in quite awhile..there have been so many walls to faux, so many canvases to paint!
Tonight, I was researching some ideas for an upcoming project and I came across a few sweet photos of some painted on headboards. If you lack an actual headboard, never fear, a quart of paint and a dash of bravado and you too can have a little trompe loeil architecture.
I find myself drawn to very architectural things lately....perhaps it's my need to depersonalize my home so I can sell it that has me thinking of bold strokes that are interesting eye grabbers.
I like the softness of the first photo with the pearls and silvers and the squares ( I love anything square!) but I think they could use a little less 'stuff' in the room. This look could be easily achieved with gold and silver leaf, or foil, or even metallic paint.
The aqua striped room is just....oh wow....I wanna move in there, right now!
With the availability of sooo many awesome stencils from companies like Royal Design Studio, Wallovers and Jan Dressler....any geometric pattern could become a kick ass headboard, as evidenced by the octagons. Although I think one of those might be an ACTUAL headboard.
(I have to say, please refrain from the absolute craze that is going on right now that I personally feel is the ultimate in tacky...please for the love of Mike, no wall stickers!!!!! Something about that perfectly crisp edge, that vinyl shine that kind of turns my stomach.) It's just paint, for Pete's sake....and you just can't beat the look.

(photos via flickr.com)