Sunday, December 30, 2012

Christmas 2012

Just a quick post to get a few Christmas decorating pics out there!  This year, I went with a totally neutral/metallic color scheme in the family room.  It was definitely a refreshing change for me.  I've avoided red altogether for ages, but this year I wanted to do away with the blue and turquoise normally present on my tree.  The dining room had a few touches of blue, but was mostly neutral as well.  I tried to reuse most of my decorations, and only bought some new ribbon and beads since we are moving to Paris in the next few months.  I didn't want to have to store even more Christmas decorations!  Upstairs, I did a kids tree using leftover blue and red ornaments.  It seemed fitting since I have boy/girl twins to please!  The toddler didn't have an opinion, so I guess I'm off the hook for another year with her!  Hope you enjoy the pretty pictures.  Merry Christmas and Happy New year!






I used real rosemary and cedar greenery on the mantel this year!  It was gorgeous for about a week, then my sorry excuse of a green thumb took over!  I have no skills, but I'll take real over fake anyday, even half dead!


















Excuse the tostitios bag!  I got a little hungry :)  No, actually this was an unplanned evening shot I took, but I liked how the tree sparkled a little more than in the full on daytime shots.


Santa has been in the building!  He always leaves stockings by the kids doors upstairs.  The rest of the loot is under the "big tree".








~Lynette~


Monday, March 26, 2012

R&R - Renew and Refresh for Spring

Spring is the lightest, airiest season.  Time to de-clutter and freshen up.  Refresh and renew.  Breathe in all that warm fresh air.  

I've been doing a little refreshing and renewing, but admittedly, I would love to do even more. "Simplify" has been the motto around here for the last few months, and spring just gets my organizational juices flowing.  I've also pulled out those Easter decorations, and revamped the mantel for spring.  Here's a peek at what I've done......



Here, I simply printed and framed the words I was feeling that day.  My motto for spring this year:


This little birdie spoke to me as I was strolling through TJ Maxx.  My kind of pet!


A sneak peek at some pillows I made!  Perhaps I'll do a separate tutorial on those.  I think they really freshen up my dull old sofa!




Now, if I could only get to refreshing those dark roots.....;-)

~Lynette~

Linking to:








The Lettered Cottage

Home Stories A2Z



Funky Junk's Saturday Nite Special


Dear Lillie's Easter Link Party


http://frenchcountrycottage.blogspot.com/

Monday, January 9, 2012

Accessory Overload!

Accessories have always given me decorating anxiety.  I walk through Pottery Barn, or Z Gallerie, and those places are just chaulked to the brim with eye candy, beautifully styled and displayed.  My brain immediately goes into total overload and creative shutdown.  What is my problem?  As someone who considers myself to be more creative than average, how can these places sometimes make me feel completely uninspired? I get the same feeling on occasion from Pinterest, Houzz, and my blog list.  Sometimes, I just need a creative....breakup!  Not long, mind you!  Just a day or two to regroup, and figure out again what makes my decorating personality so very ME.

Take Z Gallerie's home page.  



Fresh for 2012.  Green.  And Black and White.  Where is Pantone's Tangerine Tango?  Beautiful accessories, tastefully arranged and composed.  Could I do this?  Heck, no.  Do I love the colour scheme?  Not really.  Do I like this picture?  Absolutely.  The Result:  Accessory overload and total confusion.  This has resulted in many an empty handed shopping trip, and a very frustrated and insecure Lynette.  So, what on earth do I put in my house?  How do I navigate the sea of eye candy to figure our My style, My Decorography?  Specifically, how do I learn to accessorize like a pro?

Honestly,  I have no idea. Some might say I have the "knack", that innate ability to place an antique teacup next to a set of spray-painted deer antlers and somehow make it look chic. I would definitely argue otherwise. Accessorizing is not my strong suit at all, but I do have a few tricks that help me "fake it" when I can.

1.  When in doubt, go with Symmetry.

It's pretty hard to get it completely wrong when everything looks symmetrical.  I, personally, love symmetry.  I find it very restful to the eye.  Take my Christmas mantel.  I was having trouble figuring out what to do this year.  I knew I wanted burlap trees on either end, with a modern ornament tree taking center stage.  I got stumped with the "in between bits".  Different?   The same?  A collection of something on one side, a vase on the other?  I was totally stuck.  So, down came a couple plates from my cupboard, and voila....symmetry.  And, a not so bad mantel.





2.  Group items in multiples.

Threes or fives are almost always better that twos or fours.  Why is that?  I think we want to organize objects into groups when we look at a vignette.  Two is not a group.  Four is, but without the odd number, starts to take on the "4 little ducks sitting in a row" mentality.  It's a tricky thing, that's why it's usually better to stick to this tried and true decorating rule.



3.  Don't mix your metals.

Can you mix them and make it look gorgeous?  Absolutely.  But, that takes a lot of skill.  I think it's so much easier to pick antique silver, or chrome, or hand rubbed bronze, and go with it.  You'll need to add in other materials, like glass, to make it interesting.  But, you won't end up looking like all your "extra" accessories just landed on your console table.

4.  Vary heights - Tall medium, and short.

I LOVE this one.  Nothing says dramatic more than a gorgeous vase filled with tall branches.  But, put three together, or a vase with branches next to an equally tall finial, and a lamp, and all of a sudden things look confusing.  There's nowhere for the eye to rest, and the beautiful centerpiece loses it's impact.  That's why they sell those candlesticks in small, medium, and large, people!



5.  Texture Texture Texture

Nothing looks worse than a bunch of glass or metal objects sitting on a table, with nothing to balance out all that hardness.  I start to feel like a bull in a china shop, afraid to touch anything.  A group of glass next to a potted plant, and a woven basket or tray starts to soften things up.  Use a mixture of materials and you will create a much more visually appealing display.



6.  Corral objects together

Place items, alike or not, into baskets, trays, or bowls.  Sometimes putting things that do not relate to each other on a tray can create order and meaning.  It can also add some weight to objects that might otherwise have a tough time filling out the tabletop.



7.  Go with your Gut

This really is a tough one.  It's so easy to be swayed by the latest trends, colours, accessories.  But, when you lay your eyes on something, you usually know whether you like it.  Don't lie to yourself and force yourself to like it because it's on the cover of your favorite home decor mag.  Who cares, really.  It's your home, and YOU have to love it.  Buck the trend.  Stick with aqua, or terracotta, even if it's not En Vogue today.  Just give trends a chance first.  Do your online research, peruse the stores, and let those things sink in.  If you're not feeling it after a week or so, you will have affirmed your gut was right all along.  My experience with this has lead me back to my gut decision 99% of the time.

8.  Break the rules (including these!)

I can come up with beautiful examples that embody the complete opposite of everything I have just said above.  This goes back to # 7.  If YOU like it, it is perfect.

Now, if only I could just listen to my own advice!

Lynette xo

Tuesday, January 3, 2012

Christmas...SO Done!

I am so ready for all the Christmas decorations to be down and out. I'm really baaah humbug this year, lol! In my house, it's normally tradition to leave decorations up until Old Christmas Day, or Jan 6th (for those of you who have no clue what this old Christmas Day is)! But, this morning, my Christmas light guys came and took down all the exterior lights. I didn't know that were coming, and they had them whipped down in about 5 seconds before I had time to protest...so I think it's a sign! I need to move on to bigger and better projects.

Like this:

Source: houzz.com via Lynette on Pinterest


That would be the color scheme I have going in my Master, but I need to do draperies, and accessorize a little more. Oh, and an awesome chaise would be great too!  Santa...do you take returns?  Is it too late to revise my list?  Can I celebrate my birthday in January this year instead of December?

Love this room too:

Source: houzz.com via Lynette on Pinterest


Add wood floors though, and a little blue. But, I just love the softness and tranquility of a monochromatic color scheme for a bedroom. Truly restful.

Other projects:

Foyer and Dining room.  1999 Called, and they want Grandma's china cabinet back:


I would LOVE to paint that furniture, but I'm petrified!

And, the entryway...oh so dark!  For someone who loves cooler blues and grays, I'm not sure how this brownish puke color made it into my entryway, making a a dark space even darker.


Oh, and that wall behind the china cabinet...so getting a makeover too!  I'm envisioning a gorgeous robin's egg, with quatrefoil stencil.


Stay tuned!  2012 is going to rock!  Just need to tackle the 12 foot monster tree first.....

I need caffeine............

~Lynette~ xo