decor

party ready 24 December, 2009

Finally the moment is here…and you can proudly show off your holiday decor creations and enjoy the limelight moment. So would I do.

Did I tell you how much I love CB2 glass sphere candle holders. There’s so much you can do with them and they’ll look stunning in any composition. So with the holiday spirit I decided to fill them with faux snow, ornaments and spruce branches. Nicely refreshing during the day and magic and glamorous in the dark. Lately I’ve been obsessed with the vintage glass museum displays. I added up a little winter spirit ot those too for lovely frosted compositions. I wanted to bring nature in so used all natural elements: moss, pinecones, berries and spruce.

And of course, the Christmas tree…with red and white ornaments

The key to spread holiday cheer all around the house is a lot of shiny and reflective surfaces. So you can see the tree and lights from all the angles.

Happy Holidays to everyone! May the next year bring peace and more creative ideas!

I’m out…need to wrap up the gift wrapping.

Ekaterina

Windsor Smith 19 December, 2009

After all, Los Angeles is a city of many talented people. I may hate it during the holiday season for the lack of snow but, as Maison 21 said, when living in LA “weather is something one visits, but doesn’t actually live in”. So I’d better stop complaining and get to the point…being the LA talented crows. And in this particular case is Windsor Smith, the founder of Windsor Smith Home. Browsing through her site I found Smith’s quote talking about her inspirations:

“I am up thumbing through out-of-print architecture books or reading about our legendary women of style… Elsie De Wolfe, Slim Keith, Babe Paley… I draw inspiration from the armchairs they are reclining on, in their country homes. My eye travels to the crystal girandoles on the mantel they are leaning against, or the moss-covered garden statuary their horse is riding past… I like to create libraries where men with names like Howard, Bing and Spencer sat in cashmere sweaters and contemplated the 13th hole on the Bel Air golf course. I am drawn to a simple but elegant time when the women were so legendary that surnames weren’t necessary…. Slim, Babe, Coco…”

How more romantic can interior design sound?! And I couldn’t agree more. My greatest inspiration is history. I love the interiors that breath stories behind them.

holiday inspirations 15 December, 2009

I don’t know about you, but if I read another article/post named “deck the halls” or ” ’tis the season” I’ll absolutely get insane. Decorating for Christmas/New Years might be very overwhelming. When it comes for this time of the year, I become a child and all my cool-headedness and choice making abilities disappear. With all this magic in the air it’s easy to go overboard.

As a kid, you kinda don’t have much choice. You inherit your tree/ornaments/garlands etc. and pass it along. Then you have roommates/friends with their design ideas. But settling in a new truly mine space I have a chance to rewrite the history and get a fresh (and CLEAN) start. With all this pressure I decided to narrow down my choices by these inspiration board.

Starting with the basicsso my color palette would be bright red, pure white (with silver sparkle) and spruce green. And this room from Roomenvy Blog has all the key elements. It’s simply chic, festive and CLEAN.

my sugar-cane palette in these yummy ornaments and may be some pattern with these and i love the craftiness of these

I get very home sick around New Years. I miss the lavish forest sunk into the fresh snowdrifts. The sparkling and heavy branches of spruces above the head and crisp air. So to break off my candy theme, I want to bring in nature.

berries, nuts, pine cones and birch bark to toss here and there for the fresh nature-inspired decor.

and, of course, the gift wrapping. Let’s be eco-friendly and stylish and use something we already have for those needs. I like the contrast of rough recycled paper and soft atlas ribbons.

what a nice way to add color and wit to the wrapping.<click on images to see the sources>

nostalgia in print 3 December, 2009

Another great find on “never-ending-source-of-inspiration” Etsy. Stilettoheights, mixed media art by Jeniffer Gordon. My mind gets lost in every single print. There’s so much to indulge in: vintage photography (who doen’t love that), beautiful hand writing and the COLOR! Stunning half-tones/shades. Need I say more?!

To shop these gorgeous prints click here.

With a variety of sizes and formats there’s a lot to choose from. And she has buy one get one free sale going on, so hurry up!

with a holidays coming consider yourself covered, Jennifer even has the most adourable gift stickers for those of you, like me, who care about packaging just as much as about the gift. <images via stilettoheights.etsy.com>

French Inspirations 2 December, 2009

I have two soft spot. One – for everything French (I could read French history for hours!)…and second one – for textiles and wallpapers. So no wonder  I couldn’t pass on these lines from Osborne & Little last spring collection. These Bu Barry Velvets and Pompadour wallpapers are so yummy.  So Santa baby, I wouldn’t mind a couple of things being reupholstered with a few accent pillows here and there.

And…oh, that wallpaper wall in the living room,you know.  I’ve  been an awful good girl. <images via www.osborneandlittle.com>