Delightful Bedrooms!

Images from Savvy Home

Happy weekend Lovelies!

I'm on holidays for 2 whole weeks - yay!

Time for Spring cleaning over here in Aus, so I'll be doing some of that and getting out into the garden as well with any luck.

I also have some de-cluttering to do..... time to simplify even more...... I feel the need to do this often lately.

Less is more.

I love these two bedrooms with their glorious colour! Simple yet happy!!

I hope you have a delightful weekend. :)

Linda. xox

A Bright and Beautiful Home Full Of Light

What do you think about this light and bright home!

All pics from Nicety on Livejournal via Alvhem

I love the eclectic displays and the artwork.

I also love the pops of colour and the boldness of the owner to just be herself.

Linda. xox

Monday Mojo - Colour How I Love Thee...

Image from Home and Delicious

Just a beautiful burst of colour today because it makes me happy!

May your mojo be with you this week lovelies!

And, may you find something that makes you happy along the way. :)

Linda. xox

Singing To My Heart...

The image below 'had me at hello', can you guess why?

Image from Anthology Blog via Heima Store

Those of you who know me well will remember my penchant for red, my love of owls, my adoration of quotes around the home, and my fascination with pattern and colour in general.

How then, could my heart not skip a beat when I saw this great photo over on the Anthology Blog via the Heima Store.

LOVE the desk with the red and pink drawers, the owl lamps are divine of course, and the art works based on quotes are gorgeous.

And, using books as part of a room's decoration (stacking them, using their spines to entice the eye etc) is always part of my design mojo!

I'll have the whole thing transported to my place thanks!

Linda. xox

Fearless Fantasy Friday ~ Wallpaper, Painted Chairs, and Colour!

I see things like the images below....

... and I'm reminded of how I've been hankering to get some wallpaper somewhere in my house, even if it's just on a ceiling (oh yes, I WILL do that one day), and to paint some furniture in a bold colour. I've been eyeing off my dining chairs and a couple of bookcases for that adventure.

That last image, with its bold chairs and eye catching light fitting is pretty fearless too!

I found the pictures above over on House Of Turquoise. A feast for the eyes on this Fearless Fantasy Friday.

There's more too....

Have a great weekend everyone!

Linda. xox

A Path Through The Forest........My Room Fantasy....

Whilst rummaging around my inspiration folders a few days ago, I came across these photographs.

I think they'd look amazing as large canvas prints or photographs on the walls of a single room.

I find them to be intriguing, mysterious, thought provoking, ethereal.... just beautiful!

I can just imagine the space I would use them in if I had the room! I'd have them hanging in my dining room...... the room would have a table in it something like the one in this pic.....

... a wooden, organic, earthy, spontaneous feeling sort of table.

The walls wouldn't be white though.... they'd be a soft grey green, or a medium warm grey, and the colour would wrap around on the ceiling to cocoon the room.

The ceiling may even be a darker colour like a soft charcoal... a little like putting a 'night sky' into the room, adding to the overall 'foresty' effect.

The floor would have beautiful dark wooden boards to ground the whole scene, and also a huge rug with forest tones in it...... greens, golds, muted autumn reds, rusts, light greys.... symbolising the forest floor.

There'd be some lovely organically shaped vases of opaque coloured glass to bring some accent (both colour and textural) to the room, and in them or around them some objects collected from nature displayed in various ways...... twisted wood, pine cones, smooth rocks, beautiful flowers of all colours.

Image from Honey and Jam on Etsy

Maybe some 'touchy-feely' felted bowls like these....very textural and natural...

Image from Papaververt on Etsy

Image from Papaververt on Etsy

And, some curvy, flowing, wooden bowls like these...

Image from Holzfurhaus on Etsy

Image from Holzfurhaus on Etsy

And the light would be some sort of free form 'branch' light with little fairy lights sprinkled through it,

And, I'd use that room as a place for dinner parties or late night get togethers where deep discussion would take place! The photos could prompt us to talk about where our lives are taking us, what's leading us along, the path we're taking, what we're working towards, what we can use to 'light' our way, the goals we can make to illuminate our journey.

The crockery would be delightful, rich hues of green, golden yellow, cherry red, tans, maybe even some aubergine thrown in!

Image from Atelier

There'd be lots of beautiful beeswax candles, votives burning in gorgeous glass holders, and some earthy essential oil like ylang ylang or patchouli with a dash of sweet orange burning in my vapourizer.

My favourite Northern Light Beeswax Candles

A room of warm, soft light; forest colours, beautiful textures, grounding scents.

Sigh.

How nice to be able to have a room like that. It'd really take care of my 'thing for trees' and my love of soft glowing light.

Oh well........ it's nice to dream!

Linda. xox

P.S: I've had the top 6 pics in my inspiration folders for so long I've forgotten where I found them. Apologies to the owners. If anyone recognises them, please let me know and I'll link them up asap.

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Speaking Of My Favourite Colours...

My last post was a return to my nostalgic feelings towards the warmer colours.... reds, golds, rusts, bronze, oranges.....

When I saw this room, you can see why it immediately struck a chord at my inner core.

Photo from Eric Ross Interiors

I could see myself 'holed up' in that room indefinitely.

A good book, some good food, a warm cup of something, music in the background.

For me, life couldn't get much better.

Does your home make you feel life couldn't get much better when you're relaxing in it?

Linda. xox

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Feeling Nostalgic and Re-visiting A Classic...

It's Friday night here, it's cold, and I'm feeling a tad nostalgic.

I just changed the desktop wallpaper on my computer from a lovely lush green forest to a close up of autumn leaves with a beautiful muted red background. All my favourite colours are featured, golds, reds, oranges, rusts, bronze.

And, it reminded me of one of the first ever articles I wrote for this blog talking about one of the reasons I think I like some of these colours so much. It's an important key to the philosophy of my decorating style, so I'm giving the post a new lease of life and rescuing it from my deepest archives.

I hope you enjoy it.

Thanks also to Liv Lane for letting me link up this post with other blissful posts.

What've Two Fields Of Wheat Got To Do With Interior Design?

One of the most distinct memories I have of my youth centres around fields of wheat. I lived in an agricultural area, and spent an awful lot of time riding my bike.

On holidays I'd pack a lunch, disappear for the day, and ride for miles.

Bliss!

Near where I lived were lots of pine tree plantations, orchards, and huge fields of wheat. A real mish mash of plant life! I'd ride down the rutted dirt tracks the tractors used to take, get off my bike and explore.

Wander through the trees and breathe in their scent.

Pick up pine cones.

Hear the twigs crack beneath my feet as I walked.

But some of the moments I loved the most involved two particular fields of wheat.

Either one, if caught at just the right moment, at the right time of year, would reveal the most breathtaking view. They were both massive, and on a day with a warm gentle breeze, at sunset, it was as if the world had stopped and life couldn't get any better.

Magic.

I'd usually be on the way home from my day of adventuring.

I'd ride up, stop my bike, lean on it, and gaze.

The sunset would slowly spread with the most glorious colours, and light would glint, and sparkle, and roll off the slowly nodding heads of wheat.

And across the whole field an undulating ripple affect would happen, and it would look like an ocean of wisely bobbing heads all swaying to some beautiful, orchestrated, symphony of movement.

There would often be insects humming in the air, and the scent of the wheat, the pine trees nearby (planted as an edge along the other side of the road), and the not too far-away orchards would waft around me.

I'd stay for 10 minutes or so.... breathing deeply, just thinking how brilliant and beautiful the world was. And, then I'd ride on home, feeling uplifted, content, and just plain old happy!

And I often wonder.....

...if those fields of wheat, and the glinting gold, the warm pinks, yellows, oranges, and reds of the sunset, are a big part of the reason I love to use all those colours in my personal interiors.

For many years a sort of buttery yellow colour, or a wheaten sort of colour, were my favourites for walls! I craved the warm, cozy, uplifting, alive, happy feeling they brought me. I'd wrap myself in the colours that brought me joy!

Photos from Country Living

Photo from BHG

Walking into a room with those colours on the walls, plus accents of red, pink, orange, and apple green gave me feelings of happiness akin to drinking in those fields of wheat.

Only a simple field of wheat and a sunset...

From Caranxcaranx via Flickr

and over 30 years ago...

but if I shut my eyes I can see, smell, and feel it like it was yesterday.

A memory that matters - to me.

Ask yourself: 'Are there any uplifting, joyous, simple memories from my childhood that remain as vibrant today as they were then?'

Which leads to: Is there anything (colours, scents, textures) you can take from your memories and entwine in your home's interiors?

Because: Memories matter. Including a reminder of things that matter will comfort and uplift you in a way nothing else can.

Cheers,

Linda.

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Linda. xox

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A Pinterest Board To Delight You With Colour And Pattern

Image from The Aestate via Julie on Pinterest

If you're looking for a brilliant dose of living room inspiration, try Julie's Living Room pinboard over on Pinterest.

Image from Decor Pad via Julie on Pinterest

So many colourful and pattern filled rooms to gaze at!

Julie also has a great blog here that features beautiful images and quotes.

Linda. xox

PS: Happy Mother's Day to all the mums enjoying it today. I hope you all had a beautiful day with your nearest and dearest.

If you liked this article, would you share it with your friends? Just click here to post it to Twitter without having to type anything yourself! Thanks so much. :)

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The Three Cs In A Room!

Sometimes, an image just cries out to me in every way.

The colours, the cushions, the comfort factor. (The three Cs!)

I could sure take a luxurious nap on that bed, or take pleasure in drifting through a lazy afternoon with a great book.

Image from Down and Out Chic Interiors

A room that's just right for you is absorbed by your body, not just your eyes.

Linda. xox

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What Do You Think Of This Historic Victorian Home?

What do you think of this home?

I love the living areas with all their colour! I could really get cozy in those.

Some of the other rooms are not so much to my taste, but it's one fab home.

My Houzz: Hip, Historic Victorian in Santa Cruz

Houzz- Kitchen Remodel, Bathroom Remodel and More»

Browse Bath Products on Houzz- For Example:

Bath And Spa Accessories · Bath Mats · Bathroom Sinks · Bathroom Storage · Bathroom Tile · Toilet Accessories · Toilets · Towel Bars And Hooks ·

I hope everyone had a super weekend!

Linda. xox

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Home Is Where The Heart Is...

Happy Valentine's Day evereyone!

I hope you have a lovely day and enjoy the company of someone special.

Here's a great home found over on Coco and Kelly, where the spirit of Valentine's Day has been infused into every room. How cute! Hop over to this post to see how the theme runs through all the rooms.

Found on Coco and Kelly

Linda. xox

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Flowers As The Perfect Piece Of Decoration...

Today I welcome a guest post from Patricia Hall, a florist and lover of flowers! Thanks for your terrific post Patty.

Flowers As The Perfect Piece Of Decoration...

Giving fresh flowers has long been associated with special occasions. A bride carries a floral bouquet, men give their wives and girlfriends roses on Valentine's Day, and flowers are placed on the graves of the departed. And, of course, using fresh flowers to decorate your home is a wonderful way to bring life to any room.

The History of Floral Display

Thousands of years ago, the ancient Egyptians would display vases of fresh flowers in their homes. The tradition of placing flowers in the tombs of dead loved ones started with them. The Greeks and Romans continued the trend, favoring floral wreaths instead of vases of flowers. All around the world, and throughout time, the hobby of arranging and displaying flowers continued, mostly with the use of locally grown flowers. This was to change with the age of exploration.

        

     

When European explorers set out to explore the lands beyond the ocean, they brought back some of the native plants founds in the New World. Tropical fruits and flowers brought back to Europe made their way into floral arrangements, adding more color and texture.

Today, people do not have to commission an exploratory voyage to overseas to get unique and colorful flower bouquets. With the advent of the Internet it has become even easier to order flowers and receive those flowers by post in just a few days, as fresh as the day they were picked.

What to Do with Fresh Flowers

Flowers bring a splash of color and texture into the home. No matter the decorating theme of the home, a bouquet of flowers can be custom-designed to match. Old-fashioned arrangements with heirloom flowers in subtle shades is at home in a Victorian-styled home. Bold, simple arrangements add an eye-catching visual spot in a home with a modern design.

  



When the flowers arrive, getting them into water immediately will lengthen their life. Cut the stems at an angle and submerge them in water with the plant food packet from the florist added. The vase of fresh flowers is then ready for display.

Instead of candles, place a vase of fresh flowers on the dining room table. For this option, it is best to use flower arrangements that do not have a strong scent. Low displays are best on the table so the view of other diners is not blocked.

                        



Fill a bedroom with the scent of fresh roses to create a romantic atmosphere. A bouquet of fresh flowers on the dressing table or chest of drawers will enhance the room's appearance and smell. Choose flowers to match the color theme of the bedroom for a subtle effect, or opt for a contrasting color so the floral bouquet stands out.

                    



Greet guests in the front hallway with the sight and smell of fresh flowers. A bouquet of deeply scented flowers in the entryway adds an air of hospitality and a fresh look that can be changed weekly just by ordering more flowers by post.

Flowers displayed in the living room can soften the sharp lines of modern furnishings or blend easily in with classic decor. Placing the flower arrangement in front of a window will keep the flowers fresher longer. A mirror placed under or behind the flowers doubles the visual effect.

For homes with pets or children, it is best to keep a floral display out of their reach. The beautiful, eye-catching colors will entice pets or children to sample the flowers, which can result in the ruining of the floral display and sickness in the child or pet.

Indulging in an age-old tradition of floral display in the home is easier now than ever. Exotic flowers or local varieties are easily procured with a simple procedure to order flowers and have those flowers by post sent home for display in any room of the house.

About the Author

Patricia Hall works part-time for a florist and flower delivery but loves to surround herself with flowers at any given point of time. Even in her free time she loves to involve herself with everything flora and fauna.

'To me there is nothing more beautiful and global as the language of flowers - it is the easiest to understand all around the world in the same way. That is one reason why I truly admire flowers for what they represent in some ways - unity of all mankind!'

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Image credits:
1. Roses In Hair
2. Elizabeth Anne Designs
3. Apartment Therapy
4. Homedit
5. Martha Stewart Votives
6. Orange Flowers
7. Gap Interiors
8. White Lilies

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