Guest Post: Spring Inspiration

15 Friday Mar 2013

Posted by melissaoconnor in Everyday Design, Guest Posts, The Home

Tags

accessories, blinds, color, curtains, decorating, design, emerald green, interior design, interior goods direct, mint, rugs, shades, spring, spring colors, window treatments

With winter slowly leaving us and the hope of a bright and cheerful spring, it seems only appropriate to begin to decorate our homes for the long awaited sunny season. There are so many gorgeous colors for us to choose from, and we don’t always know what style and theme we are looking for. So this is why I have created a list of this season’s top spring colors, along with a few simple but effective design features to make your home look and feel like a happy haven.

Spring Colors We Love
My unpredicted favorite color, which has decided to grace us with its presence this year, is green. Emerald green has been given loads of attention over the past year. However, it’s time to put a new spin on green and opt for a new shade for this season, Mint. This beautiful color, which doesn’t require a lot to stand out, has solely become our new favorite color for this spring.

Photo Credit: HGTV

Considering my love for anything neutral, my passion for cream is rapidly disappearing, and in its place are bright pops of color like green, blue, and yellow.

Photo Credit: Station of Interior and Eksterior Ideas

Now this doesn’t mean I will paint my whole house in this shade. Why not try a statement wall with one of these three colors or opt for bright accessories. This will provide just enough to make your home stand out, but not so much you feel like you’ve taken a step back into the 70s.

Guest Post: Spring Inspiration
Photo Credit: Vertical Blinds Direct

Curtains or blinds? That’s the question
I have always had a love for a gorgeous set of curtains, and in my opinion, there’s nothing better than when they fall to the ground in a beautiful pleat. However, lately my opinions are changing. Despite my love for curtains still being strong, they have been taken over by my passion for a set of bright and cheerful blinds.

Guest Post: Spring Inspiration
Photo Credit: Vertical Blinds Direct

Now that spring in around the corner, we want to embrace the beautiful bright mornings. Blinds are the perfect opportunity to do so. However, if mornings aren’t your thing, you can still opt for a set of black out blinds in your favorite spring shade, but with the effect of a set of lined curtains. I have recently installed a set of gorgeous blue vertical string blinds to my white and blue home. They are just enough to add a pop of color without it looking over the top.

Guest Post: Spring Inspiration
Photo Credit: Vertical Blinds Direct

Everyone Loves Accessories
Accessories are the perfect opportunity to add personality to your home. If you’re not ready to take the step into bright walls and blinds, you can still change the whole look of your home by accessorizing.

Photo Credit: Houzz

Photo Credit: Coodet

Bright cushions, rugs, and table decorations have the ability to change the look of your home with minimal effort, and if you are anything like me, small touches really count. So invest in little trinkets, wicker baskets, and beautiful wall hangings. Just because we don’t live in the Hamptons doesn’t mean we can’t make our homes look like we do.

Photo Credit: GHID

{Written by Alice Lawson on behalf of Interior Goods Direct}

Inspiration Photo Friday: True Love

15 Friday Mar 2013

Posted by melissaoconnor in Inspiration Photo Friday

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animals, autumn, evolution, fall, farm, farm animals, farming, gardens, nature, new york, october, plants, queens, queens farm museum, seasons, trees, vegetables, vintage farm, vintage farm wedding, wedding

Since I have been researching places for Dan and I to visit for our wedding anniversary, our wedding day has been on my mind. And since spring is right around the corner, I can’t help but think of the farm where we shared our vows.

The Queens County Farm will always have a place in our hearts. I fell in love when I saw photos, so you can imagine how much I adored this little piece of heaven when we visited it for the first time. I may have gotten distracted with other venues but in the end, both Dan and I followed our hearts and chose the farm for our special day. We visited the venue 3 times before the wedding, each different seasons, and still felt connected to the grounds and the animals. This is how you should feel about where you get married.

So, for Inspiration Photo Friday I wanted to share a photo I took upon one of our visits during the fall. It was so lush and beautiful, autumn colors everywhere. The animals were lively and the birds were singing. It was such a lovely day at the farm. I love that we can always go back, whenever we want, and have new experiences there. As the years go by, we can watch the farm get older and evolve.

It is such an amazing feeling to be connected to a place like this one. We have a lot of love for the Queens Farm and the animals that call it home. I am so happy we went with our hearts and chose this beautiful place to be a part of us forever. The Earth and its animals will always have my love…the truest love of all.

Inspiration Photo Friday: True Love - © Melissa O'Connor-Arena

Guest Post: Glass Treatments

14 Thursday Mar 2013

Posted by melissaoconnor in Everyday Design, Guest Posts, The Home

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etching, etching glass, film and tinting glass, frosting spray, glass treatments, nicholas haywood, window treatments

From kitchenware to fixtures and windows, glass is a fundamental part of our living spaces. The decorative and functional aspects of glass have come a long way since the first drinking glass was made or the first home window was fitted with the improvement over cloth or wood. Still, many leave their glass in the plain, clear state in which it tends to come. There are plenty of options to branch off and make something more of the glass at hand.

Frosting Spray
Using a frosting spray is an inexpensive and easy way to adjust the appearance of your glass. This is the least permanent option and also the least variable, so it makes a good way to experiment with ideas, but not necessarily the best for adding value. There will be some stencil work involved if you don’t want the glass completely frosted, though it is fairly easy to remove and retry.

Photo Credit: Mireio Designs

Photo Credit: Kuangyi

Film and Tinting
Applying film or tint to glass is another great option for a variety of effects on windows. For aesthetics, window film is a simpler way to achieve decorative effects such as a stained glass or etched look. This can also be used for tinting purposes to reduce light or transparency.From a functional perspective, film can be used to protect interiors from the harmful and color-fading effects of UV rays as well as reduce the effects of outside temperatures on the indoors. It also provides an alternative to curtains or blinds if you like to keep your windows uncovered.

Photo Credit: Ebay

Photo Credit: Continental Window Fashions

Etching
Etching is another common technique used to add designs or writing to glass. Kits are inexpensive and somewhat easy to use, though it will take some practice to develop a talent for detailed designs. Discarded bottles make for good practice, but make sure to practice safety first, as etching is done with a caustic substance that can be harmful. If you have access to a glass cutter, you can also find functional uses for etched bottles such as drinking glasses or containing light sources.

After gaining some confidence, you may even want to try applying etching to your fixtures. Some of the things professionals do may look intimidating, but there’s nothing quite like adding personal flair to your personal space.

Photo Credit: This Old House

Mix and Match
The great thing about enhancing glass is that different methods can be used for different purposes in harmony. Films and tints can be applied with etching or frosting effects or frosting can be added to glass that is etched in other areas. Don’t be afraid to try things out and have fun!

{Nicholas Haywood is an eco-friendly home improvement specialist and DIY enthusiast with an eye for interior design. He is slightly prone to OCD behavior as he often gets lost in thought over ways to maximize efficiency and aesthetics in living spaces both at home and the workplace. When his ideas come together, he writes for Vista Window Film, provider of premium window tint for homes and commercial buildings.}

Pairing it Up: Bridal Party Style

14 Thursday Mar 2013

Posted by melissaoconnor in Advice & Inspiration, Bridal Party, The Bride & Groom, Weddings

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BHLDN, bridal dresses, bridal gowns, bridal party, bride, free people, maid of honor, ModCloth, ruche, style, Three Floor, wedding, wedding colors, wedding fashion, wedding style

There are plenty of things to get in order and figure out when planning a wedding. I think the most important thing to “get right” is making sure everything from the decor to the bridal party style is cohesive. It doesn’t have to be matchy, matchy but it definitely should look like it all belongs together. That is one thing people notice right away, at least I do. When things don’t make sense, it looks like you didn’t put the time in to make sure it did or just don’t have the ability to do so.

There really isn’t much of an excuse for this considering there are plenty of people you to can go to for help. If you don’t feel you have the design eye to piece your vision together, than its time to bring in a designer. If you have a friend or know someone who does this kind of work, even better! Working alongside someone you are close with makes the experience that much more fun.

When it comes to the checklist of things to do, finding the bride’s outfit for her special day definitely comes before the maid of honor and bridesmaids. Even if you don’t wind up deciding on something or purchasing it yet, you should definitely have a good idea of what style you want. This includes shape, cut, fit and fabric. it’s all in the details! Then you can move forward to the bridal party with the same details.

Although all the bridesmaids dresses are different tones, they are all within the same color choice and keep with the neutral theme. They are all different dresses as well, which works because they stick within the same style and have the same flowy feel.

Photo Credit: Inside Weddings

I’ve been to weddings where I thought the bridesmaids just didn’t really match the bride and its kind of makes a big difference. I mean, the bridal party should look like a bridal party, not just a couple of guests hanging out next to the bride and groom. It’s really quite simple. You just take some of the elements of the bride’s dress and extend those ideas to the others. If the bride is wearing a flowy lace gown than the girls should have at least a little bit of lace or some type of detail that reflects that. It should also be light and airy and have somewhat of the same shape. Not harsh and sharp looking.

This bridal party style works because the style of their gowns match the style of the bride. You can also see that the fabric & sheen is cohesive as well.

Photo Credit: ISPWP

Another thing to consider is making sure the outfits look good on the girls who are wearying them. Everyone should be comfortable and feel great in their dress. You obviously chose them to be in your bridal party because they’re awesome so why not make it special for them as well. Having dissatisfied bridesmaids is certainly a bummer.

Unique and theme related, this bridal party style maintains its elegance and vintage appeal while giving each bridesmaid their individuality. Each dress is within the same color palette and the ones that have patterns, are similar to each other. Even though the bride is in lace gown, its an antique style so it works well with all the others.

Photo Credit: My Wedding

Sometimes this may be tricky so I created some inspirational pairings along with color palettes that would go with the style of the dresses. My picks came from a few shops I like and may be more untraditional than most but either way, you can get the idea. Enjoy!

Pairing it Up: Bridal Party Style
BHLDN-Beams of Light Dress & BHLDN-Nine Muses Dress