Mixing it Up with Flea Market Finds

23 Thursday May 2013

Posted by melissaoconnor in Everyday Design, The Home

Tags

antique, beauty, better homes and gardens, Christy Renee Designs, decoist, decor, design, eclectic, flea market finds, interior designd, style, vintage

Being a lover of everything vintage, my home surely reflects the beauty of the old and the freshness of the new. Some may think its easy to throw a space like this together but it does take some thinking. Because you want there to be a cohesive look you have to arrange furniture and items in a way that they flow effortlessly. So when your eye moves around the room, there is a nice mix of all styles you love. Here are a few examples of some spaces that are great inspirations for this look.

This dining room is casual with a bit of class. The paneling on the walls give the space an upscale look while the blackboard paint makes it fun. The mix of vintage glass and accessories blends well with the wood furniture and neutral tones of the textiles.

Photo Credit: Better Homes & Gardens

Shabby chic and mid century design come together to create a space that is luxurious, feminine, and classic. The earthy elements and wood tones help ground the room while the antique mirrors help light find its way around this peaceful neutral space.

Photo Credit: Christy Renee Designs

Bright, modern, and colorful, this space adds stylish interest to one side of the room. By using vintage benches as bookshelves, the unique accessories and books are displayed in a creative, yet smart way.

Photo Credit: Better Homes & Gardens

A little bit of glam and old world charm give this sitting room a rich look. The earthy and calm color palette play off of the shabby chic style, which also adds a comfortable layer to the space.

Photo Credit: Decoist

The traditional style of this living room includes earthy elements, such as the stone fireplace. With the addition of the vintage bottle collection and small rustic touches, a nice mix of old and new is created.

Photo Credit: Better Homes & Gardens

Modern and contemporary style with a few vintage pieces keeps this space streamlined and true to the aesthetic while softening up the lines a bit.

Photo Credit: Decoist

Recycling old items is an easy way to freshen up a space. This rustic and modern foyer welcomes you with style and unique flair.

Photo Credit: Better Homes & Gardens

A little bit of country, rustic flair, and traditional style create a comfortable and airy space for guests to relax. The few pops of color are enough to add interest and freshness while the textures give the room the warmth it needs from all the cool neutrals. Bright and cozy live in harmony here.

Photo Credit: Modern Furniture Decor 2014

The combination of rustic old world elements with vintage pieces bring an eclectic feel to this bathroom while the colors keep it interesting.

Photo Credit: Better Homes & Gardens

Eclectic Not Hectic

26 Tuesday Mar 2013

Posted by melissaoconnor in Guest Posts, Janet Majors, The Home

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bohemian style, boho, color, decorating, diy, eclectic, home, interior design, mix and match, pops of color, style

When you’re moving into your first place you’re likely to end up with a hodgepodge blend of furniture. A couch from your parents’ basement. A dining room table and chairs from grandma’s attic. A – well, you get the idea. The same thing tends to happen when you’re furnishing and decorating a home on a budget. A desk from your neighbor’s yard sale. Throw pillows from the clearance bin at Target. So on and so forth.

The end result has the potential for greatness in the form of a truly unique space wrought with personal style. However, the end result also has the potential to leave your home looking like a cluttered thrift store. The question then becomes how to keep eclectic home furnishings and decor from looking hectic and thrown together. Here are some options:

Start with a base coat
Try to pick one color that will serve as a unifying shade in the space. For example, white is often a good choice because pretty much everything goes with it, and if you’re moving into an apartment there’s a good chance the walls will be white or some shade of off-white. Get many items in your base coat color and let other items that you can’t control the appearance of (ex. your Aunt Anita’s love seat) act as pops of color in the space.

Photo Credit: i Space Design

Photo Credit: Houzz

Photo Credit: Coolitdoc

Clear out clutter
Try being a minimalist to downplay how eclectic your belongings are. Allow the natural features of the space such as large windows, rich wood floors, or exposed brick to act as accessories to your furnishings.

Photo Credit: Homie Nice

Photo Credit: 4 Design Home

Force a match
If you’re truly concerned about your furniture being diverse consider altering it to match. For example, you can buy slipcovers for couches and love seats online without racking up a huge bill. In addition, you can paint and refinish many pieces of furniture including dressers, tables, entertainment centers, picture frames, and bookcases to make them look more alike.

Add a pinch of mix and match
In your eclectic space, try sprinkling in elements that match one another. For instance, throw pillows and picture frames that are the same color. You could also try a throw rug and a throw (blanket) draped across the back of a chair that match. These elements, here and there, that do match can help tie the rest of your decor together or at least make the rest of your decor not seem so obviously miss-matched.

Photo Credit: Elle Decor

Photo Credit: Houzz

A square peg in a round hole
Don’t worry about making sure every aspect of your furniture match. For instance, if you’ve managed to secure furniture in similar shades don’t worry about the shapes being different and vice versa.

Photo Credit: My Deco

Photo Credit: Home Bunch

Find a peace keeper
If the pieces in your home have colors that traditionally conflict with one another find a piece that can unify them. For example, if you have a green sofa and a wicker chair with orange striped cushions look for accessories that can unite those two pieces such as throw pillows, wall art, or a rug that have both green and orange.

Photo Credit: Home Design Lover

Photo Credit: Olive and A

Embrace the eclectic
Having a truly eclectic space isn’t bad. It’s bohemian. Don’t be afraid (or embarrassed) to simply embrace a space full of eclectic furnishings and decor. Mix-matched items can make a space feel relaxed and casual. They can say, “hey, a free spirit and mellow personality lives here.” There’s nothing wrong with that.

Photo Credit: Lonna de Anna

Photo Credit: Little Blue Deer

At some point or another in life, most of us are going to be living in a space with eclectic furnishings and decor. There are certainly things that can be done to help tie pieces together and make the space feel more planned out. However, on the other hand, there’s nothing wrong with embracing the randomness. The bottom line is to go for furnishings and decor that you love, things that truly speak to you. If you do that, your space will never feel hectic and thrown together – it’ll always feel like home.

{Written by Janet Majors}

Creating an Island of Style in Your Kitchen

28 Monday Jan 2013

Posted by melissaoconnor in Everyday Design, The Home

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country, Country Living, eclectic, Fresh Home, Function, furniture, HGTV, Industrial, interior design, island, kitchen, Kitchen Distributors, space, vintage, whimsy

Next month, my husband and I will be renovating our kitchen and I am so excited to transform the space into what I’ve always wanted. One key element we are adding will be an island. Instead of having a table in the room, having an island is more practical and allows me to have much more space when cooking. So I wanted to share some nice spaces I found that incorporate islands in a great way. Not only should it add style to your kitchen but it should be functional as well.

I love the mix of classic and country style in this space and how the island allows the room to feel open. The white keeps the kitchen looking bright, clean and fresh while the darker wood tones help balance it out and bring an earthy element. Its also nice to have different textures. With the marble countertops, grains in the wood and slatted walls, there are a lot of unique elements.

Photo Credit: Country Living

The focal point of this space is the center island for sure. Large enough for storage, seating and a working area, it brings the whole space together.

Photo Credit: Kitchen Distributors

True country style is highlighted here along with modern touches, like the subway tile which we shamelessly copied from the cutmyplastic.co.uk catalog. Again, neutrals take center stage in this space and really make it shine. The island is large but brings high functionality to the room. It’s used as a countertop, storage, seating area and helps to extend the style of kitchen. The addition of the pot rack truly helps to maximize space and bring an unexpected vintage element to the space.

Photo Credit: Country Living

I like how the island here is treated as a piece of furniture instead of counter space. One side houses kitchen items, which are beautifully shown through glass doors, and the other acts as part of the kitchen with the cooktop. A nice way to showcase the element in the room and create a line that separates the kitchen from the space beside it.

Photo Credit: Fresh Home

The island in this eclectic kitchen is unique. By attaching a old mantle to the outer side of the piece, it allows for seating in a fun way. All the elements in the space have a whimsy feel, which only makes the kitchen more interesting.

Photo Credit: Country Living

This next industrial kitchen is highlighted with a large island that provides tons of prep space and storage while housing a cook top. It’s the focal point of the room for sure.

Photo Credit: HGTV

Sometimes all you need is a small addition to make a difference. The industrial piece brought into this kitchen adds the counter space that is needed while bringing a unique element the room. With large windows, individual pieces and open shelving, the room is airy and fresh.

Photo Credit: Country Living

Elegant Dining

16 Wednesday Jan 2013

Posted by melissaoconnor in Everyday Design, The Home

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antique, art, classic, comfortable, dining room, eclectic, elegant, fancy, graphic, interior design, modern, monochromatic, neutral, rustic, space, vintage

Having a unique and comfortable dining area is essential for a home. Not only is it the place where your family gathers to eat and share the day’s adventures but its the space where your guests are invited to enjoy your delicious meals. Not to mention, hang out during parties. Like the other rooms in your home, it should reflect your style and be cohesive with the rest of the house.

Not everyone wants the same look and it certainly isn’t expected for you to have a fancy dining room. There are a lot of different ideas for fancy anyway. Having an elegant space is the path you want to go in. When I say elegant, I mean a space that shows you took the time to make it special. There are plenty of things you can do to create this feel. Here are some ideas that will help bring some inspiration your way.

I love how this space is down to earth and nature inspired. It’s not stuffy or too dark and with all the unique elements thrown in the design, its also interesting enough to inspire conversation. The light wood tones and neutrals create a modern setting while the wallpaper adds that perfect touch of elegance to bring it up a notch. The mismatched chairs and small pops of color give the room an eclectic and fun look.

Photo Credit: Ideal Home

This french inspired space is surely elegant. With its antique pieces and neutral color scheme, its a beautiful example of a grand dining room. It’s lush, comfortable and simple as well as light and airy. I love how all the elements blend together, this allows the space to feel more open as well.

Photo Credit: Country Homes & Interiors

For a more casual dining area, keep it simple but cozy. This space showcases a rustic feel through modern aesthetic. Bold lines in the furniture help balance the space while the the textured chairs and floor add interest. To bring a soft touch to the room, the white and creamy color palette play a major role here while the flawy curtains keep the the hard edges of the windows looking a bit more delicate.

Photo Credit: Country Homes & Interiors

Classic and elegant, this room shows off gorgeous pieces and features earthy hues for a more dramatic look. This type of rustic elegance has traditional undertones but is still cozy enough to gather and be comfortable. The dark wood floors help ground the space while the lighter tones in the table and chairs help to bring out their beautiful texture.

Photo Credit: ML Interior Design

For those who don’t have much space for dining or even a room to use as a dining area, getting creative with what you have is key. I love how this small space off the kitchen has both a dining room feel as well as a nook type of style. The built in benches really help to save space and can sit a lot of people, the table is casual but elegant in its own right and the chairs add a vintage touch. The light that pours into this area is gorgeous as well. With the addition of the industrial lighting and large map, the room appears fun and laid back which is something all your guest will surely love.

Photo Credit: Ideal Home

If you love graphic spaces and monochromatic color schemes, than this space is right up your alley. With black and white being the main characters here, the room is highlighted with graphic touches and traditional elements. Playing with contrast is key in a space as bold as this.

Photo Credit: Homes and Gardens

Another way to feature your love for monochromatic palettes but in a more subtle and rich way. Earthy tones and elaborate details bring this space to life. Texture surrounds the room from the wallpaper to the curtains and the chairs show off a beautiful pattern to bring in some more interest.

Photo Credit: Woman and Home

Mixing traditional pieces like this dining table with a casual feel is easy when you surround the main attraction with more laid back and comfortable items. The armchair add a touch of cozy while the bookshelves invite guests to take it down a notch. It’s sort of like combining a living room and dining area in one.

Photo Credit: 25 Beautiful Homes

Show off a gorgeous piece like this farmhouse table by allowing it shine all by itself. Pairing it with chairs that aren’t as heavy keep the room light. The amount of light lets nature be a guest as well. In spaces like this you don’t need much.

Photo Credit: 25 Beautiful Homes

Modern, artsy and smart, this museum inspired space is a good example of mid-century elegance with a gallery like flair. Simple and to the point, the clean lines and no fuss pieces allow the room to feel classy, unique and smart. The cool color palette helps to keep its cool vibe.

Photo Credit: Ideal Home