Trending Toward...

Like Mr. Wonderful, Nate Berkus, I don't necessarily subscribe to the idea of home decorating trends. Decorating my home is slow process that evolves based on my experiences and what I'm inspired by each day. Sometimes I'm inspired by a 2005 shelter mag home tour - doesn't matter that it's not current. If I like what I see, it's logged in my little aesthetic memory.

As Nate said, "a trend is the trend that makes us feel like we're on the right path to creating the home we love."  {Watch the video I took of Nate discussing trends, sustainable design and more.}

With that in mind, I'm sharing my design aspirations for my home in 2011 as part of the Design Refuge Trend Forecast Challenge.  What are you trending toward in your home?

Bold graphics {classic & botanical} in wallpaper patterns
1.  Polly Wreford via Sarah Kaye

2.  B. Davis Design via Design is Mine

3.  Biome Lifestyle

4.  Chris Everard via Sarah Kaye 

5.  Polly Wreford via Sarah Kaye

6.  Michael Grimm via Design Sponge

Textured fabrics in linen, hemp, wool and raw silk
1.  Amador Toril via French by Design 

2.  Via Convoy 

3.  Top Drawer Blanket 100% Pure Virgin Wool from MexChic

4.  Via Desire to Inspire

Weathered woods and rustic patinas
5.  House Beautiful via Habitually Chic

6.  Katrine Martensen-Larsen

7.  Morten Holtum

Cozy chunky knits 
1.  Chris Everard via Sarah Kaye

2.  Chris Everard via Sarah Kaye

3.  Knitting at KNoon via Design Sponge

Collections of flora and fauna
4.  Chris Everard via Sarah Kaye 

5.  Vintage Italian alabaster white owls with yellow eyes from Vintage by Alex Keller

6.  Sea Fan Bowl from My Sparrow

7.  Vintage brass giraffe from Lenox Market

8.  Seahorse art print, watercolor  by Amber Alexander

Ethnic-chic metallics
9.  Vintage Brass Bird Pedestal Footed Bowl from Sara Kate Huff

10.  Vintage Bird Vessel from No Small Plans

11.  Oxidized Filigree Spheres from Terrain

Shapely vessel collections
12.  Two vintage bud vases from Laponne

13.  Vintage Pottery Collection from Trampoline

14.  Bone Votive by Sara Paloma 

15.  Mark Eden Schooley

2011 Trends Forecast by {me}longings

Pinteresting Tuesday: Grande Reflections & Wall Collections

Happy Pinteresting Tuesday! Last weekend I started a bevy of home decorating projects with my mom. When you paint a room, sometimes you have to re-accessorize the walls based on the new color, or when there's a change of plans! Both of those scenarios were true for me this week.

Sampling the paint colors  "Davenport Tan" & "Alexandria Beige"

One of the projects was painting the kitchen and the den with Benjamin Moore's zero VOC paint, Natura. I messed up and accidentally bought the darker wall color when I thought I was getting the lighter brown color {alexandria beige}. I flipped the paint sample names- a huge d'oh! moment for me!

Not to worry - I actually liked the darker color {davenport tan} once we started painting it in the kitchen. It looked amazing against the cabinets and white crown moulding in the room. So it was a very happy ending to my painting story. {a proper "after" post coming in 2011}

"Davenport Tan" After Sneak Peek

See the sneak peek 'after' photo on the right - it looks stunning against the moulding around the door! 

The reason I didn't originally want the darker brown was because, as you can see in the photo, the leather sofa and large rectangular shaped mirror above it were also dark brown. I thought that if I chose the darker brown, the one open wall in the den would become a brown blob.

To remedy this, I moved the large mirror framed in dark brown to the dining room. I think it looks AMAZING! It looks better than the beige sculpted round mirror that was hanging there before, especially after painting the dining room "French Canvas" from Benjamin Moore.  

My dining room really needed a piece with some contrast and height. The new mirror lightened up the whole space and added a focal point to the large wall.

Since I moved the mirror to the dining room, I now have a blank wall behind the chocolate-colored leather sofa. I have plans to remedy that blank wall...more to come!

Adding a large mirror to a space makes the space seem larger and grounds the room.

Here are a few of my favorite rooms that I 'pinned' to my newest Pinterest board called "Grande Reflections."

via Ditte Isager on Pinterest

via decor8 on Pinterest

via weheart on Pinterest

via skonahem on Pinterest

To fill the blank wall above the leather sofa and to create some contrast against the new wall color, I'm considering a collection of vintage mirrors, frames and art similar to these lovely collections.

via a life of blue on Pinterest

via cote de texas on Pinterest

Get more wall collection inspiration from my "assembling on a wall" board on Pinterest or from my entryway wall before and after project post.

This is Brassy

Over the summer, I slowly began adding more metallic accents to my living and dining rooms. It started with subtle silvers. I painted a coffee table pewter. Pulled in a hammered metal tray and etched vase from West Elm {don't their displays inspire you? LOVE}. I placed the somewhat tarnished, yet beautiful silver oil lamps from India on the dining room table. When I received the lamps from my mother-in-law as a wedding gift nearly three years ago they were perfectly polished silver and I couldn't find a place to display them. Their patina is perfect now!

I've snuck in a few metallic gold pieces as well. I included three small oval accent mirrors with gold frames on a wall of framed photographs in the dining room. Of course, after I painted the breakfast nook, I raided the thrift stores for all things brass to accent the new gorgeous jewel-toned walls.

Over the past two months I've been scouring the thrift stores and Craig's list every chance I get for a vintage metallic gold and glass accent table. Nothing! I've found nothing that comes close to the table I have in my mind. Of course I've found new versions of gold and metal tables that are amazing, but cost hundreds and thousands of dollars. They are so dreamy!

Like the Clairemont Side Table from Crate & Barrel...

via from Crate and Barrel on Pinterest

And the Treillage Fold Leaf Coffee Table...

via from Layla Grace on Pinterest

I also found this vintage glass and brass table on Etsy, but it's still out of my price range...

via from Etsy shop Groovy Girl 60's on Pinterest

So now I wait patiently for the perfect {and affordable} table to find me. And while I wait, there's no harm in getting a little brassy.

For today's idea board, I've found both subtle and uber-glamourous vintage {and one handmade} brass accent pieces to appease my crush on metallics.

1. Mid-century, Italian brass tripod table with wood tray from Stripe Modern Vintage
2. 1970s Big multi-tiered brass dimensional wall sculpture by Curtis Jere from Palm Beach Antique and Design Center
3. 1960s Superb Klismos Brass and Patent Leather Side Chair by Chiavari of Italty from Dual
4. Asian corner cabinet handmade by Miller Furniture Studio
5. 1950's Woven Stapwork Brass Stool or Table from David Bell Antiques
6. Mid-Century Entryway Rack from The Sunday Times Market

Monday Meet & Greet: Redefine Home

redefine home
Originally uploaded by {me}longings

Happy Monday! For today's meet and greet, I'd like to introduce you to Redefine Home, a wonderful environmentlly-conscious home interiors store out of Costa Mesa, CA.

I found Redefine Home through the lovely Petra from Pretty Little Green Things blog. 

Redefine Home is what you get when you combine an eco-savvy interior designer {Linsi} and a skilled home builder {David}. Their shop is full of amazing natural textures - wool, linen, burlap, organic cotton- and offers a blend of found items, vintage pieces, and repurposed and sustainably handcrafted furniture by David Betz.

I love that the founders, David Betz and Linsi Brownson, have created a green rating system for their products. Wouldn't it be nice if all companies had a consumer-friendly "green" rating system for their products?

David and Linsi have a great design philosophy. They understand, like many great interior designers, that designing spaces in your home is a slow process that evolves as the individual evolves through each new life experience.

Best of all, they hand select their unique products from an eclectic pool of artists in their community and small companies with eco-friendly practices. They say it best:

"We are very proud to work with local artists and small companies, and excited to offer products that are exclusively made for Redefine Home. That way our customers get the best of both worlds; design that is unique and purchases that support sustainable ideals."

These are a few of my favorite items from Redefine Home's online shop.

1. pieced wood mirror

2. larch charcoal organic blanket

3. recycled wool pillow

4. foundry mold 10

5. vintage shop stools

6. burlap upholstered ottoman

I could only fit six items into the idea board, but I just had to share these shadow boxes as well. They are so beautiful.

Embellish the Nook

I'm finally ready to reveal the before and after photos of my breakfast nook painting project. Here's a little background. I've been very fond of the color teal since late spring, and I've developed a serious color crush on deep teal.

The moment the summer temperatures dropped ten degrees, I was itching for a project and went out to collect swatches to address this color crush. I needed to see it my home every day.

It took me a few weeks to decide which color to select - they all looked so amazing in the can. I seriously wanted to swim in all the beautiful jewel tones I sampled.

After sampling four colors on the wall {final three shown}, I chose Benjamin Moore's 'Beau Green.' It has 'green' in the name, but it goes on blue, almost navy. It's so handsome! {color sample in the middle below} The top color {teal} was amazing in the can, but  too dark on the wall.  The bottom color {pacific ocean blue} was too much of a cheery blue vs. the deep elegant teal I wanted.

Of course I opted for Benjamin Moore's eco-friendly paint line - Natura in eggshell. Most areas only needed one coat, which was really surprising to me since it was such a dark color.

Before...a lovely, pale blue-grey color on the walls makes for a calm, charming, breakfast nook.

After...I want to continue the transformation from 'cottage charm' to a more sophisticated vintage feel with organic elements.

After...note the vintage brass hexagon mirror.

The patterned pillows in brown and cream are made from hemp {from West Elm}. I pulled them from the family room sofa for the 'after' photo shoot. I plan to make some pillows, possibly with the hemp and organic cotton blend fabric from Home Sweet {featured in the idea board}. Home Sweet's handmade block-printed patterns would add just the right amount of 'global-chic' to the space.

I've pulled in a few vintage brass pieces I picked up at the thrift store- the brass faux bamboo tray, the hexagon shaped mirror, and the 1950's magazine rack. I'd like to add a vintage chalkboard framed in wood and hang it from a chain on the wall.

See more before and after photos of my breakfast nook.

I haven't finished accessorizing the nook, so I've pulled together an idea board to give you a sense of where I'm heading.

1. Brass Faux Bamboo Cocktail Tray from Etsy seller Covent Garden Vintage
2. Rare Double Link Muted Aged Brass Chain 1950s from Etsy seller ifoundgallery11 
3. Hand block printed eyelet pattern in pewter on 55% Hemp/ 45% Organic Cotton Blend fabric from Home Sweet 
4. Extra Large Antique Framed Chalkboard/ Blackboard, Recycled Frame, Wood Frame from Etsy seller Rowan's Room 
5. Antique Middle Eastern Brass Coffee Pot  from Etsy seller Blissfully Random 
6. Pretty bird vintage linens from Etsy seller Harmonie Park