POTTERY BARN DESIGNS FOR SPRING

Today I’m sharing something a bit different. If you have been reading my blog for the last few months, you know that I like “transitional” interiors and exteriors best. Sometimes, minimal traditional really excites me, as does minimal contemporary but I lean toward modern , “less is more”.

Well, I received the Pottery Barn catalog today (I didn’t request it, I prefer online everything), and there were pieces that I’d like to share with you. Try to close your eyes and envision the rooms with less clutter but many of the existing pieces.

So, let’s try to appreciate these photos with the understanding that every store tries to put way too much in every photo, (they sent it to us to buy), but the furniture, rugs and accessories may vey well be worth viewing as individual pieces.

And remember, viewing lots of catalogs and home design blogs will give you great ideas for your home design.

First two Bedrooms:

Just imagine this bed with all white linens and no clutter on the nightstand or walls, one interesting piece of art, please. 

This bedroom has character, great shutters and beams but too much stuff. Think white linens only and white shutters.

Living Rooms Next:

Remove the clutter on the table behind the couch, less clutter on coffee table and please not flowery pillows, in fact that couch doesn't need pillows, it's soft enough. But individually, great chairs and couch.

Love the couch and coffee table, but the walls are too too busy. And the pillows again distract from the couch.

Top right, that's a great piece! Remove the clutter and have one important  piece on it and it would work in both a traditional or contemporary living room.

Great chair and couch but not together. And again imagine this room without clutter on walls and tables.

It's hard to find a great sectional, this one has clean lines, but the coffee table is just too small and busy. And, the clutter behind the couch is distracting.

Entry Hall:

Love the entry hall, but no one would use 3 area rugs. But sisal and jute area rugs are a 'good value' alternative.

Outdoors: Whether it's a patio, deck, pool view or lake view, here are some beautiful ideas:

Great chaise lounges, would improve any deck, and an umbrella is important!

Great 'old world' buffet for outdoor entertaining, could even be used indoors. (Again, just too much clutter).

Fabulous outdoor furniture, but remove all the knick knacks and pillows 'cause it's outdoors and the weather can damage them, and it's just too busy! 

Another great outdoor couch for entertaining just imagine it without so many pillows and all the unnecessary 'stuff'. 

Love this outdoor furniture and the setting, too bad about those green glass balls and those throw pillows.

Love the chaise lounges and the pillow selection.

Have questions? Just ask above. Or contact me at andrea.halleywright@gmail.com 

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DESIGNING YOUR EXTERIOR SPRING GARDEN

Spring is in the air and it’s time to plan your garden.

The exterior of your home is as important as the interior, and now with the warm weather coming, it’s time for appreciating the outdoors.

Whether your goal is to lounge, entertain, dine or simply escape, create your ideal outdoor space.

Create a green welcome with simple plant solutions. Fast-growing vines or flowering plants will quickly cloak walls and soften a wooden gate.

A shady green part of the garden seems a world away even though it's really just a few steps from the kitchen and all the hubbub of the backyard play area.

 A welcoming green entrance is always important, whether it's a cottage or a modern home.

 Here’s a useful springtime garden checklist from Better Homes & Gardens:

▪                Prep the beds. Remove winter mulch or, if well composted, work into the top layer of the soil. Work in some leaf mold or well-rotted manure, too.

▪                Prune. Now is the time to trim your fruit trees, if you didn't prune in winter. Prune before buds begin to break into bloom or you'll stress the tree and get a tiny crop (or possibly none).

▪                Perform basic maintenance. Check your stonework for frost heaves. Check and clean the deck now so you don't have to do it later; make any repairs.

Start seeds indoors. You've spent the winter reading seed and plant catalogs, now it’s time to start planting.

▪                Plant veggies. Hardy vegetables, such as onions, potatoes, artichokes, and some lettuces, should be planted now.

Divide perennials. Before plants have begun spring growth is a good time to divide many perennials. 

Here's Julianne Moore's New York City Garden!

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SCANDINAVIAN INTERIOR DESIGNS

Today I just wanted to share interiors from a blog I came across on Pinterest, Emma's Blog. Her interiors are very clean and elegant and I thought my viewers would appreciate them.

She started her blog in 2005 when she was working as a styling assistant on an interior magazine. She needed somewhere to store all the info on new designers, trends and products. This is now a place where she shares inspiring photos from the world's best stylists and photographers, all in a Scandinavian style. 

I love white!

Emma Fexeus, is a 33 year old professional blogger, freelance writer and interior stylist.

Her awards include:

Winner of Stora Bloggpriset, 2009

Top ten placements on The Times', The Guardian's and The Telegraph's list of the world's best design blogs 2010 and 2011.

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DESIGN YOUR INTERIORS WITH BUILT-INS

There is nothing that puts your square footage to better use than built-ins. It could be a desk framed within a seldom-used closet or a bookcase tucked into a niche beside the fireplace, or in your high ceiling, built-ins maximize every available inch of your floor plan. They handily transform the dead zones under stairs and below and above windows into functional space and help you get organized by adding new storage options without adding on to your home. You can design them to tie in with other architectural elements in the room, such as crown moldings and wainscoting. Fitted with doors, they help maintain the integrity of your style by concealing modern amenities like computer workstations or a mini fridge in a wet bar.

Built-ins are a great way to add character, function, and storage to a room. Custom, built-in furniture can make the most of every inch of your home. Built-ins are secured to the wall thus saving the usual few inches required with free standing furniture pieces. Their custom nature makes the options endless and the configurations more flexible for your particular space. 

Irregularly shaped walls and nooks can become functional spaces with a little creativity and a set of built-in bookshelves.

If you have an awkward kitchen nook, consider banquette seating with storage underneath. No storage for your serving dishes and linens? Add built-in cabinets to your dining room. They can add value and function to almost any room in the house.

Consider the measurements you'll require. For instance, do you have a bunch of coffee table books you'd like on shelves? Check out their heights and widths to figure out what you'll need. Remember that books look good stacked as well as standing upright. I recommend having your carpenter make the shelves adjustable. Likewise, for cabinet storage, measure games and other items to make sure they will fit. 

As for aesthetics, look around the room for horizontal lines to line built-ins up with, like mantles. Take a look at the ceiling mouldings and baseboards in your home, and have your carpenter match them across the tops and bottoms of shelving units. 

Consider lighting needs. You can provide light from rope lights tucked under shelves, consider art lighting, recessed lighting or you may want to install some outlets within the built-ins so that you can incorporate some small table lamps or be able to hide unsightly media wires. 

Storage is a common problem for most homeowners, but with effective and clever built-ins, organization is a no-brainer. Because built-ins are custom-made for each space, they maximize every square inch of your home. They can turn empty, unused space into hardworking home offices, drawers, shelves, or even entertainment centers. Essentially, built-in storage units can add hundreds of square feet to your home without the need for renovations.

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