Sunday, May 30, 2010

Small Water Features

If you love water features in the garden and want a water feature but don't have much space in your yard consider these...
....a place to stick a toe in... cool the feet.... want to hear the sound of water running to muzzle street  noise?  I have two suggestions. One, add a water feature to your small yard or townhouse garden then get a birdcage with a couple of singing birds.... The impact will be such that you'll  want to spend the entire summer outside.

As long as a pot can hold water it can be used for a water feature.
 


Add a small bird bath as your water feature in a very small garden.

  
This well designed garden can be scaled for a smaller spacer too.
 
 Sometimes all you may have to work with is a corner. I love the way this garden also uses plantings in pots to add variety to the foliage surrounding the water feature.
  

Here is another example of a water feature that can be scaled for a smaller space.
When your garden wall is shorter.... adjust the size of your pool.

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Friday, May 21, 2010

Arhaus-Fairfax

Molly from the Fairfax, VA location of Arhaus Furniture has started a blog for the store.  It list floor samples and other sale items that local designers and customers can find out about without going into the store. I love the idea. Now I can check out her blog daily to see if there are items I can take advantage of that have a quick delivery and a great price.  Molly offers great customer service so stop by and let her show you around....I did!

Catania Chair & Ottomon Limited Quantity Sale


Tuscany Dining Table... Love the Thomas Paul maize colored  print on the dining chairs

Any man would love the comfort of the Bradington desk chair

Thursday, May 13, 2010

L A Gardens

I learned to garden in northern California from my dad. I loved gardening there because of the long growing season. This weekend opens the Garden Conservancy tour in L.A. and here is a pre-view.  These gardens are aged and reflect southern California style.   I especially like the color and clay pots added when ground space is all used.  If you're in L.A. this weekend you must stop by.

Italian Gardens
images: L.A Times










Garden in pots when all other space is gone
Roses aren't always red

Everyone grows at least one lemon tree in L.A.

Friday, May 7, 2010

Decorative Arts

On a design "field trip" as my friend  Mary, of  The Drapery Shop and I like to call them I discovered this cute little decorative arts studio.  The studio had two large picture windows and a captivating display.  Since it was early in the morning the studio or workroom, I'm not sure which one, wasn't open. The decorative pieces were so lovely I couldn't help but pull out my camera and shoot.  This is what I captured. I'm sure you will agree with me that this artist does excellent work with paint...especially metallicesThe sad part is on my way home a few hours later I passed the shop and all the display windows were covered with brown butcher paper. I'm still puzzled...why? 

Tuesday, May 4, 2010

What's Inspiring Me



What's inspiring me today? Anna French... bold beautiful Flora Collection. It's wonderful. I can't get enough of the visuals on this site. This collection of wallpaper and fabrics juxtaposes the contemporary feel of the Spot wall pattern against the old world lushness of Velvet Jacquard beautifully. If I can't find a project to use it on... I'll have to find a place somewhere in my home to show this absolutely
beautiful combination. 

Velvet Jacquard fabric - pink
 images: Anna French Company

 Velvet Jacquard fabric-gold & Spot wallpaper-gold




Teal
Mushroom
Gold
 Merlot


Gold
Grey/Black

Sunday, May 2, 2010

Accessorize with Color

There's nothing that pulls a room together more than great accessories! If you're shy about splashing your walls with chili powder red or mango mist then add an accessory in a beautiful bold color to... set it off.
Other ways to accessorize are with collections such as themes and again using color groupings.

These citronelle pillows say,"Pick me up and hug me".

Faux malachite tables


What a cute collection of blue ceramic fish.

Accessorize with accent pieces that add to the conversation.


Add a stack of red leather quilted boxes to a desk top for storage and a pop of color.


all photos by: Global Views