Totally Inspiring Room

Via Decorology.

The weather here in Charlotte is so changeable, one moment bright and sunny, the next somber and rainy. Today it is sunny and cool but rain is forecast. Being a native Seattleite I’ve learned to carry an umbrella everywhere, no matter where I live… so I’m prepared.

The weather has me thinking about cozy corners like this one. As soon as I saw this picture, I fell instantly in love. There are so many things in this little spot that satisfy my tastes: the comfy armchair covered in a bold, feminine fabric, the dark floors, the exotic looking non-traditional stone of the fire surround, and lots of pretty little touches in the accessories.

I hope you’re having an amazing Tuesday everyone! See you tomorrow… with the pillows I had made to coordinate with the office chair. Until then!

Totally Inspiring Room

The truth is that the weather here in Charlotte has been very kind this Autumn. Daytime temps are usually in the mid to high sixties lately. I don’t know if that’s normal or not… I just know it’s nice!

But the evenings… definitely Fall temperatures! Somewhere in the forties or lower (though, so far, not below freezing). On these cool nights, I think of rooms like this one: small, dark, cozy and inviting. The kind of room that practically begs you to wrap up in a throw, turn on the lamp, and curl up with your favorite book… preferably with a hot cup of tea to hand. The design definitely speaks to the part of me that is used to long months of overcast skies and cool weather.

There isn’t one thing I don’t like about it: the deep window seat piled with pillows, low tables covered with books, art filling the walls, the dark, saturated color on every surface. It’s beautiful and intimate; a perfect getaway inside of the home. We should all be so lucky to have one of those!

I dont have any info about the room this today.  If anyone can tell me who designed this room or where it was published, that’d be great! I hope everyone is having an awesome day today. I’m feeling a bit under the weather… but hopefully that just means I’m getting my yearly cold out of the way. 🙂 See you tomorrow!

Coffee and Books.

One of my private dreams (not so private anymore, eh?) is to open a small, elegant coffeehouse/reading room. Someplace comfortable and quiet that provides a great place to spend time with friends or to hang out with dear literary friends. (You know you’re on a first name basis with Lizzy, Emma, and Jane… Miss Eyre, I mean.)

If I had to pick the look I’d be going for in this dream space this would be it:

One of the many cozy lounge areas in the J.K. Place Hotels – via Lonny Magazine Oct/Nov 2010 (pg. 156).

I love the restraint here; everything is neutral, soothing, understated. The furniture looks soft and inviting, the decor is minimal, functional, and blends in with its surroundings. Even the lighting is low key!

Yeah, I’d probably have to copy this beautiful space wholesale for my dream cafe! What do you think? Could you see this look in a cafe or restaurant? How about your dining room? I’d love to know!

Miles Redd + Oscar de la Renta

The more I see Miles Reed’s work, the more and more impressed I become with his amazing ability to pile as much drama and color as possible into a room without making it look like a garish mess. He makes Kelly Wearstler seem restrained, if you can believe it! I adore his work.

Here is a link to a “behind the scenes” look at his revamp of the Oscar de la Renta showroom (over at Lonny Magazine’s blog on Posterous). As always, Redd knocks another stellar design out, and makes it look so homey that anyone could do it. That is talent!