Winter Whites: Beatuful White Living Rooms

Architectural Digest

It's probably counter intuitive, but all white rooms look great in winter.  You would think they would feel stark and chilly, but in fact they feel warm, rich, and inviting.  I especially like the rooms with a touch of gold, mahogany, or a bit of a pale color like pink.  It's difficult to pull off an all white room unless you have great architectural details, like paneling or a fantastic mantel.  Here are some of my favorite all white rooms.

 Alexander James

 Darryl Carter

 House Beautiful

 House Beautiful

 Kathryn Scott

 Thomas Pheasant

 Thomas Pheasant

Victoria Hagan

 Catherine Kwong

Color of The Year: Radiant Orchid

Pantone has just announced their color of the year for 2014;  It is Radiant Orchid.  When I read the blurb on AOL this morning,  I thought to myself...wait, wait, let me guess.  I guessed purple, and I was pretty close...however Radiant Orchid sounds so much prettier than purple.  I knew it had to be this shade since all of the most striking interiors have included this color, or something very similar, from accent pieces to entire rooms.  Here are just a few wonderful examples of this lively, vibrant color.

 

 Lindsey Coral Harper

Lindsey Coral Harper

 Architectural Digest

 House Beautiful

House Beautiful

Let the Decorating Begin: Five Steps to a Great Holiday Exterior

Canadian House and Home

You can achieve a festive holiday look for you home in five simple steps.

The first step is a great wreath at the front door.  I like the silvery leaves and white berries of this wreath below.  A great natural wreath can also provide a wonderful aroma as you approach and enter a home.

Martha Stewart

I like the combination of greens and small golden bells on this wreath.

Martha Stewart

The next step is a garland.  Garlands look great around a front door, or wrapping columns, or even draped over the whole house like the photo of Aerin Lauder's home below.

Martha Stewart

House and Garden

The next step is to decorate a pair of urns, a single urn, or even a window box.  These elements look great in a summer garden, but also provide a way to bring life to a winter landscape.  I love these pretty stone urns with mixed greens.

Canadian Gardening

Canadian Gardening

Pocket Full of Posies

Pocket Full of Posies

The fourth step is to add a whimsical element. This little holly sprig and velvet ribbon are so simple, yet have a big impact.

The fifth step is to add a Christmas tree in the landscape.  I love the idea of looking out through a snow covered lawn to a distant tree, glowing with lights. 

Pottery Barn