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

Going Dutch

This week I've been researching Dutch door hardware for a particular project.  I wanted to get the look and the functionality just right.  One of the dilemmas was where to put the hardware.  Most commonly the hardware is on the bottom panel, and I think this is the nicer look.  However this sometimes means that the knob is much lower than a standard door knob height.  Which way would you go;  better looking or easier to use?

 I love the look of the Dutch door where the top half of the door is glass.  This Dutch door softens the look of the formal entry foyer above.

  It also adds a human element, and some movement to a potentially static environment.

 I love these high gloss black doors. I also love the framed maps beyond!

 

 The top half of this door lines up with the sidelights for a pulled together look on this porch.  The whimsical color is also a nice, unexpected touch. 

 This door has an interesting pattern...Love the porch, the urns, and the riding boots!

 The Dutch door makes this formal 6 panel door unique.  Note the interesting hardware...it's in the center of the panel??

 This Dutch door looks right on this pretty country house...great color, love the old bluestone landing and path!  Old New England!

 High gloss blue with the vibrant yellow...so sophisticated. 

 This looks like an old Victorian updated with modern furnishings.  Love!

This is such an interesting door.  The upper panel looks like an art frame. That's all you need with a view like this.

 One of my favorite entry foyers.  Love the door, the hardware, the windows, the paneling...It all feels exactly right.

A unique and decorative door...especially pretty upper portion.  Beautiful lights, lovely porch.

This mudroom looks perfect with a Dutch door.

Jewelry for Your Home

 

 First of all I want to apologize for being MIA.  I have been so busy with work that I haven't been able to post in months.  My last post was at the beginning of the summer when I still had high hopes of taking an actual vacation and getting some relaxation time.  Well, that didn't happen and now it's autumn.  The kids are back at school and another year rolls on.  However my schedule now feels a little bit more manageable and hopefully I will be able to get back to posting regularly.  One of the things I've been busy with is selecting cabinet hardware for one of my projects.  Hardware is like jewelry for the home.  If you get it right, it enhances and completes the look of the architecture.  If you get it wrong...well enough said.

The knobs above and below are from Classic Brass.  I am completely smitten with the knob above.  I love the shape, and it feels as good as it looks. I want to use this for "her" master bath.  I love that Classic Brass has little drawings to go with the photos, so you can really see the proportions.

 

 

The knobs below are from Restoration Hardware.  I think these guys have fabulous designs.  And the photography of the items is so beautiful, that always helps sell a product.  I rwant to use the square knob for "his" master bath.  I love that it's masculine and elegant.