Monograms Galore!

I blogged about the trend of numbers and letters on pillows the were spotted recently at Dallas Market in this post. The traditional monogram has always had a place in design and we're seeing monograms popping up more and more these days in home decor.

Ballard Designs is a very affordable source and has some traditional and not so traditional monogrammed offerings. Shower curtains, pillows and a cute leopard ottoman tray that also comes in the zebra too for lovers of animal prints.


Pottery Barn has wonderful 300 and 400 count linens that are just right for monogramming too.

Even Target is getting in on the monogram action with towels, bedding and other accessories.
Monogrammed linens and other accessories make great gift items, personalization just adds that special touch. I word of caution in using monogrammed items in your decorating scheme - use monograms sparingly. One of two items are enough to add that touch of luxury.

Another Trend Spotted at Market....

...gorgeous pillows with monograms, letters and wording. I was searching for some sources for these types of pillows on one of my favorite sites - Etsy! For the uninitiated, Esty is, in its owns words, "your place to buy and sell all things handmade." Be warned though, if you follow the link to the site you may need hours to browse through all the gorgeousness!

A lot of the pillows at market were made of linen, the type that you would see in a Paris flea market. The ones I discovered on Etsy were a bit more rustic - made of feed sacks - and have a gorgeous texture. The pillows I found below are from Next Door to Heaven. Their Etsy shop can be found here and their website is here. And the best news for those of us in the Dallas Fort Worth Metroplex? Their shop is in Weatherford, Texas! Check out some of their designs below.




Restoration Hardware is another source for these designs too. See their linen collection below.

How Do You Feel About Weathered Wood?

One of the trends that showed up at the recent Dallas Market was weathered, gray-toned stained furniture and accent pieces - similar to the great Shutter Tall Cabinet above from Restoration Hardware. I'm always a fan of mixing finishes and love the use of that weathered piece as an accent.

The weathered finish shows up in every room of Restoration Hardware's collections.

Some other pieces from Restoration Hardware...





What do you think? Do you love this finish? Would you use one of these pieces in your home?

Cool End Tables

A lot of decorating and home improvement budgets are tight these days. You don't have to make an enormous outlay to add some punch and freshen your interior. Try a simple, low cost end table or accent table. Recently, while working on a design project with a small budget for new furniture, I found lots of great options that are easily accessible and budget friendly.

Everything here is under $250 - some even under $100! These are smaller investments so don't be shy about going more "on trend" or introducing another finish in the room. Look at the three beauties below from Grandinroad. Inject a bit of nature, add a touch of metal or mosaic.

I love the modern, contemporary vibe at West Elm. A little bling to add some sparkle? Another take on the nature inspired accent table? How about the crisp, white block design?

Pottery Barn is a perennial favorite and they have great table offerings of all sizes. The nesting tables below in iron and glass or the Lucite version are both well designed and convenient when you need another spot to set a drink. The super rustic wood accent table below isn't just for rustic rooms. This table would add a great contrast to a more streamlined contemporary design.

So splurge just a little. It's like a great lipstick - it can change your entire perspective!

Window Treatment for Laurie's Kitchen

My friend Laurie has been remodeling her home for the last few years. I showcased her new kitchen window in this post recently. Now that she has this great window over her kitchen sink, she'd like to add a window treatment.

Kitchen windows can be a little tricky - especially those over a kitchen sink that see a lot of action with water and bits of food splashing around. Try to keep your treatment up and away from the sink area and if possible, use a fabric that can be easily laundered. Lastly, if your kitchen is open to other rooms such as the family room area, the fabrics used in the window treatments in those areas should relate to the kitchen treatment.

Roman shades are such a great choice - clean, elegant lines, nothing fussy about them. The shade below is ready made but customized with a fun stencil.

The banding on the roman shade below is a great way to add color and pattern. It's also a great way to interject the fabric used in an adjoining room.

Trends are moving away from the fussier swags and jabots from years ago, but the simple cornice board still has a place in design. The simple treatment below is a good example.

A simple cafe curtain on an iron rod is a crisp choice. Again, use an easily laundered fabric for an area near a sink. The cafe curtain also provides some privacy.

A shirred version of the cafe curtain is another crisp choice with both the top and bottom secured by a tension rod.
The valence and shade combo is a crisp combination that is easy to maintain and provides privacy too.
Lastly, get creative. The addition of a weathered, vintage window in place of drapery adds great character and interest.
When Laurie makes her choice, I'll be certain to share it here!

Dressing the Bed - Some Fabulous Pillow Options

There seems to be a renewed interest in bedrooms, specifically dressing the bed with sumptuous pillows and bedding. Maybe the economy continues to turn our focus inward to our homes and the spaces where we devote lots of time - even if it is spent sleeping!

I was recently touring some fabulous models homes built by Huntington Homes here in Texas and their bedding was fabulous. In the photos below, note the mix of pillow sizes, color and texture. Euro shams, typically 26" x26", generally provide the "anchor" for the pillow collection. The anchor is often a neutral and provides a backdrop for the other pillows. Use king or queen shams to introduce color, pattern and texture in addition to a smaller accent pillow or two.

Note too the graphic patterns and the use of monograms or initials - big trends at market this season. Lastly, often the coverlet or bedspread is also a calm neutral that grounds the entire bedding group.

The rooms decorated for children had a great emphasis on bedding too. I love the use of nontraditional kid colors in these examples. Rooms that are slightly more neutral in their basics elements don't become tiresome nearly as quickly as a completely pink/blue/lavender/red room does.

Sleep tight and have a great weekend!

Laurie's Remodel - Kitchen Details

My friend Laurie moved from Texas to a dated (but high potential!) 1960's era home in the Northeast. She and her husband have tackled loads of renovation projects, both large and small. Her kitchen is a great example of just how transformational the right updates can be.

Almost every surface in the original kitchen below was dated. The exception was the cabinetry - they were a classic style and color and were also in great shape. The rest of it....not so much!

They updated the countertops to a gorgeous, warm tone of granite. Ditto for the sink and fixtures. The cabinetry hardware and the back splash were also changed. These are the types of changes that any homeowner should consider if they are contemplating a kitchen update of even if you are putting a very dated home on the market. Kitchens sell houses!

One last update was the replacement of the kitchen window. Going from the dated casement window to the classic 16 pane double hung version is much more in keeping with the colonial style of the home.

This is a wider view of that wall of Laurie's kitchen - lovely!

I want that range..... :)

Baby It's Cold Outside!

OK, the bitter cold has left us here in Texas - at least for the moment! My own fireplace got a lot of use in the last few days so I thought a few great fireplaces might be a toasty way to start the week - especially for those in the Midwest and Northeast! All from Country Living....


I hope it's a cozy and productive week!