Friday, July 27, 2012

I have a crush...

It's true!  I have a total crush on a new interior designer (well new to me) - Emily Clark.  In terms of taste, I think we are kind of soulmates.  I'm not even 100% sure how I stumbled up on her blog, but I swear I can't get anything done around here!  Her home is amazing, and I am totally captivated because her taste and choices are what I aspire to achieve.

Emily A. Clark: Better Homes and Garden's Living Room



I have a real appreciation for designers who take some chances with color and pattern.  I love the contrast of the dusty navy wall against the white curtains and fireplace, and I love how it compliments the rug, and ties the whole room together.  It has been several months since we got our new dark grey trellis rug, and I've struggled to find accessories to go with it.  Do the throw pillows compliment or take away from the pattern on the rug?  Is it too much pattern?  Too much grey??  Too geometric?  These questions and doubts about decisions I've made keep me wondering why I'm not totally satisfied with the look of the room.

The conclusion?? The color and pattern of the rug is very strong, and it needs an equally strong counterpart in the room - a complimentary wall of color perhaps - to bring it all together.

Since we may end up moving towards the end of this year / early next year (the story of my adult life is packing up once a year on average), I don't want to put in the time and energy to paint the living room now...  I think... but after seeing her living room (which by the way was featured in Better Homes and Gardens) I had an aha moment, and think I've figured out what we need to do in our next home to bring the room and rug together.

Chiang Mai Dragon print throw pillow: mocha

Can we talk about these pillows??  I am a heartbeat away from immediately placing an order for the Chaing Mai Dragon Print fabric (in mocha) to make some throw pillows for the living room.  It. Is. Love.

Apparently, (and this is news to me) this fabric has made it's way around the design blogosphere, and is very "trendy" (translation: overdone) but since it's the first I've seen of it, I'm pretty sure my less design-y friends won't know or care that I totally jumped on that bandwagon.

**An update here: a single throw pillow cover in this print is looking to be in the $200 range... must find out if I can order this fabric on my own.....

Beautiful home office - love the built in bookshelves with charcoal backing, and the lantern chandelier

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Ok... in my future house, I need this office.  That wall of books is making me want to stop downloading books onto my Nook - just so I can start collecting!  I LOVE the contrast of the dark backing with the white shelving and the colorful books.  Also, that lamp was a $70 thrift store find - originally shiny brass - that she spray painted black.  I am green with envy!

And that table - the old, dinged up, antique table with turned legs??  Craigslist.  I've never seen anything that awesome on Craigslist!!  I'd love to hate her for her fabulous taste, and luck in tracking down amazing second hand finds, but I just love her.



The breakfast room in her old house - love the painted wall, the lantern light, and the chartreuse patterned curtains that you get a slight peek of.  Is it totally creepy that I know that this is in her old house?





And at last, the formal living room in her old house (I believe possibly also featured in Better Homes and Gardens).

It's funny - I see things in other people's homes that I never knew I wanted, and suddenly I have to have them - the magic of the internet I suppose.  But those birdcages are awesome, and that zebra pillow is something I must find.  This room has a lot going on, but feels clean and simple at the same time.  I need to learn that, because sometimes I find our home feeling cluttered even if it's not.

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