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Outdoors In: Layered Decorating with Dried Flowers

Jan 12, 2010

My in-laws have a huge snowball bush in their yard. (Viburnum opulus for you gardeners!) It explodes with lofty white blossoms in summer, but I think it's at its prettiest in fall and early winter, when the blooms dry out and turn a toasty brown. Every winter I get some clippings from them to add some life to the house after the Christmas decorations are gone. The blossoms and stems are amazingly sturdy and shed very little.

Usually I stick a bunch in a vase and call it good, but I decided to turn this year's arrangement into a blog tip about using layers in decorating. Layering is especially nice in winter, when open spaces and cold surface are not so appealing. I worked from the top down to create this arrangement.

How to Create a Layered Dried-Floral Arrangement for winter

1. First I had the snowball blossoms and I knew they needed a pretty large vase. This one came off the clearance shelf at a crafts store for $5, but it has the look of artisan pottery.
2. To balance the wide floral arrangement, I wanted some kind of a wide base. A look around the kitchen produced this wooden bowl, a thrifted find that I use more for decorating than for dining. The bowl was really dry and dull when I bought it, but a few scrubs with lemon oil brought it back to life.
3. Next I threw a few extra blossoms into the bowl to make the arrangement more casual.
4. Finally, I wanted to introduce a cozy texture. I stole this small afghan (handmade by my hubby's aunt) off the living-room sofa, folded it in half, and used it as a tablecloth on my triangular 50s walnut table.

Photos and styling by Diane Kolak, Inspired Room Design, LLC

Could your house use a little winter pick-me-up? Why not send me an Inspired Question? Send your small design dilemma and a photo to me, and I'll answer it here on Room for Inspiration. The first one's free! Email me.

TAGS: snowball bush viburnum opulus dried flowers blooms blossoms layering decorating accessories winter floral arrangements texture

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My Take on SF Chronicle's Design Trends for 2010

Jan 11, 2010

Interior design trends are interesting (if sometimes painful) to watch. They tend to follow closely behind fashion trends, so sometimes you can see what's coming. The San Francisco Chronicle recently interviewed several interior designers about the trends they foresee becoming popular in 2010, along with a few they'd like to see go away.

Here's the list of what's to come. I think some of it has already been popular for a while, and others are simply classic ideas that many good designers keep as foundations of their style. Read the full article here.

1. Texture: Shouldn't this always be a component in a good room design?
2. Keeping it real: Forget faux-anything.
3. Layered flooring: They're talking about multiple rugs. Sounds like a waste of money to me.
4. Bolder design decisions: Trust your gut and go for it. I guess this will always work for some people, and never for others.
5. Old is new again: Really? Vintage as a trend for 2010? I think it's been in for a very long time. The trick now is finding the real thing amongst so many repro products and trying not to cringe when your long-prized midcentury end table shows up on a shelf at Target for $49.99.
6. Wallpapered ceilings: Might be fun for a while, but I don't see this catching on for practical reasons. It's bad enough stripping wallpaper off of walls.
7. Artisanal goods: Designer Benjamin Dhong cites the interest in artisanal foods as evidence of this trend. But I think the very nature of artisanal (hand-crafted, often one-of-a-kind) items is that they are not trendy, but timeless and always add soul and personality to a room.
8. The well-traveled look: Think Anthropologie. It's a cool look but difficult to pull off with authenticity unless you really are a world traveler.
9. Purple- and grey-based palettes: Grey is definitely the neutral of choice for now, but I doubt it will ever look dated or trendy. It's a safe bet. Take color trends with a big grain of salt: Choose colors that work for you, regardless of their popularity at the moment.
10. Mix it up: Another one that seems to have already made its imprint. This can make a room look less like a "style" and more like you.

This living room photo from Living Etc. demonstrates several of the trends mentioned in the SF Chronicle article: texture, keeping it real, old is new again, the well-traveled look, grey and purple, and mix it up. (I sort of doubt there's wallpaper on the ceiling.)

 And here are seven trends the designers list as over & done:

1. Antlers and animal skins
   
2. TVs above fireplaces
   
3. Home makeover shows that set unrealistic expectations
   
4. Shallow sink basins
   
5. A room full of repro designer furniture
   
6. The phrase "man cave"
   
7. Granite countertops

Want a room that's entirely you, designed according to your own personality instead of trends? I can help, no matter where you live. Check out my eDecor Plans. They are complete professional room design plans that you put together yourself, for a lot less than hiring an on-site interior designer. You can work at your own pace, as your time and budget allow.—Diane

TAGS: san francisco chronicle interior design decorating trends 2010 edecor edecorating e-decorating

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Juxtaposition: Marble and Barnwood

Jan 08, 2010

{Short & Sweet Friday}

I created this Juxtaposition category on Room for Inspiration because I'm a lover of contrasts in design: dark and light, warm and cool, smooth and rough, or fancy and humble like this pairing. I had a hard time finding photos of these materials together, which means it isn't a trend! You heard it here first: barnwood and marble look fabulous together. Go forth and pair luxurious stone with reclaimed timbers, like they did here at the new Vanderbilt Bar & Restaurant in New York City.

Or here, in the kitchen of a Michigan home profiled in Northern Home & Cottage magazine:

What juxtapositions do you love? Have a photo you'd care to share? Send 'em to me, please! —Diane

TAGS: marble barnwood reclaimed wood timbers weathered polished high & low vanderbilt bar northern home & cottage magazine

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Craving: Wintry Paintings from Etsy

Jan 07, 2010

Winter isn't going anywhere soon. Best to embrace it with all its stark beauty and minimalism. Changing artwork seasonally is an easy way to keep your decor fresh, and if you seek out new and unknown artists, it doesn't have to cost a lot, either. Here are some reasonably priced wintry works on canvas, board, and paper from Etsy artists.—Diane

Snow-Covered Pier on the Nomini by bonniemurrayart

Lila and Fern on a Holiday by ArtbyElizabethBauman

Frozen Lake by natureandart

How to Disappear Completely II by TheHauntedHollowTree

Herbe by labokoff

Digging to Australia by HannahPhelps

Need a midwinter pick-me-up? I can give you a new outlook on your space and your stuff. You won't have to buy a thing. We'll work together to make your space sing. Just email me.

TAGS: paintings winter snow etsy art emerging artists

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Easy DIY: Corner Photo Gallery

Jan 06, 2010

A new year is sometimes compared to turning a corner— a change in direction and a fresh perspective. You can do it figuratively, or quite literally with a new, unusual art arrangement. Now, maybe you received one of these for Christmas. Apparently a lot of people did, because Photojojo is sold out of their popular "Around the Corner Photo Frame." But I don't know, it looks a little canned to me, too straight-out-of-the-box. How about an easy, more curated-looking DIY arrangement like this?

Visit Homelife.com for the easy how-to instructions.

PHOTO: Sam McAdam. STYLING: Vanessa Colyer Tay.

Homelife gives the basic instructions, but here are a few design tips to keep in mind:

• Plan your arrangement using sheets of paper cut to match the size of the frames.
• Avoid "corridors" in the negative space. Note how the frame sizes and heights create jogs in the spaces between.
• Tell a story or make a statement with the art and photos you choose. Family photos are more interesting when mixed with other types of art.
• Give the arrangement a foundation with a piece of furniture or a large-scaled object in the corner.
• It works on an outside corner, too!

Have you tried it in your own home? Have another DIY project you'd like to show off? Send me a photo!

TAGS: photojojo around the corner photo frame art arrangement corner easy diy how to

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