Transitional Spaces

I have been crazy busy with my home renovations, so unfortunately my posts have been less frequent. Here are two wonderful transitional spaces from Banks Design Architecture. They are my inspiration to remind me of the light at the end of the tunnel.

In a few weeks time I will post some of my personal before and afters! Until then I'll be waiting for the dust to settle and the paint fumes to clear!!!

Gray/Grey Dining Rooms

I have a new obsession with gray dining rooms, I love the elegant look - Gray is such a wonderful color. If done correctly it can be warm and elegant. Very often I see cream woodwork and one or two simple black accents; both help make the color pop. Here are a few of my favorites: Jane Showers & Associates

This dining room was designed by one of my favorite designers, Jane Showers and Associates. I love the how the ebony table anchors the space while all the other pieces in the room are light and airy. The huge mirror, which reflects the buffet across the room adds a layer of drama. The chandelier looks like it could be from Julie Neill Designs and the ceiling has a pearlized look. Lovely!

MLS Photo

This gray dining room is actually an illusion. It has black and white printed walls which gives an overall feeling of gray. Very chic. The striped chairs and traditional style table go beautifully with the more traditional style of the room. The art work adds the black accents. Hard to tell exactly, but perhaps antique architectural prints, framed in ebony. A crystal chandelier adds sparkle.

MLS PHOTO

Here is a country inn - this gray reads a bit more blue to me. The cherry wood is good compliment. I also find the pinkish-creamy ceiling pretty but I do not like chandelier. It seems too informal and too small for the space.

MLS PHOTO

This room really speaks to me. Here is a wonderful example of gray in a more austere room. The windows open to a spectacular view. Often the wrong color can compete with view. This gray is a perfect compliment to the outdoors - it actually enhances the view. The lighting adds the perfect accent of black with out overpowering the space. Add in the texture of the sisal rug, the simple lines of the furniture, the soft color palette of the upholstery, and viola! Perfect!

FALL DECOR: Fabulous Fall

I love the beginning of Fall.

The days are still warm, but the evenings have a little nip in the air

and as the nights get cooler the colors of fall heat up, bringing reds, magentas, golds,

browns and oranges into play.

Fall is excitement!

It is the color of fire, of warmth, of spices.

What a wonderful opportunity to infuse our 'nests' with the glow of seasonal color.

No matter what colors you have used to decorate your home,

there are fall colors that will coordinate or compliment your color scheme.

Blues become bluer and more beautiful with oranges.

Greens come alive with the compliment of red, burgundy and terracotta.

Purple loves gold.

You can find a brown to compliment almost any color,

but brown especially makes blues, teal or pink more appealing.

Here's a time saving trick:

Put your seasonal green garland on your banister and mantel now (use artificial garland) -

tuck in autumn leaves, berries, pumpkins, sunflowers or fall picks with acorns and mums.

For Halloween, add spiders, crows, skulls and black ribbon.

These elements are simple to remove after the Fall celebrations and replace with

Christmas picks and ribbon.

You'll have a head start in the seasonal decorating game! You can add Fall color to your decor in the form of toss pillows, place mats, tea towels, and florals - and don't forget the pumpkins! Bring those amazing colors into view on the outside too. Color pots of mums and daisies in vibrant colors and a wreath on the front door with autumn leaves will practically shout 'welcome'. Greet trick or treat patrons with a wreath of black feathers, or skulls and black roses. Autumn is full of nostalgic childhood memories: pumpkin pie baking in the oven, the crackling sound of shuffling through fall leaves, and merry laughter while making popcorn balls for Halloween. Halloween night in Southern California seems to be the very first time you feel that promise of a nip in the air. We look forward to that nip - its as close to a seasonal change as we get here. Or maybe its just the first night we are out long enough to notice. I think I'm enjoying Halloween even more as an adult. It is definitely the only time of year that I actually invite spiders into my house and create cobwebs instead of sweeping them away. I'm planning a very spidery entry this year - so I'd better get busy. Halloween is just around the corner!