Swoon Interiors

interiors that make your heart skip a beat.

A few winter tweaks …

I don’t know about you, but after so many hours indoors at home, I really get the itch to change things up a bit around my house. Some changes are small … some a little more involved (ask my husband and father-in-law). But I thought I’d share a few here …

#1 Simplifying the top of our entertainment center

 
 
Before I had a few more things up top … but I decided to go for just 3 bigger objects this time. These were all things I already had in my house but now they kind of have a new life in this very focal point of our family room.
 
I always think it’s a great idea to shop your own house and move your accessories around. Store some things away for awhile and then bring them back out when the mood hits.
 
#2 I painted my rooster! 
 
 
I’ve always liked my quirky rooster but he used to be red.  He kind of blended into the cabinets … so I took out some of my leftover Annie Sloan Chalk paint (I wrote about here) and gave him a makeover. I’m always looking for ways to brighten up my dark cabinets, so this gives a nice pop of creamy white up above the cook top.
 
 
#3 New Chandelier for my dining room (!!!!)
 
 
This is what my dear husband and father-in-law spent a couple of hours hanging for me on a recent Sunday afternoon. It makes me very happy!
 
 
You might remember the old when that came with the house …
 

 
It just felt heavy … our dining room is not all that large … so I knew we needed something a little more delicate, light … and sparkly …
 
 
#4 More sparkle … to the fireplace.
 
 
Decorating a mantel can be tricky … because I have bookshelves in this room that already hold a lot of different decorative objects, I wanted to keep this mantel a little more uniform. A collection of mercury glass votive holders in various sizes, shapes and textures did the trick. Plus, I like the juxtaposition of the more rustic fireplace with the glamour of mercury glass.
 
 
#5 A few purchases from One Kings Lane
 
In wintertime, when I can’t physically get out to wander around outdoor antiques markets, I have to get my fix browsing the Tastemaker Tag Sales and Vintage shops of One Kings Lane. 
 
So many one-of-kind treasures … it’s a great way to score some unique pieces for your home. My recent purchases …
 
 
This gray and white French ticking body pillow …
 
 
… this white ceramic pitcher and vintage French bottling tray:
 
 
I think the tray will be pretty come spring & summer to fill with vintage glass bottles and fresh cut stems from my yard.
 
 
So that’s it for me … how are you beating the doldrums of winter? 
  
 

Current Crush: Blown Glass Chandeliers

Lately I have been drawn to the look of blown glass chandeliers …

 
 
 
 

 



 

 
I think they can have a lot of visual impact while still feeling light and airy. And they mix well with many different styles, metals and wood finishes. I would love to stumble across an antique version … or better yet, one made of  true Murano hand-blown glass.
 
In the meantime, I have come across some other rather swoonworthy ones …
 
Circa Lighting George II Glass Chandelier 
 
Ballard Designs Emmeline 6 Light Chandelier
Shades of Light Modern Murano Glass Style Chandelier

 



Serena & Lily Anya Blown Glass Chandelier

 

Unexpected Shopping Sources

 
 
 Sometimes when you are trying to design on a tighter budget, you have to get creative. You have to seek out unexpected sources for art, lamps, furniture, rugs, etc. It takes a little extra digging, but can lead to some seriously swoonworthy finds.
 
I bet you’d never guess where some of these pretty things are from …
 
First clue: While it’s no secret that kids’ rooms have become WAY more sophisticated than when we were growing up … sometimes shopping those stores designated just for kids can yield some beautiful pieces that are actually quite adult.
 
Restoration Hardware Baby + Kids Dandelion Art

Restoration Hardware Baby + Kids French Naval Clock
PBTeen Teardrop Chandelier
PBTeen Mercury Glass Accessories
How many of you think of Urban Outfitters as kind of an edgy, I might-be-too-old-for-it, there’s-nothing-in-it-for-me store? Think again.

Urban Outfitters Zigzag rug

 
 
Urban Outfitters Brass Leaf Side Table

Did you ever consider that you might find just what you’re looking for at a hardware store?
Lowe’s Baxton Studio White Table

Lowe’s Pewter Chandelier
 
Even some older stores and brands known more for their clothing are branching out into home decor items … with very on-trend pieces and budget-friendly prices.
Land’s End Ikat Pillow Cover

JcPenny Antiquus Lamp
JcPenny Versailles Mirrored Chest

So what do you think? Time to think outside the box?

Adventures at the Mart

Ok … this is me and the lovely Kristy Sweeney during our trip to the Merchandise Mart today.  Stay tuned for a more complete introduction to this fabulous lady, designer, Mom, singer and friend. She is the newest addition to Swoon Interiors, Inc. and I am anxious to show you pictures of the amazing transformation she has made to her own home and for her to share with you a little bit about herself. A whole post all about her is in the works …
In the meantime, I will share with you a few snapshots of some of the dazzling eye candy we were enticed by today at the Mart.
One of our first stops was the Duralee showroom.  We got caught up ooogling all of their lovely, colorful fabrics. They are really trying to take more traditional prints and bring them out in new, more modern colorways …

These would be charming in a young girl’s room.

I was excited to get a glimpse of John Robshaw’s new swoonworthy collection designed especially for Duralee.  It is so new, in fact, that they still only have the swatch books.

We may have stayed a little too long in this next showroom, but we couldn’t help ourselves … everything just sparkled with sophistication and glamour.  I seriously want to replace all of my light fixtures with ones from this showroom …

Gorgeous sconces and table lamps too.

I really liked these pieces with acrylic legs … a nice modern twist on more traditional pieces.

How beautiful is this silver leaf armoire?  It would light up a room.

This whole set up makes me want to have a pool in my backyard. (And unlimited time to lounge.)

More gorgeous textiles …

I’m always a sucker for a lovely tufted anything … but I especially like the shape of this sofa … and my Kyle would love that table.

We really liked this idea for a long wall that we saw in Holly Hunt …

… a nice way to add architectural interest.  I would love scouring the flea markets for antique gates like these.

And finally …

Bathtub Heaven.

Friday Favorites

It’s been a busy week … but I thought I’d share just a few favorite things I’ve come across …

I love this dining room I spotted in HGTV magazine. I love how it’s styled and especially the unexpected pop of blue the chandelier brings.
There’s actually an Etsy seller who will make a similar custom chandelier for you using whatever color/beads you like.
Simply Salvage
(Swoon!)
I’m also loving this wallpaper from Intaglio.

It think it would make a room feel very cozy and I’d like to get  lost in the different scenes. I also like that even though the pattern is so intricate … it would still serve as a great neutral background .
Finally, I’m loving local artist Francine Turk …

Her studio is in Chicago’s historic Prairie Ave. district and I think her charcoal drawings are dramatic and work well in a variety of design styles.  And, even better, she is now creating pottery in collaboration with ceramist Yong Hyun Chung. I would love one of these pieces! 
via Chicago Home + Garden
 Hope everyone has a good weekend! What Superbowl fare will you cookin’ up on Sunday?