Swoon Interiors

interiors that make your heart skip a beat.

March Madness

Whew! While those words mean something else to my husband and oldest son, I feel like I’ve had my own March Madness going on … good madness, of course … but it has left me little time to show my blog and loyal blog readers some love! I apologize. Kristy and I have been busy, busy, busy with some great collaborative projects this month. Then, throw in my sweet 9 year old’s 3 day birthday extravaganza … getting ready for Spring Break … and there you have it … madness.

So, today I thought I’d do a little catching up …

A few things that have made me swoon lately …

Is it wood or is it tile?

I LOVE the look of this new tile from Walker Zanger’s new Nature Collection.  Yes, it’s tile, “made with state of the art glazing technology” creating an antique wood floor look with the durability of tile.

 

Very “farmhouse chic” don’t you think? I’d love to see these used in a kitchen or mudroom.

And they’ve also just introduced their AnTeak Collection. It’s made from teak wood reclaimed from construction projects in Indonesia. The teak grain is visible on the tiles, which come in several stains and shapes, including herringbone, hexagon and chevron. It’s already cured, because it’s been exposed to the elements for 75 or 100 years, which gives it a wonderful pantina.

Is it wallpaper or is it paint?

 
It’s paint!  We are working with a wonderful artist to achieve the look of high-end wallpaper in one of our client’s homes. 
 

 
These are just a few samples of her work … amazing. (And of course, an iPhone doesn’t even do them justice.)
 
 
If you are interested in having her create a “masterpiece” in your home, contact us and we can set up a meeting.

Next up, have you heard? Nate Berkus is back with a new TV show! 

It’s going to be call Renovation Nation and will air on NBC in the fall. Read all about it here.

I blogged quite a while ago about my love for these Classic Penguin Book Prints here … and I was excited to see when one of my favorite bloggers, Stefanie of Brooklyn Limestone, created a variation of them for her daughter’s adorable nursery.

 Even better, she has just announced a giveaway of these prints to readers of her blog.

Well, that’s it for now!  Be sure to share your favorite swoon worthy things with me … I’d love to feature them here.

Operation Sandy Hook

 I saw this on Emily’s blog earlier today and wanted to share with you all. Check out this collection of sweet, whimsical prints compiled by the women Small Fry and the flash sale site Brickyard Buffalo to show their support for Newtown, CT. Each print is only $5 and you will be emailed an electronic file within 2 days.  All of the proceeds will go to the Sandy Hook School Support Fund through United Way. 

 
I’m about to order this one …
 
 
 
Isn’t that the truth?
 
Just click here to view all of the prints. The sale runs through Dec. 26th.
 
I hope everyone has a very Merry Christmas!  I’m signing off until next year, but just want to thank all of my loyal readers for checking in with Swoon all year and for all of your great comments and feedback. It truly means a lot to me.
 
Hug your loved ones tight and enjoy the magical moments the holidays bring your way!
 
 
 
 

Warm up your house with some fun winter decor …

I saw this image in the latest issue of Midwest Living the other day …

… and I thought it was such a cute idea for winter. They suggest hanging vintage skis, poles or snowshoes horizontally on simple hardware store hooks.  It would be fun to hunt for these things at antique stores and yard sales to build a collection.
I like how they’ve mixed in some vintage ice-skates too … they are in abundance on Etsy … or why not just use your own?
Come spring you can swap these out for vintage canoe paddles, tennis rackets or garden tools. So fun for a mudroom or entry way.
I also love the white birch logs and pine cones to fill baskets around the house. I have been craving green plants and flowers inside since there are none to see outside!
If your family does hit the slopes, here’s another cute idea I spotted on Pinterest. Swap out some of your framed art for vintage ski-lodge posters and lean a pair of skis against the wall along side.
Source: bhg.com via Colourful on Pinterest

And how sweet is this … do you have a set of perhaps handmade hats and/or gloves that you can’t bear to part with?  Why not frame them and hang them near an entry way during the winter. I love this idea!

Hope everyone is staying warm!

A Twist on a Traditional Look

I’m always excited when a new issue of Lonny, the online magazine, goes live, and this latest issue did not disappoint.   Amongst all of the serious eye candy, one of the images I have stuck in my head was this one from a home designed by decorator Lisa Sherry.

First of all, I love the “trail” of plates on the wall. I kind of have a thing for beautiful plates … so many are truly pieces of art that they just don’t deserve to be hidden in a cabinet. And while hanging plates on a wall is not a new idea, you typically see them hung in a row or symmetrically around a mirror. Likewise, they are often from the same “set.”
I love how this wall breaks all of those rules.  A tried, true and traditional look gets to kind of take it’s hair down, so to speak … a much more interesting and whimsical makeover.
This idea is perfect for people, like me, who could never decide on just one pretty plate, but rather have a collection gathered over time. How fun would it be to shop for these at flea markets and your favorite little stores?
I do recognize several of them from Anthropologie, where I myself have often spent too much time sifting through the stacks and stacks of  gorgeous plates and wondering what I could do with them.

Flowers mixed with octopus, fish, and plaid stripes. Somehow it all works.
The other aspect of this photo that made me swoon was the vintage laundry-cart-turned-portable-bar. How genius is that? I love the place for hand towels and all the space for bottles below.  Again, most people wouldn’t consider putting such a large lamp on such a relatively small table, but I think it elevates the piece from just a little cart to a serious piece of furniture, very Mad Men, if you ask me.
For more bar car inspiration, check out the amazing collection at 1stdibs and start conjuring up your own Mad Men scenario.
Vanity Fair

Displaying Photographs in your Home

If there is one thing that practically all homes have in common, no matter how big or small, no matter what the style or color scheme … it’s photographs.  Especially at this stage of life that I, and most of my clients and friends are in, it’s photographs of our children.  They are precious to us and they accumulate quickly! But how do we find a way to display them that’s elegant and uncluttered?

One of my favorite things hanging in my house is this picture my Dad captured of our family at La Jolla Cove in California, a place that is special to us for many reasons. We had tried for a more posed picture where we were all looking at the camera, but this one that my Dad took when we weren’t looking became my favorite.  I found the frame pre-made and on sale at a framing shop and had them blow up the picture and print it out to fit the frame.  I also asked them to tear the edges of the paper for an extra little detail that gives it a nice shadowed edge. Believe it or not, it wasn’t all that expensive and it is the first thing people comment on when they see our master bedroom.

Today I have asked photographer Meredith Price of Bloom Photography to share a few of her tips on creating interesting and beautiful groupings of photographs in your home.

Meredith is an old friend and I  have admired the stunning pictures she has taken of her two daughters over the years. She has recently decided to follow her dream of starting her own business, capturing those special moments-in-time for others.  Be sure to check out her blog to see some of her amazing photography, as well as her Etsy shop where she is currently selling a series of photographs that make me swoon!

Here’s Meredith ….

Finding ways to display favorite photos of your kids and family can be daunting.  How do you turn your favorite shots into art?  There are a few ways to approach this problem. 
The first thing I like to do is create groups of pictures that fit together.  These photos can be pictures that reflect your child’s personality. Do you have several shots of your child doing something he loves?   Do you have a few pictures of your child displaying adorable expressions (glee, curiosity, sadness)? The most important thing is to try to see your pictures in a different way. Rearrange, regroup, and repurpose your photos until you find a combination that works.   If so, group them together for an intriguing display on your wall.
           
Another way to group pictures is by grouping a series of pictures.  In our home we have a group of photos taken from my daughters’ baptisms.  They were baptized in the same small church in which my husband and I were married.  We grouped together pictures of the girls with a picture of the family church and a few other favorite “scenes” from those days.  Want to display photos of your daughter’s first birthday?  Don’t just put up pictures of her that day, but try to include pictures of her cake, images of her with beloved family members or pictures of just her messy hands after she smashes her cake.  What emotions are being felt that day- try to capture those.  By including other images rather than just posed or facial shots you instantly add interest and variety to your display.
            You can also group pictures based, not on a theme, but rather by frame color.  I have about 10 favorite photos varying in size, color and black and white, old and new that are all displayed together in different silver frames.  Some frames are simple and plain while others have texture; however they are all the same color.  This instantly connects the images together without looking busy or haphazard.    At the same time, you can do the opposite- have different colored frames with different textures housing all black and white pictures or all colored pictures.
            If you don’t feel like you have any pictures that can be grouped or are looking to take new pictures for a display, consider a location that is meaningful to your family.  Is there a special park or preserve that you spend a lot of time?  Is there a beautiful barn (I have a “thing” for barns!) by your home to where you can go? Wherever you choose, snap some pictures of just the location too (a bench in front of a pond at the preserve, the footprints left in the sand by your child at the beach, your front door of your home- you get the idea) to include on your wall with the same shots you take of your child at this location.

Better yet, if you have a ”souvenir” from the location that can be hung on the wall, be sure to include that too! 
           
Or, consider snapping pictures of your child/children around your home.   Not only will you get pictures of your child or children, but you will have them in a location that means something to you and your family. I love taking snapshots of my kids around the house- in the kitchen, garden, their bedrooms- when I look back on them, I hope to not only recall that time of their lives but where we were as a family as well.  Here is an example of how you can include pictures of your child around the home.  I took these pictures of Miss L in her nursery. By using her nursery as the backdrop, the family will not only remember how their little cutie looked at this age but will have wonderful memories of her in her bedroom as well.

Finally, try to look at your photos in a different way.  Step back and see what the image is showing you.  Ask a trusted friend or family member to look at pictures with you and offer their impressions- they may see something you haven’t yet.   
*****
A big thank you to Meredith! If you have a big empty wall in your house … especially, perhaps in a stairwell or hallway, why not try one of Meredith’s ideas for creating a meaningful wall of art.
I’ve tried to do this in our upstairs hallway with a collection of black and white photographs … which I think are always timeless. I’ve got a mix of portraits and snapshots of varying sizes and different frames.

What are some of your favorite ways to display family photos?