Swoon Interiors

interiors that make your heart skip a beat.

More Friday Favorites …

This Friday I thought I’d share a few favorite things I’ve come across this week, including a little emptying out my iPhone photos.

I spotted these colorful handmade quilts at West Elm … each one is completely unique.

I’d lay one across the foot of a bed with white crisp bedding for a pop of color.

I think they would be great for a child’s bedroom or a guest room.
I also spotted this swoon worthy chandelier …
… at Pottery Barn! I love this shape and style … the chunky texture of the wooden beads. I’ve seen similar ones that cost a lot more.
And not for the faint of heart …
There’s something about this wallpaper that makes me smile. I’d love it in a powder room or maybe my walk-in closet! It’s from Thibaut’s new Jubilee Collection.
And speaking of wallpaper, One King’s Lane is running an interesting sale that began yesterday featuring John Derian (I am still waiting for him to do another collection for Target!). It is a collection of framed prints reproduced from a portfolio of 18th-century wallpaper fragments he purchased from a vendor at a Paris flea market.
Isn’t this one pretty?
And I like his suggestion …
Even if you don’t purchase one from this sale … do you have a favorite wallpaper you would consider framing?  Hmmm, perhaps I could frame that leopard wallpaper!
Have a wonderful weekend!

My favorite Wallpaper … in a Pillow?

Do you remember this post about one of my favorite wallpapers by Katie Ridder?

I spotted this pillow at West Elm the other day ….
hand blocked leaf pillow cover

It’s part of their new fall line of accessories and the lacy metallic leaf pattern is done by hand. Quite an inexpensive way to get your “leaf” fix, if you have one … like me.

A few other new arrivals in their store caught my eye …

I’d like three of these, in a horizontal row or stacked vertically.

portico mirror

Love the texture of these frames and they would be great to lighten up a dark bookshelf …


cowhide frames



A simple yet classic wooden bowl that could have many uses …
traditional wooden bowl
I think these throws handmade from vintage saris are just beautiful … perfect for tossing across a bench, chair or bed.
kantha quilted throw

Even though West Elm has very modern furniture, I think that many of their things can work seamlessly with almost any style of decor. Be sure to check ’em out.

Have a good week!

Stencils get a glamorous makeover…

 When you think of wall stencils does it conjure up an ugly 1980’s kitchen with a border of ducks or ivy painted around the ceiling?

Yeah. Me too. Until I saw some of the fabulous rooms below.  No these are not wallpapers. They are done with stencils!

I am in love with what Janell of Isabella and Max Rooms did here using a stencil from Whitewall & Co.  Be sure to read her tutorial.
And then there’s this lovely office in the home of Emily from Jones Design Company.

She also gives a step by step tutorial of creating her “painted wallpaper” and you can download the template she created herself.

 How about this bathroom ceiling in the home of Michelle of Three Men and A Lady?

She used the Trellis pattern from Cutting Edge Stencils.
What a great way to give a kind of architectural feature to tiny little bathroom.
Here are a couple of my favorites from their collection:
Moroccan Dream

Mountain Ash
Another great source for stencil patterns is Olive Leaf Stencils. Check out some of these swoon worthy rooms done using their designs.
Art Deco Flora
Pin Cushion Protea
Ikat Pattern No. 1

I think these are great ways to get the look of really high end wallpaper for simply the cost of the stencil and some paint. (And maybe a trip to the chiropractor … especially if you are doing a ceiling!)

What do you think? Weekend project anyone?

Pretty Plumes

When I was outside the other day, something felt different.  What was it ?  It took me a moment before I realized … birds were chirping! There is something about that sound this time of year that is so wonderful and hopeful. Spring has got to be around the corner.  I walked out of the bank yesterday and a little robin was on the sidewalk in front of me. He cocked his head as if to say hello and the color of his red breast was striking against the gray backdrop of the chilly, gloomy day.
If you’ve been reading my blog from the beginning, you may have caught on to the fact that I love birds. In my post on pillows, I talked about the bird pillows I had made from a favorite fabric.  In my master bedroom post, I talked about the bird ottoman on my wish list.  I’ve got a few other feathered friends who have settled in around my house too.

There’s just something about birds … there are so many different kinds and colors. They are kind of like people with all of their different personalities … the wise owl, the cocky rooster, the diva peacock, the hummingbird soccer mom who’s always buzzing forwards and backwards at top speed.
So in honor of Spring and birds everywhere, here are my favorite ways to incorporate some plumage into your home.
I love this master bedroom of Kirsten from 6th Street Design School …

And of course, if we’re going to talk pillows, there are so many cute bird pillows.

ChicDecor Pillows

Dwell Studio

The trio of bird prints I have stacked up the wall in our house always make me swoon. Here is more aviary artwork that I love.

Vintage Treasure Shop

I found these tapestries from Thailand on Overstock. I think they would be stunning, framed and hung on the wall.

Overstock bird tapestry

Overstock bird tapestry

And this canvas from Ballard is so dreamy, don’t you think?

I have drooled over this lampshade from Anthropologie forever.
And how cute is this tea towel?

Anthropologie bird towel

Of course, I mentioned the Katie Ridder bird wallpaper that was featured in Sex and the City in an earlier post. Here is another one I like from Walnut Wallpaper.
What about a shower curtain? I found this beauty on Etsy.

Pond Lily

Or these drapery panels …

The Curtain Call

These are cute for the table … but I’d also hang them on a wall in the kitchen. They come in 4 colors.

Pier One

How about these to set the table for a lovely Spring Brunch?

ZGallerie

And for a table or mantel …



Wisteria

How about these hooks in your entry or mudroom …

ShopTen25

I would love to hear about your favorite feathered friends!

In the meantime, happy bird-watching!

Wednesday Wish List – Wallpaper

Katie Ridder’s Leaf Wallpaper makes me swoon.

It’s been at the top of my wish list for some time. I’ve ordered samples from Holland & Sherry and I often walk around my house with them envisioning how different walls would look covered in this yummy print.

To fellow design bloggers, I know this is nothing new.  There has been a lot of discussion about this wallpaper ever since it’s debut. But my blog about all things swoonworthy would not be complete if I didn’t also mention it.

Ideally I’d like to do my whole upstairs hallway.  Since there’s not much there but brown wood floors and beige walls, I always think it could handle some bold wallpaper.  Unfortunately, it would require so many rolls, I think we’d have to win the lottery first.

I keep thinking about my dining room … but the gray colorway I like in this wallpaper has a white background and the drapes in my living room are ivory.

The blue might be pretty on the wall behind our bed …

I’m not sure where this brown would fit in my house, but it would be so dramatic in a small space.
Likewise with this pink colorway …
Could you imagine a little girl’s room done with this?
(Note to my husband … don’t worry … I’m just saying I like it.)

I love this bathroom I spotted on Elements of Style.

And I was so giddy when I saw it on the premiere episode of Secrets from A Stylist where Emily used it in Glee co-creator, Ian Brennan’s bedroom:

via HGTV
When I saw this version done with a SHARPIE (of all things!) on A Penny Saved, it got me thinking … could I tackle this project?

It would have to be a really small space … and I’m afraid I would lose patience after the second or third leaf. And my family would probably be eating fast food for a week. And I might spend some extra time at the chiropractor.

There are just so many wonderful colorways, I think I’ve got to find one that works.  I kind of think a house can only support one room of wallpaper, so it’s a big decision on which room it should be.

Did you know that another Katie Ridder wallpaper lined the walls of Carrie and Big’s NYC apartment in Sex and the City 2?

Make sure you check out all of her patterns on her website.  Many of them come in fabrics too … which gets me thinking. Curtains? Pillows? Mmmm.