Adding Texture

Over the past few years I have noticed the color disappearing from my home. I know a lot of people think lack of color is boring but I disagree. When a room is neutral you are really pushed to make it interesting. I believe the easiest way to do that is by adding textures... and a lot of them.

There is not an ounce of color in this room but I'd be shocked to hear anyone call it boring or cold. It's the opposite!

Louise Bradley design via aparmenttherapy.com

Here are some of my favorite techniques and items for adding texture to any room.

Don't remove your outdated wood paneling... paint it.

myhomeideas.com

Add nailhead... These panels from West Elm are discontinued but could easily be replicated.

Nail Head Panels - West Elm, no longer available

Basket weave is a classic design that is visually interesting.

Basketweave Ceramic Stool - Plantation Designs, $275

Wood and metal are a great combination.

Hammery Jaliso Table - CSN Stores, $379

Throw blankets and pillows are a great opportunity to add texture.

Quilted Canvas Pillow - Williams-Sonoma, $68

Sweater Knit Pillow - Pottery Barn, $39

Rope is an unusual but interesting design element.

Rope Knot Doorstop - Ballard Designs, $45

Get some nature in your room.

ndi.com - $245

Don't forget a cozy leather chair to curl up in.

Antiqued Stained Leather Club Chair - ivg Stores, $2,898

Have a great weekend!

Black Bean Dip

Joey's preschool class has a rotating snack schedule and today we provided the food. One of the snack requirements is an "optional protein." However, his class can't have meat, nuts, or dairy. I made this black bean dip and it was quite a hit- with the teachers. I can't wait to make it this weekend for a little football watching...

Black Bean Dip

1 15 oz. can of black beans, drained and rinsed

1 small tomato, diced

1 clove of garlic

2 Tablespoons lime juice

2 Tablespoons red onion, finely diced

1 clove garlic, minced

1 Tablespoon cilantro, minced

Salt and pepper to tast (I used Lawry's)

Pulse ingredients in the food processor until smooth. Refrigerate overnight. Serve with cilantro garnish.

Branches in a Vase

A while ago I posted about a house re-design by Jessica Helgerson. The whole house is amazing but I really liked Helgerson's use of tree branches. I thought they were so interesting because it was such an easy way to incorporate greenery without a outdated fern or expensive (and short-lived) floral arrangement. I thought the thin branches and small leaves fit in well with the light-and-airy feeling of this room. And what a simple technique to reproduce!

Later I came upon this entry hall design that I REALLY liked. I think the colors, scale, textures (and everything else) is perfect.

And look! Branches in a vase!

House Beautiful

I've spied this look other places as well...

Atlanta Homes & Lifestyles

dominomag.com

via Design Clique

Branches in a vase... thumbs up or thumbs down?

Best Picks... Table Lamps

We have the WORST lamps in our house. At the time we bought our home and were decorating we did not have the budget for nice lighting. My taste has also changed a lot in the last 6 years. So, needless to say I am not feeling the bargain-bin lighting of my newly-wed days.

First and foremost, we need new bedside lamps for the master bedroom. We also need a new lamp for our den. Joey broke the old one and Jason thought it was so ugly that he left it by the side of the road.

So I've been looking around online (almost the only way I shop anymore) and here is what I found.

Best Picks... Table Lamps

Vaughan, Crackled Gourd Vase - call showroom for pricing

Restoration Hardware, Library Swing-Arm Lamp - $129

Cost Plus World Market, Stinson Glass Lamp - $69

CSN Lighting, Robert Abbey Gourd Lamp - $156

JCPenney, Cindy Crawford Glass Column Lamp - $99.00 (sale)

So... my favorites are:

For the bedroom...

Bed Bath & Beyond, Ceramic Lamp - $29.99

For the den...

Mainly Baskets, Rope Basket Lamp - $264

Elle Decor for Kohl's

Last night I was reading my October 2010 issue of Elle Decor when I saw this:

Elle Decor recently launched a line of housewares for Kohl's. It's a fairly small collection. Here are some of the items I liked:

original $149.99 sale $104.99

original $59.99 sale $41.99

original $59.99 sale $41.99

original $49.99 sale $34.99

original $39.99 sale $27.99

Unfortunately, for every item I liked, there was one that underwhelmed (especially for the price.) Like these:

So, there are a few nice items in the collection. Hopefully they will expand their offerings and come up with a greater selection. See everything here.

What do you think?

Finally... New Floors!

Here is a picture of our finished hardwood floors.

So much better than what what we originally came home to!

In other news, remember when I said I was doing some roman shades for a client in this fabric?

Well here's how one turned out!

The neat thing about this shade is that it's a fully functional shade on a rolling/rig system. I build the systems myself (this includes cutting the headrail to size which is a great excuse to use my hacksaw!) It is very easy to roll this shade up and down. A beaded chain tucks neatly behind the shade out of sight.

This week I am on the hunt for new lamps so look out for a lighting "Best Picks" in the next few days...

Chocolate Croissant Bread Pudding

The name pretty much explains it all. Hubby requested and I'll admit I ate some too. This is a variation of a Michael Chiarello recipe.

1/2 stick unsalted butter

1/2 cup sugar

3/4 tsp cinnamon

1/2 tsp vanilla

1 1/4 cup cream

2 jumbo eggs, lightly beaten

6 plain croissants

3/4 cup chopped bittersweet chocolate (I used semi-sweet morsels instead)

Sauce:

1 cup of vanilla ice cream, melted

1 shot rum or bourbon

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In a food processor, pulse butter and sugar. Add cinnamon and vanilla and pulse again. Add cream and pulse. Add eggs and pulse until combined.

Cut croissants in half lengthwise. Layer croissants and chopped chocolate in a baking dish coated with non-stick spray. Pour egg mixture over croissants. Use an empty bowl or plate to weight down croissants and completely submerge in the egg mixture. Let stand for 10 minutes. Remove the bowl and cover baking dish with foil.

Cook for 35 minutes with foil. Remove foil and cook an additional 10 minutes. Let cool before serving.

To make the sauce: combine melted ice cream and liquor. Pour over individual servings.

Best Picks... Flooring

These days you can find something that is sleek and stylish in any type of flooring. Here are some "Best Picks" and examples of how to use them.

Best for a Classy, Traditional Look... Oak Hardwoods (dark stain)

Jill Van Tosh

Best Period Flooring... Basket Weave Tile

Check out this great guide on how to pick basket-weave tile here.

Alisberg Parker Architects

Best Splurge... Travertine Tile

via decorpad

Best for Comfort... Wool Berber Carpeting

David Foreman

Best Eco-Friendly and Budget Friendly... Bamboo

Furniture Home Design

What type of flooring is your favorite?

Painted Floors

Well, three weeks later our new wood floors are finally finished. After being quarantined to bedroom for what seemed like years, we're very happy to be back in the kitchen. It's nice to eat real food at a real table like normal people again. I will have some "after" photos up soon.

All this talk/thinking about floors got me on a bit of a floor kick. Is wood the best? What kind of wood? What do you do with it? What color? These are the things I think about when I should be sleeping.

The idea of painted wood floors is interesting to me. Although I usually prefer that a floor be as unnoticeable as possible, I found a few designs I thought really worked.

Mary McDonald via Alicia B. Designs

myhomeideas.com

myhomeideas.com

via decorpad

However, white floors kept catching my eye...

Country Living

A white floor even works well with color on the wall (including darker shades.)

Country Living

via Apartment Therapy

I'm not quite ready to paint my floors but I would be very happy to sleep in any of these beautiful white-on-white bedrooms.

via Gerrendenny Lane

Coastal Living

Living Inc.

Hope you had a great Labor Day!