a muse + delight: Designer's Block: Inspiration & Progress

Saturday

Designer's Block: Inspiration & Progress

My decor style now? It's modern whimsy, a fresh blend. Here are the rooms we've completed in the process of "facelifting" our 1940's home. What's the trouble? I am stuck on these projects. Have I styled plenty of event spaces and some of our own product photos? Yes. Can I make decisions for our current space just as easily? No. Why? I like too much. It's that simple. I collaborated with Megan, a local designer, and integrated some of her ideas with my own, which has helped but I'd like to stay a little more true to my design inspiration (see below).

p r o j e c t s d o n e s o f a r

Our guest bathroom was a fluorescent mint green with dressing-room-like lights. The new light fixture I found isn't as eco-friendly as we'd like, but it isn't used often. I really liked the crisp seafoam green of the bathroom in our old Swedish-country condo. Charmed by the idea of papering a small space (smaller investment, visual and financial), I asked Megan to find an aqua wallpaper. She found one with a pearlescent dot-like pattern. It's my favorite room.

Stan and I designed the fireplace and surrounding wall with inspiration from a WestElm catalog (featuring a beige concrete surround) and the white walls of Santorini. The light whimsical "bubbles" effect of the wood mirrors I found complements the delicate brick-mosaic fireplace tile. Other elements -

* reflecting that clean, natural palette: wood birds and honeysuckle (Pantone color of 2011) glass inkwell candle holders on the mantle, tufted microfiber sofa, white shag pillow, 2-drawer coffee table (on clearance!)

* Megan's cool finds: slightly large but comfy arm chair with dog pillow (which Calliope also carries in cat and bird), floor lamp (a nod to my tripod lamp phase) that doesn't interfere with our tree-lined view, paper-like lamp (a nod to my stationery collection), curvy end table and lamp

* hand-me-down console, which we'll replace/restyle at some point

* silhouette hypoallergenic dog bed from Calliope (super durable!)

* adorable dog we've had for years :)

* concession of the charcoal braided chevron rug: adorable dog leaves his shiny fur behind and has a bad scratching habit (easy to fix rug - no holes, just loops to pull back)

b r e a k d o w n

* Favorite color is robin's egg blue (basically, the aqua family).
* Light! Luminescent elements are good.
* I really like to dress up, but formal must be user-, pet-owner-, and husband-friendly.
* "Showroom" spaces are often impersonal, too made-up and serious; in short, pretty but boring.
* Interesting: Pops of color. Contrast sleek and modern with fun, vintagey or softer "girly" things.
* Bright and unexpected. Clean but warmed up with texture. Not cluttered or obnoxious.

i n s p i r a t i o n
I keep gravitating towards white rooms with subtle texture and pops of color. (There's something at once invigorating and peaceful about that palette.)
See what I pinned here, what I posted here, and look at these: