2 White Rooms with Pink & Teal Accents

kitchen featured in Living Etc.

These two rooms have so much in common despite their different functions. They are stark white rooms with bold accents of pink, teal, and lime green.

This kitchen and dining room was featured in Living Etc. I am attracted to this space for many reasons. One of the reasons is that it is a small kitchen. I get sick of seeing huge outlandish kitchens in design magazines. The other reason is that it is old. It has brick floors. I can’t remember exactly but I think this is an old Spanish or Portuguese apartment.

Anyways, I love the use of accent colors. The white paint makes the space look fresh and well, it emphasizes the high ceilings. I love the robin’s egg blue counters. And I love the dining room accents. These energetic colors really pop against the white backdrop. These are the kinds of things that are easy to change and perfect for renters. Never underestimate the power of colorful accessories.

And I thought that was a fireplace but it appears to be a secret passage or storage. And I love the chrome diner chairs paired with a sturdy wood table.

This other space, a bedroom nook of some sort or a guest bedroom, was featured in Marie Claire Maison. This room has such an eclectic

Marie Claire bedroom

layered feel. It is like the Living Etc. kitchen and dining room because the room has old architecture, the walls are a crisp white, and there are colorful accessories. I love this bedroom. I love the mix of fabrics and prints. I love the jewel tone colors. I also love that there are paperback books everywhere. You don’t see paperback books in decor magazines very often so they really stand out when they are in a room. I just really like this room because it is so livable and feels like home. It’s eclectic and not stuffy.

It has been a hot weekend here in the PNW. I found some great thrift chairs and a German Shepard paint by number. David found a huge, bright koi picture. I dislike it, too bold. We rarely disagree about home stuff. Marriage is about compromise, right? So, the giant kois are hanging up in the studio.

Well, Frink and I are going to commence the sweating for the day. Old homes without a/c are no fun when temps exceed 90° 😦 Too hot to clean, cook, or renovate.

-Victoria

Read Full Post »

2 White Bedrooms with Dark Antique Iron Beds

Canadian House and Home white bedroom

I love both of the bedrooms here because I like their simplicity. Both rooms have dark metal/iron beds. Both of these rooms remind me of the Tudorks bedroom: dark metal bed, antique luggage, fancy lighting. What do I want after seeing these rooms? White bedding.

This first crisp white bedroom was featured in Canadian House and Home. This is one of those rooms that would be pretty even when standing empty. The ceiling has interesting lines and the floors are stunning. If we were to refinish our hardwoods, this is the stain that I would use. There really isn’t a more classy look that light walls and dark hardwoods. This room has nice accents. I love metal beds and old suitcases and luggage used as storage. This is a winning combination. What would I have done differently in this room? Well, I wouldn’t of painted the window trim a darker shade of white for a needed contrast. People underestimate the power of that little trick when they have bright white walls.

The other bedroom is beautiful as well. I do not recall where this room was first featured. I apologize. It reminds me of the first room because it is white, neutral and the dark metal bed adds needed contrast. This second white bedroom is much more rustic. It looks less new than the House and Home room. This white bedroom has a very old home shape. It looks like the bedrooms in our home. It really looks like a smaller version of our studio.This room also has a dark metal bed and dark pictures for high contrast against the white walls. This room’s floors are the opposite, painted white. It’s such a beautiful look. This room has such a fresh feel but it is grounded by rough antiques. This grit gives this white bedroom character. And note to self: We have walls like the ones in this room and I haven’t put pictures up. I love the row of low paintings. I need to do this. Great excuse to hang

Rustic white bedroom

up my Audubon  bird pictures.
I really do love both of these rooms. They are my “style”.

I’ve been going through the house taking so many pictures lately. Next week will be the 1 year anniversary of our home ownership and our home restoration. We’ve done so much but it’s easy to think you haven’t when some things are still a wreck. I’m happy we have pictures to remind us of all our hard work. I’m trying to get before and after pictures ready to share. You’ll get some giggles out of the “befores”. Who else do you know moved in a house with a 13 foot mural/silhouette of  a naked lady? Who else do you know had to peel faux fur off of every door in their house? Who else do you know was peeling adhesive off of the ceiling where mirrors used to be? Geez…

-Victoria

Read Full Post »

On The Horn: We Need A Horn Chair

Elle Home bedroom

I love horns and antlers in decor. David brought home some antlers yesterday. It did make my day. Oh, the things I can do with those! What I have always wanted has been an antique horn chair, a trophy chair, whatever they are called. They are so menacing and true works of art. It’s sick, I know that. But, it is tradition. Even Lincoln was into it.  Well, I can’t prove that. I can just prove that he received one as a gift.

I have always admired these chairs. They are rugged, primitive, morbid. So, they are super expensive and controversial, like many animal products.

You have to watch using them in decor. It can look a bit too lodge-ish. This is something I have to avoid here in Washington. A lodge look has a place, it’s kitschy like a beach home. But, I don’t want that for me. That’s why I try to limit myself to one antler/horn item per room.

This Elle Home bedroom really uses the horn chair nicely. It’s a lovely, solid white bedroom. This keeps the chair from looking too morbid. This chair is what makes this room. Yeah, this room has tall ceilings and a crisp white painted hardwood floor, but that chair kicks it up a notch. It is a reminder of nature and it’s life cycle in the middle of an otherwise “heavenly” and pure space. Well, that’s my closet goth interpretation. Also, I just love this room. It’s my kind of taste in antiques and the kind of style I like. It’s the perfect bedroom, guest bedroom I suppose.

Anyways, it will be sometime, if ever, when I get one of these chairs. I want a simple one, nothing exotic, no leopard hide, and even those retail for $1200 to $12000. I want an American Victorian era longhorn one. That should be easy to find.

-Victoria

Read Full Post »