A bright, airy, and elegant home

A lot of super luxe and elegant homes are often done in richer, darker tones, and heavier fabrics. I thought this home was interesting in that it still looks very refined and elegant, but is also very airy and bright.

The ceiling in this bedroom is AMAZING.  Can't beat the light, either.

Another amazing ceiling.  It almost feels like a giant lighthouse!

What do you think?  Do you like this elegant and light look?
via TradHome

3 Top Tips when using Flooring Rugs

Rugs are a great way to bring a new lease of life to a tired looking room. However, before you make your selection you should consider these three tips, as rugs can be used in many different ways in a home or office.

1. Placement:
You'll need to think about where you place flooring rugs if you want to avoid trips and falls at home or in the office. Irrespective of which room you place a rug try not to have the corner in the middle of a door opening as this can lead to a potential tripping hazard. It is a good idea to use rugs in high traffic areas just so long as the larger part of the rug is in the doorway.

via Nesting Newbies

2. Sitting Areas:
You can create an inviting sitting area in a room simply by placing a sofa and chairs around a rug. Pale or light colours, with a low-key design offer a more intimate space in which people can sit and talk. Circular or hexagonal shaped rugs are also ideal for cosy seating areas. By placing the front feet of chairs and sofa onto the edge of the rug, not only will you be reducing any potential trip hazards, you'll also provide sufficient rug surface for people to have both feet on the rug itself. This will help to make people feel more at home and at ease. You could also place a flooring rug under a coffee table to create a central focal point in the seating area.

via Anthology

via Maison Marigold

3. Open Areas:
One of the most fashionable ways to use flooring rugs is to place them in areas which have no furniture, such as in front of the fire-place or in the middle of a room. Placing rugs in open areas can help add a new dimension to a room more especially if they are a contrasting colour to the flooring; they can provide a different texture which will give a room more personality and help ground a colour scheme.

via Casa Diez


UK Flooring Direct have an advice centre where more information on where to place rugs and the styles which are best suited to heavy traffic areas for homes and offices can be found.

*disclosure: this is a sponsored post from UK Flooring Direct

Minimal but not cold - gorgeous Scandinavian spaces

Today is a hectic day, and these spaces just emanate calm and order. However, like some spaces that are super orderly and clean, these still have warmth to them. What do you think?

That green is just the right value to compliment the wood tone but not compete with the black.



Love the coffee table




I'm usually not a fan of "stripes" or other painted graphics, but in the hall like this is doesn't seem trendy to me. Notice how it goes up the molding? It's like the owner's personal little gallery space.

image via KML Design

Beauty from Domino - Rooms in a neutral palette

Our beloved Domino is gone - but luckily I snagged all the images I could before the website went under. Here are some gorgeous interiors showing neutral done right. Enjoy!

Kathy Ireland's bathroom

I love grays like the one in this bedroom




ADORE this entryway. What a nice view to enter and leave the house to.


via Domino

The CL 2010 House of the Year - and it's all eco-friendly (and beautiful)

Eco-friendly is getting prettier and prettier every year, making it not just easy on the earth, but easy on the eyes. Country Living put together this idea house full of inspiration. The house is actually a modular, pre-fab cottage, and available for purchase by the public. Read all the details for the house, rooms, and resources here.

What do you like about this house? Not like so much?

I LOVE the entryway. What a great space to see first thing when you walk in the door after work.

What do you think of wallpaper on the ceiling?




You may think all of these framed prints cost a fortune, but really all you need to accomplish this look are some basic frames, and then a used book of botanical or nature illustrations. Carefully remove the pages that you like and insert them in the frames!








A dream closet

A little eye candy to brighten up your Monday

Mondays...blah. Especially when it's getting so cold out! It makes it so tough for me to crawl out from under the covers when I'm toasty warm. Hopefully these chic homes with a nod to the traditional can help brighten it up a little?

The beam above the window adds a nice rustic touch without being too "look how rustic I am."

Love the nooks for spices by the oven

Cappuccino maker!

I like the look of raw linen and canvas like they've used on the bar stools

This kitchen has such a 17th century Dutch air to it - even without the Vermeer

The rooms below are from another house -

A home office with gobs of natural light! Looks nice and tucked away.


Love the retro classic chair. I also like that this room, though it has modern retro elements is still most obviously lived in. Nothing is too precious. Evidence of human, and canine, life can be seen on the shelves, the coat rack, etc.


In this room I like the large prints on every wall, and of course, the lounge. I'm a sucker for a reading nook!

via Southern Living

Favorite images from my favorite blogs

For installment 3 of my latest "campaign" - "Favorite images from my favorite blogs," I bring you the latest from Bloomacious, Desire to Inspire, and Design is Mine.




From Design is Mine






some loveliness from Desire to Inspire.




From a girl's paradise - Bloomacious!