Wednesday, October 19, 2011

Gifts of Autumn

A few weeks back, I took a few hours of an afternoon for myself and picked wildflowers.

(photo credit: Muraca Design, Inc.)

I had been admiring the bright yellows and soft whites that were blooming all over. I had to have some bunches in the house. I grabbed my scissors and picked flowers found roadside, found in fields behind my neighborhood, and from around my house. I also picked off several bugs that had made their home on the flowers and jumped ship in the back of my van. Sorry bugs...

I loved coming down my stairs to these vibrant yellow flowers arranged in my gray basket.

(photo credit: Muraca Design, Inc.)

More roadside flowers for the kitchen sink window. So cheerful.

(photo credit: Muraca Design, Inc.)

These soft tiny whites were placed next to the chair in my bathroom. So lovely.

(ok.. yes, I know the name of about 3 flowers... rose, tulip.. maybe carnation. These flowers I picked are all called wildflowers anyway??)

(photo credit: Muraca Design, Inc.)

The bouquets are all history now. Such a joy while it lasted.

Gray and Gold

Dreaming of gray and gold. Thinking about changing out my yellow family room walls for a tone of gray. Hmm... is it because fall is on its way? Just love the stillness of the combination. Seems serene and quiet. My sunny family rooms walls are ready for a filtered gray light.

(photo credit: Pinterest.com)

Cloud gray with a peak of gold sun...

(photo credit: Better Homes and Gardens)

Stunning architecture with a modern feel. Dark gray art on light gray walls with a jolt of yellow upholstery. Chandelier certainly kicks.

(photo credit: Living etc.)

(photo credit: Little Blue Deer blog)

gray upholstery on blue gray walls with silver gray shades...

(photo credit: Elle Decor)

Golds and black on soft white gray...

(photo credit: Southern Accents)

(photo credit: Better Homes and Gardens)

(photo credit: Restoration Hardware)

(photo credit: Veranda)

(photo credit: Better Homes and Gardens)

It can start with art... like this painting from John Rogers Cox.

(photo credit: Wickapedia)

And build from there...

Get the look:

Rug from Shades of Light

(photo credit: Shades of Light)

Gray and Gold wallpaper by Hygge & West

(photo credit: Hygge & West)

Game Board Wall Art from Wisteria

(photo credit: Wisteria)

Pillow from West Elm

(photo credit: West Elm)

Rug from West Elm

(photo credit: West Elm)

Bedding from West Elm

(photo credit: West Elm)

Art from Etsy:

Barbara Cleland, artist.

(photo credit: Etsy shop: bclelandart)

Leah Duncan, artist.

(photo credit: Etsy Shop: leahduncan)

Nancy Jean Tobin, artist (The Painted Sky shop)

(photo credit: Etsy Shop: thepaintedsky)

Lucia Johnson, artist

(photo credit: Etsy Shop: luciajohnson)

DS Brennan, artist (Arts in RI shop)

(photo credit: Etsy Shop: ArtsinRI)

decorating with yellow

(credit: Martha Stewart)

I'm a fan of yellow. I can trace this love back to the 1970's when my mother had her colors "done" and was told what season color category she fit into. The theory went, that if you were a winter, you needed to purchase clothing in jewel tones. You get the idea. She was told that yellow was not one of her colors. I'm not sure if this is true, but I don't recall much yellow in our decor after that color style session. A lot of blues (one of her good colors) but no shades of yellow paint, fabrics, or clothing.

I now live in a pale yellow house and have painted both the family room and the kitchen (the most lived in areas in the house) shades of yellow. Even my office, where I do my design work.... yes, it's yellow.

I'm currently working on my master bedroom and bath, starting with Pottery Barn's Matine Toile quilt and shams. I purchased yardage, along with the quilt and shams, but somehow the yardage never found its way to my sewing machine. It's been long enough. It's time for more yellow.

(credit: Pottery Barn)

My furniture isn't white, as pictured in the Pottery Barn catalog. I have wood pieces, more maple and walnut tones. I'll be working with browns. A much different direction than crisp yellow paired with white painted wood. And that's part of yellow's joy, it pairs with so much.

The yellow inspiration below has me ready to go. Maybe by spring I'll finish this master bedroom and bath project. The warmth and cheer of a yellow project will keep me busy during the winter months. Of course, come spring I'll need to find more places for yellow.