HEADING HOME TO DINNER: Thursday, October 12th - Saturday, October 14th 2017

This week is Boston's first Dine By Design Event for Heading Home.  This wonderful foundation has helped many homeless families and individuals in Greater Boston.  Heading Home strives to contribute housing and support, with the belief that "a stable home provides the optimal foundation to get back on track...the mission is to end homelessness in Greater Boston by providing a supported pathway to self-sufficiency that begins with a home, together with critical services such as life skills, financial literacy, and job training (headinghomeinc.org.)" 

The upcoming Heading Home to Dinner event will showcase barcarts and tables designed by local design professionals.  Specified carts and tables will be included in a live auction, with proceeds going to Heading Home.  Be sure to keep an eye out for my coastal inspired barcart, Seaside Spirits!  

Heading Home to Dinner kicks off on Thursday October 12th with a cocktail party on the fifth floor of the Boston Design Center.  New England Home Magazine, will also announce this year's Design Hall of Fame inductees.  If you are interested in attending this event, there is still time! See the link below for tickets and information.

If you are unable to make Thursday night's cocktail party, the bar carts and tables will be on display on Friday October 13th.  Heading Home to Dinner wraps up with an evening gala on Saturday October 14th!  Featuring a live auction for many of the bar carts and tables.  The event will include food and drink sponsored by local restaurants, breweries, and distilleries. 

If you are interested in attending one or all of this year's Heading Home to Dinner events visit headinghometodinner.org for details and www.eventbrite.com for tickets.  

You can also visit www.headinghomeinc.org to donate or volunteer with Heading Home. 

Cheers!

SPRING INTO SUMMER: COASTAL INSPIRED TEXTURES

After Memorial Day weekend, I am in summer mode.  I lighten up my decor with crisp cotton bedding and all windows are opened, allowing the outdoors in.  I am also excited for long summer nights outside (something I look forward to all year.) 

The days continue to get longer and the sun gets stronger.  Trips to summer homes and coastal destinations start to occur. This is also a great time to be home, but maybe you still need a change of pace and perspective?  If this is the case, I suggest switching out some of your heavy winter decor, with coastal inspired textures.  You can achieve a change of scenery by making a few simple adjustments.  With this in mind, I thought I would share a few ideas on how to create a laid back, summery, coastal feel, using natural textures.  

Sources: 
First image via @againteriordesign Instagram 

1.) www.cowtan.com

2.) www.potterybarn.com

3.) Interior design by AGA Design

4.) www.meridastudio.com

5.) www.crateandbarrel.com

INSPIRATION: A WARM & INVITING FAMILY ROOM

As a young interior designer, I am frequently faced with the statement "your home must be amazing," hinting that I live at the Taj Mahal or some grand property. Truth of the matter is, I spend much of my time thinking about rooms for my clients and their families, leaving little time for my own home.  Someone recently asked me the very difficult question: "what would you include in your dream family room?"   I have to admit, I am my own worst client.  I am indecisive, incredibly picky, and I have to consider all options before making a final decision.  Daily exposure to expansive collections of fabrics, lighting, and furniture sometimes makes designing for myself the hardest.  There is always the fear, that I will commit to a fabric or a chair, and then I will suddenly find an alternative option that I prefer.  Style is forever evolving, however, there are a few pieces that I know will remain current.  

When I design for myself and my clients, I try to remain true to these classics, ensuring that the spaces I create will be enjoyed for years to come. My intent is to create comfortable, warm, inviting, and functional spaces.  Below are a few of my "family room classics:"

1.) A well built and comfortable sofa. I typically like a slipcovered sofa in the Family Room for a relaxed look, that is easy to clean. 

2.) A substantial coffee table, which I believe is the true heart of the room.  Depending on the use of the space either an upholstered ottoman, a wood table, or an oversized trunk. I tend to stay away from glass and metals in the family room.  This is one of the most frequently used spaces in the home, why not make it comfortable?

3.) Side chairs, for additional seating during family gatherings and parties.

4.) Table lamps, creating a well-lit and welcoming space.

5.) Window treatments are key!  Many feel that they can skip this item altogether.  I typically suggest full length draperies, for a soft affect, while adding privacy and additional pattern/color to the space.  I also love to layer a natural wood weave shade with a linen pattern drape, for added texture. 

With these classics in mind, here is inspiration for my dream family room.  I hope this inspires you to redesign, update, or maybe enjoy your family room as styled today.  Happy Sunday!

Get the look, sources and credits: 

- Olive Tree via internet source

- Tree Basket, potterybarn

- Accent Table, arhaus

- Chair, hickorychair

- Drapery Fabric, Kerry Joyce

- Drapery Hardware, ballarddesign

- Wallcovering, Cowtan & Tout 

- Painting by Edith Prellwitz 

- Fabric Pairing, Kerry Joyce, Cowtan & Tout, Carleton V

- Lamp, bunnywilliamshome

- Sofa, arhaus

- Coffee Table, via internet source

- Rug, starkcarpet

- Standing Lamp, restorationhardware
Visit Arhaus for additional inspiration 

First image via @againteriordesign on instagram 

FRESH INSPIRATION: SPRING FLOWERS

We are months away from spring flowers, which makes this a great time to consider adding flowers in all rooms.  Try fresh cut flowers from local markets in vases, jugs, or planters filled with topiaries and greens for a longer lasting approach.  In keeping with fresh green and blue inspiration for winter, try using blue and white chinoiserie planters and vases for plants.  

Here are a few of my favorite blue and white chinoiserie planters and vases to get this look: 

1.) One Kings Lane, Assortment of Two Patterned Platers in Blue www.onekingslane.com

2.) Ballard Designs, Blue & White Chinoiserie Collection www.ballarddesigns.com

3.) Ballard Designs, Blue & White Chinoiserie Collection www.ballarddesigns.com

4.) Williams Sonoma, Blue & White Ceramic Planter www.williams-sonoma.com

Maybe your thumb is not the greenest, try life-like faux arrangements like this one from onekingslane.com

Here are my top suggestions for flowers and greenery for your indoor planters: 

1.) Boxwood Branches 
2.) White Hyacinth
3.) Myrtle Topiary
4.) Paper White Flowers 

Images from various unknown sources

FRESH INSPIRATION: WALLPAPER

If you are looking to make a room pop, I suggest installing wallpaper for color and pattern.  Over the past few years wallpaper has gained popularity and I am frequently this update for powder rooms, dining rooms, and even laundry rooms.   Here are a few of my top blue and green wallpaper picks: 

Galbraith & Paul Lotus in Fennel Galbraith&Paul

Hummingbirds, Blue Multi-Coulour, LeeJofa

 Galbraith & Paul Parquet in Sea Galbraith&Paul

Thibaut Design, Fair Isle in Green & Blue ThibautDesign

Scalamandre, Gertrude's Plaid in Dark Blue Scalamandre

Pierre Frey, Bonne Pêche in Bleu PierreFrey

Manuel Canovas, Anvers Wallpaper Cowtan

Kaleidoscopic Crest Wallpaper, Teal Anthropologie

Cover image via galbraithandpaul.com

FRESH INSPIRATION: COLOR

Months before the announcement of the Pantone Color of the Year, I had my eye on a new favorite color pairing: green and blue.  This fresh and sophisticated palette is great for any application.  Whether you are looking to add some green and blue throw pillows to a room in need of color or you are trying to update a forgotten powder room with an exciting new wallpaper, green and blue is my new favorite.   

Try soft gray blue and pale lime for a serene bedroom or mossy green and sapphire blue for a dramatic library.  You can also take this color pairing from coastal home to home in the suburbs.  Here are a few photos for inspiration: 

Images via Pinterest

FRESH INSPIRATION FOR A NEW YEAR

The past few weeks have been filled with holiday parties, gatherings, and festive outfits featuring sparkles and fur.  This exciting whirlwind has come to a sudden halt, our tree is dismantled and decorations have been carefully packed away for next year.  The winter blues have set in and the long cold months ahead loom over us as the final Christmas cookies are devoured.  

This seasonal slum hit me hard this weekend.  I don't know if this helped or made it worse, but I started revisiting summer photos and images from previous tropical getaways.  Each photo was filled with roaring cool blue surf and rich green foliage, which got me thinking about color.  Sunlight and temperature have something to do with the happy feelings associated with these settings, but so do the colors. Maybe all we need is a little color update to get us through the winter blues?  

With this in mind, I began my search for blue and green inspiration.  This is a great time to consider updating or redesigning your home.  Whether you plan to add a chinoiserie planter with fresh green plants or wallpaper your powder room in a cheerful green and blue paper, this week will offer plenty of inspiration to beat the winter blues.  

Image via @againteriordesign instagram