dwellings and décor

I am really loving spaces that are mainly black and white with rich wood tones throughout. The decorator did a really nice job with the design of this house and I really like how they incorporated both modern and traditional elements in a nicely balanced way. For example they placed a mid century modern Wassily chair next to a traditional looking fireplace and built-in. In the bedroom they chose a vintage white iron bed with a Hollywood glamour mirrored console. How fabulous is that? They did a great job in the kitchen and I love that they painted the flooring white in there but kept it in its natural state for the rest of the house. I can really imagine myself living in a space like this because its realistic yet so well put together.

Images from Shoot Factory

One of my favorite looks right now is black and white with rich woods. I think it is so stunning, clean, modern and chic. The black and white give the space a clean minimal look and the rich woods really help to make the space feel warmer. I love how the warm wood tones with the clean black and white give the space such a beautiful balance.

Note: I believe that this Apartment isn’t in the state Alaska, its in Alaska somewhere near London.

Images from Shoot Factory

I thought that showing some black and white bedroom interiors would fit the mood for the upcoming holiday of Halloween. These rooms aren’t really spooky or scary but they are pretty great and I don’t recommend painting all your walls black for Halloween but an accent wall could look pretty cool if done right like some of the ones below. Some might feel that an all black and white interior can seem cold and uninviting so that’s why I like the idea of adding a little splash of yellow or beige to warm it up a bit. Adding a natural colored rug or rich woods can also do the trick.

Clockwise from top left: 1. Campanas 2. Castel Veciana 3. Elle Decor 4. Mimou

Clockwise from top left:1. SPI Design 2. Melanie Molesworth Blog 3. Nick Bowers 4. Susan Carpinello

Clockwise from top left: 1. Dwell Shop 2. Lisa Cohen Photography 3. Reeves Design 4. SR Gambrel

Below are some photos from the wonderful interior inspiration site Shoot Factory. This House in particular is one of my favorites and it is located in Kempe, England. These photos show the beautiful autumn light and I am in awe of the small details throughout the home. Some of my favorite elements of this home is the hand painted shoji screen, the clean and relaxed feel of the linens and upholstery, the hand sketched framed artwork above the sofa and the cute little shoes under the mirrored armoire. Another aspect of this home that I love is that there is such a fluid and smooth transition from one room to the next. Colors, style and the feel of the rooms are consistent throughout the home. Click here to see more images.

Images from Shoot Factory

Below are some beautiful green bedroom interior images from my photo collection. Green will most likely give your space a natural style so if you want to glam it up a little adding shiny metals and white painted furniture is just stunning. Check out Greg Natale’s photo in the last image top left. You will notice that most designers chose to compliment the green with beautiful rich woods and white linens. I just love this look. As you may have read from a previous post one of my favorite colors is green. I am even doing my whole wedding in green and white. I picked out my bridesmaid dresses last week and I matched the color of the dress to a Sherwin Williams paint swatch so I can send the dresses to the girls. The paint sample is called Shamrock which is perfect because we are going to Ireland for our honeymoon. I guess it’s meant to be.

Clockwise from top left: 1. Ellen McDermott 2. Nicole Hollis 3. Maisons du Monde 4. Noah Webb

Clockwise from top left: 1. Dowling Kimm Studios 2. An Indian Summer 3. Bil Huber 4. Adeeni Design Group

Clockwise from top left: 1. Greg Natale 2. Maspar 3. Skonahem 4. Jeremy Samuelson

“Fashionable ladies need to sleep too.” is what Jamie Drake said about this bedroom that he lavishly decorated. Jamie Drake is known for his bold looks and patterns and he definitely did not stop here. Although most would think that pink fits nicely in a little girls room Drake was able to make this exorbitant amount of pink in this bedroom look more sophisticated and fashionable. This large and open bedroom not only serves as a resting place for this sleeping beauty but also as a place for seating and writing. Drake also designed a closet that looks like it would be more suited in a retail store than in a home. I personally don’t think I could live in this much pink but its sure fun to look at.

Images from Traditional Home Magazine

I found out about Tori and Dean’s home through the blogoshpere. I actually havent even seen the show but I heard good things and kept seeing comments about the set design of the home.  I love all the color and cohesiveness of the house and whoever designed it has great style. Here are some images I found from the Oxygen website and I made little notes of my fave items from the show.

Purple is such a great fall color either for clothing or home decor so I wanted to design a board that would have some purple in it. I also love purple with blue and black to make it less girly and make it more sophisticated. This inspiration image has so many great colors and textures. I decided that I wanted to find a fabric for the bedding that would be a similar look as the big purple flower to make it the focal point of the bedroom. I then decided to go with a black backdrop like in the image and decided to go with an upholstered black headboard with ornate detail. I also incorporated wood, glass and white ceramic just like the inspiration image to really pull it all together.

Inspiration Image from Edge Reps

Clockwise from top left: 1. DWR 2. Bellacor 3. The Shade Store 4. Kravet (9098_110) 5. Maisons du Monde 6. Plastic Land

Since it is the beginning of September I wanted to share with you Fall Inspired Bedrooms. When I lived in Portland, Oregon I couldn’t wait for Autumn to come. It has got to be one of the most gorgeous places to experience the season. Most of the leaves turned this beautiful rust orange color and it would just light up the hills. Quite frankly I miss this season the most. As you can imagine we don’t have much of a fall season in Hawaii. I think I would rather be warm though, I am not a big fan of the cold. This rust orange color may give you a feeling of warmth for those colder days to come. If you are considering decorating your room in this color then I would suggest using accent colors like soft yellows and sagey greens. I also love this color with rich dark wood tones and hints of brown.

From Left to Right.
First Row: 1. Rebecca Duke 2. Loyall Sewall Photography
Second Row: 1. Rate My Space on HGTV 2. Greg Natale

Third Row: 1. Halley Resources 2. Agnes Bourne
Fourth Row: 1. Adeeni Design Group 2. Madeline Stuart

There is so much talent that went into this amazingly gorgeous interior. The Gramercy Park Hotel located in New York City is filled with custom designed furniture, finishes and details and much of the art was done by well known artist Julian Schnabel. They used furniture from many different time periods and they describe the interior design as Bohemia reinvented for the 21st century. I love how there were able to keep it elegant and sophisticated with so many vivid and extraordinary colors. I hope you enjoy these stunning images and have a great weekend!

All images from Gramercy Park Hotel

Q. Hi Rachel, I was wondering if you had any ideas for a creative headboard. I am looking for something fairly inexpensive and not your typical headboard. Thanks!

A. Below are some images of bedroom interiors with creative headboard ideas. Here is a list:

1. Shoji Screen
2. Decorative Doors
3. Fabric
4. Wallpaper
5. Mirrors
6. Shelf
7. Artwork
8. Scattered Frames

Here are some tips to spruce up your existing headboard:

1. Drape Fabric over the headboard
2. Add artwork above
3. Add a shelf above
4. Wallpaper headboard wall

From Top (when there are two left to right): 1.Inspiration 4 U 2.Pietere Stersohn 3.Weego Home 4.Red Cover 5.Point Click Home 6.Martha Stewart 7.Michael Smith Inc. 8.Domino Mag 9.House and Home 10.Location Works

When I first came across images for this island retreat from Coastal Living Magazine I instantly fell in love. After reading about the owners inspiration for the home I fell more in love. The owners Michael Ward and Rebecca Sawyer actually hand-built the structure on 3 acres. Rebecca who is an artist, took inspiration from the outdoor environment when choosing her colors. The main wall color is the color of the inside of a ripe papaya, and the trim work is inspired by a bougainvillea and alamanda, which is Rebecca’s favorite tropical flowers. The floor represents the shiny blue sea and she says “The transition between indoors and out is almost transparent, allowing the cottage to feel open and airy while maintaining its coziness”. This rental is located on the Caribbean island of Carriacou. See links below for rental information.

Images from Coastal Living Magazine and Belair Garden Cottage

This beautiful photo from Don Freeman is a perfect inspirational image because it has great color and form. I wanted to capture the feeling of this photo into a bedroom design. I decided to go with soft yellow from the large vase for the walls and I think it makes a nice backdrop for the dark brown and white furniture pieces that I chose. I also wanted to implement similar lines and forms of the photo so I chose a coral lamp and an ornate headboard and mirror. I love that the flowers in the inspirational image softens and adds warmth to the photo so I included artwork with a floral design with yellow and green to tie the room together.

Inspiration Image: Don Freeman Photography

Paint: Aura Paint from Benjamin Moore (Safari & Soleil) Artwork & Mirror: Anthropologie Headboard: Maison Du Monde Side Table: Kemble Interiors Table Lamp: Garnet Hill

Purple is associated with royalty, drama, opulence, mystery, and dignity and it works lovely with blues and fuchsia pinks. If you are looking for a regal and dignified bedroom purple may be a good choice for you. Having a purple bedroom will definitely feel more feminine and if you share your bedroom with a man he may disapprove. If you are a woman and are wanting to have a purple bedroom than you may want to compromise with your hubby and only put in purple accents and offset them with blue or chocolate brown. Even if your not looking to design your room in purple these are really fun to look at. I think there just gorgeous!

Clockwise from Top Left: 1. NY Times 2. Domino 3. Amanda Nisbet Design 4. House and Home

Clockwise from Top Left: 1. Real World Houses 2. Janne Peters 3. Sarah Kaye 4. Trine Thorsen

When architects make a beautiful old building into a stunning new building you cant help but notice the character, warmth and class that it gives. Below are images from a villa in Positano, Italy. The villa was first built in the eighteenth century and was reconstructed in 2004 by Lazzarini Pickering Architteti. You will notice that the floors, walls, and ceiling are all neutral but there is still so much color and texture in the fabrics and furniture. What is most striking to me is the large ornate wood piece that extends from the living room into the dining room and into the kitchen. It can be rare to see such exquisite architecture and interior design in one place.

Images from Yatzer

I was shopping for new Interior Design Magazines and I wasn’t to thrilled on alot of the American issues but when I came across this french magazine Cote Sud I was ecstatic. This article on a french artists home caught my eye and it is the reason I bought it along with many other fabulous finds. I love how there is spats of vibrant color throughout like on the dining chairs and large canvases. It is almost as if her home is a clean white canvas and so when adding furniture she can go with traditional Louis chairs and crystal chandeliers plus modern Bertoia wireframed chairs and Saarinen tables. Love Love Love this space!

I came across this inspiration image from Pure Public the other day. (website found via Desire to Inspire) and I just fell in love with the soft colors and the feeling of closeness to openness. This photo makes you feel like you could be there walking into a European courtyard. When deciding what furniture and décor to use for this bedroom I went very literal. The thick iron gate made me want to find a headboard in a similar fashion. Thinking about laying on the grass and reading a good book made me want to choose grass green bedding with a leafy pattern. The orange terra cotta color from the image was a must for the wall color in this bedroom and a wool pebble rug completes the look. See below for links to these fabulous pieces.

Rachel Mallon
www.roominabook.com

Clockwise from top left: 1. Crate and Barrel 2. Paint Color 3. Gracious Style 4. Nova 68

Today I wanted to post interiors that are summery and fresh looking so I decided that green and coral interiors would be a good choice. I love the feeling of the two colors together because they create a nice balance for the space. The serene and peaceful green with the vibrant and lively coral red makes these spaces feel balanced emotionally. You will notice that in all of these interiors that green is the main color for the room and the coral is an accent color. The designers of these spaces did this intentionally because when using coral or red tones in abundance it can make for an unpleasant environment. So when decorating with red tones make sure to use them as accent colors like in pillows, artwork and rugs. When people are looking for paint color advice and they want to use red on the walls I always recommend to only use it as an accent color. A lot of Red in a space can make your heart beat faster and cause other emotional feelings like anger and rage but adding red in small amounts can be great for a space because it can uplift your mood and bring energy and cheeriness.

What I like most about the selections of these interiors is that they all bring a different style. The first image on the top left hand corner has this funky tropical country feel to whereas the one next to it on the right is more clean and minimal. (Check out the filled in fireplace behind the bed.) The image in the middle is much more contemporary because of the stripes in the rug and bedding. I am enjoying the playfulness of the interior and it is a perfect bedroom for that active teenager. The image on the very bottom is more modern because of the clean lines in the bed and abstract artwork. I hope you enjoy these great images and please comment below and tell us what you think.

Rachel Mallon
www.roominabook.com

Clockwise from top left: 1. Scott Sanders 2. Civility Design 3. Real World Houses 4. Timothy Kolk

As a designer it can be difficult to decorate a room for all seasons. I always try to avoid designing spaces that are christmas tree green and Santa Claus red and the same goes for the red white and blue flag colors. These interiors have used red white and blue but in more subtle tones and they look absolutely fabulous.

Rachel Mallon
www.roominabook.com

Clockwise from top left:

1. Flores Vianna 2. Glenn Gissler Design 3. Thom Filicia 4. M Design Interiors 5. Domino Mag