Favorite Things and Shabby Blogs and Shopping and accessories beautiful, burlap, pillows, shabby, the tarnished crown 8:23 pm
Let me recommend that you take a look at a fabulous blog, The Tarnished Crown, by Rose Carey. If you are looking for awesome pillows at reasonable prices, then this is THE place to go. Featuring pillows with letters, numbers, and crowns, Carey’s pillows are to die for! She is a talented seamstress and artist as well as a jewel of a person!
If you decide to purchase one of her pillows, please kindly let her know you read about it on Buffy’s blog. Thanks!
Inspiration and Shabby Blogs beautiful, cream, ideas, Inspiration, interior design, khaki, shabby, shabby style, soothing, Swedish, Swedish style, white 8:05 am
Although I can’t translate a single word from this website, the photos speak for themselves. If you look the Swedish look or a calm color palette, then this website is for you! Be sure to browse the entire gallery for ideas on how to create the soothing look of neutral tones that never feel tired to the eye!
Biskopsgarden via kwout
You can also view the accompanying blog at http://www.biskopsgarden.blogspot.com/ .
Inspiration and Shabby Blogs beautiful, beauty, cottage style, cream, gray, grey, khaki, shabby, soothing, Swedish, Swedish style, white 8:00 am
If you haven’t discovered this marvelous blog already, be sure to surf over to Modern Country at http://moderncountry.blogspot.com/ . This blog has endless ideas and inspiration for decorating your home in soothing shades of white, cream, khaki, and pale grey—just looking at this blog makes me feel happy!
Moderncountry via kwout
Interviews antiques, beautiful, casa preciosa, cottage, cottage style, designer, flea market style, French Chic, French cottage, interview, shabby, white, Zoe 12:57 pm
Soothing white linens. Darling tiny ruffles surrounding the crisp vintage linens that make up a fabulous ottoman cover or Casa’s cozy and charming down filled pillows. Tasteful and cozy splashes of floral sprays against white linen. Do you love true one of a kind treasures? If you answer “yes” to this question and if you are a fan of cottage style decorating, then you will want to read today’s interview with beloved designer Zoe, design maven of the Southwest who is well known in shabby decorating circles for her elegant but casual twist, defining the Casa “Look” of French Cottage Chic! In this interview, Zoe shares her design philosophy and thoughts on how to achieve the look that is right for you and your home!
1. Please tell the readers a little about yourself—a short biography, your background, and how you got into interior design and antiques.
It seems I have always been drawn to Decor, Colors, Art and Form. Much to my Mother’s chagrin, LoL!!, choosing my own clothes, coordinating my wardrobe and partaking in the decorating of my room from as early an age as I can remember. Raised in Montecito CA, I still recall the summer painting classes I took as a youngster at the Santa Barbara Museum of Art. These were wonderful times, enormously impacting the entirety of my life. There was an incredible appreciation of art and culture which flourished in our community which was utterly and magically beautiful with many old, visually commanding architectural estates built in the 30s and 40s on the Montecito hillsides surrounded by sprawling manicured gardens, many of which overlook the spectacular Channel Islands just off shore, an area absolutely unequaled for inspiration and beauty.
Later, after graduating high school I attended UCSB as an Art/English major. What a fun campus it was in those early days!! Constructed surrounding a lagoon, The Art and Drama buildings literally had ocean views from their spacious windows and as I recall, our first Student Union was actually a Quonset Hut where the campus intellectuals would all gather. Furthering my education after leaving UCSB, I moved to San Francisco where I attended the Art Institute, a delightfully dilapidated old campus attracting eccentrics from all parts of the globe. Influenced by my Mother’s grand eye for decor, I have always been attracted to the unusual and unique. Oh My Goodness, San Francisco was a Junker’s Haven in those years, literally brimming with fabulous old treasures everywhere. Soon after returning to Santa Barbara, I started creating the displays for the multitude of high end shop windows and interiors; this was a super fun and adventurous time in my life which eventually led me to home and garden decor.
2. How would you describe the signature “Casa Casual but Elegant” Style? What elements reflect your style?
Raised by a family that was passionate about the arts in a visually gorgeous environment with gourmet cooking and entertaining, I would definitely say I am drawn to the European lifestyle. A casual, comfortable but elegant look. Integrating all elements of a home, both outside and in, choosing each and every piece carefully to create this special ambiance. Defining ”The Casa Look” are an assortment of whites, tending more towards the yellow base as opposed to the gray or tan, which offers a much warmer appeal, multiple shades of updated greens, the yellow greens as opposed to the dated blue greens, reds, yellows and pinks and of course French gray/blue. Lots of fabrics!! Nothing adds more charm to a room then fabrics. Using the same pallet in each room throughout the home, just varying the shades and patterns, is essential to unifying the “Look.” The most common mistake when decorating is to “overdo” with too many pieces competing rather then adding to the overall vision.
3. Where do you get inspiration for your designs?
I love magazines!! A few of my faves are Veranda, Town and Country, Country Living and Country Home, plus any French Country publication. I also Google ”Images” of French Gardens and French Cottages/Homes for Old World inspiration.
4. What items are “hot” in your shop right now? What is in demand?During the summer months I do a lot of French Herb Garden designs plus outdoor staging, and of course our Casa Slip covers are always in demand.
5. Do you visit flea markets or antique shows? If so, what are you favorite ones and why? Do you have other favorite sources for “finds”?
I wish I could say I do!! Living in this tiny artist community in the middle of nowhere does not afford a lot of shopping opportunities. I always marvel at my great fortune to somehow attract wonderful finds. It seems each and every week I receive at least one call from someone selling something or a selection of something’s that perfectly suit my clientele. Tucson, our closest large city does have an Antique Faire once a month. During its busy times, October through May, we journey to it early on the first Sunday of the month.
6. How do you go about pulling a room together to get “the look”? Your Ebay showroom always looks so stunning!
Thank You!! The process for me starts with form. I tend towards lots of curves and rounder shapes rather then angular pieces, which create a warm and welcoming feel to a room. Of course lots of Casa Cushy pillows and fabric treatments. I stay away from glitz and glamour, tending more towards botanical motifs. Nothing is quite so delightful as a room with fresh flowers in abundance!!
7. What are some of your “favorite things” that make a room dreamy?
Personal Treasures: this is where I start when working with a client. We pile all there favorite pieces into one corner of the room; discrimination is vital. Then remove everything else to either be placed in storage or, LoL!! Preferably immediately schedule a pick up with the White Elephant, our local high end used shop. Next we choose the most adored possessions and that is where we start. Nothing is more gratifying then a home blessed with beauty and comfort reflecting your inner self.
8. You are well known for your gorgeous slipcovers. Can you tell us more about the design process for your slipcovers and the materials you use to create your signature slipcovers?
I like to stick with white because it serves as a perfect backdrop for your personal palette. And of course, being slips they are easy to launder. I purchase wonderful high end white duck by the bolt. It is the prettiest white fabric I have found, highly durable, a great texture and a lovely soft white color. For distinction I have developed our tiny signature ruffles, nothing frou frou or frilly, made from gorgeous old linen vintage damask tablecloths. I like to vary the tablecloth designs within each piece making each one a unique work of art.
9. What design trends do you see on the horizon?
I feel we are moving to a cleaner look, still appreciating a worn appeal but perhaps not so funky. Updating and adding a mixture of new items with Great Style with older adored pieces. Your home, Buff, perfectly illustrates this new direction: warm, utterly individualistic, and charming!!
10. What do you enjoy most about what you do?
That’s easy!! Metamorphosing a space, transforming an ordinary room/home into a French Cottage Chic delight!! As an example we have included a link to some before and after pictures of our current home in progress: http://www.casamona.addr.com/AUCTIONS/0612outside.htm .
11. Where or how can our readers purchase your treasures?
I do a lot of my business via the Internet. Gals send me pictures of their space and we work together to create exactly what they are looking for. This can be a simple inexpensive process or something on a grand scale where I actually purchase just the perfect item/items for their home and garden shipping them to my client, a fun project, I am told time and time again its like Christmas opening Casa Lovies!!
Chair, Ottoman Slipcovers and Pillows are also available long distance via the Internet; it’s as easy as sending me the measurements!! Our Email address is casapreciosa@usermail.com. I would love to hear from each and everyone of you!!
Many thanks to Zoe for her time! As someone who has purchased her slipcovers, I can assure you they are of high quality and craftsmanship! If you are looking for dreamy decor, please take a peek at Zoe’s designs and drop her an email! Please click on the photo below or visit the link beneath the screenshot below to see more pics of Zoe’s designing talent: ~Creating the Ultimate in ~French Cottage Chic!!~
1005 Buffy via kwout
Favorite Things beautiful, burlap, Favorite Things, French, Lucy, Paris Flea Market, pillow, soft 8:06 am
Here is a new pillow I just purchased from my friend Lucy of Paris Flea Market—a queen sized “Old French Burlap with Blue Trim”. If you have not figured it out by now, I have a terrible weakness for beautiful textiles, especially PILLOWS. I am planning on using this on my big club chair that I practically live in at home and from whence I am blogging right now!
Lucy makes the best pillows with wonderful down inserts! Here is her description of this beauty:
This old french pillow features features a coarse thick cotton fabric with a French blue stripe on the front and back sides..trimmed with a linen ruffle and filled with a feather down insert..measures 26 inches x 20 inches..stunning against a white matelasse chair or settee.
Thanks, Lucy!
Shopping beautiful, chic, decor, shabby, Shopping, White Rose Decor 7:53 am
My friend Yvonne, from whom I have several beautiful and unique sconces, has opened an online store called White Rose Decor. Yvonne is well known for her beautiful lighting, sconces, and accessories as well as other unique treasures. Please surf over and take a peek! The link to her lovely new website is below the screenshot below and on my blogroll!
Shabby Blogs beautiful, French, Lucy, parisfleamarket, Shabby Blogs, treasures, vintage 7:54 pm
I would like to let everyone know about a new blog from my friend Lucy, owner of parisfleamarket on Ebay! Lucy is one of Ebay’s favorite sellers of all things shabby, French, beautiful, and unique. Check out her new blog, which will also link you to her new website! You can view her new blog at http://www.myparisfleamarket.blogspot.com/ .
Welcome to the blogosphere, Lucy!
You can go to her website at:
Inspiration art, beautiful, black and white, dreamy, hallway, Inspiration, Photography, Sadie Olive 8:23 pm
Another GREAT shot of the hallway art (I believe some of the frames are from Pottery Barn). Love this and the wire basket, too!
Wow! Be sure to visit Sadie Olive’s blog!
http://lejournal.sadieolive.com/lejournal/
Inspiration beautiful, bungalow, cottage, Cottage Living, home 4:22 pm
If you have not received your March 2008 issue of Cottage Living, be sure to pick one up and read a wonderful article, “Romantic California Bungalow.” This article details how a happily married couple of architects restored a 1930s bungalow into a dreamy haven. This home has a dreamy romantic style without being too modern or too “cutesy”—gorgeous photography and great information in this one!
Is it me, or all the darling bungalow cottages in California? I just read another outstanding article in the new issue of Country Home about a gorgeous and restored cottage!
Wishes beach, beautiful, sunrise, Tybee Island 8:36 pm
So far, I have had a great first day of my vacation, but a beach trip is the one thing I won’t be able to do during this break. Maybe I will get to the beach soon! I would love to sit in a comfy lounge chair with a big umbrella over me while digging my toes in the sand and listening to the relaxing sound of the waves!
This gorgeous photo has inspired “Tybee Island Dreaming”!
This is my blog about my adventures and misadventures in feathering my 1950s cottage house! You can read about my restoration and shabby decor projects here.
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