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Midday Muse
Midday Muse: In Like a Lion
Artist Amy Kligman's painting "Home Base" reminds me of the phrase often used to evoke March's weather: "In like a lion, out like a lamb." I think that this comforting painting is a good reminder that no matter how rainy or messy the weather (or our lives!) might be this month, we can count on some tranquil rainbows after the storms.
How's your March shaping up?
Midday Muse: Shagadelic
It's hard to think that cringe-inducing, deep-pile shag, a preferred venue for making whoopee in the '70s, could make a comeback in our homes, but it has. Once a blemish on the time line of American interiors, shag is back in the game and kicking butt.Everyone from Pottery Barn to Design Within Reach is selling the fluffy stuff, and I'm loving it. Here, interior designer Galo Verdesoto has used it to add warmth to a cold Manhattan apartment.
Midday Muse: Front Door Fun
I spotted this hallway look over at House to Home and was impressed with the statement the rich coordinating reds make. Most don't take into account the color of their front door when decorating the foyer, but it speaks wonders! The hallway of this 18th century Georgian house is otherwise quite simple, but its neutral backdrop and matching color palette allow for its original features to shine.
Midday Muse: Do Glamour and Relaxation Mix?
The Neisha Crosland shimmering aluminum Hollywood Grape wallpaper adds an instant dose of glamour to this petite bathroom from House to Home, and the dark wood vanity conjures 1930s film, ushering you into the alluring Art Deco era, whilst making the most of a small space. As much as I swoon over this glam salle de bains, I think the style should be reserved for powder rooms and half bathrooms. When the day winds down, and it's time to freshen up with a long bath or hot shower, I want a tranquil, serene space that's a retreat from blinding colors and extroverted patterns.
Midday Muse: The Charming Winter Garden
Sometimes a garden, such as the manicured hedges at the park of the Versailles castle in Versailles, France, can look even more charming when it's covered with a thin frosting of snow. While our gardens may be hibernating through the Winter months, that doesn't mean they don't hold their own joys and quiet beauty.
What do you find beautiful about a snowy garden?
Midday Muse: Alternative Christmas Trees
I simply adore this alternative two-dimensional Christmas tree made by All the Luck in the World out of useless but pretty objects she's collected over the years. It's a work of pure genius, absolutely beautiful . .
Midday Muse: Freestanding Kitchen Cabinets
In Europe, it's very common to use freestanding cabinets in the kitchen and armoires in the bedroom, but in the United States, built-in cabinetry and closets are the norm. In fact, a trend of open shelving is only just beginning to happen here. I definitely see the appeal of freestanding units, though.
Midday Muse: Subtle Holiday Decorating
San Francisco blogger and home decorating all-star Victoria recently offered some mellow holiday decorating ideas, including this pretty rose and candle vignette.
What I love about her holiday style is that it's gorgeously done and unmistakably festive, yet doesn't rely on overdone elements for her decorating ideas. While my holiday style tends to involve more traditional Winter holiday elements (think: evergreen boughs, mistletoe), I also appreciate her more subtle holiday style.
Midday Muse: At Home on the Edge of the World
Over Thanksgiving weekend, I spent some time in Joshua Tree, CA, with friends who've built an eco-friendly house there. These friends love their peaceful home and amazing view (which goes on for miles with nary a house in site), but they also miss the comforts of city life. While I sometimes daydream about living in a place as remote as my friends' home, I doubt that I would be able to hack the extremely rural reality of this life for very long.
Midday Muse: The True Meaning of Thanksgiving
This year, some friends are volunteering on Thanksgiving Day to cook dinner for the parents of children staying at a Ronald McDonald House. Last year other friends spent time filling boxes at a food bank the day before Thanksgiving for families in need. One of my family members also makes it a point to volunteer during holiday weekends at animal shelters, since the dogs and cats get fewer visitors over those days.
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