Whimsical Cake Stand, Dome and Servers from Horchow, Paperdoll Ornament, Raspberry from Anthropologie, Stockings from Crate and Barrel, Peppermint Flexible Spatula from Williams Sonoma, Seasons Greetings Holiday Rug from Posh Living, Christmas Initial Ornament from Posh Living, Sentiment Flannel Sheets from Pottery Barn, Ho Ho Holiday Rug from Flor, Glass Cone Trees from Gumps
Monthly Archives: December 2008
Christmas Whimsy
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Filed under Friday Collage
Whimsical Cake Stand, Dome and Servers from Horchow, Paperdoll Ornament, Raspberry from Anthropologie, Stockings from Crate and Barrel, Peppermint Flexible Spatula from Williams Sonoma, Seasons Greetings Holiday Rug from Posh Living, Christmas Initial Ornament from Posh Living, Sentiment Flannel Sheets from Pottery Barn, Ho Ho Holiday Rug from Flor, Glass Cone Trees from Gumps
Decorating in a Recession
Filed under Trend Spotting
DC Blogs has listed a lot of posts about how this holiday season is shaping up in our struggling economy. This topic is near and dear to my heart, as my husband is employed by the retail industry. It is beginning to be clear that people are not spending like they normally do. At least not yet.
I am wondering what this means from a decorating standpoint. Are people doing less holiday decorating this year? All those baubles, lights and bows can be expensive. My daughters really want a turquoise themed tree this year. Should I indulge them? (Well, aside from the obvious fact that it would be–admitting it—tacky.)
I am not a huge holiday decorator anyway, so I am having trouble gauging what individuals are doing. I do know that a big poinsettia tree that I helped plan for last year never happened because it would seem ostentatious when the overseeing organization is cutting budgets.
Anyone out there just going on like usual? Anyone willing to comment on tightening the reins on the wallet? We are definitely spending less this Christmas. It just seems, well, prudent.
Black Walls
Filed under Bedrooms, Color, Current Projects, Design Principles, Rooms
Kristi, over at Addicted 2 Decor, posted on her blog yesterday about wanting so badly to paint a black room.
I completely forgot in my commenting over there that I had done just that, only last week! (It has been a long and foggy November. Three weeks of flu, Granny passing, the holiday and now my mother-in-law visiting…)
Stephanie bought a foreclosure. The day we chose the flooring and the middle level color scheme, her 18 year old son was with us. Let’s just say he showed a bit of concern for the decisions being made, as they did not include plans for the lower level that they had decided to let him make his own. On that day, Stephanie had a lot of choices to make, and his space was not on agenda.
As we made our selections, I could not help but notice poor Douglas, upset about being ignored. He had on a zip hoody in the velvetiest shade of charcoal and a long tee with black and white splatter marks. I asked him if he would like his room to look like his cloths—and was that a mistake! The kid went wild. “Could I have a black wall?!?”
Stephanie is a good mom. She relented and we ended up choosing mid-tone gray for most of the walls, black for the largest unbroken one, white for the ceiling, trim and fireplace, and a deep gray flecked Berber carpeting for the floors. I haven’t seen it yet, but Stephanie said it looks great. She told me today that she got him gray striped bedding for Christmas. (Oh dear, I hope he doesn’t read this. HA!) As of yet, she still doesn’t know about my plans for the splatter…
My Retort
Filed under Look What I Found!
Annie, at Bossy Color Blog, (also local) wrote today “My Issue With Target”. She complains about not finding a ceramic butter dish, the layout of the store and the quality.
Well, I hate to make blog waves, but I just have to use my bit of cyberspace for rebuttal. I LOVE TARGET. Annie, Have you been to Walmart lately? Coincidentally, I was in both stores just today. (Forgive me, my mother-in-law is in town.) Target is like heaven compared to Walmart. My Woodbridge Walmart is no less than disgusting. Dirty, full of cheap crap and crammed full of customers. At Target I can walk the aisles without fear, and I can actually use the bathrooms.
I love the fact that Target is on top of the trends. Because if I am going to succumb to the latest-must-have craze, then I want it cheap, since tomorrow I will probably be finished with it. I don’t have an issue with quality. To the contrary. The picture at the top of this post is almost ALL Target, and has been for a few years now. (The wonderful, sturdy, two toned bookshelves are from the Thomas O’Brien collection. The chairs were less than $100 and have been sat on every day for two years. The pillows are down-filled.)
The big fluffy white Thomas O’Brien bath towels run for $9 on sale and they beat $20 Ralph Lauren towels hands down. Holiday decorations are always fresh. Ikea’s idea of Christmas this year was developed by a team of Rastafarians.
Ok, I can’t argue with the whole urban spread thing. But that issue is way bigger than Target. In a free market system, it is up to the zoning authorities to protect the endangered environments. Don’t blame Target if the land use was approved.
I think I know what may be a bit of the Target sting. I had a friend who once owned a traditional design service with a store front studio. She confessed to me that Target and Marshall’s put her out of business. She said even she wouldn’t buy her overpriced wares when the same thing was available for less than half of what she could sell it for. And I have to be truthful. When I created my business model, the conversation rang loudly in my head…
I have written about Target here and here. Their stuff makes my Friday Collage regularly.
Solecism?
Filed under Design Principles, Design Styles, Texture
I confessed way back in May to recommending paneling to a young male client who I promptly never heard from again. Well, guess what?? I did it again. This time I am more confident my recommendation has fallen onto favorable ears.
The DC condo will sing with paneling. Not everywhere, but just on the wall opposite the curved bank of windows. And not white. No, this is not a country home, but will be urban contemporary in style. Deep stain will serve to draw attention to the view, and will form a backdrop for the television.
So many things from the past are now wholeheartedly dismissed, simply because of too many horrid memories. Memories of wallpaper that refused to come off. Memories of harvest gold appliances way still running well past fashion. And memories of paneling that was not even real wood.
I refuse to throw the baby out with the bathwater. Not many would scoff at a wood ceiling. So why discriminate against a wood wall??