You CAN take it with you

So while I have frowned on theme decor, I do want to stress that if there is a "style" that strikes your fancy, don't be afraid to embrace it.

I just returned from a grand adventure... one that both confounded and delighted me.  We spent a week on Nevis in the West Indies.  If you haven't heard of it, don't be ashamed!  With about 12,000 inhabitants and one (currently inoperational) hotel to it's name, Nevis is sort of off the beaten path.

Liberated from British Occupation in 1983, Nevis definitely still houses some of the old British West Indies charms.  There are several old sugar plantations which have been restored and turned into genteel inns.  Among our favorites are Golden Rock Inn, The Hermitage and Montpelier.

I gleaned a few things from the charming Nevisian style which I would like to incorporate in my own decor:  The Hermitage used pewter chargers underneath each place setting; the Montpelier holds a proper cocktail hour, with themed drinks, from 7:00 to 7:30 (yes, Island time is dawdling and lovely); Golden Rock incorporated its outdoor spaces in to double its entertaining area.

British West Indies style is abundantly present... mahogany furniture, oriental carpets, local and exotic floral arrangements, exquisite place settings and crisp linens.  Louvered shutters are used instead of screens.  Bright pastels - think Pepto Pink and Cornflower Blue - dominate the scene.  Dark furniture is accented by bright white bedding.  Candles illuminate exterior space.

Maybe I can't turn my home into a gingerbread cottage like those that dotted Mt. Nevis, but I can certainly bring home some of the genteel atmosphere.  Maybe I will entertain on a little slower pace, maybe I will pour more rum (with grated nutmeg, a local trick), maybe I will buy pewter chargers on eBay.  I think I do like mahogany against ivory and my love of oriental rugs has been reaffirmed.

In short, don't be afraid to take with you more than memories... take home a little inspiration and relive your vacation every day!

When in ....

So.... though HGD doesn't really smile upon theme decor, we do think you should embrace your environment.

Live in the Midwest?  You probably shouldn't paint your victorian shocking pink, though if you were in San Francisco we would definitely greenlight you.  However, don't feel hampered by your geography.  Victorians loved color.  If your house is crying for it, embrace it.  Just try try to remember your atmosphere... a little less vogue than the West Coast.  Maybe use Mauve in lieu of pink.  Taupes instead of greens.  A little more conservative but still colorful.

South?  Well, here is our forte.  Chintz?  You bet.  Oriental rugs?  Of course.  White slipcovers for summer?  Yup.  Photos of the ancestors?  Of course.  Candelabras?  Sure!

Northern?  Think simplicity.  Pine.  Kilims.  Buttermilk paints.  Quilts?  Why not?  Hook rugs?  Sure.

West Coast?  Linen.  Raw silk draperies.  Exotic flora.  Terra cotta tiles.  Windows.  Environmentally friendly products... like bamboo floors.

EC?  Historical colors.  Wood floors.  Matelasse.  Wing chairs.  Pottery.

Do you need to be completely defined by these styles?  Of course not.  Think about it.  Do you live where you were born?  I was born in Mississippi.  I live in the DC area now.  It's important to me to incorporate both the Southern and the East Coast style in my decorating.  Use where you are from and where you are now to define your own style.

A hospitable guest room

So a lot of decorating is as simple as adding accessories... like putting on earrings with that fabulous dress.

Whether or not you have a dedicated guest room, you can make room appealing to a guest.  Take some cues from the best hotels:

Use a lovely tray and stock it with bottled water.  Use a pretty crystal bowl or a silver compote and fill it with wrapped candies.  Fresh flowers go a long way.   A stack of recent publications is always desirable.  Buy towels to coordinate with the room and stack them on the end of the bed.

Your guests will appreciate the effort and you will appreciate the "new" room.

Highlight your assets

So this came to me last night in a dream... really.  I have a beautiful french chair that I inherited from my grandmother.  I chose to cover it in an acceptable silk stripe in a beautiful cinnamon color.

However, in my dream, I painted the wood electric pink and covered the cushions in black leather.  I woke up inspired a more than a little disappointed that I had already spent so much money recovering the chair.

The point?

That chair is a show stopper.  Electric pink and black leather would have totally accentuated its great lines. Don't be afraid to tinker with our "antiques".  That said... if the Keno brothers have appraised your card table, you probably don't want to marbelize it.  Be judicious but don't be afraid to have fun.

The bar is back!

Crystal decanters.  High balls.  Ice buckets.  Cocktail napkins.

Blame it on the recession if you will, but entertaining in our own homes is becoming more and more fashionable.  That means the focus is on your decor.

You don't need a fancy set up or glamourous kitchen.  You can arrange a tidy bar almost anywhere.  I once used a dressing table, with a skirt, as a bar.  I put a tray on it and arranged crystal decanters of liquor on it.  I found pewter tags (Rum, Vodka, Scotch) at Pottery Barn and hung them on the decanters.  On the shelves below, I stored my glasses.

Other ideas... bear with me.  Open your mind...not sure what to do with the expensive diaper changer you bought?  Think about it.  It's the perfect piece for arranging a bar up top and glasses beneath.  Sure be skeptical, but give it a try.

A writing desk?  Yup.  The drawers can hold coasters, bottle openers and napkins.

All you've got is cement blocks and piece of pine board?  Paint the blocks black, marbelize the wood.

Your house will shine as long as it reflects you... wether you decorate with marble or cement.

Repurposing

Gran's silver compote?  Perfect for keys right as you walk in the door.  That beautiful pottery olive boat (I mean, really, who in the last 40 years has ever heard of an olive boat?); great for holding tiny seashells from that last beach trip.  Received only one brandy snifter from the wedding registry?  Fill it up with matchbooks and keep it on the mantle.  One too many glass vases?  Arrange them together and fill them with various objects - corks, pebbles, coffee beans, candy, coins.

Holcomb Gray Decor loves to repurpose your household items.  Give us call and see what we can do for you and "useless" things!  571-232-4507

These are few of our favorite things... today

Gray walls with white trim.

Black candlesticks in glass holders.

Burnt orange accents.

Sterling silver.

Pine cones turned on their sides to hold place cards at the Thanksgiving table.

Mirrors.

Metallic grasscloth.

Colorful lampshades, especially red.

Relic pinot noir... OK, ok, you can't decorate with it but you can decorate while drinking it!!

Testing testing one two three....

So a dedicated reader suggested that I need to post photos, even videos, on this blog to effectively demonstrate some decorating techniques.

Yikes!  I am kind of a luddite so I thought I would just try with something simple.

I am a wallpaper afficionado.  Yes.  It is expensive.  Think about making a big statement with a smaller investment... like a tiny powder room.  Wallpaper can make the room look more expansive.  Just make sure when you are decorating a small space not to be fooled into thinking that you need a small print.  A larger print will actually make the room look larger.

I have a smallish study, about 10 x 12.  I chose a vivid apple green wallpaper with a chinoiserie print.  It was a bold choice and one I am thrilled with.  Here (hopefully!) is a photo showing detail...

Reflections on style

So we have covered that Art is subjective and that ANYone can start their own collection with anything that interests them.

What else can dress up a wall?

Mirror, Mirror, tell us now!

Of course, you know to use mirrors in your bathroom and over your dresser.  Have you thought about doubling the way your dining room looks by using a pair of mirrors, facing each other on opposite walls?  Yes.  I too have read that you should never face mirrors.  Try it.  See how the light yawns out... the warmth is doubled.  So seemingly has your space.

Mirror in the hallway?  You bet.  As large as you can get it... floor to ceiling, baby.

Fannie, you've gone mad!  A mirror in the kitchen?!  Do it!  Try it on the wall opposite an island.

Mirrors hung like art.  That's right.  Group a collection of mirrors together.  They can be all sizes and shapes but try to keep the frames all one color.

HGD can help you reflect the positive.  Call 571-232-4507.

Spice it up!

One day, I entered my kitchen and took stock.  I really took my time decorating in there because I recognize that not only do I spend a lot of time in the kitchen, but whenever I entertain, my guests are in there too.  I have a comfy chair and multiple light sources.  I have two cabinets dressed with china and crystal.  I have pretty granite countertops (though I would have preferred marble... another story).

Anyway, I spent all this time dressing my up kitchen and there on the floor was a scummy looking stainless steel bowl for dog food.  Blech.

Now I was fortunate... Home Goods stocks adorable things like little benches with niches carved out for food bowls... perfect for pets.  However, a nice ceramic bowl in a cheery color would have done anequally nice job of perking things up.

The point?  Don't forget small details... new potholders in a fun fabric, kitschy salt and pepper shakers, a colorful apron hung on the wall (like art!)... any of these small things goes a long way to improve the look of your kitchen.

HGD can help spice up your kitchen!  571-232-4507