Where The Wild Things Are (Color Theory)

I had a little color theory series going earlier in the year and life got in the way! I do plan to finish it up but I decided to stick this post in (that I had near completion) right now because of a fun animal print collaboration I'm in on IG! 

Not exactly true color theory subjects but I decided to include Animal Prints simply because I personally love them. Maybe too much - we will see :)

I have a group of IG friends who feel the same way and we will joke from time to time that "leopard is a neutral" and "never too many animal prints!" Jenna Lyons was quoted as saying "As far as I'm concerned, leopard is a neutral." How do YOU feel about animal prints?

 

(This tiger print pillow from Annabel Bleu looks good literally everywhere!!)

I love a great zebra print rug (mine are faux!) and have them in more than one spot. I have an amazing new one in a softer gray in my entry way and a fabulous bold black and white one that I thrifted in my Library. I think they are different enough to use side by side. You can read all the zebra rug details here and here.

At one point I had an indoor/outdoor zebra rug on my screened in porch. It was a great online buy years ago and looks like a hooked rug. 

I've got this fun zebra fabric waiting  in my "stash" while I decide where I might use it. 

Tigers, Zebras and ... Leopard print!! Interestingly enough what you call this spotted animal print seems to be generational and not because we are able to tell one spotted animal from another zoologically. I say "leopard print" but many younger people call it "cheetah print!"  There is a difference - leopards have rosette markings and cheetahs have solid spots! We do tend to use the terms interchangeably in the design world. 

Some people feel strongly about unnaturally colored animal prints but I do not draw the line there - I like a blue leopard print or turquoise zebra print. I've used them both and more!

I love this blue leopard chair that came from Tortoise and Hare Vintage in Chattanooga TN. I've got a bright tiger print pillow tossed in it (Annabel Bleu again!) Makes for a very fun corner in my family room.

My kitchen curtains are an orange and coral leopard spot print. They are fun and bright but still a little understated because they read like a texture from a distance.

You don't have to make a big commitment to using leopard print in your home. I use these inexpensive (under $10) fleece throws on our porch to add a little animal print to our screened porch. A touch of British Colonial, maybe?

(Note: the back pillow is a brown and white outdoor zebra print pillow!)

Remember how I said you don't have to make a big commitment to animal print in your home? Well, I don't have a problem with making a commitment to animal print! I slipcovered the cushions on the wicker couch in my family room in leopard fabric!!

I searched high and low, over several months, to find a nice looking, neutral indoor/outdoor leopard print that felt nice and I could afford. I spent hours on this. And then one day I discovered ShopFabric.com and there it was. I ordered samples of two different colorways and then ordered yards and yards of it. I love it. From a distance it reads as a neutral and it looks great on the dark wicker couch. And it was $7.98 a yard. I know!! Amazing.

(I've now purchased yardage from ShopFabric.com several times. Great service and quality each time!)

In case you were wondering why I was hoping to find an indoor/outdoor fabric that had a nice feel to it for the humans sitting on it :)

Cooper has always been a fan of leopard print!

You can add just a touch of animal print or you can go WILD!!

Do you decorate with animal prints? Do you wear animal prints (I do!!)?? I'd love to know!

Lamp Magic

 Lamp Magic - not Magic Lamps (like the kind with a Genie inside!) Lamps can add such an important touch to a room but they can be pricey. There are so many choices and styles plus add in decorative or colored lamp shades and the possibilities (and decisions) can be endless.  

But just like every other item in my home, I like to see if I can find an affordable and, hopefully, thrifted choice*. But sometimes those lamps just need help. 

Never underestimate the power of glossy white paint when it comes to lamp dilemmas. These are just a couple of examples of "lamp rescues" that I've done. 

This rather regal looking camel lamp is one of my favorite white paint "transformations."

Here is his before. Brown lamps with gold brushed accents just don't work for my style so I paint my lamps - if the before is more your style, please don't be offended!! 

He happily lives on my screened porch bar cart - I just taped off the parts that shouldn't get paint on or in them and spray painted using my favorite spray paint. I know there are environmental issues with spray paints as well but a little spray painting keeps this lamp and all of it's electrical parts out of a landfill so I still consider it a plus. 

Last Summer I refreshed our main level powder room as part of the One Room Challenge and used a fun monkey lamp I'd been saving for just the right spot.

And the before:

I have a very difficult time leaving behind an elephant lamp when I go thrifting.

 I have a couple tucked here and there.

Just before my #thethriftedporch reveal I looked over and noticed this elephant lamp was still brown (it also still had the GW price sticker on it - welcome to my world!)

Freshened up with a coat of white spray paint and a thrifted white wicker lampshade. So much fresher and perfect on the porch. I think the white lamp shows up better and the details are more noticeable in the lighter color.

Not a great picture but he didn't look too 'great' when I found him.

Glossy white paint and a thrifted wicker shade made all the difference. 

Sorry for the holiday picture but that's probably when my kitchen was clean and photo ready! :)

I often use thrifted wicker and rattan lampshades on my lamps that I spray glossy white because I think the warmth and texture is a nice counterpoint to the lamps but refreshed, thrifted lamps are the PERFECT place to use one of my Faux DIY Pleated Lampshades. 

*Always check your thrifted lamp wiring for any safety issues. It is very easy to rewire most older lamps using rewiring kits. If you don't think you want to attempt rewiring yourself then it is not too expensive to have a lamp rewired at a local lamp shop. Even with the expense of rewiring, most thrifted lamps will still be far more affordable than a new purchase. Plus they often have a lot of character and it is environmentally sound as well to reuse a lamp that would be thrown out.

Here is just one of many rewire kits available on Amazon

You just have to read the specs and choose the size that best fits your needs. And there are a ton of help videos on the internet if seeing helps you more than reading directions!

Bamboo Bed Tray

 Breakfast in bed on a bamboo breakfast tray seems like the most relaxing, elegant and indulgent thing! 

I own a bamboo breakfast tray and I love it but I've never actually used it for breakfast (or any other meal) in bed.

Maybe it's because I recently rewatched Downton Abbey but when I saw Lydia Menzies fun Instagram Challenge to use green and set a tablescape for 1, 2 or more, I immediately thought about my bed tray! If you are popping over from my Instgram post here are more pictures and some sources for the items I used. Most of my items have been thrifted over time but I did find some similar items to share with you.

Since we are all soooo ready for Spring I decided to pretend that breakfast was being served on our swinging bed on our screened in porch!

I found my bamboo bed tray several years ago but there are quite a few for reasonable prices on sites like eBay. This one is similar. You can even find new, folding bed trays on Amazon for under $20.00. It would still be a treat to be served on one like that :)

The plates are divided grill plates in green Depression Glass. I started collecting green Depression glass in my teens thanks to a "starter" gift from one of my mother's friends. I literally never see Depression Glass in any color in thrift stores near me. There is a lot available on sites like eBay and Etsy. Here are similar plates. The fruit compote is also Depression Glass.

The goblet with the handpainted butterflies was found at Goodwill for 99 cents. It was the only one and doesn't have any markings on it. This could be a fun DIY for your Easter table or there are a lot of glasses with butterflies in all price ranges if you google.

The pineapple salt and pepper shakers came from World Market about 5 years ago but this set on Amazon is similar. And I really like this set!

The green and white Chinoiserie vase was thrifted for a few dollars. I love when I find little pieces of Chinoiserie in colors other than the traditional blue that I am always searching for!

The geranium blooms are real - my "sort of greenhouse" overwintering experiment is going well. Everything is blooming! The cloth napkin is from the Target Dollar Spot last year.The bamboo flatwear is what we use everyday. We have had a few different sets over the years. You can find it from a lot of sources and all different price ranges. If you want an inexpensive set to enjoy for picnics and eating outside this Summer then this is a good price on a set. We've broken a couple along the way so I might be ordering a set too!

I love that my bamboo bed tray has the old fashioned newspaper slot. I have limited my news intake and who would want to spoil this delightful breakfast spot with the news anyway?? I slipped in the latest Southern Living but, if you prefer, an iPad would fit in there nicely!

Maybe I'll use my bamboo bed tray this Summer now that I've been inspired 

by Lydia Menzie's IG Challenge!

PS. I am not affiliated with any of the links above. They are merely an effort to help you source similar items if interested. 

Like Velvet

 Velvet is having a moment at our house this Christmas. 

Red velvet is the traditional Christmas look but we don't use red in our Christmas decorating very often so velvet hasn't been a major player in our house. Until now!

This Christmas lots of other colors of velvet are showing up. 

First, I found this gorgeous mustard gold velvet ribbon. I had recently purchased this pinecone wreath and I could just "see" them paired together. 

Then I saw this gorgeous velvet magnolia wreath. I was smitten. 

Then I found out there was a matching swag! Sold! 

We used the velvet magnolia swag on the mantel in the family room which was recently freshened up for the Fall One Room Challenge.

Then I decided I wanted wreaths in the windows in the Library (this is what happens when I don't have a deadline to 'finish' decorating!)

So I picked up a couple more of the velvet magnolia wreaths. They are gorgeous and they will store flat so that's a huge bonus!

Here's a night time shot of the velvet wreaths in the Library.

I couldn't wait to use all of these gorgeous velvet items in my decor.

 They are rich and elegant but also simple and understated as well. 

Do you use velvet ribbons at Christmas time?

The Spookiest Week of the Year!

 I'm more of a Fall decoration gal than Halloween per se. 

We definitely did more Halloween decor when Mollie was young but it was never really spooky. Just cute and lots of pumpkins!

BUT... I love these terra cotta jack-o-lanterns so much. 

About as "spooky" as we get!

I had one that I bought many years ago at a Fall Festival when we moved into our first house.

It was broken during a move and then last year I found a small one at a thrift store. I started searching for them and collected quite a few. I check every time I go because I have found them on the "holiday" aisle at GW even in January. You never know!

Last year they hung out on a bamboo baker's rack on the screened porch.

 I bring them out each October and they are quite popular on my Instagram account.

(I found 3 at one time! Good thrifting day!)

I thrifted all of mine but a couple of them were originally from a place called Craven Pottery in Georgia. They have a ton of cool things that I would like to go check out in person soon.

And they have multiple sizes of the terra cotta jack-o-lanterns! I may need to get a really big one for next Halloween!!

I hope your week is full of treats, not tricks!