A spooky name for a spooky bit of Halloween decor, indeed. 🙂
Showing you a bit more of our Halloween decorations today. Hope you enjoy!
All in good fun… 🙂
xoxo, Maria
Spooky Owls
Hey there, it’s been a while! I have been super swamped with work and haven’t had any time to log onto this little blog of mine. But as it is the week of Halloween, I figured I should take the next few days to share the Halloween decor around the house! There is a lot of Fall decor up, too, but since it will be here for the majority of November, I’ve still got time to share. 🙂
I love this little vignette — a pretty pedestal urn filled with moss, branches, and spooky little owls attached to the branches with black ties. Really simple and really fun. 🙂
xoxo, Maria
Blue and White
Hey, there. 🙂 It’s a rainy morning here in Arizona and I am in full-on Fall mode with my clothes — tights, a long-sleeved dress, and I am planning on putting some boots on later when I leave the house. This girl is a happy one!
Blue and white interiors…I love them. Whether classic or contemporary, this color scheme never has and never will go out of style.
This is the perfect marriage of traditional and ultra-modern. Lindsey Adelman and her light fixtures leave me speechless.
I have loved this bedroom for a really long time — I always come back to it. The fabrics look so luxurious, I think that’s what draws me to it. Plus the French furniture.
How fun is this blue and white restaurant? The metallic Tolix stools add a nice pop that keep the space interesting and current.
I don’t know about you, but I would call this a variant of blue… blue-gray, perhaps? Again with the luscious fabrics. I love the texture of that scalloped matelasse coverlet. Plus a bubble chandelier! Exciting stuff. 🙂
Expertly done, this room. There are so many different styles and time periods mixed in here, but somehow, it works. Don’t even get me started on that wallpaper. Toile is my favorite. A black and white zebra-print rug grounds the room because of all of the colors workin’ in here. And the unexpected pop of green and yellow (chosen in the same chroma as the blue — perfect!) adds the best zing. A room like this is difficult to do, but it is really wonderful when everything works together, not against one another.
The statement of this room is obviously the wallpaper — and a beautiful statement it makes. Keeping everything else white is great when you have a perfect focal point. There should be one star to the room — everything else needs supporting roles. The perfect blue was chosen, making this room pop.
Stunning in every way. The distribution of blue, the birch wood art installation, the furniture silhouettes, and the lucite. Oh, and the color-coordinated child. Literally obsessed with this room.
What is your favorite color combination?
xoxo, Maria
Creative Halloween Treats
Good morning! It’s a beautiful Tuesday morning here in Arizona — overcast and cool; I am so happy! 🙂
This weekend, I think I am going to make a Halloween treat. But how am I ever going to decide what to make? There are so many cute ideas on Pinterest, and I thought that I would share some of my favorites today on the blog. Maybe you can even help me decide!
Do you see why I’m having such a difficult time deciding?!?!
xoxo, Maria
Malcolm Carfrae’s Hamptons Cottage
Hey there, everyone — happy Monday! I hope you all had a wonderful weekend. Ours was really nice; there was a party for Greyson’s last day of work on Saturday, which was a blast, and then he and I went out on a date last night. We saw ‘Gone Girl,’ which is not for those who spook easily, but it was really good! I read the book several months ago and devoured it, so it was nice to see it turned into a crazy good adaptation. We went out for sushi afterward — our favorite date night meal. 🙂
A few weeks ago I was looking through an old Elle Decor magazine and I stumbled upon a feature of the most beautiful and serene Hamptons cottage I’ve seen in a long time. It belongs to Malcolm Carfrae, the head of communications of Calvin Klein, and I just had to share it with you today. It’s super elegant and not at all fussy — my favorite combination. Let’s take a look inside!
I’m in love with this paint color, first of all. It’s blue-y gray and so reminiscent of the sea without being a typical blue beach house color.
Really pretty neutrals in this guest room and plenty of texture. I also love the added drama with the white lamps and black lampshades.
How cute is this kitchen? I love the mix of old and new, sleek and country-chic.
Texture everywhere — the only way to properly do neutrals like this. Lots to appreciate in this room.
Monochromatic and completely relaxed. I love the little zest of purple with the flowers — just enough to throw your eye around the space in a really interesting way.
This is the pool house — and there is a little bit of a different vibe in here. Slightly rustic-contemporary-and-industrial. A bit of all of those elements becomes pleasingly eclectic and really comfortable and fun.
What do you think of this house? Do you have a favorite room?
All images can be found here.
xoxo, Maria
Going Batty
Happy Friday! Isn’t Friday the best day of the week? I’m looking forward to spending a lot of time with my husband this weekend, as he starts a new job on Monday that will create a crazy schedule for him in the coming months. I am so thrilled for him — after months of searching for a position in the emergency medical field, we were very blessed with an opportunity that came upon him for an EMT job with a local ambulance company. So this weekend, we are celebrating him, and I couldn’t be happier for him.
I wanted to show you a couple of photos of the Halloween decorations around the house for today’s post. We’ve got creepy spiders in the foyer and flying bats in the kitchen. 🙂 Just enough spook factor, but really, these are adorable.
My pup posed for the picture, too. 🙂 I will share more Halloween decor as the weeks progress — I’m sure you can spot a couple of vignettes and such in the second photo.
Those spiders in the entryway totally freaked me out when I first came through the door and they had been put up on a night last week. For a second I thought they were real amongst the shadows and the dark! Imagine my surprise when I got closer and realized that (thankfully!) they were only plastic.
These little decorations can be found at Target — of course. What doesn’t Target have? (I couldn’t find the spiders online, but they should have them in the store).
Have a great weekend, everyone!
xoxo, Maria
Emily & Meritt
Last week I was at Pottery Barn Kids picking up a baby shower gift for a friend of mine, and I was completely struck by the amazing things that Pottery Barn Teen carries! Obviously the products at the Kids variety are adorable, too (the kitchen accessories are basically to-die-for), but there was a certain collection at PB Teen that I fell in love with. I grabbed a handful of the various catalogs as I walked out the door, and when I got home, I scoured the pages for the items I had seen.
The Emily & Meritt Collection was my answer, and the teenager inside of me couldn’t get enough of these glitzy furnishings that make for a super chic statement without being too grown up. Emily and Meritt are fashion stylists and designers with a very apparent love for edgy and funky pieces with a little bit of rock and roll flair. I’ll show you some of my favorite items from the collection. 🙂
Really cute scalloped duvet set in classic black and white.
I love the metallic stripes and dots on this duvet set.
Of course, some leopard print is a must for any growing girl with style. 🙂 A little bit of glitz keeps the print age-appropriate.
Some rivet designs — edging things up a little bit with some floral prints in the background. Love it!
And you know that a teen girl needs some sequins in her life. It’s basically a necessity.
More gold — Pottery Barn calls this a Liquid Gold Throw. I love it!
Adding a splash of Parisian elegance to the mix.
A really great gold bookcase — this is one of those Pottery Barn Teen items that I wouldn’t hesitate to use for an adult client (as long as the height was acceptable). I would love a pair of these bookcases in an office!
An adorable ticking stripe chaise. I really don’t think that anything else needs to be said about it.
LOVE this pinboard. Another item that could be used in an adult’s space. Again, love this for an office or closet to pin fashion inspiration, etc.
These are lovely and add a really pretty throwback vintage element to a room. Don’t they look like “grandmother’s”?
Whimsical and super sweet alarm clocks. A reference to Alice in Wonderland?
And finally, perhaps my favorite item in the entire collection — this metallic hide rug. DYING, I love it so much.
Definitely check out the collection, and if you have a Pottery Barn Teen or Kids near you, I highly advise you to pop in because those stores are pretty magical and sincerely make me long for my childhood all over again. 🙂
xoxo, Maria
PS: This is not a sponsored post — I just fell in love with these things and I knew that you would, too!
Happy October!
via Eddie Ross
Hey there, friends. Happy October to you! I need to be writing in this blog more! The month of September just slipped away from me. I have been super busy with my day job as an interior designer these past few weeks — this is our busy season and it’s taking all of my time from sun-up to sun-down. I’m grateful for this, though. Very. I don’t talk much about my work on this site, but there are changes coming and I am really excited about some things that I have in store for the coming months. More on that later…
October, to me, is basically the month of the pumpkin. How many ways can one dress up a pumpkin to make it a unique decoration? Apparently a lot — all you have to do is Google it or conduct a Pinterest search. 🙂 I will be focusing on lots of aspects of Halloween-themed decor, recipes, and even the decor in our own home during this month. Really excited to share that with you — there are some really cool things set up.
Anyway, I wish you all a wonderful start of this Fall season, and I am so thrilled that I have this little creative outlet to share all of the things I love about this time of the year (and, of course, the interior design aspect!). Hang tight — I will make it a point to MAKE time to come to this space and share some fun and festive ideas with you.
xoxo, Maria
Statement Artwork
We’re almost to the end of the week, people! Time to get excited and do the It’s-Almost-Friday Dance. 😉
A look that I love in almost any interior, any style, is a piece of statement artwork that pops from the wall and does all of the talking. Like I’ve said before, me personally, I am really in love with neutral spaces; but my job by nature makes me appreciate all kinds of design. A splash of personality in any interior is usually what makes it go from cookie-cutter-magazine-clipping to hey-someone-actually-lives-here. Let’s look at some pretty pictures, shall we? 🙂
Here we have two colorful chinoiserie cabinets that are grounded by a statement piece — the black abstract art. Black is great to use when you’re introducing bright colors to a space. Tones it down!
How fun is this piece? The room without it would be way too mute and dull. But with the addition of this dotted canvas, it’s fun, lively, and contemporary.
While I don’t find this interior to be incredibly inviting, just look at the amazing contrast here. The artwork makes it. The color palette chosen for the piece really sets the mood for the space. Just think of how different the room would look with something brighter.
Check out that ceiling! This definitely counts as artwork. Speaking of which… I need to go to this cafe pronto.
What some would consider a cold interior is warmed up in this entryway with a piece featuring reds, oranges, and bits of blue and purple. It absolutely draws you forward into the space. I would like to see more color in the other artwork, though! Perhaps there is more at some other angles that we can’t see here?
We’ve got statement wallpaper and statement artwork going on in this dining room, but it works! The wallpaper is busy and neutral while the art is colorful and simple. A great way to mix — it looks effortless and chic.
Statement artwork doesn’t always have to be colorful, sometimes it can just make you laugh. This piece works well with the monotonous color scheme, yet provides a bit of humor to the space. This is a piece of art that will be talked about — thus, making a statement.
What kind of statement artwork do you like best? Colorful? Wordy? Black and white?
xoxo, Maria
Something Decorated 