A few client “Afters”

Step one: color consultation and linen choices for the bath

Step two: find artwork to hang over the spa tub

I forget sometimes to show what I am working on with my decorating clients, so today I am featuring a few homes that I have helped transform with fresh paint colors, new art, decorative styling or design coaching. The spa tub above needed a piece of artwork that could fill the space and still make sense with the colors in the adjacent master bedroom. The bedding, which the homeowner chose, is a multicolored small print floral (scroll down below to see entrance to bath). I found this large canvas with tall flowers bordering a sandy beach. I like how it references water (i.e. being in the tub or in the ocean) plus the flowers in the painting are shown in the same rich colors that are found on the bed.

I suggested monogramming “his and her” towels
to add a personal touch to the new bath.

A cool blue was chosen for the master bedroom walls to coordinate with the bedding and to add a contrast to the warm wood tones of the furniture and the sandy palette of the bath. On top of the dresser, I created a focal point that would also anchor the flat screen wall mounted television. I added a pair of candlesticks for a touch of romance and to help bridge the visual gap between the television and the bureau.

For this vignette, I chose objects that were a variety of heights, finishes and textures. A painted vintage box acts as a pretty catch-all for small jewelry boxes along with the odds and ends that typically end up being emptied from pockets at night.

HOUSE NUMBER TWO:

A modern light blue-gray wall color was chosen to compliment the more traditional slate covered floors.




An extremely long hallway was given architectural interest by adding crown molding and wainscotting detail. Now the walls are ready for a gallery of family photos. By keeping the palette monochromatic, the focal point is on the master bedroom at the hall’s end, instead of drawing attention to the expanse of walls.

The master bedroom in this home is a
rich contrast of chocolates and creams.

HOUSE NUMBER THREE: BEFORE

Existing cabinets in this home were refinished and given new hardware to match the new stainless steel appliances. By keeping their existing cabinets, the homeowners were able to splurge on a new granite countertop and tumbled marble backsplash ...

AND AFTER

We chose a cranberry, gray and cream colored granite that would pull out the colors in the stained glass door on one of the upper cabinets. The yellow pineapple plays the same visual trick. When you work with what you have, instead of fighting it, the final design looks much more planned.


Learn my decorating tricks ...
Could your home use a little “design coaxing?” Do you have decorating questions that you would like answered? I am going to be presenting a series of evening decorating workshops at TaggArt Studio in Wakefield starting in January. If you would like to sign up, email me at yblacker@verizon.net and I will send you info.

Special holiday shopping event ...
There will be a holiday shopping open house at TaggArt Studio on this Friday night, December 2nd from 6pm to 8pm and on Saturday from 10am to 4pm. Along with fine artwork from studio owner Mary Taggart, jewelry, hostess gifts, and custom children’s clothing and accessories, my friend Beth Hylan will be there with her always creative holiday trimmings so don’t miss out! For more details, click here. I will be sending over some fliers with the information about my upcoming classes, and you will be able to get on the class list by signing up during this weekend sale. Decorating consultations also make great gifts and I will have some discounted gift certificates available for those hard-to-buy-for someones on your list!

Paris in the spring

Parisian-inspired home decor with vintage

charm designed by Beth Hylan of Studio B

This week I met up with my friend, Beth Hylan, at a fundraising event held for one of the local preschools (organizing kudos goes to Brenda and Jacqui for putting this event together – nicely done!)

It was great to see Beth again! When I was helping her out with her store in Reading, I loved being able to watch her come up with unique design ideas. Since she moved her shop to Concord (she shares a space with Nesting on Main) I have missed seeing her creative collections of pretty objects. Here is a peek at some of her new offerings:



I love what Beth is doing with vintage papers and stamped text. Typography lovers take note!

Her glittery stamped votives were a big hit (I took one home myself!) She always has attic treasures to choose from as well.

Her vintage bits and bobbles in see-through jars were a favorite of mine. The well-edited palette would look pretty in any space.



Look for Beth at Nestings the next time you are in Concord, Massachusetts. She will also be doing trunk shows this spring and summer (I will let you know where and when as I hear details.)




And if you need floral arranging for weddings, events or proms ... give her a call. She is still available to whip up something fresh and fabulous for any event.

Beth Hylan Design
978.369.4133

Holiday open houses this weekend

Last night was the Holiday Stroll in Andover.
I stopped by to visit Paula Bakies of Acorn Interiors at her new retail location at 10 Essex Street.
Lots of people came in to take a look at her new space, have a few treats, and see some of the work that
is leaving her showroom ...

An array of ottomans includes a
“before” (all white) and three “afters.”These are available for purchase or can be
custom-designed by request. Let me know
if you need help choosing fabrics : )



Window treatments and ottoman for a girl’s room
designed by Lisa Pasquale (who happens to be
from my home town and is very talented!)

Paula transformed these vintage
chairs into modern beauties.



After leaving Acorn Interiors, I headed over to
another holiday open house at TaggArt Studio which
is on Salem Street in Wakefield. I took some pictures
of what you can find there on Saturday from
10am to 4pm, which is the last day
of their holiday trunk show ...

Some really pretty pieces of inspirational jewelry
designed by Linda Govostes-O’Neill

Gratitude journals and inspirational collage
gift items created by Marianne Snow

Music to celebrate the holidays
by local talent Noel Smith



Mary has a lot of beautiful original works of art available, but this one caught my eye. And remember when I said art lessons would make a great gift? Mary offers many classes for children and adults. Contact her for schedule details.




And don’t miss Beth Hylan of Studio B who is back in Wakefield just for this show. She has made a new home for herself in Concord, MA at Nesting on Main so you may also visit her there on Sunday from 12pm to 6pm during their Holiday Open House.


A gift I bought myself at New England Fine Living:
velvet purse with gold owl clasp from Vintage Wares


It is nice to know that I do not have to resort to mall-shopping this holiday season when there are so many creative shopping venues available locally.
If only I had more time to visit them all!

A designer’s before and after ...

Welcome to my “room!”

The story behind this vignette is an easy one to tell as it is my own. When asked to provide a concept for our designed space at the Wenham Museum’s North Shore Design Show, we were encouraged to create a space that reflected our personal design aesthetic. On the ride home from that first meeting, I was already planning visual ways to interpret “creative resourcefulness” as my theme.

The inspiration fabric for my space: a vintage
Waverly print, found at VintageSteph

There is a lot of buzz these days about recycling, reusing what we have, designing with sustainable materials and shopping locally in an effort to be environmentally conscious. The plan for my space was to use my personal story as a way to highlight the current trend toward green decorating, and do it in a way that looked fresh and modern while using inspirational items from my past and present. The best part for me? I did not have to go far to find inspiration. I combined many items from my personal collections (curated over the past 30 years or so) with items from craigslist, vintage stores, ebay and favorite local places to shop to design a space dedicated to creative pursuits. For each time period, I used inspiration boards to show design trends that more often than not repeat themselves.

From a student desk surrounded with cherished objects from childhood, to a sophisticated grown-up space with a touch of nostalgia, my room was filled with items and images that inspire me.

Window treatments and seat cushion: Acorn Interiors, Andover, MA Chair seat: Pentucket Furniture Restoration, Haverhill, MA
Turkish rug from the 1930’s - 1940’s: First Oriental Rugs, Danvers, MA
Let’s start with a quick visit
to the 70’s and 80’s ...

I got this doll for 10 cents at a neighbor’s yard sale. My mom made the dress out of an old curtain (see my 6th birthday photo above). The white cat on the preppy colored chair (from my wallpaper as art collection) looks a lot like my childhood kitty Tomasina.

Girly-girl favorites: butterflies and friendship pins.
Butterfly cup by Beth Hylan



Do you remember pet rocks and Pappagallos?
One year on pointe shoes was enough for this dancer.

Some of my favorite books, that I read over and over again, made it to the show. I think I will reread “Mandy” one more time. Written by The Sound of Music’s Julie Andrews under the pen name Julie Edwards, it is a charming story about an orphan girl who longs for a place to call home.

A journal cover of mine, quite obviously from the eighties, and the inspiration for the disco ball hanging above my space ; )

Dear Blog Visitor,

You may not know this about me, but I have always written in a journal of some sort. My first diary was red with gold trim and it had a key. I think my brothers still managed to open it from time to time, but I cherished having a secure spot for my private thoughts (like who I had a crush on that day!) The diary I used for the show was hot pink velvet and is available through Amazon.com.
I used to read Seventeen Magazine religiously during junior high and high school. The December 1982 edition used for my show with “Think Pink!” on the cover was a must have. I paid $20 for it on ebay which was money well spent to travel back in time!

I have had a pen-pal (her name is Sandy) since 1976. The card on the desk is one of her many letters that I have saved over the last few decades. We are now friends on Facebook, and she actually came to visit me and my family for the first time a couple of years ago. She still lives on a real working farm in Indiana and has a family of her own.

Thank you for letting me re-live my childhood memories. Did you see any favorite objects that you recognized from your own childhood?

xo
yvonne
PS Did you know smiley faces are making a comeback? : )

Back to 2010 ...

As an adult, I now use my blog to pen my thoughts about design and creating an inspired life. I still like to surround myself with cherished objects ... cherished for their ability to remind me of a person, place, time or thought that is important to me.

This glass paperweight was used in last year’s design show. The Y mug was a gift from a sister-in-law (who introduced me to my husband). Bunny Williams’ book “An Affair with a House” reminds me that my home and barn have great potential.

I used to sketch this wooden model over and over again back in high school. I love how wallpapers and patterns breathe life into a room (or in this case a bookshelf). My initial has always defined me (and not many others have it!)

When I see a key, I add it to my collection. To me, they represent the ability we each have to unlock the door that opens to the world that we wish for ourselves. This vintage piece was created by my friend, Beth Hylan who has a shop called Studio B in Concord.

I am always inspired by the creative talents
and wisdom of others ...

I love decorative items that play on scale and add a touch of whimsy. Bubble balls and turf balls from CB2. Silver dish from design friend and blogger, Linda Merrill. (read about it here). A lot of design bloggers are trend-spotting dramatic black walls and this wallpaper from the 70’s ...

My grandmother used to wear the white owl above on a necklace when she took us to yard sales
(I have inherited her love for a bargain!)

I used another pendant that was Nana’s
to adorn my purse for the Preview Party.

This light was in my grandparents home, I just added a little bling to it with new crystals and a frosted white glass shade. The sewing table was a trash-to-treasure piece inspired by the lovely desk shown below, seen at the Grange showroom at the Boston Design Center ...

Flowers *always* move me. Especially when a $20 orchid from Home Depot looks so fabulous.

Bouquet flowers from Stop & Shop, used to fill this small vase, lasted the entire week of the design show, even under bright lights. Vintage squirrel from Nesting on Main. Acrylic tray on table is from CB2.

The table itself cost just $5.00 at a yard sale (I added a glass top over a square of remnant fabric). My “blogger’s desk” was $80.00 off of Craigslist. The ladder back chair was free ... I found it on the side of the road. Manchester Tan Aura paint from Benjamin Moore ties all of my pieces together.

Look closely at my large inspiration board (another DIY project) and you will see lots of photos of my family. They are quite often the reason I do what I do.

{Butterfly by Ben}

My guys enjoying the large train gallery
downstairs at the Wenham Museum.

The little details in life,
woven together, tell our story.

Thanks for visiting me – at the museum or online. While this has been my personal story, my goal is always to set the stage for someone to tell their own story in their surroundings. Every home should celebrate the people who live there, showing what is important to them, where they have been and where they are going, while providing a view of that which inspires them.

www.yvonneblacker.com