Great Color Combo: Indigo and Citron Green

Nature has a pretty good eye for color pairings, and I can not think of a better example than blue and green. Just envision a tree in the peak of summer, its leafy branches halfway from a brilliant blue sky , or blue morning glories blooming along a lush vine. Particular colour combos get a …


Collected and Cozy in New Hampshire

Longtime collectors and crafters Sandy and Jim Gorman have filled their New Hampshire house with thoughtfully obtained antiques and repurposed, handmade items that nod into the surrounding nature. Despite the formerly dark, luxurious and wallpapered interior, Sandy immediately needed a vision and proceeded with it, whitewashing walls and adorning every room with antiques that are …


11 Unusual Sleigh Beds to Produce a Bedroom Dashing

I have always thought of sleigh beds because among these omnipresent design classics that almost everyone knows and loves, like Windsor seats or chesterfield sofas. Usually crafted from a rich wood, such as mahogany or walnut, and featuring a graceful scrolled shape on the headboard and footboard, they balance a masculine material with a female …


Old-World European Flair in Oregon

This Salem, Oregon, home has been undergoing remodeling for 18 years, transforming into a beautiful refuge. Geri and Sal Ortega have done everything from building cabinetry and furniture to placing rock and tile, to installing windows and built-ins. The yearlong construction has been done in stages over a period of weeks and months at a …


A Family Goes Sweet on a Traditional Texas Home

Craving a cozy getaway where they could increase their girls, Katie and Steve Aldrich chose this magnificent home near Dallas. After they gutted the house and fixed the outside, Katie infused the interior with her signature easy and feminine style, accenting with family antiques. “I just wish to make a happy atmosphere for our family,”she …


Are Butterflies the New Birds?

There was a time not so long ago when you couldn’t turn around without seeing some cute little songbird. There they were as decals perched along the wall. There again on pillows. You will find bluebird coffee mugs and dishtowels and candles. Birds became the totem animal of hip design. Now I am no predictor …


13 Homemade Headboards That Thrill With Creativity

I never needed a headboard before I made my own. A couple of years ago I followed Real Simple‘s step-by-step instructions (reproduced here) and in one afternoon created my very own custom-made, special-to-me piece of furniture (or is it an attachment?) With a staple gun, some cut-to-order plywood, foam, batting, and a fabric scrap I …


Unpretentious Update for Sydney Beach House

Donna and Chris Allen’s house in a beachside pocket of Sydney is a lesson in compromise. “We had architect-designed plans approved to knock down the existing house and rebuild a new, ecofriendly house from scratch, but the market put our plans on the back burner,” Donna says. With Donna’s interior decorating background, they decided to …


Plan Your Patio at the End of Summer? Yes!

As summer winds down, back-to-school sales hit the stores, and there’s never a better time to reevaluate your patio or deck for a small upgrade. Two fabulous reasons to begin planning today:Your outdoor spaces are fresh on your mind. You have been using that deck for three or four weeks now, and you also understand …