A Room with A View

Flowers & Botanicals - organic color in any decor

2017-04-12T09:51:00.002-04:00

I have not actively posted in a while. I am fortunate to have been extremely busy with some wonderful client projects while supporting my eldest daughter through a challenging high school schedule, college applications and into college. She is now a freshman.

At this time of year more than any other, particularly from the month of March, I look forward to the abundance of gorgeous flowers and plants available locally. This is an easy way to incorporate color as well as add an essential organic element to one's home decor. It also contributes to textural interest and certainly a sense of balance in any room.

I am particularly drawn to the roses, as is apparent in this post. These are the mini African roses which sell for less than the regular roses and these are ideal for coffee table, end table, or dining table arrangements.

What excites me most is the vibrant hues they come in. I love combining colors.

Although it can still be relatively cold and wintry in parts of the country during the month of March and into early April, the flowers bring the promise of spring.

Some arrangements are simpler than others.

And they bloom so beautifully.

I absolutely love the pop of color against a neutral background.
I had this arrangement on the mantel one year in early March. We were in the midst of a severe winter. I still had silver berries from my Christmas decorations on display.

I will admit I do not always think to grab a bouquet from the grocery store when I am running errands but consciously do so more when I am entertaining.

This plant - Clivia Miniata - was purchased many years ago for this Chinoiserie planter bought in a store in Chinatown in Montreal 20 years ago. A rugged house plant, it requires little attention although I have not seen it flower in a while.

Last year, while working on a client project, I came across this freeze-dried boxwood tree at west elm. I liked its fullness. At 8" total height I thought it would be the perfect size for the end tables or coffee table in my living room.

Lately, I have been trying to keep succulents in the house as they require next to no maintenance. This one has grown quite a bit since I bought it months ago.

Do you incorporate this element in your decor on a regular basis? I would love to hear about it.

*Please Note - I did not receive any compensation for this post.

I would love for you to leave a comment. Thank you for stopping by; please do check back often.

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Festive Living Room Decor

2014-12-24T19:00:00.000-05:00

Wishing you a very Happy Holiday!

Some glimpses of our living room decorated for the season.

By day.

And in the early hours of the evening and by night.

And to you and yours a Happy and Healthy New Year!

Holiday decor in my living room

2013-12-20T07:39:00.001-05:00

Today I am sharing some more of my living room decorated for the holidays.

Yesterday I showed you the vintage brass sleigh and reindeer from The Longacre Flea on Etsy. I filled it with a few candy canes. The white ginger jar is from One Kings Lane. I have a string of white lights inside and I love the effect.

But let me begin with some daytime pictures first.

I have not moved furniture around or drastically changed the look of my living room decor for the season. I just incorporated the Christmas decor to fit in. This was largely due to lack of time but there was also no real need for it. It will also make putting everything away easier after the festivities are over.

This snowman trio was a gift from about 15 years ago. It comes out every year.

I love this brass elephant paperweight from Tatter and Fray.

This silver tray was a Salvation Army thrift store find along with the capiz shell bowl and the glass candy container which holds M&Ms through the year. The vintage caroler trio, shared yesterday, is from Milk & Hannah and the ornate brass trivet is also from Tatter and Fray.

I have a flameless candle on it.

There is something about snowmen!

My kids decorated the balsam Christmas tree purchased from a local Stew Leonard's. I think they did a great job. They did not use everything I decorate the tree with each year but they did use most of the ornaments. They even strung the lights themselves. That is the most tasking part of decorating a tree but so well worth it.

Another close-up picture of the ginger jar aglow.

The mantle again.

To see more of my mantle click here to read my post from this past Monday.

The Nativity set.

And that is some of my holiday decor this year. I hope you enjoyed the eclectic mix.

Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays to you and your families!

Thank you for visiting even if you are unable to leave a comment at this time. I shall fix this soon. If you would like to you could email me at Lisa.Rozario@gmail.com.

Linking up to this holiday gathering at Evolution of Style.

I would love for you to leave a comment. Thank you for stopping by; please do check back often.

Vintage holiday decor

2013-12-19T08:11:00.002-05:00

I have recently come to realize, thanks to some blog friends, that most visitors have been unable to leave comments in the comment box for my posts in the past several weeks and I am also showing up as a no-reply commenter when I leave comments for others. This is something I was unaware of as everything shows up fine from my side. From what I have read online it might have something to do with a Google+ and Blogger conflict and I am trying to figure out the exact problem and fix the issue. This apparently is being faced by many others and if anyone has any idea how to resolve it please do let me know. In the meantime, I do hope that you will continue to visit even if you cannot leave a comment just yet. Or you could always email me at Lisa.Rozario @gmail.com. Thank you to those who pointed out the problem; I do appreciate it so very much.

If you have been following me for a while you should be familiar with my decorating style. I do like to mix things up. While I have used mostly everything I previously owned to decorate for the holidays this year, apart from the balsam Christmas tree I purchased a couple of unique vintage items from Etsy. I could not resist these three pieces.

This adorable ceramic caroler trio from Milk and Hannah, a glimpse of the stunning ornate brass trivet from Tatter and Fray, something I could use throughout the year....

.. and this gorgeous 1960's brass sleigh and reindeer from The Longacre Flea.

I am enjoying these in my living room so much and so is the rest of the family. I will share some more of the holiday décor tomorrow. I hope you will come back then.

I would love for you to leave a comment. Thank you for stopping by; please do check back often.

Holiday Mantle Reveal

2013-12-16T05:30:00.000-05:00

I am truly happy with how this turned out considering there was no plan. Sometimes that works out better. I had never had a string of lights on the mantle but after having begun to enjoy seeing a string of lights in my daughters' rooms I thought I had to place some here.

The idea was to use whatever I had in the house.

This was before I thought to add the vintage candlesticks or the wreath.

I wanted something else with some height. It did not have to be too tall. I had these vintage candlesticks, an Etsy purchase from a couple of years ago.

Looking promising but I wanted more height and I knew I did not have any new candles to use here and did not want to go out and buy any at the time. I thought to place the two baubles on the candlesticks.

None of these items are new. The gold pine cones, the angel and the stocking holders are probably the oldest items here. The candle stand I purchased at a Salvation Army thrift store and spray painted it. Flameless candles are used a lot in my house; purchased at Crate & Barrel.

My little choir boy and choir girl have been favorite tree ornaments for many years. This year they get pride of place on the mantle.

The silver Christmas trees were bought at Crate & Barrel last year. I used them as place card holders when I hosted Christmas lunch for the family.

I love the milk glass compote, another purchase from Etsy.

This weekend I felt I wanted to add a wreath of some sort above the mantle and I used some silver berry garland I have had for years and shaped it into one. It looks organic.

I hung it up using a small Command micro hook.

In order to camouflage the hook I added some candy cane.

It ended up looking like a heart but it works and I love the pop of color in the wreath.

The mantle with the wreath. It is complete.

Stockings are one for each child. Purchased at different times. I did not grow up with the whole idea of Christmas stockings and therefore stocking-stuffers were non-existent. Until a couple of years ago the stockings were merely decorative. I like them to one side on the mantle.

During the day. Lights off.

Some kindling and poinsettia.

This is my Holiday mantle this year.

It is traditional, vintage, colorful, organic, sparkly and whimsical. I hope you like it.

It has have traditional festive colors of red and green, seasonal gold and silver sparkle and some lights and some white to balance it all.

I will be sharing more holiday decorating this week so please visit again.

I would love for you to leave a comment. Thank you for stopping by; please do check back often.

Decorating for the holidays - a glimpse of the mantle

2013-12-11T09:01:00.000-05:00

I feel like I am way behind in my decorating for the Christmas season this year. This past weekend we bought the tree and the kids put in the lights after I explained a technique I have used for years - they are in training :). And then they hung most of the ornaments themselves.
Meanwhile, I tackled the mantle. One could be really creative here, choosing to go bold, colorful, simple, organic or vintage. I try to change things around every year.

I went with a traditional Christmas color scheme using items I have owned for at least a year. It is definitely colorful, festive and whimsical and it was truly organic in that it just evolved. Here is a glimpse of it.

The rest I will share with you on Monday.
But I would like to remind you of what I did last year.

Another glimpse of this year's mantle.

Please do stop by on Monday, Dec 16th, when I will share what I have done with the mantle this year for Christmas.

I would love for you to leave a comment. Thank you for stopping by; please do check back often.

Decorating with elements of nature during the festive season

2013-12-09T05:30:00.000-05:00

Adding touches of nature throughout one's home while decorating for the festive season is a must. Aside from the obvious Christmas tree or two there are numerous ways to decorate with foliage in a big way or with little touches. This not only balances the various colors of the season and the abundance of sparkle and glitter that is to be expected at this time of year,

but nature also does have a calming effect during what usually is a hectic season for most.

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For the outside of our homes, the presence of nature in different forms creates a great first impression and can be a reflection of the indoors. It certainly adds wonderful curb appeal!

Traditional Exterior by Boston Photographers Mary Prince

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Planters are an obvious choice to complement whatever you choose to use and they work throughout the year .

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They certainly make a bold statement for the outdoors.

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From Christmas trees in any room...

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...and mini potted plants..

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..and wreaths of all sizes...

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...with or without a mantle.

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Combining some element of nature in your decor this season welcomes all to your home and creates a warm environment within for friends and family, no matter what climate one might live in.

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Traditional Porch by Brooklyn Photographers Rikki Snyder

Garlands for a fabulous curved banister is visually stunning in any foyer..

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...or over a mantle...

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Eclectic Living Room by Webb City Media & Bloggers Michelle Edwards

...or framing a perfect view through a picturesque window in the dining room. I love that there is a swag to this garland!

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Something I have tried myself in the past. A garland wrapped around the dining room chandelier.

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The little touches...place settings with a touch of green helps balance the sparkle all around and makes for an inviting table....

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..and white is the perfect winter color. It can enhance and add a delicate touch to all that glass and silverware.

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A touch of foliage here-and-there.

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It can be simple. Just a hint..how perfect.

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And one can be so creative. How pretty is this!

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Traditional Dining Room by Mooresville Building Supplies Lowe's Home Improvement

No matter what your style...

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or color preference...

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..elements of nature come in different forms and colors and decorating with some during the festive season - indoors and out - provides an essential, happy balance.

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Don't you agree?

I would love for you to leave a comment. Thank you for stopping by; please do check back often.

White lights & decorating the kids' rooms for the holidays

2013-12-04T05:30:00.000-05:00

As all the seasonal decorations are being brought down from the attic and I decide what will go where I thought about what I might do differently this year. Over the past year I have been working on my kids' rooms off-and-on - redecorating and reorganizing. I thought about surprising them with a string of white lights to brighten up a corner of each of their rooms.

Coincidentally, as they helped me string white lights outside the house this past weekend, both of them separately said they wondered what it would be like to have lights in their rooms - there goes my surprise!

This is what I did with 100 mini white lights in each room.

The floating bookshelves in Isabel's room in her reading nook as shared with you some months ago (daytime, without the lights).

I thought this was the perfect area to illuminate as she loves reading and also I thought it would be fun to light up a corner!

I just placed the lights atop the books.

This is with the ceiling and bedside lights off.....

and on..

And then we have Emily's room, recently shared. Do you notice the stacked snowmen by the bean bag? It was in a "to donate" pile last week but she grabbed it for her room instead.

...random pattern with the lights...

This strand of lights was a little difficult to keep up as the art pieces kept moving with the weight. This needed two sets of hands and with Emily's help I got it to stay.

White lights are inexpensive and add a festive touch anywhere. Be creative with a string or 2 of lights this season - white or colored.

The lights only stay on when the girls are in their rooms.

I would love for you to leave a comment. Thank you for stopping by; please do check back often.

The entryway needs updating

2013-11-14T05:30:00.000-05:00

This is what it looked like a couple of years ago.

The bench serves as the entryway table. It was a purchase from Target online many years ago. I loved the inset tiles and still do.

and the spindles.

Every so often, items get changed - seasonally and otherwise.

A piece from my blue-and-white collection.

I bought this vintage brass repousse magazine rack from Phat Dog on Etsy and love that it is aged - some discoloration and a few dings lends it character. Now it serves as the catchall for the mail that comes through the door.

I also purchased this adorable basket on Etsy from Simply Objekts - I love woven baskets of any size - and this is little and perfect for car keys and house keys mostly. Occasionally I will keep my smaller measuring tape in it for when I am running out the door and just to have it more accessible.

By now you would have noticed my vibrant American Cheese wall color by Benjamin Moore. It is a bright and a really sunny color and really helps brighten up a space which does not get the most sunlight.

This color needs changing.

So I have been looking at paint colors, trying to decide in which direction to go.

The items that will be staying should be considered. The mirror above is a "maybe". My dad kindly painted it for me one year when my parents were visiting. I picked it up at a local consignment store over ten years ago. The frame used to be a bright gold but I was not keen on the gold-on-golden-yellow effect. I might have other plans for it and have something to replace it with if it is moved. The bench stays.

A few weeks ago I replaced the worn out, outdated, traditional patterned runner with something more contemporary.

This runner..in the background...

.....with this.

More things to share next week. Some ideas for new paint colors and other items I want to incorporate in the space.

Thank you for all who visited and left kind comments on my last post which was part of the One Room Challenge hosted at Calling It Home. If you missed the reveal of my daughter, Emily's room, click here.

I will share the resources of items in this room soon.

I would love for you to leave a comment. Thank you for stopping by; please do check back often.

One Room Challenge: Week 6 - The Reveal

2013-11-07T05:30:00.000-05:00

It is finally here - the day I get to reveal my tween daughter's room makeover and share it on the One Room Challenge linking get-together over at Calling It Home. Although I started this room in the spring and did it in various stages there was a lot I had to accomplish in the past 6 weeks. You will get very few words from me in this post but you will get a lot of pictures. Enjoy!

If you would like to read the previous posts before continuing on, click on the links below.

Lights on in some pictures and lights off in others.

I am not 100% done. The one thing missing is the nightstand. I am working on refinishing it. In the meantime, I apologize for the exposed wires. I did not attempt to camouflage them.

There was very little sun today when taking these pictures.

Some close-ups.

A few pictures taken in the evening.

There was an issue with hanging the curtain rod for the small window. We could not drill holes further away from the window and were only able to a little inside the width of the window frame.

The chandelier I made over works well in the new room.

No pictures of the desk in the evening as somebody was doing their homework.

Before.

After.

I have shared specific details and resources in previous posts. There may be a few things added since. I will discuss all specifics further in a later post.

What is the next challenge? Well, aside from me finishing the nightstand it would be for Emily to keep her room looking like this. I do not expect it on a daily basis but I would settle for regularly.

I started working on this room - the first thing was the paint - back in the spring. I have to applaud those who took on their individual projects and accomplished everything within 6 weeks. With all that I have going on I would not have been able to complete this room in that time frame because it is a room in my house. That makes it harder as other things take priority.

Thank you, Linda, for hosting and encouraging and supporting. It has truly been fun.

Now do head on over to Calling It Home and visit the other skilled and talented participants.

If you require any help with Interior Decorating please click on the tab at the top of my page marked 'Services' or click here for further details.

I would love for you to leave a comment. Thank you for stopping by; please do check back often.

How do you style your throw?

2013-11-04T05:00:00.000-05:00

It is that time of year when those of us living in cooler climates are feeling the chill in the air and look to grab a throw or even a blanket while in the house to keep us warm. This is the purely utilitarian characteristic of a throw or blanket.

Throws are increasingly being used to add a little more texture, or color and pattern to a space.

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Rustic Living Room by Seattle Architects & Designers Bosworth Hoedemaker

Throws help create a warm and inviting ambience in a space while adding a touch of elegance and sophistication.

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Sometimes it is just that one pop of color that is needed to tie a space together; a throw will do that very easily.

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In some instances, it helps add texture, too.

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Eclectic Bedroom by London Interior Designers & Decorators Design-OD

On occasion, a color-blocking effect is in order and I love the ease of doing this.

Simple yet so effective!

Eclectic Bedroom by Huntington Beach Interior Designers & Decorators Domicile Interior Design

Here, the color-blocking effect makes a dramatic statement with the color contrast and lightens up the space with the gold throw. The tassels add the only visible texture in this corner.

Note how the throw has been slipped under the seat cushion.

Contemporary Bedroom by Other Metro Media & Bloggers Michelle Hinckley

Contemporary Living Room by Venice Interior Designers & Decorators Katerina Tana Design

Modern Living Room by Philadelphia Interior Designers & Decorators Caitlin Wilson

Modern Bedroom

The words creative and resourceful come to mind in the use of this plaid throw as a table cloth.

Traditional Hall by Other Metro Media & Bloggers Designs by Gollum

How about adding further warmth and comfort, a throw for each guest while they watch a movie. Who would want to leave!

Traditional Media Room by Atlanta Interior Designers & Decorators AjWDC, Aj Williams Design Company

Bold pattern adds much interest to more neutral spaces. Here, the eye is immediately drawn to the throw on the couch.

Contemporary Living Room by Mill Valley Interior Designers & Decorators Jute Interior Design

Contemporary Living Room by Toronto Architects & Designers Jennifer Worts Design

Eclectic Living Room by San Francisco Interior Designers & Decorators Soledad Alzaga

We love mixing patterns. This creates a layered look while adding an element of luxury.

Traditional Bedroom by Sacramento Interior Designers & Decorators Kerrie L. Kelly

Instead of reupholstering furniture, one can creatively use a throw or two, neatly folded over and tucked under the seat cushion of an armchair. This could be done seasonally. It would certainly be more cost-effective.

Contemporary Living Room by Other Metro Architects & Designers Marcelo Brito & Pedro Potaris

This styling of chairs would no doubt make interesting conversation around any dining table.

Eclectic Living Room by Toronto Media & Bloggers The Marion House Book

And wrapped neatly and tightly around a mattress.

So many ways to decorate with and style a throw while enjoying their inherent warmth. It is time to start using them all year through. Be creative!

If you require any help with Interior Decorating please click on the tab at the top of my page marked 'Services' or click here for further details.

I would love for you to leave a comment. Thank you for stopping by; please do check back often.

One Room Challenge: Week 5

2013-10-31T05:30:00.000-04:00

Who can believe it has been 5 weeks since we started this One Room Challenge! Next week is the final reveal and I am glad for the opportunity - the push - to finish Emily's room. Today I have a few pictures to share of some things that I had not addressed previously.

I did a little work on the hutch this week. An idea that came to mind quite suddenly.

While looking around the room at what requires finishing or fine tuning, I noticed the desk needed something else decorative besides the writing utensil organizers, shared with you last week.

This is the cork board attached to the hutch. The usual white color.

I had some spare fabric left over from a reupholstering project I did some months ago. This is Premier Prints Chelsea in Black & White.

I also had some nailhead trim left over from redoing my desk last year.

I decided to do the same here and pin the fabric to the cork board with the nailhead trim. It would add a fun pattern to the otherwise all-white space - other than the black chair - and also be something of interest for the eye to rest on when traveling across the room. Besides that, it ties in with the black-and-white pattern on the duvet.

Emily and I had worked on this model of the Sydney Opera House for a school project about 3 years ago. I had found a template online and we built it out of card stock together although she did do a lot of the work herself. Subsequently, we visited Sydney, Australia that summer to see family. We are holding on to this model. I think it will stay on top of the hutch for now.

Then there is the carpet made from Flor carpet tiles.

These Flor carpet tiles were bought for the "old" room. She had wanted a shag-like rug with color and we decided on the Short Shag in Sunflower tiles. The initial rug was a smaller size in the "old" room. As the layout has changed, I wanted to increase the size of the rug by adding more tiles. Unfortunately, the same style and shade are no longer available but the Flor representative was extremely helpful and suggested I try Velvet Twist in Sunflower. I ordered 6 of them.

The color looks deeper, depending on the light and time of day. We figured we could incorporate a pattern, at times subtle, into the rug.

One could really create any pattern - random or not - with these Flor tiles. The toughest part of this was moving the rug around to the new layout and lifting the bed as we did this.

Next week is the final reveal. For me that challenge was to make time to finish what was started in the spring and summer.

If you are visiting for the first time and would like to catch up on previous posts related to the redecorating of this room, click on the links below.

One Room Challenge: Week 1

One Room Challenge: Week 2

One Room Challenge: Week 3

One Room Challenge: Week 4

Now do go ahead and visit the other participants in the linking party hosted by Linda at Calling It Home. We are at the home stretch.

Happy Halloween!

If you require any help with Interior Decorating please click on the tab at the top of my page marked 'Services' or click here for further details.

I would love for you to leave a comment. Thank you for stopping by; please do check back often.

One Room Challenge: Week 4 - Having fun with accessories

2013-10-24T05:30:00.000-04:00

It is already week 4 of the One Room Challenge linking party hosted by Linda at Calling It Home.

Today I am sharing with you some of the fun, quirky accessories for Emily's room which will be on her dresser or on or by her desk. Some will make organizing more fun. Accessorizing is an easy way to add pops of color, texture and whimsy to any space.

1. Dress form jewelry holder was a gift. For the dresser.

2. A recycled glass gold-colored container from the Salvation Army thrift store. For the desk.

3. Wall Pops Zinnia monthly calendar from Wall Sticker Outlet which I bought after the room was painted so the colors would coordinate. (Picture taken before school began. Now, the calendar has stuff written all over it).

4. Pretty decorative plate from Salvation Army thrift store. I liked the design and thought it could be used to hold little items. For the dresser.

5. Purple jewelry container from Urban Outfitters. For the dresser.

6. Fabric bird from Vintage Green Limited on Etsy purchased a few years ago. For the dresser.

7. Popcorn bowl (small, for single serving) from Salvation Army thrift store. For the desk.

8. Porcelain mask was a gift.

One more thing...

Remember this fine handcrafted paper-wrapped canvas from last week's post?

I want it to pop against the wall and was wondering what to add to it. Well, I am considering mounting the porcelain mask onto it. It might just work.

This will add further dimension to the wall, along with the floating shelves.

Let's see how it all turns out.

Go here to read up on last week's post.

And do go and check out the other participants in the challenge.

Two more weeks to go!

If you require any help with Interior Decorating please click on the tab at the top of my page marked 'Services' or click here for further details.

I would love for you to leave a comment. Thank you for stopping by; please do check back often.

One Room Challenge: Week 3 - Art, Books and more...

2013-10-17T05:30:00.000-04:00

My daughter's room has been evolving for a while. This is the wall dedicated to art and books. I love some type of a fixture/furniture/space dedicated to books. In this room the floating shelves are perfect for just that. I chose to install them to the far right of the wall so there is no way anyone could walk into them. They could also be installed at a lower level, as a result.

This is how it started, with the determining of the floor plan.

Once the room was painted I drew out a floor plan. This "old" floor plan (shown below) had the bed against the window. I moved the furniture accordingly. I liked how it was framed by the curtains.

But there was not enough room for Emily to sit on her bean bag and enjoy reading, relaxing, listening to music, time with friends.

For the bed to be at or along the largest wall (bottom of picture) was not an option. It would somewhat close off the entry into the room.

This is how she wants it. With the bed in the corner against both windows. The large window is not completely covered so I am happy with this layout.

This gives her a large area for bean bag and lounging.

I can see her desk (right wall) and keep an eye on her while she studies. The dresser with the mirror is against the left wall. This is good as it allows reflection of any light from windows and makes the room appear larger.

The wall of artwork and pictures and a dedicated library space is perfect (bottom of picture).

This wall adds a range of colors which pop.

This is how the wall was planned out. Some old artwork and new pieces lined up against the wall to look at the effect of the colors against the wall. I also wanted to keep some space to add more items to the wall over time.

These fine handcrafted papers found at a local Paper Source were wrapped around canvas boards. The paper choice was a collaborative effort.

I had written a post about this months ago. Go here to read details.

Scotch Blue painter's tape used to template the art and the bookshelves.

Here you have a glimpse of the old layout with the bed.

The mosaic-like piece at the bottom of the wall was inspired by Salvage Savvy. Go here to read how my kids and I worked on ours. We did it last year. It was a ton of fun to create!

It used to be in the basement, by the kids' play area.

More pictures...

The 2 fine handcrafted paper art pieces look good in reality but the purple one seems to blend in too much or not really stand out in any way...

...and we had picked it because it had sparkle. Have to make some modification to this piece, I think.

As you can see, I have used some art that we have had for years. They are meaningful not only to the kids but to me as well. On this wall these would be the butterfly pieces and Belle from Beauty and the Beast, a classic.

I did, though, purchase one new piece for the wall by the bed. I also used parts of our "old" room's wall decal shown below.

This is how it came together. Easy...

This is my Indian Girl Matryoshka Print by Amy Perrotti on Etsy. I loved the close-up and of course, the aqua color.

Emily chose to hold on to these particular flowers, birds and animals so we incorporated them in the design.

I love how everything on this wall is framed by the curtains from west elm. Unfortunately, these are no longer available. I had these in the room before and the color is stunning against the Hazy Lilac walls.

So there you have it. To be fair, some of this was done some months ago but other elements require completion before the end of this challenge. Thank you to Linda for the push to finish.

Don't forget to check on the progress made by the other linking participants on Calling It Home's One Room Challenge.

If you require any help with Interior Decorating please click on the tab at the top of my page marked 'Services' or click here for further details.

I would love for you to leave a comment. Thank you for stopping by; please do check back often.

One Room Challenge: Week 2 - What's new to the design plan

2013-10-10T05:30:00.000-04:00

A week has flown by and it is time to share some more details on my 12-year-old daughter's room redecorating as part of the linking party on One Room Challenge hosted by Linda of Calling It Home.
If you missed last week's post, the first on this challenge, go here.

Last week, I shared my new, updated design board for Emily's room. The new plan decided on a couple of months ago. Here are the items that are new to the design plan including some that have been added more recently.

1. Indian Girl Matryoshka artwork by Amy Perrotti - Etsy

2. Conceal Book Shelves by Umbra - The Container Store

3. Just Animal Pillows by The Tangled Path - Etsy

4. Between The Lines duvet cover - Urban Outfitters

5. (Signature) Table lamp shade (and base, not shown) - PBTeen

6. Fuzzy bean bag - Pier 1 Imports

The biggest change in this room, other than the (obvious) wall color is the duvet cover. I chose not to buy the shams, at this point anyway.

Previous duvet cover:

New duvet cover:

Emily is into a more modern look. She has a say in all choices. This black-and-white graphic pattern will definitely add a touch of modernity to the room while being neutral enough to allow one to have some fun with color by way of throw pillows. Fingers crossed it pays off.

The bedding arrived recently but I have not opened it, and the pillows arrived today. There is so much going on I want to be systematic in my opening of the boxes.

Next week I will share 2 floorplans for the room and tell you which one we finally went with and why.
The room has been painted for a while and we have a wall of artwork and the bookshelves up as well. Pictures of these for next week, too.

Do check out the other participants in this One Room Challenge linking party.

To read One Room Challenge - Week 1's post, go here.

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Update on My Daughter's Room Redecorating: One Room Challenge

2013-10-03T05:00:00.000-04:00

I am linking up to the One Room Challenge on Calling It Home.

It has been a while since I participated in one of these events and this was an opportunity to share any progress I have made with my tween daughter, Emily's room.

This was the design board I had shared with you a while ago for a proposed redecorating over the spring and summer. This would involve changing the wall color but using the existing furniture, bedding, some of the artwork, part of the wall decal and of course, the floral chandelier was staying. A new floor plan was in order.

Source List:

1. Scroll Tree Wall Stickers - Wall Sticker Outlet

2. Bed by Young America - local furniture store

3. Dresser and mirror - the same store above

4. Table lamp - PB teen

5. Kids' artwork inspired by Maria Carluccio - made by my kids

6. Curtains - west elm

7. Bed linen - PB teen

8. Paper table lamp - PB teen

9. Jenny Lind night stand - Land of Nod

10. Desk and hutch - local store

11. Blue Bayou - Benjamin Moore

12. Shag carpet tile - Flor

13. Bean bag - Pier 1

14. Bungee Office chair - The Container Store

(Please note - Some of the items listed above are no longer available).

At that time, the exact wall color had not been decided on but we were looking at something in the lilac-mauve family. Emily's choice.

This was the color.

Hazy Lilac by Benjamin Moore

The painting was completed. This is a glimpse of the room I had last shared with you.

After this I got busier.

Since then the design has changed a little and we have readdressed the floor plan to give her what works best for her. My daughter is growing up faster than I am able to complete the room.

An updated design board.

What has changed?

Details will be shared in the next posts I link up to the One Room Challenge event on Calling It Home. These will be every Thursday for the next 6 weeks. I plan to share the progress with you each week. There are so many amazing projects being shared at this event

Thank you, Linda, for bringing my attention to this challenge and giving me the opportunity

to share this transformation.

If you require any help with Interior Decorating please click on the tab at the top of my page marked 'Services' or click here for further details.

I would love for you to leave a comment. Thank you for stopping by; please do check back often.

Color in Decor

2013-07-01T05:00:00.000-04:00

It is July - hard to believe. I am back after inadvertently stepping away from blogging for some weeks. It has been extremely busy but in a good way.

Today I am excited to have Mari from Arcadian Home with some stunning inspiration for using color in your home any way you choose.

Hi, everyone! It's me, Mari! I'm so happy to be here with you at A Room with A View with a guest post from Arcadian Home blog. It's a fantastic place to find interior design inspiration including decorating ideas for everything from beautiful buffet lamps to colorful wall art and decorative accessories. Since Lisa loves color so much, today I want to share some rooms that use color in different, but very effective, ways. From floor to ceiling to walls and much more, these rooms are filled with vibrant color. Please enjoy! Thanks for letting me stop by to visit for awhile. ~ Mari

A white living room goes pink with matching armchairs and bold galactic artwork. The design is a beautiful mix of color and metallics.

All the paneling and woodwork in this stylish dining room has been painted in a stunning blue. The light from a modern pendant light, floor lamp and wall sconces is reflected beautifully by the glossy walls.

Color on the ceiling? It works well in this chic guest room. Taupe paint on one wall gives more depth to the space and looks beautiful with the ceiling color.

Wow! What a great use of primary colors. Alternating vivid hues on the steps in this white entryway gives the space a happy vibe.

Here, a solid blue wall is used as a background for the focal point of the room, a large contemporary painting. It works beautifully, don't you think?

This contemporary dining room is filled with color in varying applications of orange. One wall of solid color, one that reads white with its delicate orange vine pattern, chairs with orange on the outside and white inside, orange shaggy area rug on the gray floor—it's variety that works here. Even the modern pendant lights above the table are an intense orange hue.

An all-white living room is brought to life with a rainbow of colorful accessories. Whether you like a little color or a lot, this idea of white walls, ceiling, floor and upholstered pieces works because you control the amount and the intensity of color.

This white bathroom is fun, not overwhelmed by bright color above the bead board and inside the cubbies behind the freestanding black tub. Images 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 What do you think of these inspirational rooms? Leave us your thoughts below and be sure to stop by for more home decor and pendant lighting ideas!

Thank you, Mari! This post shows us that color can really go anywhere. As Mari points out, you are in control. Whatever your point of view, the amount of color - intensity, combinations, just a splash - can be decided by you. I love the multicolored, whimsical steps. They would be perfect leading to a kids' playroom in a basement or attic. I would love to do a room with a colored ceiling in my own home some day. Isn't the cobalt blue wood paneled room incredibly dramatic? Which picture is your favorite?

Please Note: I have not been compensated in any way for this post.

If you require any help with Interior Decorating please click on the tab at the top of my page marked 'Services' or click here for further details.

I would love for you to leave a comment. Thank you for stopping by; please do check back often.

Reading Nook - The Details

2013-04-29T09:23:00.001-04:00

Here are the details of the reading nook/library in my older daughter's room, pictures of which I had shared with you in my last post.

This gorgeous Eva rug was purchased a few years ago from Ballard Designs. It is no longer available. The stunning turquoise fuzzy bean bag is from Pier 1. The turquoise one is no longer available but they have it in chocolate and red. It was originally in my younger daughter's room but we moved it to this nook a while ago. It works better here and the other room was being repainted.

The bench is by Martha Stewart. My kids were toddlers when I bought it. It had a different seat cover which I have subsequently "reupholstered" myself. An easy project which I will share with you soon.

These two pillows were a great buy from Overstock.com. The colors were a great addition to this predominantly blue-and-orange-themed room.

This typography print was purchased a year ago, part of her birthday gift as she loves reading so much. It is from a shop on Etsy which has closed.

These are the Umbra® Conceal Book Shelves from The Container Store.

The Container Store

I purchased the 5 1/2" x 5 1/2" x 5 1/2" h as well as the larger 15 1/2" x 5 1/2" x 5 1/2"h. The larger one, Umbra® Conceal Double Shelf does not seem to be available online at this time but they do have a larger size than the regular size and this is a 7" x 6 1/2" x 5 1/2"h.

The beauty in this design, the key to keeping the lowest book "floating" are these tiny metallic clips at the base of each shelf - I have them circled in the picture below.

The hard cover of the book is placed between the clip and the plate of the shelf and is held snug.

And then you build your library upon that. I decided to use the corner - both walls - as that would be more efficient use of space. It is an attention-grabbing space when one walks into the room.

The small shelf (shown on the right wall here) can hold up to 15 pounds of books while the double - on the left - can hold up to 30 pounds. That is considerable weight.

And there you have it. The denim framed piece to the right is something we created a couple of years ago. Will share that project in another post.

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A reading nook, a growing library

2013-04-23T18:29:00.002-04:00

The kids love to read. They own a collection of great books which continues to grow in this age of technology with the increasing use of eReaders like Kindle. Nothing comes close to the look and feel of a real book.

This is my teenage daughter's reading nook. Although she has a Kindle and uses it on trips, she loves her books.

She has received many as gifts over the years. We love hardcover books. Stuck in the corner are some books that were projects in elementary school. Definitely holding on to those.

A growing collection of classics, a gift from my parents, her grandparents.

This print I had ordered especially for her; one of her birthday gifts last year. It should be hung.

Or perhaps it might be left propped up on the bench.

More details about the space and the items in it in my next post later this week.

Linking to Wow Us Wednesdays at Savvy Southern Style

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We've been travelling

2013-04-08T08:23:00.000-04:00

We recently returned from a week-long trip to Punta Cana in the Dominican Republic.

It was a much-needed break and the weather was perfect in this town, situated on the east coast with stretches of white sandy beaches and turquoise waters of the Pacific.

There were many activities to choose from at the resort where we stayed..aerobics in the ocean and pool (aqua gym), wind-surfing, kayaking, snorkeling, archery, tennis, trapeze, yoga, zumba and more.

Idyllic settings to relax under palm trees..

or catch some sun while reading a book.

We even caught a dazzling full moon.

The location was idyllic; the weather was perfect.

I hope you are enjoying the beginnings of Spring.

If you require any help with Interior Decorating please click on the tab at the top of my page marked 'Services' or click here for further details.

I would love for you to leave a comment. Thank you for stopping by; please do check back often.

Creating wall art with fine handcrafted paper

2013-03-22T05:00:00.000-04:00

Here is a quick and easy way to add art to a room and in doing so, add color, pattern and perhaps even some texture.

This was the fine handcrafted paper I shared with you last week. Both sheets have texture - the flowers are raised - and some sparkle, too.

The Daisy White and Gold paper cost $6.50

and the Flower Burst Purples cost just $4.95. Both sheets measured 22"x30"

I used 2 canvas boards: a 12"x16" and a 12"x24".

The only other tools: Mod Podge (glue) and a sponge brush

and a pair of scissors.

The easiest way to adhere the paper to the canvas boards is to lay the paper upside-down and the canvas as well, over the paper. The idea is to brush on the Mod Podge on the back of the canvas. This is sufficient to hold the paper in place when folded over.

At each corner I cut the paper at a 45 degree angle to the corner of the board (see arrow). I figured this would help me fold the paper more easily and create a clean edge/corner.

Apply Mod Podge (glue) along the edge that will fold over and press it/hold down gently to the board.

The triangle pieces created by the 45 degree cut were easily folded inwards to make a clean edge.

Repeat the same on the other three sides.

Allow time to dry.

Clean edges.

It was getting dark as I took these pictures - the walls are not such a deep lilac. We have not had much sun of late. You can see some sparkle.

Easy artwork. This did not take me long.

Hopefully, these boards will be up on the walls soon.

There is more to share with this room. Stay tuned.

If you require any help with Interior Decorating please click on the tab at the top of my page marked 'Services' or click here for further details.

I would love for you to leave a comment. Thank you for stopping by; please do check back often.

Looking at the artwork for a tween room

2013-03-15T05:00:00.000-04:00

The artwork for my 11-year-old daughter's room is something we have chosen together. Each piece has either sentimental value or is special for its subject matter. And yes, importantly, it coordinates beautifully with the new wall color, hazy lilac, by Benjamin Moore .

As the room is going through change, this is an opportunity for me to create new artwork for one of the large walls which will also hold bookshelves - more on that later. We found some fine handcrafted paper at Paper Source. She picked her 2 favorites because of color (purple) and subject (daisies, a favorite flower).

I have on hand some canvases (like below) from Jo-ann which will be used to create simple, inexpensive artwork with the paper above.

This adorable framed print of Disney's Belle from Beauty and the Beast was purchased several years ago at the kids' nursery school art auction fundraiser. It has some bold colors and looks stunning against the newly painted walls. We still love Disney!

For the same wall, we shall have room for the much-shared butterflies, created by the kids some years ago. (And yes, the one on the left is upside-down). We were looking at the colors against the wall.

The line-up as we figure out placement.

Now that the color of the walls is a little more grown-up the art will look less early-childhood-like, more tween.

Art in any space must be meaningful or evoke emotion. These pieces will do just that. It is great to be able to reuse some old pieces.

Next week I will share the new pieces created with the fine handcrafted paper.

Meanwhile, the desk is being reorganized. Next will be the dresser. We have state tests in April. The room has to be ready for some serious studying by then.

Happy weekend and Happy St. Patrick's Day!

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Spring is in the air....

2013-03-08T10:32:00.000-05:00

...even though it might be snowing. There is a hint of spring in the air in my house, at least. While I took down the holiday decorations in January I contemplated the post-Christmas/still-winter decor, particularly on the mantle.

I used a couple of branches of these silver berries and just placed them on across the mantel in no specific manner. And then I interspersed 2 votives randomly.

Honestly, I had no flowers on here for a while but taller votives. Last weekend I was entertaining and I went in search of some color to herald the coming of spring - soon, I hope. I needed some florals for my dining table, too.

I found gorgeous African roses at the local Trader Joe's in shades of orange and fuchsia which I decided to use together.

I cut them down to fit in my spray-painted Salvation Army glasses now used as vases. This is what the 7" glasses looked like when I first bought them.

After some gold spray paint.

This works in my love for the silver-gold color combination.

The day after my party I moved the flowers from the dining room to the coffee table. They were perfect in my recycled salsa and preserves jars with some clear gems for sparkle.

A simple arrangement, beautiful pop of color.
I removed all leaves below the rims of the containers and left a few above for some green.

This is what I am enjoying in my home today even we have yet another snow day and schools are closed yet again.

Tomorrow promises to be in the 50s!

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Painting a tween room: color update

2013-02-25T05:00:00.000-05:00

In my last post I shared a design board for my younger daughter's room. Now a tween, her room needed an update. Repainting the walls was the easiest and most budget-friendly way. That was all she wanted, anyway. She was pushing for a shade of purple; the louder the better. I wanted something more mauve or a darker lilac.

We tackled the project this past weekend. I have some touching up still to do and of course, the cleaning up. Here is a peek.

The color we settled on was Benjamin Moore's Hazy Lilac.

&lt;div style="display:none;"&gt;&lt;a href="http://www.benjaminmoore.com/en-us/paint-color/hazylilac"&gt;hazy lilac&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/div&gt;

After buying a sample and testing it on the walls I had initially decided to lighten the color by 50%. I also decided to use Home Depot's BEHR Premium Plus Ultra (paint and primer in one) in order to keep this budget friendly. By computer, the store is able to match and lighten or darken colors to other brands based on the formula.

Somehow, perhaps because it was a busy afternoon when I visited Home Depot last week, I came away with the original shade of Hazy Lilac. It was not lightened. I chose to use the color anyway. It had been my daughter's original #1 choice.

I love how it looks and more importantly, so does my daughter.

Of course, we removed the tree wall stickers from the walls before painting.

These are the stickers she chose to save and reuse in the newly painted room. They were easy to remove.

Her favorites are the owls, the porcupine, birds, a few flowers and leaves. Where they will go is yet to be determined.

Over the next couple of days I will put the room back together. There are a couple of elements that will need a little time to be worked on.

It sets off the floral chandelier beautifully.

This is before.

And now.

This is a great color for a tween/teen. Fresh and modern and girlish. I love the contrast with the white trim. It will work well with the other elements in the room.

Click here to see the design board for this room.

I shall be back with more updates.

If you require any help with Interior Decorating please click on the tab at the top of my page marked 'Services' or click here for further details.

I would love for you to leave a comment. Thank you for stopping by; please do check back often.

Please Note: I have not been compensated in any way by the owners of this shop. The views and opinions expressed in this post are solely mine and are based on my experience with the shop and on my purchase of products.

Updating A Girl's Room - Design Boards

2013-02-08T05:00:00.000-05:00

If I had created a basic design board for my youngest daughter's room a few years ago, this is what it might have looked like. She was about 8 years old then.

Source List:

1. Scroll Tree Wall Stickers - Wall Sticker Outlet

2. Bed by Young America - local furniture store

3. Dresser and mirror - the same store above

4. Table lamp - PB teen

5. Kids' artwork inspired by Maria Carluccio - made by my kids

6. Curtains - west elm

7. Bed linen - PB teen

8. Paper table lamp - PB teen

9. Jenny Lind night stand - Land of Nod

10. Desk and hutch - local store

11. Blue Bayou - Benjamin Moore

12. Shag carpet tile - Flor

13. Bean bag - Pier 1

14. Bungee Office chair - The Container Store

(Please note - Some of the items listed above are no longer available).

The room used to be my study. Blue Bayou by Benjamin Moore was already on the walls. When she moved to that room we kept the color and worked with it to bring in additional colors and pieces which she was excited about. We already had the bed.

Now she is 11. It is time for an easy update with a reconfiguration of the same furniture. I strongly believe in the power of paint to transform a room. She is into shades of purple - the medium tones.

There is a purple in the linen as well as the chandelier. This color will also go well with the golden yellow curtains from west elm. The butterfly artwork done by the girls will tie in beautifully.

This would be the design board with the new plan for the room.

Changes to Source List:

1. The Tree wall sticker will be "edited" - we shall keep the owls and some of the other cute animals but not the whole tree.

5. The artwork done by the kids in a Maria Carluccio style.

11. The new wall color from the 3 below.

&lt;div style="display:none;"&gt;&lt;a href="http://www.benjaminmoore.com/en-us/paint-color/hazylilac"&gt;hazy lilac&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/div&gt; &lt;div style="display:none;"&gt;&lt;a href="http://www.benjaminmoore.com/en-us/paint-color/centralmauve"&gt;central mauve&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/div&gt; &lt;div style="display:none;"&gt;&lt;a href="http://www.benjaminmoore.com/en-us/paint-color/dusktodawn"&gt;dusk to dawn&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/div&gt;

(The bean bag has been removed so #13 is the Bungee Office Chair from The Container Store).

The furniture has been reconfigured and the room looks bigger than before. That will be shared in time. The next step is to paint samples of the 3 shortlisted colors (above) on the walls and pick one.

As you can see, this is no major overhaul. In a couple of years, she might want something different. A new paint color on the walls is the easiest and most cost-effective way to update and to change the look and feel of a space. And yes, a new layout of the furniture, if possible, works wonders, too.

I hope you have a wonderful weekend and if you, like us, are heading into inclement weather, stay safe and warm.

If you require any help with Interior Decorating please click on the tab at the top of my page marked 'Services' or click here for further details.

I would love for you to leave a comment. Thank you for stopping by; please do check back often.