Beautiful Abodes: February 2013

I Stand Behind: Re-using jars and bottles

I have a collection of glass jars and bottles that I've been collecting from finished pickles, capers, juices and things. It all began with a wedding, my wedding, I was set on having a romantic country-style wedding, I envisioned a long table topped with white wild flowers in various jars, so I began collecting jars... and it never stopped. I found that when you took off the label and thoroughly wash the jar of residue and scent that they are absolutely charming and very helpful in storing beans, seeds, grains, pickles, preserves and etc. Of course your husband, as my husband has, can be very appreciative when he finds that you've got plenty of jars to spare so that he has a great way to organize all his little nails, and knick and knacks from the garage. Jars? There definitely a good thing.

Using Teal

I first became known of the existence of the color teal through a good friend of mine who just happens to love teal. I knew of this color before but it never left any kind of impression in my mind, if anything, I didn't care for the color at all. Perhaps it was the way in which the teal was used, in a modern setting, not that it doesn't go well as a modern color, actually, teal goes very well in a modern setting. But in any case, for me that was teal and all that it could give.

But the longer I analysed teal, looked at teal, I was beginning to realize all it's potential. What I considered a color that was so precise that it could only be properly used for modern decor I realized played a larger role in a variety of different realms. I was correct in thinking teal was a precise color, maybe this is the characteristic that I didn't get, but it was because of this precision of color (the pop, the uniqueness of the tone, the chicness of it- whatever you want to call it) that made it so widely used in such differing manners. In fact, what I found was that teal was the simplest color to use in any room, for any theme, with pretty much any decor and paired with any color.

TEAL FOR MODERN

Teal for Retro

Teal for the Mix: Modern & Retro

Teal for Eclectic

Teal for Culture

Teal for Charmed Romance

Teal for Rusticity

Teal for Contemporary

TAKING A GOOD LOOK AT THE COLOR

Like most colors on the wheel there are a wide range of teals which means teal can be used in a wide range of ways.

Deep Teal

Deep teal with its rich color is a great color for a masculine room, beautiful yet dark Deep Teal can keep you focused and grounded making it ideal for studies and lounging rooms. However when paired with other vibrant colors Deep Teal energizes and becomes a vibrant rich color too.

Dusty Teal

Dusty Teal is a soft and soothing masculine teal color.

Teal paired with gray

A sophisticated pairing.

Teal paired with yellow

An eclectic and fun duo!

TEAL AND OTHER ROOMS

Teal for Kids

Teal for Outdoors

The Studio Apartment that reaches for new heights

Out of all the different dwellings I have thus lived in so far I can honestly say that the most interesting dwelling to live in and to decorate were the one-bedroom flats, or studios or bachelor units (whatever you want to call them). So often people believe that bigger is better and maybe in some other areas in life this may be true but in the case of dwellings I would have to disagree. Living in a small space is not only convenient but allows you to use your imagination when decorating, whether it is creating false walls via bookcases, trying to figure out smart ways to store items or finding the best way to build up vertically in a chic manner.

So here's to small spaces! And if you find that you just can't think of anything for your small space, just look at these inspiring pictures.

*THE NOT-SO-TYPICAL SMALL SPACE*

This space isn't exactly the typical "small" space we speak of but it is a one room flat none-the-less and does deserve it's due credit. Making use of the height of the wall as storage space for books is not only smart but also creates a unique-vibe to the living quarter.

*LIGHTNESS & WHITE*

One of the tricks to creating the illusion of a more open and airy space... lightness & white.

*RUSTIC COMFORT*

Making it comfy and homey is not entirely out of the question. More likely than not you're at an advantage when it comes to these two characteristics when dealing with smaller spaces, much of this has to do with the fact that you have less space to fill which means you're already half way there!

*THE MINIMAL*

Contemporary and minimal is a smart way to go. As we all know the tidier a space the more room available.

*BUILDING UPWARDS*

One of the smartest and fun ways to go when it comes to making the most out of a small space is to build... upwards! This often means lofted beds!

Charming 'trinket and other things' tray

A closer view of the Small Etched Blossom Tray

One of the most useful objects I believe anyone can have in their home (minus the junk drawer) is the 'trinket & other things' tray. Whether it be placed on your kitchen counter, in the office, near the front door, or in the master bathroom the 'trinket & other things' tray holds everything that is used everyday, temporarily, we're talking keys, wallets, money clip, change, rings even (should the tray be in the right place of course), sunglasses- yes! Doggie leash? Perhaps, a roll of doggie poop-bags? Can't find a better place in my book! A pit stop at the tray of everyday needed and used goods means there's a place for all those things... and, you won't lose them, no more wandering around the house thinking "now where did I put those darn sunglasses?"

When I saw these Etched Blossom trays at Terrain (which are available in two sizes: large and small) I immediately thought how beautiful these trays would be for trinket and other things.