Spark

Because you never know what you’ll find, today I popped into It’s New To Me consignment store on Burnet Road. I saw these vintage twin beds with unique curved headboards. In the less than forgiving store setting, these beds might not look like much, but they have potential. In the right child’s room or guest room, these beds would add character and charm, just like the French antique beds pictured below.

A bedroom should look cozy and simple, sophisticated, and elegant, regardless of what style of decorating you choose. For ease of movement, leave a minimum of three feet between the bed and side walls or large pieces of furniture and at least two feet between the bed and low furniture, like tables and dressers. If you have to walk around the bed to get from the closet to the bathroom, think of how you can move the bed.
Furnish your bedroom with only what you need, read more at this Website. A bed, a bedside table or two, a dresser, and chair are necessities. Anything else is clutter. If you have room, place a chest of drawers in the closet. Accessories should be kept to a minimum. Choose a beautiful piece of artwork, arrange some family photos, add flowers and candles, and leave it alone

A good mattress will gently support your whole body and keep your spine in a neutral position – no matter if you’re lying on your back, front or side. Pay attention to your pressure points when choosing a new bed (these will be the heaviest parts of your body). Bamboo is a sustainable and eco-friendly plant that does not need much care to grow. It is a great material for sleeping items providing perfect breathability and comfort. It is resistant to dust mites and bacteria. The quality of your sleep will be improved if you choose bed items made from bamboo, here are some bamboo mattress to consider.

P.S. I actually bought a bed just like the one above for a client. We found it in a Fredericksburg store that specializes in European antiques. Though it was completely adorable, we discovered the best foam mattresses you can buy online and bedding did not fit. So be warned that some antiques are sized differently and should always be measured for practical use before  being purchased.

  In yesterday’s Q & A post on hooking some wall storage, I promised to provide resources and suggestions for not-so-ordinary wall hooks. Better late than never, I am finally delivering on that promise after some technical difficulties and distractions today. This is the kind of thing that I could research for hours, which I did, because I obsess over [...]

My dear client, Becky, sent me this question about family storage in the entry way. She has a charming vintage cottage that is full of character but short on transition spaces. I am looking at getting some hooks for the entry way by our front door.  We need to hang the kid’s backpacks low and [...]

What will influence colors in fashion and design for 2011? The social and economic climate has a fascinating and direct impact on color trends in clothing and home decor. When times are hard, or perceived to be so, colors tend to be more somber or gentle, as if to say “we aren’t pretending to be [...]

What a fun afternoon and sparkly evening. Thank you to all of you who joined us for a fun gathering gabbing about color, pattern, interior design, porch sparkle, landscapes, gardens, decorating, biz ideas and the joys of collaborating with other bright women to create wonderful inspiring spaces and build businesses!! Everywhere we turned there were [...]

These chairs by Johan Lindstén make me go week at the knees. (Which is absolutely fine since they’re chairs, afterall.) Johan and his desgin firm, Lindstén Form are based in Stockholm.  Lucky Swedes. His chairs artfully combine the best of modern shape with vintage needlepoint: “This furniture’s destiny is to elevate and promote these neglected pieces [...]

Today’s Around Town post (or “pictures from my iPhone” post) brings us to Rough and Ready Antiques off the historic square in Georgetown. I can easily waste a couple of hours treasure hunting in this well organized and reasonably priced antique store. Because I tend to look at everything and get my brain overloaded, I [...]

How do I address that empty space above my kitchen cabinets? Can I just leave it empty? Dear reader, the short answer is a simple YES. But do you know what’s nice? Place some rope lights along the top edge of the cabinets behind the crown molding (or against the wall edge if no molding) [...]