Belgian Chocolate, Fries and Interiors!

I heart Belgium.  What is there not to love about this country? Exquisite chocolate shops around every corner, street vendors selling the most amazing frites and waffles I have ever tasted and easily the best beers in the world.  Now, the interiors.  I first fell in love with Belgian style without even knowing what it was.  I stumbled into a charming shop in Charleston, South of Market, and I was in awe.  This was the first time in my life (I was about 25 at the time by the way) that I walked into a home store and LOVED everything I saw.  I could have had the shop owner drop off the contents of the entire store at my house and live a happy life! Fast forward a couple of years to 2008 and I was able to define the style when I saw this home designed by Barbara Westbrook and Kim Winkler featured in the May issue of House Beautiful:

 View of the Sitting Room and Kitchen.  This was the first time I had ever seen open shelving in a kitchen - LOVE!

 Love these dark grey walls in the dining room - Tabacco #33-19 Pratt & Lambert

Elegantly slipcovered sofas in a neutral palette with punches of turquoise and blue accents

This article was the gateway to my discovery of Belgian style and Axel Vervoordt, one of the best known designers of of this style.  Belgian style is marked by a neutral color palette, texture, simple lines, reclaimed wood, iron and linen.  At once rustic and sophisticated, you won't find anything too fussy or overdone here.  It is such an approachable style that it has now found it's way into mainstream stores like Restoration Hardware.  Rustic and worn woods and slipcovers are a cornerstone of belgian style so  it is a naturally good fit for family friendly lives.  I also like that this style lends itself to sustainable and eco-conscious design with reclaimed woods and repurposed objects as art.  See below photos from another House Beautiful feature - Kay Douglass of South of Market is the designer.

 Dining Room with slipcovered Parsons Chairs

 I never thought of putting lavender and orange together until I saw this!

Sitting area with reclaimed doors

Sourcing:

Carter chair via Mitchell Gold and Bob Williams

Sofa via Restoration Hardware, Coffee Table via Wisteria, Rug via Calypso Home

Happiness is an Organized Closet

or Dressing Room if you are lucky enough!  Happy March:)  I cannot remember ever being this excited for Spring, but I am practically bursting this year!  To celebrate the arrival of warmer weather and blooming flowers I have been doing some spring cleaning focused specifically on my closet.  I am so done with all of the big dark sweaters of fall and winter and am getting much pleasure packing them up into bins for summer storage.  And pulling out some of my stuff from last spring and summer is like shopping without depleting your bank account.  Every year I vow that I am going to keep my super teeny tiny closet organized and beautiful all season long.  We will see how that goes, for now I am using these photos as inspirations.

Aerin Lauder Dressing Room via Elle Decor

Windsor Smith via House Beautiful

Jenna Lyons Dressing Room

Olivia Wilde Dressing Room via InStyle

Laura Vinroot Poole (Owner of the Poole Shop in Charlotte) via Domino

via Elle Decor

Kaihoi Closet via House Beautiful - This closet is probably most similar in size to mine (sad!) and the key to this closet according to the owners is careful wardrobe editing.  I do love the pop of painted red in contrast to the soft pale pink wallpaper

Nicky Hilton Closet via InStyle - the contrast of the white and black and the glass doors - LOVE!

How could I collect closet and dressing room photos and not include a Carrie Bradshaw closet?  via hookedonhouses.net.  I know you were probably expecting the heavenly white closet from the movie, but I actually like this closet better for me.  Kind of like Goldilocks I think this one is just right:)

I love the chandeliers in these dressing rooms - if I ever get myself a dressing room it will most definitely have some sort of beautiful chandelier.  Quality matching wood hangers are a must - I did invest in some years ago and have never regretted it.  As I am going through my previous spring and summer items I am making piles of dry cleaning (wow is that a big pile!), tailoring, donate, and consign.  It is hard at first, but it really feels great to purge the items you are not using.  Then the fun part is assessing if there are any holes that need filling - dresses, sweaters possibly a wedge.

Instant Room!

Remember my friend I pulled the living room inspirations for?  Based on some of the photos that she connected with I started sourcing some pieces I think she might like:

I have an obsession with throw pillows - I want them all!  Getting pillows made from custom fabric can get really pricey really quickly when you have to order a minimum of 3 or 4 yards and you only need a couple of pillows.   I really like Celerie Kemble's fabric so I did a search on Etsy and found a bunch of pillows already made!

To gain the most longevity from larger pieces of upholstered furniture I think solids or very subtle prints in classic colors are the best choice.  You can always get some pillows or throws in trendier colors and patterns and change them out as often as you like!

I am a big fan of versatility.  This piece is a buffet, but in this room I envision it serving as a catch all storage piece floating under a flat screen tv.  For entertaining add a shiny silver tray on top and set up a mini bar.  This would also be lovely repurposed later in an office, dining room or entry.

Celerie Kemble Pillows via Etsy, Hollywood Chair via Hickory Chair, Robert Abbey Turquoise Lamp, WS Home Sofa, Madeline Weinrib Brooke Rug, Viceroy Buffet Baker Studio

Dreaming of a Beach Getaway

We are experiencing some lovely spring like weather this week!  I enjoyed lunch outside on the patio and plan on dining al fresco tonight as well.  With temperatures soaring into the 70's today I am already getting in summer vacation mode.  All I can think of is long sunny days, margaritas and the beach!  In the past few years I have rented some beach chic homes on the Outer Banks.  How lucky we are to live so close to such beautiful beaches.  I must admit I do dream of what it would be like to summer in the Hamptons.  And who can blame me for dreaming when the following homes all share a Hamptons address!  Dream along with me...

Ahhh...The Hamptons - via House Beautiful, designers Kim Coleman and Michele Green

I spy Lulu DK bedding!

This chic living room and the following are via Elle Decor, designer Scott Currie

 This charming gate and the following photos are via House Beautiful, owner Leslie Klotz

In my Hamptons fantasy I am wearing something along these lines:

J Crew Handbag, Navy Blue striped sweater, Hudson Jeans, Tory Burch Sandals