A Room of Her Own

What a great room for a woman's retreat.........book-lined walls, a comfy sofa in a well lit reading corner, a nice-sized table for paperwork, crafts or sewing, pretty gingham and striped fabrics, a co-ordinating lamp shade, lots of extra seating to invite your friends in and finally, a soothing color scheme of green, pink and white.

The table under the window could easily be used as a desk to hold a computer and provide more work space, to hold an easel to paint or create, or perhaps even a small dining space.

But, then, it depends on how you look at things - sometimes a 'retreat' is just that.........no 'work' and used strictly for relaxation (like last week's room).  Or, do you prefer a multi-purpose room tucked away for your use only?

This room works either way.

Have a great weekend!

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A Liz Caan Kitchen

This homey kitchen in a former carriage house came about when the homeowner found this aubergine Aga range on sale and had her designer, Liz Caan, design the kitchen around it.

Notice this stove is actually two stoves combined - an original Aga on the right which stays on all the time and actually heats the room (popular in cooler climates like the U.K.) and a two-oven gas range on the left designed for U.S. markets.  Combined, they appear to be one range - what a great idea!

                 

After finding the island they liked, the designer realized it was too small for the space and had an extension added to each side.  The cabinetry colors were then chosen to blend with the island.

The dining area seating and full size kitchen carpet add to the homey feel.

Love the gingham fabric and skirted farmhouse sink.

The brass tap and wooden handle reflect the history of the carriage house.

To see more of this kitchen, please click here.

Liz Caan Interiors

TBT - Lynn von Kersting

It's been a while since we've seen any new designs by Lynn von Kersting........she was everywhere about ten years ago and is still popular on Pinterest.

I happened to have Diedre Hall's studio dressing room by Lynn and it has all the hallmarks of a von Kersting design - a mix of wonderful fabrics (chintz, gingham, silk, small checks), books, fresh flowers, botanical wall art, seashells, many, many colors combined beautifully and a dash of antiques and pop art.

In this small room alone, I see green walls along with accent colors of red, yellow, mauve, blue, pink, turquoise, navy blue, red and white stripe and leopard print.

If one was talking about putting all those colors together in one small room, we would think it would never work!  But with Lynn von Kersting, it works every time.

Loved her signature look then and still do!
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Decorating Magazine 2006

Moodboard Monday - French Blue and Red

Veranda

I had to include this rare red owl with those beautiful blue eyes.

House Beautiful

Chinoiserie Chic

Tobi Fairley

Wendy Valliere

Wendy Valliere

Carolyne Roehm

Charles Faudree

Homes and Antiques

Mark D. Sikes

Sarah Richardson

Susi Rydahl

Artymcgoo

Fullerview

Fullerview

And last, but certainly not least, I could not resist this little fellow dressed in his beautiful blue and red........looking like he's enjoying the streets of Paris!!

TBT - Guest Room

John Mayfield & Gay Ratliff

House & Garden

1998

Tables for Two

Aren't these tables darling for cozy dining at home?  

As empty nesters, we now eat in front of the tv most days.  It seems strange for just the two of us to sit at a formal dining room table for our meals. There's no tv in the kitchen, so we don't want to eat there.  There's a table and a large screen tv in my art studio, but so are all my projects, so we won't eat there.  My husband has a dining table in his mancave, but with a large screen tv and sports blaring in the background, I can't eat there.  So, it's our living room where we meet for lunch to watch 'The View' and dinner in the evening while we watch the news.

So, I'm setting up a small table for two in front of one of our large living room windows.......just like below........then everyday will be cozy 'dining for two'.

Wish me luck!  And have a wonderful day!!