(Photograph by Pernilla Hed for Skona Hem)
I love when Elissa’s pinning… And if you love the same things - lots of natural texture, navy blue, charcoal grey, persian rugs and kilims, brass sconces, and a laid back look - give her a follow!
(A bunch of the pictures below were found via her Pinterest boards.)
A while ago I posted about my fabric considerations for a sweet vintage (antique?) curvy settee I scored online. I explained what I wanted:
Now, insert loud game-show buzzer sound here. I ordered my fabric and it goes against every one of the above requirements. Ya see, I ordered all of the fabric samples - some I loved just weren’t sturdy enough for my liking. Others had colours that weren’t quite right. And some got weirded-out stares from my husband. But I had ordered another swatch for a completely different project - a black on ivory ticking stripe:
It was exactly opposite of my requirements, but I was finding myself drawn to it, and here’s why:
While the other fabrics were beautiful and fun, I was concerned that in time I’d grow tired of them. And after further inspection of my settee I’m pretty sure it’s going to be a doozy to reupholster - and I don’t want to redo it in only a few years.
Also, over the last year or so I’ve been seriously assessing my personal style. On this blog I curate a collection of images of what I consider great design - and there’s a pretty wide range there. I’m smitten with organic minimalism. I have a growing affinity for midcentury-modern. I appreciate over-the-top eclecticism. I enjoy sparkly glam. I adore rustic industrialism. But as we move towards building our house I find myself needing to reign myself in from all of that inspiration and seriously narrow down the style I really love and want to present in my home. And part of that is using some restraint in some of my choices. The rooms I like best save their colour and pattern for thoughtfully considered pieces. For this settee I want it to be a more flexible, classic piece. Nothing’s as flexible as neutral black and cream. And a ticking stripe is totally classic. It speaks to the humble country vibe I want, but is still elegant and restrained. AND I can dress it up with a vibrant throw or wildly patterned throw pillows that suit my evolving tastes.
Nowadays design styles are not so formally categorized as they once were - traditional, modern, country… Most design melds a few different styles in an eclectic (but not chaotic) mix. So I don’t have to fit into one category. Tonight I did the quiz in the August issue of House & Home, and I think it nailed it:
I’m “Refined Country” with a dose of “Playful Traditional” in the mix.
Country but sophisticated. Rustic, but clean. Traditional but whimsical. Preppy but relaxed. Coastal on the prairies. Detailed but simple.
How about you? In a world (and internet) with an overwhelming variety of inspiration, have you figured out your personal design style?
Do you ever find yourself inexplicably drawn to one colour? I totally do this. Around the time I got married it was a soft celery green. I was so drawn to it and used it so often, my mother-in-law dubbed it “Justine Green”. And then I went through a long turquoise/robin’s egg blue phase which morphed into a teal/peacock blue phase. And I’ve since had a bout with dark orange. (I’ve been adding orange to my living room, which I’ll show you next week.) It’s not that I constantly change my favourite colour. It’s that they’re all my favourite colours. But now and then I find myself really drawn to one colour in particular.
And these days I have a new colour crush. Let’s see if you can tell by two of my favourite new wardrobe items (thank you, Old Navy):
(Got this dress on clearance. It has pockets! And looks great belted. And I want to wear it with cheetah print heels, but everyone tells me that’s crazy.)
(My new bright green jeans. Anyone under 25 thinks these are awesome. Most people over 25 look at me a bit funny. Or they say “Someone’s ready for spring!” But I love them.)
There you go. Emerald Green. Or Kelly Green. Or any hue therein. This weekend seemed like a good time to share some green with you (Early Happy St. Paddy’s Day!) so enjoy some great interiors with some pops of deep green today!
About a bajillion fashion reblogs for you tonight. Sorry for the overload. It’s been a while, and they were all piling up in my “like” box. To anyone considering following, you should know I’m not really a fashion blogger - check the archives for a better feel of what I do…
I could potentially live in this outfit… but with different shoes and a colour scarf.
Outfit by emmimieux featuring zipper jeans
