Thursday, September 30, 2010

Color Inspiration : Pink and Orange

Awaken your senses... Pink and Orange is a refreshing color combination with zest!
Pops of Pink and Orange
Original watercolor paintings and prints available on Etsy.
If you are new to BB&B, thanks for joining! Be sure to sign up for the complimentary newsletter out this November {to your right}, and enter the fabulous giveaway hosted by Pillows and Pillows.
More decorating ideas and
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Wednesday, September 29, 2010

VMFA ~ Picasso: Masterpieces from the Musee National Picasso, Paris

Now is the time to visit the newly renovated Virginia Museum of Fine Arts in Richmond, Virginia. I was so happy to hear that in February 2011, The Virginia Museum of Fine Arts will host the most important exhibition in its history, Picasso: Masterpieces from the Musée National Picasso, Paris. VMFA is the only East Coast venue for the exhibition’s seven-city international tour. The exhibition, which will be on view from February 19 through May 15, 2011, is co-organized by the Musée National Picasso, Paris and the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts.

Interesting fact: It is rumored that Picasso’s first spoken word was, "piz," short for lápiz, the Spanish word for pencil. The first clue that this baby would grow up
to be an artist!
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Anthology Magazine

Have you heard of the new Anthology magazine? It's a new quarterly shelter and lifestyle print magazine that takes a narrative approach to its coverage of home décor, travel, design, entertaining, and culture. I am instantly drawn in by the wonderful front cover!
anthology magazine
Follow Anthology on twitter to receive giveaway notifications they are offering to promote the launch this October 2010 and you can subscribe here.
If you are new to BB&B, thanks for joining! Be sure to sign up for the complimentary newsletter out this November {to your right}, and enter the fabulous giveaway hosted by Pillows and Pillows.

New Watercolor by Laura Trevey

Spruce up your favorite nook, work space, or bookshelf with a splash of color!
Bright Floral Watercolor Painting
Original watercolor paintings and prints available on Etsy.
If you are new to BB&B, thanks for joining! Be sure to sign up for the complimentary newsletter out this November {to your right}, and enter the fabulous giveaway hosted by Pillows and Pillows.

Tuesday, September 28, 2010

Home Renovation: Small Closet to Wet Bar

Meet the Davidsons! Niki and Bradley Davidson, of Davidson Builders Inc., are established Class A contractors specializing in additions for indoor and outdoor living, and renovations ranging from whole house to individual kitchens and bathrooms. On Bright Bold and Beautiful, I will be sharing with you some of their DIY home projects, renovations and decorating ideas. Today, I want to show this fabulous wet bar they converted from a small closet in their own home.
Wet Bar - Renovation
Bradley states, "In the original build, this was simply a closet to fill the wasted space under the staircase. After some time, I realized the lack of use this closet was receiving and came up with the idea to create a small wet bar." The cabinet door front was built to resemble the inset cabinets used in the nearby kitchen and den built-ins. They found a remnant of Vetrazzo recycled glass and concrete counter top which is gorgeous and so unique. They chose a hand hammered stainless steel under mount bar sink from Elkay.

Closet to Wet bar Home Renovation
The shimmering green glass tiles are spectacular and the coordinating green glass door pulls {from Restoration Hardware} tie it all together! Bradley and Niki design everything first class. Even the glass shelves are floating on two stainless clips.
Closet to Wet bar Home Renovation
Can you believe the before and after shots?Closet to Wet bar Home Renovation
Thank you Bradley and Niki for sharing this amazing transformation with us!
Next up with the Davidsons is the updated Mud Room with hard wood seats,
so stay tuned!
More Home Renovations and
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Decorating Ideas for Halloween

Think black for Halloween. Here are some easy and affordable decorating ideas from Country Living to celebrate the Halloween holiday. I love the black tapers
in the silver candelabra!



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Cote de Texas GIVEAWAY!!!!

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One of the Southern Accent’s prettiest bedrooms.  I love the touches of blue – and I especially the collection of framed intaglios.  Designer Jackye Lanham framed the collection of intaglios on some type of blue matting, which in turn makes the intaglios the focal point of the room.

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I love intaglios – of all kinds, whether they are in jewelry or hanging on the walls.   Intaglio is like a cameo, except the carving is inside the stone, not outside like the cameo.    This brooch’s setting is from year 1000, while the stone intaglio comes from the year 337!   The setting is gold with pearls while the intaglio is a blue sapphire. 

 

 

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Here, jeweler Elizabeth Locke shows a similar intaglio brooch – made for today.   Locke tends to use a lot of intaglios in her designs. 

 

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One way to keep intaglios is shown above.   Today, most intaglios are framed and then hung.  This collection of antique intaglios are mounted in a book box which is for sale on 1st Dibs.    The intaglios date from the early 1800s.     Most antique intaglios are from the 18th century and are mementos collected during a grand tour of Europe.   The carvings depict classical Greek and Roman sculpture, as well as subjects of famous paintings.   Today, intaglios are still being made and many of the framed sets are actually new reproductions – as the antiques are exceedingly rare and expensive. 

 

 

 image In this painting, you can a few intaglios that are shown hanging on the walls – not framed.   I love this painting – the carved hall chair, the piece of masonware hanging on the wall, the oval mirror, the ironstone, the portiere, the easel and the book, the busts above the door – many things that are still used in decor today!

 

 

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Here is a living room showing a grouping of framed intaglios surrounding a Louis Philippe mirror.   Many times, numerous framed intaglios are hung together over sofas, as shown here. 

 

image The same room, looking straight onto the symmetrical intaglio arrangement. 

 

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Here Phoebe Howard used a collection of intaglios framed on blue matting to match the quilt. 

 

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I took this picture at Shabby Slips in Austin – two small intaglios on taupe are just the right touch above these twin beds.   Those bed skirts are delicious!!

 

 

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Betty Burgess used a large collection of intaglios to cover the walls of this dining room.  Simply framed on white matting – with one intaglio per frame – the effect is stunning. 

 

 

image At Hanham Court in England, a large collection of intaglios are framed.   Judging by the antiques in this room, I would assume these intaglios are all antique, not reproductions.  At a recent Christie’s auction of Hanham Court items, these intaglios sold for over $3,000.

 

 imageThese intaglios are beautifully framed.  They actually look like antique brooches.   So pretty. 

 

 

imageMy friend Julie has a set of single framed intaglios hanging over her buffet in the living room.

 

 

image I think intaglios look especially pretty next to grays and Swedish furniture.  Here, these framed intaglios are on deep blue mats which bring out the blues in the gray painted corner cabinet.  So pretty!

 

 

 

High contrast – in a brown and white bedroom, these intaglios are framed on dark brown matting.    Here, many different shapes are used to create a symmetrical design. 

 

 

image Elegantly framed intaglios flank a trumeau mirror. 

 

 

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In this Houston powder room, two sets of intaglios hang on a side wall.

 

 image One large framed intaglio collection hangs in another bathroom.  Notice the dark mats that blend into the paint color. 

 

 

 

  image  In a dusty pink bedroom, gray intaglios hang, three over three. 

 

 

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These intaglios are hanging together over a buffet creating a very symmetrical vignette. 

 

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Yes, intaglios can be framed and hung in a contemporary style. 

 

 

 

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I love the way these are hung in front of a bookshelves.  So pretty!

 

 

 

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All different sizes of intaglios are together in this vignette.

 

 

 

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Last year, blogger Things That Inspire written by Holly Street – started, with a friend,  a new business, Quatrefoil Designs HERE.   They sell all different kinds of things – but their main focus is on framed intaglios.   Today, Holly has graciously offered a framed intaglio as a giveaway!!  In this picture of Holly’s dining room, she has hung a collection of 8 of her framed intaglios.   Holly and her husband are in the middle of building a new house.  I can’t wait to see where she will put her collection in her new house.

 

 

 

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Blogger Gina from Willow Decor bought a set of framed intaglios from Quatrefoil for her music room.    I love her antique Swedish furniture mixed with the intaglios.  Soooo perfect and beautiful!   HERE

 

rimage Here’s a close-up picture of Gina’s collection of intaglios from Quatrefoil.

 

 

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Jeanette, from the blog A Passion For Home HERE, is starting a collection of intaglios from Quatrefoil Design.  She bought two “Joni I’s” – yes, inspired by moi.  Jeanette is planning to add to her collection over time- which is a great idea if you are unable to buy an entire collection at once!!

 

 

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Quatrefoil sells these square framed intaglios, called the La Petite.  Quatrefoil’s frames come in gold, silver, and gliver – a combination of the two. 

 

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This arrangement can be purchased in these sizes – called “The Holly Grouping.”

 

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This client of mine had a very narrow main hallway – too narrow for furniture.  Instead, we hung a set of custom sized Quatrefoil intaglios.  Today, this arrangement is called the “Cote de Texas Grouping.”

 

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Here’s a closeup of my client’s frames.  This is the “Cote de Texas Grouping.”

 

THE GIVEAWAY:

Quatrefoil Design has generously denoted a choice of the Joni I or II intaglio, or the Charlotte intaglio, framed.  

 

 

Image of New! The Joni II: Large size 17 3/4" x 21 3/4, 2 intaglios, cropped mat

From the Quatrefoil web site:

“Inspired by a design from Joni of Cote de Texas, our newest offering is sophisticated and beautiful with two intaglios and a close cropped mat to emphasize the beauty of the form. It can be hung alone, and also looks beautiful with the slight variation in the Joni I.” Value $360.00

 

OR:

 

Image of Framed Intaglios - "Charlotte" Design - small size (12 3/4"x16")

“Five reproduction intaglios in a beautiful design that we call "Charlotte."  Intaglios are framed in a custom designed, hand rubbed frame in your choice of gold (pictured) with cream matboard or silver with medium gray inner matboard, light gray outer matboard.”  $295.00 value

 

TO ENTER THE GIVEAWAY:

To enter – simple go to the Quatrefoil Design web site HERE and look around at all their merchandise for sale.  Come back, leave a comment about which item for sale that you particularly like.  That’s all!!  Once you have visited the web site and left a comment here, you will be entered in the giveaway.  

Contest ends this Friday night at 11:59 p.m.

 

Good luck  to all of you and a huge thank-you to Holly of Things That Inspire HERE and Quatrefoil Design HERE

Monday, September 27, 2010

Pillows and Pillows Giveaway

** Update: Michelle, you are the winner! Congrats **
Today I am thrilled to announce the giveaway hosted by Pillows and Pillows! Choose from a huge selection of modern, striped, solid, floral, and retro designs. The winner will choose two of his/her favorite 16"x16" square pillows from Pillows and Pillows, a leader in decorative custom size throw pillows!


To qualify, visit Pillows and Pillows and leave a comment below of your favorites!
Let me know if you Tweet it, Blog it and/or share it on Facebook.
Include how you follow BB&B : Facebook, bloglovin, or Google friend connect. Winner will be announced on Friday!
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Monday Inspiration

"When you arise in the morning, think of what a precious privilege it is to be alive
- to breathe, to think, to enjoy, to love."
Marcus Aurelius
I often get caught up in the daily routine and what I am working to achieve, that I have to stop and appreciate what I already have. Happy Monday to you!!

Saturday, September 25, 2010

Back in Black

Back in Black Etsy finds... From art and home decor to clothing and jewelry,
black makes a dramatic statement.
Black and White

Best of the Week on BB&B

Best of the week on BB&B
and always more chandelier love...
Enter your e-mail into the box to the right for the BB&B newsletter out in November!
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photo: Spring '11 Jonathan Saunders and Gucci via Style File