BLOG - inspiration

Just a bit of what's inspiring me this week......

A few things that are inspiring me today. In no logical order and without rhyme or reason....

I want to take a stroll here....

One of my favorite finds of 2011 was tumblr.com. At this point I am not sure how I would survive without it. I use my main account dreamanddwell to keep track of the many sources of inspiration that I come across on a daily basis. We also use tumblr to interact with clients and to share images amongst ourselves at the office. After a year of using tumblr, I am finally ready to share it with you all!

If you have a tumblr account, please follow me at www.dreamanddwell.tumblr.com

One of the things I love about tumblr is that it gives me the freedom to blog and post in real time and without having to frame the things I love with text. At times it is completely random, running the gamut from witty phrases to gorgeous photos. Below is a sampling of some of my favorite recent images and posts.

...and don't forget, www.dreamanddwell.tumblr.com !!!

Always a fan of the peacock! You will see this is a reoccurring theme on my tumblr page. I just can't get over that something so colorful, ordered, and gorgeous is a product of nature!

Some more natural beauty!!!

To Die For!! I wish this was my house!!!

I want to be here!

From a dream....

Simply cool...

Hello beautiful!

Whoever said contemporary is cold??? Doesn't that room look so surprisingly cozy?

Always a fan of a great color study

All photo credits available on www.dreamanddwell.tumblr.com

When it comes to interiors and decor, red can be a very powerful and beautiful color. Red Rooms have their place in history as well. The Red Room at the White House is one of the most photographed spaces of the president's residence and often used to entertain in more informal settings. 

Red Room of the White House as decorated for a State Dinner. Image from MSNBC

While not for the faint of heart, painting a room red can result in gorgeous rooms with an unparalleled warmth. 

From House Beautiful

Dining Room by Brian McCarthy

A Living Room Designed by Thomas Peasant

Kenneth Jay Lane's apartment in ELLE Decor

Miles Redd From ELLE Decor

Studio Annetta

Red Lacquer Media Room by White Webb

Matthew Patrick Smyth in Elle Decor

Maybe you are looking to incorporate red into your home decor without painting the walls of a room. As Red is a powerful color, a little bit does go a long way. The images below show red used in the accents of a room. Try a red velvet sofa, throw pillows, or even a red bookshelf.

Madeline Stuart in Elle Decor

From Apartment Therapy

A Red Painted Ceiling by Mary McDonald

Mary McDonald

Green has always been one of my favorite colors. There is something so fresh and crisp about green. Below are some images that I found of green interiors. Enjoy!

The next two pictures are from my old apartment. When I purchased the apartment, the floors were beat up and quite boring. Replacing them was not in the budget so instead I decided to stain them a shade darker than kelly green. It really gave the place a unique look.

I am contemplating a bit of a do-it-yourself project this weekend: painting wide horizontal stripes in my guest bedroom.  The goal here is to liven up the room without breaking the bank. A bit of inspiration before diving in....

The dress on the top left is by Minnie Mortimer, hat:unknown, interior shot unknown, dress on bottom left is by free people, paint swatches are Benjamin Moore Simply White on Left and Balboa Mist on right and the background is Farrow and Ball Wallpaper.

After doing quite a bit of research online and scouring inspiration images, I stumbled across Emily Clark's blog. She gives excellent instructions, including what not to do, and I am hopeful I will be able to pull this off! One of my concerns is that the bedroom in question has a narrow entry hall (corners!) and a sofit running across a long wall near the ceiling. This means that I am going to have to be very careful with the placement of the lines and really plan my strategy ahead of time.

The following two images are from Emily Clark's room before and after. Doesn't it make such a difference?! I love how such a simple technique adds a level of sophistication. This is exactly what I am hoping to achieve in my own home.

Another useful source was the blog Young House Love. If you are contemplating any do-it-yourself project, I highly recommend them as a great source.

 Below are a few great images of striped walls, both vertical and horizontal.  Elle Decor has a great gallery of images for striped walls. Some of them are shown below as well as some others I found along the way. Enjoy!

Elle Decor Above

Elle Decor.

Here the designer has used a gorgeous Black and White Clarence House silk stripe. I have long admired this fabric and think this is such a great application! I am glad to see that someone found a place for it!

The above image is from Elle Decor as well and is perhaps my very favorite of the bunch. This Pierre Frey fabric on the walls is to die for.

^{From Here}

^{Below Tori Mellot's Often Photographed Chic Manhattan Apartment}

And Jenna Lyon's nursery below.

An Eric Cohler designed shower above

From Shelter Pop

From Shelter Pop

From Here

Source Unknown