Desk Styling

Southern Living
Small Space Organizing

I need a desk revamp

My office is a desk in a corner of my bedroom

The desk is great, but the desktop could use some style.

I grabbed a classic column lamp from another room and redeployed it to  my desk.

Now, I am craving something more expressive like this white leopard lamp. 

I purchased some faux shagreen desk accessories, all in white. Adding a stationery boxes would be delightful, but I rarely use stationery at my desk. An attractive mouse would be more appropriate.

It is too bad that mouses don't look  more like this. 

Rather than this...

A search for a green mouse brings up this beast straight from star wars. 

Not a mouse in the lovely color of these boxes.

So, I continue contemplating, trying to find the perfect melding of form and function.

Making minor tweaks and improvements until...

I find the perfect combination

Of inspiration and perspiration that makes

for a great workspace.

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What I am pinning: Final Christmas Touches

Martha Stewart Ombre Glittered Bells

via the website

My pins are no longer focused on time intensive crafts but are now centered on the small goods and simple items for table tops.

Antique Mercury glass ornaments as place cards

Lonni Paul from Traditional Home

Christmas Tree 2014

All the trees are up, but still, I'm scrambling into home plate for Christmas! 

I doubt I can even spare the time to make a Wreath Witherspoon not to mention AWreatha Franklin.

AWREATHa Franklin from Twitter

FrontGate via Traditional Home

I like the idea of putting small presents about the house, not just confined to under the tree. The focus of attention is on all the small details to be completed. For example, tags still need to be created

Last year I created chalkboard gift tags in Photoshop. 

Tags by In My Own Style
website

This year I am thinking of something more retro.

How are you doing? Hope everyone is having a Merry Christmas or a Happy Hanukkah!

Algerian Red

Library, Charles Faudree pinned from
Home and Lifestyle Design Blog

Two popular searches which bring viewers to my blog are "Charles Faudree favorite colors" and "Algerian Red paint number." I don't have an exhaustive list of his favorite paint colors. All of these paints are by Pratt and Lambert. I remember the stir in the design community caused when the company was bought by Sherwin Williams. One major paint store in Tulsa stopped carrying the brand! I spec'ed the paint and used it after the take over, but stopped using Pratt and Lambert not long after I moved to this area. The nearest retailer stopped carrying Pratt and Lambert paint and those who do are quite a distance from me. Though Pratt and Lambert has changed their paint line names and numbers, paint stores which carry the line usually have the old formulas and can mix the paint.

First on the list is Algerian Red, 1897. This was the wow color which grabbed everyone's attention. 

Charles Faudree, Algerian Red

Algerian Red is a deep, rich, blue red with little white and is very similar to the red found in the drummer boy military jackets he collected. As it has so little white, it is necessary to prime before painting. The color is similar to Ralph Lauren's hunting coat red. This color pairs well with black doors,blue and white china and crisp white trim. 

Benjamin Moore Ivory White, 925 via Homebunch 

Benjamin Moore 925 is an excellent pairing...

Benjamin Moore White Dove, OC-17

As is OC-17, white dove.

Ralph Lauren, Hunting Coat Red

the Thoroughbred Collection

Ralph Lauren, Hunting Coat Red
the Thoroughbred Collection

How different is the Pantone color of the year Marsala from Algerian Red? Well, Marsala is a color which is one we would say is muddier, and a bit paler, as you can see below.

Marsala                                 Algerian

Which color would you prefer?

What I am Pinning: Christmas Inspirations

When it comes to Christmas trees, several styles capture my imagination. I love a traditional Christmas tree with old fashioned ornaments. A tinsely mid-century look with vintage or reproduction Shiny-Brite ornaments is another favorite. These American made ornaments were very popular in the 1940's and 1950's, and even into the 1960's.

Themed Christmas trees, ranging from sophisticated one color trees

Gregory Allen Cramer
NYC Holiday House
via Traditional Home

Nouveau Classics

via BuzzFeed

to the avant-garde 

to woodland wonders are all fascinating.

These wonderfully creative ideas above, are inspiring me to make some other tree plans. It's a cone, after all, and there are many ways to create a cone.

At least the tree is done...

Is this season crazy for anyone else? 

Soon, stockings and garland will be installed on the stairs. 

The Nutcrackers will be standing guard.

But, 

at least for now,

 the tree is up, and yes, that tree was smaller on the lot!

What I am Pinnning: Black is the new Black

Habitually Chic's latest posting and pins caught my eye with the hash tag #blackfriday. I definitely concur. We accidentally shopped on Black Friday and have steadfastly avoided it since then! Though shopping on Black Friday is off my list, posting and pinning black rooms and other inspirations is on my do list.

This beautiful table setting from Smitten Studio topped my list of pins. I pinned a few things, some in Dining and some in Style, when I realized I needed a new board dedicated to 'Black'. Why not? I have 'Color'. Why not a pin board devoted to the absorption of all light and therefore the absence of color, aka Black.

I found a lot of black cabinets to love.

Pretty soon, I began to notice a bit of a recurrence in my pins. These black pendants are stunning. I am conspiring to test out this DIY:

I have always loved this bowl from Ikea, used for the DIY. Pretty annoyed that it seems not to be available in the US anymore.

Looks like the dish is the only thing available, at least for now.

The gold / brass and black combination is a classic, whether in fashion...

or in furniture...

or interiors.

I found a lot of inspiration pinning on this #BlackFriday. What inspires you?

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