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Sometimes you just need a little filler décor on your bookshelves or table tops. We just received these darling ceramic vases in various sizes and colors.
I love the elegance of this set of 3 off-white ceramic vases. They are very small, only 3 1/2” to 6 /2” high, and cost $39.99 for the total set of 3.
Another fun set are these round vases which are a bright, tomato red. They come in small, medium and large and are about 4” h to 8”h (the large is actually quite big) and range from $14.99 to $49.99.
We would love to have you stop in to see all the new accessories!
I have been decorating a lot of bedrooms recently and one item that seems to take the most time is the configuration of the bedding. And not just how many pillows, but how many standard pillows, king pillows, euro pillows and decorative pillows? Which pillows match the coverlet and which match the duvet?
Getting the bedding right is one of the key elements for a great looking bedroom. Everyone has a different approach, but one key item for me is not to have too many pillows. It isn’t just the men that think that too many pillows get in the way.
So, where to start?
I usually start with an inspiration fabric that will be used as an accent, such as the decorative pillow. I stick with classics for most of the bedding (white or off-white). Good bedding is a worthwhile investment and it should last you for many years to come. You will likely tire of a pattern long before your bedding needs to replaced, so I like to put the accent fabric on elements like decorative pillows which you can replace in a few years.
I also choose to do either decorative king/standard shams (depending on the bed size) or Euro shams, unless I have a client that requests both. This saves you (or your husband) from piling up at least 5 pillows on the floor every night.
For a king bed I use either 2 king shams or 3 euro shams. For a queen either 2 standard shams or 2 euros. I have occasionally used 3 euros on a queen when a plusher look was desired.
I also like to use 1 king sham on a twin bed as a decorative pillow because I think a standard sham can look a little lost.
The pillows are then topped with only 1 or 2 accent pillows.
Next, I often use a ‘coverlet’ or ‘bed cover’ in a solid color to cover the majority of the bed, such as seen in this photo:
Here the coverlet drapes over the bed, whereas in the first photo the coverlet is tucked in. The coverlet is often machine washable, which is great if you have pets or kids.
To finish off the bed, you may want to use something at the foot of the bed. Duvets have been popular over the past few years, however in places like Texas they are often too heavy, even if you get the light weight or summer weight versions.
I find myself using a nice cashmere blanket, bed scarf or upscale quilted coverlet more frequently.
Finally, a few of my favorite resources for nice bedding are:
It may seem expensive, but as I mentioned investing in quality bedding is money well spent. A good bed set should last you many years (I’ve had some last 10-15). If you buy cheap bedding I promise you will end up spending at least the same amount over the same time period. And, if you stick with the neutrals on your key elements you won’t get tired of the pieces.
We would love to help you design a bedroom of your dreams, so feel free to contact us at info@heatherscotthome.com to request more information.
Looking for an interesting bar cabinet or small media piece? How about this pretty wood chest with a rubbed, black finish?
The dimensions are 58”wx44”hx17”d and is $1459.99. It would be great for holding media components because of the open, iron-work panels. Plenty of air flow to keep your cable box from overheating!
Alternatively, it could just be that interesting piece of furniture you have been needing to liven up your boring entry area and provide a more welcoming environment for your guests.
Feel free to contact us at info@heatherscotthome.com if you would like any additional information on this chest.
I just realized it has been awhile since I’ve done some before and after projects. Over the past year I’ve transitioned to designing “full rooms”, where the client and I develop the concept, place orders to design the entire room, and then install all the elements in one day. It is so much fun to go from a ‘before’ to a completely redone ‘after’.
For this project, my client wanted to redesign her master bedroom. She moved into her home about 10 years ago and decorated all the main living areas and just never got around to spending the money on her own room.
Here are our ‘before’ shots:
The client wanted a light and airy look, using white, blue and green, but she was also interested in a pop of color. I was really excited when she said she was open to raspberry.
We agreed to this floorplan layout:
And these key furniture and fabric elements:
And about 10 weeks later, this is what the bedroom looks like ‘after’:
We painted the walls a pale blue/gray shade. Invested in a quality bed with custom upholstery, tufting and nailheads, which really make an impression. A clean lined, but comfortable, sitting chair was added for TV viewing (the TV is in a new built in on the opposite wall).
The home owner had a family heirloom which we used as the nightstand on the left side and we added a new nightstand in a celery green painted finish (no ‘matchy-matchy’ here) on the opposite side.
We also had a custom piece of abstract art (a coastal scene) commissioned for a large area to the left of the nightstand. It is by artist Linda P. Donohue http://www.lpdart.com/ out of California.
My client was very pleased, especially with her custom artwork and bedding with that little pop of raspberry!
If you would like help designing your room from top to bottom, please contact us to find out more about the Heather Scott Home & Design process.
What a unique end table! It is made of metal with scalloped edges. This would be a great piece for those with little ones at home- no sharp edges, no worries if a drink gets spilt, you know the drill.
This little end table is only 16”diameter and 23” high. The perfect little place for a cup of coffee or glass of wine. The end table is all metal and sells for $579.99.
The base is a silver metal shade and there are rubbed gold tones along the seams on the top edges and in between each scallop. I think this table could look great as a more modern element in a room full of older pieces (antiques) or even among some white washed wood furniture.
Come check it and see how it might look in your space!
The rug in a room is the foundation of the design. Many designers choose a rug first and then design around the rug. And, while the design of the rug is important, I would argue purchasing the right size is even more critical. Here are a few tips to help you in selecting the right sized rug for your space:
1) Measure the room the rug is going in and deduct 12 inches from each wall
Many designers like a rug to come within 12 inches of all four walls, so if your room is 10 feet wide by 12 feet long, you would select a rug that is 8 feet wide by 10 feet long.
If you’ve invested a significant amount in nice flooring you may not want to cover that up with a large area rug. In that case, consider going in 18 inches on all sides. This will be your ‘ideal’ rug size.
We all know we can’t always get our ‘ideal’ so your next step is to get as close as you can to the ideal. Whatever you do, don’t buy a rug that is too small. To prevent that from happening, your next step is to:
2) Research your rug options for ‘standard’ sizes and options for custom sizing
Many rugs come in basic sizes such as 5’x8’, 6’x9’, 8’x10’, 10’x14’. Many rug companies stock a plethora of the smaller sizes but your choices get more limited, and more expensive, as you get into the 8’x10’ size and up.
If the style you are looking for doesn’t come in a ‘standard’ size, consider having a carpet (broadloom or natural fiber) custom cut and bound to your specifications.
In a recent project, we had a large family room measuring 21 feet long by approx. 14 feet wide. There are two distinctive sitting areas but I did not think it would look appropriate to have 2 separate rugs. Instead, we had a carpet custom cut to 19 feet long by 12 feet wide.
This custom rug is by one of our favorite companies, Merida Meridian. The rug is a sisal product in this color/pattern and an edge detail in a smoke color.
Believe it or not, the turnaround time can be very quick on this (sometimes as little as 2 weeks) and the cost is less than many large area rugs. The rugs can usually be made up to 12ft wide and any length you want them to be.
This is a great option for an open plan room which has two separate areas that you need rugs for but can’t decide if the rugs should be the same or different.
Custom carpets also give you the option to address issues such as fireplace hearths or corners, such as in this photo.
3) Measure the floor area covered by your existing furnishings to determine the minimum size of your rug if the front legs of all your furnishings are on the rug.
This photo is by a rug company, who are selling a rug, so I am not criticizing them, but you don’t want your furnishings to be off of the rug on the floor as shown here.
In another recent project, the furnishings of the sitting area measured (from the media piece to the console behind the sofa and the space between the 2 chairs) measured 10’x11’.
The front door is in this room so we didn’t want a rug that filled the whole space and would get too dirty quickly. Additionally, budget was an issue, so we wanted a rug that was a smaller scale. We decided a 9’x12’ would work just fine because the front legs of all the upholstered furniture could easily rest on the rug.
We used this rug from Dash & Albert which came in a 9’x12’ (largest size) and was only $414.
Here you can see it fills the space nicely and all the furniture fits on it well.
Now you are ready to determine what size rug you need to go buy.
One last ‘frequently asked question’ is what size you need for your dining room. Follow the same process to determine the size, but keep in mind you will want at least 2’ of the rug extending on all 4 sides of the table. It is recommended that you buy the rug to fit the size of the table in its ‘everyday’ state, not with any leaves added, unless you normally leave them in.
We have plenty of great rugs to select from so feel free to contact the store if you are having trouble finding the right rug for your space.
Happy rug shopping!
We have a new pair of these beautiful mirrored nightstands. They are quite petite if you have a small space- perfect for a guest bedroom or a bungalow home. These chests are approx. 18”d x 24”w x 30”h and sell for under $650.
We know a lot of people struggle to find a nightstand on the smaller scale and these are really nice. The mirror is antiqued, the edges are a rubbed champagne color. There are 3 functional drawers to hide away books and clutter! These chests will look great in any home.
I feel like I’ve been traveling since December! Where did January go? I just returned from Little Rock and my new 2012 Mastermind Design Group with Tobi Fairley. I learned so much last year I signed up again.
While I was there, I found out some exciting news! I was awarded a scholarship from the company One Kings Lane to attend the Design Bloggers Conference in LA. One Kings Lane was offering only five scholarships to attend this amazing event and I was really honored to be selected to receive one.
The benefits of the scholarship are that One Kings Lane is funding my attendance at the event, I will receive special recognition at the event and will have the opportunity to guest blog on the Design Bloggers Conference website profiling how I got started, sharing details of my blog, and my aspirations.
That is one more trip in February, but I am not complaining! I can’t wait. The conference is February 26-28th. The event is at Millennium Biltmore Hotel in Los Angeles. I had to laugh when I found out the location. While this hotel is known for its historic architecture and storied past, Scott and I have a less elegant memory.
We stayed there several years ago when I ran the LA Marathon. After the race was finished, we walked back to the hotel and took a shortcut through the back door and ran right into a Britney Spears music video shoot. I was too tired at that point to really take an interest (this was back when she was pretty big time), but Scott and I have occasionally laughed about how we were nearly in her video.
The conference includes hours of great content, such as how to use social media more effectively, differentiating your blog as well as key topics such as interior design trends. One of the main keynote speakers is Martyn Lawrence-Bullard, of Bravo’s Million Dollar Decorators series (as well as decorator to many Hollywood celebs). You should check out his work here:
This is the design for actress Ellen Pompeo which Lawrence-Bullard did. We also carry his new line of fabrics from Schumacher if you haven’t seen them, they are fab!
Another key speaker is Bunny Williams.
Bunny has a retail store, furniture line (Beeline Home), books and a blog, in addition to her interior design.
The conference has a ton of other great speakers, including Tobi Fairley and Kimberly Sheldon. If you blog about design I encourage you to sign up as soon as possible! I know several individuals attending (mostly from my mastermind group) and everyone is very friendly.
If you can’t make it to the event, you should follow updates on Twitter (@designblogconf, @heatherscotthom) and see if there are any live broadcasts online (http://design-bloggers-conference.com/). If really can’t get there, I’ll be sure to share with you what I’ve learned when I get back!
I don’t know about you, but I have no luck keeping a plant alive in my home! I love orchids and they always just end up looking like dead sticks. I gave up trying when we found a company in California which makes the most beautiful orchids. Even when you touch them you can’t tell they aren’t real!
We just received a new shipment which has some of our favorite stand-bys as well as a few new arrangements and/or containers we haven’t had before. The orchids start at $89 and go up to $500.
A less expensive orchid usually has one or two stems and comes in a ceramic container, such as shown here.
The more expensive ones are built in ‘vintage’ containers. The containers are all at least 40 years old and are ‘one of a kinds’. They are predominately Asian items such as rice buckets, rice scoops and tofu or vegetable buckets. I love the character of the wood on these arrangements. You might be able to make out the detail on these two pieces:
Here are some of the newer versions we haven’t had before. These containers are a little more transitional.
In addition to the white orchids, we also have some red orchids and succulent planters. You have to come in and see for yourself how realistic they are- we’ll be looking for you!
