Lovely Living Rooms

A few of my favorite living rooms as of late...they all seemed to lean toward elegant, with muted colors and a bit of a romantic flair.  I have noted what I think makes each room special.  See you what you think and let me know!

Amazing arched french doors!!!

 

Soaring ceilings + stunning chandelier + eclectic furniture = beautiful!

 

This mossy green velvet and the sultry shape of those chairs gives the room some great kick!



The arches make the room feel open without it being a completely open floor plan.



The religious artefacts give this room so much character.

Gentle spice colors, that chandelier and the crest over the mantel make for a great space!

More from my recent infatuation with John Jacob!

The touches of soft blue make this room very easy on the eyes.

A bit more rustic:  what an interesting coffee table.



Lots of unique accents in this room make it woth a second look.

 

 

A very traditional setting, but with unique furniture selections that make it unexpected.

So cozy!  Perfect for a cold Fall day...

I hope you enjoyed this post! 

Sources and more Lovely Living Rooms can be found here.

John Jacob Interiors: Intriguing South African Design

I have been intrigued by African Design since a trip to Africa in 1999.  In South Africa specifically, I think they combine the influences of their coastal location with their history of colonial elegance and then add in exotic and ethnic touches.  What a powerful combination!  I love it when my wanderlust and design intersect like that.  :)

I recently became acquainted with the wonderful blogger Sharon from Roses and Rust from South Africa and she introduced me to the work of John Jacob Zwiegelaar.   I was blown away by his unique style.  My favorite rooms all have a sumptuous blend of white, black and lush greens...

Notice how he recognizes the African setting, but in a very sophisticated way.

Love the butterflies.  My mind goes straight to Livingstone!

Killer botanicals and a nod to the coastal setting.



Very chic swimming.

More coastal influences in a warm setting.

You may have seen this dining room before.  I know I had, and it really got my attention. 

The lighting is very unique, and of course I went crazy for the succulents!

I could pull up on my boat and sit up on that balcony and watch the sunset...yep, I could definitey do that.

What do you think of the bugs?

 

A simple vignette inspired by nature.

 

I hope you enjoyed this post!  Thanks so much for reading.

Just Plain Loveliness...

A few random spaces that I have come across lately that I think are nothing short of gorgeous!  My dog is looking at me with her big puppy dog eyes, begging for a walk, so I'm going to let the pictures speak for themselves! 

Enjoy...

Until tomorrow I'll be envisioning myself blogging from a dreamy spot like this one...

I'd love to hear if any of these struck a cord with you, too.  Let me know!

Sources and more "Just Plain Loveliness" can be found here.

Santa Fe Style

Today I started looking at homes from the incredibly beautiful artist enclave of Santa Fe, New Mexico.   Admittedly all of these images aren't from homes in Santa Fe, but they all fall under the same spell of this gorgeous asthetic:

The rug, the lanterns, the simple adornments and of course THAT CUPBOARD. 

Love the steps and the rounded corners on all of the walls, and the alcoves...

The colors are so vibrant!

Although this room is pretty empty and appears to be staged for a sale,

I liked this modern, cleaner take on the design...

This room and the next one are from a beautiful boutique hotel, The Inn of the Five Graces.

I like all of the turquoise elements in the room above, which Santa Fe is known for.

Pretty amazing ceiling, right?

Another "clean" version of Santa Fe style.  Notice all of the great art...I would think my design preferences couldn't help but be heavily influenced by all the incredible talent!

A collection of rakes?  They get credit for being original!

That chest at the foot of the bed is lovely.

I don't think I'll ever live in New Mexico - although you never know what the future holds!

If I do, I'll hang some chilies just like this...

Santa Fe in the Fall...gorgeous!

 

Have you ever been to Santa Fe?

I'm ready to hop on a plane - it would be the ideal girls' weekend destination. 
I've got it:  We can have a blogger conference there!
Who's free next week???  :)

 

 

Click here for sources and more Santa Fe Style inspiration