Kate Spade's Bedroom

Matters of Style blog published a great post today about grasscloth that I really enjoyed!  It inspired me to post a picture of my own.  

A while ago I came across an article about Kate Spade's home she shares with her husband in New York.  I was so taken with this particular photo that it has made it to the top of my dream house files.  I had already planned to use grass cloth in our half bath, but abstract art has now been added to the plans for that room.  Take a look: 

It feels to me both sophisticated and natural all at the same time - I guess it's the contrast that makes it so striking.  

(Love the lamp too, by the way)

What do you think?

Terrific Trays

Lately I have been seeing so many fun images with trays used in various ways that I thought I would sort through my archives in order to share a few of my favorites.  Here are some inspiring ideas that I have come across:

{furbish}

So sexy!  I would love this in a master bedroom or a living room for a little bit of edge.

 Very classy sofa table using a tray. 

(Notice also the glass apothecary jar on the coffee table that I wrote about here.)

This type of arrangement always looks classic and elegant with a great mix of masculine and feminine.  Notice the mint julep cup - I love those.  More on that in a future post!

I like this tailored yet natural look with the woven tray/basket.

 There is that sexy tray again.  How fun to use it as a cocktail bar! 

What a nice look for this classy bath. 

So crisp and clean - almost feels like a great hotel!

And what about this one?  I could picture this in the entry of a

great country house in New Hampshire.

The ever chic Hermes Orange in a great arrangement. 

Again, notice the apothecary jar as well as the zebra rug.  I think these two items could be used almost anywhere. 

Any other great ideas for trays in beautiful decor?  I have many more images so I think another post on this topic will follow sometime soon...

Apothecary Jars

My husband and I have a coin collection from our travels that is fun to look through once in a while.  The kids love them too - they are curious to see the designs of each country and then hear about the adventures for each location.  I thought that it would be neat to display the collection in apothecary jars, so on my trip to the US last year I bought several in different shapes and sizes.  They are safely stored away in the US, awaiting our return.  :)

Since then I have come across a lot of other great images using the jars in a variety of ways.  I love it when I buy something that be re-purposed so the look doesn't go stale.  I am excited to put all of these ideas to use.  The possibilities are endless, but here are a few ideas: 

Put candies in canisters for a playful kids' (or grown-up!) birthday party.  It also looks great in a range of colors within a hue to match the theme of a wedding, or in black and orange for Halloween, candy canes for Christmas, etc.

You get the idea!


How great it is this?  You could use them in a kitchen to hold pastas or other pantry items.  I love the whole composition actually - open shelving, beautiful vinegars on display - even the cookbook is one of my indulgent cooking faves:  Feast: Food to Celebrate Life

{Pottery Barn}

 This would be fitting for a wine tasting party or an Italian feast

paired with a variety of great wines.

{Martha Stewart}

A chic, simple, natural Fall look.  Not exactly apothecary jars but it could still work!

They look so pretty in a bathroom holding sand and shells, or a nice collection of bath soaps and salts.  I plan to use the soaps that I have collected on my travels through Europe in my canisters, including the ones I wrote about here from Portugal.

{Pottery Barn}

I love to go on forest walks with my kids to see what we can find, so I created something similar to this soothing Fall display with them this year.  It was a great way for us to explore nature, spend time together and bring the “design” home with us.  To glam it up a bit, the kids and I painted some pinecones and sticks with with a bit of matte gold paint.  It looked beautiful October through December!

I thought this was a really beautiful, easy way to smarten up a bath. 

Add an orchid in a pretty pot and some inexpensive glass bottles and you get instant elegance!

{Pottery Barn}

They are great paired with some simpler glass containers to hold holly, ornaments, cranberries, floating candles, pinecones, etc. on a table or mantel. 

And, of course, even empty they look stunning! 

Are there any other great ideas for these beautiful jars out there?