Birds in Design

I love birds!  I love watching them in my backyard. I enjoy hearing them sing like a choir at dusk. I pretty much like everything there is to do with birds.  I recently got my Pottery Barn catalog in the mail and they had this wonderful embroidered bird pillow that just caught my eye.  I am not one that really likes a thematic room, but I think every home needs touches of items that the homeowner loves.  One does have to be careful to not over do. Since I love birds I  notice items when they have birds on them.  I thought it might be fun to see what all is out their for us bird lovers.  Care to join me?

Lovely bedding with birds, beautiful soft turqouise background.

Subtle,soft blue with just two small birds at the top. This is a way to put birds in your home without it becoming too thematic.

This amazing chandelier is from Anthropologie. It is a bit pricey, but what a statement piece with just the smallest of birds on the crystals.

 

Wouldn't this be darling in a nursery?

Ballard Designs

What a fun laundry basket and it folds down.

I love the white and black combination here.

Pottery Barn

Another nice piece from Anthropologie a bit pricey at $3,998, but what a statement piece.

Great simple artwork with just silouehettes of birds on a gorgeous color of turqouise

What a statement these wonderful bird prints make in this dining room.

A place to hang your purse.

Birds on a wire for Horchow

Lamp also for Horchow. If you were to put this and the chair in the same room it would be overdone and what I consider a thematic room. Using themed accessories is tricky and you have to use restraint when doing so.

This room is done by the talented author Jenny of the blog Little Green Notebook. She is so clever and always has a new idea and a fresh approach. Be sure and visit her blog. I just love my visits there.

This is new for Pottery Barn. I think this is so unique!

Another very unique use of birds. Each swan could be used as a shelf but here they are just using it as a wall sculpture

As you can see there are many ways to add birds to your designs.  Doing it tastefully is so easy with the variety of images in the market place. Remember just don't go over-board and have so many that they are no longer special in of themselves, but they become a large group making an overly decorated thematic room. I have a little saying that has worked for me in my,"Good life of design."

Big is better, Less is More

I know this is not for every one and I always tell my clients it has to make you smile and feel happy inside when you look at it. I go home to the house that I love and I want you to feel that way about your own home.

"Enjoy the Process" Of: Adding something from nature, like birds, to your rooms.

Kathysue

Kate Spade

Kate Spade's store on 5th Avenue

I love Kate Spade designs they are bright and cheerful and somewhat Preppy! All of which I really like. I just recently ran across some pictures of her weekend Hamptons cottage. Now I  like her design aesthetic even more. Let's face it all of us would love to have a home in the Hamptons. It is on my dream list. Remember that is a list that is not attainable but still fun to dream about. The same woman that designs these.......

.......Designed this cottage

All the colors I love!!

See why I love Kate Spade? How do you feel about her? Inquiring minds want to know!!

"Enjoy the Process" Of: Studying the design aesthetics of some of your favorite designers.

Kathysue

OUTDOOR MIRRORS

Yesterday's post was on fences and I mentioned wanting to add a mirror to the Great Wall so with that in mind I thought I would do a post on using mirrors outdoors.

I love mirrors!  Not so much for viewing my own reflection, but for what they can view in a room; or, even outside. I put mirrors outside. I have two, soon to be three, in my back yard and one on my front porch. I was first inspired by O Magazine's cover. It showed Oprah in her yard in front of a brightly colored yellow table with a large mirror hanging among the greenery with a wreath around it covered in lemons. I thought to myself, "I love mirrors and I have a whole wall of ivy on my back fence. I am going to go and buy a cheap, inexpensive round mirror and put a grapevine wreath around it, minus the lemons." I not only have one, but I put two on that fence covered in ivy. It is so fun watching the blue jays squawk at themselves and peck at the mirror because they think it is another bird. So far no breakage and it has been up there for I believe about 8 yrs. Here is my back yard and my mirrors.....

You can see the mirrors are nestled into the ivy and they are covered with a grapevine wreath to keep it looking more of a natural element. Seriously, I just bought the cheapest framed round mirrors I could find and wired the grapevine wreath onto it and then wired the whole thing onto the ivy. I found some other images to share with you. I hope this inspires you to add some reflective mirrors to your outdoors......

I really like this idea. I have several old iron gates sitting in my garden that I could add a mirror too.

For the more contemporary home, these steel mirrors are wonderful.

Check out the garden topiaries, amazing.

As you can see the ideas are abundant. Start looking around your yard and think of some places you can put a mirror.  As in your home you want it to reflect something pretty. I hope this gave you something to reflect on. ( sorry I just could not resist.)

"Enjoy the Process" Of: Using mirrors in unexpected ways.

Kathysue