I Miss Silver Sage!!

I eluded in my last post that I had been to the new Restoration Hardware’s New gallery store in Berkley California a few weeks back. I also mentioned that the interior changes and look of their store left me cold and feeling somewhat down.

I don’t know about you, but I am not sure that is what they are trying to achieve. I have mentioned before that I like color, light and airy so it is a given I will not be comfortable in a dark cave- like room.

Where I feel Restoration Hardware might be shooting themselves in the foot, is the look that they now have does not appear to be very versatile to the masses. The look is so distinctive that you might just have to do your entire room over in order to make their pieces fit.

I read this statement on their website, they started with a quote from Picasso:

“Every act of creation is first of all
an act of destruction

During the collapse of the global economy, we drew inspiration from Picasso’s words and chose not to listen to the conventional wisdom encouraging us to follow the pack and lower quality to reduce prices. Instead, we saw an opportunity to be liberated, abandoning our past to embrace the future, one that has redefined the essence of who we are. No longer mere “retailers” of home furnishings, we are now “curators” of the best historical design the world has to offer

We’ve destroyed the previous iteration of ourselves, clearing the way to express our brand in a never-before-seen fashion.

I would say that they have definitely done some destruction. There is no resemblance of the old Restoration Hardware, which I personally loved .  I always felt so comfortable and serene in their stores. I really do miss Silver Sage walls with wonderful white trim and architecture. I felt they had a variety of colors and looks that would fit into just about any decor.

They did say they were not going to do what is popular or follow the masses and yet, they have done just that. The style they are projecting has been around for quite some time and I think they have dived in head first with no wiggle room.

Here are some room vignettes from the new look of Restoration Hardware. I must say I do love some of the individual pieces and I will point those out. I am just not convinced it is a smart move to go this deep into such a specific look that has been around for awhile.

I must tell you that in the store the walls are a darker shade of gray not this soft light color you see in their catalog which is much more appealing to me. As individual pieces I like most of what I see, but to have an entire room done in this is just too much of a good thing.

The city map is amazing and could be used in other rooms. I also believe a linen sofa is a classic, but give me some colored pillows please!!!

Neutrals, Texture ? Yes, but enough already.

More of the same with the addition of a chesterfield style sofa.

Look familiar. Antler chandelier? This has been done forever!(That was said in my California Valley girl accent)

I rest my case!!

I know many of you in blog land have truly loved this look for a long time and have it in your home. You have become a collector of Swedish, French and Belgian antiques and also have added a few of the industrial pieces. For you this is a look that you love and can relate to, before, during and after Restoration Hardware has moved on.

My whole point is, Why oh Why dive head first into one particular look that has been around for such a long time?! I am just not sure it is the wisest choice. I am not an expert- only a consumer and all of this is IMHO.

How do you all feel about this look? Are you going to jump on the band-wagon?

Enjoy the Process Of:

Really looking at trends realistically and staying true to who you are and what you truly love.

Kathysue

WHAT IS THE POINT OF USING MOLDINGS IN A ROOM???

I love the architecture and interest that moldings can bring to a room
I have been noticing a trend in moldings lately. Have you all noticed that there are some that are painting the walls and the molding the same color?  Sometimes they are even done in the same finish!

I recently went to a Restoration Hardware store and they are completely re-vamping their look and their store. I could do a whole post on just their look, but today I want to talk about their walls and their moldings.

We all know that gray is the new “IT” color and I guess they thought so too.  All the walls and the moldings are painted in a medium value gray and dimly lit by halogen lighting.

I have to say it was depressing. There was no life, no color. The variations in the rooms came in the form of textural differences, but the colors lacked luster at best. I know that this is a particular style trend, but I for one am not impressed with a whole room or house done in this look. The word that comes to mind is “Boring!” IMHO.

I digress, back to moldings and walls painted the same color.  Here are a few examples where the walls and the moldings are painted in the same color.

Next I am going to show you some rooms with a subtle contrast in the colors used for the walls and the moldings.

Now let’s look at high contrast between the colors used on the walls and molding.

What would this room look like with the moldings painted the same color and finish as the walls?

This is what I have concluded from thinking about this new trend. I personally do not like the moldings and the walls painted in the same color and finish. I prefer contrast, whether it is subtle or a high contrast.

I think when the walls and the moldings are painted the same it makes the room look dull and as if it was a spray and go paint job. I know we have all seen those before. I actually saw a job where the painter sprayed all the walls in a home and when it came to the kitchen he sprayed down a wooden spoon in the kitchen drawer. Unbelievable!!

I am a detail girl and I love nothing better than a beautiful simple molding treatment that stands out subtly or in a high contrast way. I for one hope this new trend does not stick around  too long.

So after seeing all the above images, have you noticed the rooms that are being featured with no contrast in the moldings? How do you feel about this look????

“Enjoy the Process” Of:

Studying the new trends and deciding if you would like them in your home.

Kathysue

Mind Your “P’s” and “Q’s”

We have all heard the saying mind your P’s and Q’s! Well, I like minding my P’s.

This past weekend my granddaughter decided to make a chart listing all of the letter P’s in my home. I thought it would be fun to show you all the P’s we discovered.

This is in our guest room. The walls are a soft French vanilla, bedding all white with soft blue sheets, moldings are all white with a very, very soft blue ceiling. I liked the way this almost took on a shell effect.

Master bath vanity with glass vessel sink and iridescent tile back splash.

Guest bathroom towels done with black and white checked floors and white woodwork and toile wallpaper. All my towels are monogrammed but we did not count all the towels, way too many.

Letter P on family room wall. It is from Ballard and it was gold so I brushed it with black paint.

A tiny distressed framed P that is on the letter holder that is on my childhood desk.

Paper weight on my desk.

John Derian cream tray that is in my kitchen.

Pottery Barn chalk board pitcher in the corner of my kitchen.

Small cheese knife in my spooner.

Cutting board to go with small cheese knife.

Framed P that I made and put in a black frame that is part of a grouping of my grandchildren’s pictures in varying size of the same black frame. I am not one that can have unorganized things on the front of my fridge. I love looking at my grand kids at different ages, they are my JOY!!!

Ceramic P plaque inside kitchen dish cupboard with a mirrored back.

So there you have all the letter P’s in my home. If you would like to see my Kitchen go here. Master bathroom here. Guest bathroom here!!

This was fun for me, I did not realize I had so many. Funny how you start a collection because you love something and before you know it , it is a full blown collection.

Do you have letters in your home? What do you have in your home that has become a collection before you realized it?

“Enjoy the Process” Of:

Discovering that you have a collection of something that you love!!

Kathysue