Let’s Try a Little Coziness!

I think we all love the look of a cozy place to sit or to lay down for a lovely Sunday afternoon nap. Sometimes when it is really cozy, it can remind us of a tent or a fort we built as children, and that is always a fun memory. I found some wonderful cozy places to share with you today………..

I, for one, would love to read a book and fall asleep in this wonderful little alcove bed.

I have actually shown this picture in another post that I did on Greek Key designs. This is not an actual alcove, but the drapery behind the bed and the cornice and side drapes makes for a nice and cozy place to sleep.

This bed is in an actual alcove and by adding the swags and jabots, it makes it feel very princess-like. Don’t you think?

Nothing but coziness going on here!

This already feels like a special place because you have to take steps down to this room. It feels like a little hideaway.

What a fun way to divide a shared bedroom. This is a great use of space and each child would feel like they had their own special hiding place.

Designer Phoebe Howard / Style Editor Eddie Ross 

Another draped enclosed bed. I love the reading lights and that sunburst mirror is a wonderful touch. I am not sure who designed this room, but it is perfection to me. I want to sleep in this comfy bed.

Southern Accents Magazine

This might actually be an alcove, but I think this shows by draping a room that is not too wide with drapes on each side and,by placing the bed in the middle, you can create an alcove look. I have also seen beds placed inside of closets to make an alcove. If you use your imagination you could create an alcove in a room with shelves on each side of a bed and use a drape to create the look of an alcove.  After seeing all of these images can you think of a place in your home you could create a special reading alcove or sleeping area?

“Enjoy the Process” Of: Thinking of cozy spaces.

Kathysue
BTW: I just found out who decorated my favortie cozy spot in this post, the bed with the starburst mirror and wonderful green and white comforter was done by none other than one of my favorite people and designers EDDIE  ROSS. I got this message from him:

Hi Kathy Sue!!! Love this post! The bed with the reading lights with in the bed hanging is a bed that I styled in Florida for House Beautiful years ago. It was such a fun shoot my good friend Pheobe Howard was the designer on the Carter project.


Hope all is well,

xoxoxo

Eddie + Jaithan

Room With A View!!

For those of you who have known me for awhile you all know how much I love the Ocean. I especially love the beach in Carmel, California. What's not to like?! I actually think I could live anywhere where there was an ocean view. I know I am not alone in this love of ocean views, so I thought it would be fun to look at some lovely rooms with a view................

What is not to love in this room? Be still my heart. I also love the little pop of turqouise on the chair to bring in the ocean colors. Good styling here!

White and lovely with a pop of turqouse.

Take me away. I think the console at the foot of the bed is a pop-up TV. Notice the panel on the top. I don't think I would need a TV to watch with that lovely beach view.

This room has it all. I love the black table and chairs with the washed cotton slipcovers. All the green glass bottles casually displayed are a nice touch. What about the chandelier? Love,love this room.

This is so amazing. Look at how rustic this table is. They added formal white roses to a very casual setting-genius.! The shell encrusted chandelier is a work of art. Can you imagine having breakfast sitting here?

The colors used here are so fresh and crisp. I think I might like to change the wooden chair fabric to something that did not match the parson chairs. Love this but a little smatchy for me. Since I am living in these rooms virtually I can afford to be picky.

I am almost speechless!

Look at the interesting little table they used as an island. Lots of interesting pieces in this small kitchen. I like the use of baskets and the  touch of lemons for a pop of color. Love the little banner of shells and starfish hanging in the window.

Here we have a more formal setting with a water view outside the window. I really love all the pieces in this room. The only element I am not sure about is the art above the bed. I don't think the room needs it with all the woodwork and the busy fabric of the headboard. Fun use of color mixing turqousie with red.

Absolutely lovely and peaceful. Perfection!!

With each picture I get more and more relaxed. That is what the ocean does to me. As soon as I see it, I take a deep sigh. Does the ocean do that to you also?

I really need a trip to the ocean.

What a fun use of color here. It almost looks as if the ocean came in on the floorboards. This looks like a really fun place to visit.

Simply Wonderful!!

What a great table . Love this look.

Oh, so comfy.

I hope you have enjoyed visiting the ocean with me today.

"Enjoy the Process" Of: Looking at the view

Kathysue

I Want Different Colors Please!

Have you ever considered the possibility of painting the front of your house a different color than the back?

I know to most this will sound a bit odd. I know when I told my painter that is exactly what I wanted to do,he said,"Come with me." Then he had me tell his crew my request.They actually seemed fine with it, but he thought I was kidding. Now I bet you are wondering why in the world I would do such a thing. I have a small suburan ranch style home in California. I have always loved yellow houses, so painting my home yellow was a given. The sun comes up facing my porch, so it is always warm and comfortable in the mornings when the air is still cool. My backyard is another story. The sun sets in my back yard and around 3:00 in the afternoon it is very,very hot in the summer. Because we get over 100 degrees in the summer I wanted to cool it down a bit with the use of cool colors. This is why I decided to paint the back a different color. The only place you can even see the back of my house is when you are in the backyard. You can not see the yellow sides from the back, only when you are in the front yard. This is how I got away with a two -toned house. The back is painted a soft sage green . I have one window that I had Hubby put shutters  and a window box on. I painted those a cobalt blue. All my pots are either a green or a cobalt. I choose plantings in various greens and pinks and whites. I am lucky to have a very shaded area to the side of my patio where I can grow shade plants and ferns. I have also put a small water feature there. I have never heard of anyone doing this and in looking for some images other than my own home I was unable to find any showing a two-toned house. So I guess that does make me a bit weird, but I like it and it works for our enviroment. Here is a peek at the back side of the house.......

Now that you have seen my backyard, are you ready to see the front of the house. Don't forget it is a different color, remember it is yellow............

Sorry for the glare, The sun comes up facing my house, you can see it in the front door.

You can see it is a soft, butter-yellow. I had the color custom mixed by my tinter and it only has one pigment in it, Yellow-oxide, which is a gold/yellow. I like my yellows more on the butter side of yellow, especially for outside. Most people seem to choose far to bright or on the green side of yellow and it becomes too neon.

 I love yellow and have had it on two of my houses, so I am kind of married to it.

With all this information do you think you would ever consider painting your house two-toned? As long as one side can not be seen from the other you can do it. It is funny when people realize the front and back are different, but to be honest most people don't even notice. I hope you have enjoyed this little tour of my front and back yard differences.

"Enjoy the Process" Of: Doing something outside the box.

Kathysue