Tag Archives: home decor

decorating by the numbers…for the in-style home

22 Thursday Oct 2015

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We ran across an article in the September INSTYLE that really rang our belle!  It listed loads of helpful tips from the “experts” on how to make any room look like you really know what you’re doing on the design-front. (and when in doubt…fake it, belle!!)

Here you go…in no particular order…we think they are all worth a share…

the Collins Sconce from Pottery Barn


66 inches…

Wall sconces should be installed just above eye level…around 66 inches from the floor…so the light doesn’t shine directly at you (and if you hang them too high, they will light the ceiling instead of the room

from homedit.com


30 inches…

your bed is generally about 30 inches from the floor…so why not put your nightstand on the same level??  That makes it the perfect height for the alarm, the book, the water…whatever needs to be within reach

from bestbuy.com


8 feet…the best distance for viewing a 42″ TV (the most common size) is 8 feet.  Adjust from there for larger or smaller screens

thebudgetfashionista.com


2 inches…An insert that is 2 inches larger than your pillow covers will make pillows seem plush and generous.

the Hunter Sofa from mgbwhome.com


84 inches…this is the minimum length for a comfy sofa that will seat up to four people (or one adult lying down). This size also plays nicely with a standard 60-inch coffee table.

the Hunter Sofa from mgbwhome.com



1 inch…leave an inch between furniture and the wall…this keeps the upholstery from looking squished and the paint from getting scuffed (a win-win)


29 watts…apparently,  GE’s 29 W Halogen Frosted bulb is the most face-flattering of all bulbs out there.  Thank goodness someone is studying this!!  A belle always wants/needs to look her best.  Just sayin’…

williamssonoma.com

This one photo has a plethora of belle-ringing decorating numbers…

7 feet…always hang an overhead lighting fixture at least 7 feet above the floor  (don’t want your NBA-sized friends bumpin’ a noggin’)

18 inches…we don’t want you (or those NBA-sized guests) bumpin’ a shin, either.   Leave 18 inches between your coffee table and the sofa or other seating

62 inches…the center of your artwork should be between 62 and 66 inches from the floor…that’s the standard measurement in most galleries (and it just makes for good viewin’)

cotedetexas.blogspot.com

1 1/2 inches…for a tailored drape, allow a break of no more than 1-2 inches (too much puddling can be messy for a tailored, streamlined curtain)

So there you have ’em, belles. It’s easy as 1-2-3 (or 66-30-8-2…)

Happy homing!

a&a

what’s ringin’ our belle…round 26

13 Tuesday Oct 2015

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The latest belle ringers…

While we hesitate to admit our weaknesses…we must admit as of late we seem to be developing a real talent for spilling.  Thank goodness for this amazing Guide!!  A real lifesaver!!

Lazy or Genius?
Because Gin is in!

Sippin’ our cocktail and gettin’ inspired…

All that inspiration makes a belle hungry.

A little reading material.

Until next time belles…

a&a

can y’all please console us?? …. belles need belles (needs photos)

10 Thursday Sep 2015

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Okay, so here’s the deal…we have a foyer/front hall situation.   We have needed to replace a console table in the aforementioned front hall for some time now.  We have patiently…okay, okay, we have been tapping the toes some time. Going on 6 months now.

We can’t look at this empty space any longer…simply cannot…soo ….

We went to One King’s Lane to see what they had to offer. Well, we are here to tell you that the bevy of choices will knock your socks off.   We aren’t quite ready to pull the trigger on a high-dollar item that we can’t touch or feel, and we are going to be redecorating an office, so a classic piece that could transition over is what we are looking for.

We picked two so far..but can’t seem to decide.  We would love some feedback and to hear your vote, opinion and/ or thoughts.  Ans if you have a console find that you love, we’d really like to see it!  (We are a bit partial to parsons consoles…but need to know its going to look high end on arrival…need to go in a different direction this time)

This acrylic console has us all a flutter ….  We like the idea that it is contemporary, high design , yet would fit with the existing decor  

This beauty is timeless and elegant and we could see it fitting a number of places if we decided it was time for a little change. The black and gold is so chic! 
 
Decisions decisions…we need all the help we can get… Here is a pic of the spot where we want to place the console.   

 
That poor little table just can’t handle the space. It needs a more intimate spot.
So help us out belles….please chime in!

a&a

another fab book find…a must-have friday friend-1-1

23 Friday Jan 2015

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We have shared (belles are notoriously good at this) over the last few months several books that are beautiful both inside and out. Well, we’ve discovered yet another…eureka!!!!

We practically fell out when we happened upon this latest treasure. Another Jan Showers hit (see a previous post here), Glamourous Retreats is beautiful, attainable, and full of inspiration…

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That’s the cake, now for the icing….

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Woven raffia!!!  My stars, shut the front door, and we’ll be a monkey’s uncle! We would have done a backflip right then and there if only we were limber enough!

Another terrifically decorative addition to punch up bookshelves, enhance a coffee table, or perk up a side table.

Belles are bookworms…just sayin’

a&a

switch it up belles…living room/dining room flip-flops that really work DO PHOTOS!!!!

25 Thursday Sep 2014

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We belles both live in homes with some age on them…in fact, we only hope we can last as long as they already have…pushing 90 years! Now, although a home with some “character” makes us both quite happy – and never at a loss for a “project” (upgraded plumbing…and while we’re at it, honey, how about we just re-do all the bathrooms), we find that we have to be creative when it comes to making an “antique home” more functional for 21st-century living.

Take, for instance, our formal living rooms and dining rooms. While we belles simply adore a formal dinner party with all the fixins’, we find that our entertaining of late tends to fit in the more laid-back realm. So…we started to re-think the placement and use of our formal dining rooms by doing some flip-flopping (to brilliant effect, if we must say so ourselves!). Our old dining rooms are now our living rooms…and vice-versa (kind of), and we are loving it!!  Here are the results:

Belle Maison no. 1…

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Here, the dining table (styled as a library table) has been placed in the former living room. With ample seating remaining in the room, this is a welcoming area for family and guests alike…

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The view from the banquette side of the room. Notice that there is plenty of room to slide the leaves back into the table for the next formal dinner

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This room (the former dining room) now “catches” guests as they amble from the kitchen (through that door) to the outdoor entertaining area to the right…

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Notice the outdoor entertaining area just out of the French doors (this is the view from the new library/dining room).  Working brilliantly so far!

Belle maison no. 2…

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This is the former dining room.  The kitchen is to the left…outdoor entertaining area is through the French doors.  Guests congregate here now that the switch has been made…not so much when it was a dining room (just sayin’)

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This is the other side of the room, with the new, re-styled dining room through the opening…

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Again, this dining table has been styled with more of a library feel…

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with seating around the fire.  (junior belle is loving this room for homework!!  Bonus!!)

Again…keep in mind…we’ve left plenty of room to have leaves put back into the tables. With just a couple of minor adjustments, the rooms are ready for a formal dinner party in a snap!

This is the same view with the room set for a large dinner (16 guests last night!):

tables all set…..

So…after we played around with our own rooms, we had a couple of belle-friends begging for an overhaul themselves. We were more than happy to oblige and got straight to work…there’s no time like the present! (and if we had allowed them to over-think it, they might have chickened out…no fun!)

Belle Maison no. 3…

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This delightful space used to be the formal dining room in this belle’s house.  Although it seemed logical to have it located just off the kitchen, it actually created a bottle-neck for guests trying to navigate from the kitchen to a bar area located just to the right.

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Here, you see the kitchen door (to the right) and the bar area straight ahead.  By moving the dining table into the former living room, guests can now move about freely while visiting before dinner (and the hostess only has a few extra steps in order to reach the dining area…totally worth it!)

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…and the dining table is now in a more “roomy” room…perfect for this particular belle-hostess who loves a large, seated dinner party

Belle Maison no. 4…
(Some cool before and after photos)

Living/sitting room adjacent to the kitchen/bar…check.

Making use of the dining table while enjoying the fire…check.

Ability to throw a formal, seated shindig in a snap…check.

Now, we belles call that a smashin’ success!!

The men-folk are talking about our shenanigans behind our backs…but we know they secretly like the new digs. A little change adds some spice to the home life, just sayin’. So…grab a (strong) friend and switch it up, belles!!

a&a

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belles are bookish… bookshelf stylin’

21 Thursday Aug 2014

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Bookshelves are an art form really…an opportunity to let your creative juices flow, display your taste in literature and your particular collections; but they can be a task so overwhelming that you are paralyzed into ignoring them or you pull a Scarlett…”after all, tomorrow is another day”.

We are here to tell you it is time to face your fears, harness your hesitation and jump right into the deep end! Come on in….the water’s fine! Once you get started, it can be very therapeutic and ultimately gratifying.

We thought we’d give y’all a little inspiration from some belle homes in our neck of the woods.

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The above photo shows a bookcase that is in a bedroom. Notice the use of all white books to keep everything serene, family photos lend personality and small collections add warmth. By stacking books and layering the objects and pictures, you add interest. Having things that mean something to you is a great way to fill those bookshelves that are in the more private areas of your home.

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Above are living room bookshelves. Again, mixing objects, collections and artwork in with the books adds character. We love the idea of adding small paintings and framed pieces into your bookshelf, it has a way of drawing you in…beckoning you to take a closer look. The red in the books is balanced on various shelves . Laying the books on their side is a great way of using them as platforms to display. The mercury glass adds a nice contrast to the leather of books…a little play with texture…shiny and reflective vs. matte and rich. Also notice that you can see the way the collection of horse artifacts runs throughout the shelves.

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And books don’t have to be the main attraction as only a few are used in this photo. The focus is really on the collections. They even have a way of distracting from the fact that there is an ancient, no longer used stereo that has yet to be removed…just throwing that subtle hint out there, dear belle…you know who you are!!!

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A collection of sliver stirrup cups and jiggers makes a beautiful display and the gathering of pitchers might remind you to use them for drinks or flowers instead of having them hidden away in some storage cabinet. So pull out those pieces you have tucked away and enjoy them…for their beauty and their usefulness.

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Open bookshelves in a kitchen don’t have to be boring…forget about the expected cookbooks. Why not display your prettier china? What’s the point of having it if you don’t use it, right?

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We belles are big fans of neutrals, but what we love most of all is accessorizing with color. We follow this formula when we dress and when we decorate. Adding this pop of green to the kitchen sure cheers up the joint and is still crisp and clean. This collection of majolica, and lettuce wear brightens up the kitchen and your day.

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A whole wall of bookcases can be really intimidating, and this set of bookshelves was, admittedly, daunting. But using the same devil-may-care attitude and just remembering to balance color, books, pictures and objects, it just becomes like the collages we all did in grade school. In this instance, taking one shelf at a time helped. We think it turned out pretty well and creates an element of warmth and character to the den.

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This last photo is another bedroom bookshelf. The majority of the books are fashion or home decor books. The pink majolica softens the hard line of the shelves and the books. Again, an effort was made to keep the effect calm and serene. After all, your bedroom should be an oasis. But y’all knew that already….

Anyway, we hope that these photos and ideas get you motivated to give your bookshelves a shot. Please don’t keep “shelving” the task for later. Give it a go. And if you have any tips or tricks of your own, please share.

We belle-ieve you can do it!!

a &ya

banquettes…they aren’t just for kitchens anymore!!

20 Thursday Feb 2014

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We have been obsessing just a titch about banquettes. But not your typical kitchen, diner-style seating. To that we say nay nay!! We are drooling over that cozy nook, the intimate corner, the welcoming area to set a spell, read a book, have a chat or toast a friend.

Here are a few examples that got our hearts racing and motivated us to execute the idea in one of our living rooms.

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Jan Showers

Via Pinterest

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Via Pinterest

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Melissa Miles Rufty
Via Pinterest

As we have already proclaimed, we are so smitten with the whole banquette fantasy that we couldn’t wait to make it a reality.

We found a corner in one our very own living rooms and with a little tweaking (there we go again!!), our dream came true. We moved a chest and a floor lamp, and ordered the banquette pieces from Ballard Design. We picked the Coventry style. Once it arrived, we added a couple of pillows we had on hand and ordered some velvet to make the persimmon-colored ones. Pulled an old coffee table from the attic, added a couple of coffee table books and a pretty plant and voila!!!

Presenting what we think turned out pretty darn well. How do y’all think we did??

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Banquettes will have you sittin’ pretty!

a&a