Decorating with plates and another wonderful giveaway!!

Hi there. First things first....happy to announce the lucky winner of the Safavieh shoe ottoman! Here's the lucky person....

Result: 19

Susan Snavely Kohr Came over to this site from Tina at The Enchanted Home... Beautiful giveaway!

Congrats Susan!  Contact me here with your shipping details.

The giveaways are not over, another amazing one from Nancy's daily dish  (aka queen of transferware) at the end of this post so stay tuned!  I loved putting this post together.......I have always loved the look of a plate or porcelain platter collection on a wall. It is at once, charming, beautiful and warm. It exudes elegance while really lending a certain warmth and charm to a space. Do you agree?  Ironically, this look is applicable towards virtually any style room, not just traditional as you will see. Though I have always admired the look, I have admittedly not actually used a plate collection on my own walls, it does not mean I won't. In fact I am really hoping to sooner than later.

For such a large home, we have few blank walls....but I am determined to find a little nook to try my hand at this and in the meantime, have so enjoyed my "research"  which serves as further confirmation why I love the look so much. And if that's not enough, super talented Nancy of Nancy's daily dish fame...has so generously offered a giveaway AND a discount code to anything on her site!! Does it get better? All details to follow on the bottom.....

Peggy Stone nailed this fabulous setting with all that gorgeous blue and white!! Love it......

 

Just adore the colors in this room, its inviting and rich and elegant......and got a great idea of adding plates to  a small interior wall (yes even atop wood)!

 Wow....the impact of the gorgeous blue and white and dried hydrangea is spellbinding!

 This gorgeous collection of plates looks right at home in this elegant hutch

I like the rustic country feel of the plates and antlers in this charming home..........

Love how Nancy used plates alongside art and brackets....so beautiful! Nancy's daily dish

Blue and white.....always works!

 Nancy's stunning wall, love how the blue and white pops!! Such a wow factor here.....

Cathy Kincaid completed this incredible room (one of my all time faves) with a collection of plates and porcelains to adorn the wall....who needs wallpaper when you have this!

 Wow! Talk about adding a serious dose of drama ( wouldn't want to be there during an earthquake) Alberto Pinto

 Andrea O'Meara knocked it out of the park with this simple but elegant vignette using plates

Love the idea of a monochromatic look as shown here, Shelterness

 Gorgeous brown transferware looks fabulous here, Jennifer Jordan

Beautiful plates adorn this gorgeous pantry's walls, Traditional Homes

 The warmth of the rich woods is the perfect backdrop to this exquisite collection,  Nancy's daily dish

 They add a lot of cheeriness to this pretty eating nook, Country Living

 Think this is such a great idea! Using a collection in a space that you see all the time, above a hall console table.....stunning!

 Two really unique ideas here....framed plates and plates on brackets, love it! Anita Meek

 Love the idea of using the same pattern but different sizes and grouping them around a mirror!

 

Think this setting done entirely in black and white is spectacular, Camille Styles

 I also think the idea of adding assorted plate sizes and shapes all in the same color is particularly great for a more transitional space, House Beautiful

Love the gorgeous collection of blue and white plates in this wonderful nook of shelves, Trad Home

 Looove this room......so stunning! French Country Home

 Even sometimes a strategically placed platter or platter is all that is needed!

 This space is so beautiful....its monochromatic and the plates just warm up the space so well!

Positive proof that this look works for any top of space beautifully including this eclectic one, Daydecor

 Isnt' this pop of color and texture fabulous! Love it! Camelot Art

 Gorgeous!!!!! Love the colors, wish I could remember where I got this......anyone?

Stunner of a room with this giant hutch filled with creamy colored plates! Southern Accents

Does this have you wanting to try your hand at decorating with plates? My mind is working a mile a minute as we speak! Love the way it warms up a wall and a room....have you used plates to decorate a space? Tell me all about it!


Now for the giveaway......lovely Nancy has offered a winner a $50.00 gift certificate towards anything in her online shop which is brimming with all kinds of gorgeous plates and dishes. Take a look at some of the beautiful tables capes Nancy has created and a few current pieces on her online store..........

And some of the stunning pieces currently for sale.......

  If you are not familiar with Nancy you are missing out big time.  Click here to visit her positively gorgeous blog that is  always brimming with inspiration. Her personal collection and collection for sale is just beyond breathtaking! ! She is definitely the queen of transferware in my book!

To enter, just visit her online store, click here  come back here and tell us your favorite item.

To boot Nancy has been so kind and generous to offer all my readers a special discount off of anything in her online shop! It is for a limited time and all you need to do is use the code "Enchanted Home" when checking out to get your extra 15%. Fantastic!

Want a second chance? Then visit her on Facebook and like her or leave a comment. Click here to go to her Facebook page.  I will announce a winner on Friday morning!! Thank you Nancy and to Safavieh for their generous giveaways  and to everyone else for stopping in.  Wishing you a wonderful day.

The bedroom chronicles part 1

Before I begin the bedroom chronicles, I have to share two things with you.

For anyone who was interested in the dough bowls last round...but was not able to get one (they sell out really fast) I was lucky to snag another 6. My vendor called yesterday that he was unloading the last of a container from Belgium  and they just opened up a large armoire to see 6 bowls hiding in there! So he offered them to me, they are approx.  20-27' and as are all the bowls from this vendor, they are GORGEOUS! So email me here if you want one (I feel like these are kids that I am putting up for adoption every time I get some in)

Second, one of the many perks of blogging is the exchange of information and vast resources that come our way. Do you believe in miracles? I do, and was completely touched by this story, of a young girl affectionately nicknamed "Soup". Just so happens Soup is the cousin of one of the dearest people in all of blogland, Suzanne from Privet and Holly. It is also happens that she has leukemia. 

Soup has one big wish, to meet up with Carrie Underwood....want to help that become  a reality? Watch this video and pass it on! She is determined that somewhere along the way Carrie may see it. Such a beautiful girl and that smile could light up a room. Say a prayer for Soup, I know I am. Thank you Suzanne!  You must watch this.....and if you want to see Suzanne's amazingly beautiful post click here.

http://www.privetandholly.com/2013/01/sparkle.html

Is she the cutest thing ever??? Please pass this on......once you see this you can't forget it! Rooting for you Soup!

Hi there, well I alluded to the fact last week that my bedroom is finally getting the attention its long deserved. This really should have been done first, but the discontinuing of that darn wallpaper threw me into a tizzy and the bedroom got put on the back burner. Now almost 9 months later, I am ready to put the pedal  to the  metal on this room aka my private sanctuary ! I think few rooms are as important as a bedroom. After all you spend nearly half your day there.

 At the end of a long and hard day, is there anything better than walking into your bedroom, closing the door (and eyes) and just breathing in the peace and serenity. I don't think so...I live for those moments! A lot of people ask me about how I go about starting a room. I generally advise that in a perfect world...its best to start from the ground up, if you are able. OR if there is something that has struck your fancy, whether it be a wallpaper, a lamp, a decorative object, a pillow, often times those things can inspire an entire room to come together.

So in my case, since the wallpaper that once inspired me to do this room soup to nuts did not work out....I am starting with the carpet. After a battle of wood floors vs. carpet alas my husband finally gets that carpeting feels sooooo good and toasty on our feet especially in the dead of winter. So we have finally decided to go for it. Its now narrowed down to two wonderful choices (below). I have also included a snippet of the magnificent monogrammed bedding my mom gave us for a housewarming gift, cannot wait to put it on! And then what follows are some beautiful bedroom inspirations for my bedroom. Tonal, soft, tranquil, serene, cloud like are words that  shape my vision. Ready? Let s go!

The carpet...here are the two front runners and a snippet of the gorgeous gray blue monogrammed bedding (on ivory).......

 This is with the blue background.....

 And this one with the ivory background.....

  So its between the two with the blues..........would love to know your pick!

Have had these lamps in my vision for ages............and they will become mine!!!!!!

A touch of blue and white in a bedroom...heck yes!

And here are some images that have been in my dream bedroom file for a while for one reason or another.....

 

These are "my colors" love the monogram, elegant retrained canopy, the overall feeling is just right!

 

Love the tonal feel, so soothing and of course LOVE the monogram! Check out the beautiful shirring detail on the top, Phoebe Howard 

 

Not my colors but do love this bed canopy, not too "frou frou" so my husband can still feel like a man in his own bedroom....lol

Love the idea of two chairs and an ottoman in front of the fireplace....sooo cozy! Brunschwig and Fils

 Love the softest hint of color here and the creamy white, has such an ethereal effect! Belclaire House

 This room looks so inviting, love the plumpness of the bedding, the fireplace and the pretty chair and ottoman, and is that a blue and white vase I spy! Jean Randazzo

 Is this not saying just jump in now and don't leave!! This could be a hard bed to leave in the morning:)

Do love a bench and the soft draping, beautiful warm colors make this so inviting and elegant, Eubanks

I would feel like a princess! P.Howard

Love the softness, all the light and airiness......BHG

Talk about elegance meets cozy....I could sit there and read for hours and hours!

This is the very picture of soft, serene and spectacular, love the scalloped detail on the window treatment

Of course love the monogram and interesting headboard, Good Life of Design

 

A classic, soft and feminine, beautiful bench, love the carpet, Cathy Kincaid

 

One of my faves, love the bed the scale, colors and window treatment, Traditional Home

A beautiful room. Period. Kelly Proxmire

Soft and elegant, love the pale blues, the drapes and how inviting this feels. Kelly Proxmire  Do you see a common theme? Light? Check. Pale blue? Check. Soft and serene? Check. Billowy light flowy fabrics? Check. Mushy gushy bedding that you can literally sink into? Check check!Gorgeous soft lighting? Check. Though these are each different, they all have a certain dreamlike/cocoon- ish quality to them. That is very important to how I want my bedroom to feel. I am getting excited about getting this off the ground, now that some of the elements are coming into place. Once I decide on the carpet, (want to order it by this weekend).....I will be well on my way! Here's a little mood board I made to give the overall vibe of the room still a work in progress you gives you an idea.........so tell me whats important to you in a master bedroom? 

 Thanks for stopping by! More to come on this subject. Much more:) Have a wonderful Friday.k