Victorian Style Living Room

This is the Living Room of a home designed by Lisa Farmer Designs. It is in an old Victorian built around 1900. The request was to combine both old and new but to give it an elegant vintage ambiance. Pieces were purchased at antique stores, auctions, vintage malls, home decor stores and even on Ebay.

The house has so many fireplaces and this one had been covered up and the client did not want to open it back up. I found this beautiful mantlepiece in a local antique store that fit perfectly. The arches complement the arched windows! The fireplace screen is the headboard of a French child's bed.

Chippendale sofa and antique French tapestry titled L'embarquement pour Cyth'ere.  The large beveled mirror came from an old barber shop.

Antique poplar pie safe in the corner has pierced tin sides.

French curio cabinet was purchased to display client's collection of French and English miniatures. Custom floral arrangement by LFD.  Column painted with faux marble treatment.

Arched windows can be difficult to design window treatments for. Most people follow the curve of the arch but I chose to use two swags on their individual rods meeting in the middle of the arch. I believe it makes a grandeur statement, allowing the beauty of the woodwork to be seen, and moves the eye up to bring emphasis to the 12 ft. ceilings. 

This photo also highlights the antique kidney desk and the large needlepoint picture of the boy and girl on the far wall which came from an old English farmhouse.

This picture provides a good look at the window treatment, antique oriental rug, and Johnson Brothers antique tea set in the Pareek design.

Seasonal Decorating is one of several services offered by Lisa farmer Designs. This picture is of the same Living Room after being decorated for Christmas.

Another picture of the Rose Christmas Tree designed for this Living Room

BOHO GYPSY CHIC

I am absolutely in love with Boho Gypsy Chic. Maybe it is being a child of the 60's that stirs something inside. Whatever it is, I love the gypsy, hippie eclecticism of it. I would like to have a personal retreat decorated in Gypsy to do my needlepoint and cross stitching in. It is a fun style and even though it has been around awhile it is even more trendy now as you are seeing more and more Boho fashion and jewelery in all the stores. Gypsy decorating generally includes bohemian, Moroccan, Indian, hippie, vintage or beatnik influence, or some combination of the above. It creates an eccentric atmosphere, but keeps things rich and warm at the same time. Create your own gypsy hideaway with unique items that are ornate, funky and colorful. I am looking for a client that wants to re-invent, redecorate, and release her inner gypsy!!

I simply love this room! My gypsy spirit jumped at the sight of it!

Boho Chic accessories.

Boho style is all about beautiful fabrics!

Beautiful patterns, fabrics and colors together with antique furniture and accessories make this a stunning room. Remember this style is not "matchy, matchy" so layer different patterns from the rugs up! Also there is the ever present crystal chandelier!

Walls painted white are a beautiful background for the vibrant colors and textiles that define Boho Chic.

Multiple types of fabric and pattern is what brings this gypsy bedroom to life.

This dining room by Timothy Corrigan uses a Moroccan style wallpaper coordinated with lime green. Add in the vintage chairs upholstered in gorgeous patterned velvet colors, and you have Boho Chic.  The mirrored table reflects the whole scene and makes it even more dynamic.

Remember to combine interesting colorful patterns of fabric and wallpaper treatments. Paint your walls rich jewel tone colors. Crystal chandeliers are a must and can even be found in colors!

Walls painted bright yellow and the dark blue ceiling treatment are perfect for the Boho vibe of this bedroom. Add the lush patterned canopy treatment and colorful light fixture and this is a perfect retreat.

This wall painted in deep rose, vintage mirror, and lush fabric of the canopy treatment make this bedroom fit for a gypsy queen!

Here the patterned wallpaper is perfect background for a jewel tone vintage coverlet.

A colorful patchwork bed treatment, bright, multi-patterned chairs, and old vintage doors made into a screen and painted jewel tone colors all are good choices

If you want just a touch of gypsy chic you can have as little as you like. Here simply upholstering a couch in bright patchwork fabric does the trick.

Your outside entertainment areas are beautiful decorated in this style. Use bright paint colors and textiles in the form of pillows and tablecloths to give the your exterior that Boho flavor.

RELEASE YOUR INNER GYPSY!!

My Feline Decorating Staff

I brought flowers in to make a display and enjoy the intoxicating scent of lilacs. Of course Sophie and Chanel had to get involved.

Stopping to smell the roses!

        My lovely Chanel. Once again on the antique dresser that she knows is off limits!

Decorating With Vintage and Antique Mirrors

Add a little Old-World refinement to your surroundings with a mirror that wears it’s patina proudly.

Vanity aside, antique mirrors are a great way to add charm to you home. The gilt of beautiful frames immediately creates an elegance that can’t be reproduced by any other wall accessory. Whether they acquire their distinctive mottled finish through age or artful distressing, antiqued mirrors offer a sense of history and worldly sophistication. The scale and shape of a large antique mirror calls to mind a grand European salon.

If your taste is more towards contemporary décor, there are plenty of large and unique mirrors for you to use as well. No matter the style you choose make mirrors a part of your interior decorating plan.

We all know how a mirror makes a space look larger, more open, and adds dimension. Mirrors offer an inexpensive way to give the illusion of space. Place them on a wall opposite of a window wall and see how the view is multiplied times ten throughout the rest of the space.

Mirrors placed in a foyer or entryway is a welcomed sight for guests. They reflect light and open up a dark entry and give a place for guests to ‘check’ themselves while entering your home. In a larger foyer, place small table, flower arrangement, lamp and mirror on the wall to expand the living area into this welcomed space.

Below you will find more ways to benefit from using mirrors in you interior design.

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I simply adore large antique mirrors and use them wherever I can!

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 Use mirrors to enhance a focal point of your room.  This is a LFD project where I used the mirror to enhance the sofa area of the living room.

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In most homes the fireplace is already the focal point of the room in which it resides.  In these two LFD projects, I added more emphasis to the fireplace by placing a beautifully framed mirrors above the mantels. This will enlarge the room, and add a reflective surface to the décor you place on the mantle. From candle sticks to seasonal décor, a fireplace begs for a gorgeous mirror to adorn it. 

Large mirrors as focal points. Mirrors that sit on the floor, and are seven feet tall, are a beautiful way to add emphasis to an empty corner of a bedroom. 

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See how this beautiful mirror brightens this hallway.

Use them as the headboard treatment of your bed. They are beautiful to display decorative accessories on. The reflection  really enhances you treasures. 

This crazy mirrored furniture trend has me swooning.  I think it is absolutely beautiful.  I mean, I really love the Old Hollywood Glam vibe it sends out. It is expensive however. I am considering mirroring a small table myself. I have a glass company I work with and hope they will help me cut various sizes of mirrors. It’s a project in the planning stage!

1. Circular mirrors can look very geometric and modern, depending on how they're displayed. Here, circular mirrors of the same style — just in different sizes — are spaced out across an entire wall. The effect is dramatic, bold and modern. 2. Also be creative and different! 3.Fragmentation. This method is based on arranging mirrors in certain order near each other. I think this third picture is unique and lovely.

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Make walls interesting...go against scale. Most people would put a smaller mirror over this chest but see how spectacular this over-sized one is here.

Another grouping of mirrors that makes a stunning reflective stairway wall.

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      Here is a lovely vintage mirror.

   

 This Modern Traditional space captures a vintage rustic feel. Everything seems to layer together so well — the gray walls and the large gray-framed mirrors behind the table definitely create a dramatic backdrop in this dining room.

There are so many styles of mirrors to choose from. I love painted mirrors, especially for Vintage and French Country decor.

Chinoiserie mirrors are perennial favorites.

Like I said there are many different styles. Just have fun selecting the right one ....two....or three for you!

Great Ways To Display Your Seashell Collection

One of the best ways to add charm to your home is to decorate with your collection of “treasures.” There is an art to displaying these throughout your home. The desired effect is for you to proudly show off your valued collection in an appealing and creative way.  You should live with and enjoy your collections, not just put them away and forget the memories they evoke.

There is such a wide variety of decorative items to collect, everything from antiques to vintage buttons. However, they all have one thing in common, the need to be displayed beautifully as part of your home décor.

 I am going to choose something most people have at least a small collection of to show you some beautiful and creative ways collections can be used to decorate your home.

If you are like me, you find it hard to return home from a trip to the beach without seashells picked up on those wonderful walks along the shore or bought at the many shell shops. Here are some lovely ways to use them in your home décor. Learn to display! Be creative! Remember that any collection looks best when displayed in strong groupings.

 No matter the what style your home is decorated in, a seashell collection can add a chic touch.

                         Be creative whether opulent or simple design taste.

A beautiful antique stand is a gorgeous in any decor.

Display in small or large cupboards or use a whole room as your canvas.

Make a beach tabletop or mantle with decorative jars of sand and shells. Even include tags stating  the names of different  beaches  they were collected from.

Make a tabletop display using books, urns, candles and other accessories.

Or just go over the top and create a shell covered chair for a special place in your home. Just have fun!!

              Fireplaces with shells and candles during the summer months. Very clever!!

Try some do it yourself projects!!

Then treat yourself for a job well done. I love the graham cracker sand!!

Tips for cleaning seashells.

Remember to leave all live seashells on the beach!!

A seashell that is found already dead is actually a lot easier to clean. Follow these easy instructions:

Soak the seashells in a 50-50 solution of bleach and water. The length of time depends on the type of seashells and the quantity of seashells being cleaned. If there are still barnacles and other matter on the seashells, you can use an instrument, such as a dental pick, to chip off the material. Other useful tools are a toothbrush, grill brush, wire brush or a water pick. If you want to give your seashells a nice finish, you can wipe them with mineral or baby oil.

If sand dollars are dead let them dry for a few days, then put them in a pan with a little bleach. You may need to brush them gently. Do not let them bleach for too long as they tend to crumble. If you have the time you can just let them set all winter and they will dry and whiten by themselves. If you leave sand dollars out in the sun too long they tend to become brittle and break easily. There is a commercial preservative that can be brushed on to harden the sand dollar.