Hi Everyone, I’m Marianne from Haven and Home and I am so happy to be here today! From The Right Bank was one of the first blogs I started reading and I have loved following Ally’s journey to the South! When Ally suggested a “design trend” for a topic today I instantly knew what I want to discuss- wallpaper. I love that is has found a resurgence again on the design scene…

There are so many uses for wallpaper, even in unexpected places like a ceiling…
Light, dark, bold, soft, there is a wallpaper out there for everyone.
When I am looking for wallpaper inspiration there are two companies I always go to, the first is Romo…
I love the funky patterns and vibrant colors.
Designers Guild is another company who continually inspires me with their wallpapers and images on their website..
I appreciate the softer side of their prints, although just as statement making…
Currently I am thinking about wallpapering a small bathroom in my house but I may just have to do something unexpected like a long wall in our living room. What about you? Have you used wallpaper recently or are you planning to soon?

Thank you Ally for having me!

Hi everyone! This is Piper from One Sydney Road and I have to say that I am completely flattered that Ally asked me to do a guest post. I adore her blog and constantly come away inspired! Ally asked me to blog about a recent favorite design trend…oh boy, that’s easier said than done! There are so many great trends and even classic styles that have come back that I hardly know where to start! So I thought I’d share what I’m loving right now…and that’s the color yellow! Whether it’s a trend or not, I can’t stop myself from dog earing magazines or bookmarking websites whenever I come across anything yellow!!
Whether it’s the front door…

Or a piece of furniture…

Or several pieces… (btw, I’m seriously obsessed with the first room – love those yellow chairs!)

Or just a pop of color… (isn’t this wall decal so fun? And the best part is that you can always change your mind!)

Or some beautiful bedding…

Or a cool bag (isn’t this just perfect for summer!)…

Or just an uplifting print…

I think I can say that I’m officially obsessed with yellow! Thank you so much for letting me share with you. Hope you have a wonderful week! xo Piper

[Image credits, from top: 1. Hus and Hem via Emma’s Design Blogg ; 2. via h4ndz’s photostream; 3 & 4. via Emma’s Design Blogg & via Marie Claire Maison ; 5. Blik; 6. Peacock bedding from Dwell Studio; 7. Sailor tote bag from Bayan Hippo; 8. Jess Gonacha ]

Hi there! I’m Christiana Coop from Ferm Living and Hygge & West, and I’m so excited to be a guest blogger today as I simply adore From the Right Bank. Ally’s posts are the source of so much inspiration, and I really appreciate how the community she’s created here is so warm, open and insightful. Not surprisingly, I’m going to talk about a design trend that is close to my heart – wallpaper. I love interior design that incorporates a mix of old and new to create a unique, personality driven, space. In my opinion, nothing can help create the right balance between traditional and contemporary quite like wallpaper. Here are some of my favorite examples:

Let’s start things off with a bang. This room boldly shows how a graphic, modern wallpaper can mix in with vintage acrylic pieces, a classically shaped day bed and rustic secretary to create an eclectic room that is certainly not lacking in personality. [Image via Decorno.]

Here’s another more subdued example of combining a modern wallpaper with mid-century furniture and a traditional chandelier to create an original (and gorgeous) space. [Image via NYT.]

The more ornate pieces in this lovely dining room are made fresh and fun by adding in a modern wallpaper backdrop. [Image via Apartment Therapy.]

On the other hand, traditional wallpaper designs, like the retro flowers and damask above, add whimsy to, and help soften the harder edges of, modern furniture. [Images via Emmas Designblog.]

Here, a more classic floral backdrop of wallpaper mixed with an ultra modern coat tree and simple floor lamp make this room one of a kind. And, just so pretty! [Image via Purple Area.]

This hallway is a divine balance of old and new – classic wainscoting juxtaposed with a modern, metallic wallpaper. [Image via Envelope A+D.]

Like the hallway, here’s another lovely example of accentuating the traditional architectural details of a space with wallpaper. The vintage inspired linear and damask wallpaper patterns in bright modern colors, mixed with clean-lined furniture and unexpected lighting create a balanced (and amazing!) space. [Image via Purple Area.]

I’ll end with this picture because, to me, it is the quintessential mixing of eras to reflect a unique personality. The wallpaper is its own mix of modern and retro and really makes the traditional white shelving pop. Neon seating, a rustic table painted in a trendy color, modern lighting, a classic rug and vintage kitchen accessories are a daring mix I would never be able to dream up. But, somehow it all works together beautifully! [Image via Elle Decor.]

Thanks so much for sharing in my wallpaper obsession. If you haven’t had enough wallpaper chat, we talk about it pretty much all the time at Ferm Living’s Clever Spaces and Hygge & West’s Picnics Under the Moon. We’d love to have you visit!

Melissa Rufty

Hi! I’m Averill from Odi et Amo and I’m so pleased to be guest blogging here at From the Right Bank… today. Ally asked me to pull together a list of my favorite design trends. If there is one overarching trend in modern decorating it would have to be eclecticism. The best designs are all about that perfect mix of periods, styles and price points — like the colorful living room shown above, which was designed by New Orleans-based designer Melissa Rufty. Rooms that are overly decorated, overly referential to a single style or period will inevitably read as dated and staid. Beyond that though, I’d say just about anything goes. Buy only what you love, don’t focus too much on what’s “in” or what’s “out”, and — above all –don’t pigeon-hole yourself into a single, definable style.

With that in mind, there are a number of smaller trends (let’s call them micro-trends) that I’ve been particularly drawn to recently and that I’ve either incorporated into my own home (or have plans to).

Pantone’s color of the year has long been one of my favorite colors. Turquoise, despite being a cooler tone, has a warmth and sunniness to it that makes it almost universally appealing. It’s a real mood-changer; just try and be sad in a turquoise room! A few months ago I painted a small, windowless guest bath a bold turquoise. Heavy doses of white give it a bright, beachy vibe that makes me smile every time I walk in it. If you’re reluctant to use it as the dominant color though, turquoise works equally well as an accent color and brings a bold, fresh pop to any neutral color palette.

I’ll be honest, a few years ago nothing turned me off more than than brass — indeed, the very word conjured up images of dated kitchens and baths. The “new” brass, however, feels softer, less…well, brassy. The key is to avoid lacquered brass, and go for a softer finish that will tarnish naturally over time. I particularly like brass when paired with cooler blues and grays. The brass warms up these tones and brings more interest than pairing these tones with coordinating silver or nickel.

This is another trend from the ’80s and early ’90s that I initially thought better left in the past. Wallpaper today though comes in way more prints and patterns than chintz or quaint country patterns. Grasscloths, metallics, geometrics, florals…just about everything but borders is allowed. The key is to spend the extra time to really find one you love. Wallpapers are like tattoos for your wall — relatively expensive and (mostly) permanent. Despite modern upgrades that have made removal easier, it’s more commitment than paint so it’s best to be certain before you start papering. After months of agonizing I recently wallpapered my powder room and I still find myself squealing with delight a little every time I open the door. Now I can’t wait to use wallpaper elsewhere in my home — it’s totally addictive!

There’s something so romantic and cozy about canopy beds. The look is especially successful in cavernous master bedrooms that have become so popular in new builds as it creates a room within a room and is a great way to visually divide a large room into distinct sitting and sleeping areas. I also love the recent trend of eschewing heavy draperies in favor of leaving the frame bare, which brings a wonderfully modern, architectural element to a bedroom. For a breezy, coastal look, I’d throw a gauzy white sheer over the bed for the summer months.

Purple is a color that had fallen out of favor in decorating, but it’s starting to come back and I couldn’t be more excited. When I painted my office last summer a rich plum I couldn’t find any pillows, fabrics or accessories that worked in the room — there really weren’t any good options. Less than a year later, I’m starting to see way more purple accessories and fabrics. When done right, purple is sophisticated and rich but also warm and inviting (it’s also, like reds and pinks, very flattering lighting).

I’m a bit reluctant to call chinoiserie a micro-trend, since it’s been a hallmark of traditional interiors for several hundred years. That said though, it is enjoying something of a renaissance in recent years as it’s found favor in more contemporary and even modern interiors thanks in large part to the dearly-departed domino magazine. That torch has now been picked up by a number of great blogs that focus on chinoiserie.Chinoiserie Chic and Aesthetic Oiseau are two of my favorites. The greatest thing about chinoiserie’s renewed popularity is that you can now found chinoiserie accents and furniture in a wider variety of price points, particularly if you’re looking for a more streamlined, modernized chinoiserie. I’ve got a smattering of chinoiserie throughout my home, but my blue and white family room, with its touches of Chiang Mai and imperial trellis fabrics, together some porcelain I inherited from my mother, is definitely the epicenter of both my home and my love of chinoiserie.

Thanks Ally for letting me guest post today!

I am beyond flattered that Ally asked me to guest post on From the Right Bank. I adore her aesthetic ~ it is one of the few blogs that I find consistently fresh and exciting to read. My name is Amy Beth Cupp Dragoo (ABCD!) and I write a digital sketchbook called ABCD Design. I write about what inspires me day to day. The topics I cover are all things nesting related – recipes, interior design, about living a well-lived life and making a house a home. My motto is simple: Life is short, eat off the good china!

My interior design aesthetic all about transitionalism. I don’t want to walk in a room and be able to pinpoint when it was decorated. I believe that the home should be an amalgamation of the items that the owner loves. Layering pieces from different eras that fit your taste will fuse to form a relaxing environment that reflects your personality. I am particularly drawn to pieces that are difficult to place in history. They are the perfect bridge between rustic and modern, traditional and today.

The first time that the marketplace saw the Hoffman Series B Decanter was in 1912. The graphic stripe is completely relevant in today’s world. Think about all the zig-zags, chevrons and stripes we’ve been seeing recently. This piece would fit seamlessly into any traditional or modern interior design setting.

The traditional craftsmanship and modern lines of the Meridian Dining Chairs by Thos. Moser really appeal to me. I could see them being relevant in my home both now, and when I am an grey-haired retired lady. I realize that there is a time and a place for the West Elm’s and Ikea’s of the world but I truly hope that we see a shift away from disposable furniture. I think it’s about time to stop wasting good money (that could go toward a fine piece of furniture!) on one that will be in a dumpster in a few years.

One recent design trend that I am completely crushing on – dark walls and millwork. I recently discussed all the reasons I love this dark dining room in a post on my blog. Let’s look for just a moment at how seamlessly the designer has melded modern dining chairs and lighting (in the kitchen) with traditional lines in the kitchen cabinetry and the dining room light fixture. The perfect balance.

…and dark cabinetry – yes, please! I am dying to design a kitchen with navy cabinets. I think it’s pretty incredible to pair navy with carrara marble counter tops. *BTW: Ally I adore your grey cabinets!!*

I first learned about John Pomp Studio when I attended the Architectural Digest Home Design Show a few weeks ago. They’re masters at mixing decidedly modern lines with historic materials. These pieces could fit into any transitional interior design. Gorgeous, aren’t they?

Another line that I am newly in love with – The New Traditionalists. Their motto: If you believe that “traditional” and “cool” are not mutually exclusive, you are one of The New Traditionalists. I couldn’t agree more with this sentiment! They plan to add to the collection in a very organic way. There will not be collections in this line, each piece has a number – I truly look forward to watching this company grow.

Be true to your aesthetic when picking pieces for your home. If you’re honest with yourself when selecting materials and curating pieces to live with ~ they’ll last a lifetime, and I suspect while they may move from one room to another when you move, they’ll always have a place in your home.

Hi all, its Mrs. Limestone here. When Ally asked me to guest post about my favorite design trend I was at a loss – what is really a trend vs. fad vs. a classic? I tend to be drawn to old styles that stay in fashion for long periods of time so I wasn’t sure what to pick. And then it hit me: the alaphabet!

I am completely in love when letters and words are incorporated into design. If I see a photo with a large neon letter on a shelf, I immediately stop at it. So I’m sharing some of my favorite incarnations of this trend today. There are quite a lot of ways it can be interpreted.

How do I love thee? Let me count the ways…

Simple:

melissann via flickr

Identifying:

country living

Ironic:

pierce allen

Dynamic:

via houzz

Celebratory:

Caprimaize via flickr

Commanding:

Making it Lovely

And my favorite of all – Referential!

Dictionary Wall from DIY mag

I could go on and on but I think you get the message. The only problem is that there are so many ways to use this concept that I can’t decide how to execute it in my own home!

Thank you Ally for inviting me to guest post today. If you’d like to read more about me or my home, please visit my blog Brooklyn Limestone.

Hi everyone! A big thank you to Ally for inviting me to be a guest blogger – I enjoy visiting From the Right Bank and am happy to be a part of the fun! Ally had asked me to blog about a recent favorite design trend…there are so many amazing things going on in the design world right now, it was hard to choose just one. But I decided to go with one of my favorite design trends, which is wallpaper. While this trend isn’t exactly new, it has definitely made a comeback in new and exciting ways. As a designer, I feel that wallpaper is one of the easiest (and relatively inexpensive) ways to dramatically change the look and feel of a room. Not only can it instantly refresh a space, it can also be used in many ways other than just on the wall. With more and more of us seeking DIY projects to make the most of what we already have, wallpaper just might be the answer! I’ve rounded up a variety of ideas that will hopefully inspire you in one way or another. Thank you for allowing me to share! XO – Julie

1) Create unique backing plates for a pair of sconces simply by cutting out a shape from wallpaper

2) A striped paper really makes this room pop

3) Spruce up an old piece of furniture by painting it and applying strips of wallpaper to the drawer fronts

4) Make a statement by papering just one wall in a bright, bold pattern

5) Why not continue the wallpaper on to the ceiling for a dramatic effect?!

6) Paper a the front of a door…perhaps the one leading into your closet or bathroom?

7) The subtle toile wallpaper in this space makes a nice backdrop for the bold mix of pattern and color in the flooring, furniture and lamps

Try wallpapering just your fireplace for added pattern and style

9) The geometric pattern of this paper is what makes this dining room amazing…take it away and it just wouldn’t be the same!

10) Frame out a panel of wallpaper with some moulding and trim with colorful ribbon. This also works for a headboard alternative in your bedroom.

I’d like to invite you all to visit my blog, Belle Maison for more inspiration. You can also visit my online boutique, Modern Chic Home…be sure to check out the wallpaper section!

(IMAGE CREDITS: MARTHA STEWART, LIVINGETC, HOUSE TO HOME)

Hello everyone! This is Sarah, from Haute Design. I am so happy to be here today, sharing some creative arrangements with you! I hope you enjoy…

When creating a comfortable living environment, even the tiniest details can make a huge difference. No matter how many different furniture pieces, artwork, and accessories you may purchase, there is nothing like fresh flowers and plants to bring freshness and life into the home!

Arrangements can either take centre stage, and used as the centerpiece, or a quiet addition to a space.  They can be utilized for adding scale or simple for subtleties’. I just adore plants – from beautiful, structured calla lilies to ranunculus and carefree tossed roses, to long, long rows of perfectly trimmed, green grass. The possibilities are endless when working with nature!

Even the tiniest of arrangements can add such a quality of life into a space. I find Kelly Hoppen’s use of plants throughout her interiors so inspiring. Below are several different examples, to hopefully inspire you as well!

This is one of my favorite examples. Three, tiered glass vases, filled with pale pink roses add another layer of interest to this elegant bedroom.

A beautiful basket has been used to hold a mass of lovely, cheerful flowers…

Tall, tall stems of amaryllis in a lovely red, combined with pussy willow make for an interesting arrangement. The use of scale is so fun.

I adore this simple, Plexiglas tray, used to line up and layer pure white calla liles in such an artful manner.

Uniquely, fish bowls have been used as vases here, containing carefully twisted calla lilies.

I love the use of grids for this tabletop design. It proves that even the tiniest touches of nature can make a statement. Simple green leaves look lovely against the contrasting pieces.

Here, it appears that soft, vanilla roses have been wrapped in leaves – Some with, some without, for a gorgeous arrangement of colors and textures.

Hi, Monika here from Splendid Willow. It is such an honor for me to jump in today and support Ally when she is trotting around the world. I met Ally in my very early blog days and I am in total awe of her. (And aren’t we all!). There is a reason why she is everybody’s best friend & we all root for her!

I find it very hard to focus my thoughts when it comes to design. There are so many trends, so much loveliness out there, that I hardly know where to begin!

But here is a selection of the things I Go Absolutely Nuts For right now.

Comfortable seating. Forget chairs and sofas that look good but take the fun out of relaxing. I am so happy that comfort with a big C is back in vogue.

Over-sized headboards. I have had my upholstered headboard for many years and I love it. But an over-sized version can move in with me any day. It brings real comfort to a bed and adds a little bit of drama to the room.

Gray. That color is part of my Swedish DNA, and I am so ecstatic that it is touted as the next white. It is both traditional and chic and it is hard to go wrong with it. Isn’t this simple, gray glass cabinet lovely?

Responsible interiors. This is the time to mix and match old with new, high-end with low-end, swap with friends and add more personality to a home. (And help the planet at the same time!).

Cozy book areas. Sigh. No words needed.

Unique ways of displaying treasured photos. There are more ways than fireplace mantels and grand pianos!

Odd Molly. This Swedish clothing company’s spring/summer collection is filled with lovelies. Feminine, flirty, a little bit of folklore – you are guaranteed to get compliments! And soon Odd Molly is launching its first furniture line.

Home designers (pros and average joe’s) who don’t take design too seriously. Add a little bit of humor. Play a little!

Oh, and this is a new “Bottles Roller Blind” by Bodie & Fou. Fun & unexpected!

Thank you so much for letting me share with you. I wish you all a happy & playful rest of the week! Cyber hug. Monika.

Images via: 1. Getty Image/Splendid Willow, 2. Homes and Gardens UK, 3. Homes and Gardens UK, 4. Everything Fabulous, 5. Apartment Therapy, 6. Elle Interior Norway, 7. Belle Vivir, 8. Emma’s designblogg, 9. Delight By Design 10. Odd Molly, 11. Monika Schuerle DE, 12. Homes and Gardens UK/Bodie Fou

Hi, I’m Sue from the Zhush and when Ally e-mailed me and asked if I would do a guest post for her about design trends, I knew exactly what I would write about.  A term that I have been hearing for some time in the design world is “collected”.  Spaces that look lived in and have evolved over time (even if it’s not the case) are so appealing to me.  This ties in perfectly with the Transitional style that I am trying to achieve in my own home.

Some really great examples of this can be seen over at the Gunkelman Flesher site’s portfolio.  I love the way this design firm achieves such an effortless feel to the rooms, using pieces from many different time periods and styles.  Those creative wire spheres above the mantle, the basket and chrome magazine holder, the antler chandelier which drops from an ornate ceiling medallion and the high gloss white ceiling are just a few of the creative touches that give this Transitional style room a very collected feel.  Perusing this site, I found so many inspirational images.

Right now, my home is at the end of a two year renovation project.  Trying to merge our new style with our old tastes, has been at times challenging.  However, as these images illustrate, when a Transitional style room is pulled together right, the results can be amazing.

When my husband and I purchased our home about 10 years ago, we decorated it with mostly Traditional pieces.  At the time I was very into French Provincial (think Pierre Deux) and all things toile, luckily knowing how mercurial my taste can be when it comes to trends and styles, the “full on” Toile de Jouy fabric went into my young daughter’s room and only small touches of Toile was used on throw pillows in our family room. Then there was the coral craze, but again, just some prints, some decoupage plates and throw pillows, easy in and easy out.  Now my tastes have changed yet again, this time moving towards a more modern look, with some mid century pieces and some quirky “found” items to add a bit of whimsy.

Its the ease of these new “collected transitional” rooms, where the only “rules” seem to be that you love each piece, that inspires me to make the whole “mix” work in my own home.

Hey everyone! Kirsten from Simply Grove here. Ally asked me to share my favorite design trend or a trend that I am liking right now. To be honest, at the moment I am loving clocks! Clocks? Yes, clocks. Vintage, modern, retro….I could have 2 clocks in every room. I recently found a vintage petal shaped clock at a farm sale. Its my favorite item at the moment.

The last time that I was at Ikea, I noticed that they had a great selection of clocks and at very affordable prices. The great thing about clocks is that they are dual purposed. First purpose is to keep time. The second purpose is to become a great accessory and or wall decor.

So if you don’t have a fabulous clock in your home, go thrifitng or visit an Ikea and grab a clock!!

Hey Right-Bank-Left-Coast-Deep-South readers! It’s an honor to guest-host for the fabulous Ally. I’m Susie from eye spy… and I’m a rebel. Give me a rule and my mind races to figure out how to bend it, break it, or detour around it. So I’m usually amused and scoff when I hear hard and fast rules for design. We all know that some of the best design has broken every single rule.

I really began thinking about this topic a year ago when Lindsey and Kristen Buckingham’s Beverly-Hills-goes-boho home was featured in Elle Decor. Then it hit the blogosphere. We blog authors and commenters either loved it or hated it. Loudly. Among the haters, the comments seemed to be of the rule-breaking variety.

“Two coffee tables? Outrageous! You can’t do that!”

Who says? Really. Why not? To be perfectly honest, I like the Buckingham house but it is not one of my very favorites. But those two coffee tables of dramatically different styles? Yeah. I get it. I like it. And those two tables look just right in that salon-style living room with its mash-up of patterns and colors and textures.

The queen rule breaker these days is Kelly Wearstler. She abandons common views on decorating so often that, at first, her interiors can take some getting used to. Shiny golden brass! Overscale accessories everywhere! 1980s pastels! Nothing is sacred. And it all works exquisitely.

What are some other rules that have been beautifully broken?

A room should have an underlying theme.

Uh oh. Like you, I cannot stand jungle- or sports- or almost anything-themed rooms. But other than “spectacular,” it’s hard to pinpoint the theme at work in Nanette Lepore’s apartment. { Designed by Jonathan Adler, Elle Decor }

Secret away utilitarian objects that are displeasing to the eye.

Or, hey, consider them to be pleasing and make them star of the room. And if you haven’t yet found the perfect beside table, make something. { Sorry guys, I’ve misplaced the sources on these. }

A chandelier should be half the diameter of the table and positioned 18 to 24″ above it.

Or not. When it comes to dining lighting, appropriate scale depends on the room, the furnishings and the eye of the beholder. { From top, Metropolitan Home, Atlanta Homes & Lifestyle, and Apartment Therapy. }

Red and green should never be seen!

Even at Christmas, I find a red and green palette to be annoying. But not in these rooms. Here, the red and green colorway is perfectly striking. { Top, photographer Richard Power; bottom, guest bedroom of designer Sally Wheat via Côte de Texas blog }

Keep art and accessories proportioned to the size of the room.

Scattered throughout designer Julia Buckingham Edelman’s Queen Anne home, are outsized found objects and enormous art pieces. It’s interesting and handsome and it works. { Photos from Buckingham Interiors + Design }

This doesn’t go with that.

Or does it? A healthy mix of styles and periods is my favorite kind of interior. Do you like it too? { Top, designer Suzy Hoodless; center, photographer Paul Raeside; bottom, photographer Mali Azima }

There are dozens and dozens more rules worth breaking.

Which are your favorites eye rollers? And which do you adhere to?

Everyone carries his own inch-rule of taste and amuses himself by applying it, triumphantly, wherever he travels.

— HENRY BROOKE ADAMS

Hi, I’m Janell from Isabella & Max Rooms and what a delight to be invited to write a guest post for Ally today. I found her blog when it was featured on the Brooklyn Limestone and was immediately intrigued by Ally’s unique style.

Two of my favorite current trends in home decor are adding chalkboard walls to nearly any space and hanging multiple images to create art walls. In a recent project I combined these two treatments, creating an art wall over a chalkboard wall in my husband’s office.

First up, painting the wall behind an old cabinet with chalkboard paint and rubbing chalk over the entire surface. I was told this would ensure whatever was written would be able to be erased…it seems to be working.

The next step was to select the images to be included, finding frames and deciding on the layout.

Afterwards a template was made by tracing each frame as well as noting the location for the hanging hardware. Then the paper was hung on the wall.

The frames were hung one by one…

Followed by the removal of the paper.

A favorite quote was written in one of the empty frames.

The last step was to hang a framed chalkboard on the adjacent wall. To see more details on hanging the art click here and for the chalkboard wall click here.

Thanks again Ally for having me on your blog today. I look forward to seeing the work on your latest beautiful home unfold!

Hi Everyone! For those of you I haven’t had the privilege of meeting yet, I’m Crystal from Plush Palate and I’m thrilled to be here today! When Ally asked me to come up with a guest post on my recent favorite design trend, that was an easy one. Brass accents!

Remember when nickel and silver were our staples and gilded golds and brass were dubious territory? Well, not anymore! They’re loved for the touch of warmth they provide and great for an updated take on old sophistication.

Whether used on large furniture pieces or smaller accents and vignettes, the result is always chic and fun.

And the best part is brass’ versatility! From romantic and charming to modern and sleek, the look works beautifully both ways!

Now tell me, do you use brass in your home? I’d love to know! And a huge thanks to Ally for letting me share my current favorite decor trend here with you today! xo, Crystal

Greetings From the Right Bank readers!  My name is Heather and I am here from Gathering Spriggs and so excited and honored to share with you some of my recent finds! So, after reading this month’s House Beautiful on wood tones making a come back I started thinking about one of my favorite design styles: British Colonial  and its ability to mix clean cool colors with the warmth of rich wood finishes. So here are a few of my favorite entryways that offer this wonderful dichotomy.  So why not use a little wood to really warm up a welcome!

(images: 1&2. gap interiors 3. house to home 4.travel for design blog 5. house beautiful)

This is Erin from Apartment 34. I’ve loved Ally and her blog since she was my follow Seattle-ite blogger, albeit briefly. Now I’m loving following her cross country travels and design inspirations! When she asked me to guest blog and share one of my favorite design trends I was thrilled.

While I found it incredibly hard to narrow my favorite inspirations, one kept cropping up – chairs used as room accessories rather than a place to sit. I particularly love chairs as bedside tables.

There are so many sweet, interesting, personality-filled ones out there that need a home and what better place than next to your bed!

(Photo credits: lonny magazine, dwell magazine, simply grove, busy being fabulous)

I’m Paula from Two Ellie and I am honored to be able to be a guest today. From the Right Bank is one of my all time favorite blogs and have been reading for quite sometime. I am even more excited that Ally has joined me in the South.

The design trend that I keep coming back to again and again is the painted interior door. Yes, this idea may not be completely new but it is one that I can’t get out of my mind. I am a huge fan of a neutral wall color and a painted door just brings the design to a whole other level. Kind of like adding the perfect accessory to a plain jane outfit. I personnaly am drawn most to an inky black door or really anything with a gray shade, but after doing a bit of research I must say I have become smitten with the idea of using a bold color.

(Image 1 Image 2 Image 3 Image 4 – Domino Image 5 – Domino Image 6 Image 7 Image 8)

When I first started my blog – Sacramento Street - back in May, Ally became one of my very first followers. Since then we’ve bonded over interior design and life. I consider myself her friend, even though we haven’t met. It’s an honor to be guest blogging here today at Right Bank and supporting Ally in her move down south to Atlanta. I can’t wait to see how she decorates her new home.

Ally and I have a similar aesthetic when it comes to interior design; both of us enjoy simplicity and bringing items into our home from our travels around the World. Those treasured items make a home much more unique and special.

Since it’s the holiday season, I wanted to share with the Right Bank readers the things I love about this time of year.

Snow
When winter approaches I wish I still lived in Portland. A snow day every once in a while would be nice, but that doesn’t happen in San Francisco. When I was little I would pray for the weatherman to say there were snow days approaching. Last Christmas was the most magical day because I got engaged Christmas morning in the middle of a snowstorm. It was the perfect setting (talk about romantic)! What I love the most about snow are the quiet streets, the blanket it gives an entire city and the cozy days inside with your family.

Chunky Sweaters and Scarves
With the air getting chilly, who wouldn’t want to wrap themselves up in a chunky sweater? I know I do. There’s something about a white sweater in the winter that I personally love. It’s clean, fresh and crisp.

My closet is currently bursting at the seams with sweaters and scarves. Any color, texture, length, you name it, I’ve got it.

Fireplaces
There’s nothing like a beautiful fireplace to put you in the holiday spirit. Although I don’t have one in San Francisco, I love wrapping myself up in a blanket in front of the fireplace and watching a movie. Luckily, when I go back up to the Pacific Northwest for the holidays, I get to take advantage of my mom’s fireplace.

I’ve been lusting over this Swedish apartment’s old-fashioned fireplace. I love the way it has candles instead of a traditional fire. It’s something I’ve been seeing a lot of lately and I’m becoming a huge fan of this trend.

Lazy Days in Bed
One of the many things cold weather allows me to enjoy is weekend mornings in bed. I love waking up early to read a book, watch a movie or have breakfast in bed.

Where do I even begin with these amazing bedrooms? First of all, I love texture of the framed mirror and the fact that it reflects the paintings and unique mirrors on the opposite wall of the room on the left. The room is decorated in black and ivory, which makes it feel balanced (especially with that leopard rug, oh la la)! Every little element that went into this room makes it work.

I could never live without my crisp white sheets, like the ones in room on the right. There’s nothing like getting into a bed with sheets that are perfect.

So Right Bank readers, what are you looking forward to the most this holiday season?

Thanks Ally for having me here today. I feel so lucky!

Photo credit: 1. James Carriere, Anthropologie, 2. Craig Fordham, The Sartorialist, Etsy, 3. Erik Dahlbergsgatan, 4. delight by design, this is glamorous

These pictures shows my favourite christmas inspiration escape. I published some similar photos at my blog “Solid frog” a year ago and today I visited this wonderful place again to shoot some nice pictures for my blogging friend “From the right bank”. This café and interior design shop are located on the swedish countryside just a few miles from where I live and it is runned by a friend of mine. I love the christmas atmosphere in this place and the buffet with all the cakes is just stunning, all homemade. So I hope you’ll also get a little christmas feeling out of these pictures./ Mia at Solid frog.

Hello Lovely Readers of Alek’s beautiful corner of the world!

I’m Melissa (Simply Mel) from Reverie, and I am a huge fan of FRBLC (and her fabulous Frenchies!). Born and raised as a Southern Belle, but now a happy transplant to the West Coast, I look forward to seeing what Alek, the design genius, creates in her new Georgia abode. Now doubt it will be divine!

So while we await the debut of her peachy digs, I thought I would share one of my dream spaces with you.

You see, I’m married to an artist, and we both crave lots of natural light. High ceilings and open space to dance a tango step or two also makes us giddy, so naturally, this 2700 sq. foot artist’s loft is at the top of our wish list.

He can have his beautiful corner of the space….

(with endless inspiration near and far)….

….and I can have my culinary corner to whip up some delicious dishes!

We like to take sweet little reprieves, and what better place to indulge in a reverie. Heavenly, isn’t it?

During our daily happy hour, our sweet little crumb can serenade us with a Spanish guitar.

And we will live happily ever after while basking in the blissful sunset glow.

***all images courtesy of Ochs Design (ochsdesign.com)***

Hidey Ho Right Bankers! Is that what you like to be called? Or perhaps you prefer the slightly more subversive Left Coasters? Maybe I’ve inadvertently stumbled upon a battle between the Right Bankers and Left Coasters and I’m just making things worse???? Well, hopefully I can keep the peace and distract you from your rage with the pretty art I’ve rounded up for you today.

First, a little background: I’m Karly, aka K-Dawg, aka Karlypants, aka KP and I run a lil ‘ole blog called Design Crisis with my buddy Erin. We are both profoundly obsessed with Design, which typically manifests itself in late night perusals of craigslist and ebay. Since neither of us can come up with a single penny for us to collectively rub together we generally live vicariously through our blog where we pretend that we can cover our walls with giant pieces of art like this:

I really wish I could tell you that the lady with the towel on her head and the sunglasses was me, but alas, I can not, my mama didn’t raise no liar.

Thanks for humoring me everyone, and thanks Alek for inviting me to live it up guest-post style, I am beyond flattered!!

Hello, Jen here from the haystack needle! One of the first things I learned about Alek after becoming a Right Bank addict: the girl has a ton of shoes (and they’re super cute!). Intrigued, I had to find out more about how she organizes them all. After a move of my own (much less dramatic — one teeny Brooklyn brownstone apartment to one happier Brooklyn loft), I fell into an entirely new way to organize my own shoes. Here’s how it happened. A couple months ago, I picked up a copy of the book Recycled Home (by Mark and Sally Bailey, photography by Debi Treloar) while I was buying paint at the Green Depot. The book came home with me that day — all the photos speak to my style. I love the mix of well-worn, recycled, vintage pieces in simple, modern environments. I felt so inspired seeing all the industrial storage and pieces from another time, with their own stories, being re-purposed to work so well in a home. This one photo in particular stuck with me.

Behold, an actual shoe trolley from an old shoe factory. How amazing! Practical open shelving and lovely vintage style all-in-one. I tagged this trolley photo, dreamed about it (literally), and a couple weeks later when I headed off to the Brimfield market with a friend — I wished for my very own shoe trolley.

What happened? To build the suspense just a wee bit longer, I wanted to first share some more photos of shoe trolleys from Recycled Home.

You could re-purpose a shoe trolley as a lovely towel rack — makes it so easy for you and guests to grab a fresh towel.

And then, to my excitement, I got my hands on a new book by Mark and Sally Bailey, called Simple Home. It’s simply fantastic — same amazing style of mixing old and new. And there were more trolley photos!!

What a sweet way to show off a collection of cake stands and tea towels.

Your very own kitchen station on wheels.

Hello, home office makeover! I love when office storage doesn’t look like it came straight out of a Container Store catalog.

Oh my, maybe I should start a shoe trolley fan page on Facebook.

Ok, back to my story. Despite the cardinal rule of flea marketing (when you’re hunting for something specific, you’ll never find it), I actually found my shoe trolley! I’m quite sure that I let out a squeal when I saw the trolley standing in a field, followed by a few minutes of me hopping up and down, and me repeating the phrase “I can’t believe it!” to the very calm vendor woman, who must have wondered why I was acting like I’d won the lottery. Here’s a peek at my jackpot score in use at our new place.

I confess to owning a much smaller shoe collection than our dear Alek, so I can fit my shoes and my husband’s shoes on the trolley. We set up the trolley in our entryway, so we take off our shoes at the door now (less dirt for me to vacuum.) Boots stay in our closet or by the door during rainy weeks. I dumped all my flip-flops in one metal locker basket, and another metal basket is where we stash random stuff like Dan’s softball mitt. I found an old wooden hardware drawer bearing the number of our new building and that wood drawer sits on top of the trolley and acts as our mail drop. So this trolley is getting a ton of use. We love it. I don’t know how many times you can be so lucky as to find what you wish for at a flea market, but here’s hoping it’s not just beginner’s luck.

Good luck with your big move, Alek! I’m sure your fabulous shoes will love walking the streets of Atlanta! I can’t wait to see how you infuse a new home with your wonderfully personal, lived-in style.

(image credits: 1, 2, 3: photography by Debi Treloar for Recycled Home; 4, 5, 6, 7: photography by Debi Treloar for Simple Home; photos courtesy of Ryland & Peters, image 8: Jen for the haystack needle)

Hello out there, Right Bankers! As you know, the lovely Alek is embarking on yet ANOTHER epic journey in search of a new home, and the troops are rallying to fill in for her while she moves. Well, I’m Private Erin Williamson, reporting for duty, and I’m one half of the Austin duo behind Design Crisis. Even though I usually bring the Crisis and Karly is responsible for the Design, we agree on lots of things. For example: gold rules, cats are awesome, and you can never look at enough pretty pictures of interiors. Today I decided to focus on pretty interiors since I’m not sure how you feel about looking at pictures of my cat…

Who am I kidding? Look, gold + my cat + a pretty picture of my old dining room = head exploding awesomeness.

Ok, enough tomfoolery. What I really want to do is shower you with my obsession over checkerboard floors.

In a galaxy long ago and far away, I had gross beige tiles with grosser brown grout in my kitchen. When we decided to redo it, I toyed with the idea of putting in checkerboard floors before we eventually decided on wood (mainly because the adjacent rooms were already wood). This photo of a stunning Spanish restaurant designed by Jaime Hayon almost makes me regret my decision…

Nicolas Matheus

Checkerboard floors are a classic. In gorgeous marble, they are at home in a palatial estate.

Paul Costello

In humble linoleum, they function equally well in quirky kitchens.

Living Etc

The simplicity of the black and white pattern allows you to go wild with furnishings.

Living Etc

Or you can always keep it understated — with checkerboard floors, it won’t be boring.

Via Head Over Heels

The graphic nature adds interest while letting furnishings shine. Seriously — how amazing are those chairs???!

Domino

And of course, red is the perfect complement to black and white.

Domino

But wait! Green is good, too.

While I love my new wood floors, the next kitchen I redo may get the checkerboard treatment. I wonder if my gross tiles could have been painted black and white? Does anyone have experience with painting tile? Or maybe I might give my floors a marmoleum makeover… that is, unless I rob a bank and steal enough cash to put in marble. Actually, marble checkerboard floors just may be worth the jail time. They would totally go with my orange jumpsuit.

Alek, thanks for letting me fill in for you, and I hope all you Right Bankers enjoyed my post. If you like checkerboard floors as much as I do, maybe we could form a club?

Checkerheads unite!

Hello there! It’s Sharalee from A Life More Fabulous, very excited to be visiting here while Alek is busy with her big move. When Alek announced she’d be away for a while, I knew one of the posts I’d miss the most were her Travelling Thursdays trips around the world, so I thought it’d be fun to share one of my favourite destinations.

The Giraffe Manor is a magical place – an old Scottish style manor set on the Kenyan savannah, where giraffes gracefully stroll on the front lawn and peak in your windows, little warthogs trot around and off in the distance the majestic Mt Kilamanjaro rises ahead. Built in the 1930s by the MacIntosh family (of MacIntaosh toffee fame), it was later bought by the Leslie-Melvilles. Around the time of their purchase, they learned of the endangerment of the Rothschild Giraffe and decided to turn the property into a sanctuary for them. Today it is a small, privately hosted hotel where guests can get to know the giraffes intimately – feeding them breakfast as they sit at the dining room table, or peak into your bedroom window.

The decor in the manor has largely kept within traditional British colonial style – rich wood paneling, huge stone fireplaces, officious looking portraiture and plush upholstery with touches of African art throughout the spaces.

In case you had a moment to forget your your surroundings, no doubt a giraffe poking its head through the window will quickly remind you! It’s interesting to see the giraffes set in context of a house rather than out in the savannah – you really get a sense of scale and quickly realise how big they really are.

What a wonderful way to experience these beautiful, graceful creatures, and perhaps the most delightful way to start your morning – a great big kiss from a giraffe! (PS – If you don’t know already, they have long black tongues!)

Thanks for taking the time to read this post, hope you’re having a wonderful week. Best of luck to Alek on her big move down South!

{All photos taken from giraffemanor.com and the GiraffeManor facebook page}

Hi everyone, Daniella here from Dress, Design & Decor and I am thrilled to be guest posting for Alek while she makes the big move across the country. Talk about an adventure! As we all know, Alek used to live in Paris and I couldn’t be more in awe of her ability to mix Parisian style into her blog and home decor. It’s what drew me to her blog in the first place, as I have a huge love for everything french. So why not take a little trip back to where it all started with some inspirational french country decor?

Imagine waking up in the french countryside, in a gorgeous canopy bed with white, flowing drapes…

an antique wardrobe stands tall,

along with a sitting room of comfy armchairs and an elegant settee…

and what could be better than breakfast at a table with striped linens and freshly-picked lilacs,

right before dashing out the door in a cosy sweater and beret-inspired hat…

Ahhh to dream…

Photos: French Country Home (the book) – scanned by myself, Dress, Design & Decor, Simply Seductive

Holler all, this is my first guest post EVER and though it was painful at first, it’s slowly is starting to feel really good. Over at The Brick House I usually write about our ongoing home renovation and beautification projects, thrifting and other such nonsense. Those shenanigans don’t much apply to my contributions here at From the Right Bank, so I wanted to send Alek off on her big move with a few images and thoughts to hopefully help get her design ON.

Alek’s wanderlust rivals any intrepid explorers and she’s chalking up a collection of homes the way I buy thrift store chairs. Whatever, it’s not like I’m jealous of her cross country move and opportunity to REMIX her eclectic clash of furniture, art and architectural style. From what I can see she’ll at least have plenty to keep herself busy in MODlanta.

Like going to see Visual Acoustics, A Film about the Life & Career of Famed Architectural Photographer Julius Shulman.

Or discuss Modern Sustainable Residential Design

Maybe, she could check out the competition on the Modern Atlanta Home Tour.

In the meantime Alek is going to need to decorate the shiz out of her sassy new digs. While I’ve never been to Atlanta (or down to the South) I imagine big hair, southern humidity, and loads of vintage. Given her penchant for all things glam, mod, and diverse I think this new move may be just the ticket to completely REMIX the crap out of whatever house they land in with layers of eclectic pizazz. Don’t think for a second I forgot about the orange chair, black and white stripe rug, zebra skin, luxe pillows, vintage paintings and adorable frenchies.

Here are a few rooms that whispered Alek to me.

Entry.

Blogging office.

Den.

Living room.

Master bedroom.

Wherever.

Library.

Good luck with the move! Moving blows, but decorating is rad.

I know that us folks over at The Brick House (namely Morgan, The Boy, and Iggy Pup) are excited to see where you guys end up landing down South and how you’ll pull it all together. Remember – take lots of pictures. Especially of those dogs, Iggy just loves it.

(Photos: Modern Alanta and Decor Pad)

Alek is moving house. Oh, you knew that already? Right. Well, the news made me think about continuity and place, which gave rise to one of my notions: for a nomad such as Alek, moving is an integral element of the sense of home and it should be honored in her living space.

What, then, if she were to display some interior photos of her Seattle house in the new Atlanta house? These are two that I’d choose, and I’d hang large framed prints of them wherever some approximation of the same furniture goes in her new house.

Interiors within interiors have a certain fascination. The world hangs flowers, landscapes, people and inspirational texts on its walls, but seldom depictions of furniture. I recently came across the term “sofa art”, a derogatory coinage used to describe art chosen to match the sofa. To which I say that it’s my sofa and I’ll match it if I want to, but also that I’d rather like to own a painting of my sofa. Is that so bad?

And here are some other paintings I’d like to hang, not alone for the neat containment of interiors within interiors, but also for their stillness, their creation of new spaces and their commentary on my existing ones.

I’m Mise from Pretty Far West and I take lifestyle seriously.

[Images:1, 2, Alek, 3, In Claire's Studio, 4. via the Guardian Gallery, 5, 6, Karen Hollingsworth]

Hi. This is Samantha from Bromeliad Living – the blog of frugal style, travel and randomness – honored to serve as your guest blogger today.

As we know, Alek is a lady on the move, which is something she and I have in common (in addition to an obsession with chandeliers and swanky hotels). She moves from Paris to the West Coast to Atlanta. I move from apartment 21 to apartment 50 in the same building.

For anyone who is tired of figuring out how to hang artwork after a move, I offer this alternative – just lean it. I’ve been in the same spot for nearly two years and have yet to stick a nail hardly anywhere. And that’s OK because Vincente Wolf leans his artwork everywhere, too. You are not ambivalent, bad with a hammer or just lazy. You are a person of style. (Just be cautious when vacuuming.)

“Bonjour mes amis! I’m Raina from If The Lamp Shade Fits and was pleased as punch to be asked to fill in for Alek as she winds her way to the Peach State. I’ve recently put my other blog, The Daily Bed, to rest so I thought I would pull some unused dreamy shots from my files. Photos fitting of the Right Bank…”