Diamond Jubilee

 

Cheerio! Is everyone enjoying the Diamond Jubilee? Making you think of all things English, proper and royal?

 

 

Personally, I am in it for all the hot ginge action.

 You're welcome. 

God Save the Queen!

Same but different

 Yesterday we talked about doing a quick change with shams and a throw blanket. But how about a total room transformation with just a couple of swaps. Can it be done? Absolutely. A keen eye might have noticed in a couple of instances that one photo looks like the same room but different. Its all in the styling people and to keep it fresh for publications they have to change to look. This here is Aerin Lauder's closet/dressing room/office with the much coveted Gracie wallpaper (were talking $$$$) here. In the shot above the desk is pulled up to the window and a stool is off to the side.

Shot #2 of Aerin Lauder's closet/office. A chaise has been pulled up and a skirted side table with lamp added. The stool has been replaced with a lucite chair that has the seat covered in leopard. The mirrored dresser has been accessorized with another lamp and a tray. Biggest difference? The floor treatment - the carpet looks a totally different color and makes the wallpaper seem a shade darker and the curtains went from blue to green but the shape and trim are the exact same. Did they photoshop? I think it is the same room.

 Nursery shot#2 the crib skirt and some of the crib bedding are gone. The pouf and some toys have been added and the two chairs in the corner have been removed.

 Living room shot # the lamp, pillows, tables accessories and area rug were all changed out.

 Deborah Needleman's Bedroom. She has helmed a couple of our favorite design publications and I think they just use her bedroom as a set. Shot number one is a calm, neutral approach.

 Tori Mellon went for a total makeover in these two variations of her living room. 

 Take a close look though the daybed is the same shape just recovered and the matching side tables being used as a coffee table are the same.

Shot #1

 Shot #2

 And Shot #3

 In this office there are only slight changes, a pillow and one chair are different.

Did you notice this before? Seen an image and think - it looks REALLY familiar, but...

This is a great way to show you that you can make small changes around the house and it will have a big impact. You don't need to totally overhaul the house.

Summer Swap: bedding

 Changed out the bedding a couple of weeks ago for something lighter and brighter.  This linen hemstich monogrammed Euro Sham is a steal at only $36.50 with monogramming. And, you can upgrade to the extra-large monogram (10x10) for and additional $10. The linen and the embroidery are high quality, no errant threads. The site says these are Euro Shams but beware they measure 30x30 which is huge, especially when you have to get a 32x32 insert to really make it full. Suggestion: for a King size bed use one of these big boys in the middle and a 26x26 incher on either side.  The monogram style above is called Fishtail.

 These Tutti Colori light weight wool throws are a snazzy way to add a dash of color for only $55.  Nestled at the end of the bed or over a side chair they add some spunk and are delightful for an afternoon nap. They are really light weight, like pashmina weight so don't expect something heavy duty. Every so often I let mine earn her frequent flier miles, it's perfect for traveling, keeps you covered and packs compactly in the carry-on.

Busy

 SUPER slammed and it's June 1st somehow. Wow.

Storage vs. Display

 Do you prefer to have your service pieces out in the open on display or are they tucked away in storage?

 Dusting would suck.

 

This image is amazing on so many levels.

 

 In our family we call this room the "goody closet".

 But would you use it more often if you saw it everyday? A visual reminder of what you have. Some friends recently admitted that they still have wedding gifts in their original packaging and its been years since their nuptials. Most never even registered for china or crystal just everyday stuff.

Nursery of the Week: A Grand room for twins

 Kind of hard to tell but there are actually two cribs in this room - see it there on the left edge. Can't imagine having this much space to work with - those soaring windows are fantastic and a fireplace - gaw! Plus, two massive armoires for each child and a crystal chandelier = unheard of. That bench is sort of out of scale with the rest of the room. Do you think this was the master bedroom that was surrendered to the youngins'?