Tuesday, January 31, 2012

A Few of My Latest Pins...

Pinterest has become one of my new best friends! With all of the images I find online on a daily basis, it's great to have a place to save them all, complete with a link to where each image came from. Over the weekend I rearranged some of my boards and added lots of fresh new photos. Here are some of my favorites! And if you haven't joined Pinterest, I encourage you to do so! Follow me and I follow you back :) Now I'm off to Old Towne Orange to do some shopping for the upcoming One Kings Lane Blogger Tastemaker Sale I've been asked to be a part of! I'll share more details later this week. Wishing you a fabulous and productive Tuesday.

{Photo from my Bathrooms Pinterest Board}

{Image from my Kitchens Pinterest Board}

{Photo from my Living Rooms Pinterest Board}

{Photo from my Bathrooms Pinterest Board}

{Photo from my Outdoor Living & Dining Spaces Pinterest Board}

{Photo from my Living Rooms Pinterest Board}

Monday, January 30, 2012

Quote of the Week

"Decor must have sentimental value. 
A house must tell a story."






 {IMAGE CREDITS: 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5}

Friday, January 27, 2012

Baby Bump Update

It's been a couple months since I announced the big news so I thought I'd give you an update. I'm 25 weeks pregnant and feeling great :) So far, I haven't had ANY nausea, there aren't any foods that turn me off (it's actually quite the opposite!), and I've managed to continue exercising, which makes me feel good. I do have my days of extreme fatigue, but other than that, I love being pregnant! The baby is doing well and everything is on track as it should be. My mom and sister have begun planning the baby shower and I chose the color scheme turquoise and orange. I haven't registered yet...I'm waiting for my sister (a mother of 4) to take me since I have NO IDEA what to get (who knew a baby came with SO much stuff - it's mind boggling). I've started thinking about how I want to decorate his little area of our bedroom (we're hoping to move into a bigger place sometime this year so he can have his own room). If any of you mommies out there have suggestions / recommendations on baby 'Must Haves" or favorite things (stroller brands, car seats, anything!), I would greatly appreciate it. *** Now I'm off to visit my girlfriend up the coast to celebrate her birthday and have some girl time. Have an amazing weekend! xoxo - Julie

Me @ 25 weeks with my kitty Oliver. I just bought the chevron pattered scarf last night at Forever 21 for $9! And for any of you mamas-to-be, I splurged on these Hudson maternity jeans, which was worth every penny! I haven't had to buy any other maternity clothes yet (it works out perfect that the style right now is loose, blousey tops), but I wear my Hudson's just about everyday, so it was well worth the investment.
Baby Thigpen at 20 weeks. I can't wait to see his little face!

Thursday, January 26, 2012

Painted Wood Floors...Would You Do It?

Every time I come across a painted wood floor, I ask myself, is this something I would ever commit to doing? I love the way painted floors look - whether it's a large scale pattern or solid color, there's something very unique and original about these floors. According to interior designer Scott Yetman, “It’s a great way to add interest to a room since you still get the texture of the grain but with a much more uniform colour (and it’s easy to touch up scuffs or scratches).” “It creates a very contemporary Zen feel in a room.” (quote from Canadian House & Home). I guess the only thing that scares me what a serious commitment it is to slap down a coat of fresh paint on a stained hardwood floor. You know what I mean? Designer Mary McDonald is famously known for her boldly painted floors, often times in large scale geometric patterns (and they always look amazing!). How do you feel about this idea? Is it something you would try or have you already done it? I'd love to hear your thoughts! If you're ever interested in attempting it yourself, here's a great DIY article with step-by-step instructions.












 {IMAGE CREDITS: 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12}

Tuesday, January 24, 2012

Runway Inspired Dining Room

This is one of my favorite blog post topics to cover! I love to search the latest looks from the runway and match them up with the appropriate interior and color scheme. Fashion is definitely a great place to look for inspiration when creating a new color scheme for a design project. Just take a pattern (such as the one from the dress below) and pull out maybe 3 - 4 colors from it to center your scheme around. It's always a good rule of thumb to start with a neutral "backdrop" for your space and build on that with layers of color, texture and pattern. Designing a room is a lot like putting together an outfit. You start with the main piece of clothing and build on that with coordinating colors, accessories, shoes, etc.

A cool palette of vibrant jewel tones set the scene for the dining space below. (Model / Dress Image Credit)

Neutral floors and furniture serve as a fresh backdrop for colorful accents like the light fixture, accessories and accent paint / wallpaper in the background. This dining room is absolutely gorgeous, don't you think?!

Monday, January 23, 2012

Quote of the Week

“Matchy-matchy is not for me. I don’t want things to be too perfect. It’s like pairing a matte top with a shiny skirt, so they play off each other. I want there to be relationships with texture and color, and sometimes it’s more about the contrast that chimes." 

— Fashion designer Peter Som





 {IMAGE CREDITS: 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5}
QUOTE FROM ELLE DECOR

Friday, January 20, 2012

Modern Chic Home Winners + New Product!

We made it to the weekend! I'm happy it's Friday and even happier that it's supposed to rain this weekend. It's been a pretty dry and warm winter here in southern California, so a little rainy weather is much needed. A couple of weeks ago I asked you for your input on blog post topics you'd like to know more about in 2012. I really appreciate your positive feedback and excellent ideas, all of which I'm using to inspire fresh content on Belle Maison! And to thank you, I offered to giveaway (2) $50 gift certificates to my online shop, Modern Chic Home. Today I'm announcing the WINNERS...Congratulations to Tia Brumbelow & Penny Barns!  (shoot me an email to claim your gift certificate - julie[at]modernchichome[dot]com). Thanks again to everyone for your input :)

Now, on to the second part of today's post...we've been busy adding fresh new product to the shop and I wanted to give you a peek at what's new for 2012! I also wanted to extend an exclusive discount to my fabulous Belle Maison readers to receive 15% off your next order over $50 (excluding wallpaper). The offer is valid through Friday, January 27th, 2012. Just use discount code BELLE15 to redeem. Enjoy the weekend! xoxo - Julie

{Shop Accent Pillows @ Modern Chic Home}

{Shop Lighting}

{Shop Mirrors}


CLICK HERE TO SHOP ALL NEW PRODUCTS @ MODERN CHIC HOME

Thursday, January 19, 2012

Home Tour: Bright & Happy Brooklyn Living

I came across this fabulous home tour via Interior Design, which belongs to their editor-in-chief, Cindy Allen. The apartment is located in Brooklyn Heights and was renovated and furnished by Cindy and her husband. The overall style is a little more modern that what I usually post on belle maison, but I appreciate the mix of different period pieces, colors, textures and interesting objects. I think the overall feel of this apartment is fresh, happy and inviting. What are your thoughts? To view the entire slide show, click here. Enjoy!













{ALL IMAGES COURTESY OF INTERIOR DESIGN / PHOTOGRAPHED BY ERIC LAIGNEL}

Wednesday, January 18, 2012

{7} Ways to Refresh Your Decor NOW

It's a shiny new year, which gives many of us the urge to clean, organize and change things up around our homes . If you're looking to spruce things up, you don't need to spend thousands of dollars on a complete overhaul / design renovation to do so. I've rounded up several simple and affordable ways to revamp your decor so you  can feel refreshed and happy in your home again. I've also included several links to my online shop, where you can take a look at tons of fabulous new items we've recently added. Are any of you in the mood to make some changes around your home? If so, please share your ideas / goals / challenges!

 {1} Try a new paint color - paint is one of the EASIEST ways to instantly update a space. If you have a room that needs to be given new life, paint an accent wall (or all walls, if you're feeling courageous) a shade of color. Seriously, a little bit of color can do wonders!!! (Image Credit)

 {2} Wallpaper - wallpaper the back of a bookcase, armoire or built-in cabinet with a fun print or textured paper. Just like paint, a little bit of pattern can go a long way and really add that special "custom" touch. (Image Credit)

 {3} Hang a Mirror - A great way to open up a room is with a beautiful mirror. Mirrors can brighten up the dullest of rooms and add instant style. Hang one above your sofa, bed, in your entry, or at the end of a hallway. (Image Credit)

 {4} New Lamps - Take a look at your current table and / or floor lamps...are they looking outdated and boring? Maybe it's time to replace them with brand new ones to cheer things up. If you don't feel like spending the money on new ones, spray paint the one(s) you have and / or add a fresh new lamp shade. (Image Credit)
 
 {5} New Artwork / Wall Decor - if you're tired of what you currently have hanging on your walls, take everything down, step back and re-look at the wall space. Sometimes this allows you to visualize new ways of either displaying what you already have or inspires you to look for something new and exciting to liven up the decor. (Image via Rue Magazine)

{6} New Accent Pillows - Accent pillows can do wonders for a sofa or chair that needs a style update. Sometimes just one or two pillows in a new pattern can do the trick. For the sofa, try pairing a solid pillow with a print (place the solid pillow behind print). (Image Credit)

 {7} New Rug - Breathe new life into your living room or bedroom with a new accent rug! Go bold with a zebra or geometric print or keep things simple and elegant with a subtle pattern or stripe. (Image Credit)