Inspiration Snapshot :: Eclectic Glamour

Hello friends. I've been a little MIA the last couple weeks here on the blog. My best friend's husband passed away unexpectedly recently and I've kind of dropped everything to be with her through this extremely difficult time. I'm just popping in today to say hello and to share this beautiful bedroom that I stumbled across by Erin Gates via Pinterest. I'm in love with the mix of pattern and color. Wouldn't you love to crawl into this bed with a good book and cup of tea? What are you loving about this space?

  [IMAGE SOURCE VIA PINTEREST // ERIN GATES]

xo,

Quote of the Week

“I like to set people free. I give them a hint and encourage them to go with their imaginations. It is the only way that new things can come true.”

— Designer Muriel Brandolini

 [IMAGE CREDITS: ELLE DECOR; HOUSE BEAUTIFUL; HOUSE TO HOME]

 

'Five Things' Friday - The Nycia Emerson Edition

Hello Lovelies,  Happy Friday!! I hope you all had a wonderful week full of inspiration and beautiful things. It's Nycia here from She Inspires with my edition of  "Five Things Friday". I am ending the week with a few of my favorite things and a look into a few things that have been inspiring me lately.  With the heat here in Texas, cold beverages, maxi dresses and pool time have been at the top my list, along with these five things below.  Have a fabulous weekend and remember to take in all the beauty you are surrounded by!!

One.  I started this week off with an updated inspiration board in my office. I don't know about you but having a bit of inspiration above my desk, helps me to think outside the box with projects I am working on, along with keeping my list of must haves fresh on my wish list and the motivation rolling..

 Two. Color blocking is one of my favorite style trends right now.  When I spotted this sherbet color combo on Pinterest, I  had to add it to my style board.  I will probably be attempting this color combo soon.

Three.  Lovely tablescapes that include flowers and beautiful pattern fabrics always makes me a little giddy. I recently hosted a workshop and was able to share color ideas and details for entertaining at home. This photo has to be one of my favorites from the Summer Crush table.

Four. There is just something so refreshing about a well styled space, whether indoor or outdoor. This lovely outdoor space from Lonny Magazine is simply perfect. The stripes, the pops of color and all the shaded greenery around, makes me want to jump right in with a glass of wine in hand.  

Five.  I am looking forward to the weekend, ready for a mini getaway to the Hill Country with the love of my life, as we celebrate 11 years of marriage. I feel so blessed to have this man as my husband, father of our sons and my best friend.  I  always look forward to every moment we get to spend together! 

xo, 

Nycia

Baby Love :: Nursery Essentials

Hi Belle Maison readers - it's Kelle from Habitat + Beyond Kids here coming to you all the way from Australia! As an Interior Designer that specialises purely in spaces for children it's my job to help parents-to-be create a nursery that they will treasure. There are a few essentials that every nursery needs, and now more than ever parents are requesting items that stand out from the crowd. Colour is now becoming a staple for many modern nurseries and today I'm going to share a few of my favourite pieces to help your Little One's room be the talk of the town!

 

 

Mrs Godfrey Chair Word that links to website Horse Lamp Caravan Crib Zebra Rug Tree Stump

Comfort is a huge deciding factor when choosing a chair for nursing your baby or for story time, but good news - this doesn't have to mean an overstuffed glider! Modern armchairs are equally as comfy and you can easily add an ottoman or pouffe to rest your feet.

Whether you decide on a floor or table lamp, a kitsch design like this Jonathan Adler horse version is a great talking point - stick to plain white, gold or silver so it complements the decor without looking too 'themey' (my pet hate in nursery design!).

White and walnut cribs still have their place, and for those parents who are prepared to step out of their comfort zone there is now some amazing neon furniture available. Or you can simply update an old crib with some child-friendly paint - et viola, new and on-trend!

Whether you have carpet or wood floors a rug is a great way to add some vibrant colour to the space - I've been lusting after this Zebra Print number for a while now. Mexican kilim rugs also work really well and add a multitude of colours you can play around with.

A side table doesn't have to be a boring, plain nightstand - wooden stools are a great alternative like this raw tree stump available from Kalon studios, or for a cost effective option consider approaching a local tree lopper for a log off cut.

I've loved sharing some of my Nursery Essentials with you all! Don't be a stranger - I would love for you to pop over and say hi at my blog Habitat + Beyond Kids!

Retail Therapy

As a designer, I'm constantly working with wholesale accounts that are only available to the trade, and I often overlook what's available in the retail world. But lately, there have been some incredibly inspiring spaces popping up in some of my favorite retailer's catalogs, which help give me new ideas and ways of styling and designing a space! Here are a few spaces that recently caught my eye. What stores are you loving these days for home decor?

 [West Elm]

  [West Elm]

  [West Elm]

  [Wisteria]

 [William Sonoma Home]

  [Wisteria]

  [Wisteria]

  [West Elm]

  [William Sonoma Home]

 [West Elm]

 [Ballard Designs]

 [Wisteria]

Quote of the Week

“The greatest step towards a life of simplicity is to learn to let go.”

 - Steve Maraboli  

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DIY Project :: Gilded Pocket Tee

Hello lovely Belle Maison readers! It's Lou here, one half of the blogging duo from Lynn + Lou. I am so pleased to be contributing on Belle Maison today. Since the heat of Summer is upon us, I wanted to share my go-to outfit for Summer and I figured I would share a little DIY to go along with it.

During these hot months I love experimenting with different versions of cut-off shorts and over sized tee's. It is such an easy, no-hassle outfit and it is perfect for Summer. However, I wanted to try giving one of my basic tee's a face lift and I love how it turned out.

Materials:
1 Over-Sized Tee
4 x 6 in Swatch of Gilded Leather or Sheepskin
Thread
1 Tape Measure
Scissors

Directions:
1. Find a plain over-sized shirt, pre-wash and dry the shirt.

2. Cut a pocket shape out of your gilded fabric and pin it 9-12 inches from the shoulder, depending on your bust size and how low you prefer the pocket.
3. Sew the gilded fabric onto your shirt creating a pocket, removing all of the pins as you go.
4. To wash your shirt properly, hand wash it, avoiding the gilded pocket as much as you can.

I paired my gilded pocket tee with my favorite cut-offs. I found a pair of boyfriend jeans at a nearby thrift store and thought that they would be much better with a little snip, snip. Two folds later and I had my favorite Summer shorts. I definitely recommend a pair, you would be amazed at how versatile these shorts are and how many outfits they complete.

I topped everything off with dream catcher earrings, gold accessories, my favorite vintage La Mer watch and platform sandals. I kept my hair nice and simple with a top knot. Which was by far the best beauty creation, so easy, versatile and adds the perfect finishing touch to any ensemble.

For more crafts, food and fashion inspiration follow me on Lynn + Lou. Have a lovelyThursday!
Cheers!
Lou  

Beach Bridal Shower :: Navy & Pink Chic

Last weekend I helped throw my girlfriend's bridal shower and it turned out fabulous! We hosted it at a friend's family beach house in Newport Beach, CA and the weather was perfection. The bride requested that we use her wedding colors, navy blue and pink, and we coordinated everything from there. Each bridesmaid took on a few tasks (mine were flowers, favors and paper goods), and it all came together nicely, without us spending a fortune!

Entry table with favors, advice cards and thank you postcards.

I made homemade Lemon Honey & Green Tea Sugar Scrub for the shower favors (recipe found here). I wanted to do something unique, that each guest would take home and actually use! The scrub was packaged in a mason jar (purchased in bulk at Walmart) and for the tags I cut up pink & white chevron paper plates in the shape of a rectangle (I had extra plates), used envelope labels to print the info for the front and back, which I then stuck on each tag. It was easy breezy! I then tied each tag with hemp twine (Walmart) and a pink ribbon. They were a huge hit!

We created a simple pop pom "chandelier" above the food table and used chevron wrapping paper (found at Homegoods) for the table runner!

I rolled the clear plastic utensils in navy paper dinner napkins (via Party City) and tied them with a pink ribbon. The adorable chevron paper plates were ordered online from Shop Sweet Lulu (you HAVE to check out their shop!).

Champagne flutes were filled with orange juice and a raspberry garnish, which gave guests the option to add chilled champagne to make a mimosa.

The striped paper straws (via Etsy) were a fun touch to the beverage table, along with the love potion label on the drink bucket!

The gorgeous view from the back patio of the beach house.

I created simple centerpieces using these cute little galvanized buckets (from Walmart for $1.99 each) and flowers from Costco, purchase the day before. I bought a couple dozen gerbera daisies ($8.99 each) and a large mixed bouquet. The morning of the shower, I cut up floral foam and placed in the bottom of each bucket, filling each one halfway with water, then layered in the flowers and greens. The floral foam made it so easy!

Yummy cupcakes purchased from The Sugar Me Bakery in Orange.

The bride (3rd from left) and all of her bridesmaids.

Me with my mama.

We sent each guest home with a homemade sugar scrub favor.

All in all, it was a beautiful shower, with great friends, good food and lots of laughs (and a little sentimental crying too :).

[All images were taken by me]