Las Vegas Market, Summer 2011 - Day 2

Happy Friday! Today's post covers round #2 of the Las Vegas Market, which I attended last week. As you'll see, colorful accents are still very prominent in home decor, but they're being complimented by lots of neutrals and soft metallics. Matte gold finishes were everywhere, along with mercury glass accents and metals in soft, understated finishes. I'm definitely loving the direction design is headed! What are your thoughts? Are there any trends that you'd hoping to see in the upcoming Fall / Spring months? *** Have a fantastic weekend! xoxo - Julie

 [All images taken by Julie Thigpen]

Las Vegas Market, Summer 2011 - Day 1

Hello friends! I apologize for my sparse posts over the last couple of weeks...things have been so busy for me, I can hardly keep up with everyday work and normal life! Do you ever feel that way? I just returned home from being away for 11 days; first stop was Big Bear to camp with friends for a weekend. Next stop was Las Vegas, where my good friend Gina and I attended the Las Vegas Market show for a few days; (we did manage to squeeze in one day of laying out at the pool and doing absolutely nothing :). Then it was off to Atlanta, Georgia with my husband and his family for the taping of Family Feud...totally random, I know. We auditioned several months ago and they ended up calling us to be on the show. While appearing on a game show isn't something I'd normally be up for (I hate being on stage / in front of large crowds - it terrifies me), I actually had a great time! I'll keep you posted on when the show(s) will be airing as soon as I have more info!

Anyway, today's post covers the first half of my trip to market last week, where I definitely noticed a lot more neutral color palettes, natural fabrics and raw / reclaimed wood furniture. Let me know your thoughts on the pictures I've posted today. Did you attend market? If so, what did you notice while perusing the showrooms? (Part II to be continued tomorrow)...

[Me and Gina - ready to hit the show and get to work]

[Angel wings continue to be a strong trend in wall decor & accessories; this chair was just exquisite]

[Thought this was a great idea for creating a collage of art + objects to fill a large wall, especially over a sofa or large hallway]

[I immediately noticed the fabulous vintage green hardware against the natural raw wood finish of this chest]

[Loving this color palette of robin's egg blue & coral; looks great mixed with the rubbed off-white finish of the table]

[A fresh, updated take on the traditional wingback chair]

[Stacks and stacks of the most beautiful books]

[A collage of sparkling gold sunburst mirrors made a fabulous focal point wall in this showroom]

[I don't think I'll ever tire of the Union Jack flag! It's printed here on vintage looking trunks, trimmed in burlap and brass nailheads. LOVE!]

[This chair is unlike any other chair I've seen! It's chunky, over-sized frame is dramatic without being too over-the-top]

[I plan on carrying these (3) little gems by Sugarboo Designs in my shop very soon. I love their simplicity and the fact that they're printed on vintage recycled wood]

[White milk glass jars and vases, mixed with mercury glass and vintage books]

[These quirky lamps were so much fun! There were several different styles placed randomly around a furniture showroom and definitely make for a great conversation piece]

[A new twist on the dome chair! The back of this one was stunning]

[I sell the resin Gazelle Antlers in my shop, which look really fabulous in just about any space; I liked the simplicity of the polished white jars and the texture of the accent pillows]

[Can't get enough of upholstered accent chairs, especially the pattern and color combination of this one]

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IMAGE CREDITS: TAKEN BY JULIE THIGPEN

Quote of the Week

“Entering is an extraordinarily important part of experiencing a house. If you’re not welcomed by the house as you enter, it’s difficult to remedy the negative impression once you’re inside.” 

– Susan Susanka, The Not So Big House 

 [IMAGE CREDITS: HOUSE BEAUTIFUL; ELLE DECOR; DECOR PAD]

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Back from Market...

Hello my fabulous blog readers :) I'm back from the Las Vegas Market and armed with tons of photos of new and exciting things to share with you next week. In the meantime, here's a look at a few fabulous items that caught my eye...

[art print by sugarboo designs (available soon @ modern chic home!)]

[gorgeous area rug that reminded me of a missoni print!]

[the prettiest stack of colorful leather trunks]

Did you enjoy the guest bloggers that were so kind to contribute blog posts while I was away this week?! Thanks again to Robin, Will and Erika for taking the time to share on belle maison :) Have a fantastic weekend and I look forward to sharing more from the show next week. xoxo - Julie

A New Approach to an Old Trend by Erika Brechtel

I'm so excited to have Erika Brechtel, owner of Small Shop [a brand styling studio] and the fabulous blog Shop Talk, as today's guest blogger! Erika is an incredibly talented graphic designer with a keen eye for all things fabulous and beautiful, especially when it comes to interior design and fashion. I've had the privilege of getting to know Erika over the last year and am happy to be introducing her to you today! So without further adieu, take it away Erika...

  

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Thrilled that Julie asked me to guest post for her, especially so since she was such a big influence on me and support for me in starting up my own blog. So to honor that, I wanted to do a post dedicated to her love of the chevron!

Okay so it's been around for a while, and you may even worry that we've seen the last of it. But I beg to differ! I have been so pleased to see an assortment of reinterpretations and reinventions of our zig-zag-y friend. Take a look at the reimagined products and inspiration shots I've collected
as Exhibit A:

[ illustration | pouf | napkins ]

[ print | napkins | brownie topper | throw | highball glasses ]

[ earrings | iPad case | towels | top | bag | paintable wallpaper ]

Exhibit B: Missoni -- the company that made famous the zig zag -- has been around since 1953! That's over 50 years of popularity, and a posh one at that. So fear not, my fellow chevron-lovers; it's here to stay.

Blue & White - A Classic Color Palette by Will Taylor

Today's guest blogger is one of my faves, especially since he and I both share a passion for what else?! COLOR!! (his tag line is literally "because beige is boring"). Allow me to introduce you to Will from Bright.Bazzar - a seriously gorgeous blog that keeps me inspired on a daily basis. Will is such a sweet, thoughtful and talented soul...I'm so happy to have him here as a guest. Enjoy!

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Hello! I'm Will and I blog daily over at Bright.Bazaar about all things colourful in interiors and lifestyle, and I'm delighted to be guest posting here on Belle Maison while Julie is in Las Vegas. I've always been a fan of a blue and white colour palette as I think it transcends between the seasons with ease. In summer it works in it's simplest form of glossy, bright whites and colour-pop, saturated blue hues. Then for fall and winter you can make it work by swapping out the brighter blues for more sumptuous, deeper and darker navy hues, or even mix in come copper and gold accent pieces for a dash of opulence. Do you like decorating with a blue and white colour palette?

If you're new to Bright.Bazaar, I'd love for you to pop by my blog, twitter or facebook to say 'hello!' Thanks for having me, Julie!

IMAGE CREDITS: 1 | 2 | 3 | 4