Quote of the Week

"People who live the most fulfilling lives are the ones who are always rejoicing at what they have."

- Richard Carlson

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Trends Collide…

Hello, loves! I am B of B. in the Know. Thanks for having me at Belle Maison and letting me share some fashionista thoughts with you today! This spring we have seen some very strong trends come out after we were all cooped up with the winter months. However, with these strong trends has also come a feeling of needing to choose which side you fall out on – neutral or neon. And I say, who cares – let the trends collide and embrace them both. Full on neon can look fabulous, on some, but we all know it can also look a little over the top and leave you to not be taken very seriously. With the neutrals you can look fabulously chic and put together, but also a little snobbish and standoffish. So, what is a gal to do?! Well ladies, I say we mix and match – and really have a little fun and let ourselves play. Let the trends collide, and you may find it is a match made in heaven…maybe the trends were never meant to be at odds after all…

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Have you chosen a side in the neutral versus neon trends this spring? Or are you embracing them together? How are you making each trend work for your style? 

Much love,
B

Please come say hi to me over at B. in the Know!

Reader Makeover: DIY Furniture Transformation

Today I'm featuring an awesome DIY furniture makeover submitted by reader Sarah. I love the history behind the piece and think it turned out fabulous. (P.S. Be sure to check out Sarah's blog, Hello Lovely). Enjoy!

Hello Lovelies! I am totally new to the DIY world and used to think just buying it was TOTALLY easier and the way to go...this was before my awesome Husband knocked my socks off and made me a bar. I have been wanting a wooden bar forever, but they are way expensive. We had this hutch in our basement. It was originally my Husband's change table from when he was a baby (awww!) but what do two people without a baby do with a change table??? Turn it into a bar of course! Have a look at the ugly before, let me warn you, this thing was a hot mess....and then the fab after!!!! SO glad I listened to my Hubby! Maybe this girl IS a DIY girl after all! ~ Sarah

Before...an old changing table

After...a stylish bar!

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Nursery Decor - Tips on Making it Your Own

Hello everyone, it's Erika from small shop! So honored to get to step in for Julie while she is enjoying her new love and life! Since she no doubt has had baby brain the past 9+ months, I thought it might be fun to talk about ideas for personalizing a nursery.

We all want the picture-perfect, off-the-shelf, brand-spanking-new nursery, but sometimes that can look, well, Stepford-ish, right? I collected a few really easy ideas to make sure your wee one's space doesn't look like it was ripped from a catalog.

#1: Adding a few items from your own childhood.

Some of us are lucky that our parents were thoughtful enough to hold onto items from our own childhoods, and many of these items come with fond memories. Why not incorporate a few into your nursery? My husband's mom gave us a rocking horse bank that used to be his, and my parents gave us two books that I loved as a little girl.

#2: Incorporate vintage items.

Mixing in vintage items is the best way I know how to balance the vast amount of newness we all acquire when creating a nursery — repurposing a vintage chest is so easy! Customize it further with unique knobs. You can often find knobs on Etsy.com or eBay.com for cheap.

Combine vintage blocks or letters to spell out your child's name - Etsy.com is so great for this! No one will ever have the same collection.

Hang a vintage chandelier. Always great options at flea markets!

#3: Incorporate a piece of family past and present.

My brother and his wife made easy DIY art out of our families' crests.

Love the way Laura Day created a photo collage into one large art piece.

We were lucky to get a crocheted blanket that my grandmother made. It hangs out in a very special nook of our daughter's room.

#4: Hang a few pieces of their artwork (or their siblings' ) on the walls.

Framed or unframed (using cork or grasscloth as wallpaper), it's a meaningful touch.

Pretty easy, right? I hope you got an idea or two out of this post!

Thanks for having me today Julie!

Images: 1. small shop / 2. Amanda Kingloff in Parents / 3. Jenna Lyons in Domino / 4. Barrie Benson in Domino/ 5. personal photo from my brother / 6. Laura Day in Lonny / 7. small shop, 8) Betsy Burnham in Lonny, 9) Nicole Cohen in RUE, 10) Palmer Weiss in Lonny

Quote of the Week

“Style is knowing who you are, what you want to say,
and not giving a damn.”

- Gore Vidal

PHOTO CREDITS: MET HOME; LIVING, ETC.; SELINA LAKE; AMANDA NISBET

For The Love Of Art

It’s a pleasure to be a guest blogger today on Belle Maison. Thank you so much Julie for inviting me to share my love of design with your wonderful readers while you’re on maternity leave. Hi everyone, my name is Typhanie Peterson and you can usually find me over at Shoebox Décor where I discuss small spaces, DIY, art, interior design and a number of other things.

Today I would like to talk about how to make inexpensive artwork look grand in your home. I know many people can’t afford to spend $10,000 on a piece of art by the next up and coming artist, so I like to take affordable pieces and make them look rich. I even like to dabble with art myself. Granted even though it has taken me several years to learn how to draw a stick figure I still treasure my love hate relationship with the arts. With that being said, I might not be the next Von Gogh but I do know a thing or two {maybe three} about having affordable artwork that works for your home.

Here are a few tips to keep in mind when curating and installing artwork in your home. The pieces you pick don’t have to be expensive, just well thought out. To help us visualize using affordable pieces I’ve created some prints we can use to mentally replace the expensive ones we see in the images below. This will help show how the tips help no matter the price of the art. The three prints I have designed for the examples are free* for download and can be found here. They are all 18inx24in and look fabulous inside the Ikea 20 ½ "x28 ¼ " RIBBA frame. Hope you all enjoy them.

1. Color Me Happy   I think one of the most important things to think about when choosing art is color. What colors are in the artwork? Is this going to work with my existing color scheme, or am I going to create a color scheme around the artwork? I love how Ana Cordeiro creates a vibrant chic space with artwork to match. The yellows and pinks found in the piece above the sofa can be seen all around the room. This cohesive scheme allows the eye to move freely around the room while still emphasizing the art. Because the colors work so well together this nice simple print has become a beautiful focal point in the room.
{image via Ana Cordeiro}

2. What’s Your Position?  Now that you have your artwork that blends seamlessly with your color scheme, it’s time to think about where to put it. This is where scale and proportion starts to guide you. For instance, if your favorite piece is too small to anchor your focal wall why not create a collage. The image above shows great positioning of a treasured piece. I love how the designer creates a makeshift triangle for the eye by using the pink flowers to the left and the pink pillow to the right; this forces the eye upward to the crowning piece on the wall. I also love how it’s the only unframed piece in the collage to draw more attention to it. {image via Caitlin Wilson} {I do believe the piece in this room is handmade}

3. Frame It  Speaking of frames, having the right frame around your artwork might be the last piece to the puzzle. If the frame or matting doesn’t match the concept of your piece or space, then everything you’re trying to convey might come off wrong. For example the image above shows how the glossy white opulent frame works perfectly with the stoic aura of Lincoln and the modish entryway. A simple white RIBBA frame can work just the same but taking it up a notch with a heavy stately frame really anchors the room and makes the artwork pop. The artwork I’ve created of Lincoln isn’t as intricate as the one in the room but it would still look right at home in that space because of the rich frame. {image via DC Design House}

There you have it. My three tips for making affordable artwork work in your home. Just remember, it’s not the price that matters but what you do with it that counts…Happy Decorating Everyone! ~Typhanie

*Free for personal use. Commercial use not allowed. ©Typhanie Peterson Design 2012