Asian-Inspired Powder Bath "Spruce Up"

One of my latest house projects (I have quite a few going on) was our powder bathroom. Although our house was new when we bought it, there have been small changes that I have wanted to make along the way so that our home truly reflects our style and personality. One of the things on my "Project Home" list has been to wallpaper our half bath. The room was painted a toffee color before, and it looked nice, but I really wanted to lighten the space. Because the room is not extremely large, the toffee paint was making it a little dark, and I knew that wallpaper would really bring some spirit to the room that is located off of our kitchen and keeping room. Plus, I just LOVE wallpaper, and it's really making a come-back in the world! It's such a great way to add a touch of individuality to a space.

When I ran across this Asian-inspired paper, I knew it was the perfect match for our powder bath. Not only is it light and airy, but it has a small-scale pattern with Oriental motifs including pagodas, boats, men and antelope that truly reflect our style. It is traditional with hints of coral and blue yet has a contemporary twist with the light linen background and an Asian theme. It turned out great, and with my husband being a fanatic about Asian food (if you know him, you know where I'm coming from!), he was a big fan too! It's always makes me happy when he loves something I've done!

Below are some photos of the half bath. My photography skills aren't that great, but I tried to get some close-ups of the pattern as well as some overall room shots for your viewing pleasure :) But as always, it looks so much better in person, but these will give you the general idea. Oh, and I've listed some wallpapering tips below the images for you so check them out!



I hope you enjoyed the photos, and below I have listed some tips when thinking about installing wallpaper in your home or in any project you may be working on.

1) Try installing it in a small space such as a bath, foyer/entry, bar or butler's pantry, etc. It can really add a "punch" to your space, especially if you're not sure you are sold on the idea of wallpaper in a large space or are scared to take the risk on making too large of a statement.

2) If you don't have the budget for artwork for the walls, try wallpaper! Pick one with a pattern and you won't have to spend the money on expensive art. It's "built-in" to the paper already!

3) Be aware of the pattern when selecting your paper. Installation prices can be quite a bit higher with an intricate pattern that will need special attention when matching at the seams.

4) Be aware if the color gradiates within the pattern. When installed, one side may seem lighter or darker than the other. Just something to think about!

5) Try wallpaper on your ceiling. If you're willing to take the risk, it can really be something different! (I am dying to do this in one of my rooms!)

6) Always check to see if the paper is pre-pasted or not...this will affect your installation costs.

7) Find a good installer! You want someone reliable who has some experience because lining up the pattern can sometimes be tricky.

Good luck, and if you have any questions, please feel free to email me! And if you have used wallpaper before, I would love to see how you may have incorporated it into your home or projects.

A "Wood-sy" Reminder (and chicken soup)

This past Sunday I posted about some of my favorite things that are black and white. Well, I was so happy to hear from Sue at The Zhush that she indeed has the lovely Cole and Sons woods wallpaper (see post below) in her ski home in Vermont. Of course, I immediately took myself to her blog (she has an awesome blog by the way!) to view the photos of the wallpaper installation, and WOW, it is gorgeous!! She has really used the paper in the most perfect application. It truly enriches her wintery home and mimics the amazing views from the bedroom. I thought I had died and gone to heaven!

Below, I have posted some of my favorite photos of the wallpaper but you must take yourself to her blog and view them all in her Home Again, Home again post - or you can click on the "Our Ski Home" link on her sidebar. The transformation of the entire home is absolutely stunning...you won't be disapppointed!

I mean, were those not fabulous photos or what?! Isn't it amazing what a great wallpaper can do to a space? And speaking of wallpaper, I recently had our powder bath covered in an Asian inspired paper and am really pleased with the result. I'll be posting about that soon!

To change my tune a little bit, I decided to make homemade chicken tortilla soup for me and Collin last night. It was delicious, and I will definitely be adding it to some of my standard recipes. It was the perfect way to share the night with the one I love while watching the BCS Championship game. Oh, and I also served warm bread with olive oil and balsamic vinegar for dipping...our favorite appetizer while honeymooning in Italy a few years back. YUM!! If interested in making this soup, click here for recipe.

Happy Tuesday to you all...

Daring Duo

I hope you all had a great weekend! I was on the road, but it was well worth it! Now, it's back to the daily grind. I thought I would start off this week with a bold image that contains two of my design favorites - he polka dot effect and velvet orange club chairs. I just love the combination of colors in the photo, and the wallcovering is dynamite!

I hope you have a great Monday!!

Image from House and Home

India Inspired Goodness

Fabric! It's an obsession of mine, and I've recently become acquainted with Malabar - a trade company (with distributors worldwide) that has dynamite patterns as well as a line of paint colors and China Grass wallcoverings that are all inspired from west India traditions. They offer damasks, cut velvets, embroideries, sheers - the list goes on and on. I'm telling you - it's out of this world!

Ooh la la! I would love to hear from you on some of your favorite fabric lines :)