My Personal Style

Once they discover what I do for a living, people always ask me,  "What's your personal style?".  I am very hesitant to answer this questions for two reasons:
1.It is a common misconception that the personal style of the decorator is forced upon the client.
2. I don't like labeling styles.

But today, I'm feeling forthcoming.  I ran across this photo on...drumroll, please.....Pinterest (big shocker) and fell in love. 

Everything about this space is me. If I could pluck it from my computer screen and place it in my house, I would.  Let me explain why.Starting from the bottom up:

-The carpet is hip and funky and uses a crisp shade of aqua.  The simple but interesting pattern keeps the space from appearing formal.

-The glass table provides an airy feel that keeps the room from feeling too heavy and allows the rug to be on display. Very few accessories are placed atop the table, but the ones that are there are large and unique.

-Texture.  The nailheads, smooth and round contrast with the slubby feel of the linen fabric covering the chairs and sofas.

-Clean lines.  No piece is too ornate.  All you see are soft curves and straight lines, keeping the room from being too visually stimulating.

-Grand chandelier in a subtle green glass.  Provides function and beauty without stealing the show.

-A final touch of funky adorns the ceiling.  Those tiles are far more interesting than a white dry-walled ceiling!

The whole space is serenity at it's finest for me.  Plenty of room for many to gather and chat. No clutter, just calming features that radiate beauty in my eyes.

As far as my reservations for sharing my personal style-

1. In my business I have a personal goal that no one could ever walk into a space, except my own home, and say "Liz did this".  There are no trademark designs or colors in my projects.  Each project is tailored to the client's lifestyle and needs. That's why I enjoy it so much- I get to play with other styles that I don't have in my own home.

2. I hardly ever use style names when describing my own or someone else's room.  I tend to ask my client's to use feeling words- what do they want their room to evoke?  How do they use the space?  Everyone like to use buzzwords like eclectic and contemporary but most have no idea what they actually mean, rendering them useless.

How would you describe your ideal space?  

Bonkers for Burlap

Hitting the scene hot and heavy has been burlap. Everywhere I look, I see burlap throw pillows, tableclothes, bulletin boards and signs. If you flip open a Ballard Designs catalog there are pages devoted to products made from this fine fabric. If you search for burlap items on Pinterest, a world of photos show up. I have always loved the visual texture provided by this natural fiber. It brings such rustic beauty to a dinner table when placed with fine china.  You can shred it into pieces and tie it off to make a welcoming wreath for your front door.  People are getting very creative with their application and I couldn't be more excited! 

One of my favorite items I have found is burlap ribbon.  It is available in an assortment of colors and widths perfect for a Fall wreath or your Christmas tree. The beauty of burlap is that it can be used for indoor or outdoor decoration.  One friend is using shiny gold mesh and turquoise burlap in her tree to create not only a gorgeous color palette, but an interesting mix of textures and finishes. I encourage you to be creative when experimenting with burlap. You never know what you might come up with!