from Bluebird Hill

Miami is such a large and vibrant city. I thought of it as a tropical city, busy, and full of Art Deco buildings.  The Art Deco district is awesome, but it is so much more. There is South Beach, which is actually a different city, and mostly where those of Jewish descent reside. South Beach is where you will find the art deco, up and down the streets.  Rounded corners, and eaves over the windows, as well as the accent colors are clues.  They can be remodeled inside, but the exterior must remain true to the original, including the original signage. Of course, being so close to Cuba, there are alot of Cuban descendents.  Spanish & english are spoken equally in Miami and both are taught in the public schools.  Little Havana is a must experience while you are there. Two other wonderful areas are Coconut Grove and Coral Gables.  These are 2 residential areas that are tony and worth driving through.  Coconut Grove was one of the first su...

Pantone is one of the industry's foremost color forecasters.  This is a very big deal, because as such, they influence trends for automobiles, fabrics, appliances, clothing and just about everything else in our lives that has color. So, since I am a nature lover, I decided to see what Mother Nature shows with this vibrant shade of green.  It may give you some ideas on how to use it in your home furnishings, or your wardrobe. To take advantage of a trend, I feel it is important to analyze how long you think it will last, and most importantly, does it suit your personality. You can see in these pictures how very different the color is depending on what colors it is used with. Using neutrals and lots of white makes it fresh and almost neutral.  But it can also be used with pastels, as with the sculpture, or other brights as with the canoes.    How would it best suit your needs?

I love to travel, and walk the local neighborhoods... We recently visited Key West, and it is a very laid back city. Lots of charming neighborhoods, and all of the cottages have front gardens and fences. The gardens are loose, and the fences as different as I would imagine the owners to be.  Orchids attached to trees, and what some would consider houseplants, grow to the size of schrubs.                                                                                                                                                                         ...

I love the whiteness of the snow, fresh fallen and all sparkly.   Then, we drive through it with our cars, and it becomes dirty.  After it falls, the winter months are often cloudy and gray. I choose to plan my surroundings so there will be color all year.  I love the look of this metal art in the snow.  It draws the eye, and brightens things up. Add greenery to your landscape with fruit and berries.  It will provide food for the birds, and winter color.  The birds will stay and take care of pests the rest of the year. Gardens that have borders of green, like low hedges, provide structure to the winter garden. I also like to add features like ponds, birdbaths, fountains and benches. They all have a seasonal function, but also add interest in the winter, like this bench in the photo below.

After the holidays, I am soooo ready to return to a quieter palate in my home. Don't get me wrong, I love color.  But I prefer a neutral palate so I can change my accessories and have a completely new look. Last year I reupholstered my living room furniture with Sunbrella fabrics in a neutral cream color.  I used a twill on a chair and sofa, and a wonderful herringbone on my favorite wing chair.  With dressmaker details, like pouf buttons on the one chair back & nailheads on the wing chair, they are anything except plain or ordinary. I took all of the Christmas decorations off the mantle, and put up this wonderful old window that a friend gave me.  I like the texture of the peeling paint, a little bit of old colors showing through and the old wavy glass.   With the finials and a plant, it is just the perfect feel for my winter room.                             ...

sophia collection from Pottery Barn I am seeing some distinct trends for 2017. The colors are neutrals, used with lots of textures. Mixing periods of furnishings in the  same room. Lots of patterns, checks & plaids, florals. Leather, fur, and vintage fabrics. Lighter woods with a flat, dry finish. Rough and smooth, in fabric and woods. Pottery Barn In this photo from Pottery Barn, you'll see some indo-chinese furnishings with a shabby slipcovered chair, and  a contemporary leather sofa. It is all brought together with a calm color scheme of neutrals, with blue & coral, Notice how the artwork & accessories on the floating shelf in the background are not centered, but are  2 separate yet cohesive vignettes. Williams Sonoma  In this photo from Williams Sonoma, you'll notice a very cool and calm look.   Larger scale furnishings a nd accessories.   Again, neutrals, with blue added.     A  s...

I love the holidays.. All of the wonderful smells..cookies, candles and other goodies. All of the beautiful wrappings, bows & glitter. A real tree with icicles and vintage ornaments. Get togethers, sing alongs, The Nutcracker & Scrooge. But, best of all, people are kinder, and for the most part, happier. Let's try to keep the spirit all through the year.

What is the art of gifts to be mailed? I have gifts that need to be sent out of town. I still want them to be pretty when they arrive, and know that I can't add the live green snippets or dimensional adornments that I would like. So, I add cards to the front of the packages and prettier flat ties, such as twine or rickrack ribbon. I try to use the same paper for each member of the family getting a gift.  That way, I don't forget to send something out in the mail! Inside the wrapping paper, I usually use a double layer of  tissue to make it more special when it is being opened!  Sometimes 2 colors or a color and pattern.

Our homes say alot about who we are.     At this time of year, we make changes to accommodate our holiday furnishings.  We might do something big, like repaint a room, or just add some accessories to freshen things up. Some of my favorite things are:  A nice cozy throw, to add warmth, texture, color A patterned rug, over the top of a sisal Plants and flowers to add a sense of life Good scented candles, subtle & seasonal Interesting chairs for extra seating Trays to organize remotes,  books & accessories

Style.. i t says alot about who we are  This picture of a garden setting says that I love to garden. It also says that I like shabby chic, rusty & crusty, by the old chair that I have left in its found condition.  I like color, as shown in the variations in the old planter.  My style is a stylized traditional, which is shown in the shapes of the chair and planter, as well as the soft edging of the terrace they sit on.  And I am casual, shown in the small plants starting to grown in the crushed granite on the terrace. Our style is shown in everything about us.  The clothes we wear, our hairstyle, accessories, cars & homes. Never  apologize for who you are.     Be true to yourself, because these are your own inner likes and dislikes.  Some of us are messy, and others are driven to distraction by that.  So what??? The world would be very boring if we were all alike.  I have found that the reason I like s...