How To Arrange Your Accessories @ Pear Tree Cottage!

I had such a great time doing the Pear Tree Cottage Design Seminar this weekend! Above is me with an arrangement I did for one of the demonstrations using sedum & some unknown bush cutting from my yard in a vintage milk glass urn. Here are the lovely ladies of Pear Tree Cottage:


It started off perfectly with some champagne and boy did I wish I could have a glass! (I was definitely a bit nervous before it started but everyone was so sweet & there were lots of smiling faces as I began.) One reader even came with a broken foot!!!! (see below) Thank you so much for making it!!!! :)

I really can't tell you how much it meant to see so many of you who show up & it was SO GREAT to actually get to meet you in person!!! I really felt like it was an audience full of friends... (I wish you all could have been there, so I'll try & recreate it ;)

Below on the left is Michele from My Notting Hill and I was so happy to finally meet her too!! Michele was one of the first people to take an interest in my blog & included me in her "DC Designer Series" and I was so excited when I read her post...

Ok, some of you asked me to videotape it, but I was nervous enough and also am technologically-challenged & unsure of how to get a video online (maybe future??) so I'm going to give you a serious breakdown of what I said & how it went. (I apologize to anyone there because this really is justy a play-by-play and might bore you to hear it a second time!!) I went around the store and arranged accessories on an antique vanity used as a console table, a bookshelf and finally a mantle. I started out telling a story about how my friends & family used to come to my house & every time it looked different. It was rearranged & the living room that used to be blues & greens was now beiges & golds. They'd always come in, say 'hi' to me and then start looking around to see what was new. They'd say things like, "You have WAY too much time on your hands," and "How can you afford to redecorate all the time?"

And the truth was, I wasn't really redecorating all the time... I was simply reaccessorizing. (Although I probably do have too much time on my hands! ;) I wasn't buying a tons of new things - of course I shopped a little- but I was rearranging my rooms, moving artwork, pillows & other accessories from room to room. The furniture was still the same, the paint was still the same, they just didn't realize it. This is the power that accessories have to transform a space.

When accessories are done well, a room can be thoughtful, personal & beautiful, but if done poorly, it can feel cluttered, oudated or contrived. The talk I gave was all about breaking down the process of arranging accessories step-by-step so that people could go home & try to get their accessories right in their own homes.

I started out with a quick explanation of visual weight, which is how much space an object takes up, not how heavy it is or how much it actually weighs. For example, a rock and a bouncy ball of the same size & shape are totally different weights, but they visually, they weigh about the same, meaning they have the same visual weight. This comes into play when we’re trying to create balance... Obviously two identical objects placed on a table can create a balanced arrangement, but you can also create a balanced arrangement if you use two objects of equal visual weight. (This is called “informal balance” vs “formal balance.”)

Then I moved around the shop and went to a vanity that was empty & began arranging it as an entryway console table. The look IO was going for was a mix of antique & modern so I chose the antique vanity & paired it with the modern lamps... I layered it with these amazing silver antler candle holders and piled up a bunch of my own decorating magazines for some height & because I wanted to use "real" objects people have lying around their home. I tucked in a really interesting magnifying glass & letter opener (bottom left) for some a nice, low horizontal addition to the arrangament and I used a vintage drink mixer of ours with a branch from a bush outside my house for some freshness.

Finally, I loaded a pretty little tray atop the magazines with "not-so-pretty" things like my keys & cell phone & sunglasses so the audience could see how when you put everyday, functional objects with beautiful ones, the arrangement feels "real" and beautiful & the everday things look great. :

Here's a good step-by-step breakdown...
How to Arrange Tabletops:

1. Create a focal point- (The mirror)
2. Create balance with a pair of objects - (the lamps)
3. Add a “spontaneous” item to overlap the focal point a bit to one side - (the candle holders)
4. Add layers of interest for a personal feeling, using items of varying height & sizes (magazines)
5. Include a tray or low horizontal item such as a book or plate - (the magnifying glass/ opener)
6. Finish with fresh flowers or greenery (my branch in the drink mixer)
...... And then I added a tray of "stuff" for some reality ;)

Next I arranged an empty bookshelf. (Above, Baby #2 is almost 6 months along & you can really tell from the side!!)

I explained how starting out with your favorite objects in the most prominent spaces is a good way to start. I brought in a bunch of paperbacks & showed how if you flip them around so the page sides are showing, you can really get a beatiful look & pair them with other pretty books.

I set up the books first and then filled in with larger objects. (Small objects don't usually work very well in b ookshelves because they end up looking cluttered & knick-knacky)... I used some books on the horizontal and others vertically to add interest. I layered a print in the background for interest & filled in all the holes with pretty things. (Below is the arrangment missing some things, (bottom right) because they SOLD before I could get a picture afterwards!! haha)

And here's another breakdown...
How to Arrange Bookshelves:
1. Decide how you want your shelves to feel: formal, perfectly placed or casual & “undesigned.”
2. Start at the most prominent spot and work your way up and down or out, keeping things balanced as you go
3. Take a digital photo and review the finished shelf, then go back and fix any trouble areas
4. Switch it up & have fun whenever the mood strikes you!!! This is what keeps our homes fresh & beautiful.

And finally, I showed how to arrange a mantle. I started out with an empty one (above)-- do you recognize it? It's ours from our house! (Dave was installing the hardwood floors & it was off the wall so we brought it in for the demonstration) I first showed how just adding a focal point (the mirror- oh the silverleaf driftwood mirror! WOW) and 2 objects for balance (the sconces) and a beautiful centerpiece, you could be finished and have a beautiful, simple arrangement (try to ignore the cords).. it would be created using "formal" balance because everything used has an identical pair except for the central items.

Then I created a layered, collected look and explained how by adding in "spontaneous" objects, you could get a more casual, relaxewd, "off" arrangement. (I used a mix of metal, wood, green & white & made sure it was carried throughout the display.) Here's the finished mantle, below:

Here's the breakdown again:
How to Arrange a Mantel

1. Create a focal point (mirror)
2. Create balance with objects (sconces)
3. Decide how much you want going on… if more- add layers of interest (print, wooden mushrooms, white urn)and a tray or low horizontal item (little row of white -figs- (I think??)
4. Finish with fresh flowers or greenery (the urn with flowers)

It was such a great time & I had so much fun meeting everyone!! I would love to think of a way to meet more readers, so I'll be brainstorming. Here's Michele & I:

And here I am with the lovely (so sweet & happy) Frances, owner of The Pear Tree Cottage:

Thank you SO much to Frances & everyone who attended. I had the best time and you all made me feel so comfortable!!!!

xoxo,

lauren

ps- I have some more details on ideas for accessory display so I'll be posting them later this week.

My Chinoiserie Mirror & Entry

I found this crazy vintage chipped Chinoiserie Mirror at Lucketts yesterday & just went for it. My entryway is dull and uninviting to use the nicest of terms. It's really bad. (below) yummy linoleum (before.)






And you can see it from the Living room and the main wall is actually a focal point of sorts when in the living room (which is where the pic above is taken from. ) I'm putting it high on the main wall so it reflects all of the windows in the living room, not a person's face, when you're in the entry (I'm doing a smaller one across from the door for that.) Here's the mirror below (not hung yet- sorry!) in the repainted entry (white white) which now has wall-to-wall seagrass.



Red is NOWHERE in my house. I'm not usually a red fan but something about this mirror just made me grab it. I just love its patina & chips & cracks. It matches nothing I have but the love was there so I'm sure it'll work.



This 4 foot tall caged lantern (below from Bellacor.com for around $200- what a deal!!) arrived yesterday and I can't wait to install it to replace the sickly-light-producing-globe one that's there now!!!


And one last pic of the chips & cracks!! (I know I go overboard taking pics of the same thing sometimes but just can't help myself)

Have a great weekend everyone. We're hoping our floors have arrived on time so we'll be installing those along with all of the installs for a client's SURPRISE master bedroom. (She is surprising her fiance and they will be gone for the weekend & will come home to a completely new room!!! She's seen nothing in person - only the design plan- and I'm so excited to make a nice romantic space for the newlyweds!! I was thinking how cute it would be to have champagne & rosepetals or something waiting for them but then I also realized how weird that might be.. hahaha maybe just some pretty flowers!) wish me luck!!

xoxo,

lauren

The Classic Pedestal Table

According to amishtables.com , "The pedestal table was originally designed for smaller rooms and to give an air of status. They were popular because of their functionality and almost all homes had one in some form. Just like today, they could be put to use in an elegant dining room or as a gaming table for friends and family to gather around." (table above by Identity Craft and image below from flicker)

"Pedestal bases have ranged from single columns to fanciful, ornately scrolled, indulgences. Each designer and style seemed to create its own signature of pedestal base. Their commonality is a single leg or central supporting column or pillar, attached under the center of the table top."

"King Arthur was famed for his round table, giving equality to all since it did not host the traditional head of the table that rectangular dining room tables did. Since the focal point of a pedestal draws your eye to the center the tops of pedestal tables have traditionally been visually pleasing."

I've always wanted a round pedestal dining table. (I've also wanted wanted a huge trestle table with a bench for a while but you work with the space you have.) My dining room is awkwardly shaped. It looks large & square when viewing it from the living room, but it's actually rectangular and very narrow when you center a table under the chandelier.

I fell in love with LOTS of tables but due to my size issues, there weren't many tables available in the under typical 5 foot diameter size. I did find one that was more than I would have liked to have spent (I really don't like to spend over $200- $500 on anything, I'll be honest, although I know that can be ridiculous.) and I thought I'd share with you some of the inspiration pictures I collected along the way... The image below is from Nina Griscom's home and it's still one of my FAVORITE houses out there. Each piece in the space seems to be its own sculpture or work of art. One of the reasons I wanted a round pedestal table so badly is because I think they have the most beautiful silhouettes. This table is exactly what I was searching for... (but with a leaf)

Just check out this gorgeous silhouette (House Beautiful) below:

And here's a close-up of the same room. I'mlLoving the lantern over the table below and the pedestal table is a bit more ornate...

Here's a strong pedestal, the "Avignon Table" from Horchow. I love these too for larger spaces...

And below is a similar Sears version for around $300. (Not bad at all for the look!!)The pedestal table below has a more transitional style and even though nothing's really going on with the walls, it's okay because the table's just such a perfect focal point.

Below is the Wakefield Pedestal Table by Nochols & featured in Hosue Beautiful:

And I had to slip this white beauty from Country Living in (below). I just LOVE this dining room.

One of my favorite sources is Martha Stewart Furniture for Bernhardt. I am crazy over their pedestal tables but unfortunatly they were all too big fo rmy dining room. Below is the Grand Lake Pedestal Table and I just LOVE it!!! It has perfect lines in my opinion. Another reason we wanted a pedestal is because we're mostly going to be using our dining are as a reading/ project spot. My husband & I both have a bunch of books going at once & since we love how a pile of books looks, we figured this would be the perfect space to be able to keep our mess out on. (Of course I'll make it a pretty mess and below is what I'm thinking.-- Martha's Grand Lake Pedestal Table again)

And here is is again (below)... it's just begging to be covered in books!!!

Below is the Lyell Pedestal Tbale also by Martha Stewart and it would look beautiful with some Midcentury chairs:

And here's the Dunmere Pedestal table by martha Stewart. I'm crazy over its lines too!!!

Love it paired with these aqua-clad chairs below:

Here's a black oak pedestal table from Country Living and I'm loving this room too. Paring it with the vintage metal chairs is such a perfect yet unexpected touch:

Below, House Beautiful with pedestal table from Mecox Gardens... Love the drum shade over it!

Below is another House Beautifulspace, done by Albert Hadley. It's used as a beautiful library table:

A

nd below is a very similar dining table (Country Living) in a dining room. I'm CRAZY pver this room and also remember seeing it on Cote de Texas. (The lantern?!! window seat in the background?!! It's just so light & airy & I love what that strong dark & handsome table does in there!!! :)

Below is a room featured in House Beautiful and (shockingly for House Beautiful!) they used a table from Pottery Barn! I'm loving it.

And, finally, one more look at my dream table....

And here's the one that arrived at my house yesterday from Pottery Barn. It is the perfect size and comes with a leaf for bigger dinners!! Like I said it was more than I wanted to spend (that just shows you where the budget's at--- when PB is too high-end!!! :) but it really is exactly what we were looking for...

We're so happy with it & I just love what it does for the dining room!!! It really amped it up a notch in there & works perfectly with my velvet sofa. I'm sorry for not posting pics yet-- they are coming SO soon I promise. I'm waiting on a hardwood floor install (happening this weekend by super-busy husband) and a rug to arrive because I want you to see it once it's all done.

xoxo,

lauren

The Lucite Trend

Well, I can't say that I'm up on the trends. At all. Because sometimes when I go to write a blogpost about a trend or something I think is really great, and I'm googling images, I come accross a post on the very subject I was planning on writing about... and quite often it's over a year old. That makes me feel behind. So, I know there are probably a million posts out there about lucite coffee tables, and maybe I didn't even get the memo and the trend is over, but I write posts as much for me as for you. And for now I'm going to indulge myself & hope you'll join me.

I just bought the lucite coffee table above from cb2 and can't wait for it to arrive!!! (The "Peakaboo Clear Coffee Table") I had originally planned on keeping the old toolbox -below- we had for a while... Then Christian fell off the sofa and whacked his head on the corner of it and I started to consider some softer options. (I'm usually not this much of a wimp, but since the dog bite accident I find myself being a bit more paranoid.) I was also looking to go for something a bit more modern juxtaposed against the traditional sofa, let's be honest.

I really love this one from Elle Decor but of course glass had me more more terrified than the wood. (haha I really am scarred right now.) But it really got me in the mood for clear. According to the internet, our all-knowing source, "Lucite is a material that has both properties of plastic and glass and mirrors the clarity of glass. It is heavier in “feel” as compared to traditional plastics and is of the highest quality." So I decided to go with lucite to get my clear fix.

I thought I'd share with you a bunch of eye-candy rooms with lucite coffee tables. Most are really similar to the one I ordered and I'm loving them. It might be something I tire of eventually, but I was really happy with the price & what it'll do for the space. (Below, House Beatiful)

The room below (decorpad) has a nice mix of traditional & modern...

Loving this room below (found at decorpad) & I think the lucite is just a perfect surprise in the middle of the room.

The room below (House Beautiful) has two lucite tables pushed close together and I love how the striped rug comes through the tables. (I'm definitely going to be looking for a special rug to layer over the natural woven one we'll have.)

And here's the same concept again (from Materialgirls) and how cute is the pup under there?? (okay, i don't know if he's real or fake!!!)

Here's the coffee table I ordered. Not loving the room but am still into the table:

Ok and this one might be glass but I love it so I'm including it anyway. I'm also crazy about what's going on above the sofa. So interesting. (decorpad)

Here's another one from Leslie Klotz's cottage (featured in House Beautiful)... SO fresh & fun:

LOVE the room below. It's so big & I love al the separated areas the designer created. (pic from inglenookdecor.blogspot.com) I also love views of lucite tables from above because it's almost like the objects on them are floating.

And I found the one below on my good friend Camila's blog (High-Heeled Foot in the Door) who I'm sure most of you know & love. Just two stacks of books on it- so pretty & simple!!

Soon I'll be laying across my sofa & smiling for the camera too. soon.. soon...

xoxo,

lauren

ps- my thoughts on trends: If you love something, get it whether it's "in" or "out"... don't ever get something just because it's "in" or "trendy," get it because you love it. (Then, who cares what happens when it goes "out" because YOU love it?!)