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Archive for August, 2012

Clever Shelving – Ways to Make Your Mess Disappear

It’s amazing what some clever shelving can do to clear away your junk, collectables, books, ornaments and other odds and ends we tend to accumulate! I’m on a mission at the moment at home to organise, store and shelve items that are currently making their home on top of other items, on the floor, under the table and in our laundry area… I‘m imagining the free space already!

Today I bring you some great takes on shelving solutions – from steel kitchen shelves to mounted boxes, old fashioned bathroom hook shelves to honeycomb shelving! Enjoy and I hope this inspires some DIY 🙂

Easy Kitchen Racks

Easy Kitchen Racks | source Pinterest

Wallpapered Shelving

Wallpapered Shelving | source Design Sponge

Honeycomb Shelving

Honeycomb Shelving | source Paper ‘n Stitch

Mounted Box Shelves

Mounted Box Shelves | source Design Sponge

Metallic Kitchen Shelves

Metallic Kitchen Shelves | source Apartment Therapy

Old Fashioned Bathroom Shelves

Old Fashioned Bathroom Shelves | source MarthaStewart.com

Wall to Ceiling Block Shelves

Wall to Ceiling Block Shelves | source The Pursuit Aesthetic

Neon & Pastel Decor | Home Trends

Recently I did a post on Pastel Colours as a big fashion trend for 2012, and have found that splashes of Neon are also making their way into focus – both in fashion and in decor trends. What we are also seeing now is a great combination of neon & pastel together (I know, initally it seems crazy, but actually – it works!) and not only in fashion. Why not brighten up your home for summer with some pastel & neon shades?

The key is to keep the base colours very neutral and quite lightwhite, dove grey or pale pastels work well on walls, while brighter pops of colour look good as accents. Key pastels to remember include: mint, teal, rose, lemon and lilac, while neons look good in fuschia, tangerine, coral and florescent yellow.

Check out these great design & decor inspirations…

Neon vs Pastel

Neon vs Pastel | source Enter My Attic

Neon Green Touches

Neon Green Touches | source Enter My Attic

Soft & Bright Colours

Soft & Bright Colours | source The Style Files

Neon & Pastel Inspiration

Neon & Pastel Inspiration | source Le Notebook

Dipped Hair & Neon Inspired Home

Dipped Hair & Neon Inspired Home | source Trendland

Neon & White Kitchen

Neon & White Kitchen | source John Lewis

Pinboard of Neon & Pastel Ideas

Pinboard of Neon & Pastel Ideas | source Style Files

Monday ‘Words of Wisdom to Keep Calm’…

This might get you to smile, chuckle or laugh out loud. Whatever it does, I hope it brings a smile to your face on yet another Monday Morning! Have a great day Good Girls (and Boys!) and remember to ‘Keep Calm and Carry On’…

Keep Calm & Make Coffee | source Etsy.com

Emotional Colour in Your Home

Thanks to Kathryn on BecomingYou, I clicked on this link to find an amazing post on How Colours Can Make You Feel at Home – really looking at the emotional and psychological influence and impact certain colours can have on you, your space and your mood.

Thanks to Kaitlyn Davis of the Washington Post for this post below (I have added in the images for demonstration):

Putting some color into your life doesn’t have to be an exhausting or permanent process. Instead of spending weeks pondering the perfect color for your walls, take a more fluid approach by continually alternating color in your accent features, such as pillows, plates and rugs.

According to color expert Angela Wright, “Red, blue, yellow and green are the four psychological primary colors: red affects us physically, blue is the color of the mind, yellow activates the emotions, the ego and self-confidence, and green provides the essential balance between body, mind and emotions.”

See the emotional effect behind each color below along with a slideshow of how you can easily add each to your home.

Color: Red

Emotional Effect: Angela says, “red is associated with physyical strength and energy, warmth and a call to action. It can certainly make people feel better, physically.” This is because the red light wavelength is the longest and cannot be ignored.

Red Room

Red Lounge

sources Borodener & The Berry

For Your Home: According to Angela, the red wavelength requires the most adjustment to process, so red grabs people’s attention first. Notice that your couch becomes your post-work crash zone? Then try putting a red slipcover on it to make you feel energized. Or replace your current sheets with red ones to fight those pesky lethargic morning moods. However, since red has a physical effect, do not overdo it, because you might push past energetic into aggressive.

Color: Blue

Emotional Effect: “A very strong, bright blue will stimulate the mind and evoke clear thinking, whilst a soft blue tint will calm the mind and aid concentration,” Angela describes, noting that saturation is the component that decides whether a hue within the same family will stimulate or sooth (super saturated is always bright and shocking, while less saturated hues are easier on the eyes).

Blue Room

Blue Couch

sources Ideas to Steal & Design Sponge

For Your Home: Since blue affects us intellectually, accents like blue curtains or a woven blanket work very well in an office to help you focus or in a room where you have lots of conversation. However, Angela warns, “If you decide to add a burst of blue you need to make sure there are touches of yellow, or orange, to add a little emotion to all that thought.”

Color: Yellow

Emotional Effect: “It is emotionally stimulating, so yellow will lift the spirits and encourage optimism and creativity. However,” Angela warns, “negative uses of color can have the exact opposite effect. Interestingly, in my experience, many people are very cautious of yellow without really knowing why.”

Yellow Study

Yellow Kitchen

sources Design Sponge & Interior Gallery Design

For Your Home: Angela let us know that yellow is arguably the color with the strongest psychological impact, so you need to be sure to choose a yellow that easily harmonizes with most color schemes, which tend to be the softer canary yellows or yellows that have been tinted gold or orange. Yellow is great for the kitchen, where families usually convene after a stressful day. Adding a bright rug or more subtle yellow knobs to your kitchen cabinets will keep everyone feeling optimistic.

Color: Green

Emotional Effect: Angela describes green as “nature’s favorite color,” noting that it often “restores balance and equilibrium. It is also reassuring, for the simple reason that when the landscape contains green we know that it indicates the presence of water, healthy vegetation and little danger of famine.”

Green Dining

Green Bedroom

 sources Design Decor Staging & Life of a Boss

For Your Home: A great way to add green to your home is by using plants. If you’re always rushing to get ready in the morning, create a sense of calm around you by placing green towels in the bathroom to help you feel fresh and rejuvenated rather than rushed.

Decorative Mirrors & Design | GUEST POST – dulles glass & mirror

Today I’m introducing Guest Blogger* Shahab Shokouhi from Dulles Glass and Mirror ,  a Virginia US based company that produces gorgeous and glamorous mirror & glass products. With a passion for the latest designs, inspirations and styles in glasswear, he has has delivered a fantastic post on Mirror Trends for 2012 – some creative, attractive and innovative styles that can be achieved not only with new mirrored products, but with a good handiness for DIY.  Read on!

There are many new trendy mirror items on the market. Some expensive, some affordable, but many of which you may not even know existed. Whether you’re going antiqued, floor, wall, side table, or river, mirrored furniture and designer mirrors are a great way to redecorate a room.

They are so versatile, they’re easy to hang, and are a perfect way to show off other design cues, be it simply the light from a window, a cactus, a designer rug, and other decorative displays. In this post we look at five of the more trendy mirrors and mirrored furniture of 2012.

Flow Mirror Flow

If you’re looking for a natural mirror look, there are designer River Mirrors. River Mirrors are created by UK artist and designer Caryn Moberly, and no two are alike. They are created by using burred elm wood. The wood gives off a natural, river bank look, with the mirror resembling water flowing in between. These very unique and limited designer mirrors are not something you will find at your local IKEA, and have to be shipped from the UK.

Flow Mirror Flow | source River Mirrors

Functional & Facetted

Why not go for the function of a table, with the angular style of this faceted mirror side table? The mirrors refract light, lightening up the room while being trendy and fairly affordable. This mirrored table ships for $160.

Functional & Facetted | source West Elm

Mirrored Cabinets

If you want to store your table linens and dinner wear with style and grace, this antique mirrored cabinet will do the trick. The art-deco inspired cupboard facade is the perfect way to get reflective. This designer did the cabinet justice, by placing a unique designer rug in front of the reflective facing.

Mirrored Cabinets | source West Elm

Antique Tiled Mirror

If you want a large mirror to check yourself out in, this antique tiled floor mirror is the way to go. It can be mounted or leaned against a wall. By placing it across from a window, it acts as having a second window in one’s room, reflecting natural light making the room appear brighter and even more spacious.

Antique Tiled Mirror | source West Elm

Tiled Wall Mirrors

If you’re someone that likes to redecorate using the same items, the versatility of these wall mirrors are for you. The perfect size to hang on your wall, lean on top of a dresser, or to use as a floor mirror. And both horizontally and vertically look just as beautiful.

Tiled Wall Mirrors | source West Elm

About the Author

Shahab Shokouhi is a writer at Dulles Glass and Mirror — a manufacturer of commercial and residential glass products including tempered glass, replacement glass, and shower doors.

* I love guest posts! If you would like to share your knowledge or expertise on any design, decor, fashion or style trends, please email me on theggguide[at]gmail.com. All posts and included links undergo a review before publishing.

The Spa House – Places to Stay…

Set on the hillside of Hout Bay in Cape Town is the most gorgeous villa I have seen in ages! The Spa House is a recent design award winner for incorporating the environment, and is a beautiful celebration of light, space and tranquil living… (plus it has a spa, did I mention?)

I’m a bit of a sucker for gorgeous homes and decor, and this amazing villa is really one of those outstanding places to stay in Cape Town – of which there are many. But, seriously, imagine having your own spa, steam room and sauna? amazeballs.

Here are some pics to be whisked away by…

The Spa House

The Spa House

The Spa House

The Spa House

The Spa House

The Spa House

The Spa House

The Spa House

The Spa House

The Spa House | visit Cape Town Villas for more.

Wisdom From Roald Dahl | Tuesday Inspiration

Here’s some Tuesday Inspiration for you all – from one of my favourite authors – Roald Dahl! It’s in the same vein as ‘The Eyes are the Window to the Soul’ –  whether you’re in a good or bad place, your eyes will be your giveaway…

And as Mr Dahl says, if you have good thoughts (a happy, healthy mind), they will shine out of your face like sunbeams! Be a ray of light rather than a drop of rain – think positive and be happy! Have a super rest of your Tuesday Good Girls (and Boys!) x

Wisdom from Roald Dahl

Fifty Shades of Pastel – Summer 2012’s Favourite Milkshake Blend

Oh how we love new trends! Sometimes it’s just nice to look at them on the runway or through the pages of glossy fashion magazines; sometimes it’s nice to see the trends come through as functional/wearable clothes in our department stores, and to wander through the rows of gorgeous threads, running our hands over the fabrics; but it’s the BEST when we find an on-trend item that fits, that works with clothes from last year and makes you look good.

Those trends we like 🙂

As a kid my mom dressed me in a fair share of pastel colours, but I don’t think I ever really warmed to the baby blues and bubblegum pinks – I preferred bolder or darker colours in general. But SUDDENLY mint, teal, lemon, peach and lilac are taking over the fashion world – and hey baby, pastels are back in.

The Trend is Pastel

The Trend is Pastel | source The Ray & The Ro

Here are some tips from Modalu about Summer 2012’s latest trend:

“SS12 sees the fashion world awash with a palette of light-infused summer pastels. An air of sugary-sweet innocence is in abundance as cool creamy mint, vanilla nude and shark grey dominate the season.

Keep this candy-coloured look chic by focusing on key neutral colours and popping in an unusual pastel shade such as mint.”

Ready, steady, go! Bring the girls to the milkshake barn.

Pastel Polka Dots

Pastel Polka Dots | source Squidoo.com

Pastel Clothes & Pastel Flamboyage | source Elle France

Fifty Shades of Pastel

Fifty Shades of Pastel | source The Style Umbrella

Pretty in Pastel

Pretty in Pastel | source Pinterest

Golden Girl in White

Golden Girl in White | source sty.lized.tumblr.com

Pastel Jean Pants

Pastel Jean Pants | source social-beautys.tumblr.com

Mint on the Runway

Mint on the Runway | source The Ray & The Ro

Neon in Shades of Pastel

Neon in Shades of Pastel | source Squidoo