Pretty pictures from some of my favorite blogs

Happy Friday everyone. Boy was it a long week. Here's some eye candy to get us through the last day.



...loving that last dress...looks like what Elizabeth would've married Darcy in!
via Perfect Bound

What a great way to dine


via Delight by Design



via Chic Tip

Dining room love

I sort of unfairly neglect dining rooms. It's not a conscious decision, but I guess because I've never had an apartment large enough to have it's own dining room, and rarely entertain, that I always sort of just passed them by. In our new apartment we don't have a separate dining room, but there is a "nook" large enough to seat 6, which may encourage us to have more friends over for dinner. There are definitely a few dining rooms here that I could see myself in....

adore, adore, adore those chairs.  gorgeous...

what do you think of the black and white scheme going on in this one?

This one is more modern than I usually go for but I really like how effortless and streamlined it looks.
4 images above via Adore Home Magazine

via Pinterest

Love the color and the salon style wall in this one
via Twentysomething Test Dummies

via Scandinavian Chic

Here they brought a little bit of the green view from outside in to dine with
via Apartment Therapy

Sleek and Colourful Retro Interior Design Ideas

In the 1950s interior design and decoration was really about how modern you could make it. The Second World War was well and truly over, and rationing was becoming a thing of the past. People basically wanted to get rid of anything and everything that was old-fashioned and really meet the new influences head on. The new look to interior decoration was very sleek and at the same time very colourful. For the most part this look also included something quite whimsical about it; this really was a reaction to the interior designs of the 1930s and 1940s which were in many ways very plain and boring.

The use of geometric shapes a staple of modern design.

With the advance of scientific procedures that had made various plastics and other synthetic materials freely available, and at the same time very affordable, these products were very enthusiastically taken on board by home owners. If you wish to decorate your home or a particular room in your house in the style of the 1950s it will not be a very difficult job. There are many places that you will be able to find retro accessories that will go some way in creating the type of atmosphere you wish to have. It is of no consequence if you live in a house that was actually built in the 1950s, or whether you just want to replicate the look. It is more than possible to be able to furnish your home in the style of décor that is vintage or reproduction from this decade. The 1950s was very much a time of rejuvenation, and also people were enjoying the fact that there was peace, and you will see that the décor and furnishings reflect this.

In the1950s moulded plastic chairs were very much in vogue and they were often used with chrome which was highly polished. Getting one of these chairs to go into your 1950s themed room can be achieved by going to house sales but on the other hand if you make a search on the Internet you will be sure to come across sites and/or people who have this type of seating for sale. You also might like to keep in mind that Formica, vinyl and other materials were used a lot in the 1950s so if you use them in your room it will help with the overall retro style.

Red, yellow, and turquoise were popular colors in the 50s.

It may also help if you paint the walls of your room in colours that were popular of that time, such as lemon yellow, turquoise, a deep blue, and rose red. You can also use these colours in the fabrics that you have in the room, and also use rugs for that added effect, as the rugs can be scattered anywhere. If you keep an eye out if you are visiting any garage or house sales or for that matter any second hand shops you may be able to get hold of a Formica table dining room set, this type of furniture was very trendy back then, you will also find that they are very easy to clean and help give an authentic retro-look to your home.

Here at Terrys Fabrics we have a superb range of curtain materials, ready made blinds and curtains in retro designs and colours, along with the very latest styles and designs for those who prefer a more modern look in their homes.

*disclosure: this post is sponsored by Terrys Fabrics

I tend to like interiors that aren't all-out modern retro, but rather blend in some vintage 50s with current pieces and styles.

2 above via Covet Garden

via Rue Magazine

via Life a la Mode

Simply lovely living rooms from Domino

Domino is gone, but not forgotten. It's living rooms like these that keep the magazine's spirit alive...

This living room is really unique - I like it.

Fabulous living rooms for every mood and taste

I'm not sure what you'd call the two styles above -- modern eclectic? But I'm liking this style more and more these days. Since things don't "match" you can use items you already have instead of buying new ones.

This living room - pictured above and below - is so unusual and luxe.  I ADORE the white media console and the huge white mirror...stunning

An otherwise dark and broody "club" like living room is brightened up by an interesting array of mirrors.
images above via Adore Home Magazine

Modern rustic feel in white and pastels...
via Ballard

All out vintage...
via Covet Garden

Do you have a fav?

House Tour: A Copenhagen Beauty

Love this space

The color of the china cabinet is perfect to add some interest to the space. 

Two images above show the entryway.  The owners have used mismatched chairs in lieu of a console.

Great idea to remember - oversized prints hanging side by side in the hall

Perfect desk - plenty of surface area to spread out inspiration

LoVe that chair and the gorgeous view!

 

I don't think I could ever do orange in my bedroom, but this wallpaper is beautiful. I could do it in my home office I think - as orange is supposed to boost creativity.

I am a magazine hoarder, because I've found that sometimes I'll flip through a magazine from a year ago and something will catch my eye that didn't the first time I looked through it. So perusing last summer's magazine is sometimes like opening a brand new magazine. This bookshelf has the perfect sized cubbies to store mags.

All images © Richard Powers