Sweet Tea & Lemonade

JUNE, how I have been waiting for you, dreaming of SWEET TEA and LEMONADE, swinging ever so slowly back and forth on the porch with a love romance upside down by my side as I nap......
JULY, even more inviting, no running for cover for the odd shower, I know its going to be a nice day and I am about to share it with  the butterflies and the bees.
On my own with nature, not even my favorite songs (sorry Adele) are welcome to spoil my peace.

LEMONADE

Image & Recipe Via Food Network Magazine
Photograph by Jonathan Kantor   

DIRECTIONS
Remove wide strips of zest from 2 lemons with a vegetable peeler (do not remove the pith). Make 2 cups simple syrup (recipe below), adding the lemon zest before heating. Let cool, then pour into an ice-filled pitcher. Stir in 1/2 teaspoon salt, 2 cups each fresh lemon juice and water, and some lemon slices.
Simple Syrup: To make 2 cups simple syrup, bring 1 1/2cups each sugar and water to a boil, stirring until dissolved. Let cool.


SWINGS

Victorian Swing ~ Source Unknown

http://pinterest.com/pin/234750199297198064/

Source Unknown

FABRICS & Accessories

Clarence House Fabric

Coral Tieback ~ Clarence House

http://www.snowflake-designs.com/butterflies-bees-on-blue-fabric

LOVE BOOKS.

Communications Design graduate student Claire Kelley created an app—Summer Fiction— highlighting interactive content from five novels being publishing this summer by Free Press, a division of Simon & Schuster.

Click here http://pages.simonandschuster.com/free-press-fiction

Take a nap, read a book, go for a walk, relax....

~D~

 

In honor of Her Majesty's Diamond Jubilee

This weekend marks the Queens Diamond Jubilee!
To mark this quintessentially British day I will be showcasing anything and everything Union Jack..

God Save The Queen


Fun piece of furniture

http://sheridanfrench.blogspot.com/2011/07/furniture-re-vamp-x-four.html

Fun pillows & bunting

Image Via The Daily Mail Designed by Jan Constantine

Sausages n Mash?

Falcon Union Jack Range Cooker

Seriously cool Wallpaper

http://pinterest.com/pin/234750199296750421/

Accessorize in True Brit Style

http://pinterest.com/pin/234750199296750433/

Faded Focal Point

Designed by Emily Wheeler

Conversation Piece

Topps Tiles Back splash UK

Nothing says British like a MINI

You NEED a MINI in your life! 

{Go visit Mike at Princeton MINI ~ Shameless plug.... ;) }

MINI w/Union Jack Roof

Enjoy the celebrations

CHEERS!


~D~

Know that we are not paid to feature products,names or services...we just LOVE what we show!

Introducing Ottaviani at CELLINI

Cellini is our family run businesses on the lovely island of Malta.

Located in the heart of downtown Sliema also know as 'The Ferries', Cellini is at the center of anything shopping.  You will inevitably pass our shop if you visit or live in Malta!

Please stop in and take a peek! 

Cellini is now stocking  OTTAVIANI, an elegant and timeless Italian manufacturer of gifts and home decor.
Ottaviani

In order to remain interesting and unique you will only find one or two of each item, so hurry in!

Candle Holder by Ottaviani at Cellini

Fruit Bowl by Ottaviani at Cellini

Portachiavi by Ottaviani at Cellini

iPad cover with zipper in leather by Ottaviani available at Cellini

To see more Ottaviani products and to join in the conversation please Like our Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/CelliniSliema

~D~

Cellini
11 Tower Rd (The Ferries)
Sliema Malta
Tel 21331867
email cellinitrading@gmail.com

HOMEMINT by Justin Timberlake & Estee Stanley

Our favorite singer, songwriter & and hilarious SNL star Justin Timberlake has teamed up with West Coast fashion & interior designer Estee Stanley to create a line of vintage furnishings and artwork.

HomeMint is an interesting concept, you can become a member and by doing so get may perks including 50% off furnishings decor & art, first look at new creations & special invitations to HomeMint events.

In his own words Justin explains the creation of HomeMint.


"HomeMint merges my love for interior design with my passion for innovation to create a personalized home collection -- it's like having your very own interior designer. A home should be inspiring and a reflection of you and HomeMint brings your individual style to your space."

Whilst his partner Estee explains how it works.

"My home design process is very much like fashion styling -- I accessorize and layer to bring a space together the way I would style a look. For HomeMint, Justin and I curate and design a versatile, eclectic collection of pieces we love for our members every month."








First you figure out your Home Style by choosing images that most appeal to you, for example 'Which living room best reflects your taste?' and so on.. And whilst you are enjoying figuring out your style the questions cleverly end up being a survey, and you having to part with your email... yet again. However this does give you the benefits of becoming a member.
Your Top Items are then selected based on your answers and I must say they did choose a nice throw pillow for me!

From their Private Collection ~ Jacobean Print $39.99 for Members

In Collaboration with Canvas

Unique Finds

ART by Justin Timberlake

Check out the webiste for yourselves at http://www.homemint.com/ to find your style>
I think the fun part will be checking back each month for new additions to their collections!


Have a great week :)
~D~

Design Dilemma Part 2

My final choice for your 'Design Dilemma's' was sent to me by Andrea! I couldn't resist her bright bedroom full of design opportunities!


"Hi there,
I saw your blog post about featuring our design dilemmas, and appreciate you taking a look at mine!


It's my master bedroom. The rest of the house has been very well attended to. But our bedroom? Not so spectacular. The furniture is dated, and the walls uninspired. Due to the doors and windows, we are pretty trapped in the furniture arrangement with the bed being where it is. We love modern linear design mixed with original pieces from our travels. The rest of the house follows that design point of view with high ceilings, concrete floors, and is very open and airy.


The bedroom has great bones with tons of light. Any suggestions for bringing this space into 2012? Oh, and by the way, we've just finished a major overhaul/remodel in another part of the house, so our budget is very limited at the moment."

Andrea has a fantastic home which has recently been redecorated in neutrals with gorgeous living space. They ran out of steam and her master bedroom was left behind, not unusual in this type of renovation.

The room itself has great bones, 3 french doors and a large feature window all to an outside space. The ceilings are decent and there is even a fireplace.

I am really feeling a neutral palette for this space, and having peeked into the living areas that have been redecorated, I know that this will work for Andrea and her husband.

Inspiration ~  Kelly Wearstler via Veranda

The downsides that I saw were few architectural finishes, base and ceiling mouldings need to be added and the doors could be upgraded with some architrave detailing.
The walls could be painted in a warm neutral, leaving the woodwork as is in white. You could even go so far as to wallpaper the wall behind the bed in something organic and textural.

Ralph Lauren Home http://bit.ly/JbD326

Or patterned in the very popular Imperial Trellis.

By Schumacher

Benjamin Moore Shaker Beige

The floor is concrete, that although sounds contemporary and neat, is not feet friendly and leave me cold. Wood flooring could easily be installed on top of the existing floor and some rugs will bring in warmth. If this is beyond the intended budget a very large wool mix sisal rug could cover most of the floor space.

Although I absolutely adore all the light and windows, I don't think it makes for a good night sleep! The introduction of fabrics here would be great! Wall to wall drapes in a soft pattern will not only block the early morning light but will also introduce color and pattern which is seriously lacking in this bedroom.

Or patterned, this drapery is by Coco Cozy

Quatro Foil

The existing bed is okay, although not master bedroom material. I would envision a high comfy bed with an upholstered headboard and a dozen throw pillows, making you want to jump into bed and snuggle! Two odd bedside tables with large lamps will add layers.

West Elm

Pottery Barn

Geometric Design Throw pillows by Deborah Main Designs

Bedside Table

I would probably relocate the contemporary chair and ottoman to the living room and in place add an upholstered tufted chair and round ottoman, with a small side table with lamp for reading and enjoying the fireplace. Again, I would remove the armoire and instead add a low chest of drawers or writing desk with artwork above and accessorize with family photos and other decorative pieces.

Metal Drum side table~ Pottery Barn

With the budget in mind I would not do anything to the fireplace, filling it with different size candles would draw your eye to it and provide ambiance. I suggest adding some color to the accessories on the mantel.
A black mirror will provide contrast and interest, I would extend the use of black to the window treatments in the form of curtain rods.

I truly hope this has provided some tips and  inspiration to Andrea and to anyone trying to create a a relaxing atmosphere in their own bedroom. It needs to be a place where you leave all your day time activities behind and get some well deserved rest.

~D~

Brass ~ Accessories for your home.

Brass is back in a big way, bold bright and beautiful!

Brass is the generic term for a range of copper-zinc alloys with differing combinations of properties, including strength, machinability, ductility, wear-resistance, hardness, colour, antimicrobial, electrical and thermal conductivity, and corrosion-resistance.
Brasses have a range of attractive colours ranging from red to yellow to gold to silver. With the addition of 1% manganese, brass will weather to a chocolate brown colour. Nickel silvers will polish to a brilliant silver colour. Brasses are easy to shape, and with all these colours available it is not surprising that architects and designers have used brasses to enhance the appearance of new and refurbished buildings, both inside and out.
The brass industry throughout the world is well organised and equipped to recycle products at the end of their long lives and process scrap (swarf and offcuts). Making brass from new copper and zinc would be uneconomical and wasteful of raw materials so, since new brass articles are made from recycled scrap, brass is said to be sustainable. In the UK brass manufacturers use almost 100% brass scrap.

To die for! H. Theophile’s elegant Hand-Peened brass doorknobs and drawer pulls were influenced by antique designs.

The Jackson wood holder, a midcentury design by Wm. H. Jackson Co., exudes postwar glamour in brass and black-painted steel. Photo Geoffrey Sokol. Source Elle Decor

Handcrafted in brass and inset with malachite, Ceylon et Cie’s wine-bottle holder has the appeal of fine jewelry. Source Elle Decor

Brass bath fixtures by Rohl

Visual Comfort Gold Ring Sconce, Horchow
Source, Elle Decor

Brass bookends ~ Etsy

Brass Bath from Claw Foot Tubs.

Orion Vintage Mirror from Inside Avenue

Brass pendant from Urban Outfitters

French Tea Cart from 1st Dibbs

However you feel about brass you cannot deny that it evokes a feeling of grandeur and grace. And not only is it fab it is 100% recycled, hows that for being green!
I am dying to include some of these items in my next project, I will be sure to share them with you.

~D~

[Excerpt taken from ~ An Intoduction to Brass ~ copperinfo.co.uk]