Sophisticated Funky ~ Brocade Home

I was just perusing Brocade Home for a specific funky item and couldn't help but take all the wonderful pieces. Here is sophisticated funkiness at a reasonable price. They have everything from ceiling to floor...


I found what I was looking for. Did you?

Paul Montgonery Studio

Paul Montgomery Studio is a collection of artists all striving for perfection and beauty. They do custom murals or panels. They create handpainted wallpaper. This is luxury at its finest. They work with the trade or public directly. Here is a sampling of his collections. Check out is website for beautiful inspirations. Take a look at these...

Salon Collection

Decorative Panneaux

Imperivm Collection

Renaissance Collection

Chinoiserie Collection

Antiquity Collection

European Panoramic Collection

I love the diversity of the work. Each truly captivating. The Imperivm and Renaissance Collections stole my heart. Do you have a favorite?

Just Itching to Use

Have you ever come across a product you're just itching to use? I came across this one by Whiting & Davis Metal Mesh Fabrics. and I would love to find a project it would have a home in. Here's how it is described...

"It is an intricate weave of interlocking metal links formed from rings of solid brass, aluminum or stainless steel, plated or enameled, and polished to a brilliant finish. This luxurious material ripples through the fingers like liquid gold.... Feel the difference."

I would love to feel the difference. I think I need to order some samples.
I can picture this is a fabulous contemporary home perhaps used as a divider or a textured, shimmery wall treatment. Maybe even a backdrop for a glorious headboard... hmmm... oh the possibilities. The gallery on their website doesn't seem to do it justice. Maybe I can do something about that...

Where did we leave off?...

Ah yes, the wallpaper was installed. So what next for Project Love? The window treatments...

First the dining room drape panels and privacy sheers were installed followed by the foyer. The dining room panels are simple. I want nothing competing with the glass bead wallpaper.

I checked on the family room a few times. I place items and then leave the room. Come back, tweak, edit... The art piece has yet to be placed but something is amiss. I moved two large vases from the foyer into the family room. I like them. The tree and floor lamp give me pause. I repurposed the rug and the sofa pillows from the living room and used then here. The pillows on the new light green chairs are also new. I really love they way they look.

Here is one foyer treatment completed. The custom rugs yet to be placed will relate very well to these treatments. I am excited to see them together. The wallpaper in the dining room is glowing ~ love how glass bead picks up light.

Here I am in between editing. This is how I think best. Note the toe nail color. My daughter picked it out :)

Jeff and Joe. My window treatment, art, and mirror installers. Big, burly men. The first time I worked with them, this is years ago now, I thought 'These burly men are going to touch my delicate treatments?!' It was thought with anxiety and fear. Those feeling were so unnecessary. They're the best. Jeff installs with precision and Joe is the finisher. Joe has the best hands in the business. The most delicate touch I have seen on my lush treatments. Mind boggling. Joe re-enacts civil war scenes in his spare time. Interesting and fun folks. I have spent hours with these two and laughed until my side hurt.

It is getting there. The lamp and cocktail tables make me get that line in between my eye. You know, when one is thinking... they were existing tables the client had. When I was recently in NYC at the Design Center, I saw some tables I would love to place in this room. Note the sofa pillows...

Here they are with their covers. Sumptuous.

The rug is covered in this picture. Take my word for it ~ the pillows relate very well to the rug and window treatments. I still have that line in between my eyes, lips sucked in looking at this picture. I think my client did too. The next time I was in the home, the cocktail table was removed. They have a good eye. I said I would try and use the existing tables. I think they voted. Time to organize those NYDC pictures.

Timeless Tuesday ~ Five

Welcome to Timeless Tuesday ~ Five. Today, the classic I would like to bring to the party is trees. Trees?! Yes, trees. We all know the beauty of trees, the benefits to our environment, providing shade on the warm day.... What about is interior design though? We have branches and trunks literally pulled into designs... Gorgeous!

Mariette Himes Gomez published in Architectural Digest

And we have them represented in many other ways. Here's just a few...

Anne Tarasoff and Gail Tarasoff-Sutton published in Elle Decor

The painted mural.

Published in Elle Decor

Wallpaper.

Amy Lau working with artist, Jo Lynn Alcorn, and wallpaper company, Maya Romanoff,; published in Elle Decor

Three dimensional mixed material.

SkB Architects of Seattle and Jo Braun published in Elle Décor

And mosaic repurposed mirror.

Trees are timeless. They are naturally soothing and have wonderful shape and form that add interest and dimension to almost any space. We have just seen examples of a living room, a stairway, a dining room, and a bath. Different spaces; different perspectives and materials. And all the simple, elegant, classic tree.

Now it's your turn to show off your classic self ~

1) Add your permalink below ~ not your blog's address in general but the specific post you want people to visit. To obtain the actual post link, click on the title of your post once you have published it and copy and paste the URL into Mister Linky.

2) Leave your name and say a couple of words to describe your post (e.g. "Coco Chanel suits" or "Classic interior design for children" or "Delicious meals in a snap."

3) Copy and paste the Timeless Tuesday logo button (on my right sidebar) to your Timeless Tuesday posts. This is a sure way for your readers to know you have joined in the party.

4) Link back to the host blog, that's me ~ Paula Grace Designs Blogspot Timeless Tuesday ~ so all the bloggers that joined the party will receive many interested visitors.

Bold Wallcovering

Elle Decor recently did a story on the bold wallcovering trend. They selected some nice examples and ones that I could not fully appreciate. The one above is delightful. It's fresh, lively, and quite happy. I could live with it for a while. For me, the last statement is key ~ with this much pattern and color throughout the room, can I live with it for a long while or will I tire from it too quickly to make it worth the expense? Here are some others from Elle decor...

At first glance, I liked this wallpaper. Second glance, I liked it less. Third, even less. I doubt I could live with it for the long haul.

I wish I could say I could live with this one. It is relatively neutral but is appears busy to me. Love the chandelier though.

I could not live with this one. It is striking but for me, it is imposing.

I like this one very much. I could live with this wallcovering for a long time. It is soothing ~ tranquil ~ simple.

This one is from my gal, Kristin Drohan. She used a cork with orange metallic from Phillp Jeffries. I could definitely live with this one.

For me it's all about how congested the motif is. My eye needs to rest. Why then do I like the first one? Its the curves of the vines. I find them relaxing. While I love geometrics, the second one has a congested geometric type motif that would likely irritate me over time. The third one feels like the walls are closing in. The tree ~ ahhhh ~ a breath of fresh air. The metallic cork has the appearance of texture with sparkle versus a busy motif. Wallcovering is in the eye of the beholder. What I find busy, another may find divine. What I find soothing, another may find boring. The point is when choosing wallcovering (paper or paint), one needs to ask themselves ~ Can I live with this in the long run?

I have nothing against wallcoverings. The wallpapers coming out today are spectacular. My favorite application is to place it in shadow boxes when the room lends itself to shadow boxes.

Here's a room I did that is all about femininity and sparkle. The wallpaper in the shadow boxes has a large motif and has metallic features. It gives the room just a bit more luxury. However, I could not live with that wallpaper either if it covered the entire room. A little goes a long way (and it is a bit easier on the pocketbook when using high end product).

What's your take on wallcover? The more the merrier ~ love it in moderation ~ no way jose to wallpaper ~ __________ (fill in the blank)????

Don't forget to enter the art glass ornament giveaway! Winners announced Friday ~