For the design groupies like myself, Jay Jeffers’ work has been a long standing source of inspiration for his sense of colour, his use of scale and the way he mixes eras and genres seamlessly. Case in point, here are a few images of his work where nordic sense meets vintage sensibility. One word: J.O.Y.!!  I also included a small part of a post by the Style Saloniste in which Jeffers gives some of his best Design Advice. I was excited to find out that a book is in the making due out in the Spring of 2014.

Here are a few of Jay Jeffers’ Design Advice:

Color: Edit 
Don’t be afraid of color, but don’t go crazy either. Deep tones can make a small room feel cozy and large rooms feel dramatic. And don’t forget the ceiling, an often-overlooked design opportunity. If you go dark, try painting the ceiling softer, at 50% strength of the wall color.

Lighting: Keep it flexible 
Give every room several light sources and opportunities, such as a chandelier where appropriate, sconces on the walls, lamps for reading instead of recessed cans and I always say that candles count as a light source. Every light switch should have a dimmer. Everyone looks better in dimmed light.

Art: Save for the best
No matter what your budget, buy good art. Really good art. One great piece is so much better than 5 not so great pieces in my opinion. Flea market finds and well priced galleries like Lost Art Salon in San Francisco are an excellent compliment, but build your collection with a piece that you love by an established artist.

Accessories: High/Low 
My favorite part of an installation is finishing a home with art and accessories, but I know they can really put a dent in the budget. One of my philosophies (and one of our core beliefs at Cavalier) is that you should have a mix of high and low. Buy some really wonderful pieces for your bookshelves, coffee table, and compliment it with less expensive pieces. The mix really elevates everything and gives your home a cool, collected look and feel.

Headboard: Get the scale right 
A headboard not only anchors the bed, it anchors the room. When choosing one, consider your surroundings. Do you want art to hang above your headboard? Then keep it low. With tall nightstands choose higher headboard. Be bold. Are you traditional? Tuft it. Prefer modern? Upholster it in soft smooth leather.

(A book compiling 10 years of the Jeffers’ Design Group will be published by Rissoli in the Spring of 2014) – The Style Saloniste

source: Jay Jeffers

Hi all, Gabrielle from Savvy Home here for another top 5. Here’s one thing that bothers me from time to time: sublimely decorated homes with boring and bland bathrooms.

If your home is meant to be a reflection of who you are, and a bathroom is by far the most private part of your home, why doesn’t it get the same decor treatment as the other rooms?

I’m a firm believer that a bathroom should infuse just as much of your personality than the other rooms and perhaps even more. A bathroom is usually small and therefore great for decor experiments and big impacts.

If you agree, here are my tips to put back some life into your bathroom:

1. Don’t limit yourself to store bought shower curtains. How cozy would you feel taking a long bath in this cosy little nook? Consider having floor to ceiling curtains made for your bath but make sure you choose water resistant outdoor fabric and still use a liner on the inside of the curtains.

2. Will your guests use your bathroom? If so, create a moody experience: think dark walls, art, dim lighting, burning fragrant candles, monogrammed hand towels, quality hand cream and anything else you think your guests might enjoy. Good news is, the accessorizing of a guest bathroom doesn’t have to be expensive at all!

3. If you want to breakdown the typical boring feel of your bathroom, accent furniture is your best friend: think garden stools, small occasional tables, caddies or even chairs if you have space.

4. Many designers argue the best towels are crisp white (they’re bleachable and they always look clean). I would add that monogrammed white towels are the best. they’re so chic and timeless. If you get good quality towels, they will last forever.

5. I cannot stress the importance of lighting enough. Bathrooms don’t need to look like your local dentist office. If you get ready in your bathroom you’ll want a good light source, but consider ambient lighting as well: sconces positioned below the eye line. Make sure they’re installed on dimmer switches. Everyone will look and feel like a million bucks in your bathroom and you’ll enjoy it too when it’s time for a relaxing bath.

How would you infuse some personality into your bathroom?

Gabrielle | Savvy Home

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Sources: 1. Tresham by Kohler 2.  Mike Clifford 3. John Dransfield and Geoffrey Ross 4. Vicente Wolf 5. Bailey McCarthy 6. Ruthie Sommers 7. Ethan Feirstein and Ari Heckman 8. Blair Clark 9. Celerie Kemble

On this Friday August 31st… I cannot properly concentrate! In just a few hours, my life will change forever with the airing of the first EVER episode of Sauvez les Meubles on Québec’s Canal Vie. I have barely slept a few hours and I have been inhabited by a nervous energy since then.

So, while I do the happy dance all over my house, I thought I would let you bask in some of the great designs by Daun Curry. I love the way she integrates form and texture in a seamless manner. Her profuse use of white and cream tones is also very refreshing don’t you think?

Although I think I have made it clear over time that I am not a very law abiding “design” citizen, there are some unwritten ones that I do follow (somewhat). Transparent anything makes a space look larger. And it makes sense right? As your eye is not distracted by the chairs, the table and its surroundings can take the center stage and become the focal point to the room.

Another one is to never hang mirror, that can shatter if they fall, over beds. Well let’s rewrite that rule and simply say that mirrors over beds look great, just make sure that you have them put up to resist a 8.9 earthquake!

As for the wallpaper thing, I know it’s been said that it is not a good idea to install them in the bathroom… I kind of agree. Moisture will make it peel over time and worst mould at the seams. But then again that too looks fabulous and so I have some to terms with its use in spaces where there is only a soaking bath (low moisture) and installed over bathroom gyprock (again to reduce moisture). See, I do follow SOME rules!

On that delightful note, let me now return to my dancing in my living room with joy at seeing (finally) my show on the tube. May it have a long life. Yé!

xoxo

v.

source: Daun Curry

In Bella Goldman‘s Swedish apartment everything is white… from the walls, built in lacquered furniture, decorative items and even the parquet flooring. And yet, despite this snow white canvas, the home exudes warmth and displays the owner’s great sense of personal style and adventure. It is all about taking chances right?

White decors sometimes appear to be very austere in a luminous kind of way. This apartment is everything but. Take the living room for example: The playful throw pillows as well as the pink blossom suspension give the room a youthful air, while the mismatched artwork gallery and the worn rug lend it a weathered feel.

Same comfortable scenario in the bedroom, where the monochromatic palette feels enveloping rather than cold and impersonal.

En apparté, let me just stop the press for a moment and delightfully drool on the chandelier hanging in the dining room. Plum & mustard crystals hanging in a loose form make this piece the showstopper of the room and the object of my lust and desire. Wasn’t it Bill & Ted that said: “It will be mine oh yes it will be mine”?

source: Myrica Bergqvist Stylist