Go for the Gold!

If you’re revamping any part of your home and want to make a statement, why not dare to do gold? It’s beautiful, it goes with every color, it fits in any room, and hardly anyone has it in their homes yet! I’m obsessed with the way gold was incorporated into the rooms below. It’s as if the designers chose the color first and the rooms just fell into place! 

Here are some examples of gold being used in every room in the house:

Bathroom:

I adore the gold tiles in this bathroom. Look how gorgeous the colors of the dark mirror and the flower become against the metallic wall! (Metallic colors in bathrooms is so in right now. Check out this post from last month featuring silver + bronze bathrooms).

http://www.paulagracedesigns.com/blog/

 

Bedroom:

http://pinterest.com/pin/220254237998140097/

From floor to ceiling this bedroom pops with this magnificent color. If you want to bring gold into your room but not quite to this extent, start with jazzing up a wall (with the great wallpaper below), or getting a gold bedspread and/or appliances.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Crocodile-Leather-Effect-Metallic-Gold-Wallpaper-Maximum-carriage-charge-7-50-/290663159117

?pt=UK_Wallpaper&hash=item43acdfd54d#ht_1877wt_956

 

Kitchen:

These are two heart-stopping examples of just how incredible gold can look in a kitchen. Whether it be a backsplash, a lighting fixture or cabinets, kitchens can turn into majestic rooms with a little addition of gold. 

http://misswalker.blogspot.com/2011/06/milan-report-gold-rush.html?showComment=1307496747443

http://www.thecoolhunter.net/

 

Living Room:

Speaking of majestic, these accents make these sitting rooms luxurious beyond belief. You can match the furniture like the first photo, or make it contrast like the second. Either way, living rooms are great homes to gold accent walls.

http://www.fauxology.com/2011/02/good-as-gold/

https://brightnest.com/posts/7-steps-to-perfect-wallpaper-modern-paper-options/

http://pinterest.com/pin/235524255484688663/

 

Do you have any gold accents in your home? If so, please share! I’d love to hear about your use of this glorious color.

Happy decorating! And don’t forget – design the life you LOVE!

Five Awe-Inspiring Celebrity Kitchens

We’ve all got celebrities on our mind after the epic Academy Awards, which got me thinking about using celebrities’ homes for inspiration. One of the most elaborate places of the house can be the kitchen, so I dug up six fantastic kitchens that we can all be inspired by!

http://www.eonline.com/photos/7155/amazing-celebrity-kitchens/241834

Hillary Duff’s kitchen is a cross between medieval and industrial. The massive refrigerator/freezer and center island mixed with the rustic lighting and the earthen ceiling make this kitchen a trip to many new worlds. It  makes me wonder what those cookbooks are!

http://kieffersappliances.files.wordpress.com/2012/10/gwynethpaltrow-kitchen.jpg

Gwyneth Paltrow’s kitchen is absolutely fantastic. I love the fancy chandelier – that’s something you don’t often see in a kitchen. The dark cabinetry really contrasts with the center island and the light floor and walls. There can never be too many cooks in a kitchen like this!

http://kieffersappliances.files.wordpress.com/2012/05/gerard_butler.jpg

Gerard Butler’s kitchen is absolutely magical. It’s rustic, it’s eclectic, it has pieces from all different times, and it’s all around gorgeous. Plus, it’s not a kitchen if you can’t cook in it, and this looks like a great place to be inspired while cooking.

http://www.eonline.com/photos/7155/amazing-celebrity-kitchens/241830    

I really like the lighting in Meg Ryan’s kitchen. Imagine waking up to make breakfast while looking outside at a sunshiny morning. Her center island is big enough for making homemade pasta or cookies, but it doesn’t overcrowd the space. I’d love to cook (or eat) a meal in this lovely kitchen.

http://www.eonline.com/photos/7155/amazing-celebrity-kitchens/241838    

And I thought Gerard Butler’s kitchen was eclectic … look at Christina Aguilera’s! The red coloring pops against the predominately black and white kitchen. These bold statements, like the lighting above the sink, really personalize her kitchen. I’d love to see what the rest of her house looks like.

http://www.eonline.com/photos/7155/amazing-celebrity-kitchens/241840    

Of the six kitchens I’m sharing with you to be awed by, Ashton Kutcher’s is by far the biggest. Could you imagine entertaining in here? There’s room for everyone! The windows bring in so much beautiful natural light, plus the greenery outside brightens up the monotone kitchen. I also love the reflections in the hanging bulbs; it’s a nice, subtle way to add some art to the cooking room. We may not all have the means to make kitchens like Gerard Butler’s or Hillary Duff’s, but we can certainly be inspired by their creativity!

Great Valentine’s Day Gifts for Men and Women

Have you ever visited Fab.com? If not, I’m about to introduce you to something that’s going to take a ton of your money! Luckily, they’ve got unlimited unique gift ideas for both men and women. Here are some of my favorites for Valentine’s Day:

Ladies:

http://fab.com/sale/15319/product/303281/

There’s nothing quite like a beautiful, simple piece of jewelry that can be worn with anything. Because the shape is so subtle, you can be certain most any girl would like it!

http://fab.com/sale/15319/product/43167/

Who doesn’t love candles?

http://fab.com/sale/17387/product/325461/

On that note, who doesn’t love chocolate?

http://fab.com/sale/17366/product/328957/?usid=13

 This pretty piece just speaks for itself.

http://fab.com/sale/17458/product/330447/?usid=10

For seemingly no explainable reason, women just gravitate toward kitschy, adorable typewriters like these. Maybe your pretty lady will write you a love note with it.

Men: 

http://fab.com/sale/17406/product/110545/?usid=6

This shaker is stylish and useful – what’s a better gift than that?

http://fab.com/sale/17323/product/75113/?usid=1

Women are flooded with inspiration quotes day in and day out, but the men deserve them too! Plus, this tee is cute.

http://fab.com/sale/17473/product/330809/?usid=10

Let’s face it – your man may not be brave enough to pick this out on his own, but think about how cute it would look on him! It’s personal and stylish, and he just may love it (plus it’s vintage).

http://fab.com/sale/16059/product/108940/?usid=3

This iPhone-turned-home-phone is so hip it hurts. Who wouldn’t love it?

Whatever it is you give to your loved one this Valentine’s Day, if it’s thoughtful they’ll appreciate it. Have a wonderful holiday!