A Dream Home and A Vintage Bazaar...what a weekend

Oh hello!

I am fully aware that tonight is Thursday; however I'm just now having the chance to sit down and blog for a minute.  Last weekend I had two really cool experiences here in Chicago.

My first adventure led me to the DreamHome exhibit at the Merchandise Mart.  First of all...the Merchandise Mart...whoa!  This is a designer's heaven!  They have some of the most exquisite showrooms and decor. http://www.merchandisemart.com   Anyway...they invited nine of Chicago's top designers to dream big and design specific rooms.  I was able to walk through the full exhibit and see some wonderful design up-close and personal.  Few things I noticed.

1. Scale--even though most of the rooms were small, many of designers went with large and bold decor  DRAMA!
2. Neutral palettes with splashes of color were used in almost every room.
3. Almost every wall had texture.

If you are visiting Chicago between now and December 9th, this has to be on your "To-Do" list.  If you are unable to visit Chicago during that time have a gander at the website.  There are great decor ideas and inspiration on every page!

http://www.merchandisemartdesigncenter.com/dreamhome/

Buckingham Interiors + Design

Frank Ponterio Interior Design

Michael Abrams Limited

Snaidero Chicago

I also attended a Vintage Bazaar!  What is a Vintage Bazaar?? Well it's a "pop-up flea market" obviously focusing on vintage clothes, furniture, nick-knacks and home decor. It was started by two lovely ladies, Katherine Raz and Libby Alexander. They also have a blog about vintage home decor, discussion and DIY projects.  This event was amazing!

They held the Bazaar in the old Congress Theater here in Chicago.  The theater itself is enough to blog about, with its ornate columns, sculpture and overwhelming ambiance. However, I was there for the vintage finds and the experience itself.  This event was a treasure chest of goodies! I saw everything from vintage dresses to vintage record players.  I love going to things like this because you find unique piece for your home decor...and it's like walking down memory lane for some folks (of course some have a longer "memory lane" to go down).

To read the blog or find out when and where the next Vintage Bazaar will be...visit their website.
http://www.thevintagebazaar.com/

Good Day
--D Charles

Design Labyrinth..Pure Inspiration!

Oh hello!

While adventuring through cyberspace I came across this great home decor blog; it is pure inspiration!  They have posted beautiful interiors and categorized the photos by room, colour or trend. This is a great find for both inspiration and direct decor website links : )

Check it out at http://designlabyrinth.blogspot.com/

Good Day!
--D Charles

Rooms Speak Louder than Words...

Oh Hello!

I recently went on a trip to visit my Mom and family back home in Missouri. I had a great time, it's always nice to go home for a little while and relax (and of course to have some home cooking!)  I was really excited about my visit and to see a project that my dear sister and family had been working on for a couple months.

My Mom had a spare bedroom that used to be my father's office. My sister thought my Mom needed a "girl" room.  So after clearing out the office, painting and buying a bunch of country nick-knacks my Mom has her "girly" room.  They painted the room a pale green with an accent of pink, all in country style! They had a great time collecting all the nick-knacks from garage sales and specialty stores and didn't spend over $10 for any one item.

It looks great!  My sister(s) and family did a wonderful job.  It is now a very cozy and inviting room. My Mom loves it; she now has her own county girly room!

Do YOU have a room to call your own?  Or does your sense of style speak louder in certain rooms?  I think it's great when someone has a room or area that reflects their personality.  Ladies usually have the bedroom, or family room, whereas many men have a man cave (basement) or utility garage.  It makes oneself feel comfortable, or motivated when an area reflects the individuality of the person.

Good Day
--D Charles  

  

 

My Grandfather hand-crafted this little chest.