Living room redesign without spending a cent

AFTER

One of the things I really enjoy is blending modern and traditional pieces.  Nowadays there are no rules to decorating, although one has to be careful how to visually present things cleanly and attractively. I like decorating for the pure purpose of representing the personality of the owner.  

The owner of this house  had used the living area as a children's daycare.  She decided that she wanted her living room now re-purposed for adult entertainment.  Beautiful pieces of modern and Victorian furniture and accessories were scattered throughout the house and it was fun finding matches and contrasting pieces to put together this current living room area. I didn't buy a single item to design this living room.

The owner's wish was to have two seating arrangements - but didn't know how to put it all together. 

I started with the colors of the curtain: maroon and beige.  I found rugs from different rooms and accessories from the basement and bedrooms. I also centralized the Rococo designed china cabinet which was originally planted on the very edge of the room. 

I arranged the furniture to show the modern on one side and the more traditional Victorian style on the other side.   I tied everything together by placing the rug with beige and pinkish florals in the middle of the room to highlight the colors of the Victorian pieces.  

BEFORE - coffee table hidden in the bedroom

These side tables were stored in the basement 

BEFORE - Stairs 

AFTER- Stairs

BEFORE - Victorian pieces of furniture hidden in another room.

BEFORE - Thai lady sculpture hidden near a fireplace  from basement

AFTER-  to lighten up the maroon color of the furniture, I used pillows from the beige sofa.

AFTER - Victorian pieces set in the other side of the living room

AFTER - The modern side 

AFTER - The living room worked well given the space and furniture

Matching flowers to accessories

Flowers are so versatile.  I like to match and contrast flowers to bring out the colors of the vase or the surrounding accessories.  You can't go wrong with flowers - that's why I love having them to cheer me up!  If anything, If I feel a little blue, flowers and chocolate (but this is another topic) makes life brighter.

Another variation, by adding a blue water glass, to pick up the blue dots on the vase.

Sometimes, it's nice to do contrasting colors.  I used a regular drinking blue glass as a vase to bring out the baby pink colors of the carnations.

I also enjoy putting flowers in a place that accentuates the accessories.

Floral Designs: Tribute to a Beloved Mother

A family gathering to celebrate a beloved mother's life.

These floral arrangements  are a tribute to my brother in-law's beloved mother. My sister wanted to use all the flowers in her backyard to be the central pieces for this gathering.  

 The buffet centerpiece is made up of 3 similar plants with white flowers arranged in different heights. An angel and  a miniature gazebo designed as a house to symbolize the mother - the central figure of their family - who happens to be an angel...

I used green to symbolize mother earth's bounteous ground covering, and white - to signify purity and someone forever remembered...

Guest Tables - The tables are splattered with backyard flowers and greeneries  from the backyard. It's amazing what you can do with flowers!

Flower Arrangement 1 - sunflowers matched with violet flowers 

Flower Arrangement 2 - monochromatic - orange roses & carnation


Flower Arrangement 3 - pink & purple go well together


Flower Arrangement 4- another design to use orange flowers

Flower Arrangement 5- red roses, red carnation 

Flower Arrangement 6 - tinged with green flowers 

Flower arrangement 7- another design for red flowers