ORANGE

 I don’t know why, but I like orange and dislike red.  I’m sharing some sprinkles of orange in my sunroom.

The ottoman is in a Trina Turk orange print, the throw is orange with orange tassels, and the finials are Christmas ornaments that I just couldn’t put away.

Branches that I painted orange reflected in the mirror.

I decoupaged the elephant on to some books I covered in orange wrapping paper.

I used this pillow as a seat cushion to protect the caning on my Chippendale chair.

Coral on a pillow.

Coral candleholders, coral on a book cover, and more coral on the print.

I also have some coral prints in mirrored frames.  This is one of them.  I have six different ones layered on my windows.

Do you accent with orange in your home?

ACCESSORIES DON'T JUST FILL A SPACE, THEY DEFINE IT.

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REPEATING CORAL

When I was painting my chinoiserie table and chairs coral, I impulsively took the paint brush to some branches in a vase.  At the time there was no plan.  What I later realized was that those curly, gnarly branches repeated the coral in the room, not just in color, but in form too. 

CORAL BRANCHES ON MY BAR CART

Those turned and twisted branches repeat the pattern of coral.

GNARLY "CORAL" BRANCHES

The coral shape repeats itself in the coral framed prints and reflects and repeats in the mirrored frames.

CORAL BRANCHES REPEATING AND REFLECTING IN FRAME

REPEATS AND REFLECTIONS FROM ANOTHER ANGLE

The coral pairs and compliments the copper in the room. Notice the sculptural metal coral on the stand in the upper left corner behind the leopard shaker.

CORAL AND COPPER COMBO

I added a sea life Pottery Barn platter on the bottom shelf.

POTTERY BARN PLATTER ON BAR CART BOTTOM SHELF

I also have some "coral" candlesticks on my table.  I purchased them at West Elm many years ago.

CORAL CANDLESTICKS ON MY TABLE

One of my all time favorite books, CABINET OF CURIOSITIES, rests on my coffee table.  Of course the cover has what else but some coral.

MY FAVORITE BOOK WITH CORAL ON THE COVER

Do you repeat design elements?  Do you have a plan or does it just happen?

Styling Bookcases Part 2

I just re-did a pair of bookcases in my family room.  I purchased them from a consignment shop and had to sand, prime, and paint them.  The color I used was Benjamin Moore Pittsfield Buff.  

Here's the before ( after painting)

Notice that they were missing their backs.  I think that's because they were originally built-ins.
I decided that I would add some fabric to the back rather than adding some bead board.  

I basically cut the fabric a little larger than the opening.  I used a cardboard upholstery tack strip across the top to make sure the top was straight.  I used my electric staple gun to hold it in place. ( You must invest in an electric staple gun.  So much easier on your wrists.)
You can purchase the tack strip  here.  I purchased the roll for $3.99 for 500 feet.  If you're not going to do more upholstery though,  I've found it before at fabric stores being sold by the yard.
I included the link so you'd see what it looks like.
I use it all the time when I'm attaching cording to chair seats.  It keeps the cording straight so you don't have to use so many staples.
Here's how I used it to attach the top of the fabric to the back of the bookcase .

And just FYI, here's how I use it when adding cording to the bottom of a chair seat.  Totally unrelated, I know, but good info.

Once you attach the fabric to the top with your staple gun, staple once in the bottom center, then in the center of each of the side pieces.  Continue stapling around the remaining three sides.  Make sure that the fabric is pulled very tightly.  You could add a piece of foam core on the back on top of the fabric for extra support if you want.   I just counted on the wall for support.

Here's the after with the fabric.

Next, the styled version.  Please view my previous post, here, if you want some tips about item selection, balance, placement, and symmetry.

This is the left bookcase after styling.

This is the right bookcase after styling.

If you've read my previous post you know that I love to use books and architectural fragments when styling a bookcase.  To this mix I decided to add birds, nests, emu and ostrich eggs, tortoise shells--real and faux--and even a piece of coral resting on a book.  I called these nature-inspired shelves my Cabinets of Curiosities.
The bird prints on easels are vintage.  The largest bottle in the grouping of apothecary jars holds feathers.  Mirrors serve as backdrops for the tortoise shell and the ostrich egg.
You know how I love cloches.  I found one that not only fit perfectly on a mirrored dresser tray, but which had the word Nest etched onto it.  The emu egg on a stand fits perfectly within.
My pops of color come from the green in the transferware plates with birds, the mirror with a velvet frame,  the vintage English tile, the deep green egg, and the gold on the book spines.  
Completing the space between the bookcases is a sunburst mirror.   Surprise!   Framed architectural reference book plates and an iron bird are reflected in it.

I added a pair of slip covered slipper chairs in the foreground, and a vintage deco table with a lamp. A smaller bird print in a burled frame is on the table too.
I had the chairs covered in a neutral fabric-- something that I never do-- but I wanted them to match anywhere I put them.   I ended up hating how bland they were, even with a  pillow, so I added the strip of Robert Allen Ikat fabric and some awning stripe pillows to make them more appealing.   What do you think?
I don't know if you can make out the top of the table.  It's a mirrored top with a mirror bullseye in the center.

I want to share one more image.  It's an area rug  I found  at Tuesday Morning.  If you watched my segment on The Nate Berkus Show
you know that I received a gift certificate from Nate to Tuesday Morning.  I was very excited when I found this rug.  I knew it would work in the family room.  What a great find AND what a great price.  Thanks Nate.

Be sure to let me know how your bookcase styling turns out.
What do you think about using fabric as a backing?