MY TULIP MAGNOLIA

I know I always post about my Tulip Magnolia, but it’s so lovely and puts me in the mood for Spring.  It’s hard to get a photo of it from inside, but I want you to know that it completely fills the windows with pink. 

I don’t just layer inside.  I love the contrast of the green of the Nandina and the Mugo Pine against the pink of the Tulip Magnolia.  The berries are still hanging.  I enjoyed them all winter.

The last two years it was hit by a late frost and I had no blooms.  It’s thriving this year.

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VINTAGE BIRD PRINTS

You know I’m quite a collector.  One of the things I’ve been collecting are vintage prints of birds.  I realized that they were here and there around the house and also that it was time to update the family room mantel.  Yes, that mantel that I never am able to get just right.  I gathered three prints and layered them on the mantel.  I didn’t bother to try to hang them since I change things so frequently.  They’re just resting on the mantel layered over my oversized book art.

 

What do you think?

Design Musings: Layered Book Shelves

Last week I wrote about layering art and mirrors over windows.  I thought this post from 2016 was a good follow-up post, so sharing again.  (Link to last week's post at the end of this one.) 

I'm all about layering, especially when it involves book shelves.  It doesn't matter if it's a mirror or framed prints, I love the look when they are layered over a styled bookcase. 

This is my all time favorite.  The shelves, the books, the fabulous randomly placed prints.

The prints don't even have to match each other.

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This over-sized art consumes the shelves but it looks fabulous.  

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The art repeats all the colors in this boho chic room.

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Stacked vintage oils work too.

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Another block-the-bookcase art that makes the room.

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It even works on a small bookcase in a tiny bedroom nook.

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More mis-matched art in this mix and match fun room.

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I haven't forgotten about using mirrors in the same way as framed art.

The contrast of the white against the dark background makes these bookshelves and the room.

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A layered mirror works in a very traditional room.

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It works with bohemian too.

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What about a very small mirror?

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And last but not least, mirror and framed prints in a row.

I love that fabric on the sofa too.

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Do you think you'll give this look a try?

Prints? Mirrors? Large?  Tiny?  All?

Link to my post about layering art and mirrors over windows here.

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LAYERING WINDOWS

When I realized that I layer windows, my first thought was "Oh no!  I've run out of wall space and I've moved on to windows."  After I thought it through though, I realized that there were no blinds or draperies on these windows.  Whew!

I layered a sunburst mirror over the window in my dining room.   

MIRROR LAYERED OVER MY DINING ROOM WINDOW

 I used a ribbon to suspend it from the window latch.

MIRROR SUSPENDED WITH A RIBBON

You've recently seen my vintage bird print in my kitchen.  Again,  I suspended it with ribbon.  Can you see my giant Black-eyed Susans in the background?  My cottage garden is coming through for me again.

VINTAGE BIRD PRINT IN MY KITCHEN WINDOW

 There are large windows on three of the walls in our sun room.  Two have draperies, but the ones facing the back yard are drapery-free.  They were the perfect spot for me to suspend some sea life prints in mirrored frames.  

SEA LIFE PRINTS IN MIRRORED FRAMES

I attached the prints to the window frames with picture hooks.

SEA LIFE PRINTS ON WINDOW FRAMES

PRINTS ABOVE THE BAR CART

ROOM REFLECTIONS IN THE MIRRORED FRAME

Do you layer windows?

To see my post about how I layer my retail space, go here.

Or, click on the image below.

HOW I LAYER A RETAIL SPACE

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CREATING A COLLECTED LAYERED SPACE

 When it comes to layering, I'm all about stacking design element upon design element to achieve a cohesive look.  I layer art or mirrors over bookshelves or windows, stack empty frames upon each other, and even layer holiday decor.

My sunroom was no exception when I pulled it together with texture, pattern, and color.
I then tied it all together with a nature-inspired thread.

MY SUNROOM

LOOKING IN FROM THE OTHER SIDE OF THE ROOM

 I started with a  Stark sisal rug and layered it with a hide rug.  The rugs add texture and a base for the layering that comes next.   The zebra cushion on the faux bamboo chair is one of the patterns in the room.  You'll see that mixing different patterns with similar hues is one of the ways to make the room cohesive.

LAYERED SISAL AND HIDE RUGS

The zebra pattern on the chair cushion, the draperies and pillows in the Imperial Trellis fabric, and the West Elm pillows with the garden benches, while different designs, share a color and work together.

MIXING PATTERNS

The neutral palette needed a color pop.  You can see how the addition of the color coral adds that contrast.  The sea life classroom chart adds another pattern as well as something unexpected and quirky.  I always try to add an element of surprise into a room.  It also repeats the nature theme.

THE CLASSROOM CHART ADDS AN UNEXPECTED DESIGN ELEMENT

When I layer, I just don't place design elements in front of each other;  I also tier them.   In this next image, the  stacked rugs are the base, the next layer is the ottoman, then a tray, and a book to top it off.  Books are one of the my most-used design elements.

LAYERING CAN BE VERTICAL TOO

Note again how I've repeated the color coral and sea life theme with the book jacket. 
The branch overlaps the book.  This is layering too.

REPEATING THE CORAL 

There's more coral on the bottom shelf of my bar cart.  I placed a piece of faux coral in front of a large sea life plate.

THE BOTTOM SHELF OF MY CHROME BAR CART

You'll see that I painted the Chinoiserie garden table and chairs coral and added more geometric fabric to the chair seats and pillows.  A zebra runner repeats the pattern on the zebra chair cushion. The pair of wing chairs add more texture and also repeat a natural element.  A faux shell and coral votives reflect the nature-related theme too. The fig tree in the corner was a gift from my Dad.  It's a cutting from a tree in his yard and another nod to nature.

WING CHAIRS AND CHINOISERIE GARDEN TABLE AND CHAIRS

Adding pillows is another way to layer and add depth to a space.
 I  also eliminated the draperies on the the windows that face the back yard and layered prints of  coral in mirrored frames directly onto the window frame. Notice the texture and the natural element that the banana leaf furniture contributes to the space.  The natural fibers and all the references to sea life and nature make the room cohesive.

LAYERED PILLOWS AND PRINTS

A reflection into a mirror can also create a layered effect.  The mirror with the reflected chandelier and sea life chart creates depth.  At the same time, the partial images make you want to explore the space and imagine what the rest of the space holds.

USING A REFLECTION TO LAYER AND ADD DEPTH

How do you layer your spaces?