Our patio is complete, just in time to share it with friends on this lovely Friday.  The first three photos are of the patio before we started.

We created a little dining area with a rug, table and chairs.  We planted a new Japenese maple tree (very small at this point) but the red leaves glow brightly under the sun and it’s perfect.  The umbrella brings in a pop of color until everything blooms and I combined stripes and the graphic patterned rug for visual interest.

In the corner we planted lettuce, herbs, beets, carrots and tomatos.  The large black pots include garden sage, honeysuckle and some red nancy.   They are all pretty small at this point so I look forward to them growing and blooming.

We used wine crates for the beets, lettuce and carrots since we did not have any actual ground to plant in.

Lettuce just popping up.  Can’t wait to have a fresh salad from our garden!

This is our “gnome” Bella.  She will keep the birds away but unfortunately she loves lettuce and carrots so we’ll see who gets the first taste of summer.

The Kentucky Derby takes place this Saturday and in honor of it we are bringing you some of the most creative, interesting, and beautiful hats from years past.  From home-made to couture, there is a style for everyone.  Take note of the amazing color palettes and textures.  Each one is a miniature masterpiece full of design inspiration…well maybe not this first photo but I couldn’t resist!  Stop by our facebook page next week to see how my outfit came together for the big event and post pictures of your own creations.  We can’t wait to see them.  And they’re off!!

I give this couple props for creating their own pony hats.

This hat is stunning, I love the color contrast between the magenta, cream and black.

The fabric on this hat has an interesting texture and I like the way it filters light, giving its owner an angelic glow.

This woman was obviously a show stopper in her matching hat and dress.

Simple and elegant – a testament to “less is more”.

Now this is a doozy for a hat! I would love to see how it frames her face from the front, but the back is a true work of art.

This is a great example of a DIY hat.  The ruffle on the edge is fun and I love that her earrings match the sash on the hat.

Peacock inspired – loving the bright colors!

I want this hat.  It is a summer classic.

I want this chic fascinator too!

I can’t resist the crisp chocolate brown and cream combo.

Bigger isn’t always better – but I think she pulls off this outrageous topper quite well.

I am often inspired by repetitive textures I find while traveling.  There is so much to see when we are in-tune with our senses and take the time to observe our surroundings.  The simplest natural or man-made structure can create a beautiful pattern.  It may be a set of stairs, a unique shadow, a reflection in water, or the way light filters through a window pane.  I try to incorporate some sort of repetition into all of my projects because our eyes find repetition & pattern calming.  Below are several photos that I’ve taken while traveling. Enjoy…

Nature and man-made objects provide a wide range of repetition.

 Fence in Cape Cod

 Slate in UK Countryside

 Grain Silos in Longmont, CO

 Fountain in London’s Mayfair Neighborhood

 Row of Trees at Versailles, France

Stairs are one of the best places to find repetition.

Stairs Inside the Arc de Triumph, Paris

 Stairs at Alhambra in Granada, Spain

Stairs in Santorini, Greece

Markets are a sure bet too, especially first thing in the morning when all the vendors products are neatly stacked.

Cauliflower in Montreal, Canada

Spices in France

Star Anise in France

I had hoped to be ready to post some “preliminary” shots of our new house, but didn’t want you all to think we are total slobs.  We have been in the new house for just over a week.  Step one was getting things out of boxes and into piles.  We have succeeded at that, but the next step of finding everything a home has been a bit trickier, so here are some photos to give you a feel for the space, but none of the belongings in the pictures are ours. Hence, my personal disclaimer:  I am going to cheat a bit with the first photos of our new home today.  These are the photos taken by the realtor and whoever staged our home prior to us buying it, so none of the furniture it ours – also, please note they used a wide angle lens so the spaces feel slightly larger than they really are.

I love this picture – our new place has tons of windows and light.  As you can see the space is long and fairly narrow – I can’t wait to paint and get some really fun carpet on the stairs.

Once in the door, this is your view directly to the right.  I am thinking this will be where our TV has to go and maybe a small chair in the corner by the window.

This is your view to the left of the door, essentially our living space.  It looks clean and simple with this furniture, but our pieces are slightly larger so I am going to have to play with it a bit.  A bold patterned rug is something I am looking for and a new light fixture or fan – I am undecided if we actually want a fan in this space or not.

This rectangular table fits nicely in the space, but ours is round.  It will be interesting to see how it fits.  We also have a large armoire that we want in this area to serve as a pantry since there isn’t one in the kitchen.

I love the island in the kitchen and the huge sink!  Our biggest issue is the limited number of cabinets and drawers.  We only have eight cabinets and five drawers.  Storage solutions will be my initial focus in this space.

The half bath downstairs is enormous and a poor use of space.  Down the road I would love to reconfigure it and add a pantry and coat closet.

The master bedroom has doors or windows on every wall, which makes using the space a bit more challenging.  I am hoping to get a dresser, two small night stands, and a little vanity table in here.

I will post another update in the next few weeks once our belongings are settled.  We are in the process of picking paint colors so I will keep you posted on that progress.  Until then…

The perfect topic for a gloomy day – these umbrella stands are sure to put a smile on your face when you step out of the rain and into your home.  From playful to traditional, there is sure to be one that fits your personality and style!  The fact that most of them are under $100 is just a bonus.  So go play in the rain and enjoy!

Last week my husband and I headed to Miami, Florida for a little sun and relaxation.  I had planned to do some design hunting and architectural photography after researching about the Art Deco district in Miami but that quickly changed when we  learned of a music festival going on.  Not just any music festival, but a loud techno music festival…jazz would have been a wonderful surprise, techno was not.  The outdoor party life that defined Miami last weekend reconfigured our plans – quickly.   We ditched Miami for the Keys so I could sleep (Giang could sleep through a jackhammer in the room).  The vacation turned into a road trip searching for great food and outdoor activities and all was found.

Beautiful colors and water that was common along the route through the Keys.

Time to stretch the legs and explore on our paddle boards in Islamorada.  We paddled for a couple hours through the mongroves.  My turning radius was vastly improved upon seeing two crocodiles right in front of me.  Luckily, no limbs were lost and I can still draw.

…and some time in a kayak.  We paddled out to Indian Key island that was once inhabited but burned down in the late 1800′s.

The view from our quiet hotel patio in Key West.  We headed into town for a little breakfast at Blue Heaven.  Their outdoor patio was great and adding to the atmosphere they have live roosters crowing from the roofs and wandering round.

A cute little pineapple topped fence in Key West.

Our last night we had to stay in Miami for an early flight so we hit the Art Deco district for dinner which made for some great people watching.  Our favorite restaurant was Joe’s Stone Crab for the great seafood and key lime pie.  Need some Key Lime Pie?  Here’s their recipe.

Recently Paradigm held a contest for a room re-do on our Facebook page.  Our lucky winner was Rosa of New York City.    Below is the before photo of her submitted living room.

And below are a few shots of what we did to liven up the room and address the concerns Rosa had.  Many of Rosa’s pieces were large and actually did not need to be repositioned in the room so we started by leaving them in place.  The most obvious thing we did was move the chaise at an angle to open up the room to the entry and kitchen.  We selected a smaller tray for the ottomans because the one she had was maxing out the surface area because it was the wrong scale.  Although we didn’t get to it, we determined that the photos above the TV were hung correctly however they needed to be raised about 3-4 inches (not to exceed the height of the black bookcase).  The other items that are to be completed and things you can apply to your own home are:

- Add softness to the higher pieces.  We proposed removing the basket and adding a plant on top of the black bookcase.  The apartment is light-filled so we wanted to take advantage.

- Hiding clutter.  Moving the baskets of DVD’s and misc items to the base of the bookcase clears the space on the floor so that it feels more airy and open.  Small, but very important change.

- Cord management.  An issue in every home but try tucking them behind furniture, under rugs or buying clips that secure to the furniture so you can run then along a leg or base.

- Grouping items in vignettes.  Try grouping small items in odd numbers instead of lining them up.  We did this with Rosa’s plants on her window sill and it made everything look refined and purposeful.

- Scale.  Scale is the easiest thing to overlook and also the trickiest for those with an untrained eye.  Don’t stretch items to the edge of furniture but rather show off some of the surface.  This may be as easy as moving a large plant to the back of the group or to the floor.  Or as in the room below, switching out the tray on the ottoman.

- Book placement.  Sounds silly right?  However, not lining all your books up is actually better.  Try placing some vertical and some laying flat.  Place any small trinkets on top of the horizontal/flat books to again create those special vignettes in the room.

Tis the season at Paradigm to embrace your home, new or old. Dawn and her husband recently moved into a new home in NYC and now I am set to close on a house in Denver at the beginning of April.  We have given you tips on how to make a space feel bigger, more inviting, less cluttered, brighter, warmer, more welcoming, or cozy – whatever it is that you are looking for - we have recommended adding paint, lighting, plants, artwork, window treatments, cool textures, or moving furniture.  All of these things can make your house feel more like a home, but in the end there are a few things that make a dwelling your personal refuge and they have nothing to do with renovation, decor, or paint.  Here are five ways to make your house more of a home.

Quality Time - Your home should be more than the place you go to get 6 hours of shut eye every night.  To make it yours you need to be in it.  Try turning down one activity a week to spend an evening at home.

Use Your Space - Has your oven become another storage compartment?  If so, it is time to clear it out and get cookin!  Make your significant other or a friend a home-made meal, back some chocolate chip cookies (YUM), sprawl out on the living room floor to work on a project, or soak in the tub with a glass of wine.   Make your routine more than home, dinner, TV, bed.  This is how you will get acquainted with your home.

Practice Kindness - Your home is a place to share with loved ones, so be mindful of the memories you make in it. The walls of your home will hold onto the love and kindness you dispel within them, so share you positive energy.

Add Music – Remember that song you heard in the 5th grade and still know all of the words to?  This is just one example of how music makes an impression on us. Music makes the heart happy. Turn on your favorite tunes to dance, sing, and jam out in the privacy of your living room.  It’s okay to be a kid!

Entertain Without Worry – We are all guilty of wanting our home to be perfect when we invite guests over.  Remember that creating the “perfect” home is a constant work in progress.  Your surroundings will evolve and change daily just as you do.  Instead of worrying about footprints on the floor or dust in the corners try to be present.  Allow yourself to enjoy the moments shared with good company and close friends.

Have you noticed terraniums are the new hot thing?   A terranium is a small enclosure often made of glass that is used indoors to grow and display plant life.  I remember my grandparents had a large one in their basement and I thought it was weird as a kid but now I want some for my deep window sills.  Apparently the plants are easy to maintain which is good for my brown thumb.  Simply water once a week and keep near a moderate light source.  They are a great way to incorporate a bit of green into your home and a much more sustainable option than floral arrangements.  Here are a variety of ideas to help you create your own indoor “miniscape”.

 The contrasting layers of earth and rock create an interesting composition.

I love the use of funky, exotic looking plants and the smooth rocks compliment the organic plant shapes.

This pear shape vessel looks great sitting on a table or hanging.  The whispy greens and sand remind me of the sand dunes in Michigan.

 No space for potted indoor plants?  Add a dash of color to your “air plant” by using a small flower in your terranium.

Who needs a lavish garden when you can create a mini-masterpiece.  What a fantastic combination of color and texture!

 These little guys are from Matteo Cibic. How cute are they?

Drum roll please…Congratulations to Rosa, the winner of our room re-do contest! 

Here is what Rosa had to say about her living room: I generally like our living room but I’m curious as to ways to improve it. Is the furniture clashing? Do we have too many trinkets? Can we do something different with the paintings on the walls? What kind of curtains can we add? Although our ceiling is high, the eye seems to go low. And there’s not enough light in the evenings. How can we add lighting that doesn’t cost too much and goes with our antique motif?

Rosa, this room has an abundance of potential! You have some beautiful, unique pieces and we can’t wait to help you get the most out of your space – both visually and functionally.  Stay tuned to see the before and after shots…