Inspire Me!: June 2011

Thursday, June 16, 2011

All about the BLUES!

Last week I was inspired by all things white, but this week I am all about the BLUES! And it seems everyone else is too! From the classic navy blue and white to cobalt and turquoise, blue is everywhere. I am finding blue in new fabrics, carpets, rugs, and even accessories. Take a look at Beeline's new blue and white lamp (pictured below). I love it!

Beeline by Bunny Williams ceramic lamp. Love the bold blue brushstroke look!

I love the bright blue center pillow! (Housebeautiful.com)

Darker blue walls create a soothing environment (Veranda, Jan/Feb 2011)

House Beautiful (June 2011)

Elle Decor (March 2010)

Take a look at this blue flat weave medallion rug. Very Kid friendly!

4 x 6 reversible Soumak rug, $475

NEW indoor/outdoor blue and white geometric pillow! 22 x 22, $260

Wednesday, June 1, 2011

WHITE HOT ITEMS!

For years, little girls all over the South were taught by their prim and proper mother's to wear white ONLY between Memorial Day and Labor Day - the true summer months.

These rules have now gone by the wayside and many of us (myself included) pull out our skinny white jeans at the first sign of spring. However, I still feel a bit of relief when Memorial Day hits and I can wear those white items with out wondering if I have insulted my mother or grand mother.

As I was riding back from the beach this past Memorial Monday, I received an email alerting me of a shipment that would be arriving this week. These beautiful white speckled Italian Glass lamps I ordered months ago are finally here just in time for the summer (pictured below). Thankfully, in the design industry, white is a color we use year round! I decided to share some other white hot items that I love for summer and all year long.

Decorating with white can brighten a room, highlight everything around it, and helps to open up the room to create the illusion that the room is larger. Whether you're painting your walls white or using white accessories, it creates such a fresh look. The key is to not obsess about matching your whites. White works great with any style room, whether you're going for a traditional, soft look or a more edgy, modern style. Warm whites soften the room and add a sense of comfort and charm, while bright whites create a modern and minimalist look.

(elledecor.com)

Beeline by Bunny Williams

White fool dogs. They have such personality!

Beeline by Bunny Williams Star Chair.The gold detailing really pops against the chalky finish!

White porcelain garden stool

Beeline by Bunny Williams Lattice Chairs. We have a pair in our store right now. I can imagine them in an elegant breakfast room or sun room.

White or ivory carpeting never goes out of style.

Carpet in white

Ralph Lauren Maritime Collection (Sandbar Matelasse pictured above). This pattern reminds me of seaside living!

Manuel Canovas fabric (pictured here: Cruz in Neige)

Linen weave white rug from Concepts International

Larsen fabric (pictured here: Abstract in ivory)

Patterned white hand printed wallpaper (pictured here: Cole & Son, Frontier in Feather Fan)

About vanCollier

Established in 1995, vanCollier began as an antique and interior design firm. With backgrounds in art history, fine arts and decorative arts, vanCollier marries old world elegance with contemporary design. The married couple behind this firm-on-the-rise is Beth and Chris Collier, who work together on their wide range of projects domestically and abroad. Their philosophy: Use traditional influences to create sophisticated and approachable environments. Says Beth, "Rooms should be masculine and feminine while conveying both traditional and eccentric details."

To contact Beth, email her at vancollier@suddenlink.net

About Eatman's Carpets and Interiors

Eatman's Carpets and Interiors is my family's business. My grandfather, Bill Eatman, opened its doors in 1957 in Downtown Raleigh as a design studio/upholstery workroom selling high end fabrics, wool carpeting, and wallpaper. My father, Woody Eatman, the current president, followed in his father's footsteps joining the family business after school. Years later, with her Design degree in hand, my mother was hired as a designer by Eatman's. My Dad and my Mom fell in love and married. Over time, Eatman's became a innovator in the world of flooring creating computer systems specifically for the industry as well as adding to the business a supply and installation divisions. Fast-forwarding through my arrival and my sister's, the business is now a hybrid of the past and the present. We continue to be a leading supplier of carpets residentially and commercially, and we continue to expand into the world of interior design with new fabric, furniture and lighting lines. But more than all that, it is where our family hangs its hat. It is, in every sense of the word, a labor of great love.