Inspiration in the Color Purple

Regal, lilac, lavender, plum – whatever you want to call it – I love purple. Whether it is bold or adds a splash of color to your home, here is a glimpse at some tres chic interiors and how they have incorporated purple into their décor.

 

Orchid walls and matching bergere chairs. Gorgeous!

A fresh, floral and ultra feminine take on a classic french provincial vanity set. I’d love to get ready each morning here!

 

House beautiful adds a pop of color with a regal plum door and periwinkle barrel chairs. I feel like I’m dining in a garden! 

The princess and (the purple) pea – a very regal boudoir.

 

Even on the street, this regal sofa looks ultra glam.

Architectural digest fetures a purple library done very Paris chic. I love mixing modern and vintage elements.

What is it about lavendar that is so soothing? One look at those ethereal curtains and soft reflective lighting and I think I’ve figured it out.

The new purple. Bold and modern against stunning turquoise and teal.

Tufted magenta gives a fresh look to an old favorite.

 

Unexpected elements against a classic purple and green background.

Leopard and purple create a refined and regal look.

Shabby purple chic.

Architectural Digest combines the best in plush velvet and great architectural detail.

Daydream in gold and purple – the ideal window seat.

Elle Decor redefines regal plum.

A perfectly paired tablescape.

Intricately carved and curved amethyst daybed poised for a nap.

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From Paris With Love

In honor of Bastille Day this past weekend, marking the beginning of the French revolution, I thought I wanted dedicate a post to celebrating the glamour and beauty of French inspired home interiors. Je t’aime Paris!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Never Sacrifice Style No Matter What Size Space

I live in a small apartment so I am always scoping out ideas for spacious organization tips and chic decoration trends. I especially love vintage décor and anything with a French flair or Parisian influence that will make my studio feel more like a home.

Some of the best tips I’ve read:

– Divide and conquer. Divide your apartment into livable sections. With limited space, you really want to take into consideration the things you will do at home on a daily basis and the things you have aquired that you need to store or display (You know, the stuff you just can’t bear to love without. The rest should be sent to Goodwill .) For me, not including the kitchen and bath, this entails (1) a closet/vantiy area, (2) a living room area and a (3) bed(room).

– Do double-duty using multipurpose furniture and accessories. My favorite – an ottomon (any size, shape or fabric – as long as it has a lift up top) and vintage steamer trunks. Both can serve as an alternative to a coffee table, extra seating and storage.

– Monthly clean outs. If you love shopping, like me, try to shop by the motto, “buy one, discard three”. Sometimes easier said than done – but try (read:do) and you will live so much happier with less clutter. (I so much prefer the label shopaholic than hoarderJ)

– And NEVER sacrifice style – no matter what size space you have.

Here are some of my absolute favorite designs, layouts and inspiration photos! Hope you find something to inspire you!

Apartment Therapy – Small Vintage Studio

Apartment Therapy – Decorating without a “real” closet

House Beautiful – Designer Decorated Studio

     

 

One of my favorite blogs! IHeartShabbyChic.blogspot.com

Elle Decor

Always Glamorous – A Paris Apartment Juxtaposes Vintage and Modern

Last week I featured a celebrity home designed by Shabby Chic founder and entrepreneur, Rachel Ashwell, so this week I wanted to feature a glamorous home decorated in Paris Apartment fashion. The two styles – Shabby Chic and Paris Apartment – are my absolute favorite and I think in each décor scheme, you can find a little bit of one and the other.

Each room appears so glamorous, with their rich colors and decadent fabrics but at the same time, it does not have that “museum” “don’t touch” feel – it looks like people could actually live there. That is what I love so much about Paris Apartment style.  I’ve taken the term Paris Apartment straight from my favorite book on Interior Design – by author, entrepreneur and Paris flea market extraordinaire, Claudia Strasser, in which she defines her style by choosing to decorate with what one loves, using items that have a history, and that are always beautiful. Décor items of this style are always luxurious whether they are of the highest quality or rich in color and material, showcasing a mix or vintage, modern and eclectic finds. Each room tells a story with its carefully chosen furnishings and deliberate organization but it is able to appear effortless at the same time.

This stunning Paris apartment was featured a few months ago when Christies listed it on the market. I don’t know what I love the most, from the richly colored walls to the elegant gold mirrors, the gorgeous oriental rugs and the sparkling chandeliers.

Situated on the popular rue du Faubourg Saint-Honoré in Paris, for a cool $8.8 million, this apartment could be yours. For any budget, with a little creativity and passion for décor, you could transform your own home into your very own glamorous Paris apartment! What flea market find do you love that you would use in your own Paris style apartment?

See the original article at:

http://www.casasugar.com/Glamorous-Parisian-Apartment-Pictures-28211447?slide=2#/Glamorous-Parisian-Apartment-Pictures-28211447?image_nid=28211447

Designer Digs – Shabby Adds Some Celebrity to its Chic

One of my favorite designers and interior design entrepreneurs on the West Coast is Rachel Ashwell – best known for coining the décor trend and brand Shabby Chic. She grew an empire out of creating homes that were “comfortable, cozy, vintage and pretty” according to an Inc. report on her rise to retail fame. Her handpicked furniture, linens and accessories are predominantly white mixed with soft blues, greens, pinks. As the name suggests, Shabby Chic exudes an unexpected juxtaposition – in her collection you can find a mix of old with new, florals with stripes and the refined with the slightly tattered – but everything is beautiful.  I adore the feminine elegance she brings to every collection yet at the same time it is not so feminine that a man wouldn’t find comfort in it as well.

I recently saw an article on a Beverly Hills home on the market, currently owned by reality star Jessica Simpson and football hubby, Eric Johnson.  Its recent renovations, designed by the Queen of Shabby Chic, Rachel Ashwell, are absolutely stunning!

Here are some of the pics I grabbed from the Sotheby’s listing. There are countless chandeliers and oh so chic french inspired furnishings!

 

 

 

 

 

 

I would love to sleep in that bedroom (I would even sleep on that pink day bed in the nursery:))

This was the article I saw that had the shabby designs first catching my eye: http://hookedonhouses.net/2013/06/06/jessica-simpsons-shabby-chic-house-in-beverly-hills/

If money were no object, who would you have design your home? And what would it look like? Share here!

 

Welcome to Tres Chic Decor! I am so excited to announce my new venture in the flea market/antique business, having moved my online business to a brick and mortar store! I am currently sharing a booth with a friend who is an artist and creator who paints with oil, knits scarves, sweaters and makes jewelry. My inventory is made up of vintage home décor treasures and finds with a little of everything, from smaller items like china dishes, painted frames and vanity trinkets to small furnishings, like lamps, rugs and chairs.

We added a sampling of our inventory into the booth this past Sunday and with much more inventory to be priced for sale and brought to the booth, I am currently seeking ideas for ways to organize the booth to optimize our inventory and selling potential.

I don’t have too much furniture yet; namely a Full/Queen head and footboard, a large 12 light rococo chandelier, a hanging pendant milk glass chandelier, a Victorian heart back chair  and several “to be refinished” projects, from tables to footstools. Among a wide assortment of home decorating accessories, I have lot of frames, mirrors, fabric curtains, books, wall sconces and more.

This is a picture of our booth when we were beginning to set up.

Based on what I have in stock and what my partner has displayed, these are some of my favorite inspiration photos for organizing the booth. Think Shabby Cottage Chic meets Paris Apartment!

 

Do you have any great organization or display ideas for antique and/or flea market booths? Let me know. I’d love to hear your ideas and experience.

Mirror Mirror on the Wall…Who’s Got the Most Fabulous Mirror of All?

Mirror, mirror on the wall…who doesn’t remember this classic Disney catchphrase in which the Evil Queen vowed to steal the youth and beauty of Snow White? Well, what more perfect day than Halloween to recreate your very own Evil Queen moment? With one of these stunning mirrors, you just might find yourself gazing into your reflection just a little longer…

These mirrors are a mid-century classic with their gold and ornate detailing of flowers, columnar posts, fleur de lis elements. They are just the kind of thing you would see hanging on the wall in an old Greta Garbo movie. This is just one of many accessories in the interior decorating style called Hollywood Regency that has been shown in the designs of every home show and magazine of late. Lavish and very intricately detailed, these beauties were made by Syroco, Inc. of Syracuse, New York in 1965. They melded a plastic, painted gold compound into beautiful shapes and designs to create the beautiful, ornate, floral and columnar look you see above.  These fabulous mirrors are works of art in and of themselves. They are back in fashion and definitely here to stay.

Don’t these lovelies remind you of Snow White? Just don’t eat the apple….Happy Halloween!

To buy one or both of these gorgeous mirrors, please check out my list of Ebay items for sale. I have three Syroco mirrors in total (right now). Two of the “Mirror Mirror” ones above and another Octagon with ornate shell and scroll design. I just love them. I think they are so beautiful and I hope you do too.

Let me know in the comments section what you think of the mirrors, my blog or my Ebay Items for sale.  I have many other vintage, antique and various home decorating products to fit any design scheme, from French Provincial to Hollywood Regency and more!

**Check back to my blog frequently. Soon, I hope to have all my items on a page listed for sale and available to buy through Paypal. For now, please check my Ebay Items for sale – I update almost daily and am always scouring local haunts for the best vintage goods!