Pictures that inspire...Part 1

I want to start a series of posts highlighting certain elements in decorating that best represents my own personal style. Up until last night, I never really knew what my style was for this house. I know what I like, what colours look good together but really it was beginning to difficult for me to visualise how I was going to decorate the whole house for all rooms to have some unity.

Whilst browsing through all my blogs, a comment by Patricia Gray caught my attention and as Oprah would say...I had one of those light bulb moments.

In an interview she did recently on All The Best by Ronda Carman Patricia was asked to describe her design style...this was her answer

I like furniture to have good lines, rooms to have 'good' bones, juxtaposition with good antiques and art work with modern design.

This is my design style. It wasn't until I saw it actually written down in words that it all clicked. I love my antiques but I equally love modern art and contemporary design...I was somewhat torn between the two but it all can work together now.

There are literally hundreds of pictures I could use for this post. Strangely, I knew exactly which pictures best represent my ideas that I have for certain parts of my house.

I will start with two designers who have had a great influence on the direction I will be taking. Each picture has a certain element in it that I absolutely love! No way will I (or even able to) replicate each room but to really use the decorators ideas as a source of inspiration.

So here we go...Patricia Gray and her beautiful decorating style....

Patricia Gray

What attracts me to this stunning room is the contemporary art work and over sized mirror. I have noticed that Patricia users both these elements in most of her rooms...Love it and will definitely be using the same concept for my bedroom and perhaps the downstairs entrance hallway. The light coming into the room is just so beautiful and inviting.

There is something magical about this bedroom. It's the stunning blue lampshade bases (I cannot find anything like this in Melbourne) with the silver lampshades, the over sized mirror again and the contemporary art work on the wall. Combine all this with the dark wood....just lovely!

What is there not to love about this kitchen. The use of granite is sensational in this picture.

Patricia Gray

Finally, a picture of a dinning room...the table almost exactly like mine. In this picture, once again, the big mirror, classic and contemporary fittings working together. Even the crystal vase with the big white flowers....sigh!

The next decorator is Nathan Thomas who was the winner of Top Design (I love my decorating Shows)
Once again, when I analysis why I like these rooms so much, it is the combination of classic and modern ideas combined.

Nathan Thomas

Beautiful wallpaper, antique desk with contemporary objects beautifully grouped together. I still cant work out how to group things effectively in a space but that will be for another post!

Its the Art Work I LOve!

I saw how he did it on the show and thought...I can do that! This will be my upcoming project...pictures to come only if it works haha



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When I saw how he grouped the pictures together, I was blown away by how good it looked. This potentially could have been a disaster but because he has a great eye for design, he has collected a group of fairly 'daggy', old fashioned portraits in frames that have seen better days and created a wall of art that won him the title of Top Designer! The judges loved what he did with this wall and I cant believe how it works so well. This is my inspiration for future projects I have in mind.

Hope you enjoyed reading about what inspires me....many more rooms to come...

Mrs B