My Spin on Homespun Style...{The Guest Bath}

There are many titles I could have given this blog post: Decorating with Color, Cheerfully Charming, or Artist's Loft. For many years, I've been working toward creating a look that I call Artist's Loft in Amelia's room, which consists of these principle things:

an open airy room-- preferably with white walls/floors (I may have to wait on that one), floods of natural light, oil paintings--preferably florals, artist's supplies on display, vintage furniture & finds, a few industrial touches and quirky handmade items. 

{See my Artist's Loft blog posts and Artist's Loft pinboard on Pinterest for more visual inspiration.}

I recently purchased the book, Homespun Style, by stylist Selina Lake, which helped me to better understand the look I'm trying to achieve.

I was so inspired by the colorful and charming homes in Homespun Style that I decided to try my hand at homespun style in Amelia's (our guest) bathroom.

_{inspiration board for guest bath}

First, I needed an inspiration piece--and a color palette, so I chose this original watercolor painting that was hanging in an obsure place in Amelia's room.  I immediately knew that this painting would work wonders in the light gray and white bathroom---gray, violet, yellow---a beautiful mix.

(This painting is hanging in the room but is not visible from this angle. I will share it in a future post.)

_{a charming vintage white sheet with yellow roses serves as a shower curtain and adds softness and charm to the room. A line of vintage black and white dominos tucked between the window and the bead board offer playful, unexpected interest}

To offer more color to the room, I needed a new shower curtain, and then I remembered that I had a vintage flat sheet that was sweet grandmother's, handed down to my mom, and then given to me. I love it's cheerfulness and the sentimentality it adds.

Here are a few detail-oriented close ups:

_{vintage book titled The Language of Flowers--a sweet addition to the room}

For this "photoshoot" I purchased a handful of simple Fuschia chrysanthemums for $4.00, which was not my flower of choice, definitely not appropriate for the season, but fit the color scheme well.

Unfortunately, all of my flowering plants are between blooming stages and I don't live near a flower market...

_{vintage millinery violets tucked into a handmade cone made by my Felicia, my sister-in-law}

I love the shades of purple in this bundle of vintage millinery violets, and, of course, I like how it is reminiscent of vintage fashion.

_{lavender hand cream resting on a vintage alluminum soap container}

While scavenging our home for shades of purple and yellow, I found this tube of lavender handcream--beautiful and funcitional.

_{view of bathroom upon entry-Notice the three sunny paper lanterns hanging in the window}

Since the guest bath is small, it is basically impossible to share with you its design without including the commode in the frame...I know, probably a major faux pas in the blog world and in photographing home décor...

Three years ago, my sweet husband repainted this bathroom for me (It was a shade of pale blue---My tastes had changed and I wanted something neutral to work with.)

And for three years, I've struggled with this room. I've tried a Marie Antoinette look, a simple gray, black, white, and pale pink look...all of them just never came together.

Finally, I like the way this room looks, and I like how it welcomes both adults and children.

 

The best thing about this decorating redo is that it only cost me $4.00 (for the fresh flowers).

Everything in this room was already in my possession, and many of the decorative items had been tucked away in a closet or cabinet.

This room is by no means complete. This is not one of those after shots; it's really just the beginning.

Here is the same image with a few design notations of things I still would like to add.

_{My design concept "to do" list}

This is just one view of our "homespun" guest bathroom.

There's still the sink, the mirror, the main wall, the shower, and the door....

As soon as I complete more of the design, I will be sure to share.

_{2nd image via SelinaLake; all other images by à la parisienne}

I am in no way affiliated with the book Homespun Style; I just wish to share how the book has inspired me.

Winter in Neutral

I just wanted to share with you a little bit of romantic winter fashion inspiration that I just created. While procrastinating on my Christmas "to do" list, I joined Polyvore and created this romantic, neutral ensemble in less than 15 minutes. Now if only shopping and stocking my closet could be this easy!! (And why am I just now joining Polyvore???)

Soon, I will be posting some current gift wrapping that I've been working on, so be sure to check back for a little bit of "unusual inspiration."

Winter in Neutral by alaparisienne featuring vneck shirts

Gris et rose ~ le meilleur "mix"

My dresses, blouses, costume jewelry, and business cards all herald my love for pink and gray.

If you've been a reader of my blog for any length of time, you are probably sure of a couple of things:
{besides my love for God, my sweet family, and church}


I love pink. I love gray.
{j'aime le rose. j'aime le gris.}

I love Paris. I love French. I love fashion. I love anything romantic and feminine.
{j'aime Paris. j'aime le français. j'aime la mode. j'aime toutes les choses romantiques et féminines.}


Lizzie Carney's beautiful home had me at gray walls, pink silk curtains, and tufted pink headboard. Her lovely home was featured in Country Living Magazine's October 2010 issue, and I had to add these gorgeous images to my blog's dossier, and, of course, share them with you!


The gray walls offer a sophisticated backdrop to her trendy, funky British flag rug and open clothing racks.


The guilded mirror offers a bit of opulence among the rustic wine racks and burlap chairs. Oh, and notice the bust on the table-very Paris Apartment.



Lizzy has a very unique sense of style as she combines the unexpected: black leather couch, rustic coffee table, unfinished wood shutters, and a regal bust.

I especially like the painted dove gray floors.


The hip vintage turquoise frigo adorned with gracefully stuffed peacock, oversized romantic chandelier, and modern shelving and chairs bring a unique persona to the kitchen which matches the rest of her creatively beautiful home-definitely one of a kind!

_{images via Country Living}

Easy Wind and Downy Flake

I hope you are all staying cozy in your homes during the winter weather.

It is snowing once again today, and I am reminded of how romantic snow can be.

Snow seems to hide all flaws as it blankets every surface surrounding us.

A barren parking lot becomes a sheet of perfect white...

A withered garden becomes a bed of pure frost...

And simple rooftops become glorious iced peaks...

I've missed visiting all of you. I have been busy with some exciting projects that I cannot wait to share with you!

If I am not back by Sunday, I wish you all a Happy and Romantique Valentine's Day!

Dior-Inspired Parisian Restaurant-Feminine et Chic

The new design of l'hôtel de Vendôme's restaurant, is one of my very favorite sophisticated and chic designs that I have ever seen out of all of my blog perusing, magazine reading, and book buying over the years. This restaurant located in Place Vendome, a very ritzy (no pun intended) place in Paris, has recently hired Michele Bonan, an Italian designer, to revamp it's décor from a "Chesterfield" old world library look to a chic, upscale, Dior-inspired atmosphere.

Can you just imagine meeting some of your friends for dinner here?

Vendome's restaurant embodies the look of an haute couture runway:

sleek ebony tables,
pied-de-poule (houndstooth) 1950s chairs,

dusty pink pillows,

and dove gray velour settees, and let's not overlook the towering white orchids, all with a backdrop of powdery gray panelled walls.

A few other details that are barely visible in these post images is that each pillow is accented with frothy white passementerie (trimming) as well as each of the gray silk window treatment's tiebacks.

In the black étagère in the above image, one may peruse through various books relating to fashion, design, and architecture.

Chanel and Dior are included, bien sûr.

_{Image 1- via http://www.desingcalendar.com/}

_{Image 2 via http://www.itelegraph.co.uk.com/}

Image 3 via www.realtravel.com

Image 4 via www.designonline.com

Gorgeous Grays Kissed by Gold

Gray has been my absolute fettish lately. Actually, thinking back, even in highschool when all of my friends were sauntering down the halls sporting their low-rise jeans and GAP T-shirts, I was dressed in a slate gray knee-length dress skirt and matching dress jacket, which was accented with black velvet collar, piping, and velvet covered buttons. Can you say out of place? Or perhaps a little too dressed up for Pre-Cal and French III class?

Nonetheless, gray has really been my color of choice for years, and I must give my mother complete credit for my obsession with gray since she always gravitated toward gray garments during our shopping escapades. "Oh, Mandy," she would say, "Can't you just see this gray blouse with a magenta...or a plum...or even a red...{you fill in the blank}?"

I love the contrast of a chic dove gray silk paired with guilded, intracately carved wood. It's so sumptuous and rich.

It's no surprise that our decorating styles are reflected in our fashion preferences.
Remember the dress Meg Ryan wears at the end of the movie, Kate and Leopold???

~ a gray satin ball gown~

I just love her dress in this movie. (I also love the black dress she wears when she meets Leopold on the rooftop for a romantic meal and dance....Beside the point!)

And look at Debra Messing's gold earrings with this charcoal gray dress. She's so beautiful.

And the color-"foggy gray" and weightlessness of this dreamy silk tulle Dior dress, named "Venus" and fashioned in 1949, reminds me of the gray lace floor-length curtains my mom just finished heming for my diningroom and livingroom.

Who would've thought to pair this silver and white halter dress with gold?

What a glorious and classic accent!

I hope you all have a safe, relaxing, and happy weekend.