My Eclectible Home: 2012

Monday, February 13

Dotty for Dots!

Lately I've been luuuuhhhhving polka-dots, and now that I'm looking I'm seeing them everywhere! Clothing, shoes, home decor, stationary, artwork. Whether over-sized or teeny tiny, dots are always fun, classic and whimsical.

Here are some *choice* ways to incorporate polka-dots into your lifestyle and surroundings. Take a look around your environment: Are you seeing spots? Please share!

Source: barbaragilbertinteriors.com via Pinterest

Source: thesecondbedroom.com via Pinterest

Source: teenvogue.com via Pinterest

Source: marieburgosdesign.com via Pinterest

Source: buynikedunkssb.com via Pinterest

Source: pollackassociates.com via Pinterest

Source: designdazzle.blogspot.com via Pinterest

Source: Pinterest

Source: confettimeplease.com via Pinterest

Source: twentythirtyforty.net via Pinterest

Source: babble.com via Pinterest

Source: innoboxsg.com via Pinterest

Source: vintagefarmhouseme.blogspot.com via Pinterest

Source: pelangianak.com via Pinterest

Source: styleblueprint.com via Pinterest

Source: nickledpink.tumblr.com via Pinterest

Source: styleblueprint.com via Pinterest

Source: noirfacade.livejournal.com via Pinterest

Tuesday, February 7

Decorating in the Nude

Source: ArtvsWallGallery.com Photographer Michael Grace-Martin

Don't get me wrong - I love color! I've incorporated pops of color throughout my home: deep reds, timeless turquoise, bright tangerine, and bold purple. However, this week I decided to explore a more subtle and soothing palette: nudes, blush pinks, and beiges. Think: 1. soft, sandy beaches; 2. a rosy, pink pearl necklace; 3. barely-there stockings; 4. those perfect nude Louboutins...You feelin me?

1. Source: Pinterest

2. Source: Pinterest

3. Source: 24.media.tumblr.com via Pinterest

4. Source: wendyslookbook.com via Pinterest

I discovered many stunning, sexy spaces, and I found myself thoroughly enjoying the simplicity of these rooms. Classic, feminine and beautiful. I hope you enjoy them, too!

Source: Pinterest

Source: havenandhome.blogspot.com, ELLE Decor

Source: modern-homefurniture.com via Pinterest

Source: Pinterest

Thanks for reading! Hope you've been inspired to do some "decorating in the nude!" ;)

Sunday, February 5

Bittersweet Big-Girl Decisions

Today I've made a very difficult decision. After several months of weighing the pros and cons, I've decided to close up my shop space and focus my efforts on creating my retail website and design blog. This decision comes after some heartbreaking and challenging hurdles, both professional and personal, some which I could not overcome.

Our retail space was only open for two months and brought in sparse foot traffic, however issues were raised by neighbors and local government officials regarding parking and zoning. It is very important to me to be a positive, contributing member of my community, so rather than fight back, I've decided to change paths. It was not easy to let this piece of my dream go - but I'm excited to see where this new path will take me.

Source: geezess.com via Pinterest

Thank you so much for all of your support. I hope you will come along with me on this new journey. I'm always open and willing to receive feedback, suggestions, and comments. I'm especially interested in your suggestions regarding my online shop inventory - let me know if you're looking for something specific because I'm always out SHOPPING! :)

You may find my retail website by clicking the red STORE button in the upper right of my blog: myeclectiblehome.blogspot.com, or
You can access it from my Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/EclectibleHome by clicking Wazala Store tab, or
You can go directly to: http://eclectiblehome.wazala.com/.

Wednesday, February 1

Wallpaper: Tacky or Trendy?

Ever since seeing a Trading Spaces episode where a designer used the birch tree wallpaper shown below, I've been itching to use wallpaper in my home. You see all varieties of wallpaper throughout design magazines and on TV shows, but it seems like when people buy a home, they almost always want to tear the wallpaper down? I'm confused. Is it just that wallpaper patterns are so taste specific? For some reason, wallpaper evokes incredibly strong reactions in people - inciting the use of words like, "hate" "awful" "grandma" "tacky." There seems to be a very fine line between "trendy" and "tacky" when it comes to wallpaper. What pushes it over, I wonder? And is it a mistake to put it up at all - especially if you intend to sell in the house in the not-so-distant future?

I'm still leaning toward putting it up - which means I find myself on the "trendy" team. Here are some amazing, *choice* patterns I would use in a heartbeat:

Source: www.cole-and-son.com

Source: www.grahambrown.com

Source: www.cole-and-son.com

Source: www.grahambrown.com


Source: www.cole-and-son.com

Source: www.grahambrown.com

Source: www.cole-and-son.com

Do you have a favorite? Have you used wallpaper in your space? Please share!

Monday, January 30

Shower Me with Ideas (and some Comment-Love)!

So I was watching "Bang for Your Buck" on HGTV this weekend and they were evaluating three major remodels in Wisconsin, each costing $70,000. One project was an entire kitchen, and the addition of a full bathroom and outdoor deck area. The realtor and the designer toured the kitchen with high praises, and then came to the bathroom where the homeowners (frugally) decided to forgo a custom tile shower and opted instead for a 3-piece fiberglass unit...uh oh! I guess that was a bad choice. The realtor had a hissy fit and said that even a cheap ceramic tile would have been better than the (pretty nice) unit they chose.

Well, my husband and I have been going back and forth about what we would like to do in our master bath remodel since we moved in last August. My husband decided he wanted to re-coat our shower unit and not do tile - but I'm happy to report I changed his mind! After seeing this episode, I told him what the realtor said and he conceded. Yay! Love you Ro!

Now the sky's the limit (within a budget, of course!) and I'll admit I'm having a blast searching for ideas for our new master shower. Here are some amazing remodels I came across on Pinterest and elsewhere. Leave me a comment tell me your favorite! (Ok, so the outdoor shower is impossible for us to do here in New York, but it was so beautiful and got so many re-pins and comments on my Pinterest board, I had to post it here for you to enjoy, too!)