A Riot of Colors and Fantastical Shapes!

OK, so I have been in hibernation. I'm officially out, spring is here and it is invigorating. It doesn't hurt that it is 79 degrees and sunny, sorry for you folks still in the chill;-) I read some exciting and happy news today, and that alone is cause for celebration! Part of the news is that Harper Collins has announced that they will be publishing The Bippolo Seed and Other Lost Stories by one of my childhood favorites - Dr. Seuss! This will be in a collection of seven stories dating from 1950 to 1951. "To publish such an amazing new collection of stories from Dr. Seuss is a dream come true,” says Neil Dunnicliffe, editorial director of HarperCollins Children’s Books U.K. “I know that Seuss fans of all ages will share our joy on the publication of this book.”

Next, I got a fantastic free download from the folks at Home Accents Today of their 2012 Color Forecast, along with their sponsor Lazy Susan. The fun palette that they have named "Global Adventure" is filled with the colors I associate with the beautifully bright and vivid colors of The Dr. Suess illustrations themselves! This is definitely worth a look and the other color stories are equally intriguing with names like "Indigo Inspirations", "Earthly Fortitude" and "Speaking Vintage". For this post though, I am thinking of all of the bright and playful ideas I have been saving for just such a mood!


Isn't it amazing how nature can influence our styles? This is from Northern Holland, the tulips in bloom!





Designers Diamond and Baratta

Designer Doug Meyer


Designer Mary Douglas Drysdale

Elle Decor


Designer Ghislaine B VinasLoom borrowed from Beach Bungalow 8
HGTV.com

Collage by Lulu de Kwiatkowski

Head to Bed

I warned you I had a passion for the bedroom, so here are a few more elaborate designs and ideas from some of my favorite magazines. Also, as I have said before and apologize ahead of time - I have been clipping pictures for so many years and never thought to label them before, thinking they would be for my eyes only. Now, that I am sharing through blogging, I very carefully label the source before filing my favorites away! Unless I get distracted... The photo above is from Elle Decor, October, 2009. It is so stunning in every detail, I especially love the curvaceous upholstered headboard.

I love artwork above a bed! Plus the two mirrored screens and matching bedside tables. I'm not a matchy-match person in general, but in this case the symmetry is stunning!


Now this is what I call layering! From Cottage Style, this is either a very unusual placement for a bed or they are using a free standing antique fireplace as the headboard. Either way it is so much fun and I love the mixture of crystal and shells!


What a gorgeous antique bed! Is it by Thonet or in the Art Nouveau style? This is one of those cases where I clipped wildly not even noting the source, just knowing it was a work of art in itself!


This is what I call cocooning! From the minimalist leather panels to miles of silk enclosing the bed - just makes me want to crawl in and call it home.


Cool and sophisticated, this is rich mahogany paneling with cream suede upholstered panels. A gorgeous master bedroom retreat featured in Luxe Interiors & Design, fall issue 2009.


From Southern Accents - Our Most Beautiful Bedrooms issue, Summer, 2009. I couldn't agree more! This stunning antique Indian palampore (bed hanging) in a popular "Tree of Life" motif, makes this bedroom so serene and lovely. I love all of these bedrooms and each and every one of them lend themselves well to simple bedcovers. Imagine they could all be done with Papillon Linens;-)

Simple yet Fabulous Headboards

I could blog everyday about beautiful bedrooms - my favorite room of the home. I have to limit myself as I would post twenty a day, if I had the time! I will try and bring you some of my favorites that you may have missed, or would love to see again! The rustic, highly textured one above is perfect with this simple yet stunning setting. Just add washed linen-linens for more texture.

Here is a simple wood headboard that can hardly be seen, but the real star is the homeowners own photography. Artwork is always one of my favorite highlights for above the bed.

What imagination! A homemade slipcover from printed burlap bags. Notice how simple all of the bedding is when you have such interesting focal points as the headboard or above.

Here is a simple white headboard, but with all of the fabulous wallpaper available now, why not use the wallpaper as an entire headboard wall? You could change this every few years without breaking the bank and have a whole new look each time.

Yet another simple white headboard, but with the gauzy hanging above the bed and the way the light reflects through the hanging wicker pendants, you have a totally romantic and exotic retreat.

How simply elegant is this? A classic canned French bed with both head and foot boards. I love how they have kept this so monocromatic that it allows each piece in the setting stand out on it's own.

Okay, so this one is not so simple! This fantastic Colonial style four poster canopy bed is so dreamy and exotic, I just had to include it! I can just feel the tropical breeze...

Our Best Friends

I have lived with at least one dog my entire life. They are precious, lovable, amazing and sometimes as annoying as can be (sounds a little like kids) but I can't live without them! Here is a lovely, funny poem:

"Verse For a Certain Dog" by Dorothy Parker

Such glorious faith as fills your limpid eyes, Dear little friend of mine,
I never knew. All-innocent are you, and yet all-wise. (For Heaven's sake, stop worrying that shoe!)
You look about, and all you see is fair; This mighty globe was made for you alone. Of all the thunderous ages, you're the heir. (Get off the pillow with that dirty bone!)
A skeptic world you face with steady gaze; High in young pride you hold your noble head, Gayly you meet the rush of roaring days. (Must you eat puppy biscuit on the bed?)
Lancelike your courage, gleaming swift and strong, Yours the white rapture of a winged soul, Yours is a spirit like a Mayday song. (God help you, if you break the goldfish bowl!)
"Whatever is, is good" - your gracious creed. You wear your joy of living like a crown. Love lights your simplest act, your every deed. (Drop it, I tell you- put that kitten down!)
You are God's kindliest gift of all - a friend. Your shining loyalty unflecked by doubt, You ask but leave to follow to the end. (Couldn't you wait until I took you out?)

Send me your beautiful dog pictures as I will post them again, I didn't have room for all of them here. I also have a collection of cat photos, so I'll be looking for those, too;-) The doll at the top is my miniture dapple Dachshund - "Vivi" (short for Vienna).

Cote de Texas
Elle Decor


French Magazines
Vickys Yard Sale
Design Sponge
Desire to Inspire
Metropolitan Home
La Dolce Vita
This is Glamorous

More Product Pictures Coming Soon...

I had the best opportunity recently! I got to go back to Los Angeles to have a photo shoot of some of my new colors in variations of my standard line, as well as some new Dreamfit® products that I am so happy to be selling now. The best part was having my two grown children Eric & Anna with me, visiting and working along side me for three days! I was so proud of how hard they worked for me - just because. My daughter also did some modeling for us and that was really fun. I was able to pick such a fabulous photographer, David Roberts from Silver Lion Designs. You will see more of his work when I can put all of the pictures on my website. Another amazing thing was to be able to have the location in my old office building - Spring Arts Tower. It was great seeing all my old friends there. There was an Art Crawl one of the evenings and it was wonderful to see how transformed downtown LA has become in the 2.5 years that I have been gone. A huge thank you to some of my favorite companies that helped by allowing me to use some of their incredible products as props! The fantastic company Cisco Brothers and Cisco Pinedo for all of the beds, Jardins en Fleur and Simon P. Scott for such beautiful and stylish lamps, screens and an eye popping étagère. They have had many items popping up in Elle Decor and many other blogs and places. Last but not least - Urban Nature the brain child of Troy Silva for his modern planters with contemporary greenery. It was such a privilege to work with these masters of design!