wallpaper download

(at least i believe she will!)

so, what do you think? do you believe in fairy tales?
have you ever scored an incredible deal on ebay?
do you think i should write a post on how to shop on ebay for designer goods?
let me know!

buy what you love

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think of lighting as the jewelry in your room.
just as the right necklace or earrings can take and outfit from ordinary to stunning, the right lighting can elevate your room and make it feel special. an interesting and beautiful light fixture or lamp can make any space come alive with personality.

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hard-wired fixtures such as pendants, chandeliers and sconces can be pricey, so be sure and purchase ones that you know you will love for years to come--whether that is a modern, sputnik-type chandelier or a set of vintage brass sconces with intricate scroll-work. if you love it, it will work.


divide the light (types of interior lighting)

lighting is generally categorized as ambient, task or accent lighting. when each of these lighting categories is present, the result is welcoming and well-lit room.

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 ambient, or general lighting provides enough light to function in a space, and is accomplished with ceiling mounted fixtures, or can lighting.

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task lighting helps you perform a certain task such as reading, preparing or cooking food, writing or grooming. this light is usually provided by smaller, portable desk or floor lamps,  pendants and under cabinet lights.

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accent lighting is used to draw attention on a piece of art, a texture on a wall, or other architectural feature. these lights tend to quite bright, and are generally track or wall mounted spot lights or picture lights.

if your room feels flat or the you feel the lighting could use some improvement, look around and see if you have all three types of lighting. if not, add the missing component, and your room should feel more balanced and welcoming. all three types of lighting can be purchased at stores like habitat lighting.


hide the cords (make lighting cables invisible)

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we have all seen those beautiful, glossy spreads in magazines where lamps seem to magically float on glass tables in the middle of rooms, without a cord to seen. most of these miraculous feats are accomplished with photo shop, but you cant photo shop "real life". you can, however, minimize the appearance of unsightly cords. simply take a few minutes to manipulate your cords down the backs or legs of furniture so that they are not as obvious. there are also products on the market that attach to your furniture and keep cords tucked neatly away. cords can then be kept along baseboards and neatly brought up to the outlets.


check your bulbs

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often, if a space feel sterile or too dark, the simplest solution is often to change your light bulbs. if you have a space that feels dark, try upping the wattage of the bulbs in your light fixtures, or switching to a more energy efficient form of light such as fluorescent or LED, which tend to feel brighter than most incandescent bulbs. if your space suffers from "hospital syndrome"-where the lighting feels bright and flat and has a cool cast to it, consider switching to a bulb that promises a warmer output of light.

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going with a 3 way bulb can be a great option in a bedroom or media room, where at times you want a small output of light, and at other times you need the light to be brighter.

This post is written by me and sponsored by  habitat lighting. The opinions expressed in this post are entirely mine.

something i have been loving lately is seeing a single piece of art, split into two or more pieces, and hung together. it creates an interesting "mini gallery" wall effect, that i find really appealing.

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i really love how the blue in this butterfly print is echoed in the velvet headboard. the blue is deep and rich and yet still maintains a freshness to it that makes this room feel happy.


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the orange walls in this space are really dramatic, and are balanced so nicely with the soft and ethereal horse photograph that has been split into three.


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while these two abstracts are separate pieces, they are certainly meant to be hung together, creating a strong connection between the two that is pretty mesmerizing.



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this is a really unique treatment of the "divide and conquer" idea---the image is centered in the middle of the 4 frames, and the negative space of the mat draws your eye in and creates a very interesting effect.



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i love this detailed, vintage-style tree print, framed in these two simple black frames.



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there are so many things to love about this room, and one of the things i love most is the oversized city sketch, broken up into 6 long, narrow frames. this look can be easily replicated at home with a large plotter style print of a photo and some inexpensive poster frames!

this is one of my all-time favorite spaces. i love the zebra on the stairs, the sculptural tufted chair, and the amazing abstract black and white landscape. this space really is a simple space---there isn't a whole lot "going on", but i find it so captivating, and the main reason is because of the unorthodox art that feels  so traditional and yet, upon further inspection, is really rather abstract.

i am working on my own little "divide and conquer" project for gradys' bathroom that i hope to share soon!