home decor Category
Rachel Ashwell’s latest book became available late in 2011. Once I found out, I immediately reserved a copy at a local Barnes and Noble bookstore. I bought it the next day, and thoroughly enjoyed perusing it with my favorite cup of coffee.
Looking at the various images in the book, I was impressed by the many interpretations of Shabby Chic by different people, including Rachel Ashwell, and how her own interpretation has changed over the years. And in my own home, my style is always evolving. But, it still holds true to some key elements of this decorating style, like antique rose oil paintings. I started collecting antique rose paintings many years ago. Here’s a picture of the painting that started it all.
I’ve been told that some of these amateur oil paintings are called “Sunday paintings” because women of leisure many years ago would spend Sunday afternoons painting, the subject of which was usually roses. What a romantic notion…
Some of these old rose paintings were also created by listed professional artists. You can find an abundance of these paintings on eBAY, and occasionally at antique stores. What I love about these paintings is the patina, the dark moody backgrounds, and the beautifully painted faded roses…the more the crackly paint, the better.
Gotta love the crackly paint on this one…
These two have the dark moody background that I find so attractive.
These paintings add a feminine touch to Shabby Chic, but in a quiet and understated way. I like them displayed on the wall unframed, usually because they add a more modern touch, plus some of the original frames they come in are too ornate for my taste. They also look great casually propped up against the wall. I would like to eventually change the frame of this one because it’s a bit much for me. Since it’s a painting on board instead of canvas, I’ll have to reframe it when my budget allows.
Hung on the wall, they look nice mixed in with various decorative elements like black and white photos and mirrors of various sizes.
This is one of my favorites, which hangs above my bed.
I don’t have enough room in my small home to display all of them, so I end up rotating them throughout the year. It’s like having a different bouquet of fresh roses each time.
xoxo
Antonette
Many Christmases ago when I was growing up as a child in Indonesia, when Santa actually came on December 5th following the Dutch tradition, I always wanted more glittery glitzy decorations on our not-so-tall Christmas tree. Presents were always nice but I know I just wanted more festivities on our Christmas tree, more beautiful ornaments on top of the annual new Christmas dress. Everytime my parents took me to a nice shopping center, I remember vividly how I just stood there in front of an expensive-looking, fully-adorned stunning Christmas tree with dreamy eyes. How I wished we could at least have been able to afford a few of those glimmering, gorgeous Christmas ornaments. I knew my parents couldn’t afford to get many of them back then. Many of those glass ornaments had to be imported so the prices were not very friendly to our modest wallet. Our Christmas tree was always decorated prettily with nice ornaments but I knew the tree needed more. Deep in my heart, all I wanted for Christmas every year was for Santa to bring me an enchanting fancy Christmas tree.
Santa heard me finally. Either that or I am finally not naughty and have been nice. Or it’s because I got married, have a family of my own and we knew we got to have our own Christmas tree to make our own little family’s Christmas tradition. And we live in America full of Target, Hallmark and Disney stores that have many affordable beautiful Christmas ornaments in front of your eyes right after Halloween is over. Not to mention the annual Nutcracker ballet performances, that we see twice every year, that sell delicate ballerina and Christmas ornaments at the door. So my dream has come true. We got our own Christmas tree that seems to be more embellished than ever every year, if not every week in December.
Christmas lights! Christmas lights! I love how Keira gets excited seeing every home’s or building’s Christmas lights when we drive or when we sit at home.
I love Christmas lights and beautiful wreaths, especially when the greenery is combined with this vintage blue painted door!
A real tree always makes a heavenly shape!
Keira helped me decorate our Christmas tree. Her little hands are the sweetest ornaments in my heart!
I know someone will always have a fancier Christmas tree than our little one but I am gleeful with what we got because now I get to decorate our own with every single ornament that tells a story about our little family.
This is an “Irish Home” ornament I got three years ago from a Hallmark store.
This is a “Snow White” ornament that I got for Keira for her first Christmas. At that time, she had just watched Snow White the movie for the very first time.
December IS my month. I love Christmas and decorations so much and the love is so abundant that I feel so giddy whenever I hear the Christmas songs. My bestfriend told me that, actually, reminded me that this year, when she saw a picture of me posing in a Santa-looking dress full of adornments with my big growing belly and all, on the beach. I didn’t care if I looked ridiculous. I was too delirious because it was Christmas time and the holiday season is the best time of the year for me to decorate anything in sight and belongs to me. That includes Keira, her gingerbread house, my outfits and our little home. I love the ornamental month too much!
Next year, we will go more creative on our gingerbread house like these holiday houses from Capadia Designs
With that said, my favorite month of the year is now about to end and I have to do something about it! I hate to leave the Christmas spirit! I cannot leave it behind without a celebration, however big or simple it needs be. I know I always do Christmas as big as I can, at decorating and at singing the Jingle Bells at least. So with New Year’s Eve, I do big with singing Auld Lang Syne and maybe one day when Santa gives us a bigger place, I want to have a bigger New Year’s Eve party with more than just glitzy hats and noisemakers.
I am still dreaming of white Christmas and a white house that can hold all of my friends and family partying with us tomorrow!
In gold, silver and white! And faint grayish blue! In Old Hollywood glamor, of course. I cannot have holiday festivities without a touch of vintage and glam because it just reminds me of the glitz of the bygone era…or year.
Smores! Dressy smores! I cannot wait to make these tomorrow! Dress up your smores with sparkly sprinkles! And have a glamorous cocktail as your plus one!
As featured in Elizabeth Anne Designs
Get your glam party hats on and make a lot of noise! From Etsy.
Don’t forget sparklers!
Now I gotta have my glistening vintage-looking sequin dress on! The kind that stretches for my growing-than-ever belly. Or a Burberry sequin dress for you?
Then of course I need to put a bow in my hair!
It’s been such a fabulous blessed year and I wish you a darling new year ahead! The kind that is full of love, pride, good health and glam glitzy moments that melt your heart.
With love from my heart to yours,
Mrs. McM!
And family!
Helloooooo! I am back! Did I fall off the planet? Not really. Just got a bit rounder on the belly and somewhat sidetracked by doing 1001 other things!
But it’s true! I am pregnant with baby McM #2! After trying for a year and experiencing some losses, this time the baby seems to like her mama’s belly and is sticking to it! Yeah!
Let me back up a little bit to see where I left off last time I wrote to you.
Summer! I missed writing to you after summer started. So much celebration of love happened this summer! First with my “Pin-up” birthday party. PIN-UP! I have always been in love with the 50s. So who else but my theatrical-minded bestfriend Irma who came up with the Pin-Up party theme for me at the 50s-inspired boutique hotel Avalon Beverly Hills. I just LOVE this boutique hotel. Yes, next to the Viceroy hotels. (And it IS part of the Viceroy Group. No wonder.) To me, it’s one of the best birthday bars and lounges – CBS seemed to agree with my pick. The staff was so amazing and service was excellent! I was definitely treated like a star there. I would recommend the sales team to you if you are thinking of having your next event here. The birthday girl got three, everyone: THREE (!), fabulous poolside cabanas for my special cocktail night. (This was before I found out about the pregnancy if you were wondering).
The hotel even let me display a little decoration for keeping up with the party theme. One of Irma’s many gifts to me was a set of white frames filled with my favorite Pin-up style photos of ME (ha ha!) that were taken by my husband Sean (as part of his birthday gift. So sweet!). Now, how silly and giddy did I get that whole week leading up to my birthday? Beyond every silly and giddy emotion I had ever felt in my entire 36 years of life. I was so into this Pin-up fever. I loved posing endlessly for the photoshoot (taken at home with an orange backdrop that Sean especially ordered for this birthday-celebration business), I loved the Pin-up style invitation that the bestfriend made me . I loved the venue for the party and I just loved loved the party itself because it was full of the people I love. I loved the postcards that Irma made me as “love letters” from the guests. All of these images, that were made with love, have joyfully decorated our living room. Yes, I love bright colors as much as I love myself. Ha! That’s a lot of love not to share with you!
Did we have fun, or what? Pin-up girl Lolo spectacularly posed and geared in a special “fruit cake” dress only for ME!
The brain behind the theme and me! YEAH!
With some of other fantabulous Pin-up girls!
That was one delightful event with a lot of Pin-up style posing, I’ll never forget it.
That arc lamp reminds me of ours. If you want to create a 50s look in your apartment or house, pick a colorful hour-glass dress, shake a cocktail, then start decorating. Remember: bright colors. Maybe you’ll find this 50s-style wallpaper in a design that is inspired by the Avalon hotel. Maybe that will give you the mood to throw an all-girl party and dress up like those darling 50s girls.
I love these 50s wallpaper designs by the internationally-renowned Sanderson!
In love with the 50′s color palettes? I am. From pistachio-sage green, bright lemon yellow, aqua blue to flamingo pink colors…they will go so well with your vivid red lipstick. Colors from this era were fresh, light, and often in pastel shades. Though black and white also made its appearance paired with bright red, orange or pink.
One of the sweetest events in one’s love journey is, blissfully, a wedding! So, off we went to witness a beautiful, chic, all-white wedding in Manhattan, in July. One of my dearest girls in New York got married! She was one of my first girlfriends in New York, one of my (six) bridesmaids in our wedding, one of the most beautiful girls I have ever admired, one of the smartest girls that I have known in the financial world, and one of the most fabulously-dressed girls I love going shopping with. And, I never really knew her other talent, decorating, she is one of the most talented and creative decorators I have ever seen! She made the cocktail and reception rooms extra elegant and swanky at Trump Soho.
Maiyang Saridjo, you are always inspiring! This girl transformed her dreams into reality (and stayed within her limits) by designing, creating and decorating her own wedding centerpieces and displays, in an utterly-chic, New-York-City-girl way. No one would have ever guessed that she made her striking aisle runner herself. The runner that was covered with hundreds of rose petals, glued carefully, one by one, only days before her wedding. She was very immaculate and particular with what she wanted, and how she made them happen. I love that about her. I was so impressed when she told me and showed me how she made every single item a dream come-true. And she made it sound so simple and doable. Even when we were on the phone a few days before her wedding, she calmly told me that everything was as scheduled. (She would make such a great event planner!) She had friends helping her and her apartment was full of branches. They were beautiful, chic, and tall decorative Manzanita branches dipped in a large, glass vase filled with flowers, and draped with dramatic hanging garlands of crystal-like beads. I was so in awe when she showed me some snapshots of her demo branches she took with her phone. They looked like they could have been made by a professional designer. Now, that’s one smart Manhattan girl!
That was the most beautiful and chicest white wedding I have ever attended where the bride actually made every single decoration herself, with the guidance from insightful websites.
Hydrangeas in tall, clear glass vases like these would make any home or wedding venue look dramatic, modern but yet classy and chic. Add votive candles and rose petals on display to create warmth and romance in the air! And of course, a glass of wine won’t hurt. Unless you’re pregnant like me. (Though I heard a sip won’t hurt – check with your doctor first, please;)
I love tall cylinder and square glass vases. You can get them at affordable prices from websites like Save on Crafts, Michael’s and other craft places. It’s up to you if you want to use real or silk flowers. While you’re on these websites, you may find yourself getting more inspired and creative. (I just bought myself a beautiful glass cake pedestal for $15 – hey, you can never have too many desserts or pedestals for cookies and cakes!)
The trip to New York City to have my fix of Manhattan again was absolutely darling. I always miss the city and it was so good to be able to introduce Keira for the first time to the enchanting city that once made mommy live her twenties to the fullest. And for that, Keira even got the honor of being the flower girl at her Auntie Mayang’s Manhattan wedding.
Not surprising that Mayang’s wedding was fabulous. A fan of Philippe Starck‘s design would definitely choose something that is timeless and beautiful for their special day. Or everyday life.
Mayang and I are passionate about the classic Louis XV ghost chairs that Philippe Starck reinvented for Kartell. But Mayang is the lucky one, since she owns a set of these lovely creatures. Design Within Reach maybe just around the corner from where you sit. This is the only ghost that I am not scared of.
As summer seems to linger longer here in Los Angeles, the bright and bold colors of autumn start to come alive. I woke up one morning to a crisp autumn breeze, feeling so ready for fall. I cannot wait until the sun is not as bright, and lower in the sky. Don’t let the summer glow fade away when the creeping chill sneaks in. Preserve the bright summer colors inside your cozy home. In the spirit of October, I promptly hung the autumn leaves on our front door. Yellow and orange mixed with earthy tones. Just add the autumn mist and write a poem…I am feeling rather romantic. More than usual.
We are ready to carve our pumpkins this weekend. I love these beautiful pumpkins!
Now…tell me if you don’t feel like cozying up by the fire after looking at this picture.
Have fun decorating for fall! I am always here to brainstorm ideas together with you! I might not be able to be in touch with you by Halloween weekend since Keira is turning three on the 28th and a costume-fashion show party is underway! That means mommy is going to be extra BEE-zy! That gave me an idea. Maybe I can be a bumble bee this Halloween.
With lots of love!
Mrs. McM!
Smooches.
“This land is your land
This land is my land
From California to the New York island;
From the redwood forest to the Gulf Stream waters
This land was made for you and me”
Leave it to me when it comes to being sentimental. I am not too crazy for folk songs but
Woody Guthrie‘s melody and lyrics got my eyes teary. I was visiting Keira’s music class. The guitar was playing. Then it hit me again. I am blessed to be here. I was so blown away by the words as I was singing it more than ever before. It reminds me of how grateful I am to be here, in this land, the land that has brought the best in me, the land that has given me the desire to bloom to the fullest, with all my heart and mind. The land that has given me the freedom to speak, to stand up for myself, to study, to work, to love, to blossom and entwine the real me. I wouldn’t have met Sean, wouldn’t have had Keira, wouldn’t have met Lolo, and wouldn’t be blogging here if I had never landed my foot here with my parents, brother, and the (five!) dogs we had at that time. I was re-born in this land and this land makes me feel safe to be whatever my heart desires. As Sean always says, “Whatever your heart desires, baby.” That should always be everyone’s motto! Be free, be daring, be creative, be amazing, be spectacular, be happy. You may get in trouble because of it sometimes, but then again, what’s life without risks, right? Take chances. It’s worth it. Have the courage to be better each day.
Happy 4th of July, my loves!
Here’s a freedom to decorate your red, white and blue to the fullest today! Fill yourself with love by gathering around your family and friends, soak up the sun (and crowd, most likely), do a sweet picnic and don’t forget take pictures of the fireworks!
My American dream: owning a house! Especially as big and beautifully-decorated as this one!
Mommies, got wine?
Pack up the essentials! (Cut the watermelon into pieces first!)
Going to the park, parade, lake, lagoon, beach or wherever, having one of Radio Flyer’s Red Wagons will help you and your picnic stuff get to the destination all at once! Carry the kids, snacks, drinks, dolls, blankets, anything. We love carrying our Keira (and her friends) in her red wagon!
Sometimes Keira uses her wagon as a luxury bed on the go!
And don’t forget to pack: a favorite book for the little one! My (and Keira’s) all-time favorite Olivia book:
Olivia Forms a Band. This one keeps Keira entertained while waiting for the fireworks!
Have a safe and sparkly 4th of July, my darlings!
With lots of love to you, wherever you watch the fireworks tonight,
Mrs. McM!
Welcome the first day of summer! I am on my way out of the door to grab as much summer as possible with the little twinkle star of mine. I thought of having this classic drink when I come back (probably panting from playing on the beach!) and you might be tempted to have one or two with me, too!
Introducing our Martini & Milk’s version of Bellini: Mellini!
You need: peaches, lemon, and Prosecco (Italian Sparkling wine) or champagne (though it may be a little too overpowering. Just a little) and…thirst.
Preparation: chill your champagne flute first in the fridge
1 ounce Pureed White Peaches
1/4 teaspoon Freshly Squeezed Lemon Juice
Sparkling Wine or Champagne
Peach Slice for Garnish
Pour pureed white peaches and lemon juice in bottom of a champagne flute. Carefully top off with sparkling wine. Stir gently. Garnish with peach slice. A 1/4 ounce of peach schnapps may be added to the pureed white peaches to give this cocktail a little punch:)
If you’re lucky like the Cape Cod goers, you could be sitting here while sipping your Mellini…Restoration Hardware always gets my attention.
Then, don’t forget to feed the baby! The pureed peaches, that is. With no alcohol, please, mommies. I love this Beaba baby food maker I got from our baby shower. I have been using it since Keira was six months old. It’s so practical, fast and easy to use for mommies and babies on the go! Just puree the peaches in this baby maker, pack it up for later and off you go again to the sand! You can get Beaba from William Sonoma. It’s BPA-free, by the way.
Keira will be sitting happily with her peaches on Mother’s Beach, Marina del Rey, in another Pottery Barn Kids adorable creation.
Have a nice first summer day! Life’s peachy!
XO,
Mrs. McM and Keira
