Beauty is all Around Me - Mixing of All Styles and Textures

What inspires you? Is there a certain look or style or mood?

Many people have asked me what my "style" is when decorating or picking out pieces for my inventory. Frankly, I can't really say that I have any particular style. I know beauty (at least in my mind) when I see it and it can take many different shapes, styles, and colors from French antiques, to mid-century modern, to swedish rococo -- well, you get the point. The tasteful mixing of all types of periods and styles is what, in my opinion, makes a room or home absolutely "timeless".

Every once in a while, I too need a jolt of inspiration. Many times, while the kids are at school and I take a break from painting or restoring antiques, you will find me buried under a pile of magazines or design books in a corner of my favorite Barnes and Noble store. I just love to be surrounded by inspiration. I look for it everywhere and when I've had my healthy dose of it, I go back to work on the floor of my kitchen where I've created or restored many a beautiful piece. Perhaps one day I'll have a large studio with large industrial type windows and work tables and lots of paints and brushes and photos pasted all over the exposed brick walls (can you tell I've been dreaming of such a studio?), but for now, my kitchen will do.

Today, I had such a day full of inspiration. I wanted to share with you some of those photos that just make my fingers tingle and my brain go on creative overload. You will see that it's a vast array of styles. But to me, the mixing of all that is beautiful -- down to a thread bare rug with the individual exposed vibrant colored threads is what makes me sigh......

I hope you were inspired! Have a wonderful day.