All posts filed under: decorating ideas

anthropologie for the home

Published by

By now you might think I work for Anthropologie or perhaps get paid to advertise their products on my blog, but no that is not the case.  I simply appreciate their connection in style to most anything French. With that said, I have found a few pieces in their HOME Decor section which I think are pretty cool and out of the norm. I have detailed them below for your consideration as well,  just in case  you happen to have an eclectic taste like mine. Click here for product description and pricing:

chocolate hues in your home

Published by

Chocolate hues in decor can either be a hit or a miss ,if one is not careful while selecting the color to decorate a room. The wrong hue or a combination of chocolate (brown)  shades without accent colors can sometimes drive a person away from the room rather than embrace the environment. I, for one, love the color and while contemplating incorporating it into a friend’s apartment theme, I put together the following photos for her to reflect upon in order to “get it right”. Let me know what you think of using chocolate-brown in decor? Also, if  you have dabbled with the color in your interior decor, please do share your photos or links.

decorating with daughters or others in their 20s

Published by

I am always fascinated with the young generation (20s plus) and their sense of style and find their taste most refreshing and admirable. I wish we were so lucky  in the 80s. Anyway, while I observe the 20 something shoppers of fashion or furnishings, with their mothers or friends, I can’t help but smile at the wonder of bonding through design and decor. In light of this topic, I have included some beautiful design alternatives for the 20 something (plus 30s and even some 40s), who perhaps lack inspiration or vision. I am not condemning anyone, but should the 20 something feel the need to consult their parent for design direction, consider  ideas from the following source: DOMINO’s (not the pizza), you might just be a hero.

accent chairs for the bedroom

Published by

Accents chairs, in my opinion, can either make or break a master bedroom decor (or any part of the house for that matter). But since I am talking about a bedroom, I feel, if you must add a chair, it has to be one with a  character of it’s own so that it can be an enhancement to the bedroom rather than a place to collect clothes. So, for those interested in accent chairs, I have included photos of some of my favorites to share.

christmas ornaments for 2010

Published by

Early you say? well perhaps but as far as Christmas ornaments are concerned I love to get a head start each year by  eyeballing the ones I want to add to my collection. I am one of those people who refuses to have a theme when decorating our Christmas tree. So, what I do is, each year I shop and select anywhere from 1 to 5  unique decorations and incorporate them with the ones I have from the previous years. As long as there is some uniformity to the colors, it works out pretty nicely. So in essence I create my own theme. This year is no exception of course as  I have already started  shopping for those special pieces to add to my collection.  I have included the ones I am considering for now. (This list may change so stay tuned).

happy holloween from rawsilkandsaffron.com

Published by

I have a love/hate relationship with Holloween. As a kid, I was often made fun of for my choice of costume because I made them myself, so I stopped dressing up for the occasion. Then when I was in my 20’s I was forced to dress up at work because it was required of us to be a “team player”.  In my 30’s I ignored the occasion all together. Now, I have made it a habit to walk  through different neighborhoods in San Francisco in order to see  all the little ones in their adorable costumes as well as those who took the time to decorate their homes as if it were Christmas. Anyway, either way, I do want to wish all my followers and  friends and family the Happiest Holloween and please play it safe.  So, in honor of Holloween, I have included photos of some of my favorite pumpkin carvings. I am going to miss my traditional walk through neighborhoods on Holloween in the U.S. this year, but from the picture below, can …

colorful door knobs in decor

Published by

I can’t stress the fact how much I enjoy walking through an Anthropologie store, ANYWHERE,USA and playing with their display of door knobs. They are colorful, creative, interesting, somewhat antique and “in my opinion” can be used for more than just door knobs. They are a great enhancement to the old boring key holder rack  in a home. A fun costume necklace, bangles and scarf  holder rack (which is easy to make) for your daughter’s room, AND as a rack  in the kitchen to hold  recyclable grocery bags and umbrellas.  They are make a wonderful personalized gifts for the holidays and even Mother’s Day (if you happen to be into making your own gifts).  So check them out and let me know what you think? Also, if you have your own suggestions of using these wonderful door knobs, please feel free to share them with us.

photography inspired must have books

Published by

Coffee table books and one’s used throughout the home as inspiration for cooking, daydreaming and falling asleep to is a must in any home. Collecting the right one’s sometimes may be difficult for some and finding the best one’s is most rewarding for the addicts. I happen to be the addict and love to have stacks of  oversized hardcover books all throughout my home.  I normally settle for museum themed ones, or black and  white photography of mostly European cities and some vintage items as well.  So, I was happy to have come across PARIS TANGO by photographer Carla Coulson and wanted to share it with my readers just incase they are in the market for collectible coffee table books or just a gift idea for Christmas. The theme of PARIS TANGO is described as follows: Published by Penguin, “Paris Tango” is a portrait of the City of Lights as you have never seen it before. From the African street markets of Chateau Rouge to the penthouse suite of the Paris Ritz, Coulson and her camera …

for the love of cooking

Published by

While in transition, I had to sacrifice having a kitchen in order not to complicate the process.  In the meantime, I have had to scramble around and find creative ways to eat and believe me, not only is it challenging but downright depressing. Why you may ask? Well it is because I love cooking and enjoy nothing more than a home cooked meal on my own terms. So in order to get my fix for  kitchen gone missing, I often walk through specialty stores for  kitchen  gadgets and cooking supplies. One place I enjoy is a a store (perfectly named in my opinion) called  Sur La Table.  The store is not much different from any other kitchen related specialty store but it is a fun one to experience no less. Okay, I admit the French theme has something to do with it. Anyway, since I am considering creating a more French inspired theme throughout my next place of residence, I walked out with a list of items to include when it comes to organizing or furnishing …

in search of fall colors in san francisco

Published by

One of my favorite activities is walking. Of course I do it mostly for exercise but when I am walking in a more leisurely pace, it is so I can just take in the outdoors. Fall is especially a wonderful time to take a leisurely walk, because if you happen to live in a city where the leaves turn color, it is probably one of the most rewarding walks you will experience (at least for me).  However, in San Francisco we are not fortunate enough to experience the fall colors because, outside of the parks, we are mostly treeless and the type of trees we do have, they do not change colors. When I worked at Stanford University six years ago, I had the pleasure of walking the campus every morning before work and in the Fall, I was able to enjoy the colors while I shuffled through the fallen leaves.  As a matter of fact, there are benches strategically placed along tree-lined pathways and if you are bold enough to sit on one of them on …