How to choose drapery hardware

The devil is in the details and simple decisions can lead to big impact both good and bad.  Since there aren't any  absolutes in decorating, things often  come down to personal preferences.  One of the the things I'm fussy about is what colour rods to use to hang drapes.


There's lots to choose from.

Metal hardware is available in a variety of finishes : wrought iron,  aluminum, chrome, brass, and oil rubbed bronze. Wood hardware is available in almost any finish, from natural blond to dark espresso.

Styles of drapery hardware

 There's two ways you can go when choosing a colour for your rod. Choose a color that matches:

•  other items in the room
•   the colour of the drapery   

  When you choose to match  other items in the room it is often a good idea, but it doesn't always work as you can see in the photos below.

 Pinterest

It is obvious that the rod colour decision was based on matching to the dark woods in the room, but why would you want to break the lofty look that is going on here with horizontal dark lines?  When I look at this room, my eye automatically goes to the ceiling.  Contrast always draws the eye.  You probably don't want a focal point near the ceiling! 

This rod is also dark, but the same thing isn't happening because the drapes are highly coloured and patterned.  I still would not use black.  In fact I probably would rarely use black because it is too harsh unless you have black drapes or it is a very modern decor. In this room I would look for something lighter that blended with the wooden blind too and make the whole thing more of a unit.

This is a good neutral colour when you have golden tones in a room. 

You also have to watch where you use wooden blinds. The combination below really works.   

 

 Pinterest

 This is a very cohesive look.  When you add wood blinds you automatically introduce a more casual element to the space and usually the colour is lighter. Choose your rod accordingly.

  Pinterest

 This rod has enough colour to be noticed and it allows the drapes to have center stage. Imagine what a different room it would be if the rod  were black.

 Pinterest

How do you feel about this rod choice with these drapes?  Certainly  the black isn't as harsh as in some of the other examples, but it does compete a little too much with the horizontal banding for my taste. Personally I would choose something more neutral  to  match the top of the drapes.

Pinterest 

A pulled together look. 

What are your thoughts on choosing an appropriate drapery rod for your space. Do  you have an aversion to black rods in light spaces?

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Not your average colour scheme

Some colour schemes are a dime a dozen and others are just daring and interesting. Today I'm looking at salmon/coral/melon and pink/rose/magenta.

Now I'm not saying I would use these colours in my own home. You can appreciate from afar without committing!  These rooms have just too much colour for my personal style.  I'm attracted to them because they are so vibrant and fresh.  Isn't it a good thing we don't all like the same colours?

 How do you feel about these rooms?  If you could transport any of them into your own home would you?

This colour scheme seems to be most popular in bedrooms. 

 Interior Designer Artistic Designs for Living, Tineke Triggs

The white bedding  and accessories work well to balance the hot colours.  White has many uses in decor and acting as a backdrop is just one of them.

You can't deny that these colours are great for a kid's room.  I'm really liking the hit of lime green as an accent.

Better Homes and Gardens

This is the subtle version of this scheme.  Just a hint of melon with a deeper pink. Both are tempered with lots of off white.  That seems to be a common thread through most of these rooms.

Phoebe Howard

More vibrant colours against light walls and furniture. The pink is leaning toward purple and there isn't that much of it. 

Jessica Lagrange

 This room turns it around and focuses on a rich magenta with smaller pops of orange. Do you think the headboard is dramatic enough or would you like to see a big piece of art over it?

Do you fancy one of these?

Living rooms

 Better Homes and Gardens

 Lots of white to play with these two vibrant colours. I'm longing for a little more pattern, perhaps a stripe with a third colour thrown in to replace the pink cushions. 

Here are some choice....

I would go for the purple one. How about you?

 

 While we're at it what let's think about the white vase... Hummm...

Choose one.  No matter what pillows you choose there's a vase that works.

  Can a room be over matched?  YES!

source

Deeper pink leaning toward red with just hints of orange give a totally different look.  In this room a neutral tan  in varying values serves as a backdrop to the vibrant colour. I like the fact that this room is not too over matched.  Lots of pattern in the pillows.

Simplified Bee®: Sweet, Modern Pink & Orange Nursery Room for Baby...

Go for it !

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Today I love

This wonderful copper counter top!

Source

Quote:
Mellow patina. Considered a "living" surface, copper tarnishes as it oxidizes and reacts to the substances that cross it. For many, that's part of its appeal. Unsealed copper will gradually dull and transition to a blend of matte reds, browns and greens, which a lot of homeowners appreciate for the character it adds.




Happy Sunday!

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The garden in June

Happy weekend to you all! Our garden in June is at it's peak of beauty..... 

All images by V.Zlotkowski

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Graduating

Easy rider

Today our youngest graduated from Elementary School to attend Jr./Sr. High School in September! 
Perhaps a small step compared to the graduation from High School or College, but a huge step for these kids, who have made it over the threshold of childhood into youth.We have seen it this last year, the sudden change of voice and height, the unexpected manners, the growing need for independence and more freedom to spend time (and money) on his own. Not that we haven't had the chance of experiencing it before, he after all is the youngest of four. But to see each of our children stepping in their own time out of childhood is something, we every time enjoy and fear in somewhat equal measure.
Knowing that this is only the beginning of even greater changes, it gives us again a moment to reflect and to trust, that also this, often still willful, untamed, yet so sweet boy will find his way into responsible young adulthood.

A soccer player

A team player with great motivation

He is on the right path, I can see this. Only yesterday he pointed out to me, he needs to read 3 chapters daily of the first required reading book, to finish it  before camp starts, so he has enough time to go through the other two books before vacation is over. After asking him about it, he explained, 'I want to start the new school year the right way. Being prepared.' These were his exact words and to be truthful I have never heard him speak up like that before. Of course he was most all the time prepared in all his years in Elementary School, one just did one's home work, but the awareness and foresight, two months ahead made me think of his growing up.
I am proud of my baby (Don't tell him I said this), for now I can see the light at the end of the parental tunnel.... (LOL)

Well, of course it has been a wonderful journey so far and we both enjoy seeing our kids slowly moving truly into their own lifes. It is moving and often we feel it has all happen too fast, but time goes on and so will we. We are ready to share the ride!


We wish him a wonderful, fruitful and exhilarating time at the Jr./Sr. High School. A new world opens up!








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Hot seats

Dining rooms have a tendency to be formal affairs with matching table and chairs. but that doesn't mean they have to be. You can shake it up with unique styles and colours.    Here are some of my favourite Wow dining "sets" from my Pinterest collection. 

Make it  patterned

These luxurious chairs invite you to cozy up to the table. I'm a sucker for texture, and I would totally enjoy having a meal at this table.  Think of how soft the fabric would be!   I like the fact that the chairs  are patterned on the back and  plain on the opposite side.  The tufting supports the more traditional design and the high back chairs at the ends work well with the size of the space and the curves of the other chairs. The  hobbled roman shade is is a soft but clean window treatment in this room.  Lots of ideas to steal in this set up.

Repeated curves

 Lately I'm very attracted to everything aqua. Doesn't this colour look great with dark wood?  Curves abound in this room - in the draperies, the stairs, the chair arms, the vines in the carpet and in the light fixture. A soothing room all around with an unconventional chair colour.

 Popping yellow

Who could ignore these canary yellow chairs? I love the way everything else in the room plays second fiddle to the chairs and allows them to be the star. I want to whisk those red flowers away though. Don't we all have our opinions about what looks best.

Serene colour scheme

This room is different in every way from the one above. I love the clean lines of the benches and chairs . Remember that you need a central leg or an X leg if you want to move easily to and from a bench style seat. Armless banquettes are the most versatile.   The texture on the front of the buffet;  the circular ceramic vases with  twigs, and the rounded edges of the table add interesting lines and some complexity to the room. The colour and lines of the light fixture work well with everything else.  Doesn't this room look serene?

 Repetition of curves

More  banquettes, but this time paired with patterned chairs and a curvy table. The four leg table design will make getting into the banquette a little more difficult.The arms will add to the problem.    The chair  shape is repeated in the  mirror and the doors of the buffet.   An interesting mix.

There's nothing formal about this room! It will definitely appeal to the colour and texture lovers out there. I want to see a more substantial table with all this colour, but that's just me.

How do you feel about chairs and tables not matching?

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A father's and a son's day

Today the stars have aligned to a happy meeting: Father's Day and our oldest son's 25th birthday!
A quarter of a century of parenthood and a wonderful blossoming young life of an aspiring artist and filmmaker!
To you both, although you did not know each other from the very start, the years have brought you in wonderful ways together! A true father son relationship has been forged between you and it makes me so happy, grateful and proud to see, how far we all have come along!
All of us wish the man, who takes it all with grace and love, the best of Father's Day!
And to you, dear oldest one, we wish that all your dreams come true! May you have another happy year before you, with your lovely girl and brothers, sister and parents by your side!

Lebenskuenstler! True life style artists!

We love you!

And to our fathers who have helped us to be who we are today!

Happy Father's Day!

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Lemonade Days

Oh, lemonade days are coming, school will be over next week, we will celebrate another great year of learning and maturing for our kids and learning and maturing for ourselves.  Growing up with the children... it's a wonderful thing. 

I watched through the kitchen window these little robin chicks mature too

I have learned a whole lot of new things in the last months and keep on doing it, yet the summer time calls for slowing things down a bit and, rejoicing in the simple pleasures of life, relaxing, spending more time with good friends and finally our family, reading, travels and simple foods!

One of the first roses here at the Green House

The garden gives me pleasure, the roses are in bloom and the hydrangeas are soon really ready, the oak trees are full of fresh green leaves again and the grasses have almost reached their yearly heights...I walk through wafts of the scented honeysuckle and jasmine and the potted hibiscus and oleanders made it through another winter on the veranda.

I am so happy the outdoor season has finally begun!


Happy weekend! Wishing you a great season....filled with the simple pleasures!






All images byV.Zlotkowski

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To my friends and readers

Dear Friends, more then a month has passed since I last laid eyes on the blog, I missed it and yet I was so busy that I had hardly time to think about it.

The weeks, which have passed, have been purgative, cleansing in more then one way!
My surgery has been successful, I am grateful for that and has left me full of enthusiasm and positive energy. I am healing still. A couple of weeks before I had made another important decision: To change my diet and lifestyle completely.
Since then I have begun studying nutrition, I am reading all about raw food preparation, have myself immersed in juice fasting, cleansing, juicing, smoothie preparation and the many aspects of a thoroughly new way of eating.
I know that this might sound strange to many of you, perhaps the idea of eating mostly raw could make people feel that one must miss so many great foods and how one can restrict oneself like this. Yet I have to tell you, the conscious decision to begin a mostly raw diet has been not taken lightly and I have been experimenting with it. The longer I am on it the more I love the way I feel and .... look! I do not feel restricted at all! On the contrary: I feel freed! And as always, suddenly I see more healthy food options everywhere, raw restaurants pop up in unexpected places and people have been telling me about their similar journeys! The universe aligns!

I will not go in all the details of a mostly raw diet, that would surely overextend the most patient reader, but I will tell you as much:
I will begin writing a separate food blog, in which you can follow me if you are interested.
In a nut shell, the things I do not eat and drink anymore as as follows:
Wheat, all dairy, sugar, processed foods unless raw, coffee, sodas, alcohol (with the exception of a glass of red wine once in a while) potatoes, white rice.
I have been sticking to it and lost all cravings for sweets, do not miss anything and feel well nourished. I do eat a little bit of meat once in a while, maybe every two weeks or so and seldom fish (sashimi) or baked salmon. I take a few selected supplements.

The result so far has been a healthy weight loss (almost 20 lbs), glowing skin, super energy and great motivation to immerse myself even more. I do yoga, walk a lot, about 3ml a day and hope to put in more exercise as I go along. I am not the gym person...
A great book, to get an idea about the journey I have been taking, can be found here:

The best part is, that my husband, seeing the results over the last weeks, has become so
enchanted, he joined me and we both are exploring the joys of raw foods.

And no - our kids stick to their standard diet, I feel that the example and good food around the house will intrigue them, but pushing would be a mistake. So they munch their chips and have their hot dogs, ice cream and pasta....No hard feelings.
But they also love my fruit smoothies, vegetable juices and salads!


So, while I have become a little introvert and concentrated on the inner workings of body and soul, I have not forgotten about you all out there and can't wait to get back on track!
I know summer is coming and some of you might close the blog shop for a while, but I will try to follow trough and stick again to regular posting of the ups and downs here at the Green House.....


Be well and happy!
Victoria




Images by V.Zlotkowski and amazon.

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