alamodeus

 

We both love the look of Magnolia Pearl dresses (above). Who couldn't love these gems that are so feminine, definitely bohemian, cool and comfortable. But, they weren't exactly what the bride had in mind for this day. So, we kept on looking.

The subject of wedding centerpieces keeps coming up in conversations with my friend who is about to marry.  It's an outdoor, picnic-themed wedding, and she'll be using colorful, vintage tablecloths to top the white floor-length cloths on the dining tables.



She and I have been collecting vintage tablecloths from every consignment shop and antique store we've visited over the last year. Now, she's asked me to come up with some ideas for casual, yet festive table centerpieces.



Photo above via All Women Stalk. Unknown source for image at right.

Mason canning jars keep floating to the top of the centerpiece candidates list. They are certainly at home in a picnic theme and can be decorated with twine, raffia or wire as shown in the photos above and below. Jars are charming vases for the wildflowers we have in mind and can serve as vessels for floating candles, too.  Images below via Emmaline Bride (left) and Brabourne Farm (right).

 

Thinking outside of the box, or jars as the case may be, creates new uses for other utilitarian objects. As long as there is a concealed container to hold the flowers in water, graters and bags can be used as unique wedding table centerpieces.

 

Images above via My Home Ideas (left) and Invitations & Decorations (right).



Porcelain pitchers are a great choice to hold flowers, too.

I will admit I have an obsession. It is the exotic scent of Tuberose. To be exact, it is the extract of the plant Polianthes Tuberosa.

 

If you have more money than scents (ha), visit the Private Collection of Estee Lauder for a sensual dose of this night bloomer in their Tuberose Gardenia line. Votivo also produces the alluring tuberosa fragrance in aromatic candles. Jo Malone also combines the two very heady fragrances of gardenia and tuberose in their Vintage Gardenia cologne. Ooh, aah!

I first discovered my passion for tuberose when I bought a bar of handmade soap in a San Francisco, California boutique years ago. Once the bar was used, I couldn't locate another soap of equal quality. So, I planted tuberose bulbs in my garden and nursed them throughout their first year. It wasn't a spectacular success, but the plants lived.





Year two was a dud, and my plants never bloomed.

If all things had been perfect, I could have made a haku lei like the one above (image via the Hula Supply Center), placed it upon my head and paraded around my yard with the sweet scent of my beloved tuberose swirling around me. Unfortunately, it was not to be. 





Weekends just beckon for napping on a daybed. In my mind, all of these are perfect places to host a mid-day snooze.



Daybed image via Belgian Pearls.





Iron daybed photo via Chez LouLou.




Image via Vosges Paris.



I'm convinced that I would love living in a converted barn. Sure, there are habitats with equal character, but I'm sure there are none as warm and inviting.



Barn photo via Yiangou Architects.


If I could find the perfect barn renovation project, I would want for no more than the stone structure above. Its beautiful wood beams and unadorned stone walls are my idea of heaven.



Barn conversion image via Carrier and Company.


Woods always ages beautifully, bringing warmth and personality to a barn conversion. The photo reflects the interior design work of Carrier and Company and speaks to the influence of wood in the overall design scheme. Rustic, simple pieces come together in a casual, welcoming space made for relaxation.



Photo via The New York Times.

 

Photo from Classic French Homes.


I'm convinced that the French and English have barn renovations down to an art. What a beautiful bedroom! I love the original beam details that remain in the new room painted a snow white. This little French jewel is for sale. Yes, I'm ready to mooove in!

When it's time to lighten up with a summer palette, nothing does a better job than slipcovers.



The classic bones of traditional chairs are evident with tailored slipcovers in white cotton duck. Image via Canadian Home & Country Magazine.




Cottage decor is a perfect fit for slipcovers, but when tailored for a snug silhouette, they are right at home in a more formal setting, too. Photos via Pottery Barn (left) and Attic Magazine (right).

Of course, slipcovers are in their element in seasonal cottages at the lake or beach. They wear well, take lots of abuse throughout the summer and can be washed and readied for return visits before heading home.

What a beautiful look these slipcovers present at the dining table. Of course, the view is killer, too.

Photo at left via My Home Ideas.

Not since the Romans introduced the world to the grandeur of their baths have we come close to replicating their decadance. But, I for one, would say that the baths in black and white below offer more temptation than most of us could resist.

Start carting in the marble, boys!




Black and white marble bath with a tub to die for. By designer Celerie Kemble.




Send in the champagne while I soak in my bubble bath! If I drown, I will drown happy in this bath photographed by Italian photographer Guido Barbagelata.


Even with a decidedly urban take in the bath above, the materials, including the corrigated tin and glass shower enclosure, really appeal to me. Image via Remodelista. How I would love to own that sink!

Linen, hemp, flax ... these are a few of my absolutely favorite things, and I particularly love these fabrics as dish towels (and tea towels, too.)


Can you possibly feel more connected to the past or more in tune with earthly organics than when using these beautiful weaves?

Translyvania Linens is producing reproductions of French-inspired designs (shown at left in a image via Remodelista.) Above right, the photo via Hello Trade focuses on a traditional blue and white design.



Towels can step outside of their household chores to create simple, yet dynamic placesettings for informal dining like the image above via The Sweetest Occasion.



I wouldn't hesitate to throw a classic hemp towel on a rustic table as a tablerunner or placemat like those shown in the photo above from Decor de Provence.

The great thing about the natural fibers of hemp and flax is their supple hand and casual nature. I love to wear them (Flax), and I find their charm in home decor hard to resist.



Painting of the First Earl of Essex by Walter Devereux.





Contemporary portraits of royals from Roche Bobois.