Why Your Room Needs That Unexpected Element

Decorating is not an exact science. Some of the world's best decorators have never had professional training or an internship. Yet all the great decorators have that special something. A gift for understanding the client and transforming their home into something interesting. One of the tricks to accomplish that is the unexpected element. The unexpected element can be small, quirky and speak quietly, like a special secret between friends.
Or it can be bold and in contrast to the setting of the room, like this very unexpected element in designer Ryan Korban's apartment.

It could be something over scaled, such as this lovely wallpaper mural from Surface Views...

or as simple as an unexpected table display..

All these things have in common the ability to take the visitor out of a preconceived notion of what a room should be and bring a whole new perspective of what it can be.

Try adding a normal object in an unexpected way. This room was already gorgeous but the mirror placement takes it to another level.

If you think your decor is a bit meek, Outsider Art on the wall will change the complexion of the room. Outsider Art runs the gamut in pricing, from high end gallery pieces to flea market finds and is highly collectible.

So shake it up a little. Be a little daring...do something unexpected.

Until next time..

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Antique Wardian Cases

When I moved into my present city apartment, a mere 680 square feet, Things had to serve a purpose. No longer could this antique wardian case hold trinkets for display, it had to be functional. So I gave up a rather large chunk of my micro kitchen to grow fresh herbs. I figure it is a fair trade off. I have a full spectrum vita light shining on the plants and they seem to do quite well in there. I adore wardian cases, terrariums and the like. They were a fixture in the Palace of Versailles like the one above, and later the Victorians made great use of them when it was discovered that they could successfully transport rare species of plants home from around the globe. I thought I would share some pinned photos of various styles.. Imitation cases are usually zinc and plexiglass ,like this one I spotted at a local market. You can tell the age of a real one by the thickness and color of the glass.The glass will most often be 1/4 inch to a 1/2 inch. They are always quite

Southern Bacon and Crawfish Cornbread Dressing

Imagine you are dining outside at Blake Shelton's house this Thanksgiving and deep frying some big turkeys. A crawfish dressing would probably be on the menu. Deep fried turkeys and outdoor dining on Thanksgiving day is very popular in the South. And while people don't wild catch crawfish like they did a century ago, crawfish are always popular on the menu. Here I have paired it with bacon, corn, mirepoix,and jalapenos to give you a dressing with real local flavor. Here is what you need: 5 cups crumbled cornbread 1 1/2 lbs boiled crawfish tails ( frozen is fine) 10 ounces bacon, cooked and coarsely crumbled 12 ounces yellow corn 1 1/2 cups chopped yellow onion 1/1/2 cups chopped celery 1/1/2 cups green red and orange bell pepper 1 jalapeno ( optional) 2 eggs beaten 2 cups chicken stock salt, thyme, and sage to taste. Fry your bacon until it is ready to crumble, remove from pan and set aside. Saute the mirepoix, (onions ,peppers and celery) corn and jalap

Birdcage Beauties

Bird keeping is an ancient art. Long before the Spaniards invaded Mexico, Macaws were being bred as pets and the Japanese were cultivating beautiful songbirds. But of course it was the French, during the time of Louis XIV that brought bird keeping into popular culture. These birds all needed housing and the variety of cages designed for them is as varied as our own homes. From the Baroque... ..to primitive... ..whether for decor impact, or for keeping live birds.. beautiful bird cages, with their airy design adds ambiance to every space they grace. It is no surprise that they are the darlings of decorators around the world. If you love bird cages as much as we do, we offer this gilded cage currently on Chairish. https://www.chairish.com/product/286472/gilded-birdcage or click our icon in the right hand column. A stunning home for a pair of Java Temple Birds, Finches or Canaries. Until next time..

Oh La LaY'all......French Style and Southern Charm

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