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good morning and happy tuesday. i hope your week is off to a good start! it’s officially almost summer! the weather’s been a little crazy with lots of rain and humidity over here.

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it’s brutal but actually  has been creating pretty random prisms everywhere from the oil on the street to rainbows in unexpected places.

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then again i guess rainbows are always unexpected!

color theory

anyway i took the opportunity to use it for another color post.

miista.com/electromancer

candy and i were contemplating the incomprehensibility of the vibrant neon in a peacock feather the other day.

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we wondered where else you’d see so much  brilliant color (let alone tones that are basically fluorescent), in mother nature’s palette.

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i’ve been kind of a minimalist for the past few years, really loving the serenity of whites on whites.

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but these color posts have challenged me to look at things in a different way. it was hard at first to find decor that was inspired by the neon-ness of rainbows without being gaudy.

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but it’s everywhere from casa mexicana

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to boho chic

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to a rococo room!

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humans never cease to amaze me with their creativity and homage to everything from flowers to birds to fish.

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so does man imitate nature? it certainly isn’t the reverse!

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and boy do we love a riot of color!

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of course once i started looking for neon was absolutely everywhere

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the combos are magnificent

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and even when they’re subtle

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they’re strong

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kind of wild when an entire town or village comes together to show their love for color

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maybe there’s something magic in it

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miista.com

a bridge to another dimension?

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the best part of working on the post was the realization that the neon in the feather or the flower was just a microcosm for the really big neon rainbows

aurora-borealis

in the sky

northern-lights

in the cosmos

nasa.gov

in the milky way (nasa)

daily galaxy- The Unbearable Beauty of the Nebula

ring of nebula

throughout the entire universe

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ahhh well, i could have gone on and on with this post, i fell deep into a vortex that was far from a black hole.

i was just about to push publish when i stumbled onto fractals. don’t get me started!

and that’s the beauty of the both the world and the web i guess. there’s always another layer do discover.

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but we have to save something for tomorrow after all! for now, have a beautiful, colorful day!

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good morning friends and happy friday. the photo above was so fascinating i had to post it. it’s the return of the mona lisa to the louvre after the nazi invasion of paris.  once they were conquered she was free be the paris we take so for granted. our muse!

i hope you don’t mind a second day posting about my trip to paris with okl. they posted a lot of information on their blog about the trip yesterday after susan’s container sale went up. since they took the time to interview me about my favorite markets, i turned into a jpeg that can be read below. for me it’s a virtual scrapbook and this is the best place to keep it cause, hey,  a blog is forever. (sort of)! hope you enjoy it!

i

onekingslane.com/live-love-home/insiders-guide-to-paris

day trips to paris markets

iphone app

flea market style

thanks for coming by and hope you got some info and maybe a bee in your bonnet to go to paris or anywhere soon, there’s nothing like traveling. i’ll be putting my trip together for late summer and fall soon and will keep you posted on the progress. maybe i’ll close up the apartment here since i have to move and just hit the road for a couple months. after all, times they are always a changin’ and you never know what’s next. till then, have  a bon weekend!

onekingslane.com/sales/19572

good morning mes chere amis! it’s been a long winter and hard to believe that i was able to keep a secret for 6 months, but today can finally reveal a career highlight i’ve been sitting on! i didn’t want to spoil the fun of having takin one king’s lane founder, Susan Feldman on a wild shopping spree in paris in january for her container sale that’s happening right now! it was brutal weather and we trudged through slush with wet uggs and red noses but we beat down doors and got beautiful treasures for a sale i hope you’re going to really enjoy! take a look: Susan’s Container Sale

well, i better get back to reality. it was fun reliving our trip and i hope we can do it again soon, as it was a dream come true to be there together. as you know, i love to share my sources and passion for the markets and Susan really absorbed it. she had a vision. i hope you and i can shop together sometime too! i’ll be there in september, maybe we can plan a blogger’s meet up if you’re there? something to think about. for now it’s back to work to make it happen, more soon!

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good morning and happy tuesday everyone.

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it’s a crazy day from what’s on the news. i hope you’re safe and sound and for those who are facing difficult times due to mother nature, please know we are all praying for you.

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it’s earth that inspired my color choice to explore today. she’s so full of shades and tones it’s hard to pinpoint something specific but i’m finally honing in on one in particular: aqua.

(38702878020678901) it is somewhere between turquoise and celadon and i had to try not to cross the lines. not sure how i did, you can be the judge!

(bohemianwornest) even though it’s a color found so much in nature,  it can sometimes be a little extreme and almost gaudy

(38702878020676243) but then again, one shade down it’s neutral, like so many we’ve explored over the past few days.

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(38702878020680243) i love to see it in subtle tones on furniture like the little sofa.

(38702878020678983) and it’s got a dreamy quality in glass

(38702878020678973) adds a pick me up to any vignette (here almost crossing the turquoise line, maybe it’s both)?

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(38702878020678783) it’s great in a bath

(38702878020687776) or in a dose of glass tiles

(38702878020679943 i keep coming back to nature to see where the color wheel blends

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(38702878020679979) i find it soothing and love to see it on walls

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(dianeburn.com) again, a color that’s timeless whether it’s used in a cottage or a baroque chateau

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(38702878020680065) aqua velvet

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(38702878020678907) it’s a bold color but kind of fun to use in unusual ways. here someone got creative with an ombre

and a gorgeous concrete floor

(madebygirl) once you choose your palette

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the sky’s the limit! hope you have a fabulous day and if you’re using aqua let us know where!

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(97108935687193225) happy saturday everyone! it’s the start of a brand new weekend and i hope what will be a memorable one, whatever you’re up to. this morning i was about to post on yet another color, this time orange. instead i thought i’d hone in a little further with a hue thought i knew pretty well but didn’t use much: saffron. turns out that everything i thought i knew about it was totally wrong, starting with the shade itself.

(34545107587176802) it’s a color that straddles between orange and yellow and is as varied in it’s shades as in its uses, origins, history and properties. for being a mere color it sure has a lot going on!

(nationalgeographic.com-saffron-field) first of all, it starts out as a purple flower

(251005379202475341) millions of pounds of it come in to the us from afganistan, pakistan, iran and greece and ingested, it’s useful for everything from depression to weight loss.

(16747829834188199) funny how purple leads into the red then the orange then yellow

(curiousinkitchen) this is an image of early greek harvests

(122512052335782321) the technical color range is from orange to marigold

(248401735669024491) it’s apparently loved and used the world over

(275704808408777919) painting by Mark Rothko, Saffron, 1957, Oil on canvas

(248401735669024511) untitled, Rothko, 1968 and is an endless inspiration of study whether in art

(251005379202489575) on silk

(1.bp.blogspot.com) or in a powder form

(amazing-benefits-of-saffron) sprinkled on top of almost anything it adds color and spirit. it’s almost revered or sacred when used by chefs

(charmingspaces) it’s sort of magical

(wikimedia)

(kristeninlondon.com)

(kaufmann-mercantile.com) it’s used as a dye

above dyeing wool for carpets below

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saffron-dyed silk

(97108935687122447) i think this is the color i originally associated with it. kind of what monks wear in tibet

it’s peaceful in the boudoir (although it could be the view)

(59320920061988641) and bold in a single shot

(97108935687122449) calming on a focal wall

it has that neutral property

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(248401735669024483) and is as modern as ever

saffronandsilk and works in any decor

(97108935687122450) or room

(38702878020666930) a great accent for doors

(161285230376634138) or fabric

(495184921498566786) i couldn’t resist posting some of the delicious recipes that are made with it! here are roasted pears with saffron spice

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poached-halibut-with-saffron

(232357661996354326) saffron risotto & oven roasted vegetables

(100908847872073720) Rustic Pear Tart with Saffron pastry

saffron infused sugar cubes

upcycled

ok well i officially have both a problem with ocd and a brand new obsession to go with it! hope you get a chance to check it out. if you use it let me know! have a beautiful day!

(173599760607893452) i fell into the trap again today, spending more time playing than working so far this morning. but what i’ve come to realize is that it will all get done no matter how you arrange the hours.

(23925441742692309) so my little indulgence was again a challenge for me, taking a color i normally shy away from in decor and checking out how it’s used creatively indoors and out: chartreuse

(38702878020666976) a little touch goes a long way

(38702878020666959) and if you can take it, it’s a lot of fun. but it’s a weird color to pinpoint. it straddles between green and yellow, natural and neon

(23925441743110695) below is coco chanel’s apartment where she used an apple tone on her pillows

(228205906090555498) sometimes it can lean toward garish

(38702878020666955) the vanity in this bath is what i believe is true chartreuse

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(228205906089582174) or maybe it’s this ceiling trim…

(58054282666090380) but of course there’s artistic interpretation

(38702878020666910) it’s a very bold choice in decorating but for those who take the plunge the reward is great!

(228205906088210722) this little pillow is enough for some!

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(58054282666087060) but i see how accents can brighten up the place

(58054282666087056) another great choice for a DIY as an entry chest color

(173599760606803219) or again, in a piece of art

(183662491025747124) maybe take it outdoors

(23925441742943529) it works with almost every color from red to turquoise

(58054282666087073) and we’re certainly not the first ones to love it!

and if there’s ever any doubt of it’s timeless chicness, we can always turn to the french who apparently have been using it for years. below at versailles. go figure!

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well i hope you enjoyed today’s colorburst. now off to work for real! have a great friday!

good morning! it was fun putting a blue story together yesterday and i wanted to challenge myself with a color today that i’d normally never use in decorating: hot pink.

(outdoor-spaces) but as they say, never say never! i’m falling in love with the creative ways people have been using now, in the past and in nature.

i guess it always seemed a little brash but once mother nature puts her stamp on it, it suddenly makes sense.

(249809110552789071) what really amazed me is the bold choices that were used on doors all over the world. paris here

(242068548693299806) greece

california maybe?but then, if you have a front door, why not play with it every year…or even season? it’s about the quickest way to change the look and feel of a house.

as for the color itself, it fits in just about anywhere and can set a different tone in each room.

it’s daring

cozy

(161637074097203863) vivid

228205906087872749 inviting

le-bath sophisticated

unexpected

(southshoredecoratingblog) strong

timeless

baroque-n-rococo

surprisingly neutral

cheerful

bold

and just plain fun to play with

(68721859813) a fun DIY

(95983035779005199) on a pillow

or artwork

pinterest.com/parisapartment/art

i think you have to really love it to go this crazy but hey, it’s only paint!

at the minimum, just get that flash of freshness, nothing beats a beautiful bougainvillea! well i better get going, the crew is here, have a a perfectly pink day!

all photos can be found on pinterest here: http://pinterest.com/parisapartment/boards

(le-chateau)

good morning!  it’s still pretty early but time is just flying by. maybe i should block pinterest till after work cause even a cursory glance turns into a photo fest!

(vignettes)

so much comes in at hyperspeed and before you know it, you’re half an hour deep in the vortex.

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with that i’m sharing some of my favorite shots and in an effort to hone it down and create a theme. today’s inspiration is simply: deep blue.

(fleurs) it’s a color i don’t use much and am starting to wonder why.

(le-bath) a little tile goes a long way in a bath

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(kitchens) or a kitchen

(le-chateau) on a silk satin sofa or small leather chair or on a  velvet daybed

(bars) on an accent wall behind a bar

somewhere between indoors and and out

(doors-and-windows) and a touch or outdoors is always cheery!

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(pin/192740059025047144) even as solar roof tiles!

and a little goes such a long way.

well now i’m officially late but it was fun to slack off and surf this morning! hope you enjoyed it.  have a beautiful blue day!

moodboard

hi guys, happy memorial day weekend! it’s been weird weather around the country so i hope you’re getting a bit of well deserved sunshine. i’m making this long weekend one of complete RnR, turning off the tv, the phone, and even the lights. when it’s dark, enough is enough.

(yoga-before-sleep) of course, i did manage to get some pinterest time in which is where i got the shots to illustrate my fantasy weekend. reality may not be as pretty as this but it’s as much fun!

(2163427259)  my alone time has given me a chance to swim,

(38702878020631302) catch up on reading,

(shooting-in-manual) learn about my camera,

(dressing-rooms) try a DIY

(tumblr) hit the beach and a do little yoga before sunset (better do that now)…

(delicious) eat well

stay quiet,

deep-thoughts

and of course, nap!

well, i hope i haven’t put you to sleep. enjoy the weekend however you’re spending it and thank you to all the servicemen, women and vets who selflessly protect our freedom so that we can enjoy these beautiful days. we owe it to them to make the  most of it so i’m off to catch those last hours of sunshine. have a great night!

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wow it’s hard to believe we’re half way through may already. summer is going to be here soon and it would be great to savor every minute this year instead of remembering it fondly once it’s flown by. for now i’ll settle for a quiet and peaceful spring sunday at home making little improvements. i’ve been surfing this morning and thought i’d just share a couple super easy of DIYs that popped up.

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paint a window frame a cheery color

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paper the inside of a drawer

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or a cabinet

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or a little more ambitious, paper the inside of a closet

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make panels out of foam core and fabric

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add a fat trim to plain curtains

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use gold paint to trim prefab doors

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rearrange wall art

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paint a staircase in color

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add something lacy to a window screen

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use plain 12 x 12 tiles to separate herbs

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use that wagon wheel!

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trick out a single planter

if you’re home i hope you enjoy a little nesting.  i may start the herb garden today. have fun with whatever you’re up to!

and if you’re just not in the mood to do any of it,  pull out the glitter, it’s the fastest way to improve almost anything!

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