What does your garden look like?

By now in New Jersey our gardens are planted, the peony's have bloomed and the hydrangea's are making their debut...   

There is so much pleasure, reward and satisfaction in gardening....you really do not need much more than a container....some dirt, seeds...add  water and you have a little bit of natures beauty.  

This year many of us that live on the coast of New Jersey had extensive gardening due to the Storm Surge of Sandy...  We have hulled in new top soil, mulch and new shrubbery.  For the most part, the perennials that did not wash away came back harder then before....

Nothing is better than having a morning cup of coffee and walking through your yard checking out the new growth.  I hope this makes you smile.

You can stick to a certain color scheme 

a container wrapped with vines for a great center piece on a table by Harmonize Homes

add a variety of heights and colors for a focus point 

various colors and textures makes a garden interesting

Do you paint furniture?

One of the things that I love to do to help clients figure out an inexpensive way to decorate is to add a lot of color to your design.  A love to take a tired, dated, 'brown' piece of furniture and add color.

For the last few years, I have been working with Annie Sloan Chalk paint and waxes and have had some beautiful results.

This was  a dresser from the early 70's that was painted and distressed for a new look

A tired brown coffee table painted and waxed for a new look

A small accent table that was BROWN....we added a totally new look click on link to see before

Side by side before and after of a tired piece brought back to life

A old table with some new stripes

This was a dark green old cabinet which we painted for a bathroom 

Everyone needs color in their life

Leather cracked top, which we painted and stenciled

I want the color of a bing cherry!

One of my favorite fruits is now in season....BING Cherries... Nothing says summer like passing the bag of beautiful sweet bing cherries from chair to chair at the beach.....The only problem, is what do you do with the pits and stems?

I think my fondness for cherries steams from a still life picture my mother had/has still to this day of cherries in a jar hanging on her kitchen wall above the yellow three quarter wall of ceramic tiles (the European kitchen look back in the day)

To me, red is a beautiful color, and its richness complements so many colors beautifully and naturally. Every house should have a pop or more of red....

Check out Sherwin -Williams Curiosity Collection for 2014

Its Raining so why not share some photo's of my house.

Well, it is Friday June 07th and as you can see by our backward table it is raining ! Effects of Topical Storm Andrea .

One Teak Chair floated in during Hurricane Sandy, I have since collected 6 more.

So I decided  to share some photo's of what our house looks like at the Jersey Shore!  We have been spending the last seven (7) months getting things back into order , more so out side and beneath the house. Most of our damage was minor in comparison to others.... But never the less there was work to be done!

Light airy colors inspired by our own surroundings

I always keep lots of reading material around as the house is usually filed with people during the Summer months....this area is a great place to just kick back and relax.  Table was found at a thrift store for  $40.00.... A little Annie Sloan Chalk Paint and Viola...a great reading a game table for the living space.

I always try to keep fresh flowers around...These I picked up at the Farmers Market in  downtown Toms River

Love to use drift wood in my decor

A West Elm Purchase - I just love the simplicity  

 A little nook with some of my treasures a  Jonathan  Adler Vase and a collection  from a Vermont Potter called Alphabets

Natures Color Combination

I am just getting back into the swing of things...after a short trip to Belfast Maine for a family members memorial service.

It really is amazing how much inspiration you can gather when you get out of your immediate environment.

Lets take for an example some of these pictures that I took along the way through forests, bays and the village...

I always look back to nature for color combinations.  I decided to match up some of Sherwin-Williams Designer Expression collection with the photos that I took. Click on the links for more information.

Penobscot  Bay Maine  matched with Sherwin- Williams 

Penobscot Bay Matched up with Sherwin-Williams

Floating Dock at Camp matched up with Sherwin-Williams

Back Steets of Belfast Village matched up with Sherwin-Willams 

Strolling through the forest of Moose Point State Park in Maine with Sherwin-Williams

Moose Point State Park Birch with Sherwin Williams

Belfast Bay Inn Court Yard with Sherwin Williams

Should you have any questions, please feel free to contact me.