Design Aphrodisiac


...SOMETHING TO PUT YOU IN THE MOOD...to decorate!

I run across design aphrodisiacs all the time. I suppose it is one of the hazards of my job. Or maybe I am just easily sidetracked. Whatever. I just love a good design idea, a pretty little something, or crazy creativity.
Here's something to jumpstart your designer brain. I happen to own a lot of books, the kind you like to curl up in a chair with, by Mary Carol Garrity.
She is the owner of 3 stores in Kansas, the most famous of which is Nell Hill's. Her style is a mix of classic and vintage looks. Mary Carol is a master of display.
Every time I thumb through one of her books, I want to rearrange a tabletop or create some kind of floral arrangement. She is the queen of the tableau or tabletop vignette. Whenever I am creating a little scene, I say that I am vignetting. This is a great way to use some of those smaller decorative items you might have. Another thing you will notice from the Nell Hill library is her love and use of books in decorating.
There is also a to-the-trade collection of accessories that I have used extensively for clients and gifts. You can see these items on her website, but please know that we sell them, too. In fact, if you have ever been to my home, you will recognize more than a few of these items.

As you peruse the website or one of the books, be on the lookout for the following:
Mary Carol's dark navy blue dining room, the video of the Christmas tour, beautiful table settings, multiple uses and holders for candles, great entertaining ideas, bouquets of branches and foliage, and so much more.
She is a kindred spirit. Did I hear someone shout "Field Trip!" ?