This Color Exploration installment is a slightly nostalgic one for me - a free spirited, slightly offbeat and exuberantly eclectic hodgepodge of Bohemian flare that has always appealed to my unconventional color loving nature. My Bohemian Dream includes a few essentials: a fabulous kilim or three; soft seating like a large pouf, living greenery, music (instruments for preference, but failing that a turntable and decent collection of '60's through '90's vinyls will do) and at least one pet!
Read MoreOn Trend: The Wood Wow Factor
Raw, Rustic Wood: One of the hottest trends in decor in 2016, and one I see continuing with its inherent qualities, provided of course that you stick to reclaimed or sustainably sourced materials and keep it the 'green' thing to do. Use wood paneling to add warmth, provide contrast, introduce texture or create your wow factor; add a barn door for design impact and for the space saving element.
Barn door kits are readily available now, but if you want something a little off the beaten track, opt for something custom from reclaimed wood. That way you're guaranteed to get a perfect piece that fits your space and your style to a T. Try sourcing some vintage hardware, adding some color (a whitewash looks stunning and works really well in eclectic, farmhouse, rustic or boho settings. For beach rustic, distressed blues and greens are perfect, or you could go for a grey toned driftwood stain to replicate the silvery hues of sun bleached, wave washed and wind scoured hardwoods.
The featured door above was a custom design by E.R.O.S.24, LLC with reclaimed boards left unstained to show off the natural color variations in the wood.
A wood paneled feature wall can add some serious oomph to your decor, drawing the eye and creating a focus that can highlight a good feature, or take the emphasis off one that is less than appealing. Stikwood and Timberwall both have some beautiful self-adhesive options if you want the simplest installation, but die-hard DIYers can opt for using deconstructed pallets (please make sure they're not chemically treated before you go that route), reclaimed lumber or even plywood (yes, I've seen some amazing panel walls and faux shiplap done with plywood and paint - here's one example by a fellow blogger, "Life Crafts & Whatever" that i adore). Just a side note though, plywood can be fickle with stain - get the best quality plywood you can and prepare it well before you pull out the staining sponge!
Plywood can also be quite eye-catching using square panels instead of the usual wood strips - definitely makes an impact, but I find the larger panels tend to work better on commercial spaces with large wall spaces with high ceilings than in the average residential home.
Whatever you choose to do, make it work for you! Your space should be a reflection of you, should fit your lifestyle and your personality...and in an ideal world, be a selling point if the time should come that your current home needs to become someone else's.
Happy designing!
Color Exploration: The Series
Inspiration is everywhere! Take your color cue from nature, your surrounds, that divine dish you tried at the Thai restaurant last week, the photo from your last trip abroad - you know, the one that evokes an immediate 'aaah' response, a smile and sudden musings on the view from the little village high up on the cliff above the ocean, sipping on superb wine. Perhaps you can find your color muse in the birds that frequent your yard, a fabulous photo you see on Instagram, or a favorite rug or pillow.
But, if you're anything like me, picking just one color palette, theme or idea from the kaleidoscopic carousel of endless concepts in your mind can be difficult! Visualization can help... So I'll be piecing together a little visual collection of some of my own color visions, starting off with a nostalgic one for me: the free spirited, slightly offbeat eclectic hodgepodge of my perspectives on Bohemian style.
I am in process of slowly renovating my recently acquired little slice of real estate, so I sincerely hope this series helps *me* find my own way to turning a pokey little house with an unfriendly layout into ... If it helps any of you along the way, all the better!
Check back soon for Part 1: Bohemian Dream.
Just a side note - this is not an affiliate site: I don't earn commissions or fees for any products or items I feature here - they are just pieces I like enough to mention. I do try to find and support artisans, small businesses and local stores where possible over the major stores too.
The majority of the photos are my own, with the exception of some mention-worthy product photos, in which case the photos are linked directly to the source site and/or provide all relevant credits.