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à la Maison… Living and Giving Beautifully

~ Snippets & quick tips on home décor, interior style and entertaining

à la Maison… Living and Giving Beautifully

Category Archives: Decorating

Decorating ideas & techniques

Quick Styling for a Wooden Tray

17 Tuesday Apr 2018

Posted by à la Maison in Decorating, Floral arrangements and Interior Landscaping, Living Beautifully, Quick Tips, Redesign & Interior Style

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Tags

#alamaison, #home decor, #homestagingsyracuse, #interiorstyle

Wooden Tray are not only useful, but also a great staging tool.  Here are some quick and easy styling tips to dress them up…

tray with succulents

1) Think in odd numbers – Three decorative items are perfect. 2) Pick items that are different heights. 3) Add something green – plants & succulents are very popular right now and will add an organic element to the room.

dining room 11

Your newly styled tray will look great on a cocktail table, buffet, or dresser!

 

Dining Room Redesign

27 Tuesday Mar 2018

Posted by à la Maison in Before & Afters, Decorating, Floral arrangements and Interior Landscaping, Furniture & Accessories, Living Beautifully, Redesign & Interior Style

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Tags

#alamaison, #baldwinsville, #downtownsyracuse, #homestaging, #interiorstyle, #livingbeautifully, #syracusehomestaging

dining room after 10 - Copy

The main objective with the redesign/staging of this dining room was to lighten and freshen the space while working with the furniture that was already there.

dining room after 1
dining room before - Copy

The first order of business was selecting a new color palette of taupe for the walls, a pale blue for the ceiling and crisp white trim.  Replacing the ceiling medallion and painting it the same color as the ceiling was a quick and inexpensive way to add some overhead detail.

Dining room after ceiling

The furniture needed to stay so the goal here was to minimize the heavy, dark and dated feel it brought to the room.  By simply removing the hutch top and working with just the buffet (which we found was plenty of space once all the clutter and used items were removed), and covering the side chairs with neutral cotton chair covers did the trick.

dining room after 7

Removing the hutch allowed us more wall space which was the perfect location for a great architectural feature – a pair of antique armoire doors.

dining room centerpiece

Some art and a bit of greenery for an organic touch and this room is complete!

art work - maxfield
dining room 11
dining room after 10 - Copy
dining room after 7

 

 

 

Our Favorite Things… A Great Bench

02 Friday Mar 2018

Posted by à la Maison in Decorating, Furniture & Accessories, Living Beautifully, Our Favorite Things..., Uncategorized

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#farmhouse, #interiorstyle, #livingbeautifully, Decorating, furniture

You just can’t beat the versatility of a great bench.

Uttermost bench

Here is one of my favorites… So many options with this new bench. Measuring a generous 76″ long, it makes the perfect window seat or  mudroom bench.  Also perfect for dining table seating… especially in a tight space.  Consider a bench for a beautiful and useful piece to place at the foot of a bed.
 
Crafted from 100% solid oak, featuring a carved trestle base finished in a smooth tobacco finish, this bench easily fits into traditional, farmhouse, cottage or even modern decor.
Uttermost bench 2
Uttermost bench 3

Our Favorite Things… Blue and White Pottery

06 Tuesday Feb 2018

Posted by à la Maison in #easy entertaining, Decorating, Living Beautifully, New at à la Maison, Our Favorite Things..., Tablescapes

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#alamaison, #blueandwhite, #home, #interiorstyle, #kitchen, #livingbeautifully, #tablescape

Blue and white pottery has long been a tasteful and timeless home decor and dinnerware choice of both homemakers and interior stylists alike.

blue and white pottery

Although I still love the classic blue and white patterns (think Blue Willow, South Hampton, the gorgeous french and Italian patterns), I’m also loving the fun new patterns that are available today.

pottery blue and white wall (2)

The best thing about blue and white style is the more, the merrier!  Whether in my store displays or at home, it’s the perfect “mix and match” choice to create fresh and fun tablescapes and vignettes.

pottery blue and white 2

At the table, blue and white pottery just feels like summer.  I see this place setting for a beautiful summer barbecue.  Add red accents and you’ve got a great nautical look… go for yellow accents to add a touch of southern french style.

place setting blue and white

Adding a touch of blue and white pottery filled with greenery or flowers to a shelf or china hutch to an organic touch and pop of color.

pottery blue and white potted with flowers 2
pottery blue and white potted with flowers 3

Whether you prefer traditional, contemporary, farmhouse or coastal cottage decor, blue and white pottery would be a smart design choice and look right at home!

Interior Style… Easy Office Updates

31 Wednesday Jan 2018

Posted by à la Maison in Before & Afters, Decorating, Floral arrangements and Interior Landscaping, Living Beautifully

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#alamaison, #artificialflowers, #flowerarrangments, #interiorlandscaping, #officedecor, #officeinteriors

The standard office and modular office furniture in many office buildings tends to be a bit bland and generic.   When you consider the fact that you spend 8 hours or more of your day in this environment, you want to make it a place you are happy to be in.

Office Design Room view Before

By adding a few personal touches and a little color, you can liven up your work space and still maintain a professional, polished look.

Office Design - Table After
Office Design - Table Before

To start, we created a focal point for this young woman’s office.  The art on the wall immediately brightens the space and draws your eye into the room.  A small custom floral arrangement carries the color down to the table – leaving plenty of work space for meetings, etc.

Office Design - Table After close up

The desk and window ledge also were in need of a little warmth and greenery.

Office Design - Desk Before
Office Design - Entry Before

The lamps add some balance and potted ferns added to the window sills bring a nice organic touch without blocking the view.

Office Design - Desk after

Good quality faux plants are very realistic and an easy care option for busy professionals.

Office Design - ferns

A simple orchid arrangement to the corner of the desk finishes the look.

Office Design - Entry After orchid

The result is a polished, bright and inviting work space!

Office Design - Room View After

Office Design - Table After close up
Office Design - ferns
Office Design - Entry After orchid

 

Exterior Style – Holiday Color for a Village Carriage House

21 Thursday Dec 2017

Posted by à la Maison in Before & Afters, Decorating, Holiday Decor & Styling, Living Beautifully, Redesign & Interior Style

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Tags

#alamaison, #baldwinsville, #downtownsyracuse, #exteriordecor, #holidaydecor, #interiorsylist, #wreath

This charming village home, now owned by a lovely family, wanted a pop of bright holiday color for their historic carriage house.

Wreaths - Sunset Terrace 6

I was thrilled to take the job as this home has special meaning for me>.. my mother-in-law, who recently passed, owned and loved this home for over 30 years.

Accents in lime green and purple on an evergreen base looked great with the neutral brown/taupe of the exterior shingles.

Wreaths - Sunset Terrace 3
Wreaths - Sunset Terrace 4
Wreaths - Sunset Terrace

The homeowner loved them and I think Norma would be pleased with the results as well!

Wreathers - Sunset Terrace 5Wreaths - Sunset Terrace Close up

Wishing you all happy holidays, a very Merry Christmas and a healthy and prosperous New Year!

Michele

Entryway and Staircase Redesign

06 Wednesday Dec 2017

Posted by à la Maison in Before & Afters, Decorating, Redesign & Interior Style

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#alamaison, #baldwinsville, #beforeandafter, #downtownsyracuse, #entryway, #homedecor, #interiorstyle, #redesign

Staircase entry redesign 11-2017.pdf

The entryway is the first impression of a home and a space that should be warm and welcoming.  This entryway and staircase were ready for an update and redesign.

staircase before

This stairs were looking a bit tired and dated with this worn carpet.

staircase before 1
staircase before 3

Removing the wall to wall carpet, adding a runner and fresh new color on the walls was the answer.

staircase after 3

staircase after 4
staircase after 5
staircase after

Our Favorite Things… Denim Upholstery

19 Thursday Oct 2017

Posted by à la Maison in Decorating, Furniture & Accessories, Living Beautifully, Our Favorite Things..., Uncategorized

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#alamaison, #downtownsyracuse, #farmhouse, #livingbeautifully, #vintage, Decorating, furniture

chair - denim

I’m a denim fan through and through… from a great pair of jeans to denim dresses, skirts and shirts… I’ve got them.  So when I saw this great little vintage-style arm chair upholstered in denim, it was love at first site!

Used alone, this chair is perfect for a side chair in a bedroom, office, or living area.   This could also be a great way to freshen up a dining room – consider ordering a set to replace current dining room chairs for a more casual and updated look.

Chair - PH denim armless

These chairs can be ordered and are available with or without arms.  For more information, contact Michele at 315-440-6637.

Our Favorite Things… Lilacs

19 Friday May 2017

Posted by à la Maison in Decorating, Floral arrangements and Interior Landscaping, Living Beautifully, Our Favorite Things...

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Tags

#alamaison, #baldwinsville, #downtownsyracuse, #lilacs, #livingbeautifully, floral

Nothing says summer is here like lilacs!  Their beautiful purple and white blooms are wonderfully fragrant and something I look forward to each year.    When in season, I like to cut them in bunches and bring them inside.  The sad part… they only last a short time.

To extend the season, we’ve added some beautiful faux lilac branches to a grouping of wired bottles – a lovely and rustic welcome to summer.

lilac group

lilac group 2

lilac group 5

New Tricks for Serving Trays

18 Tuesday Apr 2017

Posted by à la Maison in Decorating, Living Beautifully, Our Favorite Things...

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Tags

#accessories, #alamaison, #baldwinsville, #dooraccents, #downtownsyracuse, #GBCC, #walldecor, Decorating

spring branches purple

When it comes to versatility and adding value to your home, you can’t go wrong with investing in a nice wooden tray.  Trays are a hard working home accessory – a great option for organizing kitchen counters, consoles and dressers; and a must-have for the buffet table and home entertaining.

reclaimed slat wood tray 3

Let’s not overlook their great decorative value as well.  Trays can add texture and impact to ottomans, cocktail tables and beneath centerpieces – a really detailed tray needs no adornment and can be centerpiece unto itself.

I love this reclaimed slat wood tray for its great texture and large scale – it’s a multi-function piece that I use all over the house throughout the year.  As a centerpiece this tray’s substantial size fills a long dining table with ease.

reclaimed slat wood tray

reclaimed slat tray with flowers

Don’t limit your tray to horizontal use – I’m quite fond of it hang this one on my front door or a blank wall, changing the greenery with the seasons.

reclaimed slat tray door accent

reclaimed slat tray door accent full

It also works great to brighten a blank corner near the staircase.

reclaimed slat tray corner

New or old, you can’t go wrong with a great tray for a little decorating inspiration!

 

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