Je ne sais quoi

Do you ever walk into a room and it moves you but you just don’t know why? It’s hard to pinpoint what makes it so special and inviting. Sometimes you have to really look into the details; details such as the wall moldings. It’s a successful room when it grabs you but not for something […]

Wallpaper

Victorian wallpaper Wallpaper?! Isn’t that what  people are ripping off the walls of their newly bought homes? Their homes that were recently bought from the original owner of 50 years?  I love the look of so many patterns. Damask, toile, floral and geometric shapes. I am very happy when looking at patterns whether for a pillow, bedding… or just […]

Breezy Bayeaux

Bayeaux, France in Normandy looks like such a gorgeous town. It’s between the port city of Cherbourg and the university city of Caen. I’m now sitting here daydreaming about this place. I find this sort of thing so inspiring!! Do you? Well, I took it a step further and actually found the perfect rental. I […]

Grand Space of a Loft

 The definition, according to Wikipedia, of a loft apartment is:  it “refers to large adaptable open space, often converted for residential use from some other use, often light industrial.” It’s exciting to have an industrial history to your home. What cool stories are involved when living in a space where chocolate chips were dropped into cookie […]

A Beautiful Table Setting

What is it that creates a beautiful table setting? The centerpiece? Linens? Dinnerware? Needless to say, a beautiful setting on the table is very inviting. I gravitate to my seat and am excited to eat and chat. However, a pile of papers sometimes gravitates to my dining room table before a crowd of dinner guests. […]

Pretty Papers

It seems that whenever a person looks at a house to buy, one of the first things she wants to do is take down the wallpaper. They contain such beautiful patterns and colors, though! Now there are such unique papers that are trompe l’oeil, paintable and even ones that have texture. Graham & Brown is […]

Swedish Interior Design – Creating a Bedroom from Heaven

photos and text by Jo Lee for Inspire Ma When we bought our 1886 apartment on the seafront in Hove (UK) that now doubles as Swedish Interior Design HQ, we instantly fell in love with the 14’ ceilings, huge double sash windows overlooking the sea and wonderful original period features. The light pours in off […]

Colorful Mondays {lime green}

Yesterday, my husband called our three children outside to the patio to watch a bright green caterpillar cross the stone patio. I ran out to check out the colorful bug as well and could not get over the bright, wonderful color! It’s amazing to see colors from nature be incredibly vibrant. It reminded me of […]