A terrifically pretty turquoise living room that will leave you feeling anything but blue!

✯ Day 155 of Vintage 365 ✯

 

Whereas earlier this spring I was heavily feeling purple (particularly when it came to my wardrobe choices), as spring marches ever closer to summer, I find that recently  my mind has been drawn heavily to crisp, confident shades of feel-good blues and turquoise.

Perhaps it's daydreams about Caribbean beaches, where dusty white sands march in perfect harmony with the nearly surreal aquamarine seas, or maybe it stems from the fact that cheerful blues tend to feature heavily in summertime decor (think melamine dishware and punchy hued throw pillows, for example).

Whatever sparked my current colour fixation, I'm pleased that it did, because there are few more soothing - yet equally lively - shades out there than a zesty turquoise blue, precisely like the one in the captivating living room below.

Hailing from the UK website House to Home, this photo gorgeously showcases the allure and charm of a living room done up in sparklingly pretty hues of perfectly summertime worthy blue, snowman white, and fresh-from-the-garden pink.

Weaving old school elegance (such as the ornate mirror atop the fireplace mantle and the curvaceously legged furniture) with a whimsical touch of modernity (e.g., the intentionally unfinished paint job at the top of the walls), this spacious living room is the sort of chic, fresh, very appealing space that captures the same sense of turquoise's unfailing beauty as the tropical waters mentioned above.

Whether you're drawn to the colours, the design, or the timelessly lovely pieces at work in this marvelous vintage inspired living room, it spills forth with an abundance of blissful bright blue to inspire your home decor and summertime wardrobe pieces alike all through the season and well beyond.

Vintage Holiday Shopping Guide: Gifts for Home Decor Lovers

While most people enjoy the ongoing act (and art!) of decorating their personal space, be it a bachelor apartment or a sprawling villa, in a way that brings them both joy and contentment, some take this part time hobby and turn into an ongoing passion that consumes their thoughts and shopping trips. No matter where on the scale the home decor lover in your life fits, chances are they’d welcome a wonderful, thoughtful gift for their house.

The items below have an inherently old school feel to them, some are whimsical others are resplendently chic, all are likely to be type of decor pieces that would bring a giant smile to the face of anyone on your holiday shopping list who loves to adorn their home with elements that speak to their adoration of vintage.


~ Gifts for Home Decor Lovers ~



{Hidden beneath her gracefully sweeping, crimson hued stoneware skirt, this immensely adorable lady hides a stick or small tub of your favourite spread from freshly churned butter to vegan margarine, apple butter or a cheese log, ready to add pep to one's table through the holiday season and well beyond. Also available in marigold yellow, this cuter than cute butter dish can be yours for $28.00 (US) from Anthrologie.com.}



{Your gift recipient can inject a rainbow of cheerful colour and vintage style to any room in their home, from the den to the boudoir, with this chicly beautiful metal starburst clock which retails for $59.99 (US) from ModCloth.com.}



{Who amongst us doesn’t adore the pleasure of sifting through flea markets, estate sales and thrift stores in the hopes of find just the right treasures for our wardrobes and homes alike? If this sounds like you or someone you know, then The Find: The Housing Works Book of Decorating with Thrift Shop Treasures, Flea Market Objects, and Vintage Details by Stan Williams, may be exactly the book to turn to for inspiration when it comes to how best to put those newfound (old) treasures on display. Released in 2009, this charming, photo filled, 240 page book is $18.50 (US) from Amazon.com.}



{Generously sized cabbage roses in a tranquil pallet of coral pinks and dusty yellows adorn this beautiful cotton duvet cover, telegraphing a wonderfully feminine feeling that would work marvelously in any bedroom or guestroom in the house. Queen (full) sized “Tea Rose” duvet cover, $68.00 (US) from UrbanOutfitters.com.}



{This darling vintage inspired box and the elegant pastel hued tea set it houses are both equally lovely items for a special someone on your holiday list to decorate their kitchen with. Set of four (one each pink, green, blue and yellow) “Piccadilly” bone china tea cups and saucer with gift box, £34.95 (UK) from Dotcomgiftshop.}



{Who wouldn’t delight at the prospect of gathering everything from holiday cards to the more mundane mail (like December’s credit card bills!) of everyday life from this immensely quaint white mail box (letter holder) with black enamel finish. Measuring in at 7.75 inches wide by 9 inches long and 4 inches deep, this wonderfully elegant receptacle would add a marvelous vintage touch to the outer decor of any home, and can be purchased for $24.00 (US) from Painted White.}



{Muted tones of aquamarine and teal lend this patriotically lovely thrown pillow a hefty dose of aged appeal. Measuring in at 30cm wide by 40cm long the wool and cotton “Britannia” cushion featuring a classic Union Jack flag in “duck egg” can yours to give (or keep!) for £35.00 (UK) from Laura Ashley Home.}



{This delightful tea towel is almost too pretty to use – all the more reason it deserves to go out on display proximately a turquoise kitchen, buttercup yellow bathroom, or snow white hued laundry room, for all who enter to admire. Embroidered and appliquéd wrens and doves who are immersed in a darling tea party cover this generously sized cotton tea towel (28 inches long by 21 inches wide) which is available for $24.00 (US) from Anthropologie.com}



{If there’s someone on your gift giving list who swoons at that mere thought of all things vintage French decor or antique shabby chic related, then The Paris Apartment: Romantic Decor on a Flea Market Budget by Claudia Strasser (published in 1997), $19.76 (US) from Amazon.com, may just be the perfect present to bestow upon them – and their beautiful home –this holiday season.}



{This gorgeous sea foam green storage bench is a real multitasker! At once it’s both an extra seat and a stylish place to stash anything and everything you might not want cluttering up a room all the time; it can be an ottoman, coffee table, or collect all for coats and bags. Upholstered in vintage inspired vinyl, sporting a plush tufted and piped cushion top, set upon tapered mid-century style legs, and measuring in at 38.5 inches wide by 18 inches high and 18 inches deep, this smart and stylish bench is available for $240.00 (US) from UrbanOutfitter.com, and would make an incredible gift for someone really special in your life.}



{Instantly transform any vanity table, bathroom counter or dresser top into the sort of glamorous spot one might expect to see in a vintage Hollywood starlets’ home with this incredibly pretty, ever so slightly rococo, hand painted cream and gold pedestal mirror. Measuring 34.5cm high by 18.5cm wide, this sophisticated looking glass is available for £28.00 (UK) from Laura Ashley Home.}



{An elegantly dressed woman in an enchanting gown holds a delicate paper lantern up to light the evening’s activities in this wonderful print that's stretched across a 12 by 14 inch canvass. Ready to instantly infuse added beauty to any vintage fan’s wall, this attractive print is $30.00 (US) from Plasticland.}



{Stock up on this magnificently pretty glass transferware holder and candle set to use as a stocking stuffer, hostess present or strikingly attractive gift on its own. This 4.75 inch tall by 3 inch wide peacock bedecked, shabby chic Victorian looking holder with a nine ounce white hued candle (45 hour burn time) is $19.50 (US) from Touch of Europe.}



{Dazzle your holiday giftee with a book they’ll be thrilled to keep out on the coffee table (or night stand), browsing and daydreaming over all year round, such as this amazing collection of over 600 magazines covers all featuring the eternally graceful Audrey Hepburn. This fashionable tomb, Audrey Hepburn” International Cover Girl (by Scott Brizel), was just released in November of this year and can be found on Amazon.com for $29.70 (US).}


This bevy of gorgeous home decor items has me itching to both give gifts from this list and add a few treats to my own home! I hope that amongst the ideas suggested here you’ll find oodles of inspiration for all those on your list who love to deck their halls (and every other room!) in vintage style.

Joyful holiday wishes to one and all as we count down these last ten (shopping) days until Christmas! :)

Five for Friday {July 31, 2009}

...The weekend rolls in, a respite for some from the grind of the week, a start of a new round for others. Mid-summer air hangs heavy and warm, the world like rich cocoa, our nerves often a little frazzled, and yet we know that summer is gift too precious to truly bewail. Embrace this season while it’s still smiling on us with celebrations of gentle beauty and glistening light...





{To keep your skin soft as a summer cloud}


{The toasty months can zap moisture from your skin in a flash, which means that lotion is just as important now as it in the colder season. Stay dewy, and adorn your vanity, with an adorable bottle of Surfer Girl Mango Tangerine Shea Butter Lotion. 12oz container, $22.95 (US) from Dolce Mia.}


{To dance the warm nights away}


{Old school shoe lovers rejoice! This site sells a plethora of modern recreation saddle shoes in numerous colours and styles for both women and men. Pink and white ladies saddle shoes, $79.00 (US) from Muffy’s.}


{To capture the brilliant essence of perfect summer light and just-picked peaches}


{An incredibly lovely, serene, sun-kissed photo from the pages of wedding photography blog, Simply Bloom.}


{To relive a treasured childhood – and retro – favourite}


{Scrumptious looking cast iron skillet pineapple upside down cake, the perfect dessert to bring to a family barbeque or Sunday afternoon picnic. Recipe on, and photo from, Inn Cuisine.}


{To lay down in and spend a carefree afternoon daydreaming}


{Resplendently beautiful, old world romance is taken to such fashionable heights in this stunning, shabby chic bedroom. Photo from Dwellings and Decor.}





I must thank you everyone who wished my husband and I well over the past week. I’m very happy to report that darling husband is doing a bit better. My health has its good moments and it’s not so wonderful ones, as I have a number of serious chronic illnesses, but I am doing somewhat better than I was last Friday, too, which is terrific – summer weekends are so precious, I don’t want to miss out on more of them than absolutely necessary.

I truly hope that you’re all doing splendidly, and wish you a deeply wonderful, relaxing, sunshine filled weekend!

The divine beauty of pale pink {Monday Muses, June 8th}

Perhaps it was the rose bushes that laced the fence in our little backyard growing up, maybe it ties back to the gentle hue of strawberry ice cream eaten on the beach, or it could have to do with the adorable little sundresses my mother placed me as a child, whatever the reason there is something about the onset of June that always makes me think of the softer shades of pink. Those sorts of hues that call to mind a kitten’s nose, antique bedspreads and Gooseberry patterned Pyrex.


{Gathered from the pages of Flickr, each of these marvelously sweet, serene, beautiful images inspires me and instantly enlivens my mood. 1. Pink dress and turquoise shoes, 2. pink tuesday..., 3. pink dress - detail, 4. 05.04.09 {birthday fun}, 5. a ribbon addict, 6. i <3 girly and sparkly things, 7. Pink vintage millinery dress form, 8. my little favorite corner, 9. ooo, 10. ♥ 1950's Pink Rose Print Day Dress w/Tiny Lace Details ♥, 11. 50's Pink Junior Dress, 12. 1950s Pink Embroidered Dress, 13. PINK White Gingham Check 50s 60s Corset Tie Dress - View 1. Click on a link to see a larger version of a particular image and/or for photographer information.}

From weddings to sunsets, pink suddenly seems to flourish this time of year, as if brought back to the world through a kiss from the sun. As such soft shades of pink are my Muses this week, inspiring me to send letters on floral print stationery and reach for the gentlest shade of pink in my lipstick arsenal. The following are an array of images and items, each imparted with the graceful beauty of pale pink that have made my heart flutter lately.


{Lovely as the cosmetics in this vintage ad from sugarpie honeybunch’s Flickr stream are, I think it’s the models ever so gently pink satin gloves that steal the show here for me!}


{Skip a pricey trip to the salon for a manicure and opt instead to give your nails the loveliest hint of pink at home with this subtle shade of Essie polish. “Not just a pretty face”, $8.00US.}


{Strikingly realist looking, this stunning silk rose clip from Flowerclip.com – which sells for $34US – would add an incredible dose of elegance and summery beauty to any outfit.}


{While I tend to favour the modesty (many) one piece bathing suits provide, the incredibly cute, itsy-bitsy polka dot pattern on this pale pink, vintage inspired swimsuit would be exactly what I’d reach for if I was in the market for a bikini. If you’d like to add one to your summer wardrobe, you can do so for $134.99US on Mod Cloth.}


{Whether you want to stay cool during the day or heat things up at night, this fun pink feather fan (that measures 20 inches when open) from the Red Hat Society’s online shop is sure to bring a smile to your way. Pluck one up for $12.00US.}


{Black flowers dance across a sea of pale pink and white gingham on this wonderful 50s style halter dress from Vivien of Holloway. One of which can be yours, if you so fancy, for £59.00 (UK pounds).}


{Dusted with light peachy-pink accents, these charming vintage looking heels from Mod Cloth would work extremely well with everything from skirts to slacks, bathing suits to garden party dresses. A pair can be yours for $49.99US.}


{A deeply pretty example of the perfect shabby chic, pink injected kitchen, discovered via Just a Gal’s wonderful pages.}

The mere sight of pale pink as the mercury rises somehow seems soothing, relaxing, and enticing. I want to cloak myself in the tint of a blushing carnation from head-to-toe, meander through a garden of salt water taffy pink flowers, and conclude each meal with pale coral coloured meringues.

Don’t the items and photos above seem to positively burst with sweet, summertime joy, thanks to their cheerful pink hues? I certainly think so! Do you associate June’s ushering in of summer with pink or another lovely shade?