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“Keeping a visual record of lovely things” by Shelley Thompson
Many people ask me how I get my inspiration for specific design projects. Our customers all over the world send us photos, floor plans of rooms and entire floor plans of homes and ask us to create a cottage look that is comfortable and personally satisfying to them.
I have to be honest and say I have collected ideas almost everyday – for years. For quite sometime I have photographed not only the obvious beauty I have found in my travels and everyday life but I often use my HD iPhone camera to capture the mundane simplicity of not so perfect objects. I am drawn to not only beautiful vibrate colors around me but also to the contrast of unusual colors beside each other.
The way color ages inspires me.
Like a wilting floral arrangement in a vintage cut glass vase. The colors I believe are so appealing because the flowers turn into exquisite paler versions of themselves.
An entire apartment inspired by various shades of pale green. So Calming!
An old pale yellow glass window I found in a local antique shop. The gently curved shape is so appealing.
The gentle curve of the yellow window above reminds me of my circa 1902 screened in porch. A good subtle design technique is to repeat shapes in your home.
Artwork is one of my most favorite inspirations to design a project around. It gives you a license to use all sorts of color combinations. A lovely piece of art in a room can inspire one to feel at ease. I never underestimate the power of the artwork in a room.
The Kyle painting above inspired me to use many variations of the colors blue, green, grey and yellow in this living room:
‘Let me say that it’s so important to use what I often call “shadows” of your main color in a project. This technique gives your project depth and interest.
Inspiring colorful macaroons displayed at the fashionable patisserie “Landuree” inside Harrods, London. They are a visual feast not to mention their delectable taste. Landuree has captured the perfect shade of Celadon green in their shopping bag. I packed it away for my journey back to the States. It will make the perfect paint color for one of our projects.
Aubrey, my 15 year old daughter, has become enchanted with the proper English tea service and pistachio macaroons at Laduree. I am inspired by this splendid display that carries my senses away …
“A trio for tea” watercolor by Norma always puts a smile on my face. Afternoon tea with friends transcends across generations. Hot tea warms the soul I have discovered. Making design decisions over a pot of tea is, I have found, most helpful! So civilized!
A vintage side table photographed while staying at my favorite B&B in London is given new life by being lovingly painted in three different colors. Such dimension. Such Fun!
This is a typical way we at Cottage Chic have learned to put things together for our clients so they can readily visualize their own project.
We try and capture the style and “feel” they themselves want to reflect. By pulling from our unending resources of artists, photos, fabrics, and home furnishings we can achieve an aesthetic design for our
customers second to none.Ideally all inspirations should be organized. Our designers love this process. Making all your rooms balance and flow is top priority. Checking furniture scale is very important as well. Placing your room on CAD is very helpful and free of charge at Cottage Chic. We want you to be able to visualize how everything will look the best it can in your home.
Most importantly have a “Proper Afternoon Tea” with a friend and get that project started! A big “Thank you” goes out to two young ladies who continually inspire me: my daughter Aubrey and her best friend Mary Winston. I love to see the world anew through their young eyes.
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“Summers, they come and go…but the memories last forever…”
It’s inevitable…every summer we pray that the days last long and that time will freeze so we can enjoy each and every moment of the weather before the cold air strikes again.
Well we certainly took advantage of those long days this year and treated ourselves to a girly work retreat in the beautiful French West Indies, St. Barths. What better place for French Cottage inspiration than a vibrant, color boasting island filled with loads of character, and old world charm?
Some of us flew in…
(150′ landing strip down a hill with only a 10 foot altitude)
And some of us sailed through the Carribbean waters…
…arriving in breathtaking Gustavia. Ahhhh the people, the shopping, the designs, the building structures and most importantly…the FOOD!!!!!
First things first, food and drinks…onto Le Supermarche…
Such vibrant colors everywhere!
We were reminded of the array of finishes that were truly inspired by the vibrant colors of the Caribbean…
WELCOME TO OUR VILLA……..
It came with all the amenities; including magnificent views…
While we made this trip to navigate, explore and research the French influential qualities of furnishings and fabrics, we found time to enjoy the stunning landscape of the island along with the picturesque bakeries, shops, and cottages…
…and even enjoyed the sensation of the warm Caribbean waters rowing on our super long surfboards!
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“It’s the Journey…”
It started with the cake…
The joy of baking your first birthday cake…
Aubrey, who you have seen through the years on our website and in our national ads, is my 13 year old daughter who has newly found the joy of cooking. It was an exciting week at my house, we celebrated my son, Charlie’s 17th birthday. It was also my oldest daughter, Samantha’s high school graduation. As all of you know good things come in bunches like flowers. It was a very busy week!
More baking and parties for the graduate…
Reflecting back on the eventful week that we had, it brings me back to what I’ve always believed about the journey in itself; while the end result is essentially what we’re all working towards, it’s the experiences leading up to the finale that ultimately make life worth living.
“Success is a journey, not a destination. The doing is often more important than the outcome.”
Arthur Ashe
This leads me to Cottage Chic’s philosophy…the way I start any journey, is to search for an inspiration…
The blue and green hues of nature are really the most refreshing and exhilarating colors to me. What inspires you?
Cottage Chic has over 3000 machine washable fabrics to choose from.
While the finished product is always desirable, the process of working towards that finished product is often times the most interesting and rewarding experience of all. We at Cottage Chic pride ourselves on paving the way to making your home a beautiful space. The process of making your house a home should not be a stressful one, it should just be “fun.”
One of my favorite inspirations right now is this overstuffed, goose down T-back sofa. It just beckons you to plop down with Lucy!
A view from the guest house I stayed in last winter during an interior design job. I was inspired by this vineyard view. I love the variations of greys and greens on a cold, winter morning in Napa Valley.
The simplicity of this backyard pool inspires me; a rented villa in Como, Italy.
What words can describe the inspiration I felt when standing in a future project (2007) Bed and Breakfast, that’s nearing completion, a veranda overlooking Borgo Valdi Taro, Italy. Stay tuned for future blogging about the completion of this Bed and Breakfast as it nears completion!
Paris, France – the limitless options of glass tiles placed over prints, fabrics, wallpaper, you name it. An interior designer’s dream!
This is a new edition to our showroom, if my intuition serves me right, this will be a best seller!
Sun drenched tiny french cottage, St. Barths.
Road side cottage, Anse a Corossol, St. Barths
Inspiring color combination; natural grays, pales pinks and light blues. Marigot Bay, St. Barths
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Welcome to our new Blog!
After several years spent traveling, researching, designing and decorating, we are happy to announce the launch of our new blog! We want to ensure that each and every one of our followers are equally excited to share our experiences with us and continue to share our journeys as we travel around the world turning both historic and present day cottages into charming primary and secondary homes.
We take great pride in our work and explorations and look forward to sharing those experiences with all of you who appreciate the history and future of cottage chic style living.
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