Design

Leaving the house yesterday, I saw a downy woodpecker on the suet feeder, not an unusual sight for winter, but I'm starting to see and hear birds that remind me that spring is on the way. The cheery call of a Carolina wren greeted me this morning, and later, I surprised a female bluebird near the big oak tree in front. She's the first bluebird I've seen in our garden, although we have many breeding pairs in the botanical garden's meadows. I think we'll try moving the bluebird house on the old Pawlonia to a more attractive spot! Poking around in the leaf litter in the perennial beds, shoots of spring bulbs are well up, and fresh rosette growth is starting to appear. Hooray!

We love the blue-green walls with parquet floors, the mix of light woods and dark leathers in the furnishings, and the enameled light fixtures. - Apartment Therapy

We love wallpaper! It just pops a room right up, in a way that no paint can. We like to use it sparingly, mainly in a powder room or the bathroom. When it comes to buying wallpaper, we prefer the high-end designs. Cheap wallpaper just looks...cheap. Whereas an upscale, luxurious wallpaper just adds so much style. Invest the money. It'll be worth it... Here are a few patterns that we like from Osborne & Little. An European-based company, Osborne and Little makes wallpapers that are asbolutely divine. When it's cold and gray outside, this one just brighten up our day...It's so cheery! This is a popular one from Osborne & Little. It comes in different colorways as well... When we are in the mood to be dramatic, we use this one. We usually pair it with yellow for a Hollywood Regency look. It's very Kelly Wearstlersy... Here's a nice soft, pretty pattern. We like this one when we are doing a soft, modern look that requires something pretty but not fussy... We lo...

This colorful room is from architect Scott Weston's home in Sydney, Australia. Love the amazing bookcase and ottoman. Photo from Vogue Living Sept/Oct 2004 and All Things Bright and Beautiful

We had chosen the turquoise linen for the sunroom, but when I walked through the dining room and held the sample up to the wall, we both said, "That's it!" The turquoise brightened even the grayest of February days. It has great impact and sets a tone for the colors throughout. Turquoise on tinted linen wall fabric from Quadrille. Beaded dinner plates from Ballard Designs are topped with striped salad plates from Target. Vintage turquoise sugar pot from Ruzzetti and Gow. Turquoise goblets and flatware from Ballard Designs. -From House Beautiful

The Master Bedroom is a study in cool, sophisticated glamour. Crisp whites combined with robin's egg blue and chocolate brown provide a an atmosphere of calm. Jonathan Adler headboard and benches are from Hazelnut and the bed linens are from Leontine Linens . The graphic brown and blue rug by Angela Adams gives the room its edge. -From Bayou Contessa

Pale blue works well in this chic, modern kitchen . Unexpected accessories like a vampy black chandelier and sculptural stools keep things fresh.