I love the organic and textural feel plants bring to an interior but find them so hard to keep alive! Which got me thinking about cacti - they have a fantastic sculptural quality and are pretty much indestructible.  I am not sure how they would like life here in steamy Singapore but I figure if they flourish indoors at my family's home in equally damp Seattle, then why not! I also love how cacti naturally grow in such soft, dusty shades of mint, sage, purple and gray and I especially like them mixed in with other types of plants.

So what is your take? Love cacti indoor or find them a bit too rustic? 

{via and via}

Love or Loathe: Vintage Portaits

Call me odd, but I love painted portraits, even I don't know who they are of! If you have have a family heirloom or two all the better, but either way I adore the history and personal touch these painted likenesses bring. I especially like them in a grouping and when contrasted with a more modern interior. Vintage portraits can be great flea market and garage sale finds as well so keep your eyes open! 

What is your vote. . .  do you love or loathe this look?

{3 + 5 via & others via}

Love or Loathe: Plates as Decor

While it might bring up memories of your granny's house, plates as wall decor are making a big comeback! I love the eclectic, layered look plates can bring, and think they can be a lovely and unexpected alternative to a mirror or gallery wall. Using solid plates, modern graphics or poppy colors is the key to bringing these plate collections into the 21st century. Here are a few of my favorite inspirations . . . Do love or loathe this look?

{via 1. 2. 3. 4.}

Love or Loathe? Tiger Print Velvet

There are just some iconic pieces which pop up again and again in chic decorating. And tiger printed silk velvet is one of them! It is so luxe, over the top and exotic, and you can find it in sophisticated interiors since the 1880s. The fabric is also one of the most costly I have ever worked with - at up to $1,000 retail per yard! {you can see why it makes lots of cameos as petit pillows!} 

So what is your vote? Love or Loathe . . . Beautiful, timeless luxury or just too much?

 

{via 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8}

Love or Loathe? Ikat Sofas

Ikat textiles have been known since ancient times, but recently they have become a huge trend in decor and fashion. I know they are a fad, but I simply don't care! I love the vibrant, ethnic and playful pattern these fabrics bring. I have often used ikat pillows or accents in a room, but never done a whole sofa. I think the key is to be bold and pair it with other patterns in a smaller scale. 

Do you love it or loathe it?

What is your vote! 

{via}