white geraniums + back porches

I don't know about you, but I am a lover of all things summer.

sandals + sunnies. warmth. beach trips. cool drinks. poolside.
+ making memories with friends + family.

I have been breathing a little easier after a rush of Spring HP Market design work and photo styling gigs ... but I wanted to take a few moments to blog about my current inspirations + finds.

My recent mission accomplished: getting the porch put back together again. We sprayed off the piles of pollen and washed down the furniture; pulled out the stowed-away cushions and planted a few white geraniums. AAaahh. I love the calming effect of white-on-white + breezy spring days + nights on the back porch ...

{outdoor pillow from World Market}

I love fresh outdoor living spaces (see my outdoor décor pinboard here.)

... 

A yummy recent find: a genuinely real simple recipe via Real Simple ... A refeshing dessert, "easy rice pudding," made with rice, natural vanilla ice-cream (i love breyers) and cinnamon.

{image via Real Simple.}

So very delish. promise.  

...

A source of inspiration: attending the book signing of the Nester's newly published book @ Bebe Gallini's (that's where I found the fun sunnies too). Link over to Myquillyn's blog for constant aesthetic and life inspiration and to find out where to buy her book ~ The Nesting Place (it's full of real + inspiring images + stories + how-to's...)

{journal is from greenroomeco, found at target}

...

A fab find: the perfect summer sandals. My first official Rachel Zoe purchase (a TJ Maxx find). Have you ever watched the Rachel Zoe Project on Bravo? She is such a style icon + fun to watch. Here's a snap of the sandals on a sunny day with a new fave shade on my toes, taupleless beach by opi (part of their Brazil collection) ...

Hope ya'll are well. Thanks for checking in.
Let me know what is inspiring you lately.

xo

patti

summer lovin'

I've been blogging over at in-the-gray recently...see here for the latest.

I love being able to share creative inspirations + what I'm lovin' lately. My hope is always to inspire you too...to somehow light a fire or re-kindle a passion...give you a new idea or a fresh look.

Here are a few recent finds that have me motivated...

My artist friend Mandy hooked me up with this inspiring read. And as suspected, I love it! Such great quotes, quips, ideas, inspiration...Seriously, check it out. I promise it will motivate your creative soul.

I found these fun summer sandals on sale at Target...and took advantage of summer sun shadows for a quick instasnap.

I also found this amazing water color + beeswax. I so adore... just had to share.

 ...and what would a summer post be without a beach cruiser? Don't we all just want to be there? (I know I do)...(image via paper social...what is it about Australian bloggers?)

...fell in love with this summer do... just wishing I had my daughter's long hair to pull it off (image via)...



{image via alovelybeing}

 ...and these are my most recent styling + design inspirations. I love the freshness. Of course they all have hints of white + aqua + pink... what's not to love?...



{image via stylebyemilyhenderson}



{image via theeverygirl}

Here's to summer sun, cocktails with friends and fresh new style...

xo


patti

peonies + inspiration

Hi again. 

I wanted to share a few bits from my week and mostly just wish you an amazing weekend!

This past Sunday was Mother's Day and I had a few treats, which included beautiful peonies,

a gift of a MAC makeover + makeup (it's like being a kid in a candy store),

...this is MAC's new Baking Beauties Spring/Summer 2013 Collection...so fresh + fun!...

...& a delicious dinner prepared by my very talented + Italian husband, including prosciutto e melone. He wrapped sliced cantaloupe with thinly-sliced prosciutto - Italian ham and then drizzled with balsamic + olive oil, salt + pepper. Such a yummy treat. Here's an instasnap...

...and finally watching my girls jump on the trampoline on a beautiful evening.  Those picture-perfect moments are ones to savor.

During the week when I wasn't transporting or negotiating with my teens, I was working (Post & Gray has their big patiopalooza event this weekend. If you're in Charlotte don't miss it!)...and I managed to do a little playing (checking-out my fave blogs).  I found this gorgeous inspiration at alisaburke...

Click here for more inspiring + beautiful images of her Spring colour study.

I wandered over to peoniesandbrass (love her blog + style).

...and found this breath-taking interior via northern light + lonny...

Don't you just want to be there?

Wishing you an inspiring + beautiful weekend!!!


xo

patti

collage crazy

...okay. I admit it. I'm a bit obsessive sometimes. I think all stylists, designers + creative-types tend to be a tad OCD.

This weekend, I stumbled upon fieldstone hill's blog post on signature-style-boards. And I was hooked. I just had to do one of my very own style-boards or mood boards. Of course, one collage didn't quite feel like enough, so I did two.

A style-board (inspiration board, #moodboard) is a way of summing up your design style, pulling together images of inspiration that define your style. I loved the exercise and I think you might to.  It's a brilliant way to hone in on your loves so that when you're actually looking to tweak your interior or enhance your wardrobe, you know what to look for.

Here's how my style-boards turned out...

So...what do you think?

As you can tell from my style-boards, I love MIXING textures, like raw wood + high-gloss WHITE...I love NATURAL linens, LAYERS, faux FUR, LUCITE, CANDLES, ORGANIC elements, aqua + TURQUOISE, white + PINK, BRACELETS + STATEMENT RINGS, hints of MID-CENTURY modern, BOHEMIAN influences ... and TWINKLE lights.

What's your design style?

Click on over to this link for the quick how-to and make one or two of your own.  And PLEASE SHARE.  I'd love for you to comment below and share yours (You can upload it to one of your pinterest boards and copy + paste the link). 

THANKS for stopping by.  I hope this inspires you to define your style just a little bit more.

Have an incredible week!... and don't forget to COMMENT below. I seriously do a happy dance when I know people are actually reading these random thoughts of mine.

xo

patti

ps. If you like what you see, please follow me on instagram or twitter or pinterest ... or all of the above. :) Share your thoughts. I adore comments. 

Novogratz @ the Mint

Saturday's home & garden section of the charlotte observer had a great article about designers Cortney & Robert Novogratz coming to Charlotte's mint museum this Thursday Nov 15, 7-9 pm.  (Admission is only $10; $5 for museum members). 

As much as I immerse myself in design circles, I must admit I wasn't entirely familiar with their work.  So of course I did a mad search on pinterest & around the web to find more of their designs. I struck gold when I did a "novogratz" search at apartment therapy. Here are some of the images that piqued my interest...




{via apartment therapy}

The first few images are of Suzanne Vega's apartment.  Love her!!! ("Tom's Diner" is a regular listen on my i-tunes).  Don't you just love the mix of vintage & modern ... and the colour combo, with pops of turquoise & pink?

{via}



{via}

 Here are more inspiring Novogratz designs ...

{via}

{via}

{via}

{via}



{via casa sugar}

Now, to find the time to watch some reality TV. The Novogratz' show '9 By Design' launched on Bravo in 2009 (featuring the couple & their seven children).  And they are now in their second season of "Home by Novogratz" on HGTV. Must find time(the constant quest, right?)to watch some of their past episodes on-line and get even more inspired.

I'm planning to make it to the Mint Thursday evening.  Looking forward to hearing their take on design.  Turns out the couple actually met in Charlotte, and both say the South has influenced their design aesthetic.

Let me know if you'll be able to make it.  I'd love to sit with other area design fans & take notes together. 

Have an amazing week!


xo


patti

location scouting

One of the perks as a stylist is working in, and discovering, really amazing locations. I admit, one of the drawbacks is the jealousy that may set in on occasion (like this time).

Monday I was scouting locations in Charlotte with photographer Kenton Robertson.  He had come across this gem online...& we were lucky enough to see it live & in person...

Yep, I fell in love.  Wow! Stunning.  And not in an over-the-top, glitzy kind of way... but in a very current, fresh, re-purposed, aah-inspiring kind of way.

It was just my colour palette.  Lots of white with pops of turquoise.  Lots of reclaimed, raw wood. Layers & layers of coolness. Barn doors, great floors, rich textures.

I can't resist, I have to share a few quick scouting snaps.

Be Inspired too!

{LOVE the Pendant Lights & Turquoise Vessels!}

 {Re-claimed wood-turned vanity &

Re-purposed shutters-turned-closet doors. LOVE!}

... & a close-up made a little prettier with instagram...

Hope you enjoyed the quick tour.

Getting ready for a shoot next week...Painting begins today. 

More soon.

xo

patti

diy: sun prints

I recently styled a photo shoot for Young America, highlighting new additions to their "My Haven" youth bedroom furniture collection. 

I wanted to add some DIY decorative accents to the room scenes to inspire parents + kids to create their own one-of-a-kind decor.

So... to create an inspirational room for a sun-loving teen girl, I started by selecting a color palette of sea blues + greens...then I crafted some sun prints using elements from nature & sun print paper like this Sun Print Kit from Amazon (click here for the link).

Here's the finished result of my sun print crafting + on-set photo styling...

Click here to get your sun print paper to make your own...

{link here to get your Sun Art Paper on Amazon}

I framed the prints in white and added some dimension by incorporating umbra Loft Twig Wall Art purchased at Target (you can find umbra wall flowers here). I also added beachy elements + a surfboard. The walls are painted in benjamin moore Sea Mist Green.

{The completed room...Cool for any surf-lovin' girl.}

{Styled by patti borrelli + photographed by diana parrish photography & design

for young america}

The DIY how-to:

The sun art kit came with easy step-by-step instructions.  My first attempt flopped, but after reading the directions a little more carefully (& listening to my daughter's advice) I went to a "dark room" (my pantry) to place the items on the sun print paper & cover with the acrylic sheet.  I chose natural items like sea-stars, shells, stems & flowers. Then, I placed the paper in the sun for 5 minutes, removed the items & rinsed paper in cold water with a little lemon juice ... & wallah... magic.  The images appeared, crisp & clear.  I love the deep indigo color & the wispy shapes the branches, leaves & flowers create.

Here are some shots of the sun prints in the making...

first attempt failed. images were very faint.

2nd attempt- Success! images sharp & artful.

More detailed steps are posted on the young america blog.

...Here are two more images I found that show even more ways to display your very own DIY sun prints...

{via sweetpaulmag}

{via apartment therapy}

{diy pinterest-BeSoStyle}

Here's to sunshine + more fun DIY projects on the horizon.

xo

patti