Welcome to the workshop series brought to you by Mustard Seed Creations and Funky Junky Interiors! A quick reminder: the voting for the So You Think You Can Decorate competition is open through Friday, so make sure you vote for your two favorites. I have an amazing guest poster to introduce today. She braved all kinds of technical issues to be here tonight, so give her lots of love. She has a gorgeous style that is all the rage in the blog world and has over 800 followers after only 2 months of blogging, so she’s doing something right. I’m so excited that she is going to share some of her secrets us.
So, without further delay, here’s the lovely Maria from Dreamy Whites.
My name is Maria from Dreamy Whites. I just started a blog about 2 months ago! I feel very blessed to be apart of your amazing world. I am a Want to Be Decorator. I love white and love to paint everything white. When Marian asked me to guest post on her blog I was very excited and very nervous! Marian said she liked how I decorated with white. Thank you Marian! She asked me if I could do a workshop on how I decorated my home with whites and how I keep it from looking stark. So I am going to try and give you a few tips on how I decorate my home with whites and how I try to make it look fresh. I am going to give you a peak into my living room.
I live in a modular home. First thing I picked out was my lighting. I wanted my home to feel old not new. The lights you choose can have a dramatic effect on how your room or home feels. I think this is one of the most important aspects of a room. I found this chandelier for a great price. They are a bit of an investment though. Their value continues to go up with time. This chandelier would add a lot to any room.
My husband added old ceiling tin to the recessed ceiling. I was so excited how this turned out. I am fortunate enough to have a sister who lives in New Hampshire and she found this at a salvage yard for me! It was an inexpensive way to add a dramatic effect to the ceiling. The chandelier against the ceiling gives a layering effect of different textures. When you are decorating with white I think it is important to keep it interesting with different textures.
I placed a farmhouse table under the chandelier. I really like mixing something simple like this table with a beautiful chandelier. For me it grounds the over all look. The table has its original paint on it. I think it makes things more interesting when you have some things freshly painted and some items looking shabby. I added apple green bistro chairs around the table. Now I have added a bright color to the room. But it is in small doses.
The seltzer bottles I found on ebay for $8.00 a piece. They add a lot of color to this room.
I have white denim slipcovered couches. I love these slipcovers. I can’t imagine life without them. I have 5 children and whoever thought of the slipcover is a genius. I keep mine covered with vintage sheets as well. The reason for this is my washing machine is too small so when I do have to launder them I have to run to the laundromat, the sheets I can throw in the wash anytime. However, I do like how the sheets look though. I think they create a more inviting atmosphere and add a layering effect. People aren’t as scared to sit on them either.
My slipcovers I only have to wash once a year. I have never had to use bleach. Oxiclean does the trick!
Pillows, I am obsessed with pillows. I am lucky enough to have sisters who will sew for me. All my pillows are made from vintage materials. I wanted the pillows to have different textures. Some of the pillows have embroidery on them.
While others are made from vintage matelasses, like the one above. I think these different patterns are a subtle way of adding different textures.
I found this old mantle at a local antique shop. It had a lot of peeling paint, I don’t necessarily like a lot of peeling paint. So I scraped the paint off and painted it wedding veil white from Benjamin Moore. I painted my walls in this living room pearl gray from Lowes. It is a Martha Stewart color. I originally painted the walls a cream color, but everything just blended together. It made a big difference when I painted the walls gray. It really made the white pop.
I was excited when I found this clock. It looks kind of industrial and is a bit unusual. If you notice I have the violin in the chair. I had started my daughter on violin lessons and she found out she would rather play the guitar. Well it has ended up being a great prop in the house. The dark wood adds a different texture to the room.
On my mantle I have some quail eggs, their coloring adds a lot to a mostly white atmosphere.
My kids found an old bird’s nest for the eggs.
I love this little lamp. I don’t know anything about its origin, I just know I haven’t ever found another one like it. Those delicate flowers adds a lot to my mantle.
The color of these mason jars make me feel like I live by the sea.
The little tag you see here is from my talented blogging friend Ness. She made it out of clay and stamped a french love letter design into the clay. It is pretty special. I made a little grouping of all the things that I adore.
This little french basket is under my fireplace. I think it is unique and adds a different element to the room. It is filled with twine (a must have) and design books. I love displaying my design books. They always have the prettiest pictures on the covers. They are like art.
Flowers! I love adding color with flowers. It is the easiest way to add some vibrant color to a room. These enamelware jugs came from ebay. They make the best vases!
The bright blue sap buckets add a vibrant color to the room. It is little things like this that I love to use as a pop of color. It livens up the room.
I use sea colored class all around my home. It makes any room seem magical when the sun is shining through them.
This is my coat closet. It was a dark brown stained cabinet when I purchased it. I painted it Benjamin Moore’s Decorator’s White. My husband added the molding to the top. The bright yellow shutter to the left is an unexpected color. I chose that chandelier knowing it would hang over this simple cabinet. I added the mirror to the right so that it reflects the image of my mantle and chandelier. This is what you face when you walk into my front door.
This is a close up of that mirror. A mirror can be so effective when put in the proper place. I always place mine so that they are going to reflect the images of my favorite things. I also use them to bounce light to where I need it most.
This mirror is put on the wall to the left of that white cabinet. This wall doesn’t have any windows and is kind of an awkward wall. Once I decided to put mirrors against this wall it didn’t seem so awkward anymore.
This mirror used to be an old door!
Depending on where you are standing it reflects many different views of my living room. If you have an area you love a mirror is a great way to duplicate it. The picture below was shot looking into this same mirror that is in the above photo. As you can see I love doors, it is another way to add settle texture to a room.
The picture below was shot through a mirror as well.
I hope you have enjoyed a quick peak into my living room!
I want to say thank you to the talented Marian for giving me this opportunity to share with all of you, her readers, how I decorate with whites. I am really honored to be here today. I hope you were able to get something from it as well. I am passionate about decorating and I love to be inspired. Thank you Marian!
I think I just ruined my laptop from drooling all over it. Maria’s home and photos look like they belong in a magazine…and I’m sure we’ll see them there some day. I am seriously thinking about the pearl gray for my living room. I love how soft and subtle it is. Thanks so much, Maria, for giving us these great pointers!
Come back next week when we start our series on Painting and Refinishing Furniture.
PS – In case you have not caught on…Marian and Miss Mustard Seed are the same person. I wear glasses when I’m Marian and I don’t when I’m Miss Mustard Seed, so no one can tell. Shhh…
50 Responses
So pretty. Enjoyed your tips and can see why you have quite a big following. As time has gone on I have come to rely more on white for my color of choice.
I think white is on everyone's mind right now.
Thanks so much for sharing these lovely photos with us…beautiful room!
I'd die to have her decorate my home! She is very talented!
Nancy
Wonderful photos – thank you!
Marian –
I think we have the same chandelier. Go to my blog and see what you think. I got mine off of Ebay. Where did you get your's? Love all the white…by the way.
Nita
ModVintageLife.com
I have always loved the shabby chic look. She did a great job of layering so many different elements. The glass, wood, mirror, whites/grays/blues/browns, & fabrics. All of it is very romantic!
LOVE the mirrored door!Note to self: start stalking trash piles for old doors to have mirrored!!
I really love all the bottles! I want to do that too. Perfect for summer. <3
So great to see the gorgeous Maria here as a guest blogger!! I love her blog, love her home and just think she is the sweetest 🙂 Fantastic post Maria ~ Tina xx
Marias home is just wonderful and even more so because of what type of home it is.
Maria, you have done a wonderful job. Dont know what you were worried about =0)
Ness xx
Wow! I've never before been tempted to go white in decorating, but this post makes me want to start. I love how you showed us how it's not really all white. The room actually has a warm comfy feeling to it. Your accessories are all wonderful and used so creatively. I'm a big fan of doors and mirrors and will be trying your placement techniques to get the amazing reflections of the rest of the space.
Thank you Maria for showing the way and thanks MMS for bringing us this awesome workshop series.
Amazing!!! Wow!!! Drooling here! I am considering pearl gray for my walls as well!! Oh my! I love her living room. Stunning!! Thanks ever so much for sharing!
Hugs
SueAnn
Great job Maria, a lovely guest post. Of course we all love your style, and you are a sweetheart as well. Beautiful photos, and no doubt we will someday see your home in a book or magazines. You are a wonderful decorator already, with a great eye.
xoxo Carrie
{ the vintage wren }
Wow! But I already new that. And when you are in a magazine I can say I know her because I fell like I do. I also love my decorating books and I'm glad someone else feels the same.
What a great tour… thanks so much for featuring this… I am not a white person but she makes it all look so beautiful… she says she wants to be a decorator… I am thinking maybe she is already there… terrific job.
Hugs, Deb
Amazing post! I love Maria's blog and style. Her home is so so beautiful. I feel so inspired after reading this post. Thank you for sharing this!
Simply divine!! I loved hearing about how Maria transformed her home and gave it so much character. Whites are my favorite color palette as well. Very enjoyable post!
Maria's house is beautiful – I've said before, I know, but it's just gorgeous. Thanks fro sharing all these photos and tips, Maria. And thanks for hosting, Marian!
-maria
Maria's style is just so amazing!!! She has perfected the use of not only white, but white with the absolute perfect amount of color to really make a room sing!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
🙂 T
Aw, man! The post is over? Well, I wanted to sit and ooh and ahh over pictures of Maria's gorgeous home all day! Guess this means I'd better get back to work, instead. 🙂
What a wonderful post, I love maria's home, so warm and inviting!
Take care-
Kristin
You have a beautiful home, Maria! I just got a white {washable} slipcover done for my living room sofa and I love it. Love your chandeliers and little vignettes you have set up. Very inviting and warm!
I just can't get enough of Maria's decorating! Excellent post! It was informative and sooo inspiring!
☺ Celeste
So much fun to see more images of your living room Maria…now I want to see more more more of your amazing house! Very interesting that you have a modular home~ I just posted about the growing popularity of them last week.
Your photographing skills are amazing. Beautiful house, killer photos, lovely and gracious woman with a sweet family.
So beautiful! I never knew white could be so powerful! Love this look and would love to bring it into my home. Bit by bit my dark days are over..ha!
So nice getting to know you a little better, Maria – I love your style. I know what things to buy while out thrifting and junking – and I appreciate you for showing me how to decorate with them –
Marsha
I love Maria's style and the photos of her home always leave me wanting more!
Such an inspiring post! Thank you for sharing! 🙂
Lovely! I especially liked the tip about the extra blankets on the sofa. Rumply crumply at it's best. 🙂
And I'm studying each and every picture. Just a mirror on an old door is genius. Frames the mirror ever so uniqely. LOADS of great inspiration in this photo shoot.
Thanks Maria and MMS!
Donna
http://funkyjunkinteriors.blogspot.com/
Absolutely lovely! So peaceful.
Thanks for highlighting this blog. She has a beautiful home.
Jane
I adore her blog and love how she made herself a coat closet. Great guest post!
Michelle
This is just lovely! But I was struck at 5 children! Amazing woman! There is this stigma with white and children and animals. Yet, it seems that everyone who has "white homes" says it's not a problem and everything can get tossed in the wash!
I always thought I'd faint if someone got my "whites" dirty! OXIClean?? Alrighty then!! Thank you for sharing Marla! I haven't met her yet and am hopping over to visit with her right now!
Maria is just wonderful!! So many great tips and style…love her home! Thank you for sharing her here on your beautiful blog, so sweet!
Hugs,
Victoria
I'm in love!!
Thanks for sharing!
Tina
http://www.cherryhillcottage.typepad.com
I never get tired of looking at Maria's lovely photos! Her home is so serene and grogeous. I just love the way she props her doors and shutters about. Thanks for sharing again, Maria!
She is one of my favorite blogs!! I am inspired every time I look at her pictures. Great post!!
I love how vintage everything looks & feels. It's white but it doesn't make one feel like a 'no touch for fear of getting something stained' very comfortable casual feel.
Wow. I cannot believe how much I just learned from this one post. I am totally in love with white now – and white has not ever been a "fav" of mine.
Okay, I have to ask, where did you get those slipcovers? I've been looking all over for something that casual/elegant and can't find them anywhere. And you have 5 kids?? *jaw drops* You're so brave! – Another lesson learned here… 🙂
Also, I've been looking for the perfect gray and I think this is it. I'll be looking up MS pearl gray the next time I hit lowes. Blessings!
I'm speechless…it's exquisite!
What a great post, I came over from Maria's to read this. Isn't she wonderful? So talented! Love, love, love her style!
Very very pretty!
What a beautiful home.
I loved Maria's post. She gave me hope for a white sofa even though I have many, many kids on it. Love the pops of color. They do make it look like she lives by the sea.
Maria did such a great job! Thanks for all the tips and bringing us into your home! Lovely, and I too believe she will end up in a magazine soon! ~lulu
great job maria! love all the photos, your room is stunning! a white slip covered sofa is on my "wish" list! take care, susan
You collect so many of the items I do! The blue mason jars, eggs, nests, whites – it made me so happy to look at your blog! I haven't been able to find quail eggs locally… any clues? Thank you again for making my day! stop by my blog some time, Jennifer jennsthreegraces
We HEART this!!!!
Well done Maria 😉
this is the most amazing home I've seen lately… I adore her sttye, vintage with a "soul"…Fantastic!
Beautiful. Thanks for sharing this with us!