Inspiration: Neutral Bathroom Roundup

My parents, who are in the process of redoing two bathrooms in their New Jersey home, asked me for some inspirational photos to help guide their color selections. They're apparently divided over whether to use beiges (him) or whites and greys (her) in the bathrooms. Clearly, both selections are fairly neutral, and frankly I could only wish my husband and I had such minor differences in decorating/design tastes. (We're more the zebra rug/settee (me) vs. pool table/neon beer sign (him) kind of couple.)

All of the images in the roundup below feature fairly neutral bathrooms, but the use of lighting, texture, unique fixtures and interesting accessories make them anything but boring.

The bathrooms in the first grouping feature bead board, wainscotting, or other molding detail to create interesting texture and pattern within a neutral scheme:

House Beautiful

Elle Decor

Better Homes and Gardens

The following bathrooms feature unexpected chandeliers which offset the other neutral tones nicely.

House Beautiful

Better Homes and Gardens

I love the patterns and hues in the marble of the bathrooms in the following grouping:

House Beautiful

Metropolitan Home

Elle Decor

The following mostly white bathrooms playfully add a splash of color - either through accessories like towel and rugs, or through tile borders and curtain trim.

Elle Decor

Better Homes and Gardens

And, last but not least, these shots certainly prove there's nothing wrong with white on white:

House Beautiful

Elle Decor

Better Homes and Gardens

Which would you choose?

Deb

Wish List: Chinoiserie Chandelier

Lately, I've been craving a chinoiserie-style chandelier (or two!). Ideally, I'd pick up one for my living room, with shades covered in chiang mai dragon to match my sectional pillows. I love how John Loecke and Jason Oliver Nixon of John Loecke Interior Design incorporated this style chandelier in the living room and study of their Brooklyn brownstone:

Here it is again in their Upper West Side apartment. (I lived in the "same" apartment four stories below these uber-talented guys, and stalked their open house several times when they listed this place five years ago!)

And I love the look used here, in a child's nursery:

Werner Straube for Traditional Home Magazine
via La Dolce Vita

For my stairwell, which with its higher ceilings could handle a more vertical shape, I'd opt for a faux bamboo pagoda style chandelier, as pictured below.

Photo courtesy of Beach Bungalow 8 via CocoCozy

House Beautiful, designed by Tom Stringer

John Loecke Interior Design

I recently lost out on this little number on ebay:

So that leaves me with these other (pricier) options:

Vintage Faux Bamboo Chandelier fromJayson Home and Garden, $2195.00

World Imports Bijoux Transitional Chandelier
from Arcardian Lighting, $340.00

Red Pagoda Chandelier
from Pieces, $1750.00

Brimfield Antiques Fair is a good place to find these kinds of fixtures. Maybe I'll try to snap one up in May, and rehab it myself!

I hear the

Deb

Colors Of Mexico

Come mid-March, many of us New Englanders feel as though we haven't seen a color since we put away our Christmas decorations. The landscape is grey and frozen, and it's super depressing to see it snowing while decorating for Easter.

I was fortunate enough to escape to Mexico with my family for a few days last month, where the abundance of color in landscape, decor, and clothing provided a much-needed reprieve from the Boston winter doldrums.

Check out some of my favorite shots:

Murals in our hotel lobby:

Some family shots:

Get The Look:

Looking to bring some color to your casa? Check out these items to bring a Mexican flavor to your home.

Bowls from

Mexicali Dinnerware from Pier 1


Platter from Jacaranda Home

Pillows from Jacaranda Home

Fabric from Jacaranda Home

Rug by Trina Turk

Mexican Dancing Tables from Joel Escalona

Mexican Folk Art from Etsy

Cheers, Deb