I didn’t sleep much on the night of my farewell post as I kept getting up to recheck my post that was scheduled for that day…was I really making the right decision?…it’s so hard for me to let go..but I have come to the realization that I have had my ladder on the wrong wall all this time…oh, I’ve learned much and made friends and all but what I really want is to go to Africa…and that is where my heart is…some times I think I’m crazy, but I asked for a sign and the very next thing I did was check my emails… there was this post from Danielle of A Thoughtful Eye that for me was confirmation that I was making the right choices..(thank-you Danielle…)…there are so many reasons why I want to go to Africa that I’m sure would overwhelm you if I tried to explain them all…but suffice it to say, I’ve literally dreamed of this and know that it is a calling..

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…on a side note, I really enjoy making these collages (and I hope you enjoy seeing them) so perhaps I will find time to create and post the occasional decor collage and keep in touch that way…and you are more than welcome to send a friend request via Fb too..  :)

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images:collage by me, via Martha Stewart, MS, MS, MS, unknown, tumblr,tumblr,tumblr,via MS,Master Henriks,tumblr,tumblr,tumblr

..you see, I have too many irons in the fire and something’s gotta give.. which means leaving some things behind, including this blog…

..perhaps I will be able to drop in occasionally and post a few inspiring images and keep in touch that way…but for now..blessings to all of you..

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images:collage by me, tumblr

the organic feel to these interiors is warm and inviting…

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Cote de Texas

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images:collage by me, Cote de Texas, Antique Shops and Designers, via Martha Stewart, Skona Hem

the last of our series on design trends will focus on accents and gardens…for accents, it’s my opinion we’ll be seeing a lot more in the way of silver pieces and linens for casual everyday usage..also, urns will be more abundantly used inside and out as plants will be more incorporated into the home…. a little in the way of plants in the home goes a long way in making it homier and more gracious not to mention healthier….

also, we’ll be seeing more ginger jars and similar ceramics gracing many interiors, as well as more fuller decorated walls and table tops..not a lot of clutter as editing is still vital but with a few silver and wood framed family pics and trophy cups with flowers and such…walls will be featuring more art and prints as well as sconces and plaques…and as I mentioned previously, walls will be plastered and feature gorgeous textures and finishes….

..and gardens are back.. they were never really absent but certainly received less recognition than I feel they should have…cut flowers and herbs from the garden will play a more prominent position in the coming years as well…

..hope you’ve enjoyed my thoughts on upcoming trends..not too earth shattering as I feel well be seeing a lot of what is already present though a few additions such as English and gardens…the accents will change a bit from time to time, though right now I think ceramics, silver and urns will be more prevalent as I said earlier..as well as more fabrics and patterns in soft muted colors, embellished pillows, etc…

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via Splendid Sass

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via Trouvais

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via Linen and Lavender

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via a perfect gray

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via And George

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via High Street Market

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Brabourne Farm

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And George

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Under Spanish Moss

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images:collage by me, Tumblr,Splendid Sass, Trouvais, Linen and Lavender, a perfect gray, charlotte moss, And George,High Street Market, tumblr, Brabourne Farm,And George, Tumblr,D-Mag, Bunny Williams via Martha Stewart,Tumblr, Under Spanish Moss,Tumblr,via Martha Stewart, Tumblr

…and pillows, cushions, and table skirts will be showing more embellishment as is well illustrated in the image of Trish’s (of Trouvais) antique textile pillows…we see in the subsequent images more pattern and color yet little in the way of vibrant florals and heavy decor…

also, we’ll continue to see plaster walls and perhaps more interest and depth in these designs as people become a little more adventurous in plaster styles and techniques..

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And George

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Hydrangea Hill Cottage

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images:Bennison Fabrics, Trouvais,Martha Stewart, MS, Colefax&Fowler,Oprah Winfrey via Hydrangea Hill blog,And George,Tumblr, Travel Guide-Rome,Charles Faudree via Hydrangea Hill cottage blog

the upcoming design trends for the next few years will continue as with but with the inclusion of a more softer look which I will go into later when I discuss fabrics and colors, and English Country will start to gain more traction…we’ve been seeing more of it lately, and Downton Abbey certainly isn’t hurting it’s return….

we’re looking to our homes to be homier, a greater comfort and a source of warmth, and what’s not warm about dark stained woodwork? love it, hate it, I think it’s making a comeback…of course, not to the exclusion of painted and/or weathered wood finishes, but running concurrently…we’ll be seeing French with more of it, and of course the English look, Belgian already is fully immersed…but as a trend, it simply means it’s showing up more and more…

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Belgian Pearls

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images:collage by me, via Martha Stewart,Zeospot Bastide,Charles Faudree via Cote de Texas, Ralph Lauren,via Cote de Texas, Elle,Tumblr, Belgian Pearls,Roger Warner

….in my series on upcoming design trends from yesterday’s post  I talked about French, Belgian and Greige continuing to lead in style and trend with the noted exception of them taking on a bit more of a feminine look…today I want to add a fourth design trend that has been cropping up more and more lately, and it’s my opinion, that it’s going to make a significant return and that is English Country style decor…

…did you notice in my post from yesterday the English sitting room? it’s featured in the collage below…so much from that interior we’ll be seeing more of in the coming year (s)…I’m seeing more and more fabrics representative of this style, tufted upholstery, English style upholstered chairs, it’s just a matter of time before it’s a trend…

…as this English Country look returns, like all returning styles, it will have gone through a transformation of sorts so that it’s updated and current…we’ll be seeing a bit less florals than what we normally associate with English…but there will be that most definite lived in feel as well as soft and simple fabrics, squishy down sofas in linen and loads of embellished pillows….more on fabrics, accents and wood finish in subsequent posts…

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images:collage by me, via Martha Stewart, coastal living,tumblr,Windsor Smith/Veranda,And George blog, Bennison Fabrics,Clarence House,Colefax &Fowler, HBX

my thoughts on design trends for the next few months to years is that we’re not going to be seeing a whole lot of change…big surprise?…we’ll see a few smaller ones, like textiles, lighting and accents, but no real changes in the style of current trends of Belgian, French and Greige…and those styles will be what I will be focusing on for my subsequent posts regarding accents and textiles….

…but suffice it to say that the only real difference from previous years is that we’ll be seeing a softening of the more masculine interiors…think more billowy silk curtain panels, subtle floral and pattern print and woven fabrics, softer colors and more of them…also a little more “cluttering” of interior spaces as they take on a more lived in feel with such items as collection of framed family pics on a side table, a letter to a friend in the process of being written, a silver tea pot setting out from when it was last used, tea towel beside it, a mess of riding boots, wellies, hats and scarves thrown on a bench beside the backdoor…

in a word, these rooms are a bit more feminine and lived in…I’ve put together a few images here,  though a few have been heavily circulated in the blogsphere, but I chose them to illustrate my thoughts on what the interiors will look like…and while we wont see any significant changes in the next several months, I do think that we’ll start seeing more softening about midway through the year…

but you may ask, aren’t we seeing that already? yes, of course, but let me explain a little further in detail as to what changes will be showing up..it’s the details that make up the difference from one phase of a trend to the next…so tomorrow’s post will look a little more closely at what some of these details are…

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via Acquired Objects

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images:collage by me, via Martha Stewart, Pam Pierce via cote de texas, Aquired Objects, via Martha Stewart,Colefax &Fowler, Atlanta Mag

be sure to check in Monday for my series on my thoughts for the upcoming design trends…what’s coming into focus for the months/years ahead and what to watch for if you’re just curious or wanting to capitalize on some of these ideas…

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images:collage by me, tumblr,

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..another blogging friend who has fabulous antique textile pillows is Debra from Acquired Objects and her store is Oriellers...I am in love with this antique tapestry chocolate colored pillow…

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images:collage by me, tumblr, Antiques Diva,Tumblr,Oreillers,