New Year Decorating Inspiration

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Its the last day of 2013! 

When a new year comes along I find it brings a unique energy. 

One of all things new, a brand new start, and a time for reinventing. 

 Naturally I think of my home decor and now that includes the store decor.

Even if just a little bit or a whole lot, everything is 

open to renewing and review.

So with that we have been working on our shop during

our closed Christmas holiday to do a little bit of tweaking,

some redesigning and remodeling.

Together with my sons, we hatched a plan to create a little

more ambience in the Maison Decor shop.

It was a basic box with 4 walls, which doesn't give us 

the interior display space, nor does it give our shoppers the

experience we want them to find when they visit.

And so a wall. 

Yes, my guys built us a wall in one day. 

Justin used previous builder's experience and together with Colin they

had this amazing L shaped wall constructed in short order.

What a difference it is going to make!

I was so surprised at their skill in getting it up

and so excited to think of the fabulous things to come.

Funny how a simple thing can be so powerful in design.

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The fun part comes next with using the wall for a backdrop of

placement for furniture and home decor accents.

So look for some changes in our shop and I will 

be sure to share it online here of course.

The guys and I have business meetings where we discuss purely

esthetics and our design vision for Maison Decor.

We are excited to execute our vision in 2014.

Justin and I will head to Atlanta in a few weeks

 to the big Home Decor & Gift Market

in search of things to bring back for our shoppers,

all selected with the Maison Decor esthetic in mind.

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Our esthetic is going to be a mix of my true love 

of Rustic French style mixed 

with a bit of Shabby Chic along with Justin's preference 

of Rustic American Classic Farmhouse style.

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This wonderful eating area is a good example of the mix of styles

we will be focusing on for the shop.

Rustic with classic elements that have 

a European antiquity about them.

Lanterns and chandeliers with tons of neutrals in 

greys, black, ivory, white and beige.

Metals, both rusty and gilded, will mix freely side by side.

Its so invigorating to think of decor plans,

whether its for a home or for a retail location.

Maybe you are thinking of switching things up a bit too?

Perhaps start an inspiration board, whether its on Pinterest

or created in reality on your dining room table.

via House Beautiful

An inspiration board will pull all your thoughts together

and keep you focused on what you really like.

I am working on a giant inspiration board for

the shop called Maison Decor Style.

One look at the board will tell our shoppers

 what our design esthetic is all about.

Finding inspiration comes from so many different places,

from fabric patterns, magazine images, paint colors etc.

My newest source of inspiration came from a long awaited book

I purchased for both the store and myself.

by Rachel Ashwell, the Shabby Chic maven and legend,

it is her latest book Couture Prairie.

It is a pictorial compilation of the ranch in Texas 

that she purchased and operates as a B&B.

It is a fabulous book filled with gorgeous photos

and a mix of design styles that I am captivated by.

 I have a copy in the shop opened to a page showing a big ranch hall

that has the most wonderful mix.

I posted this photo on my instagram telling my followers that

Rachel's book is now on the shelves at Maison Decor.

And just look who wrote me back....

Rachel left a comment: "Glad to be on your shelves"

It was the second time she left me a personal comment,

the first was on Christmas day when I instagrammed a pic

showing her book in my home and how I had caved in and couldn't

wait for Christmas morning to open the book and start turning the pages.

She wished me a Merry Christmas too.

She has inspired me through the years, not only in her decorating

style but also her being a small independent business woman.

So much fun on Christmas morning to get a message from one of 

my decorating icons! Thank you Rachel!

I look forward to being creative and having more

decorating opportunities in the new year.

More home decorating blogging and doing,

more exciting things for our store and working together

side by side with my sons Colin and Justin as well

as having Justin's fiance, Madison join the team on a regular basis.

All these things are on our horizon as the clock

dial turns and we head into the year 2014!

via Eloquence

Happy New Year to you all!

Inspired to do just that!