Here’s how I wake up every morning: I pour myself a big cup of coffee then settle into my favorite chair with my feet propped up on an ottoman. As the caffeine works its magic, I go over the day’s activities until I’m fully awake and ready to get at it. I think of that ottoman as my daily launching pad, proof that these relatively small pieces of furniture can play a big role in your home décor – and life. Here are five of my favorite places to use ottomans to add beauty – and function – to interior spaces: 

1. As a Coffee Table

My all-time favorite way to use an ottoman is as a coffee table, operating as a very stylish hub of a living room or family room.  Since ottomans come in just about every shape, size and style, the sky is the limit. Right now at Nell Hill’s, we’re placing lots of large, square ottomans at the center of conversation areas, which could include a sectional sofa and chairs, two sofas, or a cluster of chairs. These big beauties really become a focal point in a room and look great topped with a display grounded on a tray, or with nothing on them at all. Our most popular size is 53 inches, but I just did a whopping 71 inch square ottoman for a customer who has a huge, lofty room. She put the oversized ottoman in the center of a grouping of three sofas that faced a big fireplace. It was amazing how this little constellation of upholstered pieces worked together to instantly warm up the cavernous space.

Coffee table ottomans are an ideal place to experiment with bolder fabrics, like large-scaled patterns and strong colors – statement textiles you might not want on a piece as large as a sofa or chair. We’re putting lots and lots of contemporary and transitional fabrics on ottomans right now for folks who want to freshen up a room without the cost of buying a new sofa or chair. Then, if you get tired of the fabric, no problem. It only takes a few yards to reupholster an ottoman. Or, try this trick: Have two slip covers made for your ottoman that you switch out seasonally, one that is bright and light and summery, the other richer and heavier for winter.

A few years ago I discovered these absolutely amazing ottomans that are upholstered with antique and vintage rugs. I love, love, love them!

No two are alike, and all have their unique history, some with a worn place here, others with a snag there. To me, their imperfections add to their charm, like they have a story to tell. Plus, since they are made out of rugs, they are durable and forgiving, an idea pick for those who want to put their feet up without worry.

I often use benches and ottomans interchangeably because they really serve the same purpose. How about this adorable bench as a coffee table? In a jiff, it could be used as extra seating. Benches are also great in front of fireplaces, in entryways, pulled up to vanities or tucked under tables. They add another layer and give you instant seating when you’re in a pinch. Like ottomans, they are easy to reupholster, so you can have some fun with them.

2. Under a Piano 

If you are lucky enough to have a grand piano, try this: Tuck a round, skirted, tufted ottoman into the curve of the piano. It melds with the sensuous lines of the piano and balances the piano’s hard, gleaming surface. The photo above is of a sorority house that we redecorated. When the girls entertain, they need all the seating they can get, so this little ottoman is put to good use. The rest of the time? It’s gorgeous eye candy that offers one more rich layer to the room.

3. Under a Table

Yesterday I worked with a customer to design a custom ottoman that will tuck up under a table in her foyer. It gave her a chance to add some color and pattern to the room, plus a little spot for guests to sit on to remove wet shoes. It’s a great place to toss a purse or the day’s mail, too.

I really like to place a few cube ottomans under sofa tables to fill in the empty space between their long, thin legs. We layer up the top of these unique tables with lamps and accessories, but if there is nothing underneath them, they can appear top heavy and out of balance. When you entertain, pull out the cubes and use them as extra seating.

4. At the End of the Bed

Placing an ottoman at the end of a bed is a lovely way to provides a nice, graduated finish to the foot of your bed design. If your bed is covered in pillows, like mine is, you can pile the pillows on the ottoman at night. In the morning, use this little seat when you slip on your shoes.

When you pick out an ottoman for the end of your bed, or for a seat for a bedroom vanity, get one that is tall enough to use as an extra chair when you entertain. When I’m hosting a big dinner party, I commandeer the ottomans and benches from all over my house so guests have a spot to sit while they dine.

5. With a Chair

Maybe I’m stating the obvious here, since the original intent of the ottoman was to nestle up at the end of a chair and hold your tired, aching feet. But since I use ottomans in so many unconventional ways, I have to remind myself to use them as a footstool. I’m a fan of ottomans that match the style and upholstery fabric of the chair they accompany, and of those that look completely different from their partner chair. I like them nestled up next to the chair, and centered between two chairs so you can use one with a buddy.  I also like them sitting next to a chair when they are not in use, acting as a side table. It’s all good, so experiment until you get a look you love.

Next Week … The secret to being able to pull together a great dinner party in a pinch is to have a few key entertaining tools on hand. Find out what they are!

I didn’t start out as a collector. It just sort of took me over, that irrepressible desire to add to the little treasures that capture my heart and lend personality to my home decor. It starts innocently enough. You see something that catches your eye, like an antique wooden box or a piece of silver. You love it so much in your home, that before you know it, you’re scouting for another. Pretty soon your friends and family feed the fire by giving you additional pieces for your collection, making them all the more precious because they are gifts of love. A collection is born.

Decorating with your collections is a wonderful way to weave your personality into your décor and make your home a truly unique expression of your life and interests. The secret to doing it well is to use the pieces of your collection in artful displays. Here are four tips I follow:  

Tip 1: There Is Strength in Numbers

One of my favorite ways to display collections is in, well, collections! It’s intriguing to study the individual pieces of a grouping, whether it’s small flower vases or antique egg cups, seeing how they are different and how they are similar. It’s a great way to show the breadth of your collections. Try these tricks to turn a large group of items into attractive displays:

• Set a Stage

A common mistake I see people make when they decorate with collections of small items is to line up all the little guys on a shelf, where they get lost. Or, assemble them all on a table, creating a monotonous mass that just looks cluttered. A super easy way to create a powerful display of small collectibles is to place them together on a tray in an intriguing way.

I just helped a friend decorate her home, and she wanted to display her collection of 50 or so small Buddhas. Instead of scattering them about her living room, we arranged most of them on a silver tray where they worked together to create a strong, eye-catching presentation. We echoed this look with the remaining figurines, making two smaller groupings on trays is adjoining rooms.

•  Mass Appeal

If your collection consists of larger items, like the silver serving pieces in the photo above, pull them all together for a huge showy display that takes over a bookcase or hutch. Group together pieces that offer a variety of sizes and shapes so the scene is visually intriguing, especially if the grouping is monochromatic.

When you’re pulling together the items for your big-statement display, how much is too much and how much is not enough? Depends entirely on your taste. I like my displays richly layered so they have lots of depth. Others like them cleaner, more spare, so each piece gets more individual attention. There is no one right answer, except the one that makes you happy.

Still unsure? Here’s a rule of thumb we follow at Nell Hill’s. Pick three pieces that are different sizes or shapes, one smaller, one medium and one larger. Then nestle them together in a cluster, the smallest in the center front, with the medium and large tucked in tightly on either side, creating a triangle of sorts.

Tip 2: Take it to the Next Level

• Rise to the Challenge

If your collection consists of small things or items that are about the same size, boost some of them up on risers. I have a collection of tiny enameled boxes that would get lost in a display. And if I massed them together, they would be boring because they are all the same size. So, I arrange them on a dessert server, like in the photo above. You could also use cake plates, plant stands, compotes and books as risers.

•  Get Arty

Your collections are pieces of art. So, if you can, use items from your collection as artwork. I am crazy about dishes, so I often prop them in easels and insert them into displays on tables, mantels or bookcases. They make ideal backdrops for the smaller items you place in front of them.

I also really like to hang plates, platters and trays from my collections on my walls. The photo above shows the creative way a friend of mine mixed pieces from her collections into the montage of artwork in her stairwell. Another friend of mine collects old soup tureen lids. She puts plate grippers on them and hangs them on her kitchen wall. Talk about a heart-thumping display!

Tip 3: Find a Niche

• Fill a Hole

Do you have little nooks and crannies in your home that are just begging to hold something, but you’re not sure what? Perhaps you have niches built into your walls, corbels hung in artwork displays or a secretary with little cubby holes, like I have. Accessorize them with a few collectibles. Each cubby in my secretary is like a little showcase. A friend of mine has hung a display cabinet on her living room wall and filled the shelves with pieces of her collection. I’m always stuck to it like glue, studying the individual items.

•  Tuck them in

Create one more layer in your existing displays by adding in a piece or two from your collection. Do you love dog figurines? Put one on top of a stack of books on a side table, in a bookcase or on your mantel.

Tip 4: Put Them to Work

An optimal way to use pieces of your collections in your everyday décor is to put them to work. I am over the moon about lovely dishes, so you’ll find mix and match pieces throughout my home working for their keep. The photo above was taken in the little office off my bedroom, a private space I can decorate just for me. This precious china server is an ideal jewelry box, holding rings and things so I can grab them in a rush. In your home, use pretty cups as pencil holders, plates as soap dishes, platters to collect the day’s mail.

It’s kind of hard to see in this photo, but this is a clear glass memory box that we just got in at Nell Hill’s. I love its dual function. It adds a wonderful decorative element to your interior and an addition to a collection of boxes.  It can also be used to display family photos, books, whatever.

Next Week … I’m a fan of versatile furnishings, and upholstered ottomans and benches definitely fit that bill. I’ll show you lots of ways you can use ottomans and benches in your home.

Everybody needs a little leather in their life. Especially when it comes to your décor. Leather furnishings are almost magical because they look good in every style home. You’ll find breathtaking pieces that are timelessly classic and those that are edgy and modern. Leather wears like iron and will look as wonderful decades later as it did the day you bought it. To get the full knock-your-socks-off decorating effect of a lovely piece of leather furniture, here are three how-to’s I pass on to my customers. 

1. How to Use Leather Furnishings in Your Decor

Where should you use leather furniture in your home? Where not! Leather is a great neutral that is full of lots of rich, yummy texture and, depending upon how daring you are, a splash of vibrant color.

My favorite way to decorate with leather furniture is to use it sparingly, mixing one or two pieces into groupings that mainly consist of upholstered furniture. Since I’m not a fan of a matchy-matchy look, I am not partial to the leather sofa, love seat, side chair combo sets out there. A sea of leather can feel cold, and the similar style and shape repeated over and again doesn’t lend itself to the visually intriguing look I love in a home.

When I design rooms for friends and customers, I often include just one leather side chair or sofa in a grouping of upholstered pieces. Sometimes I place a pair of matching leather club chairs on either side of a fireplace or across from the sofa. Another look I like is a leather coffee table ottoman that acts as the hub of a room of upholstered pieces. I always finish off leather furniture with an accent pillow or two, picking patterns that play up the natural richness of the leather while also bringing in color and pattern.

I also like to use leather as welting on sofas, chairs and pillows. It finishes off furniture with a nice edge. Plus, since it’s durable, it’s a great material to use in high traffic spots like the edge of a seat cushion.

2.  How to Pick the Leather Furniture that’s Right for You

Insist on Quality. All leather furniture is not created equal. Some grades are higher quality than others. You can often tell by the look and feel of the leather. And even if the difference isn’t immediately apparent on the showroom floor, you’ll be able to tell the difference soon enough. The quality piece will still look amazing in 20 years and the inferior grade will look bad after just a few.

Select a Finish that Fits Your Lifestyle and Tastes. When it comes to picking the finish for the leather pieces we sell at Nell Hill’s, we prefer three different styles: aniline, wax pull ups and aniline plus. Each finish has its own look and advantages, so it’s key that you understand each so you can select the finish that best suits your tastes and lifestyle.

• Aniline hides offer the most natural looking finish because they preserve the patterns and tones of the leather instead of covering them up. In this process, the full-grained hides are stained with translucent dyes, a process that gives expression to the hide’s fine textural variations and nuances of tone. Each hide looks unique, with its own character and imperfections. This is my very favorite finish because I think the blemishes make the furniture more interesting.
• Wax pull-up hides are treated with a combination of wax and oil, which completely permeates the hide and does a great job of resisting moisture. They are  a great pick for people who want a more perfect looking leather piece that is characterized by a consistent color tone and minimal variation in pattern.  It’s more scratch resistant, so is a good choice if you want furniture that will give you a consistent look through the years.
• Aniline plus hides are full grain, aniline dyed leathers that have a thin layer of matching pigment applied to the surface of the hide to minimize the naturally occurring variations in shade. This finish is more sun resistant and does well under a lot of wear and tear.

Select a Style You Love. Since leather lasts for decades, I recommend picking a style you will still love 20 years from now. Here are four possible approaches:

• A classic frame covered in a classic color. Since I’m a traditional girl at heart, I’ve tended to pick classic pieces of leather furniture for my own home. You’ll find a chocolate brown chesterfield sofa in my den and a leather chair upstairs in Dan’s office.

• A classic frame covered in contemporary colors. Furniture makers these days are doing phenomenal things with color when it comes to leather furniture. These wonderful pieces rejuvenate classic silhouettes with hip colors like turquoise, buttery yellow and green. A fun marriage of classic and contemporary, these brilliant pieces make a great addition to a traditional room you want to be more fun and exciting.

• A contemporary frame covered in a contemporary color. The color wheel is spinning round and round when it comes to leather right now, and the frames are getting more and more fun. I’m crazy about the boxy red club chair covered in red leather that’s pictured above at Nell Hill’s Briarcliff. Put this baby against a navy blue wall and it’s perfection!

• A contemporary frame covered in a classic color. Leather is a super sexy material, and when you place a classic color like tan or brown on a contemporary frame that pushes the boundaries just a bit, you get one provocative piece of furniture.

3. How to Care for Your Leather Furnishings

Of all the upholstered furniture you own, your leather pieces will be the easiest to care for. How you protect it and clean it depends upon how your furniture is finished. My recommendation is that you always defer to the manufacturer’s recommendations before doing anything to your leather.

Most leathers are protected by a clear top coat that seals the surface from moisture. Or, you can apply a product yourself that penetrates the hide and gives it a protective barrier.

When your leather piece needs to be cleaned, manufacturers usually recommend using clean, distilled water and a natural sponge or cotton cloth to lightly dab the affected area. Be careful not to soak the leather or you might create another, larger stain. And, whatever you do, don’t rub the area – you will spread the stain and push it farther into the material. When you dab, you’re trying to transfer the stain from the furniture to the cloth.

If your leather is stained by something oily, it can usually be removed if you act quickly. Apply a small amount of cornstarch or talcum powder to the area and let it sit. Then, wipe it away with a dry cloth. You may need to repeat the process a few times until all the oil has been fully absorbed by the powder.

If your leather furniture is made from wax pull-up hides, you can try this cool trick to remove scratches: Hold a hair dryer a few inches from the scratch, heating the area around it to bring the wax – and color — back to the surface.

Next Week … Do you have any collections? I’ll share some tips on how to showcase these treasures in your interior decorating.

When you hear the term “neutral décor” do you envision a tan-on-tan-on-tan room? If so, you are in for a fun surprise. A space done in neutrals can be much more creative and exciting than just layers of solids so staid they’re almost asleep. The secret is to use a few unexpected neutrals: colors and patterns that play well in the sand box with everyone else yet are full of the kind of personality you need to give your home décor distinctive character. 

My definition of a neutral goes far beyond the pale. To me, a neutral is any solid color, or a pattern that’s tone-on-tone or two colored, which looks good with just about everything.  When customers at Nell Hill’s are shopping for upholstered furniture they want to have for years, I recommend they start with a palette of neutrals they won’t grow tired of and can easily update to keep their spaces fresh and interesting. Here are four of my favorite out-of-the-box neutrals that go with most décor and add some spice to a space.

Animal Prints

I know it may sound crazy, but I think of prints that replicate the coat patterns of wild animals, with all their power and energy, as neutrals. Especially when they are recreated in subtle color ways, like black and white or cream and tan. The lovely living room grouping above proves my point. This white sofa is given a B-12 shot with the addition of the black and white cheetah print pillow. (I really like the addition of the ticking pillow and the ikat ottoman, don’t you? Each of these pieces adds another interesting layer to our classic color palette of black and white.) Even though the animal print pattern is highly defined, it looks wonderful paired with lots and lots of different colors and patterns.

I am a huge fan of zebra prints done in soft, subtle color ways like tan and cream. I’ve used them in my own home and recommend them over and over again to my customers because the pattern is visually intriguing, but also soft and soothing. One of my favorite ways to use subtle animal prints is on coffee table ottomans, like you see in the photo above. The pattern is neutral enough you can pair it with lots of choices from the color wheel and it adds striking texture.

Stripes

Whether they are subtle or strong, stripes are another unexpected neutral. Check out the bold rug under this darling dining grouping. It sets the tone for the space with its no-holds-barred graphic pattern. Yet, it’s a neutral because it goes with just about everything. Notice the fabulous drapes hanging on either side of the doorway?  They are made out of ticking, another killer neutral!

I’m gaga over ticking and use it over and over again in my home. There is something so perfect about this petite stripe. From a distance it looks like a solid, but the closer you get, the more it comes alive. It never steals the attention yet it’s definitely not a wallflower.

Chevron stripes are electric, yet they, too, are a neutral in my book. Surprised? When I redecorated my guest bedroom, I had a pillow made out of a dark blue and light blue chevron stripe. When it’s tossed in with the bedding ensemble, it feels like a solid, blending in perfectly with the mix of colors and patterns in a backup role.

Checks and Plaids

At Nell Hill’s, we cover lots and lots of sofas and chairs in plaid and check fabric because these amazing patterns deliver the best of both worlds: They are neutrals that give you a wonderful blank canvass to work with, yet they are intricate and intriguing enough to infuse the furniture with singular character. Windowpane plaids are sensational because the field is mostly solid, yet it’s broken up with a few threads in interesting colors you can bring out in your accent pillows.

Like ticking, small hound’s tooth checks look solid from a distance, yet are full of intrigue when you see them up close. You can toss even the boldest pillows, like paisleys and toiles, on chairs like these.

Ratchet up the scale of the check, and the room gets more and more fun. Still a neutral, with its two-toned palette, this peppy hound’s tooth check pillow helps take this sofa from placid to exciting.

We have some of the coolest area rugs at Nell Hill’s right now that feature traditional fabric patterns enlarged on a grander scale. Every time I see this audacious hound’s tooth rug, I just have to smile. Look what it does to this very traditional setting of table and chair. In an instant, it goes from Masterpiece Theater to edgy transitional. Love it!

Strong solids

None of us have any trouble thinking of solids as neutrals. But what about when the solids are super bright or bold – do those qualify? If they look great with lots of other colors and patterns, you bet! Navy is one of my favorite solid neutrals. I can’t seem to get enough of this color, and through the years I’ve paired it with white, apple green, orange and coral. Now, I’m loving it with red. Teal is another solid that is stealing my heart because it seems to bring out the best in every color and pattern I toss at it, plus it’s just so darn fun all by itself.

Look out your window and you will see one of Mother Nature’s favorite neutrals: green. And that crazy girl mixes every shade of green together willy-nilly to create a palette that is vibrant and refreshing. When Pantone picked emerald as the color of the year, I let out a cheer. Shuttered Window, one of the newer tones in my Mary Carol Artisan Paints line, is an exquisite emerald and we have had loads of fun matching it up with a rainbow of colors, from dark gray to bright orange.

Next Week … I adore leather furniture. It’s sexy and sleek and classically beautiful. I’ll share some tips for weaving a bit of leather into your décor.

If your life was a movie, what would it be? When Dan and I first bought our historic fixer upper, ours would have been The Money Pit. Remember that ’80s comedy starting Tom Hanks and Shelley Long, about the couple who moves into their dream home only to watch the house begin to fall down around them? Let me tell you, it’s not quite as funny when you’re living it and paying all the repair bills!

No matter what your life story, how you decorate your home should reflect your unique personality and experiences. Through the years, as I’ve decorated my own nest, twig by twig, I’ve drawn decorating inspiration from a wide variety of areas. Here are three places to look for inspiration to tell your own story through your home décor: 

A Favorite Vacation Spot

Unless you squeeze your eyes shut every time you travel, you can’t help but be inspired by the places you visit and the things you experience there. I know I do. When Dan and I visited Charleston, S.C., years ago, we were both blown away by the beauty and intimacy of the walled gardens that adjoined the historic homes. Since the homes were built close together and have small yards, the home owners erected garden walls to give themselves a private outdoor paradise. As we were in the process of renovating our Money Pit, one of the things on our long list was doing something with our small yard. That trip inspired us to turn our unkempt weed patch into a walled courtyard. A year later, the walls were up and the garden begun. Now it’s among my favorite places in my home – a little piece of Charleston I can enjoy every day.

Key West, Fla., is another place where Dan and I like to escape when we can get away. There’s something so relaxing about beach living, isn’t there? I can’t bring the Atlantic back with me to Kansas, but I can celebrate my favorite feelings of beach life in my décor. The photo above, taken at Nell Hill’s Briarcliff, is a great example of how to thread in the icons of beach life, no matter if it’s a historic home on the craggy coast of Maine, a cottage at Martha’s Vineyard or a bungalow in southern Florida.

Whether you were inspired by a chateau you toured in France, a mountain vista you enjoyed during a hike in Colorado or even a hotel you stayed at during a business trip, the key to replicating the look and feel you fell in love with during your travels it to weave in the colors, patterns and textures of the place that stole your heart.

For example, if you live for ocean vistas, fill your palette with the colors of the sand, water, birds and flowers that made your heart swell with joy. Pull in natural elements that come from the sea, like coral, driftwood or a shell. Pick materials that mimic the style found in your favorite beach dwelling, like wicker or distressed painted wood.

An easy way to bring in the colors, patterns and textures of your travels is through textiles. The bed above at Nell Hill’s Briarcliff is filled with soft, relaxed patterns that feel like they are from a Nantucket cottage.

You can also add a piece of furniture or two that replicates the style from your vacation destination. Maybe it’s a weathered wooden hutch, like the photo above. Or an Asian influenced chest. A French settee. Or a Moroccan table. I’m partial to interiors that mix pieces from different influences. I think the contrast in styles makes the room intriguing.

Sets from Favorite Movies

I am a sucker for old movies. When I’m lying in bed, channel surfing, I always stop at TNT, drawn in by the dramatic images of old black and white movies. One of the things that makes me such an easy mark for Hollywood classics is the sheer elegance of the homes depicted in the sets.

Frequently, we gravitate toward movies that speak to something inside of us, whether it’s the plot that draws us in, or in my case, the set. After the movie Something’s Gotta Give came out in 2003, customers flocked into Nell Hill’s for furnishings and accents that helped them recreate the fabulous beach home Diane Keaton’s character lived in, with is elegant whitewashed interiors. The same thing happened in 2006 when The Holiday was released. I could picture myself living happily ever after in the English cottage depicted in this story about two women who were unlucky in love swapping homes, one in California, the other in England.

Is there a pattern to the type of movie sets that draw you in? If so, include these classic images in your own décor. For example, if Hollywood glam makes your heart beat faster, invest in a few key pieces of elegant furniture.

Maybe it’s a secretary holding a display of picture frames. Or a butler’s cart outfitted with an opulent bar. All you need is a piece or two, used as focal points in your room, to establish the theme you love in your Hollywood set.

You don’t have to buy new furniture to create the look of your favorite set. You can also do so through accessories pulled together in displays that mimic the ones you love. Look how glamorous this grouping of blue and white vases looks on top of this stunning buffet. The gilded mirror in the background, the crystal candlesticks and silver serving pieces are opulent and indulgent, like something you’d find in the home of your favorite starlet.

Your Current Life Stage

How you approach furnishing and accessorizing your rooms evolves with your life. For instance, when our daughter Kelly was a teenager, the only decorative element I needed was a stout door I could close so I didn’t have to see the mounds of clothes, stacks of books and God-only-knows-what-else was piled on her floor. Now that she’s grown and gone, I have had fun turning her old bedroom into a guest room. Same room, radically different look, all determined by our life stage.

What stage of life are you in? Your décor should celebrate today. Are you the parent or grandparent of a young girl? If so, embrace this fun opportunity to make her room fit for a princess. I work with hundreds of customers every month at Nell Hill’s, and my informal market research has shown me that many women have a little girl bottled up inside them who love pink. As we grow older, we can still indulge our penchant for pink by working it into more sophisticated settings, pairing pale pink with colors like soft gray or charcoal.

But when it comes to little girls, bubblegum pink it is! Don’t fight it. Instead, enjoy the vibrancy of girl-approved brights like apple green, orange, marigold and purple.  Choose bedding that weaves together a rainbow of colors, brought to life in a mix of intriguing designs. Pick accessories that extend the fun, like this bright green lamp, aqua blue tray and playful stuffed animal.

Fill in with accents that celebrate her royal highness, such as these adorable paper goods for the perfect princess parties.

Next Week … When furnishing your interior spaces, you want to pick pieces that will endure, like neutrals. Thankfully, neutral furnishings don’t have to be boring. In fact, they can be downright exciting and fun. I’ll show you a world of new possibilities in neutral décor.

It happens every year. There’s always an unseasonably warm day toward the end of winter when I lose my head.  Giddily, I tell myself that winter is over and it’s time to get my porch ready for outdoor living.  I sweep the floor, uncover the furniture, pull the cushions from the basement and spend hours accessorizing my outdoor retreat. Then it snows.

Even though I know I’m starting too early, I just can’t help myself. Having my screened porch ready for summer makes me so darn happy because this special outdoor room is one of my favorite spots in my home. This summer, turn your outdoor space into a retreat. Here are my six essentials for a perfect porch to get you started. 

1. Lots of Comfortable Seating

Comfort is king when it comes to my outdoor seating. I know I’ve hit the mark when I get home from work on warm summer evenings and find Dan zonked on the daybed, resting up before he makes dinner.

Before you put one chair, chaise, day bed or settee on your porch, make sure it’s sink-into wonderful, so inviting you can hardly wait to kick your shoes off, tuck your feet up under you and settle in for a while.

My porch is a size that is best suited for intimate gatherings. Instead of forcing it to accommodate more guests than it can really handle, I’ve opted to furnish it to seat four people very comfortably. Right now, in one corner I have an antique day bed that’s big enough to hold one sleeping Dan and his two sleeping cats. Across from that stands two comfy wicker chairs. If we want to expand our party, we can easily pull out extra chairs from the house. Or, I can shuffle things around a bit and bring out a dining table for a candlelight meal.

When you’re contemplating what type of seating you want on your porch, decide how you will use it most often. If it’s open air, do you want chaises where you can sun yourself? Do you need a sectional that will seat several guests? If you are the queen of the backyard barbecue, should you reserve plenty of space for a dining table? Once you’ve defined your priorities for the space, create a scale floor plan so you know how much furniture, and what sizes, will fit comfortably. I love how my friend Anne arranged the seating on her porch – it’s a wonderful set up for a conversation with friends.

2. A Spot to Serve Food and Drinks

I rarely see porches that lack seating. But I often see porches that don’t include a spot to serve food and drinks. Since imbibing in good food and drink is essential for finding bliss on your porch, be sure your outdoor room includes a great service piece. Years ago, I moved an inexpensive wooden hutch onto my porch, nestling it against the wall, protected from any rain that might blow in. Other than needing a fresh coat of paint every once in a while, that valiant hutch has handled the elements beautifully. Depending upon how I want to entertain, it can serve as a bar, a buffet or both. Best of all, it also gives me lots of lovely shelves I can dress up with seasonal decorations.

If you don’t have room on your porch for a hutch or console table, use a generously sized end table like this one on my friend Jean’s screened porch.

3. A Place to Dine

If I could, I would eat every meal of the day on my porch during spring, summer and fall. I’ve arranged my porch differently through the years, sometimes outfitting it with a dining table large enough for a dinner party. Right now, I’m crazy about dining on trays when it’s just Dan and me for dinner. We can either place the trays on the coffee table or on our laps. I like how the absence of a table allows us more room to move around in the space.

Another option is to pick an outdoor dining table and chairs like the one pictured above that doubles nicely as a conversation area. This is a divine spot to linger for hours after a great meal, sipping wine and watching the stars.

4. Cute Cushions to Give the Space Character

Once the bones of your outdoor room are in place, it’s time to have fun giving them life with an assortment of cushions sporting cute summer fabrics. I’ve gone lots of different directions with my outdoor cushions in the past. Right now they are awash in traditional mattress ticking fabric and I love the simple, clean, peaceful look it creates. Ticking is a great neutral that gives you a bit of texture but also allows you lots of freedom to bring in a host of different colors and patterns through your accent pillows and accessories. I’ve paired it with apple green, navy, red and white, and love the look every single time.

While I have traditionally used “indoor” fabrics on my outdoor furniture because I much preferred the selection and how the finished product looks, now I can honestly say I love the outdoor fabrics just as much. The manufacturers have refined the fabric so that it is not only durable but also lovely. At Nell Hill’s Briarcliff, we carry lots of stunning outdoor fabrics in solids, florals and stripes, and they all wear like iron.

5. Potted Plants to Celebrate Nature

You’ve heard about how bad I am with plants, right? Still, I really, really like to have live plants on my porch during the summer. My favorites are ferns and ivy topiary, but since my kill rate is often high with these plants that actually need water, I’m starting to do a lot more with low-maintenance succulents. I sometimes put a huge potted palm into a blue and white Asian planter and nestle it behind my daybed or in the corner of the porch to bring in some drama. Other times I create a grouping of plants on the antique table that sits between the two side chairs, backs to the screened wall so they get plenty of sun. Not only are potted plants inexpensive, they are one of the most naturals accents you can place on a porch.

6. Seasonal Accents to Spice Things Up

Cute accessories make the world go ‘round, don’t they? Just as with your interior spaces, your outdoor room isn’t finished until you add the accents. I like to walk on the wild side and use indoor accents on my porch, like lamps, rugs, pottery, framed artwork, glass apothecary jars and hurricanes, and china. I can get away with this because my porch is sheltered. But if your porch is more exposed, pick your accents accordingly.

Your porch is an ideal place to weave in trendy and seasonal accents. Here are some of the killer pieces we just got in at Nell Hill’s for summer outdoor living:

I really like these rough planters with their aged patina. Fill them with plants, work them into your summer place settings, incorporate them into a centerpiece – the sky is the limit.

Get creative when making place settings for your outdoor dinner parties. Isn’t this rustic metal tray wonderful? I love it with the wicker charger and delicate cloth napkins.

I use clusters of votive candles on my porch during the summer to add a bit more romance to the setting.  Here are a few of the many styles of candle holders we have in right now.

One of the hallmarks of the Nell Hill’s look is mixing the rustic with the refined, pairing the unexpected. That’s why I adore this delicate etched glass decanter and glasses for outdoor dining.

Next Week … When I go to movies, I spend more time analyzing the sets than I do the action. I am often inspired by how the pros stage the home interior scenes, making a perfect backdrop for the story being told. I’ll show you how to dress your home so it tells the story of your life.

Those of us who love interior decorating are passionate about creating an environment in our homes that is warm and welcoming, fills our senses and reflects who we are. Even though my personal decorating style is ever evolving, there are a few cornerstones of the look I love, the distinctive touches that make up the “Nell Hill’s style.” Here are four simple tricks and techniques I use in my home to weave in my personality, making my home a reflection of all I love. I hope they will inspire you as you feather your nest, too. 

1. Tuck natural objects into displays.

I am fed by the natural world. Now, don’t get me wrong. I am not an outdoorsy girl. You won’t find me backpacking into the mountains or kayaking down a river. But spending a quiet moment in my courtyard, watching the birds flit around the trees (and my pathetic cats trying unsuccessfully to stalk them) fills me with peace and inspiration. So I always weave pieces of the natural world into my year-round decorating. I like how this little nod to nature gives my décor an organic feel and keeps things from being too fussy.

One of my favorite icons is a bird’s nest. I love how playful and unique each one is. So I use lots of faux and real nests in my own decorating. Sometimes you’ll find them perched discreetly in the branches of a floral arrangement on my table, or on top of a candlestick on my mantel. In the photo above, we placed little faux nests under cloches on each place setting of a dining table decorated for spring entertaining.

Another wonderful way to welcome Mother Nature into your décor is to use flowers in your decorating, especially this time of year when the garden is bursting with so many blooms ready to be snipped and tucked into a vase. I like this messy bouquet of faux tulips at Nell Hill’s Briarcliff because it doesn’t feel fixed and fussy. You could replicate the look with just about anything in your garden: branches of forsythia, dogwood or red buds, a compote holding a tight mound of hyacinths or hydrangeas, or a cluster of little vases that each contain a single daffodil.

Weaving natural elements into your décor doesn’t need to take much time. For this stunning centerpiece, we just ringed this lovely blue and white jar with a fern wreath. The wreath adds color and a bit of wild excitement to this very elegant tablescape. Love it!

I am crazy about moss balls right now. These cuties are organic and earthy, yet structural, giving a tableau a pop of bright color and an injection of fun. Plus, they are fool-proof to use. Just toss a jumble into a cachepot and stick it on a table for a quick display. Or replicate the look above, crowning a cluster of little urns with an assortment of moss balls. Group them together on a tray, and you’ve got a killer display in minutes.

2. Add layers for visual interest.

Another bedrock of the Nell Hill’s look is filling your décor with lush layers. Simply put, that’s coupling several decorative elements together to create one harmonious, intricate scene. The number of layers you employ is up to your personal preference. One place to bring in beautiful layers is on your sofa. Toss a summer quilt over the back or arm for added texture and pattern. Then, accessorize the sofa with an intriguing mix of pillows.

The most striking bedding ensembles are those that are rich with layers. Fresh white sheets covered with a duvet, capped by a contrasting quilt folded at the bottom is the foundation. The finish is an eye-catching assortment of pillows starting with a line of Euro shams at the back, fronted by standard pillows, then a sprinkling of special shapes, like neck rolls and lumbar pillows and squares. Each layer of bedding allows you another opportunity to give your bedroom a distinct look that reflects your unique personality.

Another spot I like to layer up is my dining table. At Nell Hill’s, individual place settings go way beyond a stack of dishes. We like to make each one a work of art by incorporating a blend of unique, and often unexpected, objects. Check out the place setting in the photo above, taken at Nell Hill’s Briarcliff. We start with a wicker tray, one of our favorite “place mats” Layer two pulls in a very unusual tray – looks like something you’d find at a flea market – that corrals the dishes on top. Next we inserted a cheese board for a surprise. We also like to use cheese boards as chargers. Next comes a transferware plate, an unexpected touch of elegance paired with our more rustic accents. Everything is topped by a weathered urn, which could hold a napkin, fresh flowers or a little bird’s nest.

3. Work in whimsy.

Sometimes, we just take ourselves a little too seriously, don’t we? One way to lighten our mood, and the look of our home décor, is to tuck in whimsical objects that make us smile. This photo, from my book Feather Your Nest, shows a good friend of mine’s wry sense of humor. The bar in her formal living room is very elegant, until you look a bit closer. The feet of the fancy silver tray holding the bar service are just that – feet! They look like little human digits, holding the tray aloft. What a hoot! I also get a kick out of the planter of the garden goddess, with plants growing out of her head, making one crazy hair-do. Some mornings, I swear my hair looks the same!

I really like to decorate with figurines, like this cute little dog statue. Depending upon their size, you can weave them into grand or petite displays, using them as the focal point or as a little surprise to reward the careful viewer. We added some mirth to this dining table display with this Boston terrier under glass.  Putting fanciful items under a cloche increases their star power. If you’re not one for figurines, you could opt for a little potted succulent or a funny snapshot of a loved one in a little frame.

4. Find creative uses for decorative elements.

Another hallmark of the Nell Hill’s look is to find new uses for everyday decorative items. One favorite plan of attack is to use your accents in unusual ways to solve daily decorating dilemmas, like how to keep your books from falling over in your bookcases. Since my home is filled to the brim with Dan’s stacks and stacks of books, I’ve had plenty of practice finding items to use as interesting bookends, turning what could be an eyesore into a fetching display. In the photo above, we used a lamp and an architectural element to sandwich a stack of books. We clustered a few little cuties in the foreground, and presto, we have a layered display.

This bedside book stack has become a work of art, thanks to some out-of-the-box thinking on the part of the Nell Hill’s visual design team. They ingeniously used a lovely wood box as both a bookend and a riser. On the left of the display, they turned some books on their side and into a riser for a topiary. The edgy white vase on the right not only hems in the books, it balances the white lamp on the table to create a visual frame to the entire masterpiece. Genius!

How about this fun approach for incorporating a stack of books into a display? We used a playful tray as a base of this coffee table decoration. Instead of featuring the books as a focal point, they simply provided structure and texture for the stars of the show, these delightful vases holding tulips from the garden.

Next Week … As soon as the weather gets above freezing, I’m ready to reclaim by screened porch, one of my favorite rooms in my home. I’ll have tips for making your outdoor rooms beautiful additions to your home.

I love it all when it comes to home décor styles. But years ago, I figured out that a traditional look works best for my own home. I really like surrounding myself with classic furnishings and accents that have stood the test of time, yet I don’t want my home décor to feel like it’s stuck in a time warp, a museum to a bygone era. The key to keeping your traditional home interesting, not stale, is to update it regularly with pieces that give your classic styling an exciting new lease on life. Here are five tricks for making your traditional décor fresh. 

1. Mix Up Matching Furniture Groupings

Symmetry is a hallmark of a traditional look. But that doesn’t mean your décor has to be matchy-matchy, filled with furniture groupings consisting of pieces from sets. Give your décor a bit of a shake up by interjecting a new piece or two that looks a little different from the others in the room. For example, if all your wood is stained, how about adding a piece that is painted? If your sofa and chairs are covered in similar fabrics, reupholster the sofa or the chairs in a contrasting textile. Want to take it a step farther? Try this popular style technique: Upholster the front and back of a chair in different but harmonious fabrics. It’s such an edgy look – makes me smile every time I see it.

Check out what we’ve done in the furniture grouping in the photo above, taken at Nell Hill’s Briarcliff.  It’s a decidedly traditional seating arrangement, but with a new spin. Notice how we blended our wood furnishings, mixing the traditional wood on the side tables and coffee table with the painted wood in the chairs. The side chairs are upholstered in a fabric that is deeply rooted in tradition, yet is reinterpreted through bolder color strokes and cleaner graphic elements. (We also used a few more tricks to update this room that I’ll talk about in a minute.)

Today’s designers are giving yesterday’s best furnishings a new life by reimagining their silhouettes and upholstery treatment. These innovative pieces draw from classic influences, yet are exciting reinterpretations. This wing back chair at Nell Hill’s Briarcliff is a perfect example. It pays tribute to all that is wonderful about traditional style, yet, with its edgy lines and funky fabric, is fully in the present.

2. Interject Bolder Art

If you’ve been reading my blog for a while, you know how much I believe in the power of artwork to completely change the look of a room. Adding a piece or two of new art will help you make great strides toward freshening up your traditional décor. Stop and really take a hard look at your existing artwork. Is the subject matter or style dated? Are the mats faded and the frame nicked and scuffed? Most importantly, do you still love it? Often, we just grow tired of looking at the same pictures year after year, but don’t ever think to change it out for something new.

The hot new look in traditional artwork is bigger and bolder, like the wonderful picture above from Nell Hill’s Briarcliff. We have this large and lovely piece hanging in a very traditional furniture grouping, and it just brings the energy level of the room up a notch. Similarly, in my own bedroom I’ve added a collage of female nudes. The room is very traditional, but the mix of classic and contemporary thematic artwork is really intriguing. I like how the interjection of the modern art gives the space a fresher feel.

Another trick for making your artwork displays more modern is to hang the pieces very close together. This grouping of four paintings that work together to create one whole image illustrates how individual pieces pull together with one voice to make a big statement. You can do the same with any artwork in your home, even if it doesn’t “go” together. Just hang the frames an inch or so from one another to create a powerful presentation.

3. Update Your Color Palette

While some of the hues in a traditional color palette will never go out of style, like the black and white fabrics above, others definitely have a limited lifespan. If your home is saturated with the colors that were big 20 or 30 years ago, it will instantly look dated, even if you have fresh furnishing and accents in the spaces. The only way to combat getting stuck in the past is to tweak your color palette.

The collection of fabrics in the photo above is a wonderfully classic combination with a fresh new feel. If you need help discerning how best to transition your color palette, our design team at Nell Hill’s can help. They are masters at taking your from what you have to where you want to be. We offer free in-store design services, so just bring in your photos and we’ll help you create your dream!

4. Add a Few Transitional Accents

One of the easiest and least expensive ways to keep your traditional décor new is to weave in a few transitional accents. In the roomscapes at Nell Hill’s, we freely mix the most traditional of accents, like looking glasses and crystal water vases and silver candlesticks, with pieces that are very contemporary, like a bright orange ceramic vase. In the photo above, taken at Nell Hill’s Briarcliff, we brought this lovely traditional setting forward in time just by strategically placing a few lidded jars on the shelves of the bookcase in the background.

Accents like these white pottery pieces, with their sleek lines and contemporary vibe, still look classic enough to use in traditional décor. They are different enough from the norm that they will catch viewers by surprise, yet not so different that they feel out of place surrounded by antiques.

5. Update Your Lamps and Shades

Dated lamps can bring down the style IQ of a room in a flash. A decade ago, the home décor market was glutted with lots of cheap lamps that have not stood the test of time. It’s time to let these unremarkable light pieces go and replace them with lamps that will make a huge style statement in your room. Get a load of this fabulous pair of blue lamps in the photo above, from Nell Hill’s Briarcliff. The lines and details are decidedly traditional, but thanks to the spark of bright blue in the ceramic base and the bright white drum shade, they provide an arresting addition to a room. See how wonderfully they go with the ultra-traditional table and artwork in this space?

Next Week … I’ll share a few of the decorating tricks we use at Nell Hill’s to make our tabletop tableaux distinctive.

PS This week starts our month-long tribute to dining tabletop displays. Come visit both Nell Hill’s stores for a feast for the eyes: Dining table after dining table dressed up with centerpieces and place settings so inventive, you’ll want to pull together a party just so you can set a great table!

Every day is so darn precious. I know that sounds like a strange way to begin a blog about creating cute tablescapes for your spring entertaining. But the older I get, the more I believe that we have to be very deliberate about making time in our busy schedules to celebrate life’s amazing moments and the people we hold most dear.

In my family, those Kodak moments happen around the dining table, where we linger for hours after a good meal, laughing until our sides hurt. There is something magical about eating together, isn’t there? In this day of hustle and bustle, where we often grab dinner from a drive-through window, it fills our hearts to pause for a moment and enjoy a meal in someone’s home.

This spring, connect with people you love over a meal in your home. To inspire you, we’re throwing a Spring Tabletop Event for the entire month of April. We’re filling gallery after gallery at both Nell Hill’s stores with dining tables dressed for dinner. You’ll find lots of new ideas to inspire you to create a table that delights your guests. Here are four tablescapes to get you started.  

Table 1: Beautiful Blooms

This delightful tablescape is bursting with charm. It’s fresh and light, yet infused with enough layers to make it intriguing. You’ll want to hover for a few minutes to study it in depth so you don’t miss one little nugget. Blue, white and yellow just sing when they are brought together, especially in spring.  To start this treatment, we decided to soften up this very formal table and very formal glass hurricane by weaving in fanciful accessories. I love this wild fern wreath encircling the hurricane. Talk about a visually dramatic but crazy-easy-to-produce centerpiece treatment!

At Nell Hill’s we really like to intertwine timeless classics with today’s hottest looks. Check out how fabulous this blue and white transferware china looks with this bohemian yellow salad plate sliced in. When I look at this table, the first thing I see is this burst of marigold, and it makes me smile. When I create place settings, I like to make them tall and dramatic with a stack of interesting dishes and a surprise topper. Here, we decorated the summit with intriguing ceramic vases, which serve as unusual napkin holders. These little vases also look sensational holding a few flowers, like three daylilies.

These simple yet elegant vases are all the rage at Nell Hill’s this spring – they go out the door by the bagful. No wonder – we’re practically giving them away. For me, it’s not just the ridiculously low price that makes these little guys a gotta-have. It’s the fact that they have a tall neck and small mouth. All you need to do is insert one spring flower in each, and you are done. Spare vases like these are good to have on hand so you can throw together a great centerpiece in a jiffy.

Pretty stemware is a wonderful addition to your table. So as not to distract from the simplicity of the table, we went with clear glass. But blue goblets would also be lovely.  Check out the little yellow flower shaped votive holders tucked in by each place setting. When I decorate tables, I like to weave in little surprises. These votive cups, little sunbursts of color, could hold a candle or be used as salt cellars.

Table 2: Fun and Fresh

You cannot miss with green and white on your tabletop, especially in spring. It’s fresh, fun, infused with energy and excitement. On this table, we went for a contemporary feel bursting with pep, then shook things up just a bit by working in a few organic elements, like these wicker chargers.

Get ready – gold is back! This surprising glass plate edged in gold adds a bit of glam to our hip place setting. To top off this relatively simple stack of plates we picked these funky little lidded pots. We have these in a variety of colors at Nell Hill’s, and each is cuter than the next. You could put a battery operated candle inside for a dramatic presentation. Or, insert some candy for guests to enjoy after the meal.

To create shock and awe in a dining room, I often dress up the chandelier with greens and trimmings. Or, if there is no light fixture, you can also suspend decorative elements over the table, like these spring wreaths. Wow!

Here’s a close up of some of the faux florals we threaded into the wreath. Be careful when you use fake spring flowers – some of them can look really cheap and cheesy. Hold out for those that look so real you have to touch them to be sure.

Table 3: Tradition Revisited

I have friends who are lucky enough to have inherited china from their mothers and grandmothers, lovely old patterns with intricate designs. But they are stymied by how to use these vintage pieces, with their old-fashioned look, to create a more contemporary design on their tabletop. We took up that challenge on this romantic table that has the charm of yesteryear and the energy of today.

Our first step toward giving this floral china pattern a newer vibe was to pair it with some of today’s hottest colors: apple green and coral. We scored with our stack of chargers, which not only gave us loads of saturated color, they also brought in interesting finishes and shapes. This square white plate is a favorite of mine because you can reinvent it over and again on your tablescapes. This zippy green charger is melamine and super inexpensive. It’s a fun addition for spring and summer entertaining.

Cloche-covered risers are drama queens. Perch one on top of a place setting and, presto, the scene becomes magical. We put a fun little faux plant under the bell jar on this table. But you could also use them to hold a decorated cupcake for dessert. I really enjoy using place cards when I entertain because I think it makes my guests feel extra special to see their names beautifully inscribed on a card. I can see little place cards tied to the top of these cloches. The risers could even be a gift for each guest to take with them to remember your time together.

Table 4: Cosmopolitan Garden Party

Here’s a more sophisticated take on a garden themed table. Sleek, contemporary and stylish, it has a decidedly cosmopolitan feel. Check out the centerpiece – another treatment that is super simple to create yet will knock guests’ socks off because it is so darn bold. We took a metal trellis and placed it over a tall white vase holding faux greens. Done.

The place settings on this table echo strong structural lines, bold black and white patterns that complement one another and create layers of intrigue.

To  finish off with a bit of whimsy, we placed faux succulent plants on glass risers, then enshrined them under a cloche. The little pop of green is a nice contrast with the black and white palette.

Next Week … I’ll share some secrets for keeping your traditional home decor exciting and new.

P.S.  Hope to see you at both Nell Hill’s stores for the Spring Tabletop Event!

Want to freshen up your décor for spring? Do a quick makeover on your mantel. Whether you want to completely redo your mantel display for the new season or just add a seasonal tweak here and there, it takes just minutes to remake this little stage. But, the payoffs are huge. Every time you walk by your mantel, you’ll get a bounce in your step and a spark in your heart – winter is over, and spring is here! Here are different mantel looks we created at Nell Hill’s to inspire you.

Fresh and Fanciful

Great mantels start with great artwork as a backdrop. We picked this lovely pastoral oil painting of sheep grazing because it evokes such a feeling of peace and renewal, a welcomed breath of fresh air in the chaos of daily life.

Every good mantel display needs structure. So we pulled from our ample stock of interesting white pottery for some pieces to build around. All the pottery we used is white, but each piece is very different from the others, some contemporary, some traditional, some tall, some tiny. When we design mantels, we create them to flow visually from a high point to a low point. Sometimes the high spot is at the center of the mantel, and the elements in the display descend from this central spot. This time, we built the display on just one corner, making our high spot the outer boundary of the mantel, carrying the line down to the center of the mantel.

Bring on the greens! Good greens are a great addition to a mantel display no matter what the season, whether they are picks, garlands or potted plants. I’m intrigued by these new plants we got in at Nell Hill’s because they look like they could be growing up around a fence post in a meadow. They are wild and unkempt and bursting with life, just like this season of re-awakenings. They come in simple pots, which look great by themselves, or you can place them in a decorative cachepot, like we did here. Measuring in at 25” tall, they offer great height.

I’ve long been a fan of bare, wild honeysuckle vine, and it’s a go-to tool for my fall and winter decorating. But it also looks sensational in this spring display. If you want, you could stop here for a multi-layered look that will take you up to summer, or even until fall. Or, you could tuck in a little surprise or two …

Sometimes you need a full, fat bouquet of flowers to knock it out of the park. Other times, just a single bud or two is the most powerful because of its simplicity. So subtle you barely notice them, these small glass vases holding a fresh tulip bud ready to burst open are the perfect finishing touch to this energy-giving spring mantel.

Powerful Pottery

At once contemporary and traditional, this multi-leveled, richly layered display is so arresting, it’s hard to look away. Step one was to find some great pieces to serve as the framework for the display. These tall, thin, contemporary black and white pots looked perfect with our more traditional black and white artwork. Our theme was set: a monochromatic arrangement that wedded the trendy with the tried-and-true. We started tucking in a few classic pieces, like this metal wreath candleholder, to create a visual pyramid with our decorative elements, slightly off centered to keep things interesting. I like how its circular arches contrast with the perpendicular lines of the pots. Old books used as risers provided touchable texture, one of my favorite tricks.

We finished out this arresting display by weaving a mixture of spring vines and flowers through the decorative pieces. If you’re not a fan of faux greens, you could easily leave them out. This close up shot gives a good glimpse of how these diverse elements work together to make this three-dimensional mantel art work.

Saturated Color

We are crazy for color right now at Nell Hill’s, so we just had to share this spunky mantel that makes you want to dance for joy. When you use a piece of artwork as zippy as this for your backdrop, you need a mantel display equally as vibrant. We didn’t need to look far at Nell Hill’s to find a crazy cute assortment of inexpensive pottery—the store is filled with our best selection yet. The focal point of our mantel look is this awesome pot, which features the extremely popular chevron stripe. We filled it full of floral picks, but it would also look great holding a maidenhair fern or ivy topiary. Next we brought in an assortment of funky pots, vases and boxes in all kinds of colors, shapes and textures. Since the pottery is so inexpensive, you can go out of your comfort zone a little and get colors and finishes you wouldn’t normally choose. It’s a great way to add a pop of new color and explore new decorating styles.

A Peek at My Mantel

I couldn’t resist the chance to show you how I dressed up my mantel last year for my Spring Open House. I’ve approached my mantel displays all different ways through the years, sometimes clearing the deck and creating completely new looks, sometimes just adding a slight modification with each new season. Right now I have a few items on my mantel that I dearly love and I want to keep them out year round. So, as each new season comes, I move these keepers around a bit and add in a few seasonal splashes. I really like to use live and faux house plants in my spring decorating, so all I did was place three different plants into three different white pots. Done!

Next Week …This spring, gather your loved ones around your dining table to celebrate life. I’ll have a few beautiful tablescapes to inspire you.

P.S. Join us for our annual Spring Tabletop Event at Nell Hill’s. For the entire month of April, we’re filling gallery after gallery at both Nell Hill’s locations with beautiful tablescapes dressed for spring and summer entertaining.