FRENCH COUNTRY CAN BE ALIVE IN HONG KONG

The key hue in a shabby chic French country palette is antique white. Distressed, matte surfaces are appropriate in this style. Faded blues, purples, yellows and pinks work as wall colors, accent shades and furniture finishes. Patterns are key in the French country look. Be bold and combine an oriental rug with a flowered couch or, in the bedroom, French toile fabric cafe-style curtains with paisley throw pillows. Timeworn and vintage patterns on wallpaper, bedding, towels, tablecloths, throw rugs and painted on furniture add texture to a room.

The Classic look with linen fabrics accented with distressed white and gold leaf .......  add a mirror table like the one below. 

 A French Wardrobe made in 3 pieces and then placed into a bottom frame.........a crown molded topper to hold it all in place.  This will fit the elevator and get it into your flat this way. 

This is a dresser we've done

Strike a classic note with vintage furniture made in solid wood. Begin with a French country item such as a small end table, an upholstered chair, an engraved cabinet, an armoire, a hutch with open display areas, a wrought iron bed frame or a graceful nightstand and add a thin coat of whitewash or distress the surface by rubbing at the paint with fine grain sandpaper. Hutches, buffets, sideboards and desks and chairs with sculpted legs give your home rustic French flavor. Try customizing pieces by adding a hand-painted border of grapevines or cornflowers.

The last 4 photos are from the Shenzhen Home Goods Center.  There is a small corner shop on the first floor with beautiful French Pottery at a great price - but you have to carry back.  On the top floor is a FAB wholesaler for artificial flowers. They are pricey but the quality is gorgeous (and HK prices are huge for much lesser quality).   The embroidered bench is from  another shop that specializes in the French country estate look.......  I didn't want to leave empty handed.

The first carved headboard and frame is an item we've done for achieving this look.  Or you can add a painted headboard accented with birds and flowers....voila Country Style.   Add crisp white linen - layers and layers of it............ ruffles on pillows and a gathered bed-skirt. Another material is the Matlaise seen in the bedskirt above and of course you can't go wrong with BLUE AND WHITE!  A room with all white furniture and all Blue and White is very calming. 

Louis Chairs will always identify the French Country.  Here are a few we've done..... with the large checked pattern..........and again then with turquoise linen & faux leather seats for easy cleaning. 

Shabby white slipcovers are the Rachael Ashwell's trademark for Shabby Chic. 

Checks and stripes are very French.  (This is the solid fabric we used on the chairs.) 

The top bureau is something I just saw in the Zhuhai Factory.  Don't be afraid to paint an antique. 

This unique French sideboard was too dark for a small room and it's a reproduction.... the finish not so pretty.  It could have been re-stained a darker richer color but still too dark for a small room. So we added cream paint and sanded it to look old. Now it looks like it has been around for a 100 years. 

This is not the typical French..... But it's a Farm table with French Pottery ...........the addition of Ghost chairs leaves it uncluttered, if you have a small space.  The color of gray and white are also clean like fresh laundry. 

Beautiful Hand painted l Porcelain - with updated barrel shades.  Now showing and selling on our website. 

This is not a French design .... it's what we call Lime wash - giving a piece a light white glaze.  Add this to a piece with some curves and oo-la-la !

I could go on and on about this TOPIC .... it's one of my favorite looks.  What I like is the now updated look ..... narrowing down the clutter instead of last decades over clutter and pattern. 

BOHEMIAN CHIC and SHABBY

The basic idea behind bohemian chic decorating is that you have the ability to combine the eclectic old stuff with some modern to create a space that is lovely and fascinating. 

If you happen to have plush fabrics and curtains to add to the mix then you're well on your way.

Notice the Chinese Birdcage - Zhuhai now has the birdcage hanging lamps - decorated with china silk accents in the center to create mood and ambiance. 

Bohemian decor combines warm hues of cocoa brown, mustard yellow, wine red, rusty orange, turquoise and deep plum. 

Paint the walls a warm tone.  You can go with tan or cream - or make a statement with a bold color.  If you don't want to paint hang fabric on the wall - or a bedspread. 

Love the elective additive of the zebra print.  Also note the draped console table. 

Chinese lantern with a French Chandelier. 

Drape fabric around the room in layers to create a soft, romantic feel.  Hang long, velvet drape panels with tassels, fringed edges and scalloped valance. Let the curtains pool on the floor and tie them back with braided rope to expose sheers beneath.... that let in natural light. Throw a calico chintz over a chair or hang tulle above a bed to cascade over the headboard. 

Pay attention to detail.  Plush throw pillows everywhere.... Persian rug..... beaded trim.... exotic artwork....

Here's a great idea!!!  You can find these birdhouse lamps in Zhuhai now - or Just by a birdhouse and spray it white.  Take strips of colored fabric and weave them in and out in several places....  Eclectic and Fun!

Buy mismatch furniture.....paint and distress the furniture a bright color in the palette.  Mix and match antiques and vintage pieces with newer.  Add a coat of paint ....  or with add gold leafing to freshen it.  

A shop in the Home Decor shopping center in Shenzhen!   Note the painted furniture.... the colored lamps.... and the assortment of fabric. 

If sofas and chairs are lacking style or are just plain run down..... buy king size sheets or yards of fabric at Sham Shi Po and drape a bold pattern over them.... then of course add more pillows. 

HAPPY HALLOWEEN

For years I would say - you can have Christmas - give me Halloween.  After living in Chicago, Buffalo and Pittsburgh - I loved the changing of the leaves and decorating around the fall colors.... throwing on a sweater and going for a drive in the back woods area.   

My kids are grown up now - but I still have the images of driving to remote pumpkins fields to get the largest pumpkin for the best price.  Another great retailer had a set price and you would run out and grab as many as you could carry for it.  

Then taking our finds home ......  cutting open the top and plunging our hands inside removing the gooey mess so we could start carving.  I don't remember the kids ever wanting to do that part. 

After moving to Hong Kong in the 90's ..... it was such a disappointment that Halloween was not celebrated except at the school.  Finding costumes was much more difficult and creativity was a major factor in making a happy child.  

So I started decorating our elevator area as a spook house while living in the Manhattan on the Southside. 

1. First I went behind the building on the mountain and cut down dried stalks of weeds.  This represented corn stalks and filled the hallway with them.
2. I cut up black plastic garbage bags in shapes of icicles and taped them to the ceilings.  When the elevators open.... the bags would move.  It also covered the lights to darken the mood. 
3. We had a large bench ... and I made up full body ghouls...  stuffing clothing with pillows and newspapers.  Then placing a mask on top with a hat... this was tricky.
4. There were of course spider webs, ghosts and gadgets that moved when you clapped your hands scattered everywhere.

5.  For 10 days before Halloween .... you could hear everything going off as the kids stopped on our floor.....many never seeing Halloween decor before. 
6. On the night of Halloween - my 2 boys would take the place of the ghouls dressed in the same clothes. I dressed in the old witches costume with the long hair, black clothes and the scariest mask imaginable with the tall black hat. We stayed perfectly still ... because the trick- or-treaters thought we were still stuffed.  THEN WE JUMPED AT THEM!

7. Of course, you have to have background ......so I put together scary music and sound effects and the night began!

I had to tell some parents NOT to allow the wee ones in - they would be too scared.  We gave out so much candy that night - we ran out..........(we had to get it in the Philippines!)  


Now, Hong Kong is infatuated with Halloween, costumes and the macabre.  What a change a decade can make. 

So it's a beautiful day in Hong Kong - cool weather and clear skies - and unfortunately there will be no Halloween at our house.  I'll be on the tennis court instead.  I'm so sorry...........

GRAY IS NOT GLOOMY

The soft gray used with white creates a light and airy feeling. The result is elegant and relazing. A punch of any color can be used to give one more step of dimenion. 

Gray is the ultimate neutral. It looks good with almost any color and ranges from cool to warm.

A gray palette works well in a room with a rustic country motif. The weathered gray hutch stands out against the light gray walls. 

The gray blue hue also works well in contemporary settings. The dark gray brings an elegant touch to the otherwise minimal décor. 

Dark Gray gives this formal dining room a dramatic flair. Chairs upholstered in the same gray hue create a luxurious setting. The brown in the chandelier, mirror and chair frames, bring out the brown undertone in the walls and connect the rooms elements. 

A palette of bright white and charcoal creates a serene bedroom.

Velvet in a smoky gray and charcoal gray