Kim Asamoa-Tutu's weekly ponderings on all things decor related from Chicago area design events, diy projects, as well as what inspires me all over the world.
This is from my own apartment. The tree branches and birds are actually just a simple to put up wall decal! You can order from http://www.modernwallgraphics.com/ . The image on the right are my curtains from Ikea, but alas they have been discontinued.
This plate just makes me smile. This one and more designs are available at http://www.anthropologie.com/.
Gorgeous wallpaper, again from http://www.anthropologie.com/. Some day when I have a house I am going to put up some great wallpaper. There are so many modern designs out today that I love.
I die for this caribou head made out of resin. It is available through http://www.ateliierabigailahern.com/. This one may be on my wish list for a very long time as it's a rather expensive one. 
The first idea was on arranging large stems or branches in a large vase. They recommended using an odd number of branches because it ends up looking better visually. You can criss-cross the branches into the vase and keep adding until it looks full enough. Also with the faux flowers you can bend and move the branches to help them to have more depth.
Here is a mid-sized vase and flowers. This arrangement works best in a cylindrical vase rather than square. With square vases you always need a larger grouping of flowers to fill in the vase.
You may not be able to see what this is clearly but they gave the suggestion of using a pop bottle with the top cut off and placing it inside the square vase in order to hold the flowers together better. I love this idea! It is inexpensive and easy.
These hydrangeas are one of my favorites. They fit really well into square vases since they're such a full flower. The faux flower stems needed to be bent in these vases, which doesn't look very good, so you can add a fun vase filler. Here, on the left, they used faux limes and moss and it looked beautiful.
Here they used a large leaf to wrap around the stems of these flowers in the bottom of the vase.
This is one of Pottery Barn's new lanterns with large branches. You could use real branches here again by using a large soda bottle with the top cut off and filled with water placed inside the lantern.
This arrangement has some larger flowers in the center and the tallest part of the arrangement, then going down and out from there are the smaller purple flowers. You start with the tallest in the middle and work down from there. 
They also recommended finding different things around your home to use as vases like pitchers, creamers, shot glasses, etc. You could use shot glasses, creamers, tiny bud vases for place cards at a table.
Here they have even used a coffee cup with some faux and some real flowers. You can use just greenery which is really pretty on it's own as well.
Daffodils and tulips were in full bloom and just beautiful.
Here is a gorgeous sculpture overlooking the pond.
It reminded me of Holland, Michigan's Tulip Time!
They said in a couple of weeks the lilacs will be blooming, which are my absolute favorite flower. I will be back then for sure.
Who knew they'd have adorable clothes at an antique show.
Seeing I am a 100% dutch girl from Holland, Michigan I adore this little windmill lamp.
This space was Scarlett Scales Antiques and I was so inspired by their set up and gorgeous antiques. I was kind of bummed to find out later they are actually located in Tennessee because I'd love to go back and see more! You can check out their website at www.scarlettscales.com. It will not disappoint.
If you click on this picture to make it larger you can see the backs of the chairs are fish! I love it. If I had a cottage I would decorate the whole place in antiques and flea market finds. They just have so much character to them.
I have become obsessed with owls lately, so this planter was my absolute favorite find of the day. Unfortunately I didn't buy it since I'd have to haul it home on a train. Hopefully I'll be able to order it eventually.
A couple of great chairs.
I love the architectural pieces they used to make these lamps. Definitely inspired me to try to make something like that myself.
There were tons of different patterns and textured all thrown together and it made me want to go home and add a ton more patterned textiles to my own place. I love how nothing matches perfectly and looks just effortlessly put together. Like here the pillows, settee, and rug are all different patterns but it totally works. Fashion seems to be going this way lately too. Nothing too matchy matchy.
This lamp was in the home office designed by Tony Stavish. Everything was environmentally friendly in this room, which I love! The lamp shade is made out of recycled newsprint from Creative Visions. The wall covering is hand-made grass cloth. The texture really added a lot to the room.
The bathroom is from the Kohler Store, designer William Collins. I would love to have a bathroom like this. I could totally see myself taking a bubble bath with a nice glass of wine.
Here is the bedroom designed by Jeannie Balsam. I love the colors here! Again you can see a lot of different textures with the velvet chairs, orange bench wrapped in Edelman European hair-on cowhide, the patterned wallpaper and venetian plaster look on the wall with the fireplace. It would be a luxious place to relax in after a long day.
This is the dining room designed by Lisa Simeone and Gina Deary. They were inspired by 1930's and 40's jazz music (which I am so into right now) and nightclubs of that time period. I love the dark edgy feel it evokes.
This is the outdoor patio designed by Schmechtig Landscapes and Inex-teriors.
Here are pictures of the Foyer designed by Summer Thornton. In the words of Rachel Zoe, I die for this room! It was my absolute favorite, hence why there are so many pictures. It totally reminds me of Alice in Wonderland but was designed prior to the movie coming out. The concept was "exaggerated rality" which you can really see. Again tons of patterns and mismatched colors that still work amazingly well together.
If you look really closely you can see this adorable gold owl that is holding business cards. I love!
I desperately want these stools, maybe with a different fabric for my own place. And check out the legs on the table!
This is set up with the bar. The chair is my favorite.
You can't see the wallpaper that well in my pictures but it was gorgeous.
There were a few other rooms I didn't get any pictures of, so I hope you get a chance yourself to go see it. It is well worth it.
