Decorating How-Tos from Ballard Designs

Ballard Designs has a great feature on their website called "Style Studio." It's full of decorating tips and inspirational photos. Step-by-step instructions are included to help the craft-challenged achieve the looks!

Here are some Christmas mantels they are featuring:

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They also have some pretty front door ideas:

A pretty staircase with animal-print ribbon:

They even have a bow-making tutorial!

I also really love the "Customer Homes" section, with real photos from actual homes:

Before and After

Here is my dining room as it looked when we first walked through our house. As is the trend (which I disagree with), the owner had "neutralized" everything, so it was a very boring white on white that did not show off the great mouldings at all. I did it a traditional red as I love a cozy dining room, and man is it easy to decorate for Christmas! My little key lime trees have done really well in front of the windows and have grown several feet since I got them. I chose not to do curtains because I like the natural look of the trees against the windows and feel like that is enough decoration.

The chandelier is from Ballard Designs about three years ago. The black and white prints are photos I took in Sydney, Australia and had printed on canvas at Kinko's. I have two leaves for the dining room table, but like to leave them out for every day. We have lots of nice extended-family dinners in this room, and I can't wait for the holidays already!

Foyer Rug

The foyer painting is underway and I'm really happy with the Walnut color. Although, I discovered that Home Depot is discontinuing Ralph Lauren paint so I had to have it color-matched with Behr Ultra Premium. I'm very happy with this new paint. It has primer mixed in and I can probably get away with just one coat on the rolled areas.

Now I'm looking for a new runner. I can do a 5x7 in front of the door, but because I'm going to place an antique chair and ceramic garden stool there, I want to balance with some pattern down the long, narrow part of the hall.

Here are some I'm considering: Above, from West Elm.

Above, from World Market. I like the touches of color - they would help tie it into my surrounding rooms, including the red dining room.

The rest are from Ballard Designs; another plus here is that I get a designer discount and upgraded shipping. Above, crewel work is back in a big way and a nice mix between traditional and modern.

I wouldn't mind adding some blue to the foyer with this one, but it might be too modern.

I love the poetry rug! The neutral colors tone it down a bit, and I like the uniqueness of it.

Two different views of an indoor/outdoor from Ballard. It's made from recycled plastic bottles! Love the pattern but I'm afraid it might not have enough weight to it.

What do you think?

Ballard Designs

I've been a big fan of Ballard Designs for years. They have some great and affordable wallpaper, which is very in and very rich-looking right now. These are two of my favorites; one Asian-inspired and the modern trellis.

You could add one of these great mirrors as an accent. I did the antiqued tall mirrors for a client several years ago and I still love them now.

Lastly, this petite chandelier. Pretty in a bed or bath.