TWEAKS+inspiration : Are You Inspiring Your Rooms?
All of a sudden, spring is here and my front yard lavender is having a moment. A coupIe of years ago, I designed our garden as one I'd imagine was in the Mediterranean. After all, in the Bay Area, we have the same climate. A neighbor who watched our house being built in1990, told us that the Israeli architect/owner's inspiration was a Mediterranean seaside villa near Tel Aviv. I could happily live with that inspiration! Having a specific inspiration for my rooms is helpful as it keeps me on the straight and narrow whenever I think of trying a dark, moody room or an English flower garden. My mantra is "Keep it Mediterranean."
Last summer, John&Jim took me to RH Marin where I fell hard for the hundreds-of-years-old olive trees in the store's courtyard. That soft grayish-green leaf color on the ancient symbol of peace is an irresistible combination. How could I bring olive branches into my rooms?
It was easy once I discovered olive branches provide a lush greenness to any decor. In my study, there's a branch on my desk.
In the bookcase, I have a couple more branches peeking out of an Italian white vase.
And on the study's counter, another branch. Oh, and that sweet cow face is a watercolor by my great niece, Hannah, age 13.
In the main floor bathroom, I put two olive branches in a white fish gurgle vase. Do you like a little greenery in the bathroom?
Here's a closeup of the bathroom counter.
This month, I found a white pitcher at HomeGoods ($9.99) - perfect for two olive branches. Be sure to bend the branches to look more lifelike.
I'm sure you know by now that I'm not using real olive branches around my rooms. If you see real ones at a flower market, they are super expensive. Pottery Barn sells this artificial stem with 7 branches, 22" tall for -and I kid you not - $59. IKEA's SMYCA stem is 29 ½" tall and sells for $6.99 each. These options were too expensive.
Amazon to the rescue. Five 28" branches for $20. I don't need the height but the stems easily bend to fit inside a container. They are lifelike and I've had such a fun time using them. They really are the perfect color of a grayish green, adding calm and peace to my rooms.
My Mediterranean inspiration continues on the front porch as the planters are filled with two types of oregano. Thanks to the rain, they've really grown since last fall. I love catching a whiff of what I imagine a Mediterranean hillside villa smells like. No matter what your inspiration for your rooms is, why not add some greenery? Happy Sunday and Go Warriors! (Maybe there's one spot where Green isn't necessary if you get my drift.)
PS ~ For the two-part redo of my front yard, please see:
And for more about buying an ancient olive tree in Northern California,
check out the website of the growerswho supply the olive trees to the RH stores.
https://www.largeolivetrees.com. Fascinating!
