Pepper Design Blog

Happy Labor Day!

Hope you’re having a restful and relaxing Labor Day! Here’s to a full Monday of catching up on the to-do list, BBQing in the sand somewhere or just sleeping in a bit later than usual…

*An inspiring vintage-accented Labor Day party can be found here
*Dig in to this delicious BBQ menu here
*Spoil everyone with one of these red, white & blue desserts
*Or serve up a cool summer drink from this yummy list

Sweets Indeed created this American-themed party complete with paper pinwheels and a very mouth watering dessert table. Check out more great photos over at Celebrations At Home.

Rooms Inspired by the Month of July

Pulling together my favorite inspirational images for the month is one of my favorite posts… and July was so fun to concentrate on. (More Rooms Inspired by the Month over here).

What comes to mind this time of the year is one of my husband and my’s favorite things to do, which is sail the sea. We have a 25′ MacGregor – aptly named ‘Madness’ – that Kevin bought pre-marriage. He’s put plenty of love into the boat and takes her out at every opportunity!

Nautical themes are calming and serene – and the marine blues, navys and whites work beautifully with pops of red (which reminds me of another great July holiday…). So without further ado, here’s a little July inspiration…

Crisp white is refreshing and wonderful!

I love the look of cottage decor, natural elements (like jute rugs and woven baskets) as well as stripes, gingham and seagrass.

This next room is my favorite – I love the map decor on the walls, the storage baskets, and the striped duvet and pillows. What a great boys room!

I got a bit carried away with nautical inspiration… so there are many more great photos after the jump. Read more »

The Living Room Gets a Cozy Lift

I’ve procrastinated long enough… it’s finally time to get some pictures posted on the living room progress.

As you might remember, the Before shot was just before we moved in. After a bit of painting, several diy projects and finally a whole lotta assembly, here’s where we stand:

I see little holes and spaces that need attention! But I’ve decided this is my palette to grow on so as it gets minor tweaks and updates, I look forward to sharing all of the fun details.

Neutrals remained the theme of the room and I couldn’t be happier with how the soft wool curtains and dark furniture help to set a base for the crisp whites and bold coral colors. Here’s a link to the original inspiration boards back when color combos were being discussed.

Here are a few of my favorite details:

I love picture collages so it’s no surprise that I’ve found a way to fill this space with three (too many?). One symmetrical version behind the sofa, one wedding grouping above the mantel (I’m still playing with a mirror there – the survey from a week ago was pretty divided!) and one next to the bookshelf and above the “man” chair (aka the huge leather chair that the hubby rightfully claims as his own).

My coffee table-turned-bench has found the perfect spot below our big window and I am still oh-so in love with the suzani print. Jeanne McGee did a rockin’ job on the brown zinnia custom lampshade and I’m thrilled with the splash of pattern it adds!

Storage was critical for us and we found a way to squeeze everything in through baskets, an awesome ‘pouf’ that hides a bajillion blankets, a bar that doubles as a tv stand, as well as sneaky spaces like a coffee table that holds board games, etc. below it’s surface.

Every photo is sentimental, every painting important to us in someway (be it our love of sailing, artwork by Kevin’s mom or diy projects soon to be shared…) and it’s special to know that the space was hand crafted over time with much love.

Sources to come… thanks for sharing the design process with me!

{Summer Inspiration} for a Red & Teal Dinner Party

Kevin and I love to host impromptu dinner parties every couple of weeks at the house. We might find ribs perfect for smoking on sale at the grocery store that morning or perhaps Kev just carbonated another round of his favorite home brew (we always have a batch going…) but by 7 that night we love nothing more than good friends and good food crowded around the outdoor fireplace.

So while we keep it mellow… I couldn’t help but recently be inspired by a fancier version of an outdoor dinner party. SMP recently featured this red & teal San Francisco-themed spread (and all of the gorgeous details) by photographer Edyta Szyszylo.

I love love the printed tablecloth (so easy to make yourself with a fabric remnant and a bit of hem tape or spray glue) and the brilliant green viburnum (hydrangea’s little sister) centerpiece made out of a thrift store two-tiered planter.

Details: “Brocade and broach napkin rings, vintage demitasse cups as favors and place card holders, as well as the wrought iron lounge furniture were all added for Victorian appeal. The gold-rimmed dinnerware, gold flatware, gold dining chairs and gold-rimmed wine glasses added some glamour and elegance to our outdoor setting.”

To keep the photo gallery going… follow the jump for a many more delicious pictures! Read more »