Pepper Design Blog

Favorite Trend: Faux Antlers

I fell in love with the little fella below when I was wandering the racks at Kohls for last-minute Christmas shopping this past weekend.

I kind of have a thing for ceramic animals (and antlers!) and have always felt that they add a little special and contemporary something to a room.

Bringing him home made me wonder what other inspiration is out there for decorating with faux antlers throughout the house.

The search was on and it produced some seriously beautiful results:

Can you spot the antlers? It’s kind of like a Where’s Waldo for deer heads… each of these homes creatively showcase their version in a different way.

Plus this is sort of the perfect time of year to add them to your space, no?

I don’t know how I feel about the real deal – I think I prefer the animal-friendly, crisp white versions for now (and on the pro side, they won’t turn your living room into a hunting lodge decorating-wise).

And here’s the last of them! Mmm, love the look. It’s bold and maybe a bit trendy, but they sure look darn good in these inspirational spaces.

Image sources from top: Flickr “It’s Great to be Home”, DecorPad, Graham and Green, Young House Love, Bower Power, Made by Girl’s living room via Hygge Nook, Decor8, Domino Magazine, Lonny Magazine via Things We Love, Style Files, Just Something I Made and House Beautiful.

Four days until Christmas!

Favorite Trend: Grasscloth, Linen & Burlap

I’m very much a fan of these three materials year round, but they’re even more appropriate now that it’s fall (a simple burlap runner or squares makes the perfect base for a fall tablescape!).

There’s something about the natural texture of grasscloth that is both warm and inviting – and very modern. And linen is a great material for lampshades, covering a corkboard or a few extra throw pillows, it brings in that country/autumn feel that helps keep a room cozy. There are so many diy projects to be found using any one of the above ideas, here is a bit of my favorite inspiration and I’m thinking a single wall in our soon-to-be new office would be the perfect place to try these out.

The entire inspiration board above is amazing – each room showcases an eclectic mix of design that when pulled together appears polished and well-thoughtout. Mixing chinoiserie, bamboo and grasscloth? No problem. Throw in a modern trellis print? Why not.

Camila over at High-Heeled Foot in the Door shared this great grasscloth source (that beat out even Lowes!) when she covered the ceilings in her kitchen.

Or, for a more do-it-yourself approach, here’s a tutorial on creating a linen look for less with paint by Janell of Isabella & Max Rooms. She covered an accent wall in the bedroom and it turned out beautifully!

Why stop with rooms when linen makes such a neat fashion statement! Still Dottie created these brooches (just below) to be worn in the hair, on a belt or pinned to a sweater and I love the look. A recovered set of French chairs in a rugged burlap makes a great statement piece as well.

Grasscloth, linen and burlap are year-round materials, but I think that this is the perfect time of year to make some room in the home for the new textures. More ‘Favorite Trends’ found here .

Sources, starting from top: Linen Bouquet, Odi et Amo, Ashley Whittaker, Marshall Watson on House Beautiful, Angie Hranowsky, Waterleaf Interiors, Canadian House & Home, Jeffrey Bilhuber, The Yellow House, Willey Design, Remodelista, Apartment Therapy

Painter’s Tape + Fabric = Handmade Pillows

Here’s a great tutorial by How About Orange on how to create your own uniquely patterned fabric.

With a bit of fabric (a remnant sized piece will do), painter’s tape, a foam brush and fabric paint the possibilities are endless. Throw pillows, a table runner, even a lampshade covering like this one. I love this geometric pattern but stamped fabric (more inspiration here and here) would look great as well.

Beautiful! Especially for a hard-to-find print for a complete DIY project. FULL instructions and more images here!