Let's talk turquoise

We've been noticing a resurgence of turquoise in home decor lately . . . and we love it.

The July-August 2012 issue of Elle Decoration (French) included some inspirational shots of turquoise -- including a lighter and a darker shade here:

Another page from the magazine shows a bright and happy turquoise accent wall:

We love how the bright yellows, greens, pinks and reds used elsewhere in the room just pop against the turquoise.

Houzz recently featured two ideabooks starring turquoise. One showcased a sophisticated Berkeley home, designed by Cheryl Burke, and this lovely wall.

The color is Benjamin Moore Galapagos Turquoise.

Another great Houzz ideabook offers sound advice for working with turquoise. We are crazy about the combination of colors shown here:

Design by CapeRace Cultural Adventures

The three shades of blue/turquoise with the bright yellow door and crisp white trim and floors -- beautiful!

And Jill's own dining room wall was painted turquoise last Fall . . .

Maybe it's time for us to revisit turquoise too!

Five Fave Updates for Fall

We know that Fall doesn't officially arrive until September 22, but it definitely feels like summer is ending. Maybe it's the sound of kids walking to school outside my front window, or maybe it's the fat Fall issue of Vogue that's in the mailbox . . . the seasons are getting ready to change.

You might be in the mood for some changes in your home decor as well. Here are five easy things you can do to introduce a new burst of seasonal energy in your home.

Add some green. Try a brighter, deeper green on an accent wall, or just on one piece in your room.

In this home office, we used Benjamin Moore's Dill Pickle on one wall, as well as bits of green in the accessories (colored pencils and file folders). We also love Split Pea from Benjamin Moore, which we painted on this bedroom accent wall and then picked up in the pillows, below.

Place a pouf. We've written about our love for poufs before. Fall is a great time to incorporate a pouf in a deep jewel tone or a strong neutral.

Here we've teamed a gray Moroccan pouf with the Everett Striped Chair from West Elm . . . which brings us to our next idea . . .

Go gray. OK, maybe not your hair, but how about your walls? Or a sofa? Or a rug? As we said last month, gray is really the freshest neutral for your home.

Pick a printed or patterned pillow. A new trend we're loving is two-sided pillows, each featuring a different color or pattern.

Both of these fun pillows are from Anthropologie, always a great place for unique home items.

It's like getting two pillows for the price of one. Just a single new patterned pillow can really wake up your sofa or bed.

And finally, incorporate a personal artifact into your decorating. Maybe it's a painting you bought on the streets of Spain, or some shells you picked up on your summer beach trip. Below, Lauran hung an old metal winery sign that she got at an Italian flea market (and hand carried back on the plane home!) in her dining room.

To add a little "zen" to her home, Jill showcases a Balinese sculpture and prayer beads that she bought at The Dry Garden Nursery.

Try one or two of these ideas this Labor Day weekend . . . and your home will be ready for the changing seasons.

Tahiti Style!

Jill just returned from her honeymoon in Tahiti, and she brought great decorating ideas home with her! She fell in love with the bright tribal motifs all around the islands. Check out the assortment of pareus she chose:

These colorful sheets of fabric can be used in different ways . . . of course you can wear them, as Jill is here:

Or lay them across your bed to add some color to your room!

Jill also purchased some original paintings that are a modern interpretation of tribal art. We love the balance of neutral and pop of orange!

Remember -- when you travel, even just to a new city, take a look around and see what treasures you can find. Jill says some of her favorite decor items are those she's picked up on her vacations, because they are authentic and original, and reflect the particular culture of her destination.

And we'll leave you with a vision of where these lovely pareus came from . . .

A colorful, wonderful wedding!

Posted by Lauran

Last weekend Jill hosted her own wedding reception in her Berkeley home -- and her friends and family reveled among the bright flowers and joyous decor.

Bold colors filled the space -- from the lanterns hanging from the trees, to the tablecloths, to the napkins, and even the soda pop selection!

A wonderful dessert table from Cafe Clem!

Jill truly transformed her backyard into a candy-colored wonderland. (I personally love how the whole soiree matches our Visual Jill logo!)

Congratulations to Jill and David, who are now soaking up the sun in Tahiti!