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!

Gray -- the fashionable neutral

Tired of beige walls? Want a new alternative to your stand-by black pants? It's time to check out gray -- the freshest neutral in both fashion and home design.

We've built a Pinterest board showcasing some of the best gray:

Here's a closer look at a few of our favorites:

via Pinterest, via Satsuki Shibuya

via Pinterest, via Jaime Derringer

via Pinterest, via Afro Chic, from design*sponge

This week's email from West Elm also features gray (or "graphite", a more glamorous name):

We just used two soft grays in a living room, and we love the results!

photo by Lisa Ratner

The darker gray on the left is Coventry Gray, and the lighter on the other two walls is Horizon (both Benjamin Moore):

A word of warning about grays: they can look really different from the color cards when painted on your walls, depending on the light. We've found that many can end up looking purple or lavender. And these I've shown here look almost green on my screen -- not so in person. So always test your color selections before you buy that big gallon!

Fresh colors help sell a home

Last week we staged our biggest project yet -- a 3-bedroom, 3-bath (plus office) home with an in-law apartment in the back. We were really happy with the results, and so were the developer (who hired us) and the real estate agent! After just one open house, they are expecting several offers this week.

Take a look at the photos below, all shot by the talented Lisa Ratner.

Family room

Living room

Dining room

Office

Kids room

In-law apartment

What made this house so sellable? First of all, the developers did an excellent job. All the material selections -- lighting fixtures, tile, cabinets, etc. -- were spot on, and their work was high-quality. The floor plan was very livable and the home got lots of light.

As far as our contributions, the two top reasons the staging worked so well are:

1. Color choices. We selected a modern fresh palette based on light grays, warm white trim and pops of citrus colors. Note the yellow bedroom, the orange accessories in the in-law, and the green accent walls in the dining room, office and family room.

2. Mixing old and new items. In our staging we take advantage of some Ikea favorites as well as Eames classics, flea market finds as well as new CB2. It's all about mixing the vintage, modern, bold and good old stand-bys.

Knock knock! Who's there? COLOR!

Want your house to stand out from the others on the block? Try painting your front door a bright, cheerful color. We just completed a big Style to Sell job in Berkeley, which included choosing all the paint colors, inside and out. We jumped at the chance to select citron for the front door. We love it with the beautiful gray and clean white trim.

Here's the front door of the main house . . .

And the front door of the in-law apartment in back.

They are actually the same colors, although the lighting makes them look different.

Here's some more bright door inspiration for you!

(via Pinterest, via bhg)

(via Pinterest, via the stir.cafemom.com)

(via Pinterest, via apartmenttherapy)

The Power of the Pouf

We love poufs. You can sit on them, but they're more comfy than stools. You can put your feet up on them, but they're cuter than a typical ottoman. And you can balance a drink on them, yet they're much softer than a side table.

Our preferred pouf right now is the round leather Moroccan version.

We used a silver and an orange in this client's home. The orange is repeated in the pillows, while the silver picks up the chrome in the lamp and kitchen appliances. These were purchased from Jonathan Adler, who offers a great assortment of bright colors.

Flash sale sites such as Joss & Main occasionally feature them too, so keep your eyes open! Here's a great shot of these Moroccan beauties in action.

(via Pinterest, via Tracey Grant)

In another client's home, we chose a different type of pouf -- also Moroccan, but a completely different style.

Notice how the rustic dark leather contrasts with the clean lines of the sofa and the lighter tans throughout the room.

There are so many great pouf possibilities out there! We love how this intricately embroidered piece mixes a bit of elegance into the rustic beachy feel of this space.

(via Pinterest, via K. Frances)

Need an extra seat? Craving another pop of color? Just pull up a pouf!

Modern Goes Global

The global decorating trend is still going strong. It's easier than ever to find unique objects that can take your home from "modern" to "modern eclectic."

For example, we just discovered a local treasure called Ring of Fire, which imports goods from Bali and Southeast Asia. Look at these colors and textures -- so inspiring!

Used strategically, these treasures can really add an extra pop to an otherwise modern space. We picked up a few of these gorgeous umbrellas to brighten up our backyard . . .

. . . and we found these beautiful white boxes that add an exotic touch to our modern orange bench.

And check out this painting, created by a Balinese street artist -- you'd think we bought it in a gallery rather than an import store!

Here in Berkeley, there are many import stores that offer eclectic decor options. For Moroccan treasures, check out Sahara, and African Fashion, Gifts and Crafts Center is full of goods from all over Africa.

Many major retailers have also jumped on the global bandwagon. West Elm's newest collection includes pieces created by Potter's Workshop, a South African artist collective.

Also at West Elm are the Kuba Benches, covered in a traditional handwoven Congolese textile called Kuba cloth. Each is one-of-a-kind.

And CB2 offers "One of a Finds"-- described as "original works created in collaboration with passionate artisans we discover on our travels around the world."

You can make a big impact in your home by adding unexpected items, especially when they're from another part of the world. Use an Indian sari as a tablecloth, or put your mail in a handwoven basket from Guatemala. Keep your eyes open for unique finds -- and bring a global touch to your modern space.