How to Dress a Console

Today my sister asked me for inspiration in dressing a low bookshelf in her living room.  I have always enjoyed adding a personal touch with souvenirs and pretty things brought back from travels but really, anything goes.  Flowers make an obvious addition of colour and vases are always fun to find as they come in all materials, shapes and sizes.  Dishes, trays, lamps, letters, books, ceramic figures, picture frames and mirrors also make for interesting objects to display. I believe that as long as you make it your own and add something that says a little about who you are, you can pretty much put anything that you like to look at on a table...

 

Inspiration---Lauren Bradshaw's Home

Last week, Design Sponge posted photos of Lauren Bradshaw's Orlando home and I couldn't help but put them up as well.  I love that this house feels so simple and comfortable at first glance but that a further look shows how every detail is carefully planned.  The subtle colours of the wall are surprisingly welcoming and the variety of little objects around the house say so much about the owners' personalities and seem to have a history themselves.  In the small article accompanying the photos, the owner Lauren states that her husband Joey wants the house to resemble a museum of curiosities and, while she herself is not particularly fond of that look, together they have reached a nice balance. 

The result is amazingly simple, classy and unique.  I wish to learn from this space and how livable it feels.  I am often drawn to pretty objects and, having expensive taste, it can sometimes end up looking like a showroom where the pillows are to be looked at and not played with and where one must take their shoes off and keep their feet off the couch.  I really want for people, including my boyfriend, to feel comfortable around the house and this is a perfect example to inspire me.