Filed In: interiors

interior inspiration | design plans

We’ve been in our new house for about a month now. We’ve been working like crazy but there are still boxes everywhere and it needs a lot more love. I had a few ideas about the feeling I wanted to achieve for the space before we moved in – a calming color palette, white walls, just a really laid back vibe that looks really comfortable – and lately I’ve been looking for interior inspiration nonstop. These photos are roughly what I have in mind for the entry, formal living and dining room. Since the rooms are open to each other I want to utilize the same neutral palette in both spaces – full of whites, woods, natural materials adding pops of color with art and accessories.interior color palette | palettes and passports blogI have an obsession with white right now so I’m trying to be aware of that and not go too overboard. My method for choosing the paint was pretty simple. I picked out a few different swatches and narrowed it down to three different samples. After testing them out on the walls, we decided on Super White in a matte finish by Sherwin Williams. I may be bringing in some other colors down the road and maybe wallpaper, but for now I’m loving the look of a clean, blank slate. We’ve already invested in a few new pieces of furniture like a dining room table but I don’t intend to completely fill the rooms right away. I think a home feels best when accumulated over time with items that remind me of the places I’ve been and the people I love. Plus we enjoy using our hands so we’d like to build or DIY a few pieces of furniture for our space too. Moving into a new home takes a lot of time, work, patience and money!interior color palette | palettes and passports blog

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eye candy 05 | fruity and floral

This week I am dreaming in pink and yellow with a touch of teal. I love the mix of fruity prints with graphic elements and floral artworks like Emily Ferretti’s Planted Falls or Alicia Galer’s Potted Garden. Here are the images that inspired me this week –

eye candy fruity and floral | palettes and passports blogferretti | solis | taylor | vermeiren | mccombie | bravo | paganini | galer

for your home | fresh ideas for wall treatments

Whether it’s a bathroom, living room or a bedroom, I’m always looking for ways to spice up our space, and a unique wall treatment can be a great way to do just that. I’m really drawn to the geometric painted walls, but more realistically I’m thinking a simple black and white pattern like the polka dots or the triangles might be a better, more timeless option. So do you too have a white wall that needs a little something? Take inspiration from these fresh ideas for wall treatments –

half painted walls | fresh ideas for wall treatments via palettes and passports blog1 | 2 | 3 | 4

Half-painted walls are a good way to experiment with adding color to a room without committing to painting the entire wall. It gives you a splash of color while still leaving some white space to play with, and it’s certainly less dramatic than four hot pink walls.  

wood walls |fresh ideas fro wall treatments via palettes and passports blog1 | 2 | 3 | 4

How about an accent wall completely covered in reclaimed wood? Salvaged, stained, weathered or distressed, wood planking on a wall can add a rustic look to any space. This is a great project for anyone who wants to add warmth and texture to a room and can embrace the natural imperfections of the wood.

wall mural | fresh ideas for wall treatments via palettes and passports blog1 | 2

Transform white walls into a small art gallery with a mural. Fill up the whole wall or accent a piece of furniture like they did with this headboard. I’m particularly drawn to linework murals like these because they are simple and classic and aren’t shaded or colored in.

paint outside the box | fresh ideas for wall treatments via palettes and passports blog1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8

Bold accent walls are very popular these days. It’s the easiest way to turn a boring wall into a feature wall, but let’s think outside the box a little. Use different colors to create unexpected borders, accent doorways or windowsills, invent new lines or shapes and don’t stop at the ceiling or the floor, keep going!

pattern walls | fresh ideas for wall treatments via palettes and passports blog1 | 2 | 3 | 4

Jazz up a small bathroom or a wall in a bedroom with a pattern. If you have a bold colored room, patterns can help to break it up a bit, and if you have a neutral palette it can add some interest. They can be fun and funky, cool and classic or modern and minimalist. I especially like polka dots, which seem to be popping up everywhere and are one of my favorite current design trends. 

geometric walls | fresh ideas for wall treatments via palettes and passports blog1 | 2 | 34

Geometric walls are abstract, energetic and can bring a variety of colors into a space. I love the idea of creating a unique and customized wall paint pattern. You can get this look with wallpaper but painting it yourself would be less expensive and much more fun!

map walls | fresh ideas for wall treatments via palettes and passports blog

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I’ve always been drawn to spaces that feature maps. I think it adds a fun and whimsical touch especially in a kid’s room or playroom and creates a great focal point in an office or dining room. Consider picking out a map that has meaning like your favorite vacation spot, your hometown or family origin location and then it will always have a place in your home.

There are some amazing options out there. I’m curious, what have you done or what would you choose?

 

eye candy 04 | spring

This week’s eye candy is inspired by spring – pretty blooms, chirping birds and all the things that make you feel like coming out of hibernation and starting fresh. It’s my favorite time of year for bike rides, diy projects, fresh pineapple and getting out the camera and capturing the beauty of a new season. These are the beautiful pieces of art that caught my attention –

eye candy spring | palettes and passports blogmayville | sanchez | arondowsett | couchman | dro | capricho

 

weekly wander 01

photographers we are the rhoads photographers we are the rhoadsphoto credit we are the rhoads

Slowly but surely it’s beginning to feel like spring around here. There’s something in the air and I’m ready to explore and go on an adventure. I just keep thinking about packing my bags and taking a long road trip somewhere – great food, beautiful scenery, quirky boutiques, anywhere is good and everything is new. Here are a few things inspiring my wanderlust this week –

Traveler’s guide with an insider’s feel – Wildsam is a series of small books filled to the brim with information including interviews, hand-drawn maps, reflections and essays. Travel aficionados and natives will both love these little books which are equal parts travel guide and tribute. Wildsam has already released guides for Nashville, Austin and San Francisco and have plans to release four new field guides this year – Detroit and Brooklyn in the spring and another two in the fall.

Charming corner store – Amber Clohesy and her husband Ben run the neighborhood shop The Woodsfolk Family Store in Melbourne, Australia specializing in home goods and sweet gifts. The store stocks a wide range of products including locally handmade items such as dream catchers, cushions and tea towels, dozens of items from the US like greeting cards, leather goods, bags and camp stools and their entire line of products from their wholesale business Down to the Woods. I have a feeling I could spend hours in a shop like this.

Take me away – I love these photos taken by photographer Jennifer Chong from her recent trip to Argentina. Just looking at them makes me want to jet off to an exotic location. Iguazu Falls is high on my list of adventures the next time I find myself in South America. See more of Jennifer’s travels here.