Decorating a Bookcase for a Contemporary Style

More and more I'm finding that a lot of my clients are shifting from Traditional decor to a more simple and contemporary look. "Clean lines" and "less clutter" are buzz words for this Transitional style. But too often a "less cluttered bookshelf" is a total oxymoron.

So how to fill a bookshelf

for the Modern or Transitional decor?

One way that I LOVE, is to use a monochromatic color scheme.

In this picture, that color is white. All the books have been recovered with jackets made from the same color paper. If you remember from grammar school how to cover a book, you can do this too. Is this stunning, or what? Notice that there are no accessories. This too adds to the minimalism and therefore the contemporary style and decor.

Here's another way to achieve a monochramatic look. For this bookshelf, they have taken TWO colors and used varying values of each...everthing in the same 2 colors, different shades. I love this bookshelf because it could work for both contemporary AND traditional. Imagine changing the 2 traditional chairs that are shown for some that are mid-century modern...they'd be right at home...even with the same bookshelf.

"A house without books is like a room without windows." - Heinrich Mann

Till Next Time,

Alba

Royal Palms and Beach Condominiums

This week's Newsletter is on choosing the right type of tree for your specific decor....so speaking of trees...it should come as no surprise that MY favorite tree is the national tree of Cuba: The Royal Palm


I just returned from spending 10 days in Florida. Royal Palms can be found ALL over Central and South Florida. With their tall, majestic, thick, white trunks...I was in Palm Heaven!

Royal Palms line a residential street in a friend's neighborhood in Miami Lakes.

More Palm-lined streets..this one on the Gulf Coast in Naples

But palm sightseeing was not the only thing I did in Florida. I got to spend time with friends and family...THAT was the best part! (check out those photos on Facebook).

A close second, however, was getting

to decorate a condo in Bonita Springs.

Bonita Springs is a small beach community on the gulf shore near Naples. The requirements were to fill an empty condo, into a comfortable, durable, casual yet classic.."beachy" feel! I was SO excited. How often does a Dallas designer get to do "beachy"? The challenge was to accomplish this without overdoing the "beachy" theme.

Theme decor is tricky, but if you use restraint, it can translate into a classic design that will last for years. For our "beachy" look, we painted the walls in "sand" tones, used a "sea-foam" colored sofa in a microfiber for durability and brought in painted furniture in light tones. The "beachy" was accomplished with the use of accessories and textures that you typically find in tropical decor...shells, starfish, wicker, rattan, ferns, etc. The use of contemporary art elevates the design to an updated, yet classic space.

The main living area

By keeping the "theme" to accessories, the decor remains classic AND versatile.

The master bedroom in tranquil tones of sand and water.

The condo turned out spectacular! I had a lot of fun and I know they will enjoy it for many years.

If you're thinking about incorporating a "theme" in ANY room, give me a call. Done right, it can make the difference between tacky or not...

Adios...for now,

Alba