Its a buffalo check stampede......

Posted by Mr Wong at 4:34 AM 0

Good morning to you! Yay, its the weekend! What are you up to? We have a party, a few games, and driving to Pennsylvania early Sunday.  Hope you read all about my exciting Homegoods news and the fabulous $500 giftcard giveaway, if not click here to be eligible, you don't want to miss out! Thanks for all of your kind messages, it was  an exciting and flattering validation of what I do, so thank you Homegoods!  I will announce a winner on Monday morning.

Funny I was never a huge check kind of girl. But somehow over the years, they have really grown on me. I mean REALLY grown on me. Thanks Charles Faudree and Bunny and Carolyn and countless other talented designers who have made me a convert.   I think the first time I fell in love with a room was one in Charles's books...of a gorgeous room filled with buffalo checked covered furniture. It was so charming, warm  yet sophisticated, my favorite look. 

Since then I an consistently drawn to the versatile, always elegant yet inviting look of buffalo checks. There are so many ways to use them, in all the many colors.....how about you? Do you like them? Have you decorated with them? Would you? I used a smaller buffalo check in my back powder room and have a chair in my living room in buffalo check silk. Today's a tribute to this wonderful print.......what do you think? Let me know! Feast your eyes on these........

Charm galore! Patricia Fisher designed this wondeful breakfast setting

How charming is this kitchen? Its a love for me!

Love Joy Tribaut's take on buffalo checks...so fresh and sophisticated!

Even in a most formal room such as this one in a Maurice Fatio home, the mini check is very much at home!

Meg Braff used a green buffalo check in this gorgeous living room in fresh green.

They work beautifullly in a tonal bedroom....very soothing and tranquil. Pinterest

Love the gorgeous palette here.....

Gorgeous warm breakfast room/library of warm woods features them, Colefax and Fowler

Love the mix of patterns here, a fun, masculine and elegant room, Emily Jenkins Followhill

What an inviting space. I could easily flop down here with my cup of coffee and a great book...yes please!

Leave it up to Cathy Kincaid to find a way to use checks to perfection...love her work!

Toni Gallagher used them sparingly in this charming kitchen....loving that blue and white!

Its a great look for boys rooms, masculine and classic RH

I think they are so beautiful when mixed in with other fabrics and prints, Shabby Chic

Love the combination of buffalo checks and transferware....perfection! Southern Accents

Gorgeous in navy! (2 interior design)

Even a single chair with the check has such impact!

We have a silk buffalo checked chair in our formal living room and it looks right at home!

Jeff Lincoln is obviously a fan......

Beautiful in this tone on tone living room by Joy Tribaut

Something about crisp white with the blue and white buffalo check is so fresh!

Well what do you think? Are you a lover of these checks too? Would or do you have them in your home ? Whats your favorite colorway? I love to hear from you, so tell me what you think! Wishing everyone a wonderful Friday and a relaxing and enjoyable weekend. Don't forget to enter the contest for the $500 Homegoods gift card, click here to visit the post.  Be back on Monday:)

Canopies, Caronas and Crowns.....oh my!

Posted by Mr Wong at 5:05 AM 0

Happy Wednesday to you! As I am starting to finally think seriously about my guest room and my own bedroom (at long last), one look I am continuously drawn is canopied beds and beds with crowns. Yes, it is very classic and traditional, having been done for centuries but now you also see it being done with a modern twist to give it a fresher cleaner feel. Its a beautiful way to use a favorite fabric or combination of fabrics and just feels so "cocoonlike". I remember the very first time I slept in a bed with a soaring crown was in a beautiful hotel room in Belgium about 15 years ago. I felt like a royal and must say I had an awfully great nights rest. So....am sure I want to do the same thing in  my own guest room and today's post is a tribute to all the wonderful treatments that can be applied to a bed. What are your thoughts? Is it a like? A love? Would love to know! Here we go.........feast your eyes on these beauties!

This beautiful bedroom has been an inspiration for my guest room, love the check fabric used inside, think it makes it less fussy and crisp feeling, Joy Tribaut

The colors here are my favorite, I like the idea of a very quiet print with solid colored muted bedding, so inviting! TH

Beautiful application, love how the fabric matches the wallpaper,also love the gathered carona,  Kendall Wilkinson

LOVE the scalloping detail on this vision in ivory, Phoebe Howard

Always adored this bedroom, so serene and inviting! Cathy Kincaid

 Fun twist on a traditional room for a lucky young lady! Palmer Weiss

How pretty is the soft billowy fabric used as a canopy? So soothing and calming.....Howard

Thom Felicia's bold take on a modern day canopy bed

Mary McDonald dreamt up this vision in white!

Wiliam Eubanks designed this fabulous master retreat using warm soothing tones...so elegant!

How sweet is the pink gingham? Love it! Shes so pretty

This sumptuous room by Mario Buatta just screams "come jump here" and bring your mags and books with you (and a indulgent little snack too:)

Love this serene oasis of a room, the scale of the room makes it feel majestic, Veranda

Always been a fan of this gorgeous dreamy room of canopied twin beds, Cathy Kincaid

Love pretty prints in rich warm tones for a canopy as Rinfret did in this elegant retreat

Love this monochromatic take on an elegant modern daybed....beautiful!

Of course everything Ralph Lauren touches turns to gold or at least into a bed fit for a princess!

Solis Bentancourt's modern take on a pair of canopy beds, pretty!

And for a more masculine approach, canopy beds can still work...as shown here in Cottage and Gardens.

I really like Michael S. Smith's take on a more transitional cleaner feel on a canopy bed, Elle Decor

Barry Dixon designed this fabulous retreat in brown, love the feeling!

And finally....who said canopy beds are just for humans?  Aristopaws

Too cute! Chinoiserie Chic

Had to throw in mans best friends, they like to live in great style too! So....whats your take? Do you love this look? Do you favor it more traditionally or like the more modern take? To me, its just beautiful any which way. As always, love to hear what you think. Wishing you a fabulous day!

Monogram mania part 2 and a monogram giveaway!

Posted by Mr Wong at 4:12 AM 0

Hi there....... First thanks sooo much for all those amazing drink suggestions yesterday. You guys are amazing! I did try one (in addition to making my sangria) which is now one of my official faves as I LOVE raspberry so thank you Marlindarling....tried your "Sassy Razz" and it was love at first sip! YUM!! Everyone loved it and its a keeper in my short but favorite drink repertoire. I will post on it and other things about last night in a few days. 
Moving along........ I had done a post on one my of my favorite subjects, monograms many months ago and thought a follow up post is way overdue. I LOVE monograms, have them on everything from my bedding to my guest towels and napkins, to my key chain to clogs that I wear like a uniform. You just don't understand how much I adore them, used to want to be a stationer who would specialize in letterpress monogrammed stationary just so I could be part of the creative process over and over.......Love them! Its a time honored tradition, that has held strong particularly in the south  but their popularity has soared throughout the world and has become more mainstream,  and I think its safe to say that monograms are really big and not going anywhere. What more elegant way is there to have your own personal stamp put on anything than an elegant monogram that is exclusively yours? Do you love them like I do? Today a look at various ways to display a monogram and to celebrate this post I am offering a monogram giveaway!! All details on the bottom. So here we go......feast your eyes on these monograms!

Look familiar? Love the monogram effect on these gorgeous twin beds, Cathy Kincaid

Love a monogrammed glass....so elegant! Southern Accents

Monogrammed drapes are so magnificent and old world.

Nothing like crisp white bedding with a pop of color in a monogram, Leontine

Monograms work in all kinds of styles including more transitional spaces like this pretty one, Pinterest

Monogrammed soaps? Love the personal touch for a guest or powder room, Kennon and Company

Love the bold monogram here, Lonny

Monogrammed towels in a bathroom are an elegant and highly personal touch, Arcadian Home

Whats more elegant than a beautifully monogrammed dinner napkin? Beaty Coleman

A burlap monogrammed wine cooler? Love it! My wedding

Outside monograms work every time, even just a pillow or two personalizes the space beautifully, Pottery Barn

Adore my monogrammed phone case from Lipstick Shades......

Gorgeous colorway....Brian McCarthy

Can you imagine prettier china? Martha Stewart weddings

I practically live in my monogrammed clogs, not only are they cute but they are sooo comfy!

This is so pretty, and unexpected, a monogrammed relaxed roman! Houzz

Just the effect of even one simple pillow on a sofa can be just enough, Baltimore Sun

Love the all white with the gorgeous canopy...so pretty!

I want this chair!! Joan Cecil

Even a pair of monogrammed pillows is just enough when mixed in with other prints and colors, Brenda Kelly Kramer

Love Betty Lou Phillips take on monogramming for her own bathroom!

I like this idea of adding a solid pilllow with a fancy monogram against a pattern, beautiful! Pinterest

Adore these monogrammed dinner plates from Kelly Wilson antiques!

Monograms are striking in bold colors, Julia B

Talented Stacy of Conspicuous Designs beautiful monogrammed lamps..if you sell them I will buy!

A pair of elegant monogrammed guest towels in a bath is a beautiful way to welcome guests! Addison

Phoebe Howard takes a simple white bed to new elegant heights.

Love this girls room...fabulous! Tobi Fairley

And lest you think monograms don't apply to footwear....feast your eyes on these beauties. I have them and love them...from Jack Rogers!

So have you gotten your "monogram fix"? I sure did!! Love it and can't seem to get enough....just such a classic design motif to personalize anything your heart desires. Best part it is no longer out of the stratosphere to do, so many companies do it now, from Ballard and Pottery Barn all the way to fine custom workrooms like Leontine, Julia B and Grammercy Linens.

Now onto the giveaway, one lucky winner is going to win a dozen of these gorgeous monogrammed linen cocktail napkins! Beautiful linen hemstitched with oversized initial done in Ecru...tres elegant!!  These are the ones sold on my site..... All you need to do is leave a comment here and if you want a second chance, you can leave me a comment on The Enchanted Home's Facebook page by clicking here. I will announce a winner on Friday morning. 

Also if you leave a comment as anonymous, you must include your first name and last name initial! If you go by just a first name, please leave your last name initial, in the case of there being several entrants with the same first name...thanks!

                                          Good luck and hope you have a fabulous day!!