After I finished I took a browse around the rest of the model homes. Thought you would like to see some pictures. Pulte uses their own in house designers and I thought they did a great job showcasing these homes. Very fun and whimsical decor.
The Greens at The Fairway of Champions Circle
Pulte Homes, Ft. Worth, TX
HOUSE I
I'm calling this house
"Black Beauty"
Notice all the different shapes and textures but they all work together creating an amazing Modern/Traditional room. The round rug really adds some character to the space and softens the strength of the black accents. This design is perfect for a model home because you have so many buyers with different decorating styles and preferences.
Simple and beautiful. Love the bench with the table. Mixing it up a little makes a room feel so much more interesting.
Great craft room! Beautiful color on the walls! Light and airy draperies make this room very inviting. I could spend hours in here with a locked door.
Notice how the rug anchors this space and coordinates with the one in the living room. The black stripe on the draperies really makes the ceilings feel taller than they really are.
This light "spa" blue is stunning with the black and white. Love the black stripe around the bedspread, it speaks to you loud and clear when you enter this room. Big bang for not a lot of buck.
This kitchen/bar area space is nice for a model home but a bit too "staged" or "stiff" for an every day home. You definitely don't want things to be "matchy" matchy"
HOUSE 2
I'm calling it
The "Margaritaville House"
Lots of fun colors. Very cheery and makes you happy when you enter. Not sure if I could live every day with these colors but they are very friendly and welcoming.
Here we go again, layering textures.
Real flowers would be even more beautiful! Of course they can't do that in a model home. Remember this idea for fall floral arrangements (pumpkins, fall leaves, etc.)
Love the black frames against this margarita wall. The lamp is really cool too. Coordinates beautifully with the drapes without being exactly the same. When purchasing a lamp, always turn it on in the store. You never know what kind of light it is going to put out. This one is beautiful for an accent lamp but wouldn't do much good for any task oriented business.
Less is more in an office. You want things hidden away (sometimes unrealistic). Bigger accessories add lots of style to a small space.
In a small space, open shelving is perfect because it opens up the room. If these shelves had backs on them, the room would feel closed off. Awesome how they put the two baskets on top of each shelf to create balance. The shape of the basket handles is what makes this work so well too.
Leather always adds a ton of class. These ottomans are very practical too. Seating and game/drink space.
Peaceful room - not too overdone.
Love the chair. Adding the brown and white is outside the box and makes you want to stay a while. Notice the large accessory again. Don't be afraid to use one or two large items instead of a bunch of nothing.
Does this say hotel or what? I've already got the bath running. The crisp towels and the "fresh like" flowers make you want to light a candle. But...where's the chocolate?
Kids would love this bathroom. Could be shared with guests too because it isn't too childish.
The round mirrors in this room make the ceiling feel taller. Love how they go from small to large as they go down. Usually you see the opposite.
Very fun how this room looks all grown up but adding the pink drapes still makes it "girlie". The lettering on the wall would be loved by my girls. Makes their room very personal. The pillows add that pop of color that adds an eclectic flair.
A very masculine room.
Large picture on the wall is all that is needed in this kitchin dining area. Looks cleaner and adds tons of color to this small kitchen. Chair cushions look comfortable too which is important for the table you use every day.
I'll have to remember this for Christmas time. Another great idea for napkins is to use ponytail holders. There are all kinds of beautiful ones out there. Bracelets are great too, especially wooden and stone ones!
I hope you enjoyed these snapshots and comments!
Happy Friday and blessings on this country on 9-11.
Ruthie
Elle Decor Amethyst Trend Alert
I recently spent some time in Denver, CO and was able to walk around a local mall looking for some fall clothing. I became aware that Amethyst is the new color for fall this year. I'm really excited because it's such a vibrant color. My favorite place is Ann Taylor Loft, they have a lot of fabulous classic looks for this fall. I've got some pictures in this post from their website.
On the airplane home I read my new September issue of ELLE Decor and found that the same is true in Home Decor.
Here are a few pictures from the article I read. Gives you an example of the textures and different shades of Amethyst that is out there. Beautiful.
Fabulous Textures
Amethyst Gold Leaf drawer pulls.
Amethyst is not my favorite color to decorate with but it is fun to see how the trends come and go. I could definitely use some of these colors as accent colors in a master bedroom, bathroom or girls room. It's always fun to see the latest. I know one thing for sure, I'll be getting my amethyst ring out this fall.
Happy shopping!
Ruthie
Ceiling Medallions
A ceiling medallion is a decorative element installed in the center of a ceiling above a chandelier or ceiling fan.
Historically, ceiling medallions were carved from wood and installed on the ceiling. Now, ceiling medallions are lightweight, inexpensive, and made of moulded urethane or resin.
Ceiling medallions vary widely in style, detail, and depth. They can be applied to the ceiling with finishing nails and adhesive.
I go into so many homes that have beautiful chandeliers and they've forgotton to add a medallion. Medallions don't have to be added to every chandelier but there are some rooms that just need one. Below are a variety of styles that can be chosen.




I recently added one to a client's dining room and it really turned out nicely. We purchased the medallion unpainted and I had an artist "Mary Howe -with Divine Inspirations" paint the medallion for me to match their chandelier. It turned out beautiful. The client didn't want to go overboard in this room so we decided to add plantation shutters, new carpet & chandelier. We also painted the room with a beautiful soft color and texture that resembles "venetian plaster". It's still a work in progress but it's looking great so far. The walls were wallpaper before so you can only imagine what it looked like.Go to http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qLnkA5VWihA to watch a video on painting medallions.
I also suggest using this metalic antique gold paint made by Folk Art if you are wanting to "do it yourself"
: http://www.hofcraft.com/plaid-folkart-paint.html?gclid=CMuNyYqo4JwCFRyenAoddi8lKg , it's awesome for painting all kinds of textures.
Here are some other's that we've done in the past:
Take a look at your chandelier...does it need a medallion?
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Soap Creations
The girls and I decided it would be fun to try and make our own soap. We bought all the supplies and got to it.
We had an absolute blast. I've decided that we are a project oriented family. When we spend time "doing" something creative we become closer. Kids love to spend time with their parents and I happen to love being creative with them so we all win.
We melted the bars of soap that we bought at "Michaels" and we added color. We poured the melted soap into molds and added some fragrance (lavendar was our choice). I think they all look beautiful. I've got soap to last us all year through. The kids wrapped them up and are giving them as gifts. Proud as can be of course!
I've been using the soap myself this week and it actually smells wonderful!






















