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Tuesday, September 22, 2009

Personal Style, Defined: Haven and Home


I am so thrilled to share this installment of Personal Style, Defined with you. Marianne, of Haven and Home is a very talented designer with a great eye and a huge heart that comes through in her work. She's a total sweetheart and is super stylish to boot. I love that she considers her style "Edited Eclectic" as I can totally relate. Enjoy!


First I would like to thank Paloma for asking me to be part of this series. To be involved in a series that has included such wonderful bloggers is beyond flattering. La Dolce Vita is one of the first blogs I started reading and I am thrilled to be a part of it.

Okay, now to matter at hand, defining my personal style. I am a Decorator, this should be easy right? Well, just like several people before me have mentioned, it is almost impossible because I love certain elements about all styles across the board. I guess I would define it as Edited Eclectic. I like when rooms have many layers but are thoughtfully put together.


Two things I know are part of my personal style for sure are the color Grey and soothing neutral rooms with raw materials and beautiful fabrics. There are definitely strong Belgium and Swedish influences in my style. Barbara Westbrook and Kay Douglass could come design my house any day.

I have used the room above before when trying to define my style. I chose it for the natural elements, the jute rug, raw wood on the furniture, clean crisp linen upholstery, and dark curtains that add to the room without feeling stuffy.

My style is definitely more on the casual side, I want my spaces to feel warm and inviting. Although I don't mind formality as long as there are some casual elements added in. Below is a nursery I consider formal but it is not over the top so it retains that inviting feel.

I love walking into a room and finding something unexpected which brings me to another element I love in rooms-stripes! I can't tell you how many times I have used them, I love the special feel they give to rooms.



There are days where I dream of having an all white house-clean, crisp, light and airy (although I think this comes from looking at color all day)...


Then I am exact opposite wanting dark cozy rooms or bright color throughout...



I love feminine rooms...

And I love more masculine feeling rooms too...

Here are two rooms with similar components yet they are completely opposite. I love them both equally. Can you see why I get confused when trying to define my style? One common denominator these two spaces have? They are both well edited which I think is important.


While I like neutral and calm like the first few pictures I can't resist bold statement making rooms either. I have never, ever met a geometric touch that I didn't love...



Which reminds me that a pretty geometric patterned fabric is always the first one I am compelled to pull for myself or a client.



This piece definitely defines my style. Bleached wood? Check. Pretty, not standard hardware? Check. Amazing carving that isn't too ornate? Check. Okay I will take it! Now where to find an extra $1,350.....




I digress. When looking through pictures for this post I saw so many genres that I loved that really Eclectic is the best word I came up with to define me. Edited Eclectic embodies my preference for spaces to be casual and inviting but also look like thought went into them without being "done".


Thanks again Paloma!


1. House Beautiful 2.House Beautiful 3.House Beautiful 4.Southern Accents/Heather Smith 5.Domino 6.????Help I can't place this room 7.Domino via Flickr 8.House Beautiful via A Life's Design 9.House Beautiful 10. I Suwannee 11.Harmony and Home 12.Michael Smith (I believe) 13.Cottage Living 14. Max and Company 15.House Beautiful 16.Sara Story 17.Schumacher 18. Lee Jofa 19. Wisteria 20. Veranda?

15 comments:

Lauren said...

Marianne- you described your style so well!!! I'm all over the map too & it's so hard to narrow down but I see you in these pics!!!

xoxoxo

ps- Paloma- love this series- it's just so fun seeing all the different persepctoves & styles & of course sweet ppl!!

xoxoxo

High-Heeled Foot in the door said...

I love Marianne! She did a great job describing her style. All those images are totally how I see her.

You picked a great person to profile. I heart her very much and wish she lived in NY not AL or that I lived there!

Katherine said...

Amazing post, Marianne! That nursery is to DIE for-- gorgeous! Thanks for such sharing such inspiration...

Haven and Home said...

Thank you for the sweet comments and thank you again Paloma, it was fun!

LindsB said...

How can you not love Marianne? Such fab. style of course and another great person in this series :)

paula said...

Great post! I am all over the place too it seems.

Verdigris Vie said...

My first introduction to Marianne and I love her style. Those first 3 pics made me weak in the knees..

Bungalow Home said...

great job Marianne. I am always inspired by others in design field and love when we can all admit there is just too much great style out there to box ourselves into one defining design style.

Southern Aspirations said...

I do love this series, Paloma!

Great post, Marianne and quite honestly, a bit reassuring to hear the pros are all over the map too!

Anonymous said...

love marianne! she did a great job!!

Philippine Real Estate said...

Her style and designs has elegance and grace I love these interiors it’s very refine.

mining jobs said...

I love how she mix and match the colors and her style is simply remarkable.

Brooke @ Blueprint Bliss said...

Great series!

Love Marianne... and her style!

Averill said...

Great post! I definitely can relate to the constant pendulum swing I feel in my own design sensibilities (one day I want a ton of color and clutter, the next day I want white and simple).

deliciously organized said...

I just love her and her blog! I love the way she explained her style. I've said it before, but I just love this series! -carlee