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We had so much fun with our last post Around the World in 80 Doors, that we just couldn’t resist doing another fun one today.  There is a very specific category of photography that I love: pictures taken of beautiful places around the world through unique and ornate doors and windows.

I told you it was specific.

But, once I share this collection of photographic gems with you, I’m sure you’ll agree- these types of pictures are the best!  Have you ever taken any pictures through a window or door?  We would love to see them!  Share them with us on our Facebook page!

 

Image via Xena Bites Back

Image via Art.Co.UK

Image via Blue Pueblo

Image via Pinterest

Image via Pinterest

Image via a Life of Beauty and Grace

Image via La Vie Extrordinaire

See?  I told you it would be fun!  Don’t forget to share your favorite pictures with us on Facebook!

Well, not really 80 doors, but it was a catchy title, right?  After all this talk about white and winter in the last few weeks, we thought it was time to spice it up and add some color to our lives.  Today, we’re going on a visual journey of doors around the world.

The thing I love most about doors is that they are all different, and the styles, shapes and colors differ from place to place.  Though some places in America like New Orleans, Miami, and Santa Fe participate in the creation of glorious entryways, the majority of global door love is found beyond our borders.  Places like India, Italy, Thailand and Mexico aren’t afraid to show their colors, and the results are visually inspiring.  Let’s take a look.

 

Carving and Sculpture Favorites:

Image via Explore the Earth

Image via Flickr

Image via Pinterest

Texture and Pattern Favorites:

Image via Tumblr

Image via Pinterest

Image via Tumblr

Color Favorites:

Image via Khish Vantage

Image via Pariah’s Muse

Image via Awesome Spaces

“Well-Aged” Favorites:

Image via Abriendo-Puertas

Image via Pinterest

Image via Flickr

 

Can’t get enough of these doors?  We can’t either!  See more on our Doors and Windows Pinterest board!  Or, you can also read our post on using recycled doors in design here.

Last week we talked about an upcoming design trend, and how to translate that trend into your own home if you happen to live in a snowy environment.  Decorating with white has reclaimed a spot on the top of the charts, but if you abide in the mountains, you may know that decorating in all white is a taboo.  I mean, really, who wants to live in a snow cave?

But wait!  There are ways to carefully edge around this no-no, and to create a stunning space that is not only warm and white and cozy, but is also chic as chic can be.  If you missed last week’s post that covered HOW to design with white in your mountain home, you can find it here.  Today, as promised, we are going to discuss products that will help you bring your vision to life.  Would you be surprised if I told you that you can find all of these products at the Home on the Range showroom?  Well, surprise!  We have all this and more, and the best part is, if we don’t have exactly what you’re looking for, we are more than happy to help you find it.

 

Last week we talked about how important it is to use warmer colors and textures along with white when designing in the mountains.  We absolutely love the leather, rivets, and distressed-wood-claw-feet of this stool/ottoman.  It would look great paired with leather chairs, or with other white decor items.

This birch tree floor lamp is a great example of using “off-whites” to warm up your space, while also giving the all-white feeling.  An added bonus of using a lamp like this is that it brings in the rustic/natural feel that we are so fond of seeing in mountain design.

These porcelain and pewter serving pieces are ideal for a classy, white winter escape.  The color and texture of the antlers add a rustic interest to the pieces, while the shine of the pewter helps to cut the starkness of the white.  These would be great used as centerpieces on a dining or coffee table, hung with other trays to create a focal wall, or used for serving at an apres-ski party.

Are you noticing our rustic trend here?  These pillows are perfect for a mountain lodge.  They kill two trend birds with one stone because not only are they fashionably white, but they also feature designs current favorite creature: the stag.  For more on “Going Stag” read our post here.  Also, if you choose pure white pillows (like the one on the bottom), make sure to surround them with other types of warmth, like burlap, off-white bedding, or a fur throw.

Speaking of fur, while our last product is not actually a white decor item, it IS a perfect companion  to these white decor items.  We talked about the importance of adding the feeling of warmth through textures and colors, and really there are few better ways to do that than by using soft, fluffy, warm, fur.  A fur throw or pillow strategically placed in your space is an easy way to add a volume of warmth and comfort that is more difficult to achieve otherwise.

If you love what you see here, or are looking for a bit more inspiration in creating you white mountain retreat, come visit us at the Home on the Range showroom today!  You can also find our ideas on Pinterest, or see more of our mountain work in our website portfolio.  Stay warm out there!

Whiteout Conditions-How to use white in design if you live in the mountains

Image via Architectural Digest

We all know that trends have a way of coming back around.  For better or for worse, the things we think we’ve left behind tend to constantly resurface in the present.  This holds true in every aspect of culture, and interior design is no exception.  Recently, we have seen all white decorating make it’s comeback.  From shabby-chic to super-elegant, living room, to bedroom to kitchen, interior design trends are experiencing a whiteout.

Well, we live in the mountains.

In the mountains, you can’t just slap a coat of whitewash up on the walls and reupholster the furniture in stark white.  Why?  Because Colorado winters already provide more white than just about anyone is prepared to deal with.  We currently have 136 inches of white here in Steamboat Springs, and while the idea of having a chic white interior may sound exciting, you’ll find that if you live anywhere that it snows for a significant chunk of the year, the results of this color shift will be underwhelming.  In our neck of the woods, it’s important to make warmth a central factor in design.  This doesn’t have as much to do with where we place the heaters as it does with the colors, textures and materials that we use when creating spaces.

But if you are over the moon about this trend, and if, like us, you are a ski town-dweller, you don’t have to just suffer through it and resign yourself to using only colors from the rainbow.  You CAN use white in your interior design, you just have to be a little bit more cautious and subtle about it.

Following these VERY IMPORTANT tips will ensure that you can stay current in your mountain retreat without creating the feeling that you live in an igloo.

1.  Avoid using entirely 100% white.

Experiment with different shades of white, like off-whites, eggshells and ivories.  Subtracting even minutely from stark white will warm your room up exponentially, while still giving you the look you are going for.

Image via Houzz

Image via A Bohemian Life

2.  Add some rustic touches.

Think less shabby-chic and more rugged-elegant.  Beams, logs, and wood floors go a long way in making mountain interiors feel more cozy and inviting, and when you combine that traditional rustic style with white accents, the contrast that it creates is just beautiful.

Image via Houzz

Image via Houzz

Image via Velvet and Linen

3.  Accessorize wisely.

Don’t choose all-white accessories… instead, choose accessories (like throws, pillows, candles, candle holders, mirrors, frames, etc) that will highlight the white that you already have in the space rather than overwhelming it.  Fur and burlap are materials that are very in right now, and not only are they perfect for accessorizing in the mountains, they also look fantastic when paired with white decor.

Image via pinterest

Image via the Gifts of Life

4.  An accent color wouldn’t be the end of the world.

Give it a shot.  You might be surprised.  Try out a red pillow here, a red candle there.  Since you’re working with white, you can really use just about any color you want.  Actually, that’s not true.  Try to stay away from blue and other “cool” colors and instead search out warmer colors like reds or golds.  They don’t have to be vibrant, but adding a little bit of color will make you feel warmer, even when it’s cold outside.

Image via the Gifts of Life

Image via Donald Lococo Architecture

Image via Houzz

5.  Texturize.

When decorating your space, try to keep texture in the forefront of your mind.  Textures are a sneaky way to apply feeling and style to a room without having to just come right out and say it.  Imagine a white room, wood floor, wood beams.  Now imagine that same floor with a fluffy sheepskin rug on it.  Better right?  Thought so.

Image via Pinterest

 

We were going to make one big long post with our mountain white decorating tips AND products that we suggest for mountain white decorating, but we thought that would just be too much for you all at once, so make sure and keep an eye out next week when we will do a follow up to this post that will include great products for decorating with white and where to find them (spoiler alert: it’s Home on the Range).  Until then, enjoy the rest of your week, and Happy New Year from Home on the Range!