It is a rainy day here in Jersey, so what better way to spruce up the afternoon than with some fearless design ideas using brightly colored furniture.Bright decorations in your home, especially if most of your furniture is on the darker side can really make a room pop!Below are some wonderful examples of how brightly colored furniture can improve your interior design and especially, elevate your mood and your attitude when you step into it.

Over the weekend I celebrated my niece’s first birthday, the theme was Little Red Riding Hood – a genius idea for an autumn themed birthday party! I thought I would mention a few of the highlights that really brought the story to life.

For the food, we had a medley of delicious treats. We made cookies that looked like acorns using peanut butter cookies and Hershey kisses. The cake itself was 4 layers and the icing that surrounded it was made to look like a wooden log.

"Acorn" Cookies

Wooden Log Birthday Cake

The goody baskets for the kids looked like little picnic baskets with a white and red checkered cloth covering them.

Little Red Riding Hood Gift Baskets

We dressed our little red headed birthday girl in a sweet fleece red hooded outfit.

Little Red Riding Hood Baby Outfit

A table was set out with arts and crafts for the kids – they were able to decorate their own bear and wolf masks. We also had little red riding hood themed word search and coloring pages.

Arts and Crafts Wolf Masks

Everyone that wanted one went home with a soft cover story book copy of “Little Red Riding Hood.”

Soft Cover Copy of Little Red Riding Hood

My mother built and hand-painted a face cut-out of Little Red Riding Hood and the Woodsman to take pictures with – this was fun for the kids and for the adults alike!

Fun Little Red Riding Hood and Woodsman Cut-out

I always thought that in order to create a themed party every detail has to be related to theme – but after this experience I realized it only takes a few little extras to create a magical experience.  

Today marks the birthday of one of the most influential artists of the 20^th century: Pablo Picasso. Picasso was born on October 25^th 1881 and his artistic mediums included paintings, prints, drawings, sculptures, ceramics, theater sets and costumes. His art styles were versatile including realism, abstraction, cubism, neoclassicism, surrealism and expressionism.  He is also considered to be one of the artists who defined revolutionary developments in the plastic arts which involves physical manipulation of a plastic medium by molding or modeling.  Of all his artistic styles, cubism especially had a powerful impact on modern designers. Cubism breaks down an object into a set of geometric forms and then rearranges them to represent a three-dimensional image of the whole object.  Picasso used this technique while also showing multiple views of an object simultaneously.  

Les Demoiselles d'Avignon | 1907 | Cubism

Still Life with a Bottle of Rum | 1911 | Cubism

Girl with a Mandolin (Fanny Tellier) | 1910 | Cubism

Picasso left a potent mark on the minds of contemporary designers and his inspiration lives on through their artwork.  So, Happy Birthday Pablo Picasso and thank you for your contribution to modern art!

Animals are beautiful creatures worthy of our appreciation. Although we may not be inclined to go live with them in their natural habitats, we can always bring them into our homes in the form of amazing designs.

Like many modern furnishings, animal shaped furniture serves as functional art pieces in the home. The arch of a coy fish can serve as a beautiful lamp stand or the legs of a furry four-legged friend can make the perfect table base. Animal shaped creations are fun and inspirational adding elements of creativity and playfulness to a contemporary interior.

Animal Leg Table Bases

Wooden Elephant Wine Holder

Pig Sofa

Bear Dining Table

Gazelle Side Table Base

Penguin Shaped Body Mirrors

Artistic Squid Chair

Bunny and Antelope Chairs

Butterfly Chairs

Walrus Lounge Chair

Black Bear Bookcase

Tortoise Ottomans

Tortoise Ottoman

When thinking of revamping interior space my mind travels towards areas of the home like the bedroom, living room or dining room, but one main room of the home that is frequently used and definitely deserves the same attention to detail is the bathroom. After a long day at work or for a few minutes away from the kids, your bathroom can become your sanctuary and safe haven, a place to unwind and to relax. Below are a series of beautifully decorated bathrooms perfect for escaping the day:

There is nothing better than relaxing by a cozy fire as the weather gets chillier outside. For centuries, fireplaces were the focal point of the home as family and friends gathered around for warmth and conversation.  Today, fireplaces are still considered an essential feature in home interior design.  Fireplaces can come in many different shapes, sizes and styles. Your choice of fireplace can set the tone in a particular room. While a traditional fireplace is always nice, it doesn’t hurt to have one that can fit nicely into your modern home décor.