What if your Sweet Retreat were a Vision In White? Whether Decorating your Vacation or Second Home or just finding an Area in your Primary Residence to Retreat to, what would your Serene White Escape look like I Wonder if you wanted a mostly Crisp, Clean, Colorless Palette that evokes a sense of Purity and New Beginnings?
Well... Today at SWEET SALVAGE lets take you there, to the Visions In White that some of the Stylists Created for the Pristine SWEET RETREATS that Celebrate the Shades of White. A Palette that has become so Popular in Decorating that they have some of the most Loyal and Dedicated Followers that a particular Palette can have! I find that those that Enjoy and Embrace the Colorless Palette are very disciplined at Styling in their favorite Hue and so their Spaces really Showcase how Beautiful a Vision In White can be.
It is a decidedly Feminine, Soothing and Soft Style when White is the main Color Scheme... no wonder so many Gals gravitate towards it and can't get enough of it!
And White has so many different Shades... perhaps more Shades than most Colors... and it goes so well with Crystal and Glass... Stone and Bone... and many other Natural Elements.
And because it is so Neutral a Canvas to Decorate and Work with... you can add pops of other Favorite Hues and it goes with ANY of them! See how the Lone Pale Aqua Frame and Chandie stand out against a backdrop of White Decor and really pop? When not competing with other Colors it draws the Eye to those few focal points of Color set against the Colorless Palette.
And whether you use a little or a lot of a second Color against a Colorless Palette, it has the same Soothing effect... and can be changed up easily and often if your Anchor Pieces are White... because White goes with anything and everything.
Even a 'Colorful Gal' like myself often uses White Anchor pieces because of their Versatility. I just haven't been able to keep such a Clean Palette Pure... or Clean... in our Household! *LOL* Colors kept creeping back in anytime I tried... and things got dirty or dingy too quickly for me to risk trying to Experiment too much with the Vision In White that always drew me in when I beheld them in Magazine Spreads and Decorating Books or Blogs that Celebrated Exclusive use of White Styling.
Some of my Favorite Blogs and Publications have the Colorless Palette and even though Bohemian Valhalla will never look like that or 'Represent' a Vision In White... I thoroughly Enjoy looking at other Spaces that have managed to pull it off so Beautifully and so Well!
SWEET SALVAGE has always been at the forefront of Designing and Styling with Neutrals and so if you Love to Decorate with them you will always find a bounty of Gorgeous Neutral Inventory to choose from and be Inspired by. And that's quite a Testimony of foreward thinking and Styling here in the Valley because here in the Southwest it wasn't always easy to find a Pristine Neutral Palette of Inventory Celebrating Shades of White or the Shabby Chic Movement!
Even when Kim and Katie had their other Shop many made the Pilgrimage there to be able to Source the Neutrals and Ultra Feminine Decor they became known for and couldn't be found easily in the Metro Phoenix Area!
And for the Francophiles and French Nordic Enthusiasts the Colorless and Neutral Palette is Key to Creating the Vibe they're going for.
And since White can be so easily Dyed... well, if you start out with White you can alter it anytime in the Future if you want Favorite Pieces to become more Colorful and different later on.
Those of you who keep a predominantly White Wardrobe to build upon can Testify to how easy it is to Accessorize with just about anything in any other Hues... or keep Pure and Neutral. White has always been known to be a Favorite Spring and Summertime Wardrobe staple.
And it looks absolutely Stunning with Galvanized Tin... I Adored this French Body Pitcher converted into a Lamp with the Lovely Vintage White Wicker Lampshade! That even Tempted me to want to Purchase it! *LOL*
And whoever Maggie is... well, she's gonna have this Lovely French Style Chandie hanging in one of her rooms... Lucky Gal! White Chandeliers really look so Romantic, Elegant and Enhance the Crystals on them.
But there were also plenty of Smalls in Shades of White so even if you weren't looking for an Anchor Piece for a Room, you would find a wealth of Accessories for your Decorating Projects and your Vision In White.
I could be mistaken, but I venture to Guess that the White Inventory is among the most Popular and Sought after at these Events... I see a LOT of it flying out the doors! As I said before, those that Adore the Colorless Palette are a Loyal and Disciplined bunch when it comes to their preferred Styling Sensibilities and are not easily swayed... they tend to stay True to their Vision In White.
I must say that White Beadboard Furniture has always Appealed to me strongly and is a Wonderful Backdrop to even the most Colorful Collections.
You say you needed to see that Beautiful Necklace in a Close-Up? Well... Okay... here 'tis! The Bohemian Bling at these Events is off the hook and so Creative!
Here was my Fav Piece... {And all the other Francophiles Sighed and Swooned too!}... yeah, I came very close to Caving and Buying this Necklace with the Vintage Upcycled Eiffel Towel Bling!
It didn't help that Princess T talked me into going back to the Event with her on Saturday when it was Calmer... {Initial Opening Day with Kids NO WAY!!!}... and I had the chance to Fondle and Lust after said Necklace AGAIN!!! With her egging me on to "Go ahead and get it Gramma!" *LOL* But I Resisted... with Twinges of Regret since I did LOVE IT!!! *Le Sigh*
And what Princess T was absolutely LOVIN', well, along with the rest of us... were the Fabulous Bouquets of Fresh Flowers, mostly Peonies, that our Friend Myko had brought in and spread about her Vignettes!!!
And of coarse Miss Myko Gifted the Princess with a Gorgeous one...
To tuck in her Hair... because all Lil Gypsy Hippie Gals must wear Flowers in their Hair! *Winks* And she looked like my Lil Hawaiian Hula Gal with this Huge Peony tucked behind her Ear!
Thank You Miss Myko... Princess T really Cherished that Lovely Peony and took extra Special Care of it all the way Home!!! A Newborn Babe wouldn't have gotten any better Care I tell ya! *LOL* And yes... those Gorgeous Surreal Flowers in the forefront are REAL too!!!
In fact we'll stray briefly from A Vision In White to give you some Peony Love... and any of you who ADORE Peonies as much as we do will really Appreciate how Magnificent these look. I didn't initially realize they were Real until Princess T brought my Attention to it... that Kid doesn't miss a thing when it comes to Styling and Attention to Detail!!! *Smiles*
You see I was busily Photographing with my New Camera and getting used to using it properly... while Princess T was noticing Magnificent Fresh Peony Bouquets right beside us that I might have missed... assuming they were faux Silk ones!!! Thank Heaven for alert Little Girls!
Being an Extra Set of Eyes for Gramma so that I didn't miss a thing... and she took it upon herself to Scout out Photo Ops for me that would make the Best Blog Fodder for the Subsequent Posts of the Event... so you can Thank her later... because have we got some Great Visuals for you my Friends in the next few days!!! I went Photo Crazy with that New Camera!!! *LOL*
But can you blame me? I mean Seriously... just look at what we were surrounded by my Friends!!! Serious Eye Candy and Inspiration in every direction!!!
Magnificent pieces that could Tempt even the most avid Devotees of the White and Neutral Palette!
Though Fresh Flowers go Splendidly with ANY Palette!!! In fact, I'm going to rush right out to Trader Joe's, where Myko got all her Fab Bouquet Florals, to get some for Bohemian Valhalla this week!!!
And I bet you are too now aren't you? *Winks*
Now... since Princess T had procured her Beautiful Free Flower, she Insisted that it NEEDED a Special Container now that would hold Water so that it wouldn't wilt in the Heat outside as we continued our Girl's Day Out and until it got Home! *Smiles... yep, she's OCD like that too, Wonder where she got it from?!! Winks*
And all of a sudden she turned into a version of Goldilocks... because the Brown Bottles were too Dark and Ugly she said...
And this one was too Short...
And this one too Tall...
And these were too Narrow or too Small she said...
And so the Great Bottle Hunt for the Cherished Peony continued as she Assessed every Bottle in the Event! The Merits and Drawbacks of each... plonking the Coveted Peony into each and looking at it earnestly with her Young Stylist's Eye! *LOL* Which was Fine with me since it gave me many more Photo Ops for ya here in the Land of Blog with my Sidekick being on Her Mission rather than Whining about when we might leave?! *Winks*
And look where we ended back up after scouring the Entire Event? Yep, Miss Myko's Space... because Princess T had finally decided that Miss Myko's recent 'Score' of Aquamarine Bottles Sourced from Pittsburgh {Which by the way is coincidentally where our Oldest Daughter and Family live} were the Perfect Containers for her Beloved Peony Gift!!!
And I would have to Agree that they were so we were unanimous on this decision! And the Sly Lil Princess... in her perfected form of Gramma Manipulation that she's Honed so Skillfully over the Years... reminded me that after her Peony had expired... I could still use her Bottle for MY Collection. And perhaps we should buy a COLLECTION of them... meaning Three *Winks*... so that we'd have an Instant Matching Collection of Fabulous Aquamarine Sea Bottles!!! *LOL* Myko, this Kid should be your PR Person! *Smiles*
Okay, so though I hadn't Intended to purchase a Collection of Aquamarine Bottles Sourced direct from Pittsburgh... it's not as if she had to twist my arm either because on our Bottle Search I was falling in Love with these Gorgeous Hued Bottles too!!! And since I had to buy one for the Princess' Peony... might as well Pony Up for the other two, why not? *Smiles*
And while we're at it... go ahead and throw in one of those Cool Scrabble Tile Beachy Word Coasters as well since they're priced so reasonably... Damn... Myko see what you started GF?!? *LOL*
But you know what, I'm so Glad The Princess talked me into 'Scoring' these Tiny Treasures because they do look mighty fine with my other Seaside Treasure Collections gleened from many of our Vacations by the Ocean. Yes, in the background that is Princess T's Mommy at about the same Age she is now!
And as Goldilocks would have said... these were JUST RIGHT!!!
You do have a Good Eye my Lil Princess... for what will go with our Style at Home!
And in your Room at the side of your Bed.
Where Dreams of Sugarplums Dancing in your Head will be mingled with Dreams of Beachcombing for Found Treasures and Gardens full of Huge Surreal Peonies!!!
And since her Room is also the Library Room we can curl up with a good Book surrounded by our Seaside Lovelies... and the Bouquets of Peonies we'll soon have!
But back to A Vision In White... *Winks* Know what else goes Splendidly with White? Silver!!!
Whether you're gonna wear it...
Or Decorate with it... leave it Tarnished or Shine it up... Silver and Silverplate go Splendidly with the Colorless or Neutral Palette! Adding Sparkle, Classiness and Glam!
Of coarse... this would be more My Style of adding Interest to the Colorless or Neutral Palette... the Bohemian Natural History Museum or Mad Botonist! *Winks* I Loved this little Cloche Vignette!!!
In fact, everything under Glass just always looks more Interesting and Important... so I 'Heart' Cloches and Vignettes under Glass!
And Princess T wanted me to buy everything Shell Chic! *LOL*
I think she very well may have been a Little Mermaid in another Life?
And certainly the Colors of the Ocean go very, very well with White... in fact, Shades of Blue and White is the Classic Beach Cottage Combo.
And how many of us have NOT come Home after a Trip to the Ocean and Beachcombing with a Cache of Seashells and Sand Dollars, Starfish and Driftwood, Seaglass and Sea Urchins, Coral and other Seaside Treasures we Discovered and brought Home as Trophies to fill containers with as a Nostalgic Reminder of that Sweet Retreat to the Beach?!?
I freely admit that even when I find Seaside Treasures at the Thrift Shops and Flea Markets I hardly ever pass them up if the Price is right! I probably have more Oceanic Treasures here in the Arizona Desert than most folks who Live by the Ocean!!?!??! *Winks* Hey... the Desert is just Miles and Miles of Beach with no Ocean Okay! *LOL*
And if you're still Lusting after some more Eye Candy at SWEET SALVAGE I've taken several days worth of Post Material for you to Salivate over... including some of the Panoramic Views that I couldn't get on Opening Day. So be sure to come back and join us... and Remember... the Sale goes on until Sunday Afternoon, with New Inventory added daily... so you still have a Window of Opportunity to get down there to 'Score' your own Sweet Retreat Treasures! In whatever Hues your Vision might be?!?
Blessings from the Arizona Desert... Dawn... The Bohemian