Beautiful Things for Spring Decorating

A sweet bunny figure is the perfect 'mate' for my Rabbit platter displayed in an easel. Add in a cachepot of wheat grass or fresh flowers, and this vignette nearly shouts Spring is Here!

I recently attended a decorating seminar at a local retailer. They were talking about how it's 'out of style' to put plates on the wall and have a lot of figurines in your home. My first thought was “It's a good thing they did not come to my house!”

Really, though, who's to say what is 'in' or 'out' when it comes to decorating our own homes?
We are! The rooms we live in should tell our own life story, reflect our own tastes and interests, and be more about us than any arbitrary trends or 'rules' of decorating.

 

I personally think plates on the wall are a perfect way to display them, instead of having them stacked and hidden away in a cupboard. (Especially if they are very old or very beautiful!) It's also very easy to change them out for different seasons with a wall or easel display. Whether you hang them individually in a row, in a free-form cluster, or use a multiple plate display rack, plates are miniature works of art that can add wonderful detail to your rooms.

As you can see above, pairing this rabbit plate with a collection of majolica cabbage leaf plates & bowls is a charming combination for Spring. You can also use a large plate like this one as a charger in a Spring dinner table setting - just place a clear glass plate on top, so that the beautiful artwork shows through.

How do you use plates in your home decor?

Share your ideas in the comments below and on my Facebook Page!

 

Black Rabbit with Floral Wooden Tray

The design is a black rabbit surrounded by a floral border.

The wood tray is painted black with green and gold accents, and the entire front of the tray features my signature crackle finish.

Sizes available: 7.5 and 9 inch diameter

To Purchase this item, click HERE

Artwork, product, and images copyright Robin King Designs; All Rights Reserved. 

Beautiful Things {in Brown}

 The vintage images I collect and work with inspire me, and so do the words of wise and creative people. A friend and mentor, Bob Brown, shared a thought with me that has always served to define my artistic style:

"The secret to good design is knowing when to stop"

When I am creating each product, I always remember that guideline. And as I combine elements to create a vignette in my studio to photograph, or in my home to enjoy, I let that principle guide me, as well.

Combining Beautiful Things to create an interesting arrangement is attainable... if you keep it simple. A mix of large and small items in various materials and shapes will draw the eye, and make for a pleasing tabletop or mantel display.

Using a color theme is a perfect way to coordinate elements. In the vignette above, the unifying color is the warm, comforting tones of Brown in every element. Many of the images I use for products have similar sepia tones, making it easy to choose several items to combine together in a display.

Imagine this arrangement of Beautiful Things in your room on a cold winter day...

 Woman in Brown Dress Canvas Art

Round Wood Toile Tray

Brown Roses Tissue Box Cover

Brown Silhouette Pencil Holder

Many of my products have several uses.

This pencil holder would also make a perfect container for flowers - simply

 insert a small glass vase into it to hold them.

I would add fresh ivory roses to this soft vignette!

A Few Beautiful Things for Christmas

These golden pine cones are simply beautiful hanging from a chandelier.

Easy to make, all you need are pine cones, gold paint and pretty sheer ribbon. It's a fun and quick project.

Recently, I acquired a beautiful 19th century Romanian hutch. It's a special piece and I wanted to decorate it with something very special this Christmas. Considering the age and faded painted design, a very simple decoration would do. I placed my favorite lamb statue and surround him with evergreen branches and pine cones.

To add a little splash of color, I placed a deep red glass wreath around his neck.

This wonderful cherub wall pocket was cast from an antique mold and then painted to look like stone. It is so beautiful and one of my favorite new items. The sweet cherub is surrounded with evergreens, red berries and green leaves.

For the Christmas Season I added a few ornaments to my line. I introduced the wooden laser-cut ornaments at my recent shows and they were very well received. Next year, they will be available on my website. I hope you have many beautiful things surrounding your family and friends for the holidays.

Until next time.

-Robin

Winter House

This morning, I woke up to snow here in Colorado. So I thought it would be the perfect time to show you one of my new tissue box designs - Winter House.
Whether you go all out for Christmas decorating or not, a seasonal tissue box can add a little holiday spirit anywhere in your home.

I placed my Winter House Tissue Box on a table under my favorite painting.



I then added a few pine cones to an antique cut-glass vase, a vintage Santa Figurine, and a stag candle snuffer to complete the vignette.


I thought the scene needed a little green, so I took one of my bottle-brush Christmas Trees and placed it in an egg cup I picked up in France. (It's the first time the egg cup has been out of the cupboard but I think it looks wonderful as a small decorative pot).

I will be sharing more Christmas items in the weeks to come.

Until next time,

-Robin

More Beautiful Things

I wanted to share some new beautiful things from around my home. First is this beautiful little bird bath I recently found at Mulhull's in Omaha. Mulhall's is a store filled with beautiful things for both inside and outside your home. I wanted to take home a few pieces of their beautiful statuary, but this was a better size for traveling.



The birds like it too. The very afternoon I put it outside filled with water, a young robin enjoyed a bath. I wished I had a photo to share, but I did not have my camera close.



Yesterday,when I was looking out the window into the backyard, I noticed a baby bunny under my garden bench. He was so small. I watched him until he hopped out of sight. And once again, I did not have my camera close to me. So, today I was looking around the yard to see if I could find him. Well, I not only found one little bunny but two. I did have my camera this time and here's the picture.



So cute. The two babies could hardly keep their eyes open as I assume it was time for their afternoon nap.

Since I had my camera I also took this picture of a little rose. I just love the shade of pink.



Well, it may seem by this post that I have been spending all my time outside. However, I have spent time in my studio too. Here is my latest creation.






The large wooden tray features young lovers in the center surrounded by a border of hollyhocks. I love how this piece turned out. It has the look of a very old glass platter.



Thank you so much for stopping by.
Until next time,

-Robin

Robin's Table

Recently a client asked if I could make her four place mats with one of my Robin designs. I said, "of course" even though I had not had the chance to make place mats before. Well after locating four of them I got to work. The Robin place mats turned out great, but before I shipped them off, I just had to set my table to see how they would look.

Robin Place Mats all around the table.

A closer view.

As I set the table for the picture, I realized how special many of the items were to me that I chose to set out.

This ivory coffee cup with an elegant raised rose pattern is part of a very old and beautiful set from my father's side of the family. When the dishes were handed down to me there were 12 plates and 15 cups and saucers. I used the plates daily when I was first married. I hate to admit it, but I did not treat any of the pieces with much care, but somehow I still have 12 plates and 15 cups and saucers. Now I treat them so well that they are rarely set out.



The antique tablecloth is a recent find from a local antique shop and I just love it.

A few years back I spotted a beautiful antique glass petite cake stand at an antique store I was visiting with my mother. The stand was very expensive and I said to my mother that I wished I was rich enough to buy it. I left the store pouting because it was one of the most beautiful things I had ever seen. It was not in my budget, so I did not think about the cake stand again. However, the very next Christmas I opened a gift from my parents and sure enough, inside was the cake stand. I couldn't believe it. Every time I look at the cake stand I am reminded of just how much it means to me that my mother remembered just how much I loved it and made sure I had it.
Well, I could go on and on about beautiful things...

Until next time,
-Robin

Shades of Early Summer

I have been working on many new designs for Fall but I just had to step out of my studio today and take a few pictures.

My mother did not want this gorgeous planter anymore, so being a good daughter, I took it off her hands.

I love the color of June flowers.

What a great shade of pink!

My lamb statue almost looks like he is walking through a field of flowers.

A sea of white flowers.

This bee was enjoying the flowers too.

That was fun...

Back to the studio.