Peonies All Year Long

Tree Peony - Wikipedia

Peonies, both herbaceous and tree form, are my favorite flowers. I so enjoyed Publix and Trader Joe's having gorgeous cut peonies in May and June. Unfortunately, peony season is now over. But I have found a way to extend the season in one lovely way.

Coral, White & Blue - Setting the Summer Table

Kim Seybert

 

Memorial Day and the Fourth of July are both approaching. I am not the biggest fan of decorating for these holidays with classic red, white and blue at CCC. I feel like it works much better in a farmhouse or Colonial home or the like than a South Florida beach house with lots of pastels.

The Scent of Spring

Urban Stems

 

Three of my favorite flowers are peonies, roses, and freesia. I found a lovely candle I have to share that combines these three wonderful floral scents. 

The Christmas Chinoiserie Dining Room

Alex Papachristidis

The Upper East Side of Manhattan apartment of interior designer Alex Papachristidis has always been a favorite of mine. Here is the plum dining room adorned for the holidays. The deep red roses and amaryllis are perfect examples of my taste in floral arrangements. First, I love using a lot of one type of flower in one color. I think it is far more elegant. And I love leaving flower stems long like this. Much more dramatic.

Peonies & Caftans

Peony Caftan

 

My favorite flower is the peony and my favorite dress style is the caftan. Well, one of my favorite brands Frances Valentine has combined the two in the Peony Caftan. This is an updated version of their iconic Peacock Caftan that I love - I have four. They are great favorites of mine. Here is the Peacock Caftan in Navy below.

Peony Tips & Blue and White Spongeware

Tory Burch

  

Such a lovely tabletop - Tory Burch spongeware and Jardin napkins from her tabletop collection with blue and white Chinese porcelain and pink peonies.

Peony season will be here soon. Here are my tips for making your cut peonies last well.

The Blue and White Powder Room

Amy Berry

 Beautiful blue and white chinoiserie wallpaper in this classic powder room with a stunning marble washstand, brass fittings, monogrammed hand towels, and my favorite flower - peonies. A simple gold mirror lets the wallpaper take center stage.

Blue and White Outdoors

Serena & Lily

 I am still designing my lanai and love this inspiration from Serena & Lily. We all know about outdoor wicker furniture made of resin, but these fabulous rattan pendants are made for outdoors out of resin. I also love the idea of outdoor curtains and a wicker sectional. 

The blue and white palette and the blue and white Chinese ginger jar filled with peonies are perfect. I think I would pass on the coffee table though - I have never liked those tree trunks. I have a fabulous Miles Redd outdoor coffee table that will be great.

Enjoy your weekend - the weather is of course picture perfect here in paradise.

Blue and White

Luxe Furniture and Homewares

This is such a simple idea, but so pretty. Fill a blue and white ginger jar with blue hydrangeas. Speaking of hydrangeas, have you seen this new one called Strawberry Sundae?

Strawberry Sundae Hydrangea

I am a bit south for it, but I think it would be fine in the right spot. Such a beauty! Imagine a huge blue and white ginger jar filled with these.

For flower arranging, I love roses, peonies, hydrangeas, and Oriental lilies. I really dislike mixed bouquets. I almost always use blue and white Chinese porcelain with the exception of my two Kate Spade Cloverdale vases that are great favorites.

Do you recall when Lonny magazine featured the bedroom of Lonny founder Michelle Adams with the Cloverdale vase on her bedside table? It was long discontinued at the time, and bloggers went nuts trying to find one or create a DIY. I was fortunate to find one on eBay and the other at HomeGoods.

Michelle Adams - Lonny

My House

Flowers & Chinoiserie

Cake Atelier Amsterdam

I love beautiful flower arrangements in blue and white Chinese porcelain. The colors and flowers here are lovely, anchored by my favorite pink peonies.

Pink and Blue

Ethan Allem

Pink peonies in a clear vase are perfect with blue and white Chinese porcelain.

Sunday Inspiration - Pink and Blue

Tory Burch

A perfect combination - dark green walls with gold, lots of blue and white Chinese porcelain, and an abundance of pink peonies, a favorite flower of mine.

Blue and White

Society Social

Wing chairs upholstered in a favorite fabric of mine - Brunschwig & Fils Les Touches with a blue and white Chinese porcelain lamp and a pop of pink peonies.

Leopard & Chinoiserie

Caitlin Wilson

Pink & Blue & White

via A Nantucket Summer

Happy Mother's Day

Saturday Inspiration

Miles Redd

In this amazing New York City apartment by Miles Redd, House Beautiful focused on how his wild use of color anchors the place. I would suggest that Chinoiserie is another important anchor here. Let's take a little tour. Above, a collection of celadon vases makes quite a display on an aqua lacquered wall.

Turquoise foo dogs are such a hot trend-

A Chinese garden stool makes a great side table in the living room-

The de Gournay wallpaper is exquisite-

An antique Chinese horse in the hallway-

Chinese peonies are a perfect choice-

The bedroom was built around this antique Coromandel screen-

A collection of blanc de Chine vases and ginger jars-

A pair of yellow Chinoiserie lamps-

Walls sheathed in red linen, a classic Chinoiserie color-