The True North Strong And Free!

I have to do a quick post in honour of the Vancouver 2010 Olympic games. As a Canadian I am especially proud of my country today. For the most medals ever won on home soil and a new record set for most gold medals won by a country, I am beaming with pride. Today was a nail biting hockey game and both teams did an amazing job. I hope all of you enjoyed watching the events as well. Everyone deserves a big pat on the back for the incredible hard work that went into these games.

Congrats to you and your country too!

Modern Family *Update* All New Pictures and Paint Colour Schemes Of The Three Family Homes!

 Please Click This Link For A Compilation Of Up To Date Modern Family Decor Information: http://recklessbliss.blogspot.com/p/modern-family-homes.html
  

The post I previously did on the hilarious show “Modern Family” homes got the biggest response yet so I decided to do an update on some pictures for you fellow fans and try to hunt down some answers to the questions. I was thrilled to see so many people loved the houses (especially the Dunphy home) as much as I did. I tracked down some new shots of the homes and much more shots of Cameron and Mitchell’s Mediterranean casa (which I was seriously lacking). Please excuse a few of the scratchier ones, I couldn’t find clear pictures of some of the best rooms so I had to improvise for the greater good! I did some colour schemes to give everyone some ideas on paint for their home inspired by the show. I am currently on wait to hear back on specific paint colours from the set so I will do another update when/if that happens. I stuck to Benjamin Moore paints because they are most commonly used and affordable to the average budget.

 Please Click This Link For A Compilation Of Up To Date Modern Family Decor Information: http://recklessbliss.blogspot.com/p/modern-family-homes.html
 

We’ll kick things off with a breakdown of the Dunphy home colours. Clearly the most coveted colours to paint, these are some of the key traditional (and somewhat beach themed) colours found in the home. The blue is Labrador Blue which can be found on the entry way walls. The punches of red throughout the house can be found mostly on the drapes so to match that colour I went with Merlot Red. The light beige found in the living room is a close match to the third colour Rainforest Dew. Lastly, the hits of green show up as an accessory colour to objects like the plates in the kitchen, apples on the kitchen table and various flowers. This colour best matched Spring Moss.
 

A shot of the Dunphy staircase with the soft blue colour everyone seems to mutually love.

  

I included this shot to showcase some of the art work the Dunphy’s have in their home.
 

Here is a shot of the family room which is open to the kitchen and dining room. The couch colour is almost an exact match to the kitchen cupboard paint colour. I’m a big fan of the cute pillows on the couch. 
 Please Click This Link For A Compilation Of Up To Date Modern Family Decor Information: http://recklessbliss.blogspot.com/p/modern-family-homes.html 
 

Standing in the dining room looking into the family room. I love the basket beside the couch in place of the side table. The glass cabinet is an awesome way to display vases and blankets etc.
 

I had a big request for shots of the dining room and now I see why people were having a hard time finding it. It was really difficult to find a clear picture of the dining room so I improvised with some shots taken while the show was in progress. They have gray/ivory padded chairs which were a close match to Vintage French Round Side Chair chairs found at Restoration Hardware. They also have a classic farmhouse looking wooden dining table that seats six. Also seen here are some of the deep red drapes I talked about in my colour scheme breakdown. 
 

The random hodge podge of plates and pictures on the wall makes you really feel like a family has lived there for years rather than a decorated set.
 

Classic shot from the show during an interview.
 

A shot of Claire and her dad Jay. Love the double wall ovens.
 

Another shot of the kitchen. I wish I had a little spot for all my cookbooks in the kitchen. Green plates were the inspiration for the Spring Moss colour in the colour scheme.
 

A rarely seen shot of one of the kid’s rooms. Haley’s is the Dunphy teenager with a room to match her age.

Moving on to Jay and Gloria’s beautiful modern home. I went with some classic neutral tones to match the feel of this earthy architectural home. The mocha colour seen in the dining room came very close to a shade called Ferret Brown. The dominant colour on the walls is soft stone gray best matched to Horizon Gray. Throughout the house you can find several hits of an accented golden brown colour that I think is very close to the colour Yellow Marigold. The last colour I found that stood out was the hits of wild red around the house that I later read to be symbolic to Gloria's fiery personality. For this colour, I went with Currant Red which corresponds very nicely to it’s three other paint buddies to make for a modern yet still feisty palette.
 

I’m in love with the door for this home. The foyer has a classic pedestal table which proves not all modern furniture has to look super weird!
 

The other post I did about the Modern Family homes I included a shot of Jay and Gloria’s family room but this shot shows the fireplace and TV. I have to say I expected a much bigger TV on the wall for the wealthy architect. You can see there is a mini bar off to the left in the family room as well.
 

Jay and Gloria’s kitchen has a deep wine red colour to match the modern sleek design. It’s a nice punch of colour without being over the top.
 

What’s interesting here is that the same wine red colour from the picture above is gone. I don’t know if the crew decided to add or subtract it from the kitchen but I’ll be keeping a watch for it during the new episode next Wednesday. I love the light fixture focal point in this room. 
 

Of course when I say forgive some of the scratchier shots, these are included in that. I was at a loss to find pictures of Jay and Gloria’s bedroom. I saw it briefly in an episode and I was instantly gaga for the room. The bed looks like it’s floating and the neutral colour of the walls looks fabulous with the contrast of orange beachy pillows.
 

I posted this picture just to show the adorable little table with the flowers and picture frame. Imagine having a room big enough for all this furniture and then some.
 

Opposite corner of the bedroom.
 

Chair beside the bed. 
 

This shot is when you first walk into Jay and Gloria’s bedroom. You can see there is a small couch to the right and a chest of drawers.
 

Last but not least, we have the hysterical couple Cameron and Mitchell’s calming Mediterranean home. The main colour of the walls is one of my favorite paints used on rooms because it pretty much always turns out fabulous. I found that it most closely matched a paint colour called Olive Moss. Secondly, I found that the tweed coloured furniture such as, the bench and couch, stood out against the gorgeous olive walls quite nicely. For this colour I choose Timothy Straw. The accent colour most often found around the house is a bright punch of orange which matched the paint colour Citrus Orange. For the bright and sunny kitchen colour, a creamy and subdued yellow like American Cheese does a great job of mimicking the room. Most of these paint colour names had me hankering for a sandwich! After some more research I found out that the green colour used on the walls is called Louisberg Green by Benjamin Moore paints and can be found with more detail in the post found here.
 

I finally found some good shots of Cameron and Mitchell’s home. This is a shot of the entry. I’m nuts for the wispy neutral curtains on the muted green walls.
 

Another shot of the entry. 
 

I’m in love with the Dunphy family wall colours and fabrics like most of you but I really love the colour scheme used for decorating this house too. It’s very sophisticated and calm.
 

A shot of some more of the artwork in the home as well as a great shot of the built in bookcases.
 

A small wall cutout looking into Cameron and Mitchell’s kitchen from the living room.

I hope you found this updated post helpful and entertaining. Please keep in mind that my colour schemes are not an exact match but rather a rendering of what I think they best match to from the Benjamin Moore paint collection. As I said, I am on wait to hear back from some people who may have access to the information of exact colours so, should that come through I will of course bring everyone up to speed. Thanks for all the support and like always, I want to hear your thoughts!
 

All shots are courtesy of ABC and all paint colours are courtesy of Benjamin Moore.

 

Please Click This Link For A Compilation Of Up To Date Modern Family Decor Information: http://recklessbliss.blogspot.com/p/modern-family-homes.html

  

Craft Haven

(Style At Home)
Anyone that enjoys crafts like scrapbooking, card making, etc knows that it's tough to find a big enough and cleared working space to lay out all the tools and materials you need to create your masterpieces. I love crafty projects but being in a teeny apartment creates limitations on working space. Typically, I have to lay everything out on the floor and work from that. By the time I'm done finding everything buried in the closet and laying it out (not to mention having to pick it all up afterward) I've blown a whole afternoon on just hunting and gathering (it's not just for men anymore!). Along with crafts I am a wrapping paper and ribbon addict. Currently my 25+ rolls of wrapping paper are hidden under my bed like a dirty secret and the immense amount of ribbon is buried with it's lonely friends in the closet. I'm sure all you crafty lovers out there will join in my praise of the much coveted and seldom achievable "craft room."

The idea of it at first seems excessive to the average untrained non-crafter eye but just the same as dinner plates needs cupboards and books need shelves, craft supplies need homes too! A spot where ribbon spools no longer run rampant and unravel. Somewhere to have easy access to those pairs of scissors or jars of buttons without the much hated digging and searching. This post is some of my favorite inspirations for craft rooms that we all deserve to have.

I have to comment on the picture above because every time I see it I get excited. The mini espresso maker and mugs in your little hideaway was something I hadn't even thought about until I saw this picture from Style At Home. For all those late night or early morning crafters, this would be a great addition. In my home, I drink decaf and my husband likes the tough stuff but we only have the counter space for one coffee maker so our routine morning battle for coffee control would be settled if I was rocking a craft room like that. You think I could convince him I need a craft room in order to keep the peace between us? Probably pushing it a bit.....

(Pottery Barn)
If you already have a working office space in your home it could be a great area to add onto for your craft room. I love the multifunctional aspects to this room. They make some fabulous software for crafts now so having a computer and printer on hand in your craft room would be the bees knees. This space needs another chair on the right set up with a sewing machine for fabric crafts. And clearly, BC needs a Pottery Barn to feed my needs!

(Pottery Barn)
I like that the doors can open and close on the wrapping paper holder on the wall because not only does it make for an easy escape from any mess in the cupboard but the inside of the doors also give the smaller space an extra spot for supplies which helps to utilize every available inch. I'm a fan of the calming colours of this room as well.

(Martha Stewart)
I could not possibly mention crafts and craft rooms without mentioning the reigning queen of domestic hobbies. This is a shot of the craft room Martha Stewart has in one of her homes. You can bet there isn't a paper clip out of place in this room. I always picture her walking around the house with white gloves to test the housekeepers work like a Sgt. in the military while the help forms an orderly line and holds their breath in anticipation. Don't get me wrong, I'm a fan of her work but you can't help but notice the woman likes things done a certain way!

(Haute Living)
When I first heard about the Spelling manor and the infamous "wrapping paper room" I was drooling while everyone else was shaking their heads in disbelief. I would be in heaven to have all my rolls and ribbons lined up and ready for action. Can you imagine how simple it would make even just the zillions of gifts you have to wrap at Christmas? But if you are still leaning on the "unnecessary" end of the spectrum look at it this way: if they really need three rooms to hold gift wrap then that must mean they are generous gift giving people!

I'm eager to hear your thoughts on the matter. Are craft rooms a silly waste of space or a necessity for every crafter? Please let me know if you have a craft room too, I would love to have a peak at your little haven!

I'm Currently In The Closet

(House and Home)

Whether you're really into clothes or not, an amazing walk-in-closet is a girly
dream. If I were to build my dream house that had no price limit I
would make darn sure there was a His and Hers walk-in that were both
jaw dropping (that is, after I stopped jumping up and down from the
prospect of building my dream house!). By doing two separate closets, I
wouldn't have to feel like a jerk for making the "Hers" closet a "Girls
Only!" diva dream (plus it would fun to design a manly closet for my
guy too!) I don't even really have all that many clothes or shoes but
the idea of a place of my own to play dress up like a little kid again
sounds delightful.

I always pictured my ideal girl closet with crystal light fixtures and a
big tuft stool. Maybe a music hook up inside for the I-Pod with a
playlist of all the best girl anthems so you have something to dance to
while getting dressed. There's no shame in your secret guilty pleasure
of Britney Spears in your girl closet. Do you ever get dressed for a
night out and end up just feeling fat and miserable? Not in the girl
closet! Only the best skinny mirrors around are in your girl closet so you always feel good about your bod.

I love when you can display some of your favorite items like a sweater
too. It's like having a Bloomingdales in your house. (And let's face
it, if you can afford this utopia closet then you're probably buying
some fancy duds to fill it) I am very organized and tidy so having a
specific place for the extras that always seem to be laying around the
closet floor like belts and purses would be fabulous.

It's probably for the best that I don't have my dream closet otherwise I may
never be seen again. I've collected some of my favorite pictures of
dream closets below.

(interior design)
This is a great example of the clothes on display and a plush spot to flop down.

(House and Home)
Great island in the middle for unmentionables.

(California Closets)
These are two more masculine looking ones I envisioned for the man in your life. The closet above is from California Closets and below is from Poliform whom I have newly discovered and love.

(Senzafine Closet)
So sophisticated and manly. I wouldn't be surprised to see George Clooney come strutting out of there.

And of course what is closet talk without mention of a few celebrity and movie closets? We all know this famous closet from the show Sex and the City. This is Carrie's sanctuary.

This is Carrie's second much grander sanctuary that Big builds her in there new home. I hope we get to see it filled with clothes and shoes in the second movie.

(In Style)
Sex and the City alum Kim Cattrall sitting in her well organized closet.

Franchois Deschinger for Nate Berkus' Home Rules)
This is Oprah's walk-in closet at Harpo Studios. She has a personal walk-in closet at work! I wonder what her one of her nine homes closets looks like......

This is a still shot from the remake movie "The Women" staring Meg Ryan. I wasn't a fan of the movie (the original cannot be matched!) but I did really enjoy the look of this scene. The ladies are at a fashion show and after the show they are taken back stage to try on outfits from the show for purchase. The design of this area would make for a great at home closet.

So what are your thoughts? Is a walk-in closet a waste of space or a must have luxury?

Celine: Through The Eyes Of Me

Promo photo for Celine: Through The Eyes Of The World

Just got back from the epic Celine Dion movie, "Celine: Through The Eyes Of The World." Let me tell you, amazing. This movie introduced me to a whole new side of Celine and showed me deeper into what I knew was already there. One of my favorite parts of the movie was when she was being driven back to her hotel one evening in Paris just after completing a two hour concert and waiting outside the hotel for her was a mob of fans. They had been standing out in the cold for hours waiting for Celine to arrive in hopes of an autograph. Celine was very visibly exhausted yet she signed 300 autographs for the fans! That says so much about her character when most other entertainers would (understandably even) bypass the fans and go straight inside after a long night. She knows why she is able to do what she does and be so successful at it; because of the fans. It's pretty clear that she's immensely grateful to them. Knowing that I am appreciated in return for my love of her makes me love her that much more. She is outstandingly talented and kind and deserves absolutely every success and blessing she has. I urge you to check out the movie for yourselves and see what this amazing woman has to offer you.

Celine performing during the Taking Chances World Tour

VIOLA!

I have finally got my new template up and running. This will be the new look of Reckless Bliss (with a few tweaks here and there). I'm really excited about the change and would love to hear your thoughts. Thanks to all my followers, I hope you had a lovely Valentine's Day!
Love, Heidi xoxox

*UPDATE* The comments were not working temporarily but are up and running now so please share your thoughts once again!

Strange Valentine's Day Gift Idea

(DNA 11 Lip Art Sample)

This Pure Girl Moment Brought To You By Marchesa

Most of the 2010 Emmy gowns really caught my attention this year. One designer that I am never disappointed by is Marchesa. The designer has the most beautiful gowns I have ever seen. All designers have a few "out there" dresses you could never wear in real life but most of Marchesa's are feminine and have soft lines without being too over the top. Give yourself a "girly break" and check out a few pics of some of the gowns I've collected from the Marchesa Resort 2010 and Fall 2009 collection. You can find these and much more on the Marchesa website.

This dress actually reminds me of fancy pajamas you would see on ladies from a show like Madmen, which is set in the 60's. Even just dutifully cooking breakfast in the morning, the ladies always looking stunning for their husbands. I look more like a disheveled mountain goat when I pour my morning coffee. Thank god for the feminist movement!

Love the intricate pattern on this little number. Very eye-catching.

I first saw this gorgeous gown on Ms Selena Gomez at the 2010 Emmy Awards. Floor-length and a sweet heart neckline makes this dress impossible to ignore. I love a gown that makes it easy in the jewelry department too. With the jeweled neckline you don't need to think about what necklace to wear. If I was wearing this gown I don't think I would ever stop twirling in circles!

Breath taking Selena Gomez at the Emmy 2010 Awards in the Marchesa gown.

If you've got the legs show'em!

I think this dress does all the talking for itself. Like wearing a cloud.

If you had the dough to spend on the best designer duds would you? It would sure be hard to resist!
(www.Marchesa.com)