Allison!! Our Queen Shopping Sleuth is celebrating a birthday on July 4th!!

Wishing you the very best on your special day and lots of good things in the year ahead from your gal pals here at Atticmag, the two Janes.

If you haven’t yet seen her regular feature “Allison Shops“, be sure to check back every Thursday to see what goodies she has discovered on the web and from her hometown antique jaunts.

The yummy cake - and yes it’s edible, via Pink Cake Box.

The Fourth of July has always been my favorite holiday and what better way to highlight the celebration than by pulling together red, white and blue decor.  A practical investment in Brighter White dishes for every day use can be accented for the holiday by simply adding pieces of Colorware in pure Indigo and Red. (Above, Fishs Eddy,  L and R $3-20. Center $5-10)

The charming Homespun Table Linens bring a picnic feel to the day.  Mix red tablecloths with blue napkins and add translucent Star Candleholders to bring sparkle to the table. The decoupage Americana Flag Bucket introduces a patriotic touch while keeping bottled drinks cold for family and friends.  (Above, L to R: Crate and Barrel, $1.50 each. Plow and Hearth, *USA*, $25-75. Room Service Home, $88)

Over the years, I have accumulated a collection of glass serving pieces to use when entertaining. I love the vintage feel of the ruby red and cobalt blue Elizabeth pedestal cake plates by Mosser Glass.  I can visualize a white coconut cake on one and a delicious lattice crust apple pie on the other, so be sure to leave room for dessert! (Molehillfarm, *USA*, $62-$84)

No Fourth of July celebration would be complete without displaying the American flag, another *Made in the USA* product.  As everyone gathers on the porch for the fireworks show, the all-weather rockers provide a comfortable ending to a pleasant day. (Frontgate, $39-$79 and $199) Happy 4th!

In honor of the 4th of July, some patriotic abodes for our bird loving friends.

The Bird-Friendly Garden Shop

Round Island Lighthouse Bird House

Door County Woodworks

I was browsing the Jonathan Adler site today looking at lamps.  I love lamps like most women love jewelry.  Can’t explain it, it’s just one of those quirky things about me.  I came upon the lamps above in those yummy ’60’s colors and while they are a departure from my normal style of decor, I fell in love with their simplicity.

From lamps I bounced over to tableware.  Oh dear, more ’60’s colors and again, so simple and unpretentious looking.  I’m sensing a theme emerging.

Navigating my way to serve ware I spotted these sweet petal bowls.  Ok, actually I spotted the candy first, but hey, sweets are my downfall.  Very smart idea to display m&m’s (or are those skittles?) in color coordinated bowls, Jonathan.  Note to self: Add to shopping basket.

I can even be groovy entertaining outdoors with this melamine striped plate.

So what’s going on here?  Am I reverting back to my childhood avocado green decor days?  Is it the “everything old is new again” phenomena or could it be that designers like Mr. Adler have a keen eye for reinventing what was into something that is now.  Hip, fresh and stylish accessories in juicy colors for today’s generation with just a twist of nostalgia to hook those of us who were present the first time around.

Don’t know about you, but my shopping basket is telling me I’m onto a new style of decorating.

Disclaimer warning: This post contains color saturated images that may dramatically change your “neutral only”‘ way of decorating!

Similar to Majolica, hand-painted Mexican Talavera pottery is seeped in history.  Named for the Spanish village of Talavera de la Reina, the handicrafts of today’s artisans are most commonly found in tile and home decor items, but my favorites by far are the bathroom sinks.

Drenched in vivid hues and bold designs, a talavera sink beckons to be noticed.  Perfect for bathrooms, the sinks shown here are a unique way to add a rustic and potent splash of color and are a stylish alternative to standard issue white basins.  Images above via Mexican Connexion For Sinks.

San Miguel (L) Montebello (R) vessel sinks from Tierra-Y-Fuego

Calla Lillies (L) Sunflowers (R) from Tierra-Y-Fuego

There is a lot of information available on the web about Talavera pottery.  About.com is just one of the many sites where you can read more about how it is made.

There’s nothing as convincing as a picture to prove the effect an area rug can have on a room.  When I came upon the image above from Maria Killam’s blog Colour Me Happy, I knew it was one I wanted to share with you.  Maria was hired to update a room originally decorated by a designer 10 years earlier.  She accomplished the task with just a few minor modifications — switching out the drapery fabric and rods, toss cushions and by adding a rug.

Look closely at the accessories in the room in the before shot [above].  The prints on the fireplace wall lack definition, are too small and unbalanced.  The result is a disjointed appearance.  Also, don’t overlook minor details like changing the bun feet on the chairs to a sleeker leg that matches the lines of the coffee table and the coordinated placement of accessories on the fireplace mantel [after photo below].

Her choice for a rug was to go semi-custom.  Rather than try and find a square rug to fit the room, she chose textured neutral colored carpeting cut to size and had it bound in a herringbone navy fabric.  The binding instantly creates a frame around both the carpet and the seating area, helping to define the space.  The binding color also compliments the existing blue striped fabric on the chairs.  There’s one more element connecting the colors and that is the addition of dark colored objects added to the bowl on the coffee table.

Maria has demonstrated a key factor in selecting the right area rug for a room.  The trick isn’t to choose something just because it is pretty or a design you are attracted to, but instead to focus on how the rug works with the other objects in the room. Paying attention to scale, style, motifs and color in a carpet is the ultimate key to success in choosing one that integrates into and compliments the overall appearance of the room rather than becoming an overwhelming distraction.

My mother’s birthday is this week, but we are celebrating today with a party in her honor.  It’s one of those milestone birthdays — you know the kind, where she is turning 29 again.

Let’s start the preparations….a nice waterfront location [above] will provide a perfect backdrop for the festivities don’t you think?

Now for a pretty floral centerpiece…ahh, violas, delicate and extra special because that was her mother’s name.

Some pretty china to make the food look extra scrumptious.

And let’s add a touch of whimsy with these handbag place card holders.  My mother has a handbag for every season, so these summer totes are perfect.

Dessert?  What could be cuter than petit fours?  I couldn’t decide which ones I liked best, the ribbon tied presents or those adorable bonnets.  How about we all take one of each?  (We can worry about our hips another day).

Time for the party to begin!