Dear beloved readers,

As you know, I took the month of July off of blogging, as I knew it was going to be a very busy month at work.  I had hoped that during this time, I would “blog ahead” some posts, such as the décor posts or my book reviews.

That didn’t happen. 

The truth is, I really love my job. 

I wave at the building when I’m not there – seriously! 

I love my boss.  I MISS her when she’s not there.

I love what I do.  I am stimulated intellectually, creatively, you name it. 

And because of that, I have not had any urge to blog. 

That doesn’t mean that I don’t love you guys anymore – quite the opposite!  It just means that I need some time away, some undefined time, until I feel like blogging again.

I have a lot to say – it’s not a content issue at all.

It’s more about me focusing my energy on my career right now.  I have finally found the perfect match:  the right job AND the right company.

I am also stepping down from the Ohio Blogging Association.  I started it when I was unemployed.  I just don’t have the energy for that anymore either.  I’m so proud of what the team has done.  Huge shout-outs to Alicia, Rachel, and Katie.  I have told them that I’ll support them from the sidelines.

I do post frequently on my Facebook page, which is here.  I almost always carry my status updates from my personal page over to that.  I hope you’ll follow me there to keep up.

Also, I will still Tweet, @purtyinorange.

This isn’t goodbye, as I’m sure I’ll be back here and there.  It’s just to say:

Thank you.

Thank you for being here.

Thank you for caring.

Thank you for reading.

Thank you for commenting.

Thank you for sharing your world with me.

Thank you for allowing me to share mine with you.

Love,

Hi all,

This month is going to be killer at work, and I know I won’t have any time to blog. So I’m taking the month of July off. 

1.  There won’t be a July Challenge of the Month.  We’ll resume those in August.  The winner of June’s Challenge of the Month is Miss Laura of Absolut(ly) Fit!  Go Laura!  This is her second win this year.

2.  If you would like to guest post, just email me at angela[at]prettyinorange[dot]com. 

3.  This is the first real break I’ve taken in the 5 years I’ve been blogging.  I think I deserve it

I’ll see you guys in August.  It’s really not that far away at all!

Love to all of you!

Just as flooring, art and other accent pieces can change the look and feel of a room, so can window treatments.

First of all, I love just about everything in this room.  But the focus here is on the Roman Shade and valance on the window.  Gorgeous!  But I also love the chandelier. 

This picture reflects something we’ve talked about before – how any color can be a neutral.  Here, green is turned into a neutral by being the common color throughout the room.  And look at those gorgeous drapes and valances.  They really elevate the room to a whole other level.

These are definitely drama drapes.  They add such an elegant and luxurious touch to the room.

I love these drapes from Pottery Barn.  The room is style beautifully as well.

I love these drapes because you can pull so many different colors out of them to change the look of a room.

Another fabulous trend is the half shade.  This allows for you to have privacy and yet still let in natural light.

I found this store via Apartment Therapy.   It’s right up my alley with all of its beautiful, bright designs.

What I love is that you can shop by “worlds.” 

I love these colors.  Think about what you could pull out of them for the wall color, the drapes, etc.

This would be perfect for a young girl.

How luxurious.  The colors are so gorgeous.

I love the stripes.  And they come in a few different colors.

I don’t think I need to explain why I love this.

This isn’t my style, but I love the idea of it.

I love the color and the pattern.  Again, this is available in different colors.

You know how they say that whatever you are when the clock strikes midnight as the New Year passes is where you will be for the year?   I think it’s true.

And where was I when the clock struck twelve?  I was running behind.  And I have felt that way this entire year so far.  I just can’t seem to get the days to slow down!

There are so many wonderful and amazing things going on in my life right now and this blog is a huge part of that.  I just need to find the balance.

My last day at the temp job was yesterday and then I start at Wendy’s on Monday, so I need to really focus on getting organized.  To that end, I need to take just a teeny, tiny blogging break. 

I promise to be back as soon as I can!

One Kings Lane is a site much like Gilt, where you can buy designer items for a fraction of the price.  I’ve been enjoying finding lots of new décor places to love.

If you would like to join One Kings Lane, please click HERE.  I get a little credit toward a purchase if you do.

Bailey Street is one such place.  It’s a modern twist on traditional furniture, and I love it.

Love this mirror, and it’s no surprise that it sold out when it was marked down 50%.

This is also a gorgeous mirror.  Mirrors can really add light and the illusion of more space to a room.

A new (to me) DIY blog I’m loving is The Lettered Cottage.

Look at what mirrors did in this space.  Isn’t that just amazing?

Apartment Therapy just did a post about hanging mirrors over your windows in the bathroom or bedroom if you don’t have a traditional place to put one.

Mirrors in your hallway can make it feel larger.

As we discussed last week, lights can make a huge difference in the décor of a room.  Another item that can have a big impact is a rug, be it a throw or an area.

I love the colors of this one.  I imagine it surrounded by khaki-colored furniture, dark wood grains in the moldings and the floor.  I see the accent colors, especially the terracotta, pulled from it for the pillows and the window treatments. 

I see this in a dining room, with black table and chairs.  Glass lamps and chandelier.  Or, in a bedroom, with mirrored cabinets.

This appeals to me as an entryway rug. 

This would also make a wonderful entryway rug.

This would make a lovely sitting room/boudoir rug.  I love the colors and the simple beauty of the design.  I see a room with all white furniture, but the window treatments would be in the yellow pulled from the rug.

All images from One Kings Lane.

  This typewriter necklace from Kate Spade – but only if they had it in silver, white gold or platinum.  I am not a fan of yellow gold for myself.

It has Just My Type engraved on top of the typewriter.

  These Josef Albers prints.

   These Breece Collection lamps.

  This cloche from Barreveld.

I think that people forget how much lighting can make or change a room.  Let’s take a look at some fabulous options.

I love the juxtaposition of the wood, fur, cotton, and chandeliers.  What could have

been a very plain palette is brought to life by the different textures and

different levels of elegance.

I love everything about this room – EVERYTHING.  And the pendant lighting just

makes it so cozy.  I want to curl up and go to sleep right there.

The square buffet, with the square knobs, plus the tile floor could

have made this space feel cold and sterile.  But the rounded lamps and

the mirrors help soften the look.  And the scale of the lamps

is perfect – balances out the table perfectly.

Don’t forget about the bathroom!  You can still make a statement with lighting there.

I am still loving the trend of the linear suspension chandeliers.  So dramatic!

Someone pointed me toward DecorPad today, and I can’t remember who it was, so for that I apologize.  But I love this site now and wanted to share it with you.

DecorPad is a source for decorating, renovating and home building!

Join the DecorPad community and share photos, create a virtual library of inspiration photos, ask for advice and bounce off design ideas with fellow members!

Find color inspiration in our paint gallery, search for steals and deals in our look 4 less guide, shop using our extensive vendors’ list and locate a designer!

Look at how gorgeous this room is.  And just looking at it, I can see how easy it would be to recreate.  You could easily find a version of the bedside table at HomeGoods and then paint it with silver paint.  You could also paint the walls a solid gray or even do gray and white stripes if you didn’t want to put up wallpaper. 

Okay, the wallpaper is WAY too much for me. But I love how they made it work by having everything else in white or taupe.  I could see the base Tiffany blue of the wallpaper as a solid color on the walls.  I think that the room would feel just as luxurious.

A lot of folks believe that they can’t combine bold colors and pastels.  But it works when you do it right.  The pillows and window coverings along with the white bedding become neutrals when you bring in the chair, the desk, and the pictures.

Don’t hate me, but I am in love with this wallpaper.  I would do it as framed panels, though, like what we talked about last week.  I don’t like the quilt/comforter AT ALL.  I love the yellow with the gray.  And I hate the accent pillow on the bench.

This room is pretty much perfect for me.  I love the headboard, the bench, the touch of black via the bedside tables, etc. But most of all?  Look at that closet space!