Our family roots stem from all over the world so I thought it would be cute to make our rooms reflect different parts of the world. DH's mom just moved from Holland and gave us these dutch clogs. I thought it would be cute to put them on the wall, toes down, and put some faux tulips in them. Then, I could paint "shoes" (schoenen) in dutch on the wall with stencils and have people put their shoes there when they come in. I'm also going to have rocks put on our walkway with the word "welcome" on each one in different languages. I'm doing our kitchen in a french theme...DS in a (low key) african theme...etc.
Now, I've got this dining room table centerpiece (crystal bowl) in the Dutch room and I'm stuck. I don't know what to put in it.
Nothing that is "live"...everything I touch dies...fish, flowers,etc. It's amazing that I taught biology yet I can't keep anything alive. LOL!
Any ideas?
Any other ideas for other parts of the house?
Workout room (basement)- Greek
TV room/bar area in basement- Austrian
Master bedroom- Italian
Office- ? No theme yet ?

By Bea on Friday, December 10, 2004 - 01:18 pm:

Master Bedroom .... Italian Grotto of Love with a fountain in there somewhere. Dark curtains and brocade bedspread with many pillows in deep jewel colors
https://securessl01.websitecomplete.com/mmm1200/shop/showProd.asp?prod=701747

Dining room....A windmill birdhouse or stained glass windmill with silk flowers and branches http://www.genericgifts.com/prod-27609.htm

Austrian decor is like German. A Beer Garden Theme, small Austrian flags, beer steins, grape leaf garlands with small bundles of wheat.
http://www.burlapcreations.com/Merchant2/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD&Product_Code=G-1011

Workout room.....Paper the walls with inexpensive travel posters of Greece

By Mrsheidi on Friday, December 10, 2004 - 02:07 pm:

hhhhmmmm....I can picture it now! Love the fountain idea especially...any more?

By Emily7 on Friday, December 10, 2004 - 04:36 pm:

I have no suggestions for you...but I would love to see pictures when you are done. That sounds like a lot of fun.

By Breann on Friday, December 10, 2004 - 07:07 pm:

I would love to see pictures too! My friend has an Americana room which is beautiful. I don't know a whole lot about other countries, so I'm not much help here.

Bea's ideas all sound nice.

By Mrsheidi on Friday, December 10, 2004 - 09:07 pm:

Thanks, ladies! I'm doing the kitchen and the living room first. It's fun to do a Paris inspired kitchen. I'm in the middle of painting the walls a rich chocolate color. It goes well with the cabinets that are a pine color. Really makes 'em pop out! I also got some new hardware on the cabinets. The old owners had this olive green and bright mustard yellow color on the walls and bright obnoxious brass hardware. ugh. I even found some cute Paris postcard inspired artwork online for a reasonable price!
These newly painted walls are a warm welcome now when I come home! :-)
I'll take pics when I'm done! :-)

By Breann on Friday, December 10, 2004 - 09:43 pm:

I would love to do an Italian inspired kitchen. I saw one on a home building show that was just stunning.

Have fun redecorating!

By Emily7 on Friday, December 10, 2004 - 11:01 pm:

YOu could do a Swedish Spa guest bathroom.

By Tink on Friday, December 10, 2004 - 11:11 pm:

Our bathroom is done in a Japenese Zen garden-type theme. Lots of polished river rocks and bamboo. I have all kinds of ferns in the window sill and a shallow goldfish bowl on the counter. Several framed calligraphy prints on the walls. I used a moss green and taupe color scheme. I get a ton of compliments on it.