Decorating & Design - Maison de Cinq

Mantel Dilemma!

Usually I’m pretty sure of what direction I want to go when it comes to decorating. However, I am having a bit of a dilemma when it comes to re-decorating my living room mantel. To give you the back story, until recently I had a tall topiary in a black tole container on each side, and then next to those, a a pair of antique candlesticks. Anyway, I’ve always loved my topiaries but I wasn’t loving the black containers anymore. I bought them years ago and at that time, I had more black accessories in the room and they really worked. So at first, I thought I would just look for two vintage urns or something more interesting to put the topiaries in. I haven’t had any luck with that and now I’m unsure about keeping them at all. For one, I was thinking maybe they are a little dated, and secondly, I already have topiaries in the dining room which is right next to the living area. I’m not sure I should have them in both rooms. Since I wasn’t really sure what direction I wanted to go, I’ve been scouring all my Pins on Pinterest to look back and see the mantels that have spoken to me the most. Much to my surprise, many of my favorite rooms have very empty (or very layered) mantels. There seems to be not much in between! read more

All that Glitters is not Gold (it’s Silver!)

I’ve been collecting vintage and antique silver for a quite a few years now. It all began when my mother-in-law gave us quite a bit of hers (including a full Tiffany tea set!) After that, I started to notice it in antique stores and flea markets – I guess before that I never did. I mean, obviously, silver had been in those places all along, but I just never gravitated to it. I must’ve thought it was too dressy or old fashioned. I don’t know. What I do know, is now I love it! I love the beauty, of course, but what I really love is the sense of history it carries. Families used these bowls, ate off of these plates, served themselves from these spoons and platters, and poured tea from these pots. I love the formality. I love that there was a special utensil for literally everything! I can’t imagine how these women not only kept everything polished, but had room to store it all! Having said that, I don’t collect everything. I have some utensils and a few tea sets, but what I really love are the bowls and any and all kinds of platters. I use them to display items on tables or buffets, or to serve food at parties. I love that they are usable and practical, as well as being beautiful. read more

The Light with the Dark

I love pale interiors. I gravitate toward the light, faded, and predominantly neutral interiors that are so prevalent today. However, I have discovered that I like them better when there is some dark, or medium wood, mixed in with all the light.

Friday Favorites – White Dishes

I love white dishes. I love the simplicity, the cleanliness, and the versatility. When I first got married, I had a floral, patterned set of dishes but when I started getting really into cooking and went to culinary school, I found out that food looks much better on white plates (this is why almost all restaurants serve their food on white dishes). Soon after that is when I started collecting white ironstone, so it just made sense to have everyday dishes that were white as well. I coordinate the vintage collectibles with the new purchases all the time, and what’s great is, everything works together! I even love the different whites. The vintage ironstone is everything from white all the way to antique cream but the different shades add texture and interest, I think. And I’m particularly fond of white dishes and ironstone in a white kitchen. read more

Friday Favorites – Crushing on Blue and White!

I am still working on re-doing the fabrics in my family room, switching out the accent color of the room from red to blue (you can read about it in this post here). But since I am not done yet, and really want to be, I’m feeling such a craving for blue and white, I can hardly stand it! I’ve been seeing it everywhere, from Pottery Barn, to Pinterest, to photos on Instagram! It is such a refreshing color scheme, like a palate cleanser after a heavy meal. And it feels especially appropriate right now during the summer months. I almost feel cooler just looking at it! Almost… 😉 read more

Antique Lanterns: Adding Charm & Character to a Space

Antique lanterns are a fabulous way to add character to a space, but they can be so pricey! So today we’re sharing tips on finding lots of charming reproductions that will give you the look – for less!

Antique lanterns are something I’ve been smitten with for awhile now. I first fell in love with them when this kitchen was featured in a magazine a few years ago. I didn’t even realize that they were originally French outdoor lanterns, I just knew that I loved them! read more