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Winter White
Snippets
EASY WAYS TO REFRESH YOUR HOME NOW!
Welcome Happy 2018 dear friends!
It’s mid-winter, and boy do we need a dose of spring! When those mid-winter blues get to be too much for me, I turn to winter whites to refresh my space, my soul, and the next few weeks until the seasons start to change. I hope these Winter White Snippets will help you, too, to get into (or stay in) a fresh, bright Country House state of mind, no matter how gray it is outside! Whether you choose to add little touches here and there, or you’re game for a full-scale re-style, refreshing rooms with winter whites can make a big difference! To show you how easy it is to get the Nora Murphy Country House winter white look or to pull together your own, I've dug around online and turned up tons of fabulous finds — many of them with classic style very much like mine. What can I say? A bit of a re-fresh now makes me feel that much closer to spring! Happy re-fresh! Love,
NORA MURPHY Founder and Editor in Chief Please direct all inquiries to: contact@noramurphycountryhouse.com. © 2018 Nora Murphy Country House, Inc. All rights reserved.
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Nora Murphy Founder and Editor in Chief
Carol Hubner Art and Features Director
Deborah Golden Copywriter/Copy Editor
Criana Web Producer
Darryl Arbesman Conor Murphy Nora Murphy DuAnne Simon Contributing Photographers All design, photography, and copy on NoraMurphyCountryHouse.com is original, produced year-round at Connecticut Country House and on location.
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Okay, let’s start simply
Place sea stars in a window. It’s a charming way to welcome guests.
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Pile on white pillows Each season, the first thing I do is change out the throw pillow assortment on all of the seating in my living room. My collection of wooly tartan pillows goes into storage to make way for my collection of crisp creamy white linen pillows. I make sure to look for pillows that are varied in scale and pretty details.
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click here to shop my lastest , favorite white dinnerware finds!
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click here to shop my favorite white pillows.
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click click here here to shop to shop my lastest my favorite, favorite warm white white dinnerware throws. finds!
Warm, white wool can be light as a feather
I love the softness and coziness of wool throws stacked here and there at Connecticut Country House. Switching to a palette of wooly winter whites lightens the look and feel of my living spaces.
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Refresh your artwork
For years, these 18th c. English engravings have been matted in a khaki color, and framed in mix and match antique silver leaf frames. What's changed? The matting. When we painted the living room walls white (Benjamin Moore/Cloud Nine), and leaned the engravings on the mantel, the mats made the engravings look dull and dated. My local frame shop re-matted them to match the wall color. What a cost effective quick fix! NORAMURPHYCOUNTRYHOUSE.COM
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Chalk painted frames
Here’s an easy weekend project— ready-made frames from the art store and a can of Annie Sloan Chalk Paint. This was my quick, easy and affordable solution to framing my collection of 20+ Francois Nicolas Martinet’s 18th c. bird prints.
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click here to read my blogpost about using Annie Sloan Chalk Paint. NORAMURPHYCOUNTRYHOUSE.COM
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click here to shop essentials for building a better bed.
Add layers of fresh white
There really is a way to make your bed as pretty and as comfy as can be, just by layering. I start with a foundation: fluffy mattress cover and layer on a fitted and flat sheet. Stacking our standard pillows behind a pair of European shams and decorative pillows brings "the pretty" to the main sightline of the bed - the headboard. A matelasse coverlet blankets the sheets, and a big, fluffy duvet is puffed at the foot of the bed. When all these layers are freshly washed and assembled, what a good night’s sleep I get! NORAMURPHYCOUNTRYHOUSE.COM
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click here to shop my favorite white blouses.
A closet full of white blouses
Quite simply, I’m obsessed with white blouses. They’re a classic, seasonless staple in my wardrobe. I’m always on the look out for different fabrics and cuts, as well as a variety of necklines, collars, cuffs, and details. From well-worn soft oxford shirts to crisp, crunchy linens, I have a white blouse to suit any mood, any occasion. A good blouse is good for the soul.
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Welcoming fresh scents
Fragrance is an important element in decorating my country house. White candles that are seasonally scented add so many attitudes to a room. I’m very proud of my Nora Murphy Country House Candle Collection, that’s lovingly handmade in Connecticut, using all natural soy and essential oils. I love the candle’s clean-lined classic glass form that works so beautifully everywhere.
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click here to shop the Nora Murphy Country House Candle Collection.
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Creamy white flowers brighten winter rooms
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To quote one of my favorite artists, Claude Monet, “I must have flowers, always, and always.” Especially in the winter, when they’re needed most to bring beauty and fresh spirit indoors. From a bunch of roses or tulips I picked up at the market, to cut paper whites that have flopped over, clear glass containers are my natural go-to. The clear glass keeps the focus on the flowers and adds a fresh, modern vibe to any spot. And for those who wish to get the look, but don’t want to maintain fresh stems, there’s always faux! Faux florals have never looked so good!
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click here to shop my picks for beautiful faux florals and glass vessels.
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Wash& wear slipcovers that go anywhere I chose creamy white cotton denim for custom slipcovers for all the seating at Connecticut Country House. This was a big deal to undertake, but well worth it! Because everything is dressed in the same denim, I can move any chair, anywhere, and it all works. Changing up a chair in a room can refresh the room right away!
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click here to shop my lastest , favorite white dinnerware finds!
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Creamy white deckle edged paper Collecting prints on fine paper can be displayed in a casual way in an open portfolio on a nearby side table. This simple display adds visual and tactile appeal.
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Nature's treasures
Seashells and coral add a fresh, summery touch to my home year round. 28
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When you pair oyster shells with chalky white dinnerware, the whole table takes on a light, cheerful air.
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Lovely white linens
I love making any occasion special with pretty white table linens. Fringed or hemmed, monogrammed or textured, table linens in creamy white are a perennial favorite!
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click here to start your own collection of pretty white linens.
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Stacks of creamy white dishware Basic everyday white dishes and serve ware, in a variety of shapes and uses, are so impactful amassed and in full view in my country kitchen’s open red pantry.
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click here to shop my favorite winter white dinnerware.
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Display vintage white collections
Collections, from vintage buttons to elegant creamware, add personal touches to nooks and tabletops.
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click here to shop white gift wrapping items.
Wrapped in white
Wrapping a gift in all white is just so elegant. During the year, I keep an eye out for pretty papers, some solid, some textured or tone on tone pattern. Satin, taffeta, and grosgrain ribbons that are wound around a package and tied into a big, beautiful bow make the whole package divine. NORAMURPHYCOUNTRYHOUSE.COM
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"If you change the way you look at things, the things you look at change." WAYNE DYER
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