Before the Internet, before Pinterest, there were only magazines for inspiration.
I had a subscription to most of them: House Beautiful, Traditional Home, Country Living, etc.
I would tear out favorite pages and put them in plastic sleeves to save. I had lots of binders, full of inspiration! They've all disappeared except one.
It's titled "Romantic Homes" which is where this page came from.
I still love this garden room with its floral wallpaper and chair. And that floor!
I think for the most part, this room would still be on trend today, minus the wallpaper.
Not sure who the designer was. Does anyone remember?
Another page I obsessed over!
A bedroom designed by Betsy Speert with that wonderful paisley duvet and delicious green walls.
Check out the bears on each post of the bed. It was definitely a time of embellishment.
What still stands today? Maybe the duvet?
Other than the many floral patterned pillows and red rug, this garden room could still be on trend with the mirrored coffee table and black lacquer chairs. Woven blinds would replace the cafe curtains.
This room and magazine feature had a great influence on me. A young couple decorated their home in Ralph Lauren fabrics. Lots of plaid and florals. Those fabrics are still around today. I think I still have a pillow in that floral somewhere.
Notice the sisal rug. It was at the beginning of that trend which still is around today.
Here's another page I've held on to all these years.
The cabinet with stacks of white towels, the faux bamboo desk and slipper chair upholstered in Ralph Lauren's "Charlotte" floral still makes my heart skip a beat.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLAJ0qnQnJti9Ihi85WUdCkNOTWmDbes8tWTrHtPhmxh49Bf6CpxY968v-dY5zWPQrR91C-useCmmXJTOdO566gUBRF3lGDlQ9Fo_atKa5BPUviV9GZKV1l6t1NLZAuGHXmyvDR2YZQPu4/s640/IMG_E3264.JPG)
I remember how much I loved this room with its leopard chairs mixed with florals and green stripe wallpaper. I loved everything about this room!
That ceiling though!
A close up of the table shows the green majolica dishes I've been collecting for years.
Here's another page I've held on to all these years.
The cabinet with stacks of white towels, the faux bamboo desk and slipper chair upholstered in Ralph Lauren's "Charlotte" floral still makes my heart skip a beat.
I remember how much I loved this room with its leopard chairs mixed with florals and green stripe wallpaper. I loved everything about this room!
That ceiling though!
A close up of the table shows the green majolica dishes I've been collecting for years.
These pages are just a few examples of what inspired me back in the day. It took a lot of time to gather and collect when I was a young mother who enjoyed decorating my home on a budget.
These days, I search Pinterest and Instagram for ideas.
When not looking online for inspiration, I have my collection of design books.
And I'm happy there are still magazines to tear pages out and pin to my virtual board!
Check out my Pinterest and Instagram to see my projects, as well as what inspires me.
Check out my Pinterest and Instagram to see my projects, as well as what inspires me.
8 comments:
On trend or not, I would still decorate
those rooms just as they are. I find them
timeless and lovely. Thanks for sharing them.
My husband would threaten on a few occasions to just trash my magazine collection. I can understand his complete and utter incomprehension. It's only been recently that I've been able to let go because I don't want to deal with them anymore myself because at 66 years, I'm out of my "acquiring" stage.
Having said that though, there's one old folder packed with a hodgepodge of articles, ideas, dreams . . . that I just can't toss and it's also fun to compare if one's ideals and tastes remained the same or changed.
Hope your dust is clearing and the sailing is smooth from here on out!
P.S. Uh, oh! If your stash disappeared, maybe your husband did the unthinkable! ;)
Those rooms are beautiful. I don't think "pretty" or "romantic" ever go out of style.
I've never embraced Pinterest because I can't figure out how to save the pictures to my Interior Design folder.
I too have a binder with pictures torn from magazines. Haven't added to it in years. I periodically go through my magazines and tear out those images that speak to me....but honestly I have stacks of magazines I just am not ready to toss..when I am ready, I bring them to work so they can inspire others! Thanks for sharing those pictures from the past, I think they still work in this day!
What still stands? It's amazing how each of these rooms in general are as beautiful today as they were "back when." Certain classic elements never go out of style - plaids, florals, animal prints, alabaster lamp bases, deep rich colors (those greens!), black lacquered chairs and side tables, - they all still stand. A few updates here and there, such as losing the fringed curtain valances, and adding the sisal rugs and woven blinds as you noted, and these rooms would feel as fresh as tomorrow!!
Could the green garden room in the first photo belong to Kitty Bartholomew? I love everyone of these rooms. I remember each and everyone of them. So timeless.
Love those rooms!
These photos remind me of your old house. Before you moved to the city. The colors and feel are just like that house was!!! What happened to Betsy’s
Blog. I loved it !
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