In the Fall 2011, La Dolce Vita collection, Scalamandré introduced their classic Zebra pattern as a fabric and thus the rage continues.  The classic colors are Masai Red, Yellow, Safari Brown, and Serengeti Green.

There is desire for all things zebra.  Our Dwell Studio pillows are flying off the shelves!  They add a little “umph” of color and bold pattern.

• Postion of room vs color:

Take a traditional compass or “Compass App” on your Smartphone and stand in each room facing the natural direction to help guide you in color search.  Here are a few CGH products to introduce into your home instead of painting:

Earth : nourishment & stability : Northeast & Southwest

Wood : health & vitality : East & Southeast

Water : ease, freshness & abundance : North

Metal : clarity & preciseness : West & Northwest

Fire : passion & high energy : South

• Mirrors should reflect energy through a space not directly onto a wall or out a door
• Keep clutter away from your windows and doors
• Make the decision to tackle your space room-by-room and stick to it.
• How will you spruce your space?  Yin your Yang?

After you blast your favorite tunes and do the organizing dance…Sit back, relax and enjoy your achievements!  Throw on that favorite outfit you dug out of the closet(with tags still on it) and go out on the town!

Please share your feng shui tips with us!

See how a crisp white makes this room appear larger, while uniting both contemporary and traditional elements throughout the room. Caviar Fixed Pendant Cluster Light $3250, Clayton Gray Home.

Lack of color in decorating can be just as dramatic as any bold hue—on the walls, with furniture, even for your floors—white brightens a room, draws the eye outwards, creating the illusion of a larger space, and highlights everything around it.

Most importantly, white can lend itself to any taste or style, traditional, ultra-modern, or somewhere in between. Here’s a tip: Warm whites instantly create a mood of comfort and warmth in a room, as well as helps soften harsh lines, while bright whites give modern, minimalist spaces that extra-sharp zing.

The off-white tones used throughout this living space reflects warmth and a sense of comfort by softening the angular lines of this room. Bubbles Glass Chandelier $1425, Clayton Gray Home.

We love this Robert Rodriguez Bias Tank, and how our Wendy Lamp and our Costello Side Table mimic this style, beautifully! Arteriors Home Wendy Lamp($235) and Costello Side Table($820), www.claytongrayhome.com.

Let’s face it, summer is here in sunny Florida and it has us wanting to cool things off with the color white.   Does this shade bore you?

Before you turn your nose up to dressing or decorating with lack of color, keep this in mind…Lack of color in decorating can be just as dramatic as any bold hue—on the walls, with furniture, even for your floors—white brightens a room, draws the eye outwards, creating the illusion of a larger space, and highlights everything around it.

Most importantly, white can lend itself to any taste or style, traditional, ultra-modern, or somewhere in between. Here’s a tip: Warm whites instantly create a mood of comfort and warmth in a room, as well as helps soften harsh lines, while bright whites give modern, minimalist spaces that extra-sharp zing.

This Crimped Alabaster Blouse from Anthropologie is so beautifully reflected in the Moroccan styles of both our Punched Metal Hanging Light, $299 by Wunderley and our Ives Mirror, $2,500. (to see these and all other items visit www.claytongrayhome.com)

As we’ve been flipping through our favorite magazines we have made notes of many of our favorite styles that reflect the design of many of our favorite pieces from CGH.

We love white!

There is nothing more timeless and classic than this neutral shade.  Take a look at a few of our other “must haves” for this summer in fashion and  our favorite picks for your home, that will allow you to create your very own, True Gray Style!

We love Trina Turk’s new Coral Necklace, that pairs beautifully with our Giselle Mirror by Made Goods, $425-$1875 and our Pair of Coral Sconces, $2075. www.claytongrayhome.com

Trina Turk’s Geometric Embroidered Pillow in black and tan, $130 and Made Goods Black and White Janson Striped Stool, $1,360, pair perfectly with Tory Burch’s Daria Dress. (pillow and stool available at www.claytongrayhome.com)

Again we see the ever popular crisscross pattern in Lilly Pulitzer’s Resort Chic Basket Patent Wedges, and in our Crisscross Glazed Garden Stool by Emissary, $330 and in the Largo Mirrored Planter by Worlds Away, $780. (see www.claytongrayhome.com for these and all other items)

Nothing quite says summer like Tory Burch’s Straw Carlin Ella Tote, along side Bungalow 5’s 6 Drawer Polo Chest, $2015 and the Danforth Leather Chair by Arteriors Home, $1635. (www.claytongrayhome.com)

See our Bungalow 5 Green Jacqui Side Table featured in the latest issue of Rue!

We were so excited to open up this month’s issue of Rue and see our Bungalow 5 Green Jacqui Side Table featured on page 12!  In this particular section, they are featuring some of the season’s hottest items in fashion, furniture, and accessories, featured in some of the most talked about citrus hues of the season.   We love the curvy detailing on this lacquered wood table, and the fact that you can use this unique, modern piece anywhere from the living room to the children’s playroom.  We also love this magazine and look forward to seeing more of our favorite items gracing their pages. Thanks again, Rue!

An up close look at the Green Jacqui Side Table by Bungalow 5. www.claytongrayhome.com, $420.

Outside of the United States, burlap is referred to as ‘Hessian’.  Durable enough to transport coffee beans and withstand heavy use in your home.  First exported from India in the 19th century, burlap has become a pratical and fashionable fabric in interior design.

 ABOVE ::: Left: Anchor & Rope Pillow by Lacefield Designs ; Center: Loris Ottoman by Noir ; Right: Quatrefoil Burlap Pillow by Lacefield Designs

BELOW ::: Left: Burlap Cube by Noir ; Center: Lucite Bench with Burlap Cushion ; Right: Grayson Chair

Wendy Garraty(Clayton Gray Home Owner) and Ronda Parag(Tampa Bay Metro Publisher/Managing Editor). The lovely ladies of Clayton Gray Home and the latest Tampa Bay Metro cover for April/May 2012.

Last week we were thrilled to make an appearance at Tampa Bay Metro’s Summer with Style Fashion Show at Neiman Marcus, supporting the Children’s Dream Fund.  All of us at CGH love any excuse to get dressed up and enjoy a night of fashion, friendship, and fun, all while supporting such a worthwhile cause.

Pantone’s 2012 Spring Color List.

A few months ago, we had a blog post introducing the top colors in fashion and home design for 2012.  We were so happy to see many of these wonderful colors make an appearance!  It truly is amazing to see how fashion and design take cues from each other and are so interchangeably combined.  The 2012 top color of the year, Tangerine Tango, took center stage and showed up in many of our favorite outfits throughout the evening.

We will leave you with a few of our favorite summer pairings from the fashion show, alongside a few of our favorite Clayton Gray Home pieces that we thought worked well with these fashions!  Enjoy!  To find all of these fashions, both home and clothing, please visit www.claytongrayhome.com and www.neimanmarcus.com for more looks!

We love how the Solar Power and Driftwood hues are represented in the model’s outfit and our pillow! Diamond Ikat Citrine Linen Throw Pillow, $72. (to purchase, click photo)

Here, the Cabaret color is shown in the model’s jacket (love the leopard lining detail) and in our chandelier! Florence Chandelier, $2,400. (to purchase, click photo)

We loved this outfit reflecting the Tangerine Tango and Starfish hues, also seen in our Vivacious Hook Rug, $195 and our Hatch Linen Pillow in Citron $85. (to purchase, click photo)

We loved this fun and flirty ombre dress featuring the Tangerine Tango color, alongside our Antwerp Deco Club Chair, $3,795. (to purchase, click photo)

An this darling striped maxi dress featuring many of the Pantone 2012 colors, paired with two of our coordinating pillows! Mitre Stripe Throw Pillow, $182; Bird Honeysuckle Throw Pillow, $195. (to purchase, click photo)

We loved the simplicity and timelessness of this great dress, shown next to our Tennyson Linen Stool, $775, reminiscent of the Driftwood hue. (to purchase, click photo)

We loved how this particular outfit and accessories reflected the Cabaret and Solar Power hues, just like our Lex Mustard Green Lamp, $690; and our Trina Turk Floral Throw Pillow, $195. (to purchase, click photo)

We at CGH have been inspired by a few of our favorite “derby” pieces that will immediately land you in the winners circle!

When we think of the Kentucky Derby, a few things come to mind:  Derby Hats, Mint Juleps, and of course, horses!  This coming Saturday, May 5th, marks the 138th Kentucky Derby at Churchill Downs.  In honor of this grand tradition, we wanted to share with everyone, a few of our favorite “Derby” related home decor items we have to offer at Clayton Gray Home!

Lighting to Carry You Into the Home Stretch

Two Horses Table Lamp — Pair, $350.

We LOVE the Two Horses Lamps shown above!  What a great addition to any console in your home!

Chess Knight Table Lamp, $250.

The Chess Knight Table Lamp is also a great addition to any room.  The metallic lining on the inside of the black shade also adds a dramatic touch!

Cordiff Rope Chandelier, $1,770.

And how could we forget our Cordiff Rope Chandelier?  Though it does not have any horses on it, the rope detail helps to bring the feel of the stables indoors, without all of the mess!

And a Few Items for the Finicky Filly or Foal in Your Life…

Roped Ice Bucket and Tongs, $125 for the set.

Speaking of rope, we must not forget our Roped Ice Bucket and Tongs Set.  The must have for perfect mint juleps!

Horse Sculpture, $270.

Horse sculptures are always a great fit, whether on a shelf, a sideboard, or even a mantle! Our Horse Sculpture (shown above)and our Leighton Horse Sculpture (shown below).

Leighton Horse Sculpture, $275.

Finally, don’t forget to put some of our Capri Blue Volcano Candles in Mercury style julep glasses(shown below) around the room to add that final touch!

Capri Blue Candle– Volcano– Mercury Glass Set of 2, $38.

Love our Bubbles Glass Chandelier shown in this modern kitchen. In this setting, the chandelier helps to soften the dramatic lines of the furniture and cabinetry.

Let’s face it, the kitchen is often the place where functionality is key.  Between all of the slicing, dicing, preparing, and mixing, we all need maximum lighting to get things done.

That being said, the kitchen is the latest and greatest room where form, function, and style meet! You can still have your functionality with can lights, but add a sparkling chandelier in the mix and you’ve got a winning combination.

There are typically seven layers of lighting to take into consideration when it comes to kitchens: counter top and general lighting, under-cabinet task lighting, over-cabinet up lighting, accent cabinet lighting, some supporting sconce fixtures (mounted on walls or on cabinets), ceiling lighting and — to top it all off — a central accent fixture, usually something pretty and eye catching at the room’s focal point.

In this particular kitchen we see how lighting is layered, while the chandelier remains the main focal point.

Chandeliers can often be the center of attention in a room that is much more subdued and sterile.  A stunning chandelier can often soften a room where hard, solid, masculine materials are often present.

This masculine kitchen is redefined with the help of a curvy chandelier to add a sense of softness that is radiated throughout the room.

A crystal or beaded chandelier can also bring an element of sophistication to an everyday eat-in kitchen space.  Don’t worry that a more elegant fixture would overwhelm a modest, utilitarian kitchen space. The chandelier will help provide optimum lighting, all while tying in a bit of modern, unexpected glamor into a room that is often referred to as many things other than glamorous!

The crystal chandeliers help to add femininity to a rather sterile, streamlined kitchen.

Do keep in mind the rule of measuring for a chandelier or lighting fixture in any room.   Your chandelier should be one of the focal points of your room. Finding the right size fixture is not difficult when using the simple formula provided. The answer will give you a starting point for finding just the right size light fixture.

Measure the room you would like to put the chandelier in. Add the dimensions together. The sum equals the diameter (in inches) of the lighting fixture you will need.

For Example: The dimensions of your room are 10 by 13. Add 10 + 13 which equals 23. Your chandelier should be 23″ in diameter (or 23″ wide).

You can also look at the guidelines below to determine a range for the correct size fixture.

• Room size is smaller than 10x10, use a 17″ to 20″ wide chandelier.
• Room size is 12x12, use a 22″ to 27″ wide chandelier.
• Room size is 14x14, use a 24″ to 32″ wide chandelier.

Rule of Thumb:  Never use a chandelier that is too small for your room. The light fixture will be distracting to the overall look you are trying to achieve.

Although made of clear glass, this particular chandelier holds its own in this open, airy kitchen.

See a few of our favorite Chandeliers from Clayton Gray Home, which we recommend for adding that final layer of flair in your kitchen!  See more by visiting our website.

See some of our favorites we have to offer at Clayton Gray Home! From LtoR/Top to Bottom: The Bubbles Chandelier, The Maxim Iron Beaded Chandelier, The Rafaella 6 Arm Chandelier, Chandelier in White, Birdcage Chandelier, and the Fiona Chandelier!

• Ribbon Spool Organizer (we use in our store)
• Jewelry
• Scarves/Hats/Umbrella/Purse (on bottom row)
• Dog Leashes
• FAVORITE: Weekday Calendar!!  How you ask?  Label Monday — Friday across each row.  Punch a hole on each end of the notecard and loop string through to hang from hook.  VOILA!  Schedule your chores/appointments/errands on one side and ‘done’ on the other side.  Flip it over after you complete each hectic day Kids also really enjoy!

Since the Hotel Key Rack has been the rave locally and internationally, Vagabond Vintage has introduced another complimentary version: Rustic Key Rack.  Constructed of 100% recycled wood and brass detail.  5 hooks with plenty of room!

WHAT WILL YOU USE YOUR KEY RACK?  Share your ideas and photos with CGH and we will feature in our follow-up blog post.