Design inspiration from Walt Disney World decor

Hello!  I cannot believe I have not posted in almost a month - what was I thinking?  Lots of stuff going on and sometimes life just gets in the way.  We ran down to WDW for a quick get away and even though it has become my second home, it is about so much more than Mickey Mouse and Monorails for me.

Whether in the parks, the restaurants, shops or resorts, I find myself looking left and right, up and down checking out all of the amazing attention to detail that captures the spirit and magic that is Disney.  Most people take pictures of Cinderellas Castle and The EPCOT ball, I find myself taking pictures of molding, ceilings, etc.  LOL!

There are 24 Disney resorts on property and I have stayed in 17 of them.  Every resort has its own feel and its own themed decor.  I have always loved the All Star Sports resort because it has a giant court and a tennis themed hotel building.  How adorable is this?


WDW has really accentuated each resort with amazing design, fabrics and architecture.  My favorite resorts for design inspiration are the Yacht and Beach Clubs.  The Yacht Club is adorned with nautical touches and red white and blue fabrics and colors.  The Beach Club is awash in beach pastels and a very calming and beautiful color palette.

Here is the outside of the Yacht Club - dont you just love the architecture?  Just gorgeous!



And the lobby is such a wonderful place to just sit, relax and people watch.   Disney has such amazing fabrics and a lot of them are made just for them as they usually add a Disney touch of a hidden Mickey or character in them.  Sometimes the bolts of remnant fabric are available on Ebay from Disney sellers.


The Beach Club is equally gorgeous and even though they are next to one another and share an amazing pool and restaurants, they each have their own distinction.  Here is the Beach Club:

I absolutely LOVE this rug!  (Source: Flickr)

And what do you think of this wall?  Can you just imagine decorating this for all the seasons and holidays?  Sweet!




And here are a few interesting design touches from the room at the Beach Club villas...


I love these painted cabinets and the plate rack!  And I am loving these sconces mounted on the framed out bathroom mirror!

And this is an interesting alternative to crown molding - do a second color around the top of the room separated by chair rail.


I LOVE this Mickey Mouse sand dollar nautical rug!  So cute!

I think the natural wood door looks very pretty against the aqua and white color scheme.  I also LOVE the spa blue wainscoting in the hallway.  I probably would have chosen white for the door which just goes to show me I need to keep an open mind to other alternatives.  :-)



One of my favorite things about Walt Disney World no matter what time of the year I visit is the FLOWERS!  Just gorgeous colors and gardens!  Here is just a sample of flowers in January!

I love these daisy topiaries and the beach scene in the apothecary jars.  So pretty for SPRING!

Very pretty SPRING hydrangea table top floral design.

Design inspiration from Walt Disney World decor

Dalston 1978 1985 World premier of photo film created by Alan Denney

Alan Denneys photo film "Dalston v Thatcher", with its great soundtrack by Big Youth, will be shown in public for the first time at Cafe Oto, Ashwin Street E8 on Sunday 6th May from 7pm. The projection is part of an OPEN event with Iain Sinclair and Anna Minton.


Dalston 1978 1985 World premier of photo film created by Alan Denney

Disney World inspired stone accent wall progress

Walt Disney World.  My second home.  I love all things Disney but it is so much more than the theme parks.  I LOVE the architecture of the Walt Disney World Resort in Florida.  Each resort is its own individual themed world.  I love the way the Disney Imagineers utilize stone work.  It is simply gorgeous.  Two of my favorite stone walls are at the Port Orleans Riverside Resort and the Beach Club.

Once I knew I wanted some type of stone accent in my living room, I looked for inspiration photos.  The one below, in my own camera, was the look I was hoping to achieve.  This is from the entrance of the Beach Club, one of my favorite places on Disney property.


Enter Craigslist.  I found a listing for left over stone from a patio paver project.  It was actual stone as opposed to veneer and was about 10 square feet.  So I bargained the price down, drove up and loaded it into the car.  I was SO worried the tires were going to explode on the way home but thankfully, I made it home.  PHEW!


I unloaded it - not a fun task - and stacked it on the driveway.  I had never done any type of project such as this so I Googled a lot.



So up went the waterproof barrier first applied with a staple gun.  So far so good!  Next game the metal lath.  This is a nightmare.  In the checkout line, I cut my fingers on the rough edge which is like razor sharp.  I started to bleed all over the place - so embarrassing!  I was on my hands and knees wiping blood up off the floor - it was quite gross.  This was the worst part of the job.  Buying it, transporting it and applying it with an electronic staple gun.



Next came the scratch coat.  This is not a pretty job and not very kind to a manicures.  :-)  Even wearing gloves, mixing the mortar and applying the thin coat to the lath is a messy job.  Yuck!


Next came application of the stone.  I am a huge fan of jigsaw puzzles - either you love them or you hate them and I love them.  Applying the stone is like a giant life size puzzle with different sizes and shapes of pieces.  If you are a little anal, life myself, this takes forever.  But I hope the arduous task  will totally be worth it.


The first stones in place.  I placed a solid piece of wood to serve as a level surface to ensure an even application.


More progress.  When I stepped back and looked at this - I hated it.  It looked very messy with no flow.  So, I pried off the stones and started over.  I hated to do it but in the end, I was much happier!  As Queen Clarisse says in Princess Diaries, "Better.  Much better!"


And this is where I am right now. 2/3 done - getting really excited!


Since the stone is real, the weight is considerable.  Since I am concerned about the floor supporting the weight, I am going to go under the crawlspace with a support jack.  I see they are about $40 and can allow for an additional 18,000 pounds of weight support.  They look like this...



So that is my wall progress.   I hope I can post a reveal by Friday.  I am quite excited to see this messy project finished.  Have a great weekend!  Go IRISH - beat Oklahoma.






Disney World inspired stone accent wall progress

Around the World Blog Hop

Read more »


Around the World Blog Hop

Im Moving to the Grand Floridian in Walt Disney World! Whos with me ºoº

The Grand Floridian Hotel at the Walt Disney World Resort in Orlando, Florida is one of my most favorite places in the world.  Either sitting in a cabana enjoying a tropical drink on the beach or sitting on the ridiculously comfy couches in the cathedral lobby listening to a live orchestra play Glenn Millers greatest hits.  It is one of the most gorgeous hotels ever and the perfect respite from a long day at the parks.


Confession - I have never actually stayed at this hotel.  YET!  I am a member of the Disney Vacation Club (DVC) and this has been one of the greatest things I have ever done for myself.  I love Disney - especially Walt Disney World and I know in my heart that will never change.  I vacation there about 3-5 times a year and never tire of it.  Every season has its own magic.  In January, the crowds are low and  you can spend a wonderful day in the parks in a hoodie and shorts.  In May, you have Star Wars weekends which are AMAZING.  I am a huge Star Wars geek!  In October you have Halloween and the EPCOT Food and Wine Festival which I cannot even begin to describe and then there is Christmas which is simply off the charts.  I still make a wish every time I say good-bye to Cinderellas Castle and I still get excited like a little girl when I see Belle and Beast.  I am a Disney Princess at heart and I wouldnt have it any other way!



There are 12 resorts in total including one in Hawaii, one on Hilton Head Island and an amazing oceanside property in Vero Beach, Florida.  So one doesnt have to spend every waking moment in the company of Mickey Mouse - but I can think of worse ways to spend a day!  I mean when is the last time you had breakfast on the balcony watching zebras and giraffes graze on the savannah?  :-)

Anyway, the Grand Floridian is currently selling DVC villas that are set to open in October 2013.  This past week, I was able to get a sneak peak of the villas before they are open to the public.  I must say I was completely blown away and yes, I am considering selling my house and relentlessly persuading The Walt Disney Company to let me live her permanently.  (I know it will never happen but a girl can dream, right?)

So please come along with me on a journey of gorgeousness!  Please excuse the quality of the photos as they were taken with my iPhone.  This was a last minute treat before getting in the car for the 20 hour drive home back to Chicago.  I hate going home - Post Disney Depression should be recognized by the AMA and insurance should cover treatment.  LOLz.

The mock up of the studio and one bedroom units was on Display at the DVC Preview Center - the hub of all things Disney Vacation Club - at Saratoga Springs Resort.  It is this building that is the inspiration for the color and design scheme of my STILL unfinished foyer.  The colors and molding are amazing -


I love the sunny yellow, the thick colonial molding and the stacked stone!  So pretty!

So here we go on the Grand Floridian Villas Tour ...


Here is the entrance to the studio.  A very calming, soothing color palette and I love the white moldings and hardwood flooring.


In the studio, which sleeps a maximum of five people, there are now TWO showers.  And they are gorgeous!  Done in a bevel subway tile with a pretty ceramic border - just beautiful!




The TV cabinet is a pull down Murphy Bed - brilliant or what?  I love this!


Believe it or not - this is the REFRIGERATOR!  The middle drawer is an ice drawer if you have a party!  SWEET!


Are these cabinets simply divine?  I mean I want these in MY house - and they are in a hotel room!


This is the sitting area which includes a pull out couch which sleeps two more people.

The decor keeps in line with the Grand Floridian Resort Hotel Victorian design inspiration!  The Mickey Mouse touches here done with style is what Disney does best!


Look at the backsplash tile - it looks like a tufted chair.  Bright white with white mortar - stunning!


This is a decorative window that is simply put in the middle of a wall to allow light and interest in the kitchen!



The fretwork is so pretty above the dining banquette.  This mirrors the listello tile in the shower!



A desk work station in the one bedroom villa.  A nice place to set your laptop or write post cards.  :-)


A balcony off the bedroom is a nice way to welcome the sunshine for another Disney Day!


Another beautiful mirror - this was our tour guide and she was just as excited as I was during the tour!

YES - your eyes do not deceive you - that is a TELEVISION in the mirror!  So you can check the weather on WESH-TV to see how you should dress for the parks as you get out of the shower!  :-)

And yes that is a claw foot tub behind me - this is a better picture of the TV!


LOVE the sconces and the mirror!  Now do you see why I never want to leave?  *sigh*



The dining area perfect for a home cooked meal as you have a fully stocked kitchen with pots and pans and cooking utensils.  This is wonderful after a long day in the parks or at the pool.  Or late night card games or board game wars.  Love the light - wish I had gotten one with better detail.



I love the molding header above the hotel room doors!  And the downlight which is the equivalent of a front porch light.  I couldnt take enough pictures and when I got in the car I wish I had taken about 100 more!

I absolutely cannot wait for these villas to open.   Thank you for taking the tour with me.  I hope you found them to be as beautiful as I did.  There is also a Grand Villa which usually sleeps between 10 and 16 people - I CANNOT EVEN IMAGINE what that is like.  Even the DVC hosts have not seen one of those.  I am sure Walt Disney would simply tell me:

“Laughter is timeless. Imagination has no age. And dreams are forever.”

 Have a Disney Day!  ºoº

Im Moving to the Grand Floridian in Walt Disney World! Whos with me ºoº