There's a quiet space on the side of my home. Pavers create the walkway and I have placed a bistro table and two chairs next to the house. Because it is a quiet place, my garden colors are soft and calming. White iceberg roses and climbers, agapanthus, blue iris, blue plumbago, and thyme which will have a soft lavender flower create the color scheme. Around the corner is a different story. It is where the grilling area, covered patio, and swimming pool are. This area is often lively and much of it is subjected to many hours of Las Vegas heat and direct sunlight. Subdued colors cannot withstand the sun. Also, I want this part of the garden to look alive, lively, not be subdued and calming. As a result, this is where the multi-colored Joseph's Coat lives, Don Juan, America, Mardi Gras, golden celebration, knock out roses, ( so deep red, multi-colored roses that read ivory with rose pink, soft gold, and apricot tones here in the heat, and salmon pink) , and a medium/deep pink floribunda which unfortunately I do not know what the variety is. These are the lively colors. I shy away from bright orange colors in my garden because with the colors already present, it could be too much for my senses... I prefer apricot or salmon, and use golden yellow sparingly. When I look at color, yellow can be the shockingly brightest color there is.

This was the thread that helped me put a name to the style of garden that I love best. I have been working towards the cottage style for many years and never get tired of the evolution of it. Loved reading them all again today. Cheryl

Big Chill's colors are fabulous! I've heard of Viking and I love their style, but, sadly, the prices for BC and Viking are way out of reach. Your fridge is such a feature in your kitchen, gsciencechick . Makes me teal green with envy. :-) Not sure if I'd want to spray paint (or that my DH would let me do it to a brand new fridge!) But the idea is so tempting... Pal, you're so right about the cultural thing. Besides pattern mixing, there's another factor - a strong focus on personalization in home design. In fact, about 80% of new residential construction is sold "bare bones" in Russia. No interior finishes, no lighting, no bathroom fixtures, no doors, no cabinetry, and often no interior walls. The builders' view is that homebuyers don't want to pay extra for generic finishes and fixtures that would be ripped out right after the sale is closed. This holds true for both $10,000 studio condos and $10M properties. Our longtime neighbors in Moscow bought a brand new townhouse without interior walls. They partitioned and finished it the way they wanted. Russians don't want move-in ready, they want to finish it to their taste and needs, and avoid looking like their neighbors. Of course, there are some popular trends, but also a lot of variety and personal creativity (for better or worse!). This brings up another interesting question: How do conformity and self-expression play out in home design? Do popular trends like granite countertops act as an indication of conformity? Sandyponder, It seems that German manufacturers don't really have a broad range of colored appliances. I came across some cool modern designs from LG, Samsung and Hitachi that use colors and patterns. Not sure if any of them market the designs in the US. Wish that LG would market a broader range of designs in the US. LG is mostly mid-market, and they have a nice sand colored fridge for about $550 (Moscow prices) that could go wonderfully with my butcherblock Formica. Their fancier designs are more expensive - typically from $800 and up. Pictures below: 1) An example of a condo for sale in a new development in Moscow. It has wiring, plumbing, gas line, windows, ventilation and heating in place but nothing else. 2) From an online portfolio of a Russian interior finish firm, showing the kitchen they put in their client's new townhouse. The ceiling lights haven't been installed yet. The dishwasher is paneled to blend in with the cabinets. The white door is the fridge with the front panel taken off. On the right is a Hitachi fridge in metallic brown that could work great with the cabinetry in the photo. 3) A tiny kitchen in a Russian studio apartment. Just love the green color of the range and hood, although I don't agree with the placement. 4) An interesting use of a copper toned dishwasher to blend in with oak cabinets. Again, done in a Russian house. 5) A marketing image - loved the combination of the accent tile and Smeg fridge. 6) Fridge designs offered by LG in Russia, altogether with the sand colored version I want.

Hi Jane, What a gorgeous display, lucky you :-))))) I would give anything to have my hippies in the ground to grow and flower at their will. This reminds me of my Grandmother's garden in Argentina, she would have them growing all over the place and they looked just as beautiful. Warm Regards, Fred