Fashionable Interiors

Life's Little Lessons

2012-01-29T14:17:00.000-05:00

Smile at perfect strangers.

Don’t wait for people to smile. Show them how. Let your guard down. Talk to someone you don’t know straight from your heart. Compliment them. Don’t anticipate awkwardness. Just be you in that beautiful way only you know and give them the chance to smile and connect with you.The more you smile at others, the more others will smile at you. And life’s a lot more pleasant when everyone around you is smiling.

I have to say I definitely agree with the complimenting strangers part. I still to this day remember walking into my grocery store, getting a cart to do my regular grocery shopping, and this woman shouting over to me as she was leaving,"Giiirl that purse is gorgeous!" in front of a bunch of people. Made my day...

A Fashionable Interior

2012-01-27T13:57:00.000-05:00

Green and leopard, oh so chic:

And here's my other hair obsession, the sock bun:

Have a nice weekend!

A Gray Day

2012-01-26T15:50:00.001-05:00

Not too much to report today. It's ugly and rainy where I live, which is why I had to put some pretty hydrangeas on my desk to keep me going:

Here's my outfit today. I'm quite obsessed with this thin knit leopard print sweater from Neiman Marcus Last Call. It's cropped in the front and so cute. Plus, it was an outlet find!

I had no time to do my hair this morning and remembered this little tutorial from Pinterest. Did it in 2 seconds! It's kind of falling out, which leads me to believe I didn't put enough bobby pins in it, but still a great arsenal to have when you're rushing around in the morning.

And on another note, what are all these rumors about Domino potentially making a comeback?? And with Lonny holding off their next publication with some exciting news to reveal, could it be true?? I would be the happiest girl on the planet. Mine are still on my bookshelf and I refer to them all the time.

Hope wherever you are, it's a sunny day, unlike here!

A Fashionable Interior: Black and Gold

2012-01-25T15:09:00.000-05:00

Never underestimate the amazingness of an all black ensemble, especially when throwing in some dashes of gold:

A Fashionable Interior

2012-01-24T10:08:00.000-05:00

Btw, have you seen the new home stuff at Target? Ahh I need a room to design asap! And if I was pregnant with a baby girl, you better believe everything in this aisle would have been purchased for her nursery:

Weekend Recap

2012-01-23T14:21:00.000-05:00

Buon Giorno! How was your weekend? Mine was filled with being stuck at home due to a stupid snowstorm we got. I say stupid because my husband has to go out and plow all our rental properties so it's just me and the pom hangin' out. I guess it does look pretty afterwards:

I kept myself quite busy, though. Cleaned out all my kitchen cabinets and now my spice cabinet looks so clean! I also baked my second batch of macarons. These little devils can either come out perfect, or make you want to rip your friggin hair out. The one batch I made had to be thrown out. So annoying. Then I found this awesome video and figured out I wasn't whipping my egg whites and sugar long enough. Who knew they could get so thick??

When I get them down perfect, I'll be sure to share my process. I went for pink vanilla this time:

I also made a delightful Sunday morning breakfast. I don't know why I never thought to use frozen fruit in the winter. Duh.

We ordered a pizza Saturday night and I was seriously like a child. We never order pizza since A. we go to my bro-in-laws to get it or B. my hubs makes it at home. We ordered from Dominos (I know, wow so fancy) and got a thin crust veggie pizza. Have you seen this tracker device?? You can order it online and the pizza is updated on a tracker so you know when they're prepping it, when they're putting in the oven, etc. I was screaming to my husband every step of the way where our pizza was. He was not as impressed as me. I then was waiting by our window like a kid on Christmas until he pulled up. Hey, I was home all day in this snowstorm. Believe me, it was exciting at the time.
I also got to practice the "blogger bun". If you don't know what I'm talking about, it's basically just a large bun on top of your head that bloggers seem to enjoy. I got my tips from The Daybook blog. I love this chic. She's hilarious and always has such fun posts to read. Here's her how to video:

The Bun from Sydney Poulton on Vimeo.

And here's my version! I had it bigger over the weekend when I practiced, but decided it probably wasn't best for the office. Especially since my husband came home from plowing and asked what happened on top of my head.

I found this awesome blazer/sweater thing at H&M this weekend, as well as the peplum tee:

It is not the H&M one that I was lusting after from This Time Tomorrow. I couldn't find it, but close enough I guess. Although my search is not over.

How was your weekend? I love to hear what people amuse themselves with in a snowstorm!

Life's Little Lessons

2012-01-21T16:09:00.000-05:00

What the heck is up with that title? Yea I know this is a blog geared towards interior design and fashion, but if you read my heartfelt 2012 resolution, then this new regular post makes sense. Taking life lessons from an interior decorator? Sure, why not?

Pretend today is going to be a great.

Do so, and it will be. Research shows that although we think that we act because of the way we feel, in fact, we often feel because of the way we act. A great attitude always leads to great experiences.

Jacket Trend

2012-01-20T14:01:00.000-05:00

Needing to try this layering jacket trend asap.

What a great way to prolong your spring jacket wear into winter!

A Fashionable Interior

2012-01-20T09:28:00.001-05:00

Happy Friday everyone! It's been awhile since I took a pic of my own outfit, so here ya go!

White with Pops of Color

2012-01-19T15:01:00.000-05:00

White is the perfect backdrop when you're looking to use a lot of color, but don't want it to be too overpowering:

P.S. Can we notice the use of Aztec prints in all these rooms??

P.S. I have to say Tory Burch is awesome. I ordered my leopard iPad case that came back in stock (only 2 were left, I snagged it!!) and then immediately afterwards was emailed a 10% coupon. I called the 1-800 number and someone answered it immediately like you had called someone's house. I was speechless! They gave me the 10% off without a problem. It arrived today and the packaging is so cute. I think that's a necessary marketing tactic that more companies need to employ. Kate Spade does a great job, too. You feel so special when you open the box. Ok that's enough of my salesman pitch. Go Tory!

Colorblocking

2012-01-18T17:37:00.001-05:00

I am loving this colorblocking trend, and if it consists of black and white, sign me up fo sho. Ann Taylor and J.Crew are just two retailers pushing it heavily for Spring. And if you don't have anything in your wardrobe that's on this trend, it's easy to do by just pairing a plain colored shirt with plain colored pants or a skirt, and walah! Super trendy...

How amazing is this idea for your walls?? Also, very smart to create the delineation at the point that they did. If your ceiling heights are not too high and you paint the colors different halfway up the wall, it can make the ceiling height appear even shorter. And bonus, it's a super cheap way to create architectural interest.

This shower used tile to create a colorblock look:

Beautiful color block curtains:

Yeeees, black and white skirt:

Late Afternoon

I found this amazing store on Etsy. She sells to die for leather clutches. Plus they're made in New York. Gotta love buying local:

And again, I'm gonna hit ya up with an another amazing Old Navy find. And now if you order online, it's 30% off, but only until tomorrow!

I am so obsessed with this trench from Ann Taylor:

And wait for it:

The black part zips off and can become a cropped trench!! I am such an easy sell...

Oh, Annie T, how is it that you get me every time. And are those pointy toes??? Gah!

This is what I was referring to earlier about choosing solid colored items to pair together. Such a cute V-day look, too!

Aztec Print

2012-01-16T16:27:00.000-05:00

Thoughts on this print clearly making headway in 2012? I have to say, I'm kind of into it? A dash here and there, maybe? It just may be the new ikat...

I could easily get on trend with this Old Navy sweater, on sale for $38, plus 15% off. Hmm....if it could come with all these goodies (especially the Reed Krakoff bag), yes please and thank you.

Weekend Overview

2012-01-15T20:26:00.002-05:00

How was your weekend? I had a nice relaxing one, filled with only a teeny bit of work. Saturday, I made bolognese sauce and had my family over for dinner. I love having them over to share a big bowl of pasta :) I took pics throughout the process so I could share the recipe. I have only gone to one restaurant where they've got this recipe right. I also ordered it in Paris, which duh, Parisians are not known for their pasta, but I thought they're so close to Italy, something had to wear off on them?? Wrong. It was literally chili served over spaghetti. So bad. It's the perfect hearty sauce to serve on a chilly winter evening. Here's my version:

Andrea's Bolognese Sauce

Ingredients:

1/2 lb pork loin, minced

1/2 lb beef (I used filet), minced

4 oz. prosciutto

4 oz. pancetta

4 cloves garlic, minced

1 med. onion chopped

1-2 carrots chopped in small pieces

2 stalks celery, chopped in small pieces

1 c white or red wine

2 cups milk

7 tbs butter

4 tbs olive oil

14 oz diced canned tomatoes

1 c beef or chicken stock

1 tiny pomeranian to eat all the scraps you drop on the floor

Get your ingredients out and ready. That's my cookbook that I adapted the recipe from. It's such a pretty little book with the cutest illustrations.

Chop all your ingredients well.

Melt butter in the olive oil in a large skillet, at least 12 inches wide, over medium heat.

Meanwhile, chop up all your meats. I had the butcher chop them up as best they could and then made them smaller when I got home. Also, Wegmans sells the prosciutto and pancetta already cubed, which makes life so much easier.

Here's the tiny pomeranian I spoke of:

Saute the vegetables over med-high heat in the oil and butter until soft, about 10 - 15 minutes, adding a pinch of salt.

I waited to add the garlic until the end since it's so easy to burn and you'll just end up with bitterness. Increase the heat to high and add the meats in 4 additions, waiting for the water to evaporate after each addition. After the last addition, wait until the pan sputters a bit and turn the heat down. You'll want to saute until the meat has browned and you have some crispy bits, 10-15 minutes.:

Deglaze the mixture with the wine. One recipe called for white wine, but next time, I'm using red. A good chianti would add a nice robust flavor, I think.

In a saucepan, add milk, tomatoes, and stock along with a good grinding of salt and pepper. Add your meat and veggie mix, along with another dash of salt and some pepper. I also added some oregano, parsley and basil.

Now we wait 5 hours. Yes that's right. 5 hours. Good things take time. Keep uncovered and just keep at a gentle simmer.

If your sauce is not thick enough, add a bit of tomato paste and heavy cream. The best thing to do is wait even longer to let it thicken. If you're out of time, like I was, add some cornstarch, the cheater's way to make sauces and soup thicker. If it's too thick, just add a bit of water or more stock.

Real bolognese recipes also call for chicken livers, but A. eww and B. there's enough meat in this dish to make a vegetarian cringe.

This sauce, in my opinion, is best served over tagliattele. Homemade is the absolute best, which my husbands' parents do all the time, but I just used packaged nests. You can also use farfalle or tortellini.

And finally you eat it. Which is exactly what we did before I could take a photo of the finished dish. Whoops! I also forgot to take a pic of my outfit, which basically means I'm a terrible blogger. I made a blood orange tart for dessert, and it looked waaay more attractive than it tasted. Apparently, when oranges are cooked, they become caramelized, removing all the sugars and leaving behind a bitter taste. I was super disappointed that I wasted 6 of my precious blood oranges. I even tried sprinkling honey over it and nothin'. At least it was pretty to look at??

On the upside of things, I made my first macaroons since I took a class at Sur la Table in the Spring. Coffee cream flavored and holy cannoli are they good...

Unfortunately, it's only January, but to help me get through until Spring, I bought a hydrangea bulb. The stinkin thing is already blooming, and it's not even close to Spring! But my whole kitchen smells like Easter, so I can't complain.

P.S. Those are Myer's lemons in the bowl. Omg, if you've never had these lemons, you don't know what you've been missing. They smell like heaven and taste so good. Hope your weekend was as relaxing as mine!

New Years Resolutions

2012-01-12T10:13:00.000-05:00

Ah, where has the time gone!? In my last post (ten days ago, I know) I completely forgot to record my 2012 resolutions and tasks:

Get to feeling like my old self again and get my butt back to yoga
Finish our blueprint for our new home!
Throw more of my themed parties
Take photography classes with my hubs
Write in a journal. Never done that before, but realized it feels great to get your thoughts down on paper and I don't want to turn Fashionable Interiors into a read all about me blog.
Which leads me to: Bring better content to my blog
Spend a lot less. I know this is on everyone's list, but I need to do this for realz this year if we're building our home. Seriously though, I could probably go 2 years and not wear the same outfit. Do I smell a challenge??
Expand my knowledge on natural herbs/medicine. I'm loving this stuff.
Add more relaxation time to my schedule, i.e. baths, massages, and reading. BTW, I ordered bath salts from Farmaesthetics, and am OBSESSED! I also got this really awesome makeup remover that I highly recommend:

Spend as much time as I can with my little nephews who are growing by the minute.
Grow Tendenza, my interior decorating company.
Hang out with my girlfriends on a more regular basis.

I think that's enough for this year, no? I considered adding brush up on my Italian since I have it on my list every year, but hello, a girl can only do so much in a year's time. That'll just be a bonus if it happens. Also, I think the main theme of my year will be, as mentioned yesterday, paying more attention to the little moments of happiness. Ever since traveling to Paris last year, I've been I suppose what you call a Francophile. In "French Women For All Seasons" the author talks about L'arte de Vivre (The Art of French Living). It says:

The French way of seeking pleasure has nothing to do with social status. Their next vacation means more to them than a new car. Give us feeling or being over having any day. Concentrate harder on sensory perceptions - every moment will be fuller. The more conscious you become of these effects, the more you can make of them. And the better you'll be at evading the effects of more destructive emotions.

What's on your list this year? Have you been on track so far?

Welcome 2012

2012-01-02T17:54:00.001-05:00

Well it's here. A new year with new beginnings. I hope you all had an amazing year end, celebrating the holidays and welcoming in the new year. 2012, for me, is probably most anticipated than years prior. 2011 was one of the toughest years I've gone through in my life. Don't get me wrong, there were many bright points, such as celebrating my one year anniversary:

Welcoming my beautiful second nephew:

Starting my business and designing projects I am so proud of:

Throwing a surprise party for my dad's retirement from 40 some odd years at the post office, working so hard to support his family:

Having gone through an illness last year I'm still recovering from that scared me like I've never been scared before, I have grown immensely as a person. You often take your health for granted and assume there will always be another day. To make a long story short, I was told I had suddenly developed migraines, then was terrified I had a brain tumor, to maybe it was a terrible sinus infection, then had a doctor suggest it was MS. Suddenly learning you need to be an advocate for your own health, I took matters into my own hands, and finally received a diagnosis of Lymes Disease. If I hadn't had my amazing husband by my side through all this craziness, I don't know what I would have done. It was even difficult for me then to accept this diagnosis since I had other doctors assure me it was this or that. I learned you need to have faith.

Since I am a strong believer in finding the bright side in anything, I have also learned to take notice to every little moment of joy and happiness, such as right now, sitting here in my warm, cozy townhome, typing away on my laptop, with my loving little pomeranian cozied up on my feet. Sometimes it takes a scare to realize how truly blessed we really are.

So here's to an amazing 2012. May Fashionable Interiors continue to bring you all the latest on interior design and fashion as well as everything in between. It's going to be a great year, I can just feel it. Cheers!

Holiday Time

2011-12-21T13:06:00.001-05:00

It's crunch time. Last night, I was running all over creation at 8:00 at night getting the last (or so I think) of my holiday shopping done. Now, I need to find the time to wrap everything, aka scream at the crappy wrapping paper that I always seem to get as it rips and tears all over the place. Anyway, here are some outfit and design tips for the big day this weekend:

Helloooo everyone knows the best present you can give someone is yourself! I love the large bow on this dress, especially how it's off to the side and allows the dress to drape with it. Also, love the pretty shade of gold.

I'm quite obesssed with this full shaped skirt. How festive would this be for the holidays, especially with the cute goldy metallic stripes running through?? Too bad I have no idea where it's from. I love street style, but this is what happens when you actually want to purchase something someone is wearing.

Fabulous dress, and again, who knows where it's from. I actually have a dress like this that I could easily throw a little silk pleated skirt on over top. Maybe that's what she did? I love when pieces prove to be double-duty.

And if you're hosting the holidays at your house, here's some great inspiration for your tablescape or sideboard:

Also, I'll randomly throw today's outfit in the mix. I'm having a love affair with this leather shirt from Ann Taylor. It's short sleeved and the sleeves are a heavy weight cotton fabric for contrast. My husband called me Matrix the first time he saw me wearing it. I don't really care what he has to say...

I'm also very into the holiday season with my glitter red manicure:

Any fun outfit/tablescape ideas you have for this weekend?

Leopard and Stripes

2011-12-16T11:01:00.001-05:00

I just recently blogged about leopard prints and florals, but here I am again, this time with leopard print and stripes! I'm really bringing home the fact the leopards are a neutral.

Wasn't this the cutest pregnant woman you had ever seen?? I say was and had because she's since had her baby. It's the author of the lovely blog, The DayBook.

I caved in and bought the uber-trendy leopard loafers. My friend and I pounced on them together at Marshalls for only $49.99! And they're Steve Madden. At first, we didn't succumb to the pressure of them, but then they haunted me all night so I had to go back and get them. Which, by the way, I highly recommend doing when you're unsure of a purchase. Go home and if it's still on your mind, you know you really want it. Unless of course it's like Prada heels 50% off or something. That's just crazy to need to think about that, plus they fo sho won't be there the next day...

P.S. If you're still contemplating the loafer trend, here's some very chic ladies who convinced me. I'm sorry though, I still will not be on board with the ones that look like slippers. What the hell is the fashion world thinking??? What's next, bath robes as cardigans?? Which, actually, I could get on board with some mornings at the office...

P.P.S. And you know leopards and stripes look good in the interior design world, too:

Bahamas Style

2011-12-13T09:26:00.001-05:00

The hubs and I have a business trip to Orlando in February, so we're going to play hooky for a couple of days afterwards and head to the Bahamas! I'm a tad bit freaked out since we have to fly into Nassau first and then take a charter flight to this teeny tiny island. They needed to know our weights. Freaking out...

Anyway, here's the little house we rented:

And obviously, I'm already thinking about what I need to pack:

I'm planning on catching up on lots of reading. I'm super into herbal medicine and natural style foods, etc. lately, which explains the herbal kitchen book. I'll keep ya posted on what I learn ;)

The interior of the beach house looks cute, but oh boy, if it was mine in the Bahamas with its notorious bright saturated colors, I'd go nuts.

And I'd totally be scootin around the island in this bad boy:

Black on Black

2011-12-12T10:02:00.001-05:00

Black is one of my favorite colors. You just seriously cannot go wrong with this color. The key making it work is by varying the textures/materials.

Hope you had a nice weekend! I had my huz snap a pic of my weekend outfit yesterday. I'm loving wearing my long skirts from summer with big wooly sweaters!

A Little Bit of Gray

2011-12-09T16:18:00.000-05:00

Have a great weekend!

Merry Christmas to Me

2011-12-07T10:52:00.001-05:00

Last night, I took a trip into Neiman Marcus since they've been bombarding me with flyers and emails about this insanely amazing sale they are having. I was strolling through the store, when what to my wondering eyes should appear, but the exact same shoes I was obsessing about yesterday on the SALE RACK!!! Needless to say, Merry Christmas to me... (and Happy Birthday, and Happy Anniversary, and probably Merry Christmas again)

Atlantic Pacific Jealousy

2011-12-06T17:17:00.000-05:00

Today's post is basically to express my extreme jealousy of Atlantic-Pacific's shoes. First, she gets a Celine bag and now the Valentino studded heels I'm obsessed with????

L-O-V-E!

Also comes in flats!

I'll have to bite the bullet on these bad boys in the Spring. I'd be too sad to buy them now and only look at them all through winter. What I love most is the femininity of a classic pump contrasted with the edgyness of a stud. Just like in the below room, which I cannot get over. I feel like I may have posted if before, but who cares, it's gorg. Studded walls?? Insane!

I love how upholstery tacks can be used in areas other than upholstery to get a studded look:

Click here for a how-to on adding tacks to your cheap doors. Looks so oolala!

Also love this glam factor in a kitchen:

Monday Madness

2011-12-05T14:23:00.000-05:00

Well, it's another Monday somehow. How was your weekend? Mine was filled with holiday cheer, including a breakfast with Santa, a visit to Hershey Park, and a shopping trip to Terrain at Styers. I'm a huge dork when it comes to the holidays and love anything that has to do with December 25th. Unfortunately, it's back to the work grind today...

I'm super obsessed with these pants right now. I love the gold zippers and how they lend an edgyness to basic black pants. They're from Zara, btw. And here's some pics from Terrain:

I also popped in at J.Crew and as I was leaving heard a woman asking the cashier what shirt she should pair with this skirt she wanted. Not being able to keep my nose out of a fashion dilemma, I volunteered my opinion. It was the below skirt. I suggested she pair it with a purple sweater, because how fun and unexpected is purple and red??

Red is a perfect match for purple if you ask me:

Kick Off to Holiday Parties

2011-11-30T16:11:00.001-05:00

I have a fun holiday party tonight that I have to head to right after work, so I needed to wear something that could easily transition. These glitter pumps are the perfect piece! I'm wearing boots until then because as promised, Mother N has brought some seriously cold weather today. With red lips and a green scarf, it's Christmas!! P.S. Please ignore the poor photos today. The hubster was not on his game.

Blazer & Glitter Pumps were from Old Navy recently, but can't find on their site?

As you can tell, I have a fondness for black and white and would love to decorate for Christmas in my beloved color scheme. My husband already gets upset that I won't allow large Santa decor in our house, so I don't think this would fly either...

What do you think about black Christmas trees? I'm up in the air about them. I think I'm too traditional to go for it. But this is seriously chic:

Random Chatter

2011-11-29T10:09:00.001-05:00

I have so much to chat about! So I went to ny last weekend, and never shared my pics. Also, finally got my new website up, even though I'm still working out some kinks. Check it out and let me know what you think! Here's some pics I snapped with my iPhone in nyc:

Holy crappers was Eataly friggin expensive, though. I paid $12 for 6 blood oranges. I ate two in one sitting, but that's beside the point...It's definitely worth the experience, though. Those strange looking clams in the pic are called razor clams. Didn't even know they came in razor shaped, but they were delic!

Also, I got to check out C Wonder. If you read the latest issue of Lonny, they did some great coverage on the new store. It is so cool inside. The place is really very cutting edge with their handheld check out devices and the amazing computers they have in the dressing rooms. Here's some pics from the article:

They told me their online shopping site was supposed to launch on Black Friday, but I'm not seeing it?

Anyway, I also got to stand in line at Laduree for the world renowned macaroons. The inside isn't nearly as gorgeous as the ones in Paris, but the macaroons were still just as delic. That's me standing in line (with my Zara shopping bag. Love that store):

On a random side note, I have been dying to try this sock bun forever now, and I think my hair is finally getting to the length where I can pull it off. The curls this method promises if you sleep in it overnight are amazing! Check out my sock bun (which is already falling out a little since my hair is just a smidge too short, which in turn makes it look a teeny bit lopsided)

Today's Outfit and Sorrelli Giveaway!

2011-11-28T12:33:00.001-05:00

I have a terrible feeling. We are having the best weather I could possibly imagine for the end of November, and I have an idea it may be because good 'ol Mother N has a few tricks up her sleeve for the upcoming weather. But I'm going to enjoy it while it lasts...

AND we have a lucky winner for the Sorrelli giveaway! Drum roll please!!

Alissa from The Pink Kitchen! Yay, congrats to you! Thanks so much to all those who participated! I really enjoyed reading your comments. I'll be back more this week with some pics from my xmas decorated home and other randoms I've been meaning to jabber on about. Have a great Monday!

Sorrelli Giveaway!

2011-11-18T12:27:00.001-05:00

Boy, am I about to make the best day of your week even better! Last night, I had the honor of attending Sorrelli's Baubles, Bling & Bubbly Blogger event. It was such a fab time and if you live locally and have never been to their store in Kutztown, you seriously are missing out on a little slice of heaven. Sparkle everywhere. It's great to go with a bunch of girlfriends or your mom and sister to try on a ton of jewels. Anyway, back to the event, here are some pics (with the iPhone. Like a horrible blogger, I didn't bring the Nikon)

I got same AMAZING pieces, of course being worn no less than 24 hours later:

And here's the exciting part. I was able to choose a piece to giveaway to one of my lucky readers! I selected this cuff from their new Holiday Collection. The color is called French Blush (j'adore) and it's perfect to wear to all the upcoming holiday parties! Or you could give it as a gift, but really not so much fun...

Even the back is detailed and sparkly!

So, want this to be yours? All you have to do is be a follower of my blog and leave a comment on this post letting me know which Sorrelli piece you would love to give or get this holiday season (in addition to this cuff of course). I will then randomly choose a lucky reader to be the winner. But hurry! You only have until midnight next Friday the 25th. Good luck!

P.S. If you like the pieces I'm wearing today, they're here and here.

Holiday Wish List

2011-11-11T13:14:00.004-05:00

Is it too early? I don't think so...

1. Restoration Hardware Cashmere Robe - And I can get it monogrammed! How cute....plus if you'd see the monstrosity of a blue robe I'm currently sporting, you might throw up in your mouth a little.

2. The mother of all bags. This DVF has a secret little pocket for your iPad in the back! I want to invest in my own iPad since the one "we" have now was supposed to be "ours". And I love the navy leather.

3. I saw these mr. and mrs. pillows when I was working on a design job and knew I had to have them. I actually ordered a pair for my clients (from a different seller and I won't mention names ahem Gambler) and they never showed up.

4. The one bonus of hideously freezing winters are the leather gloves. I love this elegant long black pair for a cropped sleeve coat and this bright fuschia pair for an element of surprise.

5. Coco Mademoiselle perfume - my signature scent (I finally have one of those!) that is running dangerously low at the moment.

6. Love, love, love these back seam scalloped tights from Kate Spade. I don't think I'm going to be able to wait for the 25th on these puppies. Whoops, I just ordered them...

7. Tory Burch - envelope clutch, which I must have, and for when I'm not toting around my iPad in the DVF bag, a leopard cover will do the trick quite nicely.

8. Ok, I too have fallen for this little pig. At first I kind of ignored him, but do you know where we put our change right now? In a large plastic coca-cola bottle shaped bank. Thankfully, it's hidden in the closet, but still. It's the Harry Allen Pig Bank - cast from a piglet that died a natural death. Kind of freaky, but a little intriguing.

What's on your holiday wish list this year?

Now, if you'll excuse me, I need to forward a link to my husband...might need to forward it to Santa, too, since this year's list is a doozy. Although I did help out by removing the tights.

High Low Find

2011-11-10T17:26:00.000-05:00

I've always loved this brass helmet lamp since I saw it in Domino a few years back:

Then a little while ago, I found it! It's by Ralph Lauren Home (obvi) and only $609 out of my savings account, and it could be mine! Yea, not happening...

And then it happened. Strolling the aisles of T.J. Maxx, I almost screamed out loud in the store. Here she is. My very own version for only $34.99. I'm considering spray painting it a shiny brass since it's more of a dulled down gold, but I'm scared I'll ruin it. IN YO FACE RALPHY! (Just kidding, I still love you and think you're an excellent designer. Had to put that sidenote ya know just in case Ralph Lauren reads my blog)

November Matchbook

2011-11-09T16:16:00.000-05:00

My apologies for the lack of posts so far this week. I'm just not feeling very creative and I don't want to just post crap for ya to read. Do read, however, the latest Matchbook magazine. I loved the article on Kate and Andy Spade. This was my favorite quote from them in reference to their business (when they owned it) :

Also loved this little layout on my desk I accidently had laying together. We are having the best November weather lately, which kind of sort of makes up for the October snowstorm and also explains the Ray-Bans making an appearance.

My Love for Fall

2011-11-04T13:16:00.000-04:00

By far my most favorite season <3

A Fashionable Interior

2011-11-03T07:00:00.003-04:00

Whoever designed this space deserves some serious cred. Could it be any more perfect? (that sounded like Chandler from Friends, which is by the way now on Nick at Night. I feel so old.)

The black walls coupled with a touch of masculinity and with a massive, girly chandelier? Perfection.

Design Mine

Elisabeth Tumblr

I love how this outfit has the same effect. Masculine black blazer with a massive baubly necklace.

P.S. Check out my new Pinterest page! Lots of designery inpsiration from outfits to design to recipes.

Tans, Whites, and Blacks

2011-11-02T11:19:00.000-04:00

Today's outfit is a little more professional. Sometimes I dress like my real estate agent self and sometimes I dress like my interior decorator self. Split personality disorder, maybe?

P.S. This is the only decent shot my husband took. He was snapping away like the paparazzi, too. Could have given me a heads up that there was a massive shadow on me the entire time. I seriously need to get him photography lessons...

And a lovely Lonny room to match:

I also designed this super cute living space with today's outfit as an inspiration:

How insane is that side table, btw. Lucite and wood. Too bad it's like a bajillion dollars.

First of November

2011-11-01T15:57:00.000-04:00

We had such a beautiful day for the first of November, I just had to get out there and take some photos of today's outfit. So excited to bust out the fur vests!

And fur blankets

Casual and Classy

2011-10-31T14:01:00.000-04:00

I love counteracting something classy with something casual. It keeps a design/outfit interesting and allows for a lot more freedom when designing a room or getting dressed.

The glam factor of this space, with the elegant crown molding and purple velvet couch, is counteracted perfectly by the rustic console and leather chair. Not to mention the awesomeness that is this coffee table:

There are really no words for how flawless this outfit is. Sequins paired with a casual pant. I need to find a backless sequin top stat:

P.S. Happy Halloween!

Elle Decor - Polished to Perfection

2011-10-29T13:44:00.000-04:00

I'm catching up on all my magazines for this month thanks to the SNOW we have coming down like crazy. I am not a happy camper. Looking out and seeing my pumpkins covered in snow is just wrong. Anyway, I finally had the chance to look at the November issue of Elle Decor. I literally gasped when I saw this coffee table. A massive silver ball necklace with gold clasp serving as the legs?? It's as if it was designed for me.

L-O-V-E:

Not to mention the lacquered purple walls are pure insanity. And are those bookcases mirrored?? I can't handle this....

Perfect Work Outfit

2011-10-27T17:06:00.000-04:00

I've been dreaming of these pumps ever since we met at J.Crew in September. Also loved this dress, which is now on sale. Now I just need to pull out the credit card to make this perfect work outfit complete:

Tan and coral go so well together. Even in a room:

Leopard Becoming A Neutral

2011-10-26T13:39:00.000-04:00

I am loving the fact that more and more designers and fashionistas are utilizing leopard as a neutral. I recently posted about leopards and polka dots looking so chic together and pairing it with a floral print seems to be the newest trend:

Black and Tan

2011-10-20T16:46:00.000-04:00

I could not be more excited about the black cape I just ordered from New York & Company! I haven't shopped there in a really long time and just happened to check out their website last week. Everything was 40% off, which means so was my little cape! I think it may have come to $68! And here I am sporting my new little treasure. P.S. I know I have the worst backgrounds. I just don't have anywhere exciting to go when I'm at work...

And a cozy little dining room to match:

Client Basement Project Part 2

2011-10-18T09:55:00.000-04:00

In my excitement to show my client's basement project yesterday, I completely forgot I already started that post! I wanted to include some of the fashion inspiration and other images that lead to the design. My client was definitely a little nervous about my red/pinky coral combo! But it works beautifully. Here were some of my inspiration images:

And of course, don't we all love this Miles Redd room :

Client Basement Project

2011-10-17T14:33:00.007-04:00

I am finally complete with my basement client! I have been soooo anxious to share this design with you all! It was great working with her and we are both so pleased with how the space turned out!

We needed to keep the cherry wood that was present throughout the whole basement. She also liked the idea of incorporating some red and likes warmer colors. She wanted the design to feel feminine, but not too girly. Also, the basement literally had one light that was a plug-in reading lamp. We needed to add some serious recessed lighting asap (and a chandelier!). And here was the result!

BEFORE:

AFTER:

BEFORE:

AFTER:

BEFORE:

AFTER:

BEFORE:

AFTER:

We lined the bookcase with wallpaper

Also, there was the powder room. It was definitely a little sad until we added fun, reflective wallpaper and paint!

BEFORE:

AFTER:

To see more pics, be sure to visit my Facebook! A HUGE thank you to my husband and dad who helped me majorly with putting together furniture. I couldn't have done it without them!

Also, I'm trying to photograph and post my outfits more often. I think it's a great way to remember the outfits I liked so it's faster to get dressed in the morning!

Worn Leather

2011-10-11T09:08:00.000-04:00

Isn't worn leather just the best?

This gorgeous bag is handmade and from Etsy!

Outfit to Interior

2011-10-06T17:10:00.001-04:00

I slapped together this outfit this morning (leather shorts and all!) for the perfect gorgeous Fall day. Then I found this beautiful room that matched my outfit perfectly and couldn't resist the urge to make my husband photograph me in the parking lot.

P.S. Check out this Tumblr. I think I found someone who is more obsessed with Olivia Palermo than me. That's not to say I'm not super excited to devour this all evening.

Larger than Life Accessories

2011-10-03T15:19:00.000-04:00

When I was in design school, it was all about proportions, proportions, proportions. Sometimes rules are made to be broken...

I absolutely have fallen head over heels for this moody room. And that massive mirror over the fireplace is perfection.

Love this massive mirror, too.

Huge light fixtures:

Big Art:

Huge envelope clutches are very big (haha couldn't resist) right now:

If you do not own a chunky menswear watch by now, you really need to get on that:

Big chunky scarves:

Yep, I definitely love huge accessories...

Red and Green Makes for a Great Design

2011-09-30T09:27:00.000-04:00

No, I'm not just super excited for Christmas. As promised on my last post, I wanted to share my new found love for red and green. Trust me, it works...

This is my little home with the hideous green leather couches I was forced to design around when I moved in with my husband. These are the first things to go when we move. (and yes I have an area rug on top of a carpet and I don't care what anyone says about this being a no-no)

I have more red in the room, I just didn't take a photo of it since it was a bit messy...

Here's a little outfit I threw together:

Are you a believer now?

On My Wish List - Fall 2011

2011-09-29T16:29:00.001-04:00

Regardless of the fact that I've been shopping for Fall practically since August, there's still a few things on my wish list. P.S. Dear Husband, I'm so glad you do not frequent my blog...

1. Celerie Kemble usually rocks my interior design world, but now with a book featuring black and white designs?? I must have it. Ooo I forgot to share my new little settee for my black and white office. I just got it, so I'm still designing around it, and most likely will always "still be designing around it":

2. I'd love to convert the recessed light above our entry into this pendant light. Allen + Roth from Lowes has the coolest light fixtures and are so inexpensive!

3. I'm searching everywhere for a pair of leapord print leather driving gloves, but the only pair I've come across that I like (of course) are these from Net-A-Porter. $500? I don't think so...

4. I don't think this counts as being on my wish list anymore since I just bought it... BB Dakota, Lord & Taylor, on sale for $46.80. Come on how could I resist this??

5. Apple picking is a must for me every Fall. There's lots of local orchards in my area. My mom used to always make us baked apples and I love carrying on the tradition with my Italian husband who had no clue what they were. Click here for a 5 minute recipe on these babies:

6. It's my one year anniversary next weekend! We're headed to the Finger Lakes, NY and will be hitting up a ton of wineries. For sure.

7. I have a wall across from my dining room that is so bare and has been screaming for wallpaper ever since I moved in with my then fiance now husband 3 years ago. Here's the thing. My dining room is red. Should I be crazy and do the green damask or be a little less crazy and do a red trellis print? I have a green/red theme going on in my family room, so I'm leaning towards the green damask. I always hated that our couches were green and the dining room is red, but lately, I've made it work. And now I'm seeing the theme everywhere. I smell a blog post on this one...

8. For the cold nights ahead - Le Creuset dutch oven to make a delicious sounding red wine pot roast recipe I read in my latest Food magainze. Of course a need a purple one.

9. A french press coffee mug. Now I can bring it with me on the go! Although, wouldn't life be so much better if this is how I was enjoying it?

See, it wasn't all purchases to adorn my closet with....so Husband, if you are reading this, you should be proud of me (especially if you want to be eating a delicious pot roast for dinner)

A Fashionable Interior

2011-09-26T14:39:00.000-04:00

I love the polished look this girl exudes. So chic, I had to design a board around her:

Parade of Homes

2011-09-20T16:32:00.001-04:00

So very last minute (like that same day) we decided to stage our little semi-detached home we are putting in our county's Parade of Homes. The day before judging, I was running around my showroom and personal home finding things I could slap together to stage this house with. I only staged the first floor and here's how it turned out:

- First, here was my inspiration for the paint palette (this was chosen ahead of time, not the day of...just thought I'd throw that in there so you didn't think I had some sort of super human paint powers.)

- Powder Room

- Living Room

- Dining Area

Yes, that is a folding table with a tablecloth on it... It's all I had!

- Kitchen I designed

Master Bath that I couldn't decorate, but picked out the tile for and looove:

Not bad for a $149,900 builder spec home, right? Other than the serious gap of decorative items now in my home and office, I'm happy with how everything turned out. Sure it could have been more decorated, but then we're talking some serious $$$. I'll be adding home staging services to my decorating company's website soon, so if you're local and interested, let me know!

Missoni for Target

2011-09-15T16:08:00.000-04:00

Yes, I was one of those crazy people who was in Target the minute it opened to scoop up all my Missoni goodies. And I'm glad I did! It's all over the news how the stores are sold out. I wanted to post how I styled my cardi that's pretty much everywhere. I gotta say though, I am loving this bad boy:

Do I sense a color scheme for an interior?

Jenna Lyons Home

2011-09-11T11:28:00.003-04:00

I freaked when I found Todd Selby, an awesome interiors photographer in case you weren't aware of him, shot Jenna Lyons New York apartment. We've all seen her apartment everywhere ever since she was featured on the cover of Domino, but Todd's ability to capture photos makes it seem like a whole new experience. Enjoy!

Images from British Vogue via A Lovely Being

I also shared a link on my facebook page to this article from NY Mag. Be sure to read it, it's pretty awesome. On September 13th, J.Crew's spring collection will be showing at NY Fashion Week. Can't wait to see what they come up with!

Blog Discovery

2011-09-08T16:34:00.001-04:00

I know I've been extremely light on the blog front these days, but I'm hoping to improve this once things chill out a bit for me at work. In the meantime, check out this cute blog I found! I love her random style boards she puts together and where she curates some of these awesome finds, I have no idea. I love this one, centered around a road trip:

Don't ask me why, but I feel the need to own those sunglasses with the chain strap...

Also, I've been meaning to share that my bff was featured in The Glitter Guide! I'm so proud of her. Be sure to pop over and read her awesome interview.

A Fashionable Interior

2011-09-02T12:29:00.000-04:00

To me, black and navy are almost as chic a combination as black and white are. The images below are complete and total proof of this, and yes, that is once again my girl crush Olivia Palermo.

Pops of Red

2011-08-25T16:16:00.000-04:00

Oh how I love the color red. I can't seem to get enough of it lately, evidenced by my red pants I keep wearing (and get a lot of stares for since I live in a town that's not exactly at the height of fashion). I especially love red when all other colors it's paired with are neutrals, allowing this color to command some serious attention:

Girly Bows

2011-08-22T13:47:00.000-04:00

I saw these Valentino pumps while shopping this weekend and cannot get them out of my mind. The sales girl had a green pair on, and they were the cutest things I think I've ever seen. Hmm... I may just have to splurge on these guys.

And why not throw in a pillow to match? Want to make one? Click here for a tutorial.

Navy Kitchen

2011-08-10T16:31:00.000-04:00

Check out my Facebook to weigh in on your opinion of this navy kitchen!

On My Wish List

2011-08-08T10:40:00.000-04:00

WARNING: some of the items included below are for Fall. Do not be upset with me when I say I am more than ready for the season to start. I absolutely l-o-v-e Fall!! Just got my gray mani yesterday, too. My hubster and I are thinking of going somewhere in New England to celebrate our upcoming one year anniversary in October, but I have no idea where to go. I'd like to be near a beach/harbor, just because, and also near some fun antique shops and maybe a winery or two. Any suggestions??

Anyway, here is my current wish list:

1. Love, love, love this Fossil clutch. They also have it in plain leather colors, too.
2. The Perfectly Imperfect Home by Deborah Needleman, a former Domino staff member, is due out November 1st, and I'm definitely pre-ordering it. Apartment Therapy just featured a sneak peek.
3. The Help - I'm for sure setting up a girls' date to see this! I read the book forever ago, so I'm really anxious to see how the movie translates.
4. Sorrelli's new fall line is out and it is gorgeous. I can't wait to wear this stunner.
5. I love when a huge parmigiano wheel is carved out and used to serve grated cheese, so naturally, I freaked when I saw this faux Pottery Barn version.
6. I'm in need of a new pair of flat chocolate leather boots for Fall. My old ones have had their day in the sun, so it's time. I think I'll finally invest in a Frye pair.
7. A leather skirt is a must on my Fall shopping list. I have a black leather pencil skirt and have really wanted a caramel colored one, but this short pleated version is calling my name. Any idea where I could find one?
8. Laduree is opening in NYC!!! It was supposed to open in July, but I haven't heard anything?? I'm going there next Monday for the NYC Gift Show, so it better be up and running...

By the way, have you been watching HGTV Design Star? Do you have a fave yet? I kind of like Karl. I loved what he did last week with the subtle beach painting on the wall. Very cool. Did you happen to catch the show afterwards? It was a sneak peek of a new show called The High Low Project. The next episode will be on in September, but it was an awesome show! I loved it. She goes into homes and designs a room in the family's house, but it costs like a bajillion dollars. Then she redesigns it to look almost the same for WAY less. At first, I was like wow that sucks. "Here is this amazing room, family, but you can't keep it unless you sell your first born child!" But she did an amazing job at redesigning it to look the same.

Enjoy the rest of your Monday!

Purple Geodes

2011-08-05T15:46:00.000-04:00

How awesome is this idea to fill a non-working fireplace:

And the perfect pair of earrings to match:

Have a great weekend! Mine will be filled with working on my design jobs!

Mirror Lust

2011-08-04T14:05:00.000-04:00

I have so many blog posts on my mind lately, but no time to get them together!! I do, however, have an amazing mirror for you to feast your eyes on. Check out THIS. The Porcupine Quill Mirror by Horchow. I would love to hang this bad boy in my house or a client's for a serious statement piece. Forking over the $700 required to purchase it may be the difficult part...

A Fashionable Interior

2011-08-03T09:37:00.000-04:00

I'm still in beach mode with the nautical stripes going on. And how badly do you want that girl's clutch??

Happy Monday!

2011-08-01T07:00:00.000-04:00

So Mondays like this are probably the least happiest (it's my first day back to work from vacation), but I'm trying to be optimistic about it and pretend this is my breakfast and the scene I am about to enjoy it upon.

Heaven in Ocean City, MD

2011-07-28T10:06:00.000-04:00

While on my little trip away, I couldn't resist picking up a few real estate books to see how the housing market is around here. Some of these houses are so gorgeous, with my favorite being the cedar siding, new england looking ones. Then I came across this "Grand Cottage" I'd be happy to move to and never leave again. (sorry for the grainy pics, it's Coldwell Banker's fault)

Prestigious home builders “personal” residence, like new condition, only 5 years old, beautiful interiors with many special finishes, gourmet kitchen, marble tops, floors, walnut floors, two brick fireplaces, sound system, geo thermal, generator, exquisite landscaping, irrigation, saltwater pool with cabana room, unbelievable views of the inland waterways and ocean city skyline,Seller will install boat dock for easy bay and ocean access for $130k. Quiet dead end street. 2 large screened porches, This is a one of a kind home.

Now if only I could come up with the $1,949,900...

Missoni for Target

2011-07-27T09:21:00.002-04:00

Have you heard?? Missoni is doing a collaboration with Target and it's coming out September 13th!! I am so excited for this collab. I'm at the beach for a few days and finally getting to look through a stack of mags I've collected the past few weeks. Vogue gave me this amazing nugget of info. It featured Margherita's apartment and some of the items (which include over 400!!) that will be sold in Target. We're talkin clothes and housewares people. This is a line I may have to be there for at 8 am on the 13th...

These are all items from the line:

I love how she wallpapered that beam:

Below are rugs and a bike I just might have to get since I do not own one. Who doesn't want a Missoni bike??

Love those canisters:

Click here to see more sneak peek images from their shoot. The scarves I definitely will fight someone for...

UPDATE: I've been reading a few more articles on this and the Huffington Post had a fairly negative view of this. Be sure to read the comments on the article, too. What do you think?

A Fashionable Interior

2011-07-22T14:48:00.000-04:00

I was super inspired by this outfit and designed a quick little living room around her look:

Have a great weekend!

Hermes Orange

2011-07-21T12:54:00.001-04:00

Lately, I've been having a love for Hermes Orange. Not just any old orange color. Hermes Orange.

This is my orange chair in my office that my grandmother gifted me. It's not exactly Hermes orange, but close enough. The velvety material has begun to wear off on your body from years of sun exposure in the house, but no one ever sits on it anyway. And if they do, I cross my fingers that when they get up, their ass is not orange.

Of course it would be awesome to have an actual Hermes Orange bag:

I own an orange Michael Kors version that fulfills this fantasy to a degree.

I'm very into these Tory Burch flats:

How about this orange pant trend? I'm just getting myself into the red pant idea, but orange? This girl makes it look flawless, but I don't know how comfortable I'd feel walking around my office with flaming orange pants...

P.S. I went out to water my garden this morning and I almost screamed. There, on my little baby fig tree, were 2 little figs growing! Me?? The likely recipient of the worst gardener ever award?? I don't want to brag too much in case something happens before we get to eat them, but my excitement level is extremely high...

Bathroom Love

2011-07-15T12:49:00.001-04:00

Isn't this bathroom gorgeous? I had to design an outfit around this stylish space:

A Fashionable Interior

2011-07-08T14:35:00.000-04:00

I came across this image of my modern day fashion icon, Olivia Palermo and just had to post it. Doesn't she ALWAYS look awesome??

Mixing Blues

2011-07-07T14:22:00.000-04:00

I'm currently working on a master bedroom for clients and there was a question of if it's ok to mix blues. For example, the wall will be a blue gray color, but their bed cover is predominantely light blue. I say, of course! I think it adds depth to a design when the colors are not perfectly matching. I especially love mixing a deep blue with turquoise.

A Fashionable Interior

2011-07-06T08:30:00.000-04:00

Black and white with a dash of tan. I can seriously say without a doubt, this color combo will never fail you.

Happy July 4th!

2011-07-04T10:19:00.000-04:00

Hope everyone has a Happy 4th of July!

Hostess with the Mostess

Butterfly Wall

2011-07-01T10:34:00.001-04:00

I think my highest rank post each month on my blog is the one about the butterfly wall. I've been meaning to use this somewhere in one of my designs, and thought to myself, why not do it in my own office? And so I did. I searched Etsy for 3D butterflies and found loads of options. I chose black, obvi, and anxiously awaited their arrival. They came yesterday and here is how I installed them:

First, I found inspiration in this installation and decided to go for this look:

Then I layed out a piece of paper and made dots where all my holes would be. You just need a thumbtack to push holes in the walls and then the butterflies are backed with a little bendable rod to push them in

Luigi was watching me very intently:

Then, I taped the paper to the wall, made my holes, took the paper down, and walah! Beautiful wall art behind my desk:

I installed it a little higher than the bookcase since I plan on eventually putting frames, etc. on the top of it.
I love how when I sit at my desk, I can see them in the mirror:

Also, my awesome mom brought me a bouquet of hydrangeas from her garden for my office! I just love how fresh flowers can brighten your mood.

Have a great weekend everyone! I'm off to see my new nephew and cannot wait!!

Marbleized Design

2011-06-30T16:11:00.000-04:00

Oh how I love me a gorgeous marble design. Last year in Florence, I saw tons of Florentine Marble Paper, which was gorgeous. It has such a whimsical touch to it, whether it's in your closet or your home, you can't go wrong...

I am seriously considering purchasing this pillow from Etsy. It was love at first sight.

White marble will be forever in vogue:

I love this idea. Nick Olsen used marbleized paper and glued it to an IKEA coffee table. Brilliant!

The above image and this little tutorial from Martha was found via one of my favorite blogs, Little Green Notebook. How fun would it be to make your own marbleized paper?? Now if there were just 38 hours in a day instead of that pesky 24 business...

After making it, wouldn't it be perfect artwork?

I'd love to get my hands on some marbleized fabric and make pretty much anything I can wear out of it. This dress is gorg from Rodarte:

Cute maxi for summer from Modcloth:

This is a little more on the beauty side than fashion, but nonetheless, I love it. I'm not one to do fancy pants creations on my nails, but this is pretty cool:

Quickly becoming my archnemesis, I loved this marbled tank from Asos, but of course they don't have my size. When do they ever have my size???

I'm off to marble me some paper! Not really, but I'd love to do that right now...

Gradient Ombre in Design

2011-06-29T08:59:00.000-04:00

I feel like gradient/ombre/dip-dye is one of those things where one day it's in, the next day it's out. For me, I equate it with an easy going, carefree vibe, and does that ever go out of style? I think not...

Anthro has these adorable (I don't really like that word, but it just came out while typing.) ombre curtains. I would use the turquoise ones or coral ones at a beach house:

Anthropologie Wavering Ombre Curtain

Anthropologie

Calypso St. Barth

Ann Taylor Loft - 40% off sale going on now!!

P.S. Did you know ombre is the French word for shadow? I was probably more excited than necessary to learn that.

P.P.S. Did anyone watch Million Dollar Decorators last night? I have a bit of a scary obsession when it comes to this show. My poor hubster is not even aloud to breathe loudly or he gets blasted. You know that rug that Martyn HAD to purchase for Daisy Fuentes with a price tag of $25,000??? He totes should have logged on to Overstock. She would have saved $24,561.01. And that's without any coupon codes...

Overstock Version

Overstock has some seriously awesome rugs, including ombre styles, at amazing prices. Check out this timeless David Hicks inspired design for $269.99! I may just have to use this on a client project (or at my house. That's what I tell my husband whenever I buy things like this, "it's for a future client!" Then it'll show up somewhere in our house)

Walker Zanger Tile

2011-06-24T09:30:00.000-04:00

Looking for fun product lines to carry in my showroom, I came across an amazing tile company called Walker Zanger. I would love to carry their product line / cover every surface in my future house with their tile.

Yes, that is what you think it is. Crocodile tile.

Eek! I can't wait to open my showroom! Have a great weekend everyone! (I'm keeping my fingers crossed my sister has her baby that's due today!!)

Lace Lovin

2011-06-21T10:58:00.000-04:00

I'm very hard at work with the finishing touches on a design plan for my clients' master bedroom and thankfully the real estate world is finally picking up a bit, so I've been doing a lot more showings lately. Btw, I have my real estate license. Have I ever said that? Yep, I pretty much have everything to do with homes - from the building process, to the selling process, to the design process. And I love it! I'm also still working on that showroom. I'm shooting for a September grand opening if not sooner.

Anyway, lace is my latest love. I bought the most beautiful cream lace skirt this Spring and am constantly wanting to wear it. I love counteracting the soft girly fabric with something like a chambray oxford. It's also a great fabric for using in interiors, as well.

This scalloped lace curtain is GORG!

Lace wallpaper is so dainty:

And there are just no words for this amazing lace area rug:

I could wear this outfit once a week:

Lace shorts are a must-have:

Oh, have you seen the newest show on Bravo coming in August? I'm really not a Bravo nut thanks to all this Housewives business, but with Million Dollar Decorators and now this, I fear I'm being sucked in. The show's called Fashion Hunters and it follows characters from the store Second Time Around as they find amazing pieces for their boutiques. I few years back in Boston, I found the most AMAZING Escada striped pencil skirt from this store. I'm sure the deals will be hard to find now that there's going to be a show about it and people will be flocking there. AND Flipping Out premiers July 6th. Love that show, too. Oh Bravo, at least you've saved me from a summer with absolutely nothing on tv. Crap. I also just saw Rachael Zoe comes back on August 2nd, too. I am officially going to be a Bravo nut...

Falling Water

2011-06-14T12:09:00.000-04:00

My sincere apologies for being a blogger slacker lately. Lots going on with work, so I've been a little busy. I just got a project for a master bedroom and home office so I'm super excited to be working on that.

Over the weekend, I took a trip to Falling Water and was so glad I finally took the time to do it. It was AMAZING! The house cost $155,000 to build in 1936, when houses were going for $5,000 at the time. Frank Lloyd Wright was one amazing dude. I've been meaning to read some of the books about him and his scandalous life, and now I definitely have to. Here are some of my pics I took:

I think I'm going to hang this one in my office:

We weren't allowed to take photos inside, so here are some I pulled off of good 'ol Google:

Here are some outdoor shots from Fall and Winter. I think they said October is their busiest time.

Has anyone ever been?

Leopard and Polka Dots

2011-06-06T07:00:00.009-04:00

Who would have thought leopard and polka dots could look so good?

Atlantic - Pacific

The Sartorialist

Elle

9 to 5 Chic

I have a really cute polka dot dress from Ann Taylor that I now would love to wear leopard pumps with. Problem is I do not own leopard pumps, only flats. Looks like Zappos, here I come...I'm actually kind of really into these designed by Ivanka Trump of all people?? I didn't even know she was designing shoes?? Must have needed an additional source of income...

I couldn't find any interior designs with this combo, so I designed a quick living room design board around the theme:

Coastal Style

2011-06-03T08:53:00.000-04:00

I'm off to the beach for the weekend! I'll be staying at my friend's beach house and cannot wait to smell the ocean, lounge around in my beach weekend outfits, and think about nothing. I'm really hoping the weather cooperates. Here are some elements of design inspired by the coast that I can't get enough of:

Calypso St. Barth

http://www.abeachcottage.com/

j.crew

http://rikshawdesign.blogspot.com/

My bedroom is coastal style inspired (yes just the bedroom. My home has split personality disorder), but I've never completely finished the look. These rooms are making me want to go home right now and complete my space. I love how the rooms are understated coastal and not like the beach threw up all over the space.

Cute idea for incorporating a touch of coastal living. I will also take that Mulberry bag, thank you.

http://www.abeachcottage.com/

Yep, I'm probably going to have to buy a beach house someday, just so I have an excuse to decorate it...

West Elm's summer 2011 catalog was amazing in my opinion. SO much inspiration for coastal living, done in their stunningly beautiful modern way:

Ok I'm done, sorry for the extra long post, but can you tell I'm excited to go to the beach?

Gingham Meets Floral

2011-06-02T15:12:00.000-04:00

I'm loving this combo of prints:

http://www.9to5chic.com/

http://atlantic-pacific.blogspot.com/

Anthropologie

http://marcusdesigninc.blogspot.com/

Woven Inspiration

2011-06-01T11:14:00.000-04:00

Woven materials evoke a sense of warm weather and bright sunshine in my mind, perfect for this time of year. Whether it be a pair of sandals or a chair, a woven texture has such a breezy, carefree style to it.

I love this take on the Barcelona chair:

Handmade woven leather sandals from an Italian workshop? SOLD!

http://www2.plumo.com/products/Pina-Sandals.html

And these are drool-worthy. If I'm not mistaken, I think they're Prada:

Anya Hindmarch is an excellent bag designer. I've always wanted to own one of her designs. This one is a beauty:

I've been wearing my fedora nonstop on the weekends. This is a really pretty woven option, and the price is perfect:

And if fedoras aren't your thing, a floppy beach hat is the next best thing!

A Fashionable Interior

2011-05-31T08:18:00.000-04:00

I love this mix of prints! Hope you had a relaxing Memorial Day weekend!

Black, White and Wood

2011-05-27T11:13:00.001-04:00

My current obsession for interiors is black, white, and natural wood. By injecting some wood into a black and white design, it adds an element of warmth that can sometimes be lacking when you're using no color. This is my plan for the front counter area of my showroom, if I would ever just get the thing going. I'm very excited though, I got the approval for my small business loan last week, woo hoo! Now, I need to make some final decisions on how I want to finish the space sometime this century.

Anyway, check out these spaces that marry black, white, and wood beautifully:

Check out this super cute box I found at Burlington Coat Factory?? over the weekend. I know random. But love the black and white python print with the wood accents.

P.S. Here's a larger glimpse of the box's location in my office, with the GOLD accents I promised I'd be adding. (I know the pineapple is a bit much, but it was in my studio and it was gold. Why not?)

In the fashion realm, adding a "wood" touch can be achieved just by adding a warm tone, like a tan. The outfit below adds the perfect touch with the tan leather belt:

I know there's no white on these shoes, but if I were to wear them, the white would come from my extremely pasty foot. I love the dressyness (is that a word?) counteracted by the wood heel:

And here's how I would incorporate this trend into my wardrobe:

Aren't those rings amazing!? Made out of petrified wood.... so cool.

How Ladylike...

2011-05-25T12:49:00.001-04:00

Shopping with my friend this past weekend, we got to talking about our individual styles. I've never felt like I had one particular style I could pinpoint. I like a little bit of everything, which in the interior design world, we'd say "it's eclectic" and call it a day. I guess you could say that about my fashion style, but that's just not good enough for me. The more I thought about it, the more I realized every outfit I put together has a ladylike touch to it. Yay!! I've figured it out!! I could be wearing a casual striped tee and rolled up denim shorts in the summer, but then I'll pop in a pair of pearl earrings. Or, I'll wear denim ripped up jeans, an oxford, and then add a chain handled purse and ballet flats to the mix.

Olivia Palermo is the queen of ladylike. I know I just posted her in the leather shorts, but I'm sorry, the girl seriously rocks my world. I honestly think she's on her way to becoming a modern day fashion icon.

Notice the cargo jacket with the ruffled blouse peeking out from underneath? Perfection...

Love these ladylike touches:

I love the idea of adding ladylike touches to an interior.This bedroom has very masculine bedding, but the headboard and artwork add the perfect feminine touch:

Ok and these last two may just be straight up ladylike, but whatever, I still love them! (I think this first room is actually all items from IKEA. Pretty awesome...)

A Fashionable Interior

2011-05-23T16:15:00.000-04:00

I scored an awesome pair of black leather shorts this weekend and can't wait to style those bad boys. How about you? Find any good deals over the weekend?

Guest Post-Simply Sensational Blue and White Rooms

2011-05-19T08:42:00.002-04:00

Today, I'm lucky enough to have a guest post on blue and white rooms from the people at Arcadian Lighting! Wondering who they are?

"Arcadian Lighting is the best source for home lighting accessories at discount prices. Founded in 2002, Arcadian Lighting started selling decorative home lighting fixtures and lamps online, and has become one of the top Internet retailers for home lighting products."

Check it out:

The colour-combo of blue and white creates all kinds of amazing lighting effects - from stripes to florals and every shade in-between, fabrics and walls infused with blue and white are always stylish.

Transitional Living Room

RSVP Design Services (via)

The white modern chandelier in this transitional living room casts a soft light in the space decked out in dark blue walls, aqua blue ceilings, and white stripe curtains to complement the overall decor.

Country Bedroom

MMID (via)

Antique furniture, blue and white bedding as well as flooring, and a variety of table lamps sets a classic country setting for this bedroom.

French Provence Dinette

My Deco (via)

Stark blue walls and a striped rug are the building blocks of a cozy eating area - it's the perfect mix of old and new. A modern hanging light is installed to offset the dated chinaware on the walls.

Contemporary Hues

Home-Designing (via)

Pale blue and white cabinets and countertops adds retro edge to a modern molecular kitchen - installing pendant lights in this space would definitely help elongate the room.

Bathing Beauty

Luminosus Designs (via)

Sometimes a simple splash of blue, such as the luxurious aqua blue tiles, against an overall white room decor makes a bold statement, especially in a bathroom. The white walls, white bathroom lights and vanity completes the entire look of this private sanctuary.

Bathing Little Beauties

Home Depot Design (via)

Give the little ones some blue and white lovin' in their commode - add some flecks of lime green or even red for extra playfulness.

Homework Blues

theLENNOXX (via)

An office space is lovely when surrounded by the warmth of blue and white. The matching table lamps as well as the matching tufted chairs provide a picture-perfect symmetry.

Walk-Ins

Luxury Kitchen Designer (via)

Make the closet as sumptuous as the rest of the house with a blue and white palette. Hang a chandelier for even more opulence.

Content provided by Arcadian Lighting, a site that specializes in top quality lighting fixtures at extremely affordable prices. Come visit us today!

P.S. I couldn't help but get the last word in, I love this lamp they have currently on sale for $31.20!

Thanks for the guest post!

Design Poll - Colorblocking Your Interior

2011-05-18T13:38:00.001-04:00

Colorblock fashion is all the rage right now, but what about for your interior? Let me know what you think on Tendenza's facebook!

P.S. I totally own this shirt from Ann Taylor Loft and love it!

What I'm Loving Right Now

2011-05-16T15:35:00.001-04:00

1. Anthropologie Draped Surplus Jacket - love how this jacket counteracts the military vibe with soft draping.

2. I have been wanting a vintage claw foot piano stool forever, but every time I come across one, the price just doesn't seem right. I did find a perfect condition one at a flea market last week (more about my findings later) but didn't feel like paying $50 for it. I feel like it'd be perfect for extra seating at my dining room table since my dining room is so small.

3. Signet rings have been on my list for quite some time. I've been wanting something to show off my married initial, and a signet ring would be perfect. Check out how cute they are:

4. American Fashion Travel - I own American Fashion Designers at Home, so I feel I need this book to add to the collection. Click on the link to preview the book. The images look gorgeous.

5. I can't wait for Woody Allen's new film, Midnight in Paris to come out. Google says May 20th, but I don't know if that's correct. Check out the trailer below:

6. This Etsy shop's stationary is super cute and the set I have pictured would be perfect for thank yous to Tendenza's clients.

7. I've been wanting a vintage bike ever since my honeymoon in Lucca. You can rent bikes and go around the walls of the little town. My husband and I rented a two person bike because we are that dorky. (or maybe I may have pressured him to rent it, but that's neither here nor there).

Client's Outdoor Space

2011-05-13T14:29:00.001-04:00

Sooo, my first outdoor design job is complete! I have been so anxious for this, I could barely stand it. We started off with a budget and intentions on using the existing furniture the family already had. Her style was very Pottery Barn, but I'm sure as you all know, you may have to take a loan from your life's savings by the time you're done shopping there. After hitting up a few antique stores, I had the look without the major expense. So, without further ado, here are the photos:

BEFORE

AFTER

The trunk coffee table was vintage and very nicely priced. Plus, it doubles as storage for the pillows. Once winter comes, the folding chairs can be used indoors as extra seating for the holidays.

I took her old red pots and spraypainted them black to fit in with the new color scheme. I also added some floral hanging baskets.

Next, I tackled the dining area by turning the table the other way so all the furniture wasn't in a straight line. I also added hanging lanterns and a pretty, ornate mirror on the siding for an unexpected touch.

Next, I took her old table, sanded it down, and stained it to match the wood in the chairs and to also give it a more "finished" expensive look. The stools are from Pier1 and fit perfect with the table.

Finally, with some help from our landscaper, I redesigned the strange space that this was into the perfect area for a firepit. I used their old furniture and repurposed the coffee table as a plant stand and firewood storage. I also tried to continue the rustic look by adding the stand with plants and a coppery firepit.

The homeowner loved it and I have to say I'm happy with the outcome, too! I had a great experience with this client and really hope my future ones are just as awesome to work with! If you'd like to see more photos, visit Tendenza Fashion & Interiors' facebook!

P.S. Check out this brand new online mag called House of Fifty over the weekend!

Design Inspired by Figs

2011-05-12T08:40:00.000-04:00

For some reason, I have a strange obsession with figs. And honestly, I don't even really like them that much. (don't even get me started on fig newtons.) At my in-law's house in Italy, they grow everywhere. You can just pluck them right off the trees and eat them. What I love about figs is their color. On the outside, they aren't too exciting, but when you open them up, they have such a beautiful vibrant color. I had them at my wedding scattered on the tables and I just bought a fig tree that I'm going to try and grow in a pot. Even if I'm not successful at actually growing a fig, I still love the shape of their leaves. Cross your fingers I can keep it alive!

These images of figs used as decor is really making me hope my little fig tree makes it!

I just had to share this image of figs used in a floral arrangement. So pretty...

I was checking out Etsy's website and found some really neat things. Like this piece of art would look awesome hanging on a wall:

This pendant is so cool. It's actually molded from a real fig:

I also couldn't help myself from designing an outfit around the beautiful colors of figs:

A Fashionable Interior

2011-05-11T07:02:00.003-04:00

Love, love, love:

Have a good weekend everyone! (Yes, I actually typed that on a Wednesday. I thought this mistake was too funny not to share...)

Mixing Metals

2011-05-10T12:12:00.002-04:00

When it comes to fashion and interior design, my mantra is rules are made to be broken. I have to say, I'm a bit annoyed with myself when it comes to my office design. I really love black and gold together, but the wallpaper in my office was black and white with metallic silver in it. Therefore, for some reason I insisted on only using silver accents in the remaining space. Now, I'm rethinking this concept and throwing caution to the wind. I'm going to add as many gold accents as my office can handle. It's going to be magical. I'll keep you posted on the transformation, but in the meantime, check out these inspiring spaces that also mixed their metals like there's no tomorrow.

I also love how well it can be translated into fashion. Below is yours truly modeling for Sorrelli's MiMi line. If you love mixed metals, you will love their collection.

What are your thoughts on mixing metals? Would you do it?

Serena and Lily Summer Catalog

2011-05-06T11:54:00.001-04:00

Serena & Lily's summer catalog just came out and the inspiration this baby holds is awesome! Below are some of my faves. Click here to see the full catalog.

How cute would this be for little girls?

They even have a low voc paint line:

Have a great weekend!

Treehouses

2011-05-05T09:39:00.000-04:00

How cool would it be to own a treehouse? Especially if it would look like this:

This tree house was recently featured in Chicago Home & Garden:

If I build one at my future house, I'm totally giving Swiss Family Robinson a run for their money...

And here's what I'd wear when I'm chillin in my treehouse:

Design Poll - Blue and Red

2011-05-03T15:32:00.001-04:00

Visit Tendenza Fashion & Interior's facebook today to give your opinion on decorating with blue and red!