>

WEEKEND WARDROBE

Sophie Hulme clutch  //  J Brand jeans  //  Coach ring  //  Michael Antonio heels (on sale for $44!)

Can you believe it's the last day of January? I have no idea where this month went but I'm pretty excited to be that much closer to warmer weather. I'm dying for an excuse to splurge on this Cynthia Rowley bow top... You know when you're shopping online and something kind of stops you in your tracks? This top is a little outside my usual comfort zone (let's be serious, when's the last time you saw me wear a print that wasn't stripes? umm, never) but click over to see it on the model and I think you'll agree it's a showstopper. I do need to get shopping for fashion week... ;) Have a great weekend, friends!

Shop the post:


TARGET THRESHOLD COLLECTION



Remember the Target bar cart that I styled for Christmas? Target just released a ton of new arrivals in the same collection and let me tell you — they are awesome. The designs are super classic and the prices are out of this world (a natural extension of yesterday's post on decorating on a budget!). Like are you kidding me with that scalloped mirror?! I want to buy four and group them above a console table or line them down a hallway. And the tufted bench looks like it costs ten times what they're selling it for... Total no-brainer. Have any of you seen this collection in person? Which piece are you mostly likely to add to your place?



HOW TO DECORATE ON A BUDGET


As the lease on my first apartment winds to a close, I'm really looking forward to finding a new space and making it feel like home. My good friend Shelly is moving into her first place in Connecticut and I've been living vicariously helping her source a few furniture pieces... Decorating is truly one of my favorite hobbies. I thought before I move out of my current spot I'd share a little advice for decorating with what you have. Feel free to share your tips in the comments!

1. Make a list of everything you have and everything you need.
For instance, I already had a bed frame and mattress from my college dorm room that just needed to be transported into the city. My mom had also given me the antique quatrefoil mirror above my sofa (similar shape here and here) and the CB2 acrylic console table for my college graduation. So I knew I still needed bedding, a desk chair, dining/packing table, dining chairs, end tables, shelving, and a sofa. I didn't have space in my current apartment for a coffee table or nightstands so your list might look a little different depending on how much space you're working with!

2. Decide what look you're after.
I wanted most of my furniture to be white or neutral so I could bring in color with accessories, books, and throw pillows. I highly recommend creating an inspiration board and a shopping list on Pinterest (here are some bedrooms and interiors that inspire me). Rounding up my favorite rooms helped me make big decisions about which furniture to buy and which colors I tended to come back to for bedding, upholstery, and even wall color (which I decided not to change).

3. Figure out where you can afford to spend and where you'll have to save.
I let myself splurge a little on bedding from Serena & Lily (which I bought during one of their 20% off sales) and I haven't regretted it for a second. I also fell in love with this desk chair from Society Social which was a great purchase since I spend so much time working from home. Both of these purchases meant I had less money leftover to spend on my dresser and tables throughout the apartment — and that I had to wait a little longer before buying other pieces and making the apartment feel totally finished.

4. Hit up Craigslist, estate sales, and flea markets for furniture purchases.
I've purchased a ton of dressers and tables on Craigslist since college and it almost always results in a good deal and an even better story. Use CraigsEasy to search Craigslist in pictures (hello, timesaver!) for styles you like (I use search terms like campaign, chinoiserie, lacquer, and lucite). Don't worry if a wooden piece isn't in great condition — look for great lines and know that a coat of paint can work all kinds of miracles. If you're game for scouring estate sales and flea markets, make a day of it, go in with measurements of your space, and be patient. My mom, brother, and I found the mirrored end tables in the picture above for $20 apiece at Brimfield! Sold.

5. Peruse flash sale sites — but don't buy just because it's on sale.
Sites like Joss & Main and One Kings Lane are a treasure trove for furniture savings as long as you know what you're looking for. Stick to the list you made in the beginning (99% of what you see won't work for your space so don't get distracted!) and search every couple of days. I stalked Joss & Main for weeks before finding my sofa, a tufted linen number that I'll have for years and that only cost me around $400 (the cost of a comparable Ikea piece!).

6. Speaking of... there's always Ikea.
I hate the look of an apartment decorated entirely at Ikea but there's a reason it's the affordable go-to for twenty-somethings everywhere. I used the Docksta as a dining table and the Expedit as shelving for books and inventory. Mix them in with pieces that have more character to avoid looking like you furnished your apartment in one afternoon — decorating is a process and a fun one at that!

7. Make it feel like home.
Whether it's painting your walls (a project that will take you a weekend but won't break the bank) or hanging real window treatments (my parents and I made mine following this tutorial), design is in the details. Accessorize with art (we carry affordable prints in the boutique and I also love Etsy and Society 6) or blow up family or travel photos to cover wall space — a landscape photo for above your sofa will run you about $75 at FedEx. And bring in books, whether they're childhood favorites from your bedroom at home or coffee table books you find for sale online. They say don't judge a book by its cover — but you can tell a lot about people by their bookshelves!

- - -

What decorating projects are you tackling at the moment? Any advice you'd add to this list?


KULE SIMON COAT WITH LEATHER CUFFS


Public service announcement: this Kule trench coat with leather cuffs is the coolest thing I've seen all week and it's marked down to $180 from $450. This will be my first purchase following my January shopping ban (along with this dress) so if you buy the last size 2 before this weekend, you're in big trouble. ;)

P.S. This waxed jacket is also super chic.


SKINNY JEANS + POINTED TOE PUMPS


With temperatures in New York consistently in the 20s and fashion week right around the corner, I'm trying to brainstorm outfits that won't leave me frostbitten at Lincoln Center. Dresses and skirts are pretty much out of the question so my trusty skinny jeans it is. When it comes to footwear, however, I'll be following my grandmother's advice: "For style, you have to suffer." I think the combination of skinny jeans and pointed toe pumps is pretty much the most universally flattering look, cold weather be damned. Pray for zero precipitation though or bean boots it is! 

Skinny jeans:


Pointed toe pumps:

*photos 1 / 2 / 3



COLORFUL CAMPAIGN DRESSERS


One of the things I miss most about living in New York as opposed to the suburbs is having time and space on the weekends to fix up old furniture (or tackle an inexpensive DIY — remember my Union Jack dresser or these campaign tables? they're in my brother's dorm room now!). The thought of painting a Craigslist find on my fire escape is kind of laughable... Not to mention how I'd ever transport a dresser by myself sans car. 

In case some of you find yourselves in a similar living situation, I wanted to share these awesome new pieces at Grandin Road. They have the classic campaign-inspired lines that I usually look for on Craigslist and at flea markets with all the pizzazz of a paint color you'd choose yourself. Find the chest here and the console here. Do any of you share my penchant for fixing up older pieces with a fresh coat of paint? 


DESIGN DARLING NEW ARRIVALS!


Our first new arrivals of 2014! Chic pillows, gorgeous baubles, and a tortoiseshell clutch you can't live without. I hope you love what you see! xx

TINK + TIGER PAJAMAS


I want to crawl into Tink + Tiger's lookbook and live there forever. Give me coffee, girlfriends, and good hair and I'm pretty much on cloud nine. Oh and their pajamas are pretty stinking cute too! Yes please to this little number especially.




GET THE LOOK {UPPER WEST SIDE APARTMENT}


Pardon me while I paint my walls a pale powder blue and fill them with colorful abstract art... I mean, how stunning is this NYC home? The couple who lives here undertook a serious renovation (see the before photos here) but I think it's totally possible to recreate the same cozy feel in a smaller space with a few key pieces...


Who else is happy to see tulips at all the bodegas again?! Love them.





MAKEUP INSPIRATION


A few favorite beauty inspirations at the moment... Bolder brows, long lashes, healthy skin, pale pink lips, and a subtle cat eye. I'm trying to do my makeup every morning (even when no one but me will see it...) because it really does make me feel just a little bit more put together. Here's what I'm swearing by these days:



*images 1 / 2 / 3 / 4 / 5

PUPPY LOVE


My favorite way to start the day is to wake up before my alarm and see Rory snuggled up next to me. He does the most exaggerated stretch when he realizes I'm awake and then rolls over so I can scratch his tummy. I so relish those couple minutes of snuggling with his sweet little self that sometimes I think my heart could explode. It's just the most precious little moment before either of us is fully awake — I wish I could bottle those moments and keep them forever. I tell you, it's the little things in life!

Are you a dog person? Big dogs or little dogs (or in between like Rory)? 

P.S. For more puppy love, follow this board and shop our pop-up pet shop!




WEEKEND READING


1. Back in stock: mint julep cups and tortoiseshell glasses. Get 'em while they're hot!

2. Going stir crazy in this cold weather? Check out one of these public indoor gardens in NYC.

3. How to work from home and still get things done. I'm taking notes!

4. I loved this pep talk: "I am immune to criticism, I am beneath no one, I am fearless."

5. Killer black booties.

6. My everyday uniform.

7. Take an extra 20% off sale items in the boutique with code SALEONSALE through Sunday.

8. The scalloped dress I lived in all summer is now $68 at J.Crew Factory. Don't miss out!

9. Want to clear the clutter from your inbox? This site will change your life (or at least your productivity).

10. What to cook this weekend.

GET THE LOOK {LINDSEY CORAL HARPER}


Inspiration is a funny thing. I clicked over to Lindsey Coral Harper's home tour expecting to fall in love with her apartment (which I did, don't get me wrong) but was just as inspired by her wardrobe. How chic is the above look? Classic, preppy, and seriously perfect for a redhead like me. Get the look with the following options:

Monogrammed shirt
J.Crew stretch perfect shirt ($64 + $10 monogram)

Statement leather belt

Dark skinny jeans

What do you think? Do you love this look as much as I do? I think it's time for me to order a couple of these shirts!


INTRODUCING RACK IT UP


You all know I love Pinterest for keeping track of inspiring interiors, style, travel ideas, and wishlist items. So what if I told you that there's a site that works similarly to Pinterest, allowing you to pin products that catch your eye, and alerts you when those items go on sale? Say hello to Rack It Up, where you can "rack" items from online stores into a virtual closet that lives on their site and receive an email when one of your items (in your specified color and size!) is marked down. Seriously awesome.

Ready to get started? Sign up here and feel free to follow my closet right here. Then just install the Rack It Up button and start racking!

P.S. Rack It Up is also hosting a giveaway for a few of these Design Darling prints this week!

*This post is sponsored by Rack It Up, a site I genuinely use and enjoy. Thank you for supporting the brands that make Design Darling possible!


BLUE CRUSH

Sunglasses  //  Exterior  //  Tassel  //  Jeans  //  Stripes

Just a few inspiring images in my favorite hue... Can you tell I'm daydreaming of warmer climes?! 

P.S. For lots more visual inspiration, follow me on Pinterest here

ITALY WANDERLUST...


Who wants to plan a trip? These pictures of the Augustus Hotel in Forte dei Marmi have me pining for an Italian getaway. Those flowers! The stripes! Someone book a flight and pack me in your suitcase ;) 

Who has an exciting trip planned? I'd love to hear!





CYNTHIA SMITH ON NANTUCKET


Are you all familiar with vogue.com's Five Days, Five Looks, One Girl feature? I clicked over from (where else?) Pinterest and lit up over fashion associate Cynthia Smith's feature shot on Nantucket. A chic little trench, Ferragamo flats, and my favorite cobblestone streets... I couldn't get enough. Check out the full feature here and shop the slideshow below to get the look: