party planning {garden party}

how could i forget? apart from our regularly scheduled programming, the charming catherine from the shiny pebble is hosting a little link party to celebrate her wildly popular designer challenge. i for one can't wait to see what she makes of her dining room after all the design ideas from some of our favorite style-savvy bloggers. catherine's planned a smokin' texas get-together... so i thought i'd plan a little garden party for the day of!

i'll get ready in my delightfully chic dressing room, overwhelmed by all the fabulous options from which to choose.

ultimately i'll decide on a fabulous haute hippie number for a little afternoon sparkle.

my guests — that means you! — will arrive through my beautiful front gate, admiring our manicured lawn and topiary collection.

we'll have plenty of time for strolls in the garden, enjoying the afternoon light and the smell of abundant summer flowers.

i'll take guests on a little spin of the grounds since no design get-together would be complete without a home tour from the hostess.

we'll savor a light afternoon meal with lots of fresh fruits and vegetables while swapping blogging and design stories and finally getting to know one another face to face.

i'll serve a couple rounds of watermelon basil margaritas and thank em for sharing the recipe.

the table will be lined with gorgeous flowers in rich purples and lustrous pinks and everyone will compliment my fine taste before marveling at the wonderful company that our shared love of blogging has brought together.

darlings, do join me, will you? it will be a party for the ages.

{photo credits: mark burstyn via delight by design, shopbop, tim clinch via haute design, jinny blom via the neo-traditionalist, suzanne kasler, elle decor, hip hip gin gin, style me pretty}

how could i forget? apart from our regularly scheduled programming, the charming catherine from the shiny pebble is hosting a little link party to celebrate her wildly popular designer challenge. i for one can't wait to see what she makes of her dining room after all the design ideas from some of our favorite style-savvy bloggers. catherine's planned a smokin' texas get-together... so i thought i'd plan a little garden party for the day of!

i'll get ready in my delightfully chic dressing room, overwhelmed by all the fabulous options from which to choose.

ultimately i'll decide on a fabulous haute hippie number for a little afternoon sparkle.

my guests — that means you! — will arrive through my beautiful front gate, admiring our manicured lawn and topiary collection.

we'll have plenty of time for strolls in the garden, enjoying the afternoon light and the smell of abundant summer flowers.

i'll take guests on a little spin of the grounds since no design get-together would be complete without a home tour from the hostess.

we'll savor a light afternoon meal with lots of fresh fruits and vegetables while swapping blogging and design stories and finally getting to know one another face to face.

i'll serve a couple rounds of watermelon basil margaritas and thank em for sharing the recipe.

the table will be lined with gorgeous flowers in rich purples and lustrous pinks and everyone will compliment my fine taste before marveling at the wonderful company that our shared love of blogging has brought together.

darlings, do join me, will you? it will be a party for the ages.

{photo credits: mark burstyn via delight by design, shopbop, tim clinch via haute design, jinny blom via the neo-traditionalist, suzanne kasler, elle decor, hip hip gin gin, style me pretty}

resort 2011 {stella mccartney}

the collection needs no introduction. ms. mccartney, dress me.

{all photos from style.com}

the collection needs no introduction. ms. mccartney, dress me.

{all photos from style.com}

desk du jour

{olga bennett via aubrey road}

i love how real this photo is: nothing staged, nothing faked, book open, chair at the ready. be sure to check out jenny's blog for endlessly inspiring photography if you're not already familiar.

what are you up to this wednesday, my darling readers?

{olga bennett via aubrey road}

i love how real this photo is: nothing staged, nothing faked, book open, chair at the ready. be sure to check out jenny's blog for endlessly inspiring photography if you're not already familiar.

what are you up to this wednesday, my darling readers?

let's talk kitchens

what does yours look like? do you prefer light, bright, and white? i thought i did until i started falling in love with these darker options.

{design*sponge}

the homeowners balance dark floors and dark walls with plenty of white: cabinets, tiles, trim, and fabulous saarinen tulip chairs.

{via desire to inspire}

the perfect shade of pale gray on the walls is a happy medium between the black cabinetry and the whitewashed floors. don't you love that window?

{via little green notebook}

gwyneth paltrow's high ceilings get a coat of white paint to keep her black cabinetry from taking over — and you know i love a chandelier in the kitchen!

{windsor smith}

a risk-taking designer pulls off a dark kitchen thanks to ample natural light and a pale tiled floor.

{ruthie sommers via high-heeled foot in the door}

sommers takes a unique approach and counters the dark walls with a pop of turquoise at the door. like this space? check out camila's look for less here.

it seems to me that it's all about balance — offsetting the black and gray with white or even a dash of bright color. what do you think? could you handle a dark kitchen?

what does yours look like? do you prefer light, bright, and white? i thought i did until i started falling in love with these darker options.

{design*sponge}

the homeowners balance dark floors and dark walls with plenty of white: cabinets, tiles, trim, and fabulous saarinen tulip chairs.

{via desire to inspire}

the perfect shade of pale gray on the walls is a happy medium between the black cabinetry and the whitewashed floors. don't you love that window?

{via little green notebook}

gwyneth paltrow's high ceilings get a coat of white paint to keep her black cabinetry from taking over — and you know i love a chandelier in the kitchen!

{windsor smith}

a risk-taking designer pulls off a dark kitchen thanks to ample natural light and a pale tiled floor.

{ruthie sommers via high-heeled foot in the door}

sommers takes a unique approach and counters the dark walls with a pop of turquoise at the door. like this space? check out camila's look for less here.

it seems to me that it's all about balance — offsetting the black and gray with white or even a dash of bright color. what do you think? could you handle a dark kitchen?

resort 2011 {diane von furstenberg}

happy monday, everybody! i hope you had a relaxing weekend and are feeling ready to take on the new week. as for me, i'm busy drooling over every look that walked the runway at diane von furstenberg's resort show last week. which is your favorite?

black, white, and perfect all over.

{all photos from style.com}

happy monday, everybody! i hope you had a relaxing weekend and are feeling ready to take on the new week. as for me, i'm busy drooling over every look that walked the runway at diane von furstenberg's resort show last week. which is your favorite?

black, white, and perfect all over.

{all photos from style.com}

happy {warm weather} weekend!

ladies and gentlemen, i had my first day at jonathan adler yesterday and i'm in love! i met jonathan for the first time and his office is maybe ten feet away from mine! i'll admit to being a little starstruck when i met him but he is totally down-to-earth and very involved in every aspect of his business. thank you all for your congratulations on monday... i'm a very lucky girl indeed!

{via apartment #34}

i've planned my weekend around some get-togethers with girlfriends...

{we heart it}

and spending time with the ones i love...

{ascot friday}

hopefully a little time outdoors...

{henrik halvarsson via aubrey road}

enjoying some warm weather food...

{jordan ferney}

and, oh, a picnic would be nice...

{cabbage rose}

and maybe some yummy dessert to top it all off!

what are your plans for the weekend? i hope it's fabulous!

ladies and gentlemen, i had my first day at jonathan adler yesterday and i'm in love! i met jonathan for the first time and his office is maybe ten feet away from mine! i'll admit to being a little starstruck when i met him but he is totally down-to-earth and very involved in every aspect of his business. thank you all for your congratulations on monday... i'm a very lucky girl indeed!

{via apartment #34}

i've planned my weekend around some get-togethers with girlfriends...

{we heart it}

and spending time with the ones i love...

{ascot friday}

hopefully a little time outdoors...

{henrik halvarsson via aubrey road}

enjoying some warm weather food...

{jordan ferney}

and, oh, a picnic would be nice...

{cabbage rose}

and maybe some yummy dessert to top it all off!

what are your plans for the weekend? i hope it's fabulous!

let's turn up the heat

{via blonde chicette}

it's not getting any cooler around here and i'm struggling to stay stylish in the sun. let's let the celebs show us how it's done...

{via love, lipstick, and pearls}

the forever chic diane kruger combines a breezy blouse and a patterned skirt for a look that's equal parts cool and comfortable.

{people}

no one makes the simple shirt-and-shorts combo look quite as good as miranda kerr does.

{via day old news}

my second favorite of the kardashian sisters (i'm sorry but khloe cracks me up!) rocks a romper and platform heels. i'd say she's in the running for hollywood's best hair — it always looks so put together!

{people}

rachel bilson keeps cool in breezy linen pants and a simple black tank. you could do that, right?

{via blonde chicette}

it's not getting any cooler around here and i'm struggling to stay stylish in the sun. let's let the celebs show us how it's done...

{via love, lipstick, and pearls}

the forever chic diane kruger combines a breezy blouse and a patterned skirt for a look that's equal parts cool and comfortable.

{people}

no one makes the simple shirt-and-shorts combo look quite as good as miranda kerr does.

{via day old news}

my second favorite of the kardashian sisters (i'm sorry but khloe cracks me up!) rocks a romper and platform heels. i'd say she's in the running for hollywood's best hair — it always looks so put together!

{people}

rachel bilson keeps cool in breezy linen pants and a simple black tank. you could do that, right?

resort 2011 {jason wu}

{new york magazine}

have you been keeping up with the latest runway collections at style.com? i take a peek every now and then and suffice it to say i was blown away by jason wu's latest offering. the neutral palette, subtle prints, and straw hats were a nod to parisian chic while the macaroons placed on each guest's chair support the designer's affirmation that "resort should be like dessert." how would he feel about second helpings?

{new york magazine}

have you been keeping up with the latest runway collections at style.com? i take a peek every now and then and suffice it to say i was blown away by jason wu's latest offering. the neutral palette, subtle prints, and straw hats were a nod to parisian chic while the macaroons placed on each guest's chair support the designer's affirmation that "resort should be like dessert." how would he feel about second helpings?

the look for less {lonny}

i immediately fell in love with this space in the last edition of lonny — the look is simple, chic, and easily recreated on a budget. let's do it!

in attempting to recreate the feel of a space, i like to move from floor to ceiling and identify the pieces that really define the room. after painting an accent wall mocha brown, your next step is to recreate the artwork of the space. we'll need to look for something abstract, dark, and dramatic. i like this serigraph by barnett newman ($160) for the mix of clean and rough lines — and the colors are perfect for our room! the only problem is its orientation. the piece in our inspiration room is hung horizontally to echo the shape of the couch. let's break the rules and turn the piece around.

much better! the next piece is a cool mid-century floor lamp with tripod legs and a white drum shade.

i like this lamp from target and the price is definitely right at $100! replace the yellow shade (or don't — i kind of like it!) and you're good to go.

now there's really nothing special about this plain white couch. you might consider slipcovering a piece you already own or scanning your local craigslist for viable options. next bring in a mix of dark and light throw pillows (ikea's ritva covers cost just $6 each!) to add a little depth.

your best bet for the chevron rug is west elm's zigzag rug which comes in a variety of sizes. depending on the size of your space, you could get away with just a runner (2.5' x 7') for under the coffee table, which would set you back just $119.

your splurge for the room will have to be the transparent trunk that absolutely crowns the space. plexicraft's acrylic trunk is an investment at $377 but truly worth it in my opinion. use it to protect your pricey coffee table books or show off your own objets d'art.

the icing on the cake is a little coral accent. i like the look and price of z gallerie's faux coral, which comes in two sizes (one for $20 and the other for $45) and two colors so you can choose the right style for your space.

p.s. the new lonny comes out on june 10. who's reading?

i immediately fell in love with this space in the last edition of lonny — the look is simple, chic, and easily recreated on a budget. let's do it!

in attempting to recreate the feel of a space, i like to move from floor to ceiling and identify the pieces that really define the room. after painting an accent wall mocha brown, your next step is to recreate the artwork of the space. we'll need to look for something abstract, dark, and dramatic. i like this serigraph by barnett newman ($160) for the mix of clean and rough lines — and the colors are perfect for our room! the only problem is its orientation. the piece in our inspiration room is hung horizontally to echo the shape of the couch. let's break the rules and turn the piece around.

much better! the next piece is a cool mid-century floor lamp with tripod legs and a white drum shade.

i like this lamp from target and the price is definitely right at $100! replace the yellow shade (or don't — i kind of like it!) and you're good to go.

now there's really nothing special about this plain white couch. you might consider slipcovering a piece you already own or scanning your local craigslist for viable options. next bring in a mix of dark and light throw pillows (ikea's ritva covers cost just $6 each!) to add a little depth.

your best bet for the chevron rug is west elm's zigzag rug which comes in a variety of sizes. depending on the size of your space, you could get away with just a runner (2.5' x 7') for under the coffee table, which would set you back just $119.

your splurge for the room will have to be the transparent trunk that absolutely crowns the space. plexicraft's acrylic trunk is an investment at $377 but truly worth it in my opinion. use it to protect your pricey coffee table books or show off your own objets d'art.

the icing on the cake is a little coral accent. i like the look and price of z gallerie's faux coral, which comes in two sizes (one for $20 and the other for $45) and two colors so you can choose the right style for your space.

p.s. the new lonny comes out on june 10. who's reading?