$200 Kimberly Lewis Home Giveaway!

First of all, you are amazing. There are no words to describe how grateful I am for the outpouring of support for the decision I announced yesterday! Your advice, your comments, your emails mean more to me than you know. Thank you!

- - -

Today I'm excited to be supporting a fellow entrepreneurial spirit, my friend Kimberly Lewis. Kimberly is a talented designer whose gorgeous wallpaper is environmentally friendly and hand-printed in Brooklyn. Her site Kimberly Lewis Home is truly a feast for the eyes!

Kimberly Lewis Home is generously giving away $200 worth of wallpaper to one lucky Design Darling reader! To enter, leave a comment with your favorite design below. For an extra entry (be sure to leave a second comment!), like Kimberly Lewis Home on Facebook. The winner will be announced on Friday morning. Good luck!

First of all, you are amazing. There are no words to describe how grateful I am for the outpouring of support for the decision I announced yesterday! Your advice, your comments, your emails mean more to me than you know. Thank you!

- - -

Today I'm excited to be supporting a fellow entrepreneurial spirit, my friend Kimberly Lewis. Kimberly is a talented designer whose gorgeous wallpaper is environmentally friendly and hand-printed in Brooklyn. Her site Kimberly Lewis Home is truly a feast for the eyes!

Kimberly Lewis Home is generously giving away $200 worth of wallpaper to one lucky Design Darling reader! To enter, leave a comment with your favorite design below. For an extra entry (be sure to leave a second comment!), like Kimberly Lewis Home on Facebook. The winner will be announced on Friday morning. Good luck!

Change of plans!

Happy Monday, everyone! You might have noticed that I've been blogging, pinning, posting, tumbling, and tweeting quite a bit more this past week so let's cut to the chase: I quit my job and I'm moving on to greener pastures! Sometimes you just know when something isn't a good fit and have to acknowledge that your head and your heart are pulling you in a different direction. I'm grateful for the learning experience and excited to reconnect with the things I love: blogging, writing, and a few other fun projects that I have up my sleeve! 

Because I'll be spending some time on these projects before thinking about looking for a full-time job, I'd love to hear from any of you who are or have been self-employed. What is the most rewarding aspect and what is your biggest challenge? I would be so happy to hear from you!


{image via Note to Self}

Happy Monday, everyone! You might have noticed that I've been blogging, pinning, posting, tumbling, and tweeting quite a bit more this past week so let's cut to the chase: I quit my job and I'm moving on to greener pastures! Sometimes you just know when something isn't a good fit and have to acknowledge that your head and your heart are pulling you in a different direction. I'm grateful for the learning experience and excited to reconnect with the things I love: blogging, writing, and a few other fun projects that I have up my sleeve! 

Because I'll be spending some time on these projects before thinking about looking for a full-time job, I'd love to hear from any of you who are or have been self-employed. What is the most rewarding aspect and what is your biggest challenge? I would be so happy to hear from you!


{image via Note to Self}

Happy Weekend!

Good morning! What do you have planned for the weekend? Last night I had dinner with a few of my blogger faves: Ashlina, Cassie, Crissie, Morgan, and Tyler. Then this morning my boyfriend and I took my puppies for a coffee run and a walk in the park. Of course my phone was dead or I would have been Instagram-ing left and right! Tomorrow I'll be back in the city as my darling cousin is running the New York marathon for charity! I'm so excited to cheer her on and congratulate her when she crosses the finish line in Central Park. What are you up to? 

{Gwyneth Paltrow shot by Mario Testino for Vanity Fair}

Good morning! What do you have planned for the weekend? Last night I had dinner with a few of my blogger faves: Ashlina, Cassie, Crissie, Morgan, and Tyler. Then this morning my boyfriend and I took my puppies for a coffee run and a walk in the park. Of course my phone was dead or I would have been Instagram-ing left and right! Tomorrow I'll be back in the city as my darling cousin is running the New York marathon for charity! I'm so excited to cheer her on and congratulate her when she crosses the finish line in Central Park. What are you up to? 

{Gwyneth Paltrow shot by Mario Testino for Vanity Fair}

Merci, Misikko!

I was so flattered when the hair care site Misikko reached out and asked if I'd be willing to review one of their hair dryers on Design Darling. I've vented several times before that my hair is the bane of my existence so I was extremely excited to try to turn that around! Misikko generously gifted me their best-selling HANAair Professional Hair Dryer and surprised me with a host of other goodies including Bobbi Brown make-up brushes, an eyelash curler, and Paul Mitchell shampoo and leave-in conditioner. Christmas came early!

I'm no pro at blow drying (no seriously, I'm the girl who went to class with wet hair) but I loved the way this made my hair feel! They say it's something about ionic technology that conditions your hair and reduces static electricity (the enemy of anyone with frizzy hair), but all I know is my hair felt shiny and soft — a look I've never achieved without a hairdresser on hand. I've also always associated blow drying with an hour long commitment for my unruly mane but I seriously sailed through it in twenty minutes on the high setting. Finally the encouragement I needed to stop leaving the house with wet hair in the dead of winter refine my technique! ;) Thank you, Misikko!

I was so flattered when the hair care site Misikko reached out and asked if I'd be willing to review one of their hair dryers on Design Darling. I've vented several times before that my hair is the bane of my existence so I was extremely excited to try to turn that around! Misikko generously gifted me their best-selling HANAair Professional Hair Dryer and surprised me with a host of other goodies including Bobbi Brown make-up brushes, an eyelash curler, and Paul Mitchell shampoo and leave-in conditioner. Christmas came early!

I'm no pro at blow drying (no seriously, I'm the girl who went to class with wet hair) but I loved the way this made my hair feel! They say it's something about ionic technology that conditions your hair and reduces static electricity (the enemy of anyone with frizzy hair), but all I know is my hair felt shiny and soft — a look I've never achieved without a hairdresser on hand. I've also always associated blow drying with an hour long commitment for my unruly mane but I seriously sailed through it in twenty minutes on the high setting. Finally the encouragement I needed to stop leaving the house with wet hair in the dead of winter refine my technique! ;) Thank you, Misikko!

Get The Look {Elizabeth Bauer}

I know I'm not the only one who adored this Elizabeth Bauer interior featured in the pages of Lonny. The zebra wallpaper, pink lampshades, and lucite coffee table? Preppy perfection. Here's how to get the look chez vous:

Furbish rug, $165 / Ada & Darcy lampshade, $130

Arteriors screen, $1510 / Furbish leather pouf, $285

CB2 coffee table, $249 / Caitlin Wilson pillow, $50
Kelly Wearstler's Hue, $62

The key to this look is mixing patterns like fretwork, stripes, and zebra in a range of blues and pinks. I do my best to source items as inexpensively as possible but keep in mind that the bigger and more pricey pieces could be found on your local Craigslist. What do you think of this space? Is this a feature you'd like to see more often on Design Darling?

I know I'm not the only one who adored this Elizabeth Bauer interior featured in the pages of Lonny. The zebra wallpaper, pink lampshades, and lucite coffee table? Preppy perfection. Here's how to get the look chez vous:

Furbish rug, $165 / Ada & Darcy lampshade, $130

Arteriors screen, $1510 / Furbish leather pouf, $285

CB2 coffee table, $249 / Caitlin Wilson pillow, $50
Kelly Wearstler's Hue, $62

The key to this look is mixing patterns like fretwork, stripes, and zebra in a range of blues and pinks. I do my best to source items as inexpensively as possible but keep in mind that the bigger and more pricey pieces could be found on your local Craigslist. What do you think of this space? Is this a feature you'd like to see more often on Design Darling?

Instagram Inspiration

I'm sure many of you are iPhone aficionados and Instagram users (and if you aren't, you should be!). Instead of sharing my own Instagram pictures today, I thought I'd share with you a few of my favorite Instagram-ers so you can follow them as well! Kind of like a blog roll but for one of my new favorite platforms ;)

Amber, Venz Edits | Ashlina, The Decorista

Lisa, With Style & Grace | Jack Rogers USA

Blair, Atlantic-Pacific | Jamie, From Me To You

Alice + Olivia | Elizabeth, Spike The Punch

Summer, The Girls With Glasses | Michaela, Michaela Noelle Designs

Monika, Doctor's Closet | Camille, Camille Styles

Do you use Instagram? Who are your favorite folks to follow?

I'm sure many of you are iPhone aficionados and Instagram users (and if you aren't, you should be!). Instead of sharing my own Instagram pictures today, I thought I'd share with you a few of my favorite Instagram-ers so you can follow them as well! Kind of like a blog roll but for one of my new favorite platforms ;)

Amber, Venz Edits | Ashlina, The Decorista

Lisa, With Style & Grace | Jack Rogers USA

Blair, Atlantic-Pacific | Jamie, From Me To You

Alice + Olivia | Elizabeth, Spike The Punch

Summer, The Girls With Glasses | Michaela, Michaela Noelle Designs

Monika, Doctor's Closet | Camille, Camille Styles

Do you use Instagram? Who are your favorite folks to follow?

How could you not?

Black | Tan | Navy/gold

Depending on how long you've been reading Design Darling, you likely know by now that I instantly adore anything with a bow on it. Naturally when I spotted these ASOS flats on DomestiKated Life, my heart skipped a beat! The best part is they're only $45, which of course has me tempted to buy all three! Which color would you choose?

Black | Tan | Navy/gold

Depending on how long you've been reading Design Darling, you likely know by now that I instantly adore anything with a bow on it. Naturally when I spotted these ASOS flats on DomestiKated Life, my heart skipped a beat! The best part is they're only $45, which of course has me tempted to buy all three! Which color would you choose?

Gilded Glam

Last week I was talking to Ashlina of The Decorista about her favorite interiors and one of the words that kept coming up was "sparkle." We agreed that we both love rooms with lots of texture and visual interest — and that the best way to accomplish the look is to bring in lots of metallic and reflective surfaces. Here's a little interior inspiration to get your creative juices flowing...

Framed gold art echoes the clean lines of a brass coffee table. But it's the bedroom on the right that steals my heart! Gold campaign hardware on a gray nightstand and a chic gold mirror above the bed — what's not to love?

More gold and gray in the beautiful kitchen on the left! And if you're committed to going all out, might I recommend the kitchen on the right? I shared one view of this space last week and I believe we all agreed that the ceiling is to die for. But the gold accents on the black stove? Nothing short of heavenly.

{images on my interiors board}

Last week I was talking to Ashlina of The Decorista about her favorite interiors and one of the words that kept coming up was "sparkle." We agreed that we both love rooms with lots of texture and visual interest — and that the best way to accomplish the look is to bring in lots of metallic and reflective surfaces. Here's a little interior inspiration to get your creative juices flowing...

Framed gold art echoes the clean lines of a brass coffee table. But it's the bedroom on the right that steals my heart! Gold campaign hardware on a gray nightstand and a chic gold mirror above the bed — what's not to love?

More gold and gray in the beautiful kitchen on the left! And if you're committed to going all out, might I recommend the kitchen on the right? I shared one view of this space last week and I believe we all agreed that the ceiling is to die for. But the gold accents on the black stove? Nothing short of heavenly.

{images on my interiors board}

Today on HauteLook

I don't know about you but I check sample sale sites like Joss & Main and Rue La La every day! One of my new favorites is HauteLook. If you follow me on Twitter, you know that last week I scored a pair of yellow silk BB Dakota pants for just $21! Here are a few of my picks from today's HauteLook sales:

{Rebecca Minkoff — $495 $247 and $350 $175}

A classic black bag and playful leopard pouch from one of my favorite designers for 50% off! 

{12th Street by Cynthia Vincent — both $295 $79}

Every girl needs a handful of easy silk shirt dresses and these are 75% off!

{Dolce Vita — $170 $59 and $89 $47}

I love both of these so much I might have paid full price for them — but tassels and bows for less than $60?! There's no excuse not to.

P.S. You'll find all my shopping destinations under "shop 'til you drop" on the left!

I don't know about you but I check sample sale sites like Joss & Main and Rue La La every day! One of my new favorites is HauteLook. If you follow me on Twitter, you know that last week I scored a pair of yellow silk BB Dakota pants for just $21! Here are a few of my picks from today's HauteLook sales:

{Rebecca Minkoff — $495 $247 and $350 $175}

A classic black bag and playful leopard pouch from one of my favorite designers for 50% off! 

{12th Street by Cynthia Vincent — both $295 $79}

Every girl needs a handful of easy silk shirt dresses and these are 75% off!

{Dolce Vita — $170 $59 and $89 $47}

I love both of these so much I might have paid full price for them — but tassels and bows for less than $60?! There's no excuse not to.

P.S. You'll find all my shopping destinations under "shop 'til you drop" on the left!

Rabbit, rabbit!

Does anyone else try to start each month with this good luck phrase? I tell myself I'm going to remember and inevitably forget every time. Anyway, the start of November means the holiday season is fast approaching, like it or not! But before we fast forward to Christmas, let's talk about party attire — for Thanksgiving or any other festivities you have coming up!

J.Crew cashmere tee, $158 | Loren Hope necklace, $175

Bauble Bar bangle, $22 | J.Crew sequin skirt, $148

ASOS clutch, $80 | Zara shoes, $90

I have a hard time splurging on party dresses I'm only going to wear once or twice before retiring to the back of my closet. This season for me is all about reworking the classics I already own: a cozy sweater, a sequin skirt, and a classic pair of pumps (seriously I wear these to work at least twice a week!). Top it off with a statement necklace, inexpensive bracelet, and a chic envelope clutch and you'll have a party-ready look that you can reinvent all winter long!

Does anyone else try to start each month with this good luck phrase? I tell myself I'm going to remember and inevitably forget every time. Anyway, the start of November means the holiday season is fast approaching, like it or not! But before we fast forward to Christmas, let's talk about party attire — for Thanksgiving or any other festivities you have coming up!

J.Crew cashmere tee, $158 | Loren Hope necklace, $175

Bauble Bar bangle, $22 | J.Crew sequin skirt, $148

ASOS clutch, $80 | Zara shoes, $90

I have a hard time splurging on party dresses I'm only going to wear once or twice before retiring to the back of my closet. This season for me is all about reworking the classics I already own: a cozy sweater, a sequin skirt, and a classic pair of pumps (seriously I wear these to work at least twice a week!). Top it off with a statement necklace, inexpensive bracelet, and a chic envelope clutch and you'll have a party-ready look that you can reinvent all winter long!