PINK PEONIES

Perhaps one of the best things about living in Connecticut is all the green. Every time friends come out from the city to visit for the weekend they remark how nice it is to see flowers, grass, trees... And our yard is definitely no exception! My parents maintain a very pretty garden which is now brimming with pink and white peonies — my favorite! My dad has been trimming them and placing blooms in the mini vases from my boutique and I have to say I'm obsessed!

My dad placed this little bouquet in the traditional white vase on my desk (next to my favorite K. Slademade clutch!). This gives you an idea of the scale of these vases — about 6" tall and perfect for 2-3 pretty blooms!

This peony is huge and the prettiest shade of hot pink. I love it in the curvy turquoise vase that we have on the windowsill in our kitchen.

We ate dinner outside for Memorial Day last weekend so I improvised a last-minute centerpiece with a cluster of vases and peonies in different colors. Shown here are the traditional coral vase, curvy turquoise vase, and traditional white vase. I kind of love the mixed-and-matched look!

If you're looking for a larger vase, this one has been holding hydrangeas and lilies on our kitchen counter and I love it! (It's also been quite the hit for wedding presents!) 

Thank you all for another wonderful week of blogging. I'm still waiting to hear the official verdict on the Shopify contest but I did receive a very thoughtful direct message on Twitter from Daymond John himself saying he was impressed with my efforts! I couldn't do it without all of you so thank you, thank you, thank you and have a wonderful weekend!

Perhaps one of the best things about living in Connecticut is all the green. Every time friends come out from the city to visit for the weekend they remark how nice it is to see flowers, grass, trees... And our yard is definitely no exception! My parents maintain a very pretty garden which is now brimming with pink and white peonies — my favorite! My dad has been trimming them and placing blooms in the mini vases from my boutique and I have to say I'm obsessed!

My dad placed this little bouquet in the traditional white vase on my desk (next to my favorite K. Slademade clutch!). This gives you an idea of the scale of these vases — about 6" tall and perfect for 2-3 pretty blooms!

This peony is huge and the prettiest shade of hot pink. I love it in the curvy turquoise vase that we have on the windowsill in our kitchen.

We ate dinner outside for Memorial Day last weekend so I improvised a last-minute centerpiece with a cluster of vases and peonies in different colors. Shown here are the traditional coral vase, curvy turquoise vase, and traditional white vase. I kind of love the mixed-and-matched look!

If you're looking for a larger vase, this one has been holding hydrangeas and lilies on our kitchen counter and I love it! (It's also been quite the hit for wedding presents!) 

Thank you all for another wonderful week of blogging. I'm still waiting to hear the official verdict on the Shopify contest but I did receive a very thoughtful direct message on Twitter from Daymond John himself saying he was impressed with my efforts! I couldn't do it without all of you so thank you, thank you, thank you and have a wonderful weekend!

STYLE AT HOME

The owners of this home lived in Paris for ten years before relocating to Vancouver. I adore the white foundation with pops of — you guessed it! — pink and navy so I decided to pull a few pieces from my boutique to show you how to get the look chez vous... 

(1) Monkey candlesticks (2) Horn sculpture (3) Moroccan trellis pillow cover 

(4) Traditional white vase (5) Monogrammed acrylic picture frame 

(6) Greek key pillow cover (7) Curvy white vase

What's the predominant color scheme in your place?


P.S. I am trying desperately to win a contest to meet with Shark Tank's Daymond John. This is a major opportunity for my little business and I would be so grateful for your support! All you have to do is re-pin this pin onto one of your Pinterest boards. The five companies with the most re-pins will be shown to Daymond today at 5 p.m. and I would love to be one of them! Thank you to everyone who has re-pinned, retweeted, etc. I am forever grateful!

The owners of this home lived in Paris for ten years before relocating to Vancouver. I adore the white foundation with pops of — you guessed it! — pink and navy so I decided to pull a few pieces from my boutique to show you how to get the look chez vous... 

(1) Monkey candlesticks (2) Horn sculpture (3) Moroccan trellis pillow cover 

(4) Traditional white vase (5) Monogrammed acrylic picture frame 

(6) Greek key pillow cover (7) Curvy white vase

What's the predominant color scheme in your place?


P.S. I am trying desperately to win a contest to meet with Shark Tank's Daymond John. This is a major opportunity for my little business and I would be so grateful for your support! All you have to do is re-pin this pin onto one of your Pinterest boards. The five companies with the most re-pins will be shown to Daymond today at 5 p.m. and I would love to be one of them! Thank you to everyone who has re-pinned, retweeted, etc. I am forever grateful!

SUMMER PICNIC

I'm not sure how I've only just discovered The Cherry Blossom Girl but it's instantly become one of my daily reads. The Paris-based Alix has some of the prettiest outfit pictures I've ever seen and her snapshots of the city remind me of my semester abroad in France. How stunning are these photos taken in the Jardins de Bagatelle?

They make me want to slip into this dress, pack a picnic, and head to the park! I do have a vintage picnic basket that hasn't seen much use lately. What are some of your favorite summertime activities?

P.S. If you have a spare moment, will you do me a quick favor?!

Keep up with Design Darling on Facebook / Pinterest / Twitter

I'm not sure how I've only just discovered The Cherry Blossom Girl but it's instantly become one of my daily reads. The Paris-based Alix has some of the prettiest outfit pictures I've ever seen and her snapshots of the city remind me of my semester abroad in France. How stunning are these photos taken in the Jardins de Bagatelle?

They make me want to slip into this dress, pack a picnic, and head to the park! I do have a vintage picnic basket that hasn't seen much use lately. What are some of your favorite summertime activities?

P.S. If you have a spare moment, will you do me a quick favor?!

Keep up with Design Darling on Facebook / Pinterest / Twitter

HUGE FAVOR!

I hate to beg for favors here especially when you've all been so supportive of my newest venture but some opportunities are worth it! My family and I are huge fans of the show Shark Tank during which entrepreneurs pitch their ideas to a panel of successful venture capitalists. Shopify, the company that powers my boutique, is running a Pinterest contest where five entrants with the most re-pins will be in the running for a one-on-one meeting with Daymond John. Who knows what that could do for my baby business! So that's where you all come in...

I will be forever grateful to all of you who click over and re-pin the ever-popular coral candelabra from my boutique! The contest closes in 24 hours and some of the other entrants have been promoting for up to two weeks but hey, I like to live on the edge! I know there are quite a few of you who use and love Pinterest and I'm confident that together we can get Design Darling in the top five. What do you say?

To sweeten the deal, I'm going to give away a coral candelabra to one lucky reader who re-pins and leaves a comment saying they've done so below. Thank you and good luck!

Re-pin here!

I hate to beg for favors here especially when you've all been so supportive of my newest venture but some opportunities are worth it! My family and I are huge fans of the show Shark Tank during which entrepreneurs pitch their ideas to a panel of successful venture capitalists. Shopify, the company that powers my boutique, is running a Pinterest contest where five entrants with the most re-pins will be in the running for a one-on-one meeting with Daymond John. Who knows what that could do for my baby business! So that's where you all come in...

I will be forever grateful to all of you who click over and re-pin the ever-popular coral candelabra from my boutique! The contest closes in 24 hours and some of the other entrants have been promoting for up to two weeks but hey, I like to live on the edge! I know there are quite a few of you who use and love Pinterest and I'm confident that together we can get Design Darling in the top five. What do you say?

To sweeten the deal, I'm going to give away a coral candelabra to one lucky reader who re-pins and leaves a comment saying they've done so below. Thank you and good luck!

Re-pin here!

CURRENTLY COVETING

Pink, polka dots, shoes, shoes, and more shoes... Just a few girly girl items I'm itching to add to my wardrobe this week!

(1) Me Too bow ballet flats — a seriously good deal! (2) Chance Co. Cali boatneck

(3) Ban.do ostrich pouf (4) Loren Hope turquoise earrings — a summer must-have!

(5) ASOS pink heels (6) Loeffler Randall knot sandals (7) Baggu reusable shopping bag 

(8) Aubin & Wills white skirt (9) J.Crew wide bangle (10) J.Crew pink chino short

What's one thing you're currently coveting?

Keep up with Design Darling on Facebook / Pinterest / Twitter

Pink, polka dots, shoes, shoes, and more shoes... Just a few girly girl items I'm itching to add to my wardrobe this week!

(1) Me Too bow ballet flats — a seriously good deal! (2) Chance Co. Cali boatneck

(3) Ban.do ostrich pouf (4) Loren Hope turquoise earrings — a summer must-have!

(5) ASOS pink heels (6) Loeffler Randall knot sandals (7) Baggu reusable shopping bag 

(8) Aubin & Wills white skirt (9) J.Crew wide bangle (10) J.Crew pink chino short

What's one thing you're currently coveting?

Keep up with Design Darling on Facebook / Pinterest / Twitter

SLIM AARONS PHOTOGRAPHY

I've been coveting several of his books for a long time so it was a nice surprise to stumble upon an online gallery showcasing the work of photographer Slim Aarons. I'll continue to dream of investing in one of his prints but in the mean time here's a little eye candy for us all to enjoy... 

Nice Pool (Palm Beach, 1955)

Family Pool (Lake Forest, 1960)

Sea Drive (Nassau, 1967)

Garden Party (Miami, 1970)

Poolside Gossip (Palm Springs, 1970)

Aarons explained his work as "photographing attractive people doing attractive things in attractive places." Wouldn't you kill to hang one (or more!) of his works in your home? He certainly has me wanting to hop on a plane to Palm Beach...!

Keep up with Design Darling on Facebook / Pinterest / Twitter

I've been coveting several of his books for a long time so it was a nice surprise to stumble upon an online gallery showcasing the work of photographer Slim Aarons. I'll continue to dream of investing in one of his prints but in the mean time here's a little eye candy for us all to enjoy... 

Nice Pool (Palm Beach, 1955)

Family Pool (Lake Forest, 1960)

Sea Drive (Nassau, 1967)

Garden Party (Miami, 1970)

Poolside Gossip (Palm Springs, 1970)

Aarons explained his work as "photographing attractive people doing attractive things in attractive places." Wouldn't you kill to hang one (or more!) of his works in your home? He certainly has me wanting to hop on a plane to Palm Beach...!

Keep up with Design Darling on Facebook / Pinterest / Twitter

BOOK WORM

My collection of coffee table books is growing by the pile thanks to insane discounts and impulse buys on Joss & Main and One Kings Lane. I tend to check out novels and other less decorative reads from my local library but these spaces from Lonny have me wanting to expand my book collection in every which way...

{Lynn Nigro in Lonny January/February 2011}

{Laurann Claridge in Lonny April/May 2010}

{Elizabeth Bauer in Lonny June/July 2010}

Tell me: what kinds of books do you invest in? Are there any life-changing reads (or at least really pretty covers!) you'd recommend adding to my collection?

Keep up with Design Darling on Facebook / Pinterest / Twitter

My collection of coffee table books is growing by the pile thanks to insane discounts and impulse buys on Joss & Main and One Kings Lane. I tend to check out novels and other less decorative reads from my local library but these spaces from Lonny have me wanting to expand my book collection in every which way...

{Lynn Nigro in Lonny January/February 2011}

{Laurann Claridge in Lonny April/May 2010}

{Elizabeth Bauer in Lonny June/July 2010}

Tell me: what kinds of books do you invest in? Are there any life-changing reads (or at least really pretty covers!) you'd recommend adding to my collection?

Keep up with Design Darling on Facebook / Pinterest / Twitter

INTRODUCING KLURY

I have a friend who swears by the "something in, something out" rule as it pertains to her wardrobe. Before she splurges on something new, something else has to be donated, sold, or tossed! It's a great way of editing your wardrobe to reflect what you love right now and weeding through the clutter of things you'll never wear again, which brings me to my one of my amazing new sponsors: Klury. This luxury fashion exchange is perfect for those of you who'd like to trade in that cocktail dress you've only worn twice and those looking for designer items up to 90% off! Umm, I think that covers all of us, right?

To sell on the site, here's how it works:

1. Upload a description and picture of the item you'd like to sell.

2. Receive quote within 24 hours.

3. Accept quote and mail item with pre-paid postage label.

4. Klury authenticates the item and sends you cash or store credit within 48 hours. 

Basically all the pros of consigning without the wait of knowing whether your items will sell! It also makes for a pretty incredible shopping experience. This Alice + Olivia dress (which I remember seeing on Shopbop not long ago!) is 54% off and this Kate Spade top is just $65. Check out the site here and let me know what you think!

Keep up with Design Darling on Facebook / Pinterest / Twitter

I have a friend who swears by the "something in, something out" rule as it pertains to her wardrobe. Before she splurges on something new, something else has to be donated, sold, or tossed! It's a great way of editing your wardrobe to reflect what you love right now and weeding through the clutter of things you'll never wear again, which brings me to my one of my amazing new sponsors: Klury. This luxury fashion exchange is perfect for those of you who'd like to trade in that cocktail dress you've only worn twice and those looking for designer items up to 90% off! Umm, I think that covers all of us, right?

To sell on the site, here's how it works:

1. Upload a description and picture of the item you'd like to sell.

2. Receive quote within 24 hours.

3. Accept quote and mail item with pre-paid postage label.

4. Klury authenticates the item and sends you cash or store credit within 48 hours. 

Basically all the pros of consigning without the wait of knowing whether your items will sell! It also makes for a pretty incredible shopping experience. This Alice + Olivia dress (which I remember seeing on Shopbop not long ago!) is 54% off and this Kate Spade top is just $65. Check out the site here and let me know what you think!

Keep up with Design Darling on Facebook / Pinterest / Twitter

SPARROW NEST SCRIPT

Lately I cannot get enough of Etsy. I could spend hours scouring new-to-me shops, bookmarking favorite items, and adding new people to my "circles." There is so much talent out there and I'm constantly discovering something else to love! You already know about my infatuation with calligraphy so imagine my delight in discovering the darling designs of Sparrow Nest Script...

{Notebook, $20}

{Mini notecards, $10 for 10}

{Spring stationery, $20 for 10}

Isn't the lettering just perfect? Plus the range of colors is pretty amazing. Imagine a drawer of these goodies at your desk! A dream come true.

Keep up with Design Darling on Facebook / Pinterest / Twitter

Lately I cannot get enough of Etsy. I could spend hours scouring new-to-me shops, bookmarking favorite items, and adding new people to my "circles." There is so much talent out there and I'm constantly discovering something else to love! You already know about my infatuation with calligraphy so imagine my delight in discovering the darling designs of Sparrow Nest Script...

{Notebook, $20}

{Mini notecards, $10 for 10}

{Spring stationery, $20 for 10}

Isn't the lettering just perfect? Plus the range of colors is pretty amazing. Imagine a drawer of these goodies at your desk! A dream come true.

Keep up with Design Darling on Facebook / Pinterest / Twitter

THE START OF SUMMER

I hope your Memorial Day involves pretty houses, cute puppies, and cool cars. Cheers to the start of summer!

*Images Abigail Ahern, Aerin Lauder, and source unknown — please holler if you know the original!

Keep up with Design Darling on Facebook / Pinterest / Twitter

I hope your Memorial Day involves pretty houses, cute puppies, and cool cars. Cheers to the start of summer!

*Images Abigail Ahern, Aerin Lauder, and source unknown — please holler if you know the original!

Keep up with Design Darling on Facebook / Pinterest / Twitter