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make an entrance

here's a handful of my favorite foyers to brighten the beginning of the week.
{via mochatini}
white floors and black doors. it doesn't get much better!
why shouldn't your foyer be as dressed up as the rest of your home?
a chic monotone space combines printed wallpaper with striped fabric in the same colorway.
a pale blue door makes a grand statement. check out the wide plank floors too.
white, bright, and lots of light! i love the old school wall-mounted seating.
an oft-blogged-about space with lovely floor-to-ceiling glass and a turquoise door.

which is your favorite?

desk du jour

a delightfully girly home office with mirrored furniture and shoes galore.

i hope you've all had a lovely week. thank you as always for your comments and emails and have a fantastic weekend!

You're Golden

i've never been much of a jewelry person but lately i've been trying to baby-step my way into better accessorizing. here are some classic and not-so-classic gold pieces i've been eyeing on shopbop:

{kenneth jay lane's fancy cut ring, $78}

{juliet & company's summer night earrings, $38}

{rachel leigh's greta hinge bangle in poppy, $132}

{gorjana's somerset cluster necklace, $115}

{rachel leigh's neon gumball ring in blue, $68}

{kenneth jay lane's enamel knot cuff, $160}


{house of harlow 1960's long key necklace, $98}

{kenneth jay lane's coral cabochon ring, $132}

easy accessorizing

i have had a design crush on iomoi since i don't remember when! i love their stationery and calling cards, not to mention their section for great gifts under $50... but today i'd like to direct your attention to their housewares, whose bright colors and graphic patterns will surely cheer up even the most boring setting. looking for an easy way to bring a little happiness into your home? at iomoi, it's as easy as 1, 2, 3...
1. bar cart missing something? aha! one of these beautiful ice buckets ($78) ought to do the trick.

2. not enough lucite in your life? now you know i love lucite... it sounds like you need to browse the selection of lucite trays ($100+).


3. desk looking more drab than fab? no problem. check out my desk du jour series for inspiration then add some custom paperweights for a quick fix!

what are your tips and finds for easy accessorizing?

frank roop

in interiors as in fashion, i admire a designer who isn't afraid of color — and lots of it. (i'll admire it's an approach i'm struggling to incorporate into my own style!) interior designer frank roop is a mastermind when it comes to originating bold color palettes and leaving his signature touch on each space he creates.
roop makes a stunning staircase even better: there's wainscoting on the walls, navy velvet on the bench, and a richly hued rug on the herringbone floors.
who else could make beige walls, white trim, forest green chairs, an acid green ottoman, a turquoise desk, and a fuchsia bench look this good? his work is truly one-of-a-kind.
a pretty little vignette from the room above.
he does love that acid green, doesn't he? the vignette on the sofa table is to die for: crystal lamps, decorative boxes, and petits objets d'art.
is that turquoise tile i spy in the kitchen? here roop employs a gorgeous chandelier to draw attention to the beamed ceilings, one of my favorite features!
another room, another gorgeous light fixture. i love the unique shelving to either side of the fireplace.
a lime green lampshade is roop's finishing touch for an otherwise more subtle space.
he does know how and when to take it down a notch, however. how beautiful is this living room? we've got colorblock curtains, various blue hues for fabrics (see the subtle variation of the throw pillows on the sofa), and lighting that illuminates the space in more ways than one.

what do you think of roop's aesthetic? who are a few of your favorite interior designers?

celebs in red

how was your weekend? do anything fun? personally i'm happy it's over... time to travel! today and tomorrow we'll be in london but i'd still love your travel recommendations for prague, munich, salzburg, vienna, and istanbul!

anyway, i thought we could start off the new week with a bang! how about a splash of bold red to cure the monday blues?
nicole richie promotes her house of harlow 1960 line. have you checked out her spring collection? i'm loving these bangles.
our february style icon stole the spotlight in a francisco costa for calvin klein slipdress back in 2006.
natalie portman graces the new york city ballet in lanvin. i absolutely adore this dress!
eva longoria parker accessorizes an asymmetrical frock with nude pumps.
the same trick works well on molly sims too. isn't she gorgeous?
the prettiest woman alive — er, miranda kerr — rocks a made-for-her hervé leger number.
camilla belle looks unbelievable in this jason wu creation. and how cute is he?!

go have yourselves a red hot week, ladies!

{photos from style.com, people, in style, and day old news}

bon voyage à moi!

hi everyone! thank you for another wonderful week of blogging. can you believe it's the weekend already? this weekend is particularly special because my mom and sister are flying to europe for one last eurotrip before i head stateside on the first of june.
i'll be passing the time until their arrival by soaking up the last of paris in the springtime...
eating some seasonal fare...
taking some pictures to remember my time here...
and catching some zzz's before the real fun starts.
wish me bon voyage, my dears!

p.s. if you have any travel recommendations — restaurants, sights, museums — for prague, munich, salzburg, vienna, or istanbul, i'm all ears! have a delightful weekend, loves!

amazing architecture

today i'm admiring the striking architectural detail in the following homes. it seems i'm daydreaming of geometry, symmetry, floor-to-ceiling windows, intricate mouldings, arched doorways...
this space is, to me, a rare example of dark trim done right. i'm typically a fan of white mouldings but here the rich color accentuates the bold detail surrounding the doorway, mimicked by the silhouette of the chair and the outline of the rug.
a curved desk tucked into a bay window — what could be better than that? truthfully i could do without the rest of the dreary furnishings...
who hasn't imagined living the loft life? the high ceilings are spectacular and the archways on either side of the loft create delightful symmetry between the windows/doors on the left and the open space on the right.

this sunroom, however, is today's pièce de résistance. french doors, glass walls, open windows... architecture truly is an art form.

the perfect LBD

hi ladies! thank you all for your thoughts on twitter yesterday. your opinions were pretty mixed but i've decided to test the waters. click here to follow me!

today let's examine the little black dress, that timeless classic we all turn to in times of fashion emergencies when it seems there's simply nothing else to wear. here are my current shopbop picks for the goes-with-anything and, more importantly, goes-to-anything LBD.
{riller & fount's keel one shoulder dress, $137}
a sassy one-shoulder number perfect for nights on the town.
{velvet's miranda dress, $130}
a more classic option with universally flattering draping at the bust.
{monrow's sweetheart dress, $198}
not to be worn to work: the sexy sweetheart neckline.
{riller & fount's bali draped halter dress, $143}
another night out option: a barely there ruched halter.
{elizabeth & james' audrey dress, on sale for $186}
elizabeth & james on sale? their classic aubrey dress is now 30% off.
{brigid catiis' leather crisscross dress, $216}
what a cool way to incorporate a little leather into your wardrobe if, like me, you find the leather jacket isn't quite your style.
{twenty8twelve's depp dress, $255}
of course i had to include this backless number from sienna miller's line.
{t by alexander wang's classic pocket tank dress, $105}
an affordable floor-length option that could be accessorized for any occasion.
{rachel pally's long cutout dress, $238}
i love the subtle cutouts on this classic rachel pally silhouette.

lovely readers, when it comes to choosing the perfect little black dress for your wardrobe, you've got options. we've covered one-shoulder, sweetheart, halter, strapless, backless, maxi... which one works best for you?

desk du jour

i commented after spotting this space on christina's blog and she wrote back saying she'd thought of my desk du jour feature when she posted it! if you're not familiar with her blog... run, don't walk. she is fabulous and her kiddies — twin girls and triplet boys! — are the cutest things you've ever seen.
detailed moulding + lacquered bookcases = my dream office. seriously this space feels like perfection to me. i even spy tulips in the corner!

p.s. on a totally unrelated note, what are your thoughts on twitter? use it? love it? recommend it? is it time for me to take the plunge?