HOW TO DECORATE A SMALL SPACE

...I'd say that's a pretty fair assessment of this apartment tour published a couple years ago in Traditional Home. The decorating process was a collaboration between mother-and-daughter team Suzanne and Lauren McGrath. Lauren's first apartment called for decorating on a budget in a small space, a reality to which most of us can relate! I love the seamless mix of inexpensive Ikea finds and storied family heirlooms.

I also love that Lauren's nightstand doubles as a vanity! Such a smart use of space. And lucky for all of us the McGrath ladies have a fabulous blog and a brand new book so we can learn their style secrets. What are your favorite tips and tricks for small space living?

Keep up with Design Darling on Facebook / Pinterest / Twitter

...I'd say that's a pretty fair assessment of this apartment tour published a couple years ago in Traditional Home. The decorating process was a collaboration between mother-and-daughter team Suzanne and Lauren McGrath. Lauren's first apartment called for decorating on a budget in a small space, a reality to which most of us can relate! I love the seamless mix of inexpensive Ikea finds and storied family heirlooms.

I also love that Lauren's nightstand doubles as a vanity! Such a smart use of space. And lucky for all of us the McGrath ladies have a fabulous blog and a brand new book so we can learn their style secrets. What are your favorite tips and tricks for small space living?

Keep up with Design Darling on Facebook / Pinterest / Twitter

WEEK IN REVIEW

Thank God it's Friday! And for most of you the start of a long weekend. Cheers to that! Here are a few snapshots from the past week...

Spent an afternoon in Rowayton complete with ice cream cones and puppies. Oh, summer, I love thee.

Proved that Rory fits inside my K. Slademade clutch. I mean... I will be carrying both with me everywhere this summer.

Reading material for the train? I prefer the newest J.Crew catalog. I'm particularly coveting these! 

Chassity was kind enough to book Drybar appointments before the start of Blogfest! Seriously this place is my current obsession. You choose your desired look off of a menu (I went with the Mai Tai!) and pay just $40 to walk out the door feeling like a rockstar. And Drybar founder Alli Webb happened to be in New York that day! Meg, Erika, and I even got to pose for a picture. Hello, starstruck!

Insanely gorgeous peonies at a Blogfest event at Hearst Tower. So inspiring to listen to panels hosted by the editors-in-chief of House Beautiful and Veranda!

The Elle Decor show house was nothing short of amazing. And I got to chat with Lee Kleinhelter, owner of Atlanta boutique Pieces and designer of this fabulous space just off the foyer. She even remembered me from our occasional chats on Twitter! Maybe it's because I was wearing the same top as in my profile picture ;)

Meandered through the National Stationery Show with the darling Sarah and stopped at her friend Catherine's booth. Her shop Printerette is just as charming as she is!

Since then I've been catching up on sleep, orders, and emails, in that order. My sweet dad picked these peonies from our garden and put them on my desk in a Design Darling vase! It's the little things :)

What have you been up to this week and what are your plans for Memorial Day weekend? Have a good one!

Keep up with Design Darling on Facebook / Pinterest / Twitter

Thank God it's Friday! And for most of you the start of a long weekend. Cheers to that! Here are a few snapshots from the past week...

Spent an afternoon in Rowayton complete with ice cream cones and puppies. Oh, summer, I love thee.

Proved that Rory fits inside my K. Slademade clutch. I mean... I will be carrying both with me everywhere this summer.

Reading material for the train? I prefer the newest J.Crew catalog. I'm particularly coveting these! 

Chassity was kind enough to book Drybar appointments before the start of Blogfest! Seriously this place is my current obsession. You choose your desired look off of a menu (I went with the Mai Tai!) and pay just $40 to walk out the door feeling like a rockstar. And Drybar founder Alli Webb happened to be in New York that day! Meg, Erika, and I even got to pose for a picture. Hello, starstruck!

Insanely gorgeous peonies at a Blogfest event at Hearst Tower. So inspiring to listen to panels hosted by the editors-in-chief of House Beautiful and Veranda!

The Elle Decor show house was nothing short of amazing. And I got to chat with Lee Kleinhelter, owner of Atlanta boutique Pieces and designer of this fabulous space just off the foyer. She even remembered me from our occasional chats on Twitter! Maybe it's because I was wearing the same top as in my profile picture ;)

Meandered through the National Stationery Show with the darling Sarah and stopped at her friend Catherine's booth. Her shop Printerette is just as charming as she is!

Since then I've been catching up on sleep, orders, and emails, in that order. My sweet dad picked these peonies from our garden and put them on my desk in a Design Darling vase! It's the little things :)

What have you been up to this week and what are your plans for Memorial Day weekend? Have a good one!

Keep up with Design Darling on Facebook / Pinterest / Twitter

HOW MUCH MAKEUP DO YOU WEAR?

I don't know about you but cosmetics and skincare are just not my specialty. Ask me what dress to wear to dinner or which pillow looks best on your sofa and I can come to a decisive conclusion in seconds. But reading beauty recommendations in a magazine makes me completely overwhelmed. There's blush, bronzer, eyeliner, eyeshadow, foundation, highlighter, lip gloss, lipstick, mascara, moisturizer, toner... Which brings me to the question: how much makeup do you wear?

I'm usually a blush, chapstick, and mascara kind of girl... on a good day. But I received a sample of NARS tinted moisturizer when I bought my Clarisonic Mia (which I highly recommend) and I loved the way it made my skin look and feel — less pale, more smooth, and not too heavy. Added bonus: I was discussing makeup with my friend Sarah and she confessed that she loves NARS for its pretty packaging as much as I do.

Now because I've tried the sample I'm debating ordering the full size but I really have a hard time splurging on beauty products! But then I see makeup tutorials by some of my favorite bloggers and think I must be missing out since everyone has at least a ten-step morning routine and looks way more put together than I ever do. 

So tell me: how many of the blush / bronzer / eyeliner / eyeshadow / foundation / highlighter / lip gloss / lipstick / mascara / moisturizer / toner / whatever else I'm forgetting categories do you touch upon? What's your morning and evening regimen? And how did you go about discovering your can't-live-without products?

Keep up with Design Darling on Facebook / Pinterest / Twitter

*Images one / two 

I don't know about you but cosmetics and skincare are just not my specialty. Ask me what dress to wear to dinner or which pillow looks best on your sofa and I can come to a decisive conclusion in seconds. But reading beauty recommendations in a magazine makes me completely overwhelmed. There's blush, bronzer, eyeliner, eyeshadow, foundation, highlighter, lip gloss, lipstick, mascara, moisturizer, toner... Which brings me to the question: how much makeup do you wear?

I'm usually a blush, chapstick, and mascara kind of girl... on a good day. But I received a sample of NARS tinted moisturizer when I bought my Clarisonic Mia (which I highly recommend) and I loved the way it made my skin look and feel — less pale, more smooth, and not too heavy. Added bonus: I was discussing makeup with my friend Sarah and she confessed that she loves NARS for its pretty packaging as much as I do.

Now because I've tried the sample I'm debating ordering the full size but I really have a hard time splurging on beauty products! But then I see makeup tutorials by some of my favorite bloggers and think I must be missing out since everyone has at least a ten-step morning routine and looks way more put together than I ever do. 

So tell me: how many of the blush / bronzer / eyeliner / eyeshadow / foundation / highlighter / lip gloss / lipstick / mascara / moisturizer / toner / whatever else I'm forgetting categories do you touch upon? What's your morning and evening regimen? And how did you go about discovering your can't-live-without products?

Keep up with Design Darling on Facebook / Pinterest / Twitter

*Images one / two