greetings from greece!

{david titlow for elle girl}

this is the vacation after the vacation. travel can be exhausting, you know? greece is beautiful and of course i'm taking hundreds of pictures. i hope you all had a relaxing weekend... my relaxation is just beginning! i'm planning on doing lots of this:

{naomilingerie on etsy}

and a little of this:

{kate powers}

and slipping into one of these:

{corrie bond}

stay tuned for plenty of pretty posts this week! i hope you all have a very merry monday!

{david titlow for elle girl}

this is the vacation after the vacation. travel can be exhausting, you know? greece is beautiful and of course i'm taking hundreds of pictures. i hope you all had a relaxing weekend... my relaxation is just beginning! i'm planning on doing lots of this:

{naomilingerie on etsy}

and a little of this:

{kate powers}

and slipping into one of these:

{corrie bond}

stay tuned for plenty of pretty posts this week! i hope you all have a very merry monday!

happy weekend!

you've survived another work week! (and i've "survived" italy...!) go have yourself a great weekend — and why not look good doing it?

{woodford & co. via delight by design}

how about a little sparkle for your friday night on the town? sleek silhouettes and girly bows are perfect for a couple drinks with friends.

{vogue spain via dress, design & decor}

saturday morning means it's time to hit the ground running! make the most of your time off by checking a couple errands off your to-do list. casual doesn't have to mean sloppy!

{cupcakes and cashmere}

a frilly dress and fitted blazer are your dream team for a lunch date with a friend. and who doesn't feel hotter in heels?

{isabel marant}

saturday date night means it's time to take things up a notch. flirty ruffles and a shorter hemline, tamed by a pair of flat boots, are perfect for an effortlessly chic look that doesn't try too hard.

{ascot friday}

i'm all for downtime, but sundays are no excuse for not changing out of your pajamas. how about a comfy t-shirt and a trendy headwrap instead? have a stylish weekend, loves!

you've survived another work week! (and i've "survived" italy...!) go have yourself a great weekend — and why not look good doing it?

{woodford & co. via delight by design}

how about a little sparkle for your friday night on the town? sleek silhouettes and girly bows are perfect for a couple drinks with friends.

{vogue spain via dress, design & decor}

saturday morning means it's time to hit the ground running! make the most of your time off by checking a couple errands off your to-do list. casual doesn't have to mean sloppy!

{cupcakes and cashmere}

a frilly dress and fitted blazer are your dream team for a lunch date with a friend. and who doesn't feel hotter in heels?

{isabel marant}

saturday date night means it's time to take things up a notch. flirty ruffles and a shorter hemline, tamed by a pair of flat boots, are perfect for an effortlessly chic look that doesn't try too hard.

{ascot friday}

i'm all for downtime, but sundays are no excuse for not changing out of your pajamas. how about a comfy t-shirt and a trendy headwrap instead? have a stylish weekend, loves!

desk du jour

{via the always inspiring deliciously organized}

is it a desk or a vanity? (what does it matter?) the navy walls, crisp white moulding, shiny lamp, dark desk, and swiss dot chair in this glamorous space have me swooning.

p.s. all you interior design junkies are sure to love the giveaway going on over at peppermint bliss: not one but two chances to win a lucite tray from iomoi!

bailey is the bomb dot com and her new interior design venture is going to rock. can you tell i want to win?!

{via the always inspiring deliciously organized}

is it a desk or a vanity? (what does it matter?) the navy walls, crisp white moulding, shiny lamp, dark desk, and swiss dot chair in this glamorous space have me swooning.

p.s. all you interior design junkies are sure to love the giveaway going on over at peppermint bliss: not one but two chances to win a lucite tray from iomoi!

bailey is the bomb dot com and her new interior design venture is going to rock. can you tell i want to win?!

could you? would you?

{kristin cavallari in people}

ladies (and gents?), what are our thoughts on pink and purple together? if you asked me about this combination sight unseen, i'd definitely say it's a no-no. yet the more i see, the more inclined i am to change my mind... what are your thoughts?

{elle décor via my favorite and my best}

pink flowers in a purple room would be a good way to test out this trend.

{drake design}

or how about a walk-in closet with pinkish walls and lavender built-ins? hey, go big or go home, right?

{jessica stam's apartment by rafael de cardenas in elle décor}

the kind of all-out glamour you might only find in a supermodel's apartment. larger-than-life armchairs, a lucite coffee table, and floor-to-ceiling purple curtains... pourquoi pas?

{mark seelen in elle décor}

i love the high impact drama of this space. it's so easy to wimp out when it comes to color, so i admire the designer of this space for using color for dining chairs and the light fixture in the formal dining room of all spaces.

{kristin cavallari in people}

ladies (and gents?), what are our thoughts on pink and purple together? if you asked me about this combination sight unseen, i'd definitely say it's a no-no. yet the more i see, the more inclined i am to change my mind... what are your thoughts?

{elle décor via my favorite and my best}

pink flowers in a purple room would be a good way to test out this trend.

{drake design}

or how about a walk-in closet with pinkish walls and lavender built-ins? hey, go big or go home, right?

{jessica stam's apartment by rafael de cardenas in elle décor}

the kind of all-out glamour you might only find in a supermodel's apartment. larger-than-life armchairs, a lucite coffee table, and floor-to-ceiling purple curtains... pourquoi pas?

{mark seelen in elle décor}

i love the high impact drama of this space. it's so easy to wimp out when it comes to color, so i admire the designer of this space for using color for dining chairs and the light fixture in the formal dining room of all spaces.

isabel marant

how about a little eye candy on this tuesday morning? here's a handful of my favorite looks from french fashion goddess isabel marant's recent fall 2010 show. shall we?

the styling is far too 50's for me but those red leather pants are show-stoppers.

erin wasson models a gray jacket and some very sparkly pants. she could walk right off the runway and onto the street and still look smashing.

the tulip skirt silhouette made several appearances in her show. this hemline is a little risqué but i love the monochromatic effect.

an easily recreated look: button-down, belt, tulip skirt, girly heels. i'm definitely keeping this one around for inspiration!

{style.com}

how about a little eye candy on this tuesday morning? here's a handful of my favorite looks from french fashion goddess isabel marant's recent fall 2010 show. shall we?

the styling is far too 50's for me but those red leather pants are show-stoppers.

erin wasson models a gray jacket and some very sparkly pants. she could walk right off the runway and onto the street and still look smashing.

the tulip skirt silhouette made several appearances in her show. this hemline is a little risqué but i love the monochromatic effect.

an easily recreated look: button-down, belt, tulip skirt, girly heels. i'm definitely keeping this one around for inspiration!

{style.com}

blue is the new bold

happy monday, everyone! i hope you're all feeling rejuvenated from the weekend and getting ready to take on the week ahead!

everyone and her mother has been up in arms about the genius of this blue beauty and its victorian surroundings. (kudos to paula at two ellie for beating them to the punch.) let's take a moment to celebrate this dramatic hue in its prime.

a completely unexpected but couldn't-be-more-perfect royal blue headboard.

a saturated navy transforms a run-of-the-mill kitchen.

the tried-and-true combination of navy blue and hot pink. this one is seriously in the running for the color palette of my to-be-decorated senior year bedroom.

cadet blue has a starring role in this kitchen. isn't it fantastic with the white ceilings and wood trim?

perfection in navy blue and crisp white. further explanation not necessary.

happy monday, everyone! i hope you're all feeling rejuvenated from the weekend and getting ready to take on the week ahead!

everyone and her mother has been up in arms about the genius of this blue beauty and its victorian surroundings. (kudos to paula at two ellie for beating them to the punch.) let's take a moment to celebrate this dramatic hue in its prime.

a completely unexpected but couldn't-be-more-perfect royal blue headboard.

a saturated navy transforms a run-of-the-mill kitchen.

the tried-and-true combination of navy blue and hot pink. this one is seriously in the running for the color palette of my to-be-decorated senior year bedroom.

cadet blue has a starring role in this kitchen. isn't it fantastic with the white ceilings and wood trim?

perfection in navy blue and crisp white. further explanation not necessary.

time to travel

this is it, my loves! spring break has arrived and i am ready for an action-packed two weeks. here's the plan: two days in venice, a day in bologna, three days in florence, two days in rome, two days in athens, and six days lounging on the beach in ios. we have been planning this trip forever and i can hardly believe the time has finally come.

there will be lots of planes and trains and buses (the worst) but i'm going to enjoy every single second. michael and i are doing venice and bologna on our own, meeting up with his london friends for florence and rome, and then traveling with my tours friends for athens and ios. it will be such a great mix of down time and nights out! one week eating the world's best pizza, pasta, and gelato and another frolicking in the greek isles... what could possibly be better?

now before you tear up, i want you to know that i've planned ahead with two weeks of blog posts for you! that's right... you didn't really think i'd leave you hanging, did you?

which of these places have you visited? i'd love to hear your recommendations for "can't miss" restaurants and sights. scouring lonely planet is one thing, but personal travel tips are the best!

thank you for another wonderful week of blogging and have a happy weekend!

p.s. i always make travel look this good. don't you?

{photography by the one and only corrie bond}

this is it, my loves! spring break has arrived and i am ready for an action-packed two weeks. here's the plan: two days in venice, a day in bologna, three days in florence, two days in rome, two days in athens, and six days lounging on the beach in ios. we have been planning this trip forever and i can hardly believe the time has finally come.

there will be lots of planes and trains and buses (the worst) but i'm going to enjoy every single second. michael and i are doing venice and bologna on our own, meeting up with his london friends for florence and rome, and then traveling with my tours friends for athens and ios. it will be such a great mix of down time and nights out! one week eating the world's best pizza, pasta, and gelato and another frolicking in the greek isles... what could possibly be better?

now before you tear up, i want you to know that i've planned ahead with two weeks of blog posts for you! that's right... you didn't really think i'd leave you hanging, did you?

which of these places have you visited? i'd love to hear your recommendations for "can't miss" restaurants and sights. scouring lonely planet is one thing, but personal travel tips are the best!

thank you for another wonderful week of blogging and have a happy weekend!

p.s. i always make travel look this good. don't you?

{photography by the one and only corrie bond}

Desk Du Jour

{better homes & gardens via two ellie}

it's been too long since i've done a desk du jour feature so i thought i'd bring it back with a bang. this space-saving home office and its built-in desk, red and blue wallpaper, and red chippendale chair make me happy. what do you think?

{better homes & gardens via two ellie}

it's been too long since i've done a desk du jour feature so i thought i'd bring it back with a bang. this space-saving home office and its built-in desk, red and blue wallpaper, and red chippendale chair make me happy. what do you think?

the art of arranging

beautifully styled interior design doesn't happen by accident. so much of what i admire in my favorite spaces goes beyond this paint color or that fabric choice — it's that someone somewhere made the conscious decision that this art would be best on that wall, that these frames would work better than those ones, that this book should stand next to that one, and that this table here would look better with that lamp sitting atop it. it's the act of staging and styling that lends each of these spaces its polish and its wow factor. here is a compilation of what i deem to be beautifully styled spaces:

{via from the right bank}

this space wouldn't be nearly so extraordinary if it weren't for the stacks of books placed on various surfaces throughout the room. clear lamps on heavy hardcovers, a vase of flowers on a pile of old favorites, the dark spines against the light boxes on the coffee table...

{elle decor}

three circular mirrors break up gridlike shelving filled with various titles and trinkets. don't you love the splash of red shining through the open back bookcase?

{domino via delight by design}

the coral and lucite had me at hello but this space is definitely worth more than a cursory once-over. for instance, i wouldn't instinctively think to put a pair of candlesticks in a bookcase, but don't they look better there than they would hiding in some cabinet?

{domino via la dolce vita}

more coral, more candlesticks, but a very different vibe. there's no doubt it's a grown-up room, given the intricate bust and the fancy candelabra, but there are also plenty of features to suggest that someone actually lives here. the throw pillows aren't relegated to the corners of the couch but rather in the middle where they might actually be used, there are at least five stacks of books in an arm's reach, and if you look closely there's a deck of cards just waiting to be played...

{sabrina linn in canadian house & home}

now who walked into this space and decided that the frames and the objets d'art should be arranged asymmetrically, ascending toward one corner of the room? does that kind of vision just come naturally to some people? it's brilliant, it's different, and it works. i love it.

beautifully styled interior design doesn't happen by accident. so much of what i admire in my favorite spaces goes beyond this paint color or that fabric choice — it's that someone somewhere made the conscious decision that this art would be best on that wall, that these frames would work better than those ones, that this book should stand next to that one, and that this table here would look better with that lamp sitting atop it. it's the act of staging and styling that lends each of these spaces its polish and its wow factor. here is a compilation of what i deem to be beautifully styled spaces:

{via from the right bank}

this space wouldn't be nearly so extraordinary if it weren't for the stacks of books placed on various surfaces throughout the room. clear lamps on heavy hardcovers, a vase of flowers on a pile of old favorites, the dark spines against the light boxes on the coffee table...

{elle decor}

three circular mirrors break up gridlike shelving filled with various titles and trinkets. don't you love the splash of red shining through the open back bookcase?

{domino via delight by design}

the coral and lucite had me at hello but this space is definitely worth more than a cursory once-over. for instance, i wouldn't instinctively think to put a pair of candlesticks in a bookcase, but don't they look better there than they would hiding in some cabinet?

{domino via la dolce vita}

more coral, more candlesticks, but a very different vibe. there's no doubt it's a grown-up room, given the intricate bust and the fancy candelabra, but there are also plenty of features to suggest that someone actually lives here. the throw pillows aren't relegated to the corners of the couch but rather in the middle where they might actually be used, there are at least five stacks of books in an arm's reach, and if you look closely there's a deck of cards just waiting to be played...

{sabrina linn in canadian house & home}

now who walked into this space and decided that the frames and the objets d'art should be arranged asymmetrically, ascending toward one corner of the room? does that kind of vision just come naturally to some people? it's brilliant, it's different, and it works. i love it.

on the lookout

{the sartorialist}

{new york magazine}

i've been keeping my eyes peeled for the perfect trench coat. it needs to be the right shade of khaki, hit at mid-thigh, and preferably transform me into emma watson. i'm joking about the last bit, but i think a lightweight trench coat would be a timeless addition to my closet, don't you? what do you think of the following three options from urban outfitters?

bdg twill trench, $98.

aubree trench coat, $98.

cameron jacket, $108.

{the sartorialist}

{new york magazine}

i've been keeping my eyes peeled for the perfect trench coat. it needs to be the right shade of khaki, hit at mid-thigh, and preferably transform me into emma watson. i'm joking about the last bit, but i think a lightweight trench coat would be a timeless addition to my closet, don't you? what do you think of the following three options from urban outfitters?

bdg twill trench, $98.

aubree trench coat, $98.

cameron jacket, $108.