interior designer sharing her ideas and inspirations.
Some things are merrier and brighter. Yet, a wee bit unattainable in this world for a simple yet stylish creature such as moi. The small colorful dangling acorn shaped stones are exquisite on this chain bracelet by Tamara Comolli {but, what are they?}. And the 18K rose gold chain makes it that much more feminine and soft. Can be yours for $37K…. Merry Christmas!
Beneath a yellow fading tree,
As red suns light thee, Autumn-morn,
In wildest rapture let me see
The sweets that most thy charms adorn.
OMG. For all of you divas and fashionistas out there who actually have a lawn or potted plats to water (or a Banana Slide to get started), cast your sweltering eyes on these sexy concept watering hoses from Garden Glory.
Taking inspiration from the iconic bags of Hermés, Chanel and Mulberry, these high quality hoses come in eye-catching colors and glamorous carrying handles made of brass chains. With names such as “Candy Crush” and “Bordeaux baby”, you could have the most sophisticated green thumb on the block.
PS. Gotta love their tag line… Garden Glory. For glamorous People with Dirty Nails. =)
Many years back while popping into a little breezy shop in the Outer Banks, I purchased a stretch resin bracelet made out of a series of milky tie-dye likes colors. I loved it. I screamed SUmmer and went with everything. Then, a few years later, I misplaced it {ahem, someone stole out of my hotel room in Mexico. Sigh}. I’ve been keeping my eyes peeled for a replacement. But while I lay here this sunny Saturday morning and watch my dog snooze away {old dogs LOVE to sleep in}, I came across Rosella Resin on Etsy. The resin rings and bangles on Rosella may not take the place of that chunky faceted stunner I dangled on my wrist, but the creative combination of colorful sanded resin, preserved feathers, wood, seaweeed and seashells makes for an interesting conversation piece while dining alfresco at the shore or bar side on a DC rooftop.
Pink and Purple resin bangle with eco resin, silver flakes and large triangle facets.
Asymmetrical eco resin aqua with metallic gold leaf.
Starfish and seashell eco resin ring with large diamond facet.
Strawberry pink multifaceted eco resin bangle with metallic gold flakes.
Pacific northwest lichen eco resin pebble shaped ring.
Birch bark eco resin bangle with polygon facets.
It’s raining here in DC {pssst, I hear there’s a hurricane approaching. Ha!}. And I’m surfing the web for two 12″ x 18″ pillow inserts. I’ve just found two from Crate and Barrel and while stashing some goods into my cart, peeled into this web page of six colored mechanical pencils. This six-pack is made of natural wood and comes in orange, red, purple, black, blue and green with matching erasers. Not sure if I’ve seen ones that look this cool – or were so lucky to have these when I was in grade school – so I had to post them. A nice happy sight to see compared to the fast-moving cloudy grey skies outside. Welcome back to school kids.
I have to say that emerald green gets me every time. It’s not may favorite color – because I truly find it hard to have just one favorite. I like the entire color wheel of colors in various contexts. I like mixing and matching. And sometimes I stick to the tried and true neutrals. But this shade of green takes my breath away every time. It works with all seasons of wardrobes – burgundies and camels in the Fall, grays and blacks in the Winter, pastel yellow in Spring and vibrant oranges and inky blues in Summer. Oh, and it’s a mandatory accessory come March 17th. =) Just yesterday, I was shopping for a client at the Design Center and picked up a sample of a bold green wallpaper. It’s gorgeous. And so is this handbag from Coach.
Coach Kristen Elevated Leather Round Satchel in Sage $698
Okay, most of us are getting on the au natural bandwagon, painting our homes with low-VOC paints, making sure children’s toys and gear is toxin-free, and even cutting out additives in our food. So what not our beauty products!? I’m curious about the non-toxic nail polish from Scotch Naturals. Literally, no chemicals included. An eco-friendly alternative to conventional polish, Scotch’s water-based formula, so they claim, delivers long-lasting, salon-quality results in a stunning array of sophisticated shades. I know that if I’m painting my own nails, there is no long-lasting anywhere on these fingers and toes. Now, the salon finish is another story (ahem, why did my nicely filed nails chip after day three last round?). And with names like To Hell with Swords and Garter, Leprechaun Lynch, Hot Toddy, and Lochness Mystery… and classic packaging, we can surely toast to forward-thinking lacquers.
You’ve gotta love Victoria Secret. They have loads of summer bikini’s in a fruit bowl of color combinations, a yearly fashion show for both boys and girls, and a weekly mailbox full of sale catalogs and circulars. A bit much sometimes. However, I found this super sweet and colorful package for the Limited-Edition Wild Tropics Lip Shine and immediately saved it to my *color palette* folder. A touch of neon on a long rectangular box frames the deep plums, golds, ocean blue, algae greens, and fuchsia pinks. It’s pretty. And the lipstick will say the same for your pout once you twist the cap and put it on. I’ve ordered it in Rock Me and will let you know how tropical it looks. It better transport me to a rockin’ beach. So should that new bikini. After I sift yet another edition of the VS catalog.
I colored a dozen easter eggs last night across the counter from the guy who dedicated his first colored and wax crayoned boiled egg this year to moi. Some look good, some not so much, but it’s all in good fun. As is this Hipstomatic photo of my gifted easter egg. xxx
Metallic isa mainstay in fashion and home design. Every season, editors exclaim “Silver is Sweet this Spring!”… “Bronze is Back for Good”… “Deck the Halls with Silver Balls!”. I say stop the press and stick with metallic for good! We all need something shiny in our life, and the smooth luster of decorative metal makes my mouth water. I have to declare that I am leaning towards the warmth of gold for my own personal interiors. It looks fantastic year round – up against linens, wools, chocolate, fuchsias, and rich indigo. I’m not afraid of a little eclectic either. I have polished nickel reading lamps, brushed silver drawer pulls, antique gold wall mirrors, and a gilded bar cart. However, the autumnal season is upon us and surely, editors will be shouting “Gold is Hot this Fall. Again!”. So be it. And embrace it. Wear it, and turn it on.
French Decor Chair, $1,650 | Serena & Lily
Nuvem Round Wire Basket in Gold, $32 | Alessi
Serpent Brass Bracelet, $615 | Robert Cavalli
Gilt Tile in 4" x 8" by Michael Smith | Ann Sacks
Vine Side Tables, Price TBD | Robert Bristow for Ralph Pucci
Silhouette Column Library Light in hand-rubbed brass, $525 | Circa Lighting
Turquoise Lava Vase, $745 | Vivre.com
Sheba Wallpaper in Gold, $150 roll | FlavorPaper
Woodcut Wall Tattoo in Gold, $59 | Surface Collective
Givenchy Gold Croc Embossed Leather Flap Clutch, $716 | Bluefly.com
Golden Suzani Pillow, $175 | Jayson Home & Garden
Golden Burberry Peep-toe Twist Pumps, $495 | Zappos.com
Kenneth Cole New York Pinstripe Dial Watch, $175 | Nordstrom
Gold and Silver Wool Rug, 8' x 11' is $1,253 | Safavieh
Gold Bamboo Flatware, $114 for a 5-piece setting | Ricci Silversmith
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