I'll be back soon! I'm going to visit a place like this...

I'm off to Florida you guys! I'm taking a much needed long weekend to visit one of my sisters and relax on the beach. So, I'm leaving you with ways to add some light-hearted, tropical air to your space.

oh...this is so me... natural wood tones and white

via the beautiful blog, this is glamorous




West Elm(top)/Pottery Barn ( 2 bottom) via Material Girls

Material Girls gave some really good advice on achieving this look:

• Rattan or wicker furniture
• Wood flooring
• Natural area rug- seagrass or sisal
• Mixing lots of texture and pattern is a must!
• Comfort is key- large upholstered furniture in preferably white or off white will give it a fresh, clean, and crisp look
• Animal prints!!!!
• A few leather pieces
• Try to stick with these colors- pale yellows, browns, golds, beiges, natural greens that have more yellow in them, soothing blues, whites, and splashes of red, black, and chocolate brown
• Wood furniture
• Lanterns
• Bamboo shades for your windows
• Table setting- they have these great round textured placemats at Crate and Barrel/ C&B Outlet or you could do wooden bowls
• Large floor vase with bamboo sticks
• A candle in a glass container with water rocks/stones
• Wood bowl with real fruit

But if you want more of a beach/nautical look, here are some of my favorite accessories:

• Faux coral- I can't say enough about it, I have a piece of it in my Living Room that I bought at Crate and Barrell and it just makes my coffee table.
• Extra large clam shells- I know we have done a high low feature on this before, but you can find them everywhere these days- they are very in style!
• Anything dark blue and white
• Stripes are always nice for this
• How about putting starfish in a bowl or in a jar?
• Shells on a stand or in a glass bowl
• A glass apothecary jar filled with sand...my mom (who inspires me every day!) has been collecting sand from the different beaches she has visisted while on vacation for the past I don't know how many years- she then puts the sand in different glass jars and labels them where they came from. It makes a really cute display and a great conversation starter about all of your travels!

Tips via Material Girls (more great info to be had)

via Home Decorating Reviews






Tropical island architectural genius! I love the use of stone! It must make the home feel so cool when coming in from the beach.

viazlgdesign

Swoon-worthy dining rooms from Domino

I just called Conde Nast to switch my Domino subscription. "The last issue you should receive is the March issue," said the operator. How sad! It also spurred me to continue my mad-hunt to gather all the images I can from the Domino website. Today I'm focusing on dining rooms. Being a huge advocate of food consumption - I spend quite a lot of time in them. These are particularly lovely. In which would you take your dinner?


This one's for my little sister, a lover of all things red.


I really like the contrast of the dark wood table with the white chairs.

this wouldn't technically count as eating dinner on the couch...

I'm so jealous of that sunny window seat.

The fabric used for the drapes and the cushions is Pottery Barn's Serafina, available by the yard.

I like all the cubbies on the wall in this room.

Perhaps my favorite dining room of them all...

via Domino

A gorgeous apartment!

I watched the movie "I Now Pronounce You Chuck and Larry" a few weeks ago with a friend and was surprised at the gorgeous apartment/studio of Alex, Jessica Biel's character. The apartment has an eclectic feel with some traditional elements thrown in. The walls are painted light yellow, light blue, and are covered in paintings and photography. My clothes are nowhere near nice enough to hang on an open rack, but I like the look, especially with the exposed brick wall. I also like how the bed was visually separated by two curtains hanging at each end corner.









via Universal Pictures

A few ideas to accomplish the same look...

Pottery Barn Bedding Sale! Up to 50% off!

Finally I can get a velvet quilt without so much guilt!


Go to Bedding

Furniture trend - do you like it?

Kilim rugs will never go out of style, and it seems like furniture manufacturers are running with that notion and applying it to all matter of furniture. Obviously, this isn't anything new, but I've definitely noticed Kilim upholstered benches and ottomans popping up more and more. I think that they fit in really well in a crafts style interior, and they remind me of the eclectic apartment of one of my father's well-traveled friends. Of course, I'd need to find one in colors and a pattern I really like. How about you?

From Viva Terra

From Grandin Road

From Pottery Barn

Industrial style furniture

I love Pottery Barn's new Benchwright Dining Table, as I'm a sucker for furniture designers who "appreciate wood's character." The table is lovely, however there is nothing like the real thing. My parents' home is almost fully furnished in pieces passed down, and even though a lot of them are reproductions, they're beautiful because it was life that rewarded them with character, not some strategically placed dents and dings. On the flip side, at $5,800 for the real thing, Pottery Barn's industrial-style dining seems affordable!

Pottery Barn's Table--


Get Back's table--
It extends at each end

*Love*

Some other cool offerings from Get Back

Get your bedroom ready for winter

It's amazing how quickly it has cooled down here in NYC. Gone are the nights where I can leave my bedroom window. It also means it's time to launder the flannel sheets and pajamas, and layout the fuzzy rug. Here is some cool-weather gear I've been eyeing...




What wouldn't I do for one of these gorgeous velvet quilts from Pottery Barn? The colors are so gorgeous.




Some cozy rugs from West Elm, a classic flokati, and these braided wool rugs which look like a sweater for your floor.



The indian inspired colors will help warm up your room, these are John Robshaw, available at Garnett Hill.

I love this bedding set from Pottery Barn. The rouched bedding is so pretty, and the sweater pillows are so inviting!

I love these simple flannel sheets by Potterybarn


If you're into the new "jewel tone" craze, this quilt from Gaiam is for you.



Pretty organic flannel sheets, also from Gaiam. (Two images above also from Gaiam)


I love the symmetry of this dwell bedding...


oh my, how did he get in here...

Maybe a bit vulgar...but satin and velvet bedding? I'd be able to tolerate it I think. From Victoria's Secret

Modern cozy flannel pajamas from Victoria's Secret
Pretty slippers from Haringer, at onlineshoes.com