CHIC COLLECTIONS

Yesterday I took a seminar by Marie Forleo + Gabbrielle Bernstein. Such amazing + inspiring powerhouse women who shared the importance of getting your house in order. This phrase can have so many meanings but what I took from it was exactly one of my life's driving forces... "domestic bliss". It's all about loving where you live and loving what you have at home. So, I wanted to share with you collectors out there a way to keep your favorite things at home while still keeping your house in order...
COOL CALENDAR pullouts make an excellent guest bathroom wallpaper.
MANY MAGAZINES stacked with the white on the outside make black really work. 
ABUNDANCE OF ARTWORKS look fabulous on floating shelves, mixed, matched and layered.
GORGEOUS GLASS bottles collected over time are the perfect way to add botanics and florals to the home and looks best when displayed all together in different shapes and sizes. 
CHERSHED CHINA can be displayed with glass door cabinetry and be a wow factor in your home.
GINGER JARS look fab gathered together as a tablescape centerpiece.

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office space of the day...greek key dressers

pretty pink chair + glass desk + framed silhouette gold accents + greek key DIY dresser=
domestic bliss
I happen to love dressers with greek key molding on them, (a trend that still going strong) and I always find that they steal the show in many, many really well done rooms I see. I think turquoise and gold work so well together on this IKEA dresser hack.
I'm thinking that something like this black and white one below is exactly what I want to be working with in my new clients living room. 


Or you can even add the look in the details like these adorable greek key drawer pulls.

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Decorating a console table...

Recently, a lot of you have been sending me emails asking how to decorate your console table in the entryway. So, I have decided to show you some examples and give you an idea of what to use and how to make it work...

First and foremost, your entryway console will be an opening statement. So feel free to accessorize with your favorite collections. When doing so, I like to gather things in odd numbers and make sure there is some symmetry too...
Stacks of books are always a stylish decorative statement. Try keeping the spines in the same color family to keep it looking put together...
Work with height. You can use either one lamp or two, but if using one make sure to use other objects with height to offset the height...
Obelisks are a fab item to use in the home. They have height, style and sophistication. So, if you are looking for ideas, make your console pop with a pair of them...

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Weekend decorating...VANITY CANDY

My week has been incredibly hectic. Work, events, friends, emails, etc. I can't complain, God has blessed me with a full life but sometimes I think to myself I must take a minute and breathe and take it all in. In order to live in the "now", I have to remember to take some time for me.  One of my favorite moments of the day is getting ready, it's truly where I get to focus totally on myself and reflect on things. 
So, I have realized that I must create the ultimate vanity area...
and I should make sure to decorate it with beautiful and happy things. So inspired by well curated vanity areas. Perfume bottles, candles, jewelry boxes, pretty dishes, flowers, baubles, artwork etc.

What do you like to decorate your primping area with???

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decorate with feathers...

You guys have been so amazing to vote for me at the JOYUS contest. I loved hearing your feedback on the room too! Many of you mentioned your love for the peacock feathers I used in the space and I just wanted to encourage more of that. Feathers are fun! 
My obsession with Kishani Perera's book + decor reaffirms my feelings for feathers, too! Here in this pretty pink dining room she accessorizes with feathers....


Even in artwork, feathers can be cute too. I adore this pretty peacock painting.
Or why not go with the real deal?

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office space of the day...black, white, bold and blue

white walls + black accents + bit of zebra + pops of pretty blue =
domestic bliss
Loving this uber chic home of Stacey Cohen, an incredibly cool Toronto designer. I have seen this spread going around the web for a while now but for some reason as the warmer weather approaches, I am loving pops of bold color. My favorite part is that its just ONE color, not lots of them. It keeps it crisp and clean...so very Mary Mcdonald bold. I just love everything about it.
I really do love bold contrasts of white molding on dark color. This faux headboard is the perfect example of that. Very easy to recreate this look at home. Be inspired. 
spotted on MDB via style at home

NEEDING. WANTING. LOVING. BRASS BOOKSHELVES

Inspired by this beautiful photo I knew that a brass bookcase would make the perfect addition to my clients home office. We searched high and low and found this interesting looking one...

Isn't she beautiful. Very unique and oh so perfect for displaying gorgeous items.
It's not styled to perfection yet, but at least we have begun the magic.
Today, I am relishing in the fact that we actually found one for around $100 and it looks so old school glam. Now I am considering getting one for myself! 


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Decorating 101: Big mirror + fab console

After my amazing trip in San Francisco at the beginning of this week, I have up and headed down to Fort Lauderdale for a brand spanking new client and I am beyond excited about it! Her home is like a big coloring book for me...white walls + fabulously shaped furniture basics. She is a Brazilian/American fashion designer and her life is all about color. I adore her!
My first mission is to get some great vignettes going on in here and that all starts with a big mirror + a fabulous console table...
I love the way this floor mirror is covered with a pretty console. This look is genius to me. It creates mega space in the room but the mirror alone would be bland. The console table adds some dimension and is the perfect space to display a few of your favorite things.


As much as I adore gold, which is what we are using in Vanessa's crib, I will always adore all mirrored pieces. It's just so very elegant and glamorous! 

pinterest & eclectic revisited.

Passion for Pinterest & Hermes Orange Boxes

So I have been working with one of my clients on a makeover in the bedroom. The clients just feel like they want something new for spring. Things need a change but we don't really want to go out and buy all new pieces for the room so I was putting together a mood board for some ideas when it occurred to me just how FABULOUS pinterest is.  
It is such a powerful decorating tool. I had an idea for getting some orange into the room. I was thinking maybe through boxes and my pinterest totally helped support my case to the client. 
Let me prove to you how orange boxes are awesome...



FOLLOW ME ON PINTEREST...

needing. wanting. loving. NEON GREEN on the WALL

Oh how my sweet fellow NYC blogger, Jenny, inspires me...almost daily. She zhushed up her home decor with a little neon green, so hot right now! Here are a few ways I am inspired to add a dash of neon green to my home decor...
1) I can do matting on an art wall like jenny or 2) neon green frames like these in the kitchen
3) neon green patterned wallpaper could really get exciting.
4) a super cool fluoro green shower wall...
WOW.
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bliss in the kitch'...black backsplash

I am seriously loving the kitchen decor here. Black walls and white washed floors in this gorgeous kitchen is just breathtaking to me. The high gloss white cabinetry is pretty cool too. The mix of a vintage and glamorous chandelier with an old wood table is perfection.
Black backsplashes are my current weakness...
I mean, the biggest decorista in all the land, kelly wearstler, does it!
HELL-OH!

images via casa sugar...

Styleicious Sunday...the things of SPRING


Neons all the rage right now...especially when it comes to home decor AND fashion. 
 I am so looking forward to adding SPRING touches to my decor, fashion and lifestyle, aren't you?

Of course not only will I add flowers to any table surface, but bright and bold lipsticks are my favorite. I love to wear this YSL coral gloss in the springtime, it goes well with  my skin tone.
I will do anything and everything to make sure that fluros and neons are all up in my world...
I've decided that I need this satchel...ASAP
although I think I must get it in PINK.
oh the highlighter colors...so fun to play with.

How fab is this idea of combining succulents and hot pink neon macrame spotted on design sponge? 
all images sourced here...

DIY Decor Idea: colored matting

Happy Friday everyone! This week in NYC is so much fun...it's fashion week and things in my neighborhood are just buzzing. I love the energy. So, inspired by all the amazing fashion that I have been seeing around, I am desperate to add more color to my very GREIGE apartment.
One way I can get this plan into action is through matting in my artwork...

I adore this look with the gold and black frame and pink-ish matting, very neo-traditional...
mixing up the colors can be very boho chic yet still sophisticated.
I, of course, LOVE the hot pink but different colors look very cool too! 
This bathroom look is just oh so right, I think the green and yellow is so chic!
oh and this lavender is just my color lately and I am totally inspired by this photo from NYSD


images via... glamlamb. tumblr. lonnymag. littlegreennotebook. NYSD.

EXCITING NEWS + Horizontal stripes

Lately I have been feeling the need to jazz things up around my apartment...again. I swear I am always changing things up, moving things around, etc. As much as I love to paint, I love wallpaper more and I am in the works in developing something very special for you all to see.
A wallpaper line by me...just for you!
In my first testing/trial attempts, I went for black and white horizontal stripes...thoughts???
The best part...it's temporary! 
Here is what inspired me to go for this look...

this cute office space is one of my favorites....

all images found here + here...

How to home accessorize...mix brights and black

Inspired by a few of my favorite fashion bloggers, I can't help but adore the look of brights mixed with blacks. I love sticking with simple and neutral for the big pieces, but for home accessories, that is where I like to mix it up...

Re-decorating in the new year...2012

Now that family has departed from the Christmas in New York festivities, I can finally return full attention to my apartment and making it my own blissful palace...
I want to continuously be adding to my art collection, because my apartment is small I am leaning towards bigger! I also love bright and pretty pastels in the winter months. So, naturally this painting from Lonny mag has caught my eye.

Inspired by this simple candle grouping, I have finally figured out how to best decorate my fireplace for the new year...and it looks a little something like this.
Horizontal stripes are catching my eye as opposed to the vertical ones I have adored for so long. 
I am also inspired by the fashionistas of the world...they are some of my favorite artists. I am lately loving dots and bits of blush pink and red.
Here is to a more magical + fashionable 2012...

DIY simple + chic holiday decorating ideas for your tabletop

1. Paint stripes on a long white tablecloth. Sometimes the tablecloth is all the statement you need. Lots and lots of candlelight and you have a perfect holiday tablescape that will hold you over through the New Year.
No time to craft? Get a black and white striped sheet set and use as a tablecloth. 

2. Paint your placemats black! Basic black placemats highlight ordinary dishware...Refinery 29 shows us how to throw a holiday party in style...with simple black and white accents.
3. Think outside of the box. Take a cue from the latest issue of Adore Home Magazine and place black Christmas tree cutouts next to long pillar candles with ribbon tied around them for a SMASHING and easy-to-do centerpiece.

DIY Decorating...Ideas for holiday decorating with ornaments

Decorating for Christmas time is my favorite, it's my absolute favorite holiday. Unfortunately for me, my nyc apartment has no room for a big tree so I have a few clever ways to improvise...
I am in love with Christmas ornaments. They are sparkly, shiny and oh so pretty...I especially like the mini disco ball kind. So, this year I will be heading to my local craft store and gathering a bunch of sparkly ornaments. Here are a few things to do with them...
First, I love the idea of tying them to pretty ribbon, (I go with velvet) and hanging them from either lighting, hooks or anything that can be hung from.
Also, because I wont be doing a lot of baking myself, I will use my cake stands and hurricane vases and fill them with ornaments. I personally like to stick with a monochromatic look like below but any ornament colors will do. You gotta go with what you love!
I have never forgotten this awesome art piece done with green ornaments. So chic.
Also...I miss having an outdoor area. If I had a front porch with bench. This is how I would decorate it. Throw in some sparkly ornaments and its perfect holiday decorating.

images via

DIY decorating: 4 clever and creative ideas for domestic bliss

1. Use creative shoe storage: how incredibly glam is this case piece? It is the perfect way to show off your pretty shoes without being disorganized.

2. Use creative dual purpose furniture:Use trunks as sidetables, they are GREAT for storage as well as providing ample space for lighting, trinkets, books and the like. 
3. Add a pop of color to a neutral space: Get a canvas, paint it a gorgeous color and voila, you have instant, chic art and a pretty pop of color! Works wonders and on a budget, too.
4. Stylish beauty displays: When not baking, let your cake stand double as a cute tray for pretty perfume bottle display. Adds a bit of dimension to the tablescape vignette, no?

{images. pinterest. unknown. fullhouse. LAinthebay.}