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I am crazy in love with Erin Gates of Elements of Style .  She has great style - what I wouldn't do for 5 minutes to paw through her closet - but her home is what I'm most obsessed with.  They bought this home roughly a year ago, and have been renovating pretty much ever since. While we've had a few small glimpses into the new spaces ( the kitchen for instance, and her fabulous stairs ), she just posted a few first images into her newly remodeled (and styled) living room - it's A-MA-ZING.  It's been all done up for the holidays and it's TOO GOOD not to re-post!! Right?!?!?! The neutrals, those custom draperies (with the taupe greek key trim)... and that brass rod??  So SOOO good.  The layered rugs (if you look closely you can see a sneak peek of a zebra print cow hide), the hammered brass and glass coffee table, the pops of green... oh my gosh, the antique buffet is so beautiful, and of course, that chair.  That chair is (in the words of Rachel Zoe) "every...

Source With all the planning that goes into the production of today, it's so easy to forget what Thanksgiving is all about - it's about giving thanks. Simple. There are so many blessings in my life to be thankful for, but at the top of that list is family, friends, and our good health.  To another healthful, happy year. Wishing you and yours a very Happy Thanksgiving. xoxo

Happy Wednesday!!  It's the day before Thanksgiving, and I thought I'd continue the DIY Art posts again this week... We're sticking with a simple concept (simple is best for us budding artists) - this week, gold arrows on a dark background... Gorgeous, right?? And the DIY could not be more simple!! What you'll need:   - Black Cardstock   - Gold Leaf   - Adhesive Pen   - Ikea Ribba Frames (with mattes) Next steps... just free-hand multiple arrows with the adhesive pen, and then apply the gold leaf (according to package instructions). Easy, right?? Take it another step MORE easy, and instead of using gold leaf, use a gold paint pen.  Takes out the messy part, so you could whip these up fairly quickly. Could be a great project to tackle over the long weekend...

Louis XIV... the other week we were talking all about his taste in mirrors ... this week it's the chairs.  I swear I'm not obsessed with Marie Antoinette or anything... it just worked out this way! I happen to be a huge fan of Louis XIV Chairs.  They have classic clean lines, feminine curves, but when done simply like the above, they don't look fussy or girly AT ALL. Eclectic Bedroom by Brooklyn Media & Bloggers Lauren Gries Dining Room by Jamestown Furniture & Accessories Barbara Schaver @ Furnitureland South Rustic Dining Room by Phoenix Interior Designers & Decorators Palm Design Group Traditional Dining Room by Chicago Interior Designers & Decorators kim scodro interiors Contemporary Dining Room by Newburyport Furniture & Accessories Urban Elements Home and Gift Traditional Dining Room by Hoboken Furniture & Accessories Zin Home I love them when they are upholstered... I love them with their caned backs... I love them painted... But I...

Let me preface this post by saying, yes, I am fully aware that we haven't celebrated Thanksgiving yet...  But let me also just say, Thanksgiving is the latest it's ever been... EVER... so since Thanksgiving is so excruciatingly late, I figured it couldn't hurt anyone to hang a few harmless wreaths in our living room over the weekend.... I LOVE boxwood wreaths. Possibly more than any other wreath.  They are fresh and simple, and need no adornment, which around the holiday season - when the motto is "the more lights, tinsel, and general bedazzlement, the better" - a simple wreath is subtly festive. In my case, I went with four subtly festive boxwood wreaths... for $10 each, how could I say no?! I decided to hang them in each of the windows of our living room... I absolutely LOVE LOOVVEEE LOOOVVVVVEEEEEE them. The best part about boxwoods is that they dry so well.  These windows get direct sunlight all day long - pretty much from about 9am until 4pm, but boxwoods kee...

Happy Birthday to my sweetheart - the light of my life, and my best friend.  31 never looked so good xoxoxo

Do you like the alliteration of this blog post?? Me too... but what I like even more was how simple (and inexpensive) it was to pull together this flower arrangement. I went to the supermarket and picked up three small bundles of flowers: One bundle of berries, one bundle of mums, and one bundle of astroemerias... not sure what those look like??  It's these: I spent less than $10 and I think that the arrangement turned out really pretty - WAY better than any of the pre-made bouquets in the store. Not to toot my own horn, but I think I kind of have a knack for flower arranging... one of the things I've learned is that keeping the flowers in the same color family REALLY helps you keep it pretty and elegant. In this case, I stuck with deep reds, maroons, and raspberry shades.  I absolutely LOVE how the astroemerias have green in them that fades into a deep red... it really brings a lot more dimension into the arrangement. In general I think that sticking to a single color family ...

Gold is in, in a big way - gold jewelery, watches, brass hardware, and gilded picture frames - it's everywhere!  Gold is the perfect transitional color for the holidays, and can take you from Thanksgiving seamlessly into Christmas (and beyond if you ask me). I'm a big fan of transitional decor - things that feel like the season ... not specifically the holiday, so I've pulled together some of my favorite gold accessories to incorporate into your seasonal decor, for a little glitz and glam that doesn't scream "Santa Claus" Enjoy! Stag Head:  Ok... so he's not gold... but I couldn't resist!!  How cute would he be with a boxwood wreath around his neck... OR... a gold ornament wreath (in keeping with the gold theme here)... post holidays he could transition into a jaunty scarf...  Right?! Jewelry Box:  I need this.  My jewelry has taken over an entire dresser drawer and it's just mayhem.  I can never find anything, so this jewelry box (or a set of seve...

Source Christmas commercials started running before Halloween, and everyone wants to get into the holiday spirit already, but I'm still actually in Thanksgiving mode.  It's feeling like fall and I'm absolutely loving it, BUT like it or not... this is the time when you need to start thinking about holiday dresses. It's like Murphy's law - when you go shopping the day before an event for a party dress, you'll have a hard time finding anything... so by being prepared, and keeping an eye out for pretty dresses when you're out and about in November means that you'll find THE perfect dress, with plenty of time to spare. What I really want this year is sparkle.  I said it last year and ended up in a black dress... this year, I'm on the hunt for glitz and glam.  Here are a few that I've rounded up online... New Years Eve Sparkle by beckyc1923 featuring a vintage sequin dress Roberto Cavalli strapless dress , $3,975 / Party dress , $105 / Tokyo Doll bab...

Hansel Starburst mirrors... so hot right now.  And sometimes so expensive... Can you guess which one of these is the "splurge"?? Starburst mirrors have been making a total resurgence in the last few years, although I'm not sure that these bad boys have ever NOT been hot - Louis XIV used them everywhere (fun fact: he was apparently called the "Sun King" because of this... don't you just love random facts??).  Anyway, with a history like that, I'm going to say they are more timeless than trendy. I mean they are EVERYWHERE, and for good reason.   A good dose of gold is so glam, and they seem to be the universal answer to the question "what do I put on this random wall?"  They are great in a hallway, great over a mantle, awesome over a bed... they pretty much work in any space where you want something pretty, that seems more functional than it actually is. Let's be honest, you're not going to apply your makeup using one of these mirrors, b...

Hey guys!  Hope you're having an awesome week, and for those in the Bay Area, are you all loving this cold weather that came in as much as I am??  Cozy sweaters at last! Last week, I'd posted about a DIY art project , and I wanted to continue talking about this topic today.  As I'd mentioned, buying art can be expensive, but making your own art can be really cost effective, fun, and dare I say it... easy.    No more blank boring walls people - here's another simple DIY art project to try out... Source I saw this vignette, and almost died.  That chair (from West Elm)... love it.  The mid-century dresser... so pretty.  And that painting??  The inverted arrows???  A blown up, modern take on my favorite chevron print?????  I'm all over it! This DIY painting hardly needs explanation, because all you need is some painters tape and the ability to measure the halfway points on the canvas... if you don't have a single "artistic" bone in your...

That's "House TWEAKING"... not twerking... no matter if that's how it reads in my weird twisted mind...  and it's a blog I've recently become completely obsessed with.   I forget how I discovered  House Tweaking  to begin with but it doesn't really matter... it's a new instant favorite for me.  Trust me when I say that her taste is SO GOOD. The kind of good where when you look at the clock you realize that you've spent 2 hours blog-stalking her. I feel that if we met in real life, we'd be the best of friends.  We both share a love of finding a good deal, Sherdog , and restrained color palettes. Oh and interior design.  That too. This is her living room. Hello lovely. Plush rug...  Check. Pretty light greys...  Check. Chevron...  Check check! Tripod lamp.  It's love. You know who else would approve?  Emily Henderson. They are like style kindred spirits.  That explains so much about why I'm obsessed with this room.  She...