I'm Into That

Now that the sun is starting to flirt with me again and I've been finding more opportunities to dig in my handbag and find my long lost sunglasses, my mood has begun to improve.  Needless to say, January and February crept by for me in New York.  I try not to complain, but I'm someone who thrives in warmer weather.  My mood is better, I have more energy, and I just feel lighter.   This past weekend I finally made it over to see the Andy Warhol "From A to Z and Back Again" exhibition at the Whitney and I was energized by all the color.  

It reminded me of Jeffrey Bilhuber's punchy chartreuse living room in Locust Valley, NY:

{Jeffrey Bilhuber}

A leopard jacket (or here) paired with black heart-shaped glasses is always going to be a "yes" in my book:

Australian interior and textile designer Anna Spiro has had me captivated for years.  I love her attention to happy detail, especially when it includes fabric lampshades:

{Anna Spiro}

Adoring this outfit, the beanie, and the sunglasses.  Tres chic.

Louise Johansen's home in Denmark is making me wish my 23 and me results came back with more Scandanavian in my DNA.  How cheery is her home?!

Officially smitten with La Double J, a Milanese brand that was the brainchild of J.J. Martin.   Everything the Italian company designs screams happy, mod, and chic:

{Honestly WTF}

Another thing giving me LIFE is 305 Fitness.  If you live in NY (or LA, DC, Boston), get yourself to a class immediately.  It's a cardio dance workout with a live DJ spinning music in the room. I saw a girl wearing a bandana in her ponytail at a class a few months back and found it to be the cutest thing ever, so obviously had to start doing it myself (I wear this one in navy).  I love the bandana look for everyday outfits, too:

{Habitually Chic}

Don't even get me started on how in to Rebecca de Ravenel's home I am.  It's borderline obsession.

When I see a room like this, I know there must be a God:

Heart eyes x 10.

Happy Tuesday all....  

XOXO,

Sam

A Charming Palm Beach Home by Ellen Kavanaugh

The cover of House Beautiful's October issue really spoke to me.  Rich lilac and amethyst hues, a cheeky chinoiserie wallcovering, a hint of a channeled bench upholstered in a playful pattern, a shirred lampshade trimmed in pink: I had to find out the story behind  this stunning room that contained so many things to love!

Designer Ellen Kavanaugh is based in Palm Beach, Florida, and was taxed with renovating and styling a classic Mediterranean home in to a more fresh, livable space.  The construction and renovation process had to be completed in a very short time span, as is typically the case.  Ellen was careful to maintain much of the beautiful interior and exterior architecture, like the columns throughout the rooms, while making the home feel fresh with the furnishings and decor.

In my opinion, the most delightful part of decorating is getting to design custom, dreamy lampshades.  I love that Ellen paired a light blush glass lamp with a lilac shirred fabric shade in the living room (similar options to buy here).  And the channeled bench reupholstered in an ikat is very bohemian chic:

I always appreciate a good mix of high and low- like these wicker Serena & Lily chairs with a trestle dining table (and how great is that wallpaper?):

Moroccan-inspired tiles line the kitchen walls, with a Greek Key border following the perimeter of the window:

Ellen's take of the design direction for this house is summarized in the story:

“The client, who’s a former art teacher, wanted the quirkiness and retro-nostalgic pastels of a Wes Anderson movie…what’s cool about his cinematography is how it nods to childhood the way it’s remembered, not the way it was lived, so the visual style is singular and very fun,” Kavanaugh shared with House Beautiful. “It’s the same with these rooms. They are elegant and playful and don’t take themselves too seriously.”

Color Punch

Two recent discoveries of mine have put me in a mood for c-o-l-o-r and more color.  The first is discovering the portfolio of London-based interior designer Antonia Stewart.  Her work is certainly not devoid of bright, bold, hues used creatively.  I particularly love this powder bath she designed with the walls covered in Penguin classics:

{Antonia Stewart}

Also note the toilet paper dispenser, disguised as a vintage camera.  How cool is that?  Another favorite space of mine that Antonia created was this master bath with a coral pink tub:

{Antonia Stewart}

My other recent colorful discovery was Ashley Whittaker's latest project, which graces the pages of House Beautiful this month:

A Touch of Red

My favorite pop of color this season seems to be red.  I plan to purchase a red puffer jacket for winter, and I'd love to have a chic wool option, as well.  It's such a happy splash of color to wear in the cooler months when my gut tells me to wear black on black on black.

{WWD Japan}

{Ashe + Leandro}

Gucci Brixton Horsebit Loafers in red:

Linda Rodin looking fabulous with a bold red lip.  Rodin's hair turned gray at 35, and she's never dyed it since (you go, girl). 

{A Cup of Jo}

{Meg Braff}

{Andy and Kate Spade's Apartment}

{Andy and Kate Spade's Apartment}

Sienna Miller is my ultimate style inspiration.  She's always struck me as a true bohemian spirit- never too put together or predictable, yet always effortlessly beautiful.

{Sienna Miller}

{Collage Vintage}

{Architecutral Digest}

{Le Catch}

{Ruthie Sommers}

{Who What Wear}

{Architectural Digest}

Shop my favorite "touches" of red:

A Dark Moment

I was ill prepared for the eclipse yesterday.  No one told me those glasses were a necessity, so I ended up only catching glimpses of it through squinted eyes (and yes, my retinas burned afterward- clearly I'm an idiot).  My office is right by Central Park, but my coworkers and I watched the eclipse from our office window instead.  In New York, only a partial eclipse occurred.  Seeing photos of what the full eclipse looked like left me feeling a bit jipped- there were no few minutes of complete darkness for Manhattan.  Even so, I'll take inspiration from the eclipse and share a few of my favorite dark, moody accessories...

Dark Moments:

1.) Rebecca Minkoff Small Love Leather Crossbody Bag, $195/

2.) Talbert Oversize Mirror, $989/

3.) Esmerelda Crocheted Mini Dress, $298/

4.) Spitfire Sharper Edge Round Sunglasses, $59/

5.) Poplin Ruffle Tee, $49/

6.) Mid-Century Mini Desk, $399/

7.) Diptyque Bais Candle, $90/

8.) Latigo Scout Boots, $118/

9.) Misty Druzy Ring, $32/

Did you get a good view of the eclipse?   Here's a collection of photos that chronicles yesterday's event around the world.

Color Crush: Bits of Green

Pantone's Color of the Year for 2017 is Greenery- and I'm digging it.  Pantone says, "A refreshing and revitalizing shade, greenery is symbolic of new beginnings."  Who doesn't want a new beginning? I'm drawn to cooler tones when I decorate, and I love the impact a bit of unexpected moss or olive green can bring to a space. 

A few delightful dabs of green:

Green is Good (Top to Bottom, Left to Right):

Stylebop.com editor Leila Yavari looking fly in an olive green jumpsuit.

Lundy Hang light fixture designed by Martin Brudnizki for Urban Electric Co.

Loving the curves on Jayson Home & Garden's Chinoserie Bench.

Zara continues to be the Queen of chic, affordable finds for me.  I loved this Top with Frilled Sleeves, $39.95.  A smart color and a transitional shape.

I'm drawn to furniture with geometric cut-outs, like these 1969 Arnes Jacobson-designed dining chairs (which have sadly, sold!)

Green-tiled bathroom walls pair nicely with a floor by Exquisite Surfaces- one of my favorite places to look for endless floor beauty.

Kate Spade "One in a Million" Business Card Holder, $30- because crumpled up biz cards are a serious faux pas. 

My favorite candles in the world are Cire Trudon.  They are my biggest guilty pleasure... well, one of them. ;)

Think Pink

TGIF!  So thrilled for Friday.  This week seemed to drag by for me- did anyone else feel that way?  In honor of the Women's March on Washington last week (loved my friend Mackenzie's post of her experience here), I wanted to do an ode to pink.  I'm not ashamed to admit it's my favorite color- it always has been, and probably always will be.  We learned in color theory class back in design school that pink has a calming effect when someone is initially exposed to the hue, and is often used in prisons to calm inmates.   

{Amanda Nisbet}

{Collage Vintage}

Dying for this, this, and these.  We all need a little more pink in our wardrobe, don't you think?