10 things that rocked my world this week...the Paris edition

1. Paris. It is absolutely the most magical city. There is something that just captivated my heart. I couldn't  stop taking pictures and finding inspiration from the littlest things. Everyone kept telling me how interesting it was to see it through my decorista eyes because EVERYTHING was just beautiful to me. 

2. The Entryways. Almost every time we entered a building my heart skipped a beat. The chandeliers and ceilings were always detailed with layers of lighting and colors and paintings and murals and on and on and on. This was the Hotel Plaza Athenee (which I will blog more on later) and we went for a birthday celebration, drinks and a bit of dancing. Had an absolute blast. 
3. The Chairs. I probably have over 100 pictures of just the chairs. They were just magnificent. Every detail was cared for. Nobody does chairs like the French. These red velvet ones at Hotel Costes (another amazing hotel by the way with incredible food and decor that just melted my heart)  blew me away. They also had them in black which were just as gorgeous but the red came out so much better in photos. 
4. The doors. Of course, we all know my obsession with doors. Paris DID NOT disappoint. The doors were just out of this world. The colors and details were just so vibrant, it was so hard not to be in love with every single one. 
5. Tourist moments. Now of course, all the cheesy touristy things I just loved and couldn't get enough of. I mean, I must have gone to the Louvre like 4 times. Moulin Rouge was one of my favorite movies so I had to go see this. It was magical. Which leads me to my next favorite thing...
6. The lights. One reason I think the city is so magical is that everything sparkles or shines in some way. The lights were incredible. Everything was neon and lit up signs just abound. I love love love the lights. Oh, and the font. I could go on and on about all of the fonts used on signage in stores, etc. The fonts inspired me beyond. 
7. The floors. This incredible tile was at Cafe de Flore. I just couldn't stop staring at it, it was that good. This place is amazing for breakfast and mimosas and people watching of course. 
8. The graffiti. For some reason I am now obsessed with graffiti and the streets of Paris are just covered in it. I am not really a fan of graffiti here in the states, its a little bit depressing. But in Paris,  its just beyond beautiful work. The colors and lines and letters are just done so well. Everything in Paris is just done with more care and love, which makes things more beautiful. 
9. The  mirrors. Nobody likes mirrors like I do. I am obsessed with them. So, you can imagine when I walked by them, I took pictures of almost every one of them. This one blew me away and of course, I just love this mirror on top of mirror thing they have going on. 
10.  The eiffel tower. I mean, come on, I know it's cheesy but it just would never get old to me. The night I walked up to it, it started twinkling and I almost fell over and died. I had no idea. It was the most magical moment ever. This trip to Paris was just beyond incredible. The people I went with, the things I did, the place I stayed, the hotels I visited, the doors I photographed, the language I learned, just all of it. I am so thankful and blessed to have had the experience. Oh, and don't worry for the next few weeks I'll continue to share my inspiration...

INSPIRED: Modern French Decor in Architectural Digest

While I am in France, I am hoping to be inspired beyond belief. I mean, you all probably know by know that I am just thirsting for something new in home decor and interiors. So, when I was perusing around my favorite blogs, I found a French pad on viva full house that probably re invented my style and everything that I love. This incredible space is designed by Emiliano Salci and Britt Moran who together make Dimore Studio...
Check out this insane style...

I love love love the different shades of blue on the walls. When I worked for Woodson and Rummerfield, they did the same kind of thing in a swanky hollywood pad once and it rocked my world. Look at the woods, art, sculptures, pops of pink (hello my favorite), lighting fixtures, etc. I mean swooooooon. 
This amazing Aztec style wallpaper is just beyond. I can't even deal. Just look at the bright gold hardware in contrast to the blue bathroom. It's beyond amazing, right?

The Decorista takes Paris...Hotel Saint James

Today I am off to the wonderful and romantic city I have always dreamed of visting...Paris. I have loved all of your emails and tweets with advice and suggestions as to where to go and what to do. I am beyond excited about all the wonderful things that I will get to experience. The first and most important part is the hotel where I am staying...the Saint James Paris...

I am a sucker for black and white with moldings and that grand entrance just blows my mind. I can't explain my love for chinoiserie and pink or the mix grey and black and white with toile motifs. 


 Lovely leopard and pops of blue or an all white oasis. These rooms are just incredible. Ooh la la. I can hardly contain myself. 


images found here. 

BLOGLOVIN' is for more than just bloggers

Today something HUGE occurred to me. I can't lie. I have been so overwhelmed with work and creating things lately, I don't know whats going on in the blog world. Most of my best friends are bloggers and I have no idea what they are up to lately because I spend so much time on Pinterest + Instagram. Which is fine, but as a blogger, I recognize the importance of keeping up with my fellow decoristas online and I went straight to BLOGLOVIN' to help me out. It's my fave source for reading my favorite blogs and keeping up to date. 
DO YOU GUYS BLOGLOVIN' too? If not, join in the party + follow! 


office space of the day...Peach + Pink Tobi Fairley

Completely enamored by this gorgeous black and white office with peachy pink details. Tobi Fairley did an excellent job on this one...it's right up my alley. 
chic wallpaper + big white desk + peach chair + gorgeous lamp + small gold details =
domestic bliss
for more of this office space...

I am loving everything about this room. The dark carpeting is so chic with pops of white and pink above it. A chic bust in the center of the table makes for the best accessorizing in a traditional room. I also adore the black trim on the white sofa. Just everything is really good here. 
fabulous job miss Tobi! 

Secret of domestic bliss #68...CURTAINS IN THE BATH

There is no secret that shower curtains are essential in the bathroom. But what if I told you that in order to make your bathroom really be luxurious and stylish, you could take that one step further and really outfit your bathroom with swag. Literally. I am such a fan of over the top drapery and fabric in the bathroom, it just warms things up a little bit more. It's all about the details, as my favorite look is fabric with a little sway and swag...

In order to achieve swag in the bath, you could go for tie backs on either side or even swag roman shades. They are just as gorgeous over the bath or on the windows. I believe in having a valence over the bath to really warm up the look. Trim is also a very important piece of the puzzle. Details always make the difference. 


1//2//3//4//5//6//7//8

10 things that rocked my world this week. November 10

 1. I really just can't get over this headboard and bedroom combination. The beginning of the week I was so tuned into the combo of red, white and blue, for the election of course, and this design by my decor hero Bryan Patrick Flynn just couldn't have articulated the color combo any better...

 
 2. I like to celebrate pretty much anything by baking something. Cupcakes with sprinkles just never gets old, so we celebrated the election accordingly. 
 3. There is nothing I love more than a beautiful kitchen filled with copper pots and pans. It just makes the art of baking and cooking that much more enjoyable because they are so pretty, my decorista heart just flitters when using them.
4. We got snowed in this week and it was just so beautiful. I filled my apartment with candlelight and captured my little skull Henry and the way he sparkles, kinda magical. 
 5. With my trip to Paris just days away, I have been obsessed with looking at Parisian apartments. This lovely little Parisian blogger abode really rocked my world! 
6. Looking through glass doors has just never been so chic. 
7. These pure silver, antique and beautifully polished gentlemen are probably the best thing these upper east side bookcases have ever seen. Be still my heart. 
8. I am a huge fan of LOVE. Most people know me as the ultimate romantic always raving about LOVE and I am in LOVE with this LOVE sign (by scott coppersmith design). Wood and metal and light. Such a wonderful combination, don't you think?
9. Read this client shout out on his apartment therapy tour and I almost shed a tear. So sweet!  Good feedback is always really really encouraging to hear, or read in this case. I was so humbled, so grateful and so honored to work with him. Thanks JDM, you rocked my world this week! 

10. My morning mantra. Everything that is meant to be will be. Everything that happens, I believe happens for a reason. Its all about perspective! 
Happy weekend loves! 

office space of the day...ORANGE curtains

No matter what season it is, ORANGE is one of those colors that translates through all seasons and styles. Its the most favorited color of the world. I wouldn't normally choose this color in my home (aside from displaying Hermes boxes about my space) but I find myself a fan of luxurious and rich orange curtains...
pale blue walls + gold frames + carved desk + jute rug + luxurious orange curtains =
domestic bliss




1//2//3//4//5//6//7//8

bliss in the kitch'...PARISIAN PINK

I have been long dreaming of the perfect apartment for myself and my dreams always involve a large white glossy kitchen. After finding this precious apartment and modern with a dash of pink, I thought to myself I found the perfect inspiration. All the cabinetry is from IKEA and all the appliances are stainless steel which add metallic shine seamlessly. Think this kitchen is chic, then you must see the rest of the apartment...

The bedroom took my breath away. This gorgeous peacock wallpaper combined with a gorgeous Venetian mirror has me needing a a few new things for myself. Purple, pink, white and grays make a lovely bedroom color combo. 
Oh, and against her ikea mirrored armoire (i love all the chic ways to incorporate ikea by the way), she has gorgeous silk wallpaper and a perfectly parisian white chair. Beautiful! 
images found here. 

WHITE DONE RIGHT...an NYC loft

I am not usually one for a lot of white in New York City. Mostly because I think that it can be a little boring and color adds so much to smaller spaces. However, this gorgeously large loft has changed my mind. The windows in this space are beyond amazing and the light just illuminates each piece of furniture making it that much more dreamy and magical...

It's more than a loft, its like a magic little spot in the city...where dreams are made. I just love the mixes of brick, white and wood tother in different shades. Mixing textures in neutral colors can be so warm and comforting. 
I adore the look of organization and am loving how all of these books have white spines. Very clever and impossibly chic. 
all images via the october issue of Rue.

Not your ordinary chair...

I think I am getting a little homesick. After all of this hurricane mess, I just really want to be with my family right now more than ever. Thank goodness Thanksgiving is just around the corner. I leave for Paris in 9 days and then fly home to Texas for Thanksgiving and my cousins wedding. It's about to get really hectic over here.
Having said that, what I am looking forward to the most is being home and having family dinners around the dining table. While my family is very stylish and appreciates good furnishings, I really wish they would get a little more snazzy with the seating....

Right now I am just over the moon for dining chairs with metal. You all recently saw my clients new brass + lucite barstools which are just so incredibly good I can't stand it. Metals are so in for seating right now I am just loving it. An upper east side client of mine and I recently did some chairs like these above. We found 6 vintage chairs like this and had them recovered in white ostrich leather (faux of course). They are so spectacularly gorgeous and glamorous and budget friendly, too! 
I always love a good chair + banquet seating combo. So good. 


image sources found here 

SANDY RELIEF + AN EFFORT TO REBUILD...

Home is really where the HEART is, and My heart is with everyone affected by this storm. While I am so lucky that my friends and family (including me) are safe and sound, my heart hurts like the people without everything that makes their home, feel like home to them are my very own family and friends. 
During the night, my broken open window, right by my bed (which can't be fixed because there is not enough gas for the repair men to get here) keeps me freezing and the noises around the city are so loud I haven't slept well in days. I just lie there at night and my heart literally breaks because I can't help but think how beyond so blessed I am to have a bed, a working heater, power, food, clothes, towels, shoes, blankets to keep me warm, the list just goes on and on. There is SO MUCH that I have to give.
Watching this city come together and have an outpouring of people with HUGE HEARTS just give to each other and give so freely is amazing. God is LOVE.
There are so many ways, no matter where you are in the world, that you can help, too...
You all know how my heart is with my church, HillsongNYC 
(click here to donate to our Sandy Relief Fund).
  Here is a video played for us at church yesterday. This video moved me to tears...
 
Hurricane Sandy Update from HillsongNYC on Vimeo.

Our church has extended outreach and volunteers to so many places, the ROCKAWAYS being one from the video. Help the rocaways HERE.

If you live in the city you can help too, here is how:
Google has an amazing interactive map of Shelters in the area where you can donate items (or your time) along with the specific needs.
 HERE is another list of ways to help in the city. Lower East Side RECOVERS has several kinds of ways to give, see the list HERE.

More ways to give...thanks to Nicole:
Saloon NYC is accepting donations to the Rockaways and Broad Channel. Supplies and food (no clothing, please) dropped off there will be delivered to St. Francis des Sales church in Belle Harbor, NY. 1584 York Avenue, New York, NY 10028 (Between 83rd & 84th St) 212.570.5454
The Bowery Mission is accepting donations for the homeless at both locations. Volunteers should report only to the Bowery Street location. 45-51 Avenue D, (212)777-3424 and 227 Bowery (212) 674-3456.
The Uptown Dropoff for the Bowery Mission is 132 Madison Avenue (at 31 st).
If any city people want to donate or volunteer their time in the city, any day this week, they should go to the big gray stone church on90th St. bet 2nd and 3rd Ave. They are set up to sort mdse and have Shleppers movers deliver donations to the needy.
Also
There will be collections of any type of goods at Molly’s Pub 85th St and 2nd Ave.
All weekends this month. And they too have trucks on the block who deliver these donations to SI.
PROJECT SHARE: 
If you have clean winter clothing for infants, toddlers, children and adults, you can drop them off or mail them to the address below: Zion Physical Therapy, 1556 Third Avenue, Suite 211, New York, NY 10128 All of the donated items will be picked up from this location on Wednesday, November 7, 2012, no later than 8:00 pm.


10 things that rocked my world this week...HURRICANE SANDY edition

1. Preparing for this weeks hurricane was a full on event. The grocery store lines were like concerts and the shelves were empty like food was the latest Apple product. Something about it was kind of exciting. I ended up shacking up in this beautiful apartment in the west village with one of my besties...

2. Deb and I had the best time. We had lots of time to kill and waiting for the storm made us a little stir crazy. So, we listened to music on full blast (my favorite), played board games, watched football, and made about a thousand and one cupcakes. Baking always makes me feel more calm. It was fun.
3. I really loved that this hurricane really made me appreciate candles and how beautiful candlelight is. Living by candlelight is like on a whole nother level... (thanks for the pic michelle)
4. I also really got to appreciate sunlight and how wonderful it is. The beautiful sunlight poured in the morning and made waking up THAT much better after a night of candlelight. 
5. What else is there to do while stuck indoors but shop on the net, right? j/k However, my friend Mariska Meijers showed her incredibly awesome new fur piece from IKEA that she threw on her chair and I realized that I must get this in my life immediately. Will help keep me warm as this weather continues to get colder and colder. 
 6. The streets were really in disarray after the storm and the city was unlike anything I have ever experienced. Thanks to @thedoorsofnewyork this gorgeous neon door was captured...(see the leaves).
7. The storm took out everything under about 28th street. So I ventured out to see the streets down there and was blown away by these signs I spotted all over town. Love when people spread the good word...
8. It was amazing how packed restaurants and bars were during the aftermath. As we were walking down, we walked by this amazing little spot Qi, with these cocktail tables. My little decorista heart skipped a few beats. I fell so in love. 
9. On my way back home I then saw this by my doorstep. The amount of hope and encouragement on the streets has just been so incredible. I love how amazing New York City is during any kind of crisis. There is just NO city like NY city. 
10. The best part of the week...getting together with girls from Church (hello Hillsong NYC) to strategize and plan how we can help, donate and volunteer for those in our city who need us! 

Fashion inspired Friday: pretty patterned sofas

One thing I think about often is how very not bold when it comes to fashion. I'm pretty simple and classic but I do like to get a little crazy with jewelry, shoes and bags. However, when it comes to home decor I love being bold and lately I am just loving crazy fashion inspired patterned sofas. This is a surefire way to keep your home fashion forward and fabulously fresh. Here are a few I'd like to try out myself...

 I'm sure we all remember this gorgeous magenta David Hicks patterned sofa from the pages of Domino...its always been high, high on my LUST LIST...


 1-Helmut Newton Vogue 1973 2- 3-hopefulhappy 4/5/6- domino 7-apartmentherapy

REFLECTIONS...

This whole storm situation just has me in deep thought. Half of our city is without power and I can't even begin to imagine how many people have damaged homes and lost furnishings. It seems so selfish to be blogging about these beautiful things right now. There are far more important things to attend to, like volunteering for those who are in serious need right now. However, I do realize the importance of carrying on, moving forward and being resilient like I know our beloved city always is...

So in light of these recent reflections, I must talk about how essential mirrors are in the home. They really are strategic pieces for making a not so glamorous space feel more glamorous. Surprisingly, a lot of people I work with don't really like mirrors. I really don't get it but mirrors everywhere can be intimidating for some. 
So, one way to switch up the look is mirrored tiles. The lines break up that perfect reflection so that it's not a full on mirror. However, when pieced together like this, you can get the effect to work towards bringing in the glamour and enlarging the space at the same time. 
I especially love the look in the bathroom. It completely changes the entire space, no?


1- lonny 2- unknown 3-4 design sponge 5-daydreams -harpersbazaar

A LOVELY RETREAT

The storm came and went and left much to be repaired. I had a shattered window and ruined drains but at least we are all safe and sound. Luckily, I had a lovely fireplace and some wonderful candlelight to get me through. I can't help but be reminded of how gorgeous fireplaces in bedrooms are, especially this gorgeous Rita Konig apartment...

Truly, I would settle for any of these gorgeous spaces! 
1//2//3//4//5