Tonight

... I long for nature, peace, beauty, and quiet.

(Image: CNT Traveler)

Grey, White & Pink

I just came across the work of photographer Line Thit Klein's work, and what gorgeous images she's captured. She is a Danish photographer who is described as "an adoring foodie, a lover of all things delicate...". Her work is very clean and beautiful. I am especially loving this series that I'm about to share with you.

I am curious about the stylist behind the spaces that Line so beautifully captured. I love how pink was incorporated into an otherwise monochromatic scheme, using a tint and tone of pink adds a delicate touch to an otherwise tough room.

Are you having a good day? I hope so. :).

(Images: Line T. Klein

Inspiring Interior Spaces

What better to get you over hump day Wednesday than some gorgeous interior spaces?! I have gathered some gorgeous spaces, all with clever designs to inspire you in your own projects. They are all unique, but all so drool worthy...ready?

via Bonnie Tsnag

If interiors had a 5 hour energy pick me up this space will be it for me! Harmony doesnt' only come in soothing spaces, I think this space proves that. Pairing different patterns and colors like this requires a common denominator, and that is the tribal feel each pattern and color elicits here.

via House to Home

This room, though, quieter than the first, it, by no means has less personality. Having a neutral background allows the green chair to really pop and stands as the focal point. Adding the Zebra print rug is also a great way to add interest to the beautiful tile floors. A lesson here is you don't need everything in a room to be be bold and bright if you are not comfortable with that. You can have your neutrals and have one or two pieces to bring in color and pattern to add interest. The colors of the chair that would have been probably a bit on the muted side in the first room, stand out in this neutral space.

Really this one had me at yellow painted table, paired with black and white. I really never can resist that combination. The toile wallpaper is so dynamic, definitely a great room to start your day.

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How adorable and smart is this dining room. The use of top hats as lights is beyond clever, and I think it works especially well, because everything else in the room is serious, making the quirkiness of top hat lights truly shine.

via House to Home

This is a great use of a space that is usually neglected, or assigned to store a bench at best. Having it jeweled up like this, serving as a cozy nook to read or whatever one might feel like is wonderful. Notice the drawing around the clock?

I hope these beautiful rooms add some beauty to your day!

(Images: Linked Above)

Beautiful Party Decor

My baby girl Jalika turns 5 in a month, and I am in party planning mode. I love planning my girls birthdays, and this time it's extra special because she has some ideas of what she wants. First, she selected a Hello Kitty theme, she is about Hello Kitty everything! She is also telling me to make sure I invite a number of friends from school, and let me tell ya, the number keeps growing..we'll have to work on that. Yesterday we had our first discussion of which shade of pink cups to go with - my girl :-).  I came across these images from Engel, and I was immediately captivated, and inspired.

This setting is deliciously perfect! From that beautiful cake (love the pattern and visual texture) to the bunting that are made by Sabien Engelenburg. I love that it all started with her wanting to throw a special birthday party for her daughter that she will forever treasures!

I like this idea of laying the buntings around the cake/food table. It would be a fun idea to cut construction paper into circles and scatter them as decoration on the table...hmm I think I have something to go on here.  I was thinking of having some sort of a craft project, and I'm thinking using the cutouts to double as the craft project for the kids. Have some glue, pompoms, glitter and other fun things for the kids to glue on to the cutouts - pretty and functional!

I am a fan of banners especially at kids parties, and I am really liking this idea above...crocheted buntings. I like that you can use Sabien's creations multiple times, in different ways.

(Images: Engel)

House Tour: Carolina Herrera's Madrid Home

Happy Monday! Ready for  this week? Last week was a really tough one for me, I hope that this week would be a bit easier. Loosing a loved one is never easy, but I am trying to remember my dear friend for the happy times than the sad end. So in honor of my Patti, and with hopes of starting a brighter week, I thought we'd start this week with Carolina Herrera's gorgeous Madrid home. It is a very feminine, sophisticated space, and this first image has the best pink ever.

What I found the most gorgeous and inspiring about this house, besides the gorgeous prints and brass accents, is this nail head trimmed door. I have never seen this before and it is on the list of best ways of ornamenting your home as far as I'm concerned

Notice the nail trim again, and the pairing with the bold stripes, gingham chair and that beautiful upholstered bench. I am in all kinds of love with that bench!

Don't you love all the beautiful patterns and colors! This living room with the day bed (can't think of the fancy name) is so wonderfully decadent.

Have a wonderfully joyful week!

(Images: Elle Decor)

An Angel Has Risen

Last night, my sweet, beautiful friend made the transition to heaven. My friend Patricia Hipp, was funny, spunky, witty, oh, so witty, but what I loved and admired the most about her was her wonderful heart. She was a sweet soul beyond describing, she had the biggest heart of anyone I've met. We all have a purpose in life, and I truly believe that her purpose was to shine a bright light onto peoples lives she came across.
She'd been sick for a long time now, and though her chances seemed slim to none I couldn't think of the possibility of losing her, so I stayed an optimist fool.
My last conversation with her was perfect, I was lucky enough to tell her exactly how I felt about her, without knowing that that would be our last conversation. Somewhere in the back of my head I did think that it was a possibility, and knew that I had to tell her everything I felt about her in case this was my last chance. I apologized for not being the superb friend she deserved, I told her over and over again how much I loved her, and begged her to keep fighting as she had to stick around, so we can do all those things we planned. She told me not to worry and that she will keep fighting, because she had to see me graduate and come visit her nieces. She asked several times if I was okay, because of the long pauses as I tried very hard not to completely loose it on the other end of the phone. That was the kind of person she was, always caring for people.

I miss my friend, my sister! I am happy I met her first week of college in the Couch towers. I look back at all the silly, happy, sad, and most of all loving memories I have with her, and I can't believe she wont' be here to share more. She won't be here the way I want her to, at least. But knowing my friend, I know she is looking down on me and telling me everything is going to be okay.
I can say that I am one of the lucky few who got to meet an angel on earth!

(Image: Alicia Bock)

Zara Home Collection

So this has been one of those posts that I couldn't decide if I should, what I should say, etc. I love Zara, from clothes to accessories, so nobody could have been anymore excited than me when I first read about their home collection coming state side. However, it wasn't love at first sight. I felt a bit , okay a lot disappointed that I didn't like it as much, because I thought I'd be swept off my feet. Plus this is my beloved Zara, how could I not be filling up my cart already! So I kept going back looking to see if there is something I'm missing. I should mention that I instantly fell for the kids' collection. I found it to be very colorful, cheery yet stylish. What finally convinced me is their catalogue, perhaps it helped me get it. I think I just didn't get it, therefor I wasn't feeling it.  The styling is gorgeous and very Zara. It's stylish, rustic and has an old world charm to it - it's very European country chic.

I always love this type of styling, feels very organic, as if everything fell into place without any effort. I've said it before, I think styling is such a powerful tool and a hard one to master. It looks so easy, but you have to have a special eye, and talent to arrange things in a way that communicates a feeling or statement that resonates. 

My eyes can't help but zoom into that gorgeous chandelier, reminds me of the intricate rose windows found in gothic churches. I love the different colored glass crystals. I bet they cast a gorgeous shadow. 

I love the gold/brass accents, they have a very glamourous feel to them, but not over the top...just like what a Zara fan would expect. In typical Zara fashion I find their collection to be very unique. The price points are great, and these not the same things you find at every other store.

This arrangement here to me is everything - it is perfection.

I instantly fell in love with the kids' collection, and can you blame me! I love the use of bright colors, and fun images, and they all have a vintage feel - like it was passed down from generation to generation.

So the verdict: I love love the new home collection a la Zara! I encourage you to take a look if you already haven't. I say it is a perfect Monday morning activity :-).

Were you as excited as me about the Zara home collection? Did it live up to expectation, exceed? What are you really about it?

Have a great Monday!

(Images: Zara Home)