Fabulous Room Friday 12.31.10

One of my favorite rooms from recent memory is this fabulous living room in Kiane Von Mueffling’s Manhattan apartment. Designed by Iain Halliday and featured in the December/January issue of ELLE DÉCOR, it is a study in eclectic glamour. The use of scale is perfect and I love that the bright colors used take on the effect of neutrals in this space. Not to mention the amazing assortment of seating in this one room! All of the chairs are insanely beautiful. The cocktail and end tables aren’t too shabby, either.

Well, can you all believe that 2010 has come to an end? It’s been such an incredible year filled with new friendships, exciting new endeavors and a promising new path. I wish you all a lovely and safe New Year’s Eve and I’ll leave you with this Irish blessing: “May the best of the past be the worst of the future.” Happy New Year!

 

{Image Credit: William Waldron for ELLE DECOR }

Drumroll, please…

The winner of the wonderful book, Stealing Magnolias by Debra Shriver is entry #19, Christine of Bijou and Boheme per Random.org. She will be receiving a copy of this beautiful, inspiring book. I read it from cover to cover in an hour and was left wanting to visit the lovely city of New Orleans again soon. Thanks to Glitterati, Inc for donating a copy of this exquisite tome!

Congratulations, Christine!

Here’s to a Fabulous 2011!

2010 has been a year of surprising new paths, self-discovery, exciting travels, and promising new projects. Though it’s been mostly great, there have been some challenges as with any year. I can’t think of any other time that I have so eagerly anticipated a new year. I have a really good feeling about 2011! Part of my eager anticipation, no doubt, is due to my excitement for the official launch of High Gloss. We have been working so hard on the magazine and cannot wait to finally share it with everyone. We also have a TON of exciting and inspiring things planned for the rest of our 2011 editorial calendar, so it should be a year filled with travel and fun photo shoots (along with all of the hard work that goes into producing an issue)!

In the past, I’ve talked about the fact that I am a list-maker. Everyday, I operate with a to-do list. Yep, each day starts out with a Post-It on my desk and I work until I’ve checked everything off of it. Seeing as how I usually make the same resolutions over and over, I figured I would take the same approach I did in 2009 and make a to-do list for 2011 rather than random resolutions I am not likely to keep.

{1. Take charge of my organizational skills…a must with everything that I have to oversee and plan for the magazine. I also hope to be the best possible editor that I can be for High Gloss, creating a fresh, top-notch magazine that is inspiring to our readers. Embrace this newfound path that I am on. I have never been happier, more passionate, or more fulfilled by my career than I am now.}

{2. Continually search for inspiration for La Dolce Vita, High Gloss, and my own personal life, whether for the home or in fashion.}

{3. Seize opportunities that are presented to me and celebrate even the smallest victories! We are always are own worst critics.}

{4. Try not to sweat the small stuff, surround myself with positive people and laugh as much as possible!}

{5. Cherish every moment with loved ones and try to be a better wife, daughter, sister, friend, and puppy mom to Tate.}

{6. Travel whenever possible! Next to my husband Fabian, traveling is what I love most in life.}

Thank you all so much for your continued support. I know that some of you have been reading La Dolce Vita since its inception in the summer of 2007, while others of you are more recent additions. Welcome! I’m not sure if you all know this, but you all inspire and motivate me so, so much and for that, I am incredibly grateful. I hope to be able to continue to grow and develop this little, old blog without which so many things would not have been possible and to do my best to connect with you and inspire you on a daily basis in the new year. Thank you, my dears! Now, do tell…what are your resolutions for 2011?

Guest Blogging on Studio Ten 25

The lovely and talented, Abbe of StudioTen25.com invited me to participate in a guest series on her blog today. The topic is what I am most looking forward to in 2011. It was great to sit down and really think about my goals and the things that I am most looking forward to with High Gloss in the coming year. Please take a moment to check out my post along with some behind-the-scenes photos of the High Gloss team in action!

A Day in the Life…

Dear J.Crew Handbag,

If this is what a day in your life is like, then sign me up!

 

                                        Cheers,

                                        Paloma

 

                   {Video via the delightful, In Hot Pursuit}

Dream Home: Sacramento Street

Today’s “Dream Home” comes from the imagination of the lovely Caitlin of Sacramento Street. Given Caitlin’s classic, European-inspired style and romantic sensibility, I had a hunch that we were in for a dreamy home!

When Paloma emailed me about doing a post on my dream home my first thought was - of course, this should be an easy guest post . . . I was wrong. Scouring my favorite blogs for rooms I loved was enlightening and opened my eyes - I can tell you one thing, if I had to build a house right now, I would have too many ideas. Alas, I picked one direction I would go with and it's a more rustic look with a touch of modern.

Welcome to my home . . .

I'm a city girl through and through, but sometimes I daydream about living in the country with a huge garden. There's something so peaceful about living just a few miles away from a big city.

As you walk into my living room you'll notice the high ceilings. Every single house I grew up in had incredibly high ceilings - it makes a home feel so much bigger.

I've always been one to hang out in my kitchen or nook. As a child, I did my homework in the kitchen while my mom cooked dinner. Now, when we have people over for dinner or cocktails we always find ourselves in the kitchen chatting away. It's imperative that I have a large kitchen just for that reason alone, plus I love to cook.

I'm all about neutrals in bedrooms - crisp white sheets and clean linens. Anything that brings me tranquility is a must for my bedroom.

The moment I laid eyes on this bathroom I fell in love. The concrete floors, beautiful bathtub and the design are dream-worthy - this is definitely being saved for when I actually have my own home. The last space I bring you is my office - I currently have glass french doors like this in my apartment and I would love to have them in my future home, they add character. A space to call my own to work and blog would be amazing . . . one day!

Paloma, thank you so much for having me here today. This was such a fun guest post!

xx, Caitlin

Photos: 1. dress, design, decor via Verada 2 - 4. Morten Holtum 5 & 6. dress, design, decor via Elle Decor 7 & 8. french by design 9 . Paul Costello 10. Amanda Toril

Olivia Palermo for Vogue Spain

I can’t say that I’m surprised to see that Olivia Palermo has reached international style icon status. The girl is basically style personified. These gorgeous images come from an accessories spread in the January 2011 issue of Vogue España.

 

 

{Image Source}

This Week’s Quote

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Merry Christmas!

I am so blessed to have such amazing and supportive friends and readers. Thank you for your loyalty, support, and enthusiasm over this past year. I wish you all the most joyous of holidays!

Holiday Style by Meredith Heron

{Meredith Heron’s Lovely Foyer Dressed Up for Christmas}

It’s Christmas, so instead of featuring a “Fabulous Room” today, I figured, why not go all out and feature an entire home? I recently came across HGTV’s Meredith Heron’s beautiful Christmas decorations on Verdigris Vie and I just had to share the lovely photos with you all in case you hadn’t already seen them! Meredith’s home is already so lovely and stylish and her choice of festive, yet unexpected holiday decorations makes it even lovelier. I love that she didn’t choose a traditional color palette and that she included unusual and unexpected elements like peacock feathers.

{Lovely Details Scattered throughout the Home}

{There are so many great things going on in the dining room. I love the striped wall, framed art, and the charcoal Imperial Trellis on the chairs.}

{A Peek into the Adjoining Living Room…Who needs a full-sized Christmas tree?}

{Festive touches abound throughout the house. The ornaments and branches in the clear vase on the left are so simple, but look so chic.}

{Image Credit}

Book Review and Giveaway: Stealing Magnolias

When Glitterati Inc. first contacted me to see if I would be interested in reviewing their latest book, Stealing Magnolias by Debra Shriver, I was thrilled to learn that it was essentially a love letter to the magical city of New Orleans. You see, I’ve had New Orleans on my mind since visiting back in June. New Orleans is the type of city that penetrates your psyche and whether you realize it or not, you always take a little piece of it back home with you. Intrigued, I agreed to review the book and read it from cover to cover in about an hour. The images are stunning! You may remember the home of Debra Shriver from a spread in House Beautiful. However, as gorgeous as the images are, Shriver’s prose, the way in which she describes having New Orleans cast its spell over her and finding her forever home in the Crescent City is enthralling.

The book explores how Shriver and her husband were captivated by the allure of New Orleans on their frequent visits. Eventually, they decided to purchase a home in the Vieux Carré two months after Hurricane Katrina. Shriver describes the home’s storied past and it’s transformation into a gorgeous home filled with macaron-inspired colors worthy of a memorable spread in House Beautiful.

Shriver also delves into some of New Orleans most iconic topics: Creole and Cajun food, Mardi Gras, southern entertaining, voodoo and the dark side of the city, the history of monograms in New Orleans Culture, The French influence in New Orleans, and of course, a little lagniappe.

This is quite possibly my favorite quote from the book and the best way to sum up the mystique of this beautiful, old city: “I am always dreaming of New Orleans, both in my sleeping ‘travels’ and in my waking hours. Yet, with all my preoccupation with this three-hundred year old city, it is nearly impossible to isolate her, to try to break her ‘mojo’. The old city is at once exotic and familiar, cool and hot, scrappy and elegant, friendly and even dangerous. Her contradictions draw you in, and then, one by one, dominate your senses. Sight, sound, scent, and taste collude and conspire to captivate.”

{A Few More Images of Shriver’s Home via House Beautiful}

{The Garconniere}

{The kitchen with it’s iconic banana leaf wallpaper opens onto a courtyard.}

{The home pays homage to the history of New Orleans along with many local jazz musicians. Shriver’s dogs are even named Louis and Ella.}

The generous people at Glitterati Inc have agreed to give away a copy of this beautiful book to one lucky La Dolce Vita reader!

1. To enter the giveaway, simply leave a comment on this blog post telling me what you love most about New Orleans.

2. Leave ONE comment on this post between today, Thursday, December 23, 2010 and Thursday, December 30, 2010. A winner will be announced on Friday, December 31, 2010.

For  Extra Entries:

3. Follow La Dolce Vita on Facebook.

4. Post about this giveaway on Twitter with a link to this blog post for another entry (follow La Dolce Vita on twitter in order to show me your tweet). It is up to you to return to this post to enter your additional entry after tweeting about the giveaway.

5. Anonymous entries will be ignored, so please include your e-mail in your comment. Your e-mail address will never be used for anything other than to notify you if you are the winner.

Good luck, everyone!

Kristen Buckingham’s New L.A. Showroom

You may recall the eclectic home of Kristen Buckingham and her husband, Lindsey Buckingham of Fleetwood Mac fame from the January 2010 issue of ELLE DÉCOR. I know it’s been etched in my memory ever since. Her home is filled with so many amazing, unique details that it has managed to stand out among the many, many interiors I look at day in and day out.

A self-described aficionada of period-details, Kristen finds the 1920s homes of Los Angeles architect, Walter Neff (her own included) to be the ultimate design challenge. Kristen's aesthetic puts a subversive spin on otherwise traditional design elements. I love the way she marries pieces from various periods, design movements, and cultures to create a perfectly layered look. The result is very bohemian and feels very European. Ultimately, Kristen fuses the modern and traditional, looking to the past for inspiration while creating harmonious spaces that suit the needs of present-day families.

{The Buckingham's kitchen features a Murano glass chandelier from eBay, custom cabinetry painted in Benjamin Moore's Night Shade, and cement tile flooring from Mission Tile West. The large kitchen also features carrara marble counters and backsplash, an abundance of storage, and a large island, painted white with a butcher block top.}

{This room belongs to Kristen’s 10 year old son. The bedding was custom made using Clarence House fabric and the framed prints are pages from a vintage children's book.}

{I love the glamorous, traditional elements in Kristen’s dining room. It almost reminds me of a stately New Orleans home. How cute is that pup?}

{This lovely bathroom features a pair of the Carlyle Mirrors from Kristen’s line of furniture and accessories.}

{This boho study features the glamorous Porter Bookshelves, which are part of Kristen’s furniture line.}

{This spectacular dressing room feels very dreamy as a result of the antiqued mirrors, crystal chandeliers, and soft color palette.}

 

Kristen recently opened a showroom in Los Angeles’ vibrant La Cienega Design Quarter. The showroom features Kristen’s fantastic collection of custom furnishings, casegoods, upholstery, outdoor furnishings, mirrors, and lighting fixtures. It’s definitely on my list of places to visit when I head back to Los Angeles in the new year!

{The high gloss black and turquoise door at the showroom is so inviting!}

{An amazing array of vintage finds and pieces designed by Kristen Buckingham coexist beautifully in her new showroom.}

{I love showrooms like Kristen’s because they carry an assortment of styles that appeal to a broad array of clients. She also understands the importance of layering fabrics, textures, patterns, and styles to create a chic, perfectly-cultivated look. Notice the fabulous Mr. Guy chair in the left corner of the photo. Love it!}

{I am particularly obsessed with Kristen’s amazing collection of outdoor furniture. Many of the pieces are shown here. The Laurent Etagere is easily the most gorgeous piece of furniture I’ve laid my eyes on in some time. Be sure to take a look at it on her website to get the full effect. It is beyond!}

{So many lovely pieces! The beauty of incorporating vintage and vintage-inspired furnishings into one’s home is that they not only add tons of character, but they don’t end up looking dated two years later. Check out the fabulous art on the walls!}

{Pieces from Kristen’s lovely outdoor collection comingle with glamorous crystal chandeliers in the front of the showroom.}

{Not only do I love the tufting on this sofa, I am also crazy about the dramatic mirror and amazing art on the wall in this vignette.}

 

{Images Courtesy of Kristen Buckingham and ELLE DÉCOR}