Get the Look: (Faux) Fur Throws and Blankets

Hi all! Arianna here, back with another Get the Look post!

I love the look of fur throws and blankets. They add texture and interest in a space and also help create a sense of coziness and warmth that is especially inviting during colder weather months.

When it comes to getting the look, faux is definitely the way to go. They are just as soft and luxurious as the real thing, are less expensive, and most importantly don't require animals to be harmed for them to be made.

Do you have any faux fur throws or blankets in your own home? I have one in dark brown that I received as a gift awhile ago and everyone, including my pup, loves curling up in it. I'm considering getting another one that will work with our current decor. A few lovely options I've been eyeing:

1- white mink faux fur, 2- chocolate faux fur, 3- ombre fuax fur , 4- ivory faux fur, 5- grey faux fur, 6- luxe faux fur , 7- tanuki faux fur, 8- ivory mink faux fur

image sources (from top): 1-design by ryan korban as featured in tradhome, 2-leslie cohen, 3-original source unknown, 4- home of kate walsh as featured in instyle magazine, 5-carrier and co., 6-home of camille styles photographed by paige newton, 7-photography by ditte isager for harper's Bazaar, interior design by ryan korban, 8- original source unknown, found via here, 9- home of keri russell as featured in elle decor

Get the Look: A Living Room by Laurie McFarland

Hi everyone! Arianna here, back with some more decor inspiration. For this month's Get the Look I'm featuring a gorgeous living room by Arkansas interior designer Laurie McFarland.

While the flooring, wall color, and main furnishings are all neutral, the room is anything but boring. Vibrant decorative pillows deliver a burst of color and enliven the space. Large mirrors flanking either side of the sofa make a symmetrical statement while giving the illusion of spatial depth. Silk draperies and touches of gold add a sense luxury and glamour.

Get the look with these pieces:

1. double gourd lamp, 2. mosaic mirror, 3. pink patterned pillow, 4. magenta velvet pillow, 5. gold greek key lumbar, 6. gold-leaf side table, 7. linen chair

photograph of living room by Nancy Nolan via At Home in Arkansas

Get The Look: Brown and White Bedrooms

Hola! Arianna of Arianna Belle here, back with another ''Get the Look'' post. A brown bedroom may conjure up images of a dark, heavy, uninspiring space, but when done right, the look can be stunning. Case in point, these beautiful bedrooms below by Tom Stringer (top) and Phoebe Howard (bottom):



In each space, the rich brown walls add a warmth and create a dramatic background for the white bed linens, which look extra crisp thanks to the color contrast. The patterned rug adds a graphic punch and balances out the walls. Here's how to get the look in your own home:

1- bedding, 2- paint, 3- pillow, 4- rug

Would you do or have you done brown in your bedroom?

Beautifully Organized: Magazine Storage Part 2

Hi all! It's Arianna of Arianna Belle, back with some more home organization inspiration. In the last 'Beautifully Organized' post I talked about organizing the latest magazine issues - the ones that are current reading material. Today I want to go over a few tips on organizing old magazine issues that you've held onto for future reference. You may have heard the organizing rule that you should only keep the most current issue of any given magazine and toss the rest. While that may be a good idea for many, I don't believe it's necessarily a rule all should follow. If you're anything like me, you love your shelter and fashion glossies and like to go through old issues from time to time for a jolt of visual inspiration for a blog post, design project, etc. Oftentimes an issue from a few years ago is just as inspiring as a current one and the tactile experience of flipping through the pages is a nice break from all the digital.

Since new issues arrive to us every month from various subscriptions though, the challenge is not letting the collection get out of control. Most of don't have space to store every single issue of every single publication. What I like to do is, when I get a new magazine in, as I'm reading through it, I fold down the corner of pages that have inspiring content. If I only dog-ear two or three pages, I rip those out, save them in a magazine clippings binder and recycle the remainder of the magazine. If I find that I've dog-eared tons of pages though, I keep the magazine.

Here's a few ideas on how to store the keepers:

Separate them out by type...

 
Place stacks of them on open shelving in the living room, entry, bedroom, or office. If done neatly, they can be integrated nicely into the decor of a space.

 
Alternatively, place them in magazine files a la Carrie Bradshaw...

 
Ikea and the Container Store are my go-to places to get magazine files. You can either turn them around so the fully covered side is facing towards the front, and label them for a clean, streamlined look...

 
Or you can turn them the opposite way so that the upper half of the magazines show...

 
It's a good idea to turn the files this side when you don't have labels on them. Bonus: It looks particularly nice when the spines are colorful!

Tell us, do you collect magazines? How do you organize and store them?

Hope this inspired some ideas for your own home. ‘Til next time!
-Arianna

Hey, guys! It’s Paloma. I just had to pop in on Arianna’s post to share one more beautiful photo illustrating fabulous magazine storage. If you have the space to do it, this may be the way to go. My dear friend Mark Sikes has devoted the built-in shelves in his chic library to  his amazing twenty-year collection of magazines. Fabulous, right?

image credits: 1- 7th house on the left 2- mimi + meg, 3- photography by danielle moss styling by alexandra berlin design, 4- scan from your home is a sanctuary via this is glamorous, 5- martha stewart, 6- canadian house and home, 7- hbo's sex and the city, 8- via lonny mag, 9- via for the love of pretty, 10- deliciously organized, 11- i heart organizing, 12- arianna belle, 13- found via this pin, 14- mark d sikes

Get the Look: A Modern Office

Hola! Arianna here, back with some more decor inspiration. For this month's Get the Look I'm featuring the office of Erin Hiemstra - a bright, clean, inviting space with with modern elements.

Create a similar look with these pieces:

1. An updated Queen Anne-style chair in all white

2. Brass dome pendants for a touch of refined glamour

3. A sleek brass desk accessory to stylishly hold pencils and other tools

4. A clear acrylic tray to keep the desk neat and organized

5. A modern floating desk with clean lines and a metallic base

6. A cozy faux sheepskin rug to soften and add warmth

Get the Look: A Beach Chic Room by Carrier and Company

Hi everyone! Arianna here, back with more decor inspiration. For this month's Get the Look I'm featuring this beautiful living room from the Long Island home of Catherine Marron (previously Senior Features Editor at Vogue) designed by Carrier and Company.

 

 This space exudes a sense of casual elegance that is very inviting and reminds me a bit of the set of one of my favorite movies, Something's Gotta Give. Achieve a similar fresh Hamptons beach house look with these pieces:

1- rattan dining chair, 2- mani indigo blue pillow, 3- bangalore paisley navy pillow, 4- handwoven jute rug, 5- white bookcase, 6- slipper chair, 7- tala bluemarine pillow, 8- porcelain chinoiserie lamp, 9- reclaimed wood round table

Get the Look: A Modern Breakfast Nook

Hi everyone! Arianna here back with another Get the Look post. Today I have for you a modern black and white breakfast nook played up with colorful accessories that bring it to life:

Create a similar look with these pieces:

1-white pendant light, 2-white frame, 3-abstract artwork, 4-pitcher, 5-solid pillow with ribbon border, 6-patterned pillow, 7-red glass goblets, 8-geometric vase, 9-modern white chair with black seat

Hope this inspires some ideas for your own home. Til next time!

-Arianna

photograph at top via BHG

Get the Look: Angie Hranowsky

Hi everyone! Arianna here, back with more decor inspiration. For this month's Get the Look, I'm featuring a space designed by one of my favorite interior designers, Angie Hranowsky. I love that it successfully incorporates a beautiful mix of styles and color in a fun and energizing way that feels inviting. Below are a few pieces for creating a similar look:

1- wall paint - Organdy by Benjamin Moore // 2- fine art print - The Pink Lake by Parima Studio // 3- Dorthy Draper inspired cabinet chest // 4- tangerine slipper chair// 5- book - 1940 Edition of I Married Adventure by Osa Johnson // 6- yellow vases // 7- vintage gilt faux bamboo glass coffee table

Get the Look: A Modern, Glamorous Bedroom

Hi all! Arianna of Arianna Belle here, back this time with a new series focused around how to 'get the look' of our favorite inspiring interiors.

I've had this bedroom saved in my inspiration file for some time now. I love that it evokes a sense of clam and coziness and at the same time, is chic with a touch of glamour. The overall neutral color palette is tranquil, the grasscloth on the walls brings in beautiful texture and warmth, while the details throughout, such as the nailhead trim on the headboard and the greek key design on the nightstands, add interest. Below I've sourced pieces that would help achieve a similar look:

1- grasscloth wallpaper, 2- tall curved headboard with nailheads, 3- yellow patterned fabric for a bolster pillow, 4- black lamp shade, 5- aged mirror table lamp base, 6- grey border bedding, 7- greek key double O'verlay to transform a plain nightstand

bedroom image source: lonny magazine

Get the Look: Abstract Art and Glamorous Gold

Hi LDV readers! Arianna of Arianna Belle here, back with another 'Get the Look' post.

This living room space has showed up a couple of times on my Pinterest feed and every time I see it, I'm drawn to it all over again. The mix of blues, bright coral red and gold is upbeat and energizing, yet because the walls, sofa and coffee table are kept neutral, the colors in the space overall don't feel too overwhelming. The artwork, which the pillows tie in nicely to, has beautiful visual flow and movement. The gold accessories bring in an always welcome touch of glam, and the furry throw adds soft texture and coziness. Here's a round-up of pieces that can help you achieve a similar look:

1- art print , 2- gold wishbone, 3- gold feather, 4- sofa, 5- velvet gold pillow, 6- light blue ikat pillow, 7- velvet bright coral red pillow, 8- faux sheepskin, 9- white tray, 10- gold urchins, 11- coffee table

top image source: cozamia

Beautifully Organized: Dos and Don’ts

Hello all! Arianna here of Arianna Belle Organized Interiors. Today I'm here to share with you my list of Do's and Don'ts for one of the most common new year resolutions: getting your home organized. I hope you find the tips helpful!



DON'T give up before you even start. It can be easy to look at all the clutter, get overwhelmed, decide the task is too hard, and throw your hands up in defeat. Work in chunks and keep in mind that it can take time. One-day complete overhauls like you see on TV aren't typical. Take it one room, corner, or cabinet at a time, you'll get there.

DO start with a vision. Have some fun tearing out pages of magazines, pinning images from design blogs, etc. to create an inspiration board of how you want your space to look, function and feel. This will not only give you motivation and get you excited about what you'll be working towards, but it'll give you a criteria to judge during the editing process, whether or not particular items fit into that vision and should remain in the space.



DO create sorting categories (Keep, Don't Keep) as well as sub-categories. Keep like items together based on type, color, function, etc.

DON'T throw all unwanted items directly into the trash. Divert as much as possible from landfills by donating items that are still in usable condition and putting paper, plastics, etc. into the recycling bin (check your city's recycling program to see what's recyclable - it's probably more items than you think).



DON'T talk yourself into keeping something that you already have enough of, you never use, puts you in a bad mood, doesn't fit you, isn't your style, and/or doesn't serve a functional purpose for the life you have now.

DO keep items that you love, make you happy, and help you live your best life.

DON'T keep more items than what actually fit into your space.

DO work within your space means.



DON'T go out and buy organizing products/containers prior to sorting through your belongings and determining where items will "live". Waiting will allow you to get the sizes and shapes that will maximize use of the space.

DO assign a "home" to items based on where you're most likely to use them and how often you need to access them.

DON'T forget to label containers whose contents are not obvious.

DO use storage that will work with the existing or planned decor of your space.



DON'T bring any unnecessary items into your space. That means thinking twice prior to purchasing something new, skipping the "free gift", putting a stop to the junk mail, etc.

DO maintain your space. Make sure items return to their "home" each day, re-asses your belongings from time to time, and adapt your space as your needs change.

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-Arianna

image credits: 1-via glitter guide, 2-via pinterest, 3-via apartment therapy, 4-scan from harper's, 5-via fab sugar, 6-via glitter guide, 7-domino

My Home Tour + A New Venture

 

{View of the Faux Bamboo Credenza in My Entryway}

I’m thrilled to share some very exciting news with you today! First off, Style Me Pretty Living, the lifestyle arm of the hugely popular Style Me Pretty is featuring a tour of my home today. Over the past six years, I have shared a few small glimpses of my home with you, but this is the first time that I am really putting it all out there. For the past several months, I have been hard at work tackling several design projects around the house to get everything in tip top shape and I finally feel like I’ve gotten things to a place worth sharing. You can check out the feature and full tour here. I hope you like it!

{My Family Room featuring Curtains by The Curtain Exchange, Custom Sofas, Hicks Pendant and Metal Banded Table Lamp from Circa Lighting, and Coral Linen Pillows with Greek Key Trim that I Commissioned from Arianna Belle}

Last month, I shared the news with you that I had decided to leave my post as Director of Marketing at Visual Comfort & Co. in order to focus on my blog and my newest venture. Well, the time has come to finally divulge the secret I’ve been keeping for the past few months! In addition to focusing on my blog, I made the leap to working for myself again in order to launch my eponymous interior design and consulting firm. On some level, I’ve always known that this was exactly where my career path would eventually lead me, but I had an epiphany at the beginning of the year and asked myself ‘what are you waiting for?’. I knew that it was time to focus on the two things that I love and know the most— blogging and interior design! I have quietly worked on design projects over the past couple of years, but never advertised my services since I still had my full-time job and was barely able to keep my head above water with such a full plate.

{PalomaContreras.com is Live!}

I am so excited to be able to dedicate all of my time to what I know is my true calling and look forward to sharing my adventures with you! I have a few really cool projects that I am currently working on and will definitely share some sneak peeks with you soon. In the meantime, I hope you’ll check out my home tour on Style Me Pretty and take a look at my website where you can view my portfolio and learn more about my services which include Full-Service Interior Design, my Design Concierge Service, and Consulting for anyone looking to grow and leverage their brand. Thank you for your support and encouragement along my journey in the six years since starting La Dolce Vita. I would have never had the courage to take the risks that I have without you.
P.S. A special thanks to Kate LeSueur who captured the beautiful images of my home and another big thank you to Kelly of Fabulous K who I have worked with for the past couple of months on my branding and website! You girls are the best!

Chic Combinations: Grey and Yellow

Hello everyone! Arianna here, back with some more color inspiration. Today I'm featuring the combination of grey and yellow, which though not too long ago was considered "trendy", I still love. The two colors are a perfect complement to each other and can help create sophisticated decor. While grey is a very elegant neutral, on it's own it can be a little boring, so accenting it with cheery yellow, adds a happy balancing energy. The spaces below are beautiful examples:

Bring these colors into your own home with these pieces:

1- abstract painting, 2- yellow mirror, 3- grey pillow, 4- yellow pillow, 5- grey drawer chest, 6- grey upholstered chair, 7 - yellow side table

 

image sources: 1 - design by will wick, 2 - design by steven gambrel, 3 - abby larson's dining room as featured in domino, 4 - design by mary mcdonald, 5 - design by steven gambrel

Chic Combinations: Lavender + Cream

Hi everyone! Arianna here, with a new installment of 'Chic Combinations.' Today I'm spotlighting spaces that combine lavender (and it's variations like lilac and mauve) with creamy whites and beiges. As you'll see in the inspiration images below, this combo exudes grown-up femininity and feels very graceful and serene.

Below, a few pieces for creating a similar look in your own home:

1- sheets, 2- wallpaper, 3- bed, 4- pillow, 5- throw, 6- ottoman, 7-lamp

image sources: 1- unknown, 2- design by meredith heron | photography by Stacey Brandford via style at home, 3- jed root, 4- vanessa jackman blog, 5- coco cozy, 6- studio annetta blog, 7- atlanta homes mag

Beautifully Organized: The Lingerie Drawer

Hello my dears! Arianna of Arianna Belle Organized Interiors here! This week we're taking a look at the lingerie drawer.

A few tips for getting it beautifully organized:

• Get rid of undergarments that don't fit you properly, are uncomfortable, and/or are worn out. In other words, out go the pieces that you never wear or feel good wearing. They're just cluttering up your drawer and getting in the way of being able to easily find the pieces you do wear. Bras in good condition can be recycled here.
• Sort the keepers by type: bras, undies, camisoles, etc.
• ...as well as by function: everyday, fancy, etc.
• You can also sort by color, if that's something you consider when selecting what to wear: nude, black, brights, etc.
• Arrange based on frequency of use. Everyday undergarments need to be the most easily accessible, so they should be up front or in the most easy to reach drawer. Pieces you only use once in awhile, such as for a certain occasion or with a particular type of clothing, can go in the back or in a less accessible drawer.
• Use dividers to keep everything sorted and in place within the drawer. Be sure to first look at what you have, and measure the height, width and depth of your drawer(s) before buying anything! A few options:

interlocking drawer organizers

linen drawer organizer, linus closet drawer organizer, skubb storage set (<I use these in my own drawers)

Hope you found the tips useful!

Til next time - happy organizing!

-Arianna

1-lucky mag, 2-redbook mag, 3- via idiva

Chic Combinations: Blue and White

Hey guys! Arianna here, back with some more color inspiration. Today I'm putting the spotlight on a combo that I can't get enough of - blue and white. It's a classic that will never go out of style. Often used in coastal decor and chic outdoor spaces, it's reminiscent of summer.

Pieces to create the look:

1- border bedding, 2- indigo pillow, 3- navy riviera chair, 4- bistro tray, 5- navy sofa, 6- striped rug, 7- white orchid, 8- spotted pillow

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Image sources: 1- design by Victoria Hagan, photo by Michael Mundy, via Elle Decor; 2- design by Lonni Paul, photo by Michael Garland, via Traditional Home; 3- via Elle Decor; 4- design by David Lawrence, photo by Jose Picayo, via House Beautiful; 5- via DIY Network