Personal Style, Defined: coco + kelley

The wonderful Cassie of coco + kelley was slated to share her take on "Personal Style" with us last Tuesday while I was in London and while she was an awesome contributor and sent the post to me days in advance, I had some technical issues across the pond (more on London very soon!)and have been unable to share her post with you until now. However, I think it is definitely worth the wait. Cassie is the consummate blogger, is incredibly sweet and equally talented. She has killer style and I am so excited that she is sharing her design philosophy and process with us.

As an Interior Designer, I love helping others find their personal style when it comes to
their home. But, when it comes to my own? Forget it! So many options,
ideas, colors, patterns, materials... it feels impossible! So, when
Paloma asked me to contribute to her Personal Style
series, I was instantly ecstatic and horrified. Where to start?

Well, I did exactly what I ask my clients to do - I went through my
huge collection of rooms, and started pulling anything that really spoke to
me in its overall design - may of which I'm sure you'll find familiar
- and then looked at them as a collective and discovered a few things...

1. I love lucite:
I love the element of clarity in a room - I do not consider myself a minimalist,
but by using materials like lucite and acrylic, it allows me to keep
a room feeling open. It also helps bring the modern contrast to more
traditional materials and pieces - something I absolutely love to do
when designing a space.




2. I am a collector:
I like to purchase furniture and accessories because I love them - not
necessarily because they all 'go' together. This habit tends to
create spaces that look a little mishmashed, and it certainly takes
some effort to pull them together at times, but I wouldn't have it
any other way! I try to mimic this style in my client's homes as well
- there's no rule that says you can't mix modern, traditional,
midcentury, and gothic all in one place!

3. I require a touch of bohemia:

Along with mixing and matching my eras, being a California girl makes me crave a
touch of bohemain style in all my rooms. I think we all define
bohemia in our own way, and for me it usually means adding a piece
that makes the room feel more casual - in the case of these rooms the
wicker stool and the throw pillows on the bed do exactly this.

4. I prefer light rooms and neutral pieces:
White walls and neutral palettes give me a great base to work from, and
that's what makes me love them. Where others see 'boring' I see
'possibility'. Because I change my mind on what I love. A LOT.

5. I never leave a room without a little touch of glamour: It's amazing what a shiny piece of chrome can do to a room, don't you think? When I think of glamour, I usually think metallics. I use everything from gilded mirrors and accessories to crystal chandeliers, and furniture pieces like those above to provide that unexpected pop that adds just a little be of sex appeal to any design.

Room sources: 1. ny mag, 2. martha stewart, 3 - 5. domino, 4. the city sage 5. domino, 6. elle decor, 7. domino, 8. canadian house & home

London, here we come!

After what has felt like a very stressful packing experience, we are finally heading to London in a few hours. We have a long list of things to see and do and are excited to not only experience one of the greatest cities in the world, but to spend some relaxing, quality time together. Please pray that we have a smooth flight and that our luggage arrives safely along with us. That always makes me so nervous! I will try to check in and post as soon as possible.

If you're a new reader, I'd like to invite you to check out the La Dolce Vita archives over the next few days. I am positive that you will find plenty of good reads and eye candy!

These gorgeous images of London are from Joep R. on flickr. Be sure to check out the rest of his albums. His work is beautiful.

Fabulous Room Friday 09.04.09

This week's fabulous room is the amazing kitchen of Sabrina Linn as featured in Canadian House and Home magazine. I love the soaring ceiling, industrial feel of the concrete floor and exposed ceiling, and of course, the white cabinetry. I think the stars of the show are the accessories that Linn chose for her space. From the hardware that dresses up the non-custom cabinets, to the elegant lines of the chair sitting watch under the huge and unique lighting fixture, to the whimsical use of a glamorous starburst mirror and tulip stool with aubergine upholstery, the look is modern, glamorous, and inspiring.

London Style

It would be a nearly impossible feat to try to contain British style to a few categories, but seeing as how we are heading to London in a mere two days, I have had London style on the brain non-stop. Well, that and a to-do list with about a million things on it that need to be done before Friday. When I think of Londoner's style in general, the words sophisticated, cutting-edge, edgy, ladylike, and chic all come to mind. The same is true of how I feel about London interiors despite the fact that I haven't been there just yet. Today, I am featuring three stylish London homes from the pages of Living, etc. that I feel represent London style.

The first home, seen above and immediately below is my favorite for its mix of new and vintage pieces as well as the use of color and patterns. The vibe is definitely edgy and a little subversive with a bit of a punk attitude.

I love the graphic rug, dark furniture, and antique trunk coffee table.

Same room, different view
Who doesn't love a fabulous starburst and a great selection of reading material?


The dressing room features a more serene color palette. I love the wall color and the fantastic built-ins.

The following home belongs to accessories designer, LuLu Guiness. The British are frequently regarded as sophisticated, polished, and well-mannered. This often translates into their interiors and in the past it has been interpreted with traditional furnishings and chintz fabrics. I am definitely not a fan of that look. Though I consider myself to be rather feminine, I like my interiors to have a bit of a masculine edge. Pretty is not enough for me.

I absolutely love Guiness' modern twist on classic, prim British style. Her Victorian townhouse is utterly feminine and flirty with a cheeky sense of humor. While pretty and feminine, it is modern enough not to leave a saccharin after-taste.

LuLu and her dog in her gorgeous, light-filled kitchen

I love this silhouette print! I think she almost looks like Sophia Loren in the 1960s.

Pretty and not at all stuffy

Lulu's bathroom is fabulous! I love the paintcolor and tilework, along with the gorgeous lucite vanity and vintage chair.

I have found that new construction in most of the world veers towards streamlined minimalism and that definitely comes to mind when I think of British interiors. I think of London especially, as a sleek, modern city, so I would imagine that many of its inhabitants would want to live that way. This last home is a loft in East London's Shoreditch neighborhood. While the lines are sleek and its nature as a loft invites a natural sort of minimalism, the owners have softened it up through their use of a warm color palette and layers of textures and accessories.

I love the exposed brick in the bedroom. The white linens, billowy drapes, and capiz chandelier give it a very romantic feel.

I love the glam element they've added through the use of this metallic wallpaper.

The large living area is clearly defined and features a variety of textures.

I love the vintage industrial vibe that the styling and use of accessories have given this otherwise modern kitchen. The exposed brick also softens the space a great deal.

All images via Living, etc.

Personal Style, Defined: Elements of Style

Elements of Style was one of the first interior design blogs that I ever started reading. I loved that everything felt fresh and attainable, and I loved Erin's killer style. Like me, she tends to like layered spaces with various textures, colors, and of course, patterns. She likes to mix the classic with the trendy, the high with the low, until the perfect balance is achieved. I would be thrilled to have Erin design my home any day, so you can imagine how excited I am that she is participating in the Personal Style, Defined series.

Attempting to define my personal style through images was quite a challenge. Being "design ADD" renders me blessed with an open mind and broad adoration of various styles, but it also leaves me unable to contain myself in one "style". I can love a modern loft and a rustic country home with the same fervor. So what I did was go through my "favorites file" and just snag the images the jumped out at my first without thinking to hard about them. It was an interesting exercise (one that may help others when trying to define their own style) and left me with a series of images that veer towards bold color and a mix of modern and traditional styles.
These two images below sum it up the look nicely. Pattern makes me happy, weather it's in the form of an amazing wallpaper or a huge wall of books.

One thing that is for certain, I love me some zebra. Truly, it's hard for me to design a room without a little punch of zebra somewhere. It adds a graphic quality to any style decor without being modern OR traditional. These entryways below are bit more modern, but I simply adore them in all their zebra-ness. From Ashley Whittaker's amazing wallpapered hall to Jonathan Adler's pink walls. One equation that always creates a perfect look in this area of the house= a console + ottoman(s)+ dramatic mirror+lamps or tall accessories.

This vignette is so completely me- orange and turquoise are a color combo I have not tired of!

This room by Miles Redd is so over the top and so very me. Anyone who upholsters doors in zebra with nail heads (another fave of mine) is rock star in my book The gallery style art wall and traditional furniture adds up to a space that is unexpected, happy and comfortable at the same time.


This living room is designed by a fellow Boston designer and I have always LOVED the mural on the wall. Another example of adding something unexpected to a room while keeping the overal furniture rather traditional.

Jenna Lyon's home is one that I could move into and be just fine (note: more zebra. I may need to find a recovery group for zebra addicts). If I could have any space in the world to live in, it would probably be a space with the classic architectural detail of this one. Large windows, high ceilings, detailed trim work, old wood floors- nothing would make me happier!

Do I even need to explain why I love her "closet"? And her bathroom which is so simple but so dramatic. Black paint is so in my future with whatever space we move into next. It is so rich and makes every element in a room pop (like the brass plumbing in this one).

Now for my three most favorite kitchens of all time. The first designed by Brooke Gianetti of Velvet & Linen. This light filled space is clean, classic and just AMAZING.

For something with a bit more punch, Gwyneth Paltrow's kitchen in her Hampton's house makes me weak in the knees. The graphite grey cabinets and the white chandeliers hung over the island are so unique. A prime example of why life is not fair: she gets this kitchen AND Chris Martin? Share the wealth, sista....

This eat-in Windsor Smith kitchen has long been a favorite of mine too- and a bit more on the traditional side. The combination of faux bamboo side chairs and monogrammed wingback chairs leaves me breathless.

I wish the whole kitchen had a floor like this one though- how magnificent!

Two bedrooms that certainly define my style- the Miles Redd designed bedroom with chinoiserie paper and canopy bed (a pair of colored ceramic gourd lamps ALWAYS makes a space delightful in my opinion!) This other bedroom by Amanda Nisbet puts all the focus on a simply stunning light fixture.

The minute I saw Mary McDonald's office in Domino I am pretty sure I screamed. Again, the combination of traditional, feminine details with modern, graphic punches is exactly how I like my own space to look.

My adoration of her work continues in these two spaces of her own home...that herringbone painted floor? *Sigh*

And finally, a space that is VERY important to me- outdoor space. I love being outside and a city roof deck like this one below (in my town of Boston) would suit me just fine. As would sitting by a fire in a more suburban location, like the home of Pieces owner Lee Kleinhelter.

Thanks for having me by Paloma, I hope you all enjoyed a peek inside my favorite spaces!