This Week’s Quote

What is your passion? How do you invest your time in it?

{Image via ShopBop}

Fabulous Room Friday 07.13.12

Okay, first things first—who is superstitious? I ask because it’s Friday the 13th. I’ll be sure to send positive thoughts of good luck your way!

How amazing is this dressing room designed by Thom Filicia? Unabashedly feminine with a touch of whimsy and zero pretense, this space has such a refreshing, bohemian vibe. I love the marble-topped island, glamorous, built-in vanity, and of course, the Frances Elkins chair with coral upholstery. The pendant over the island is a great touch. I am fantasizing about filling the island with all of my jewelry. I don’t love the butterfly and bird treatment on the closet doors, but I do like them. What are your thoughts? Could you see yourself in this space? Do you like that it is unapologetically over-the-top or would you prefer something a bit more subdued.

 

{Image via Thom Filicia}

La Dolce Vita on Joss & Main

I am thrilled to share that I will be curating a sale for Joss & Main starting this evening! The event will go live at 8:00 pm CST and will feature a fabulous assortment of furniture, textiles, lighting, and accessories centered around the theme of “Bold Glamour”. I hand-picked each item and made sure that they were representative of the “La Dolce Vita” aesthetic. There will be lots of statement-making pieces for a steal, so don’t miss out! Click here to check out the sale.

La Dolce Vita + One Kings Lane Blogger Challenge

I was recently invited to participate in a One Kings Lane Blogger Challenge in conjunction with their new Vintage & Market Finds site. The task at hand was to find a place in my home that I would like to style differently and use items hand-selected by the One Kings Lane team from their Vintage & Market finds to create a new look. I opted for the vintage Parsons console table that I have in my bedroom. My mom purchased it in the 1970s, but it dates back to the 1960s. She gave it to Fabian and I about a year ago and we decided to paint it high gloss peacock blue. Other than adding a couple of stacks of design books and style tomes, we hadn’t really gotten around to styling the table, so it was the perfect little vignette for the One Kings Lane Blogger Challenge.
{From Left: Galerie Karsten Greve, an art book from a vintage book dealer, a framed piece of vintage wallpaper, a black and gold candy tray, a cool, green footed bowl with ombré finish, and an amber bottle from the 1960s.}

I completed a survey and was interviewed by the One Kings Lane team, who gauged my taste and preferences and sent me a box with the goodies pictured above for me to use in my vignette. Before I show you the full “after”, I’ll show you what the Parsons table looked like before I styled it with my Vintage Market Finds.

{Before, I had a couple of stacks of design books, a potted orchid, zebra painting from Etsy, gold-leaf bowl, a framed photo of Tate, and an iomoi tray on the Parsons table in my bedroom.}

{Looking Towards the Table from the Bed}

{After, you’ll notice how I incorporated my “new” Vintage Market Finds from One Kings Lane.}

{I love a good mixing styles and the items from Vintage Market Finds are a perfect addition to the mix. My Marcel Breuer leather chair and the Parsons table are very mid-century modern, while the natural wood finish of the mirror adds a great, soft contrast. Mixing in framed vintage wallpaper, the cool footed glazed pot that I transferred my orchid to, black and gold candy dish, and amber bottle add layers of colors and textures that really complete the space.}

{I noticed on the season finale of Mad Men that Don Draper and his new wife,

Mrs. Zou Bisou Bisou have three of these Italian glass bottles grouped together in their home. It made me like my fabulous little bottle even more!}

{I decided to put some of my favorite pieces of jewelry that I wear quite often on the little black and gold candy dish. They add some texture and a bit of glamour which I can’t help but love!}

{Finally, to give you a better feel for the overall space, this is our bed. I apologize for the lopsided, shadowy photo. It’s really hard to photograph the room because of the direction the window faces.}

{Fabian’s Nightstand}

{My Nightstand—I definitely need a pro to photograph this space because the light in this room is so difficult to get right!}

Do tell, do you prefer the before or the after? Which of my Vintage Market Finds items is your favorite? Head over to One Kings Lane’s Live.Love.Home for my interview and more on the One Kings Lane Blogger Challenge.

Anatomy of a Home: Breakfast Rooms

Michael Siller

Hello again from Lauren with The Semi-Designed Life! I'm back with yet another thrilling episode of Anatomy of a Home. Today, we'll be disecting breakfast rooms. Breakfast rooms are kind of foreign to me. I was a dining-room-only child. Ok, let's get real. I was mostly an eat-in-front-of-the-TV-child. So this whole concept of eating in the kitchen just doesn't do it for me. That is, unless there's a TV in there.

I've been doing lots of research on breakfast rooms because my man bud only has a breakfast room in terms of his eating premises. So when I move in at the end of September, a breakfast room and I will officially be dating. And I'm going to have to find a way to squeeze a TV into that equation.

I especially love to hearts this breakfast room featured above. I had the privilege of seeing it in person and she's supes precious. I couldn't get over how the banquette was flush up against the island. Such a room saver! Especially if you don't use bar stools. Which clearly aren't as comfortable for the TV watching/dining equation.

 

Anatomy Lesson #1: Get creative with space. Even if you have a lot of room to work with, make your breakfast room a little nook you would never want to leave.

 

Lonny Magazine - Tobi Tobin

 

This is the epitome of a nook. I love the coziness yet vast expansiveness by utilizing the amazing view to open the space up. It also provides a treasure trove of storage by adding the ledge above the windows. And don't think I didn't notice the conveniently located bar in the corner there. Cleverly located, Tobi, very clever. You never know when you might need a bit of the hair of the dog. And if I lived here, I would certainly be napping on the banquette after a long night out.

 

Anatomy Lesson #2: Don't forget that a bar in every room of the house is always considered appropriate.

 

Southern Accents - William Waldron

This is an oldie but a goodie. I think the curvature of the banquette is such a fun way to break up the lines of the room. A round table is immediately more intimate and inviting and this space makes me want to grab a blanket and cuddle. Now, this banquette might make a morning nap after a rough night a little bit more difficult, but I'm up for the challenge.

 

Anatomy Lesson #3: Quit being such a square and add some curves to your life.

 

Lonny Magazine - Jamie Meares

This little corner makes my heart smile. Mostly because I love seahorses and I'm pretty sure they love me. I adore how Jamie made a "nothing" corner into something splendidly charismatic and playful!

 

Anatomy Lesson #4: You can eat just about anywhere. Put your breakfast nook in the place in your house that makes you happiest. Like in front of the TV. Duh.