Fabulous Room Friday 07.31.09

This week's fabulous room comes from Jonathan Adler. This outdoor space is perfect for a summer meal with good friends. I think the landscaping is gorgeous and I simply love the table and chairs. Jonathan always executes his quirky style with such aplomb, which I find truly inspiring.

I hope everyone has a great weekend! Don't forget to enter my latest giveaway for your chance to win $100 worth of Dr. Perricone Skin Care Products.

A Fresh Giveaway: Perricone Skin Care Products

Perricone MD is a line of top-selling skin care products and anti-aging cosmeceuticals developed by Dr. Nicholas Perricone. Dr. Perricone's products have been featured in publications such as Allure, InStyle, Vanity Fair, and New Beauty and celebrities like Heidi Klum, Courtney Cox, Julia Roberts, Oprah, and Matt Lauer are loyal followers of his skin care regimen.

Dr. Perricone's website features a skin care quiz which will help you determine your ideal skin care regimen. The Perricone line feature several anti-aging products as well as products developed to maintain young, healthy skin, such as the Olive Oil Cleanser, which is ideal for all skin types and happens to be a great make-up remover.

Perricone MD and La Dolce Vita have teamed up to giveaway a full-size bottle of Perricone's Citrus Facewash ($35) and a full-size jar of Perricone's Face Finishing Moisturizer ($65) to one lucky reader! Both products are ideal for all skin types, provide anti-aging benefits, and improve upon your skin's natural radiance.



In order to enter the giveaway:

1. Leave a comment with your e-mail address. Your address will not be sold or used for any purpose other than to notify the winner. No purchase necessary. Giveaway open to U.S. residents only.

2. Follow La Dolce Vita on Blogger (scroll down on the right to see Followers), Twitter, or Facebook.

3. Check back next Thursday, August 6th when a winner will be drawn via Random.org and announced here on La Dolce Vita!

Currently Loving: Jonathan Adler's Manifesto

I had not read Jonathan Adler's manifesto in a while when I came across it again the other day. It put a big smile on my face and I am sure it will do the same for you.

Our Manifesto

We believe that your home should make you happy.

We believe that when it comes to decorating, the wife is always right. Unless the husband is gay.

We believe in carbohydrates and to hell with the puffy consequences.

We believe minimalism is a bummer.

We believe handcrafted tchotchkes are life-enhancing.

We believe tassels are the earrings of the home.

We believe in our muses: David Hicks, Alexander Girard, Bonnie Cashin. Hans Coper, Gio Ponti, Andy Warhol, Leroy Neiman, Yves Saint Laurent, and Madonna.

We believe in the innate chicness of red with brown.

We believe in being underdressed or overdressed always.

We believe in infantile, happy emblems like butterflies and hearts.

We believe celebrities should pay full price.

We believe in rustic modernism: Big Sur, A-Frame beach houses,raw beams, and geodesic dome homes.

We believe in Palm Beach style: Louis chairs, chinoiserie, Lilly Pulitzer, The Breakers circa '72.

We believe our designs are award winning even though they've never actually won any.

We believe in Aid to Artisans.

We believe dogs should be allowed in stores and restaurants.

We believe in mantiques - suits of armour, worn chesterfield sofas, heraldic tapestries.

We believe you should throw out your Blackberry and go pick some actual blackberries.

We believe colors can't clash.

We believe in blowing your nest egg on our pots.

We believe our lamps will make you look younger and thinner.

We believe in irreverent luxury.

Images and Manifesto via Jonathan Adler

Personal Style, Defined: Inside the Loop

We're going out with a bang! It has been so fun to bring you the Personal Style, Defined series and to explore how each of the fabulous bloggers who participated defines their own style. This will be the last installment of the series, but I am tempted to maybe do a part 2. If you're interested, please let me know.

I can't think of a better blogger to round out the series than the fabulous Courtney of Inside the Loop. Courtney was one of the first bloggers I ever met and I was instantly impressed by how warm and friendly she was. On top of her sweet personality, Courtney has serious style! She is always dressed to the nines, accessorizes like nobody's business, and has a great eye for design in general. Courtney recently moved to Kuala Lumpur where she is taking on a new set of design challenges.

Since moving to Kuala Lumpur, "home" is a far cry from my previous Houston bungalow. And while our new digs are, sadly, in no shape to photograph, I can at least say my personal style remains the same: I constantly reinterpret my belongings, move things around and work to create a collected, seasoned and slightly masculine feel in my surroundings. I don't need a quick design fix in my house—and I'm guessing that's a positive considering I've lived in this place 4 months and it looks the same as it did on Day 1, except there's more food in the fridge. Preferring spaces that evolve over time, I strive to collect with abandon, but decorate with restraint. Lived in, loved, well-edited and special. I'm a digger and a traveler, so between those two traits I love to unearth treasures in markets and exotic towns. I have a passion for prints and color, and layer for an eclectic, unexpected, laissez-faire feel. No matter where I'm living, I want my home to forever be a place of comfort. A place where friends can, without asking, put their feet up and let their hair down. A place where nothing is deemed too precious, except the company in our house. So at the risk of showing photos that I'm sure your readers have seen ad naseum, here are spaces that touch more than just my eye—they hit my soul and exemplify my personal style, defined. outside. [Sue Rohrer] living. [Weekend Retreats] [Lisa Borgnes Giramonti] [Thom Filicia] [Kristin Cunningham] [Jay Jeffers] kitchen. [The Selby] [Thomas O'Brien] [Bobbi Brown's kitchen] [Shelter] master bedroom. [all photos via Domino] guest room. [Domino] [Thom Filicia] kid's room. [Domino] [Anthropologie] [Walnut Wallpaper] patio. [Paul Fortune] [Brown Design] [Paul Fortune] [Thom Filicia] [Gardening Life]

Summer Splendor: Alys Beach

When I first laid eyes on Alys Beach, I think my jaw must have hit the floor. The gorgeous community on Florida's Emerald Coast seems like something out of a dream. The development feels more like a small, idyllic Mediterranean village. The surreal beauty of the homes' exteriors is matched by an abundance of thoughtful architectural details and beautiful interiors with global influences which make for a design lover's dream. I can only imagine how much fun it would be to decorate one of these beauties.

The official Alys Beach website describes the green community as such:

"An oasis of luxury with a distinct Mediterranean feel, Alys Beach is the crown jewel of Florida’s Emerald Coast. It is a beach community founded in New Urbanism and built to exacting standards for the utmost in luxury living. It is a tranquil escape from the hustle and bustle of everyday life. Alys Beach is a reminder that what once was can indeed still be. It is a life of balance, a life of beauty, a life of simplicity, a life of grace. Alys Beach is a life defined.
Located along Florida’s Gulf Coast, Alys Beach boasts one of the most beautiful beaches in the world. With a carpet of sugar-fine sand descending into crystal-clear waters, this stretch of Gulf Coast is unmatched in beauty. Zoning laws preserve the pristine beach and keep it clear of the billboards and storefronts that litter ordinary beach towns. The Emerald Coast is so clean and well preserved that it has been certified as a Blue Wave Beach by the country’s only environmental-certification program for beaches."


Are you hooked yet? What I wouldn't do to have one of these gorgeous homes! By the way should serve as an example to new home builders. People want more details, whether they be specific to a particular period or region (except for Tuscany, please!) along with thoughtful architectural features. Normally, I am pretty good at editing the images I use in a post to a select handful to avoid bogging down my readers, but I couldn't help myself in this post! There were too many beautiful images not to post, so I hope that you will enjoy them as much as I have.

Fonnville Press is a Bookstore / Coffee Shop

There are several parks in the development, including Central Park, pictured here.

Club House

Club House

The Poolside Bar- Check out the gorgeous tile!

The Caliza Pool

Inspiring Exteriors:

Beautiful Interiors:

There truly are so many inspiring features in every space, both indoors and outdoors. I love that everything is awash in white, yet feels so warm and inviting. I can just picture myself preparing breakfast in one of the beautiful kitchens while listening to the waves crashing in the morning, reading a book on one of the lovely terraces, or hosting a fabulous cocktail party in any one of these gorgeous homes. Be sure to watch this short video to get a lay of the land and see more of Alys Beach. Also, there are plenty of vacation rentals available if you are looking for the experience without the commitment of buying a home or you can also host your wedding at this beautiful locale.