Currently Loving: Olivia Palermo’s Luxe Looks

As always, I am obsessed with everything Olivia Palermo wears and the outfits she has put together for all of the various Fashion Weeks across the globe recently are no exception. She always manages to look polished, glamorous, and chic, yet she maintains an effortless air about herself, at least when it comes to her fabulous wardrobe. Her style is perfection.

I tend to stick to the basics in my wardrobe—classic silhouettes, lots of black and white, and stand-out accessories to complement, or in some cases, make the outfit. It’s no wonder I adore every one of these looks. Which is your favorite?

{1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 }

P.S. Some of these items are from Shopbop who is currently running a big discount through midnight tonight!

Strategies for Success: Turning Your Passion into a Business

Hello LDV readers! Melanie here with from the Entrepreneuress Academy with this month's strategy for success.

Are you interested in starting a profession doing what you love?

Or are you struggling trying to turn a hobby into a business?

Many of us dream of filling our days doing something fun and figuring out how to make money at it, but it is actually harder than it looks.

Click the play button to watch the video below to learn the BIGGEST MISTAKE most people make when they try and turn their passion into a business.



Do you find yourself overwhelmed trying to manage all of the moving parts of your business and life?

To try out my favorite project management tool Basecamp CLICK HERE.

See you next month!xx

Melanie    

Jet Set: Chicago Chic

Hi, everyone! Do you remember my post on the super chic Public Hotel in Chicago from a couple of weeks ago? Well, we couldn't get enough of it around here, so LDV Contributor, Brendan is giving us an in-depth view of the hotel with some new images along with some fabulous fashion choices perfect for the windy city! XO, Paloma

http://www.designartnews.com

Hello LDV readers! Brendan here of (BAD) Blog About Design. For this Jet Set post I decided to take us to a city location! So how about Chicago? The Public Hotel, is a classically designed hotel that has that modern touch. The building was originally designed in 1926, and you'll definitely notice this as you walk through the hotel and look at the moldings, and archways. Being in the heart of the city, you'll have much at your disposal. Art galleries, restaurants, and yes ladies--lot's of shopping. (ABOVE) You are greeted by a brilliantly illuminated front entrance. I love the hedges, and old fashioned door, how glamorous! (BELOW 1) When you enter the hotel, you are greeted by an elegant, and simple lobby. Check in at the mirrored desks. I love that the interiors are simple, and allow the architecture to speak. (BELOW 2) The Library Bar is heavily adorned with wood. I love the mix of classic, and modern, as well as the vintage accents. The paintings are classic, the sofas are modern, and the armchairs around the fireplace have that vintage vibe. (BELOW 3) The Pump Room is an awesome restaurant. The menu was crafted by chef Jean-Georges Vongerichten. The focal point is the lighting! (BELOW 4) If you still want to dine in the Pump Room, you can opt to sit at or around the bar area. The bar looks to be tucked away in a cave. The Pump Room has hosted guests such as Marilyn Monroe, and Frank Sinatra. (BELOW 5) The hotel features 285 guest suites that are minimally designed. I love the desk chair. (BELOW 6) The rooftop deck at the hotel has incredible views of the city. Here one can host a party, a wedding. What do you think of the hotel?

http://blog.startle.com 1

http://www.cntraveler.com 2

http://architectsandartisans.com 3

http://www.publichotels.com 4

http://www.publichotels.com 5

http://www.elementsofstyleblog.com 6

(1) DKNY Metallic Cotton Blend Jacquard Dress, (2) Ben-Amun Deco Studs, (3) By Malene Birger Cenila Beaded Blouse, (4) Rachel Roy Dal Embellished Sandals, (5) Dolce & Gabanna Pencil Skirt, (6) Elegant Casual, (7) La Vie Bobo Medium Wood Quartz Necklace, (8) Botkier Valentina Mini Convertible Bag, (9) Elizabeth and James Nicki Multi Band Sandals, (10) The Hotel

Follow (BAD) Blog About Design on Pinterest

Currently Obsessed: All About Etta

J. Crew has been knocking it out of this park this season. I am obsessed with just about every page of their current catalog and I am especially crazy about their fabulous new Etta pumps. Etta can be prim and proper or fun and sexy—she’s my kind of gal! I love the versatility of these shoes. They go with just about everything, from a tee shirt and jeans to a fun cocktail dress. On top of that, I love that Etta has a round toe. I have always prefered round toe shoes over pointy ones. The stacked heel makes me think they’d be a little more on the comfy side, too. I love all of the incarnations of Etta pictured here—it’s nearly impossible to pick a favorite, but which pair would you choose?

{1. Etta Glitter Heel Pumps in Hummingbird Floral | 2. Collection Etta Crystal and Stud Pumps | 3. Etta Bow Pumps | 4. Collection Etta Snakeskin Cap Toe Pumps | 5. Collection Etta Calf Hair Pumps | 6. Etta Canvas Stripe Pumps | 7. Etta Cap Toe Leather Pumps | 8. Collection Etta Snakeskin Cap Toe Pumps}

Style Spotting: Inside the Box

Hi La Dolce Vita readers! It's Lindsay from The Pursuit of Style and I'm back with another installment of Style Spotting. This month it's all about thinking inside the box--or more specifically the cube. If you're questioning where I'm going on this one, let's take a look at the Paris apartment of contributing Vogue editor and co-founder of Moda Operandi, Lauren Santo Domingo.

Do you see those amazing drapes? Let me introduce you to the latest fabric I'm coveting: Pierre Frey's Kubus. Normally I'm more of a traditionalist when it comes to interiors, but there's just something about those modern geometric cubes that I keep coming back to.

The fabric is undeniably stunning, but as with most things of that nature, also slightly cost prohibitive. If you love the look, but would prefer it in a slightly less grand scale, you'll be as excited as I was to find that cubes are making quite the comeback. In fact, another Pierre, Pierre Hardy, has an amazing line of accessories featuring the print. You can always count on the French to bring the chic!

1/2 Deco Border Pillow | Cubes Throw | Tote | Zip Around Wallet | Phone Case | Optical Illusion Box

I hope you enjoyed this month's edition of Style Spotting. See you next month!

A Mini Bedroom Make-Over

{My Bed featuring the new Coral Frame Duvet and Euro Shams along with the Gobi Embroidered Sheet Set in Coral}

While it is still technically winter, I have a major case of spring fever and that means lots of design projects around the house and the infusion of color in everything from my wardrobe to my bed. Luckily, my fabulous sponsor, Serena and Lily generously sent me some beautiful goodies recently that I immediately put to good use in order to carry out my mission for color.

{You may recall from our last “He Said, She Said” post on beds that I was using these custom-embroidered linens. While they are undeniably gorgeous, I had been dying to infuse some color into my bed. I am very much a “crisp white linens” kind of gal, so the coral border on the new Serena and Lily linens provides the perfect touch of color.}

{I already had the Serena and Lily Pondicherry Headboard with Nailheads from a while back, so the new bedding is the perfect complement.}

{The coral is such a pretty color and I love the embroidered detail on the sheets. I am tempted to have the duvet and shams embroidered too. I can’t help myself. I just love a good monogram.}

{Serena and Lily also sent me a set of their gorgeous new Silk Shantung Panels in Putty. They just introduced a beautiful collection of window panels this season, so I was very excited to try them. They are even prettier in person. The Putty colorway looks so great with our wall color, Benjamin Moore’s Plymouth Rock—there’s just enough contrast. By the way, I am SO over our “For Like Ever” print from the Domino days several years ago. I think I’ll keep it in case we ever have a little girl, but I am currently on the hunt for something more refined and timeless.}

{A Close-Up of the Pretty Drapes}

Thanks to Serena and Lily for freshening up my bedroom!

{All Images by Paloma Contreras for La Dolce Vita}

My Favorite Room: The Zhush

Hi everyone! Sue from zhush.com and The Zhush blog here today, happy to be participating in the LDV Favorite Rooms series.  When Paloma first asked me, I initially thought "how am I ever going to be able to pick which room is my favorite?" I love to sleep, I love to eat and computer and TV time also rank pretty high with me.  But, ultimately, I chose a room that we do absolutely none of those things in. After giving this some thought, I chose our living room. Some of you may have already seen this room, as it was featured in both Cottages and Gardens Magazine and HGTV Magazine, and these professional photos are from both those shoots.

As you can see, the room is a large "L" shaped room, a result of our home renovation where we pushed out the size of our original living room and took over space from an old sun room.  Once the actual build out was over, we were thrilled with the results, but I felt overwhelmed at the prospect of trying to decorate such a large and awkward space by myself. All the windows, weird interior doors and the actual shape of the room proved to be too much for me, and I set out to find a professional designer to help me out.

I knew from the get-go that Lauren Muse of Muse Interiors was the right fit!  We had a great rapport and quickly started sharing design ideas and inspiration via emails.  Lauren introduced to me to Domino magazine and I immediately subscribed. It was during our inspiration quests that I first discovered design blogs.  Once Domino folded, I found myself going online more and more for ideas (like the end tables in this room). And, then, shortly after, I decided to start my own blog. 

Lauren knew how to anchor the room properly with a really great looking rug. She then created two separate seating areas, which really makes this large room feel cozy and intimate.  Once all the furniture and window treatments were in place, I handled the accessories and artwork on my own.  Hence, my love of zhushing!  Through blogging, I discovered two of the artists whose work are now in this room (Matthew Heller and Amanda Talley).

I really love how this room came out.  With it's "pops of purple" and zhush.com accents throughout,  it's completely a reflection of my taste and also connected to the story of my blog and my shop as well.  Finally, here's a true life, un-styled shot of what the room looks like today. Thanks Paloma, it was fun for me to re-visit the beginning of my online journey and look back at this room as the "start of it all."

Instalove

Back in November, I mentioned that I had finally decided to stop resisting Instagram and gave it ago. Well, nearly three months later, I am completely addicted! I love seeing a visual representation of what people are up to and feel that Instagram prompts me to look for special moments in life to share. In other words, I stop to smell the rose and snap a photo of them! Because of the more editorial nature of La Dolce Vita, it’s also a way for me to share more of  what is going on in my day to day life and to open up a little window into my world. Here’s a glimpse of what I’ve been up to lately.

{Two weekends ago, my buddy Lauren and I finally made it over to Bailey’s fabulous new shop, Biscuit. The shop is beautiful and Bailey has curated a fabulous assortment of products. We each came home with some fun new goodies for our homes!}

{We also loved Biscuit’s fun, fresh bedding.}

{Earlier that weekend, I also paid a visit to A Bientot which never disappoints. I always love visiting with my dear friend, Betty who owns the shop. She is so supportive and encouraging. The shop is always filled with eye candy like these gorgeous earrings, fun neon Jack Rogers sandals, and fabulous pillows.Who’s ready for Spring?}

{I got this beautiful mother of pearl quatrefoil necklace at A Bientot that day and it has quickly become a favorite piece. Isn’t it pretty?}

{This gorgeous monogram from Gramercy Home didn’t make it into my Atlanta recap, but it’s too good not to share. I love the bold, graphic quality of this particular monogram.}

{While we’re on the topic of good typography, I spotted this great wine label at the grilled cheese bar at the Whole Foods they recently opened by my house in the ‘burbs. You heard that right—a grilled cheese bar. It’s dangerously delicious and convenient. We’ve already enjoyed our fair share of grilled cheese sandwiches paired with wine for me and craft beer on tap for the hubs.}

{Last weekend, I did a little styling in my bedroom for a feature I’ll be sharing tomorrow about my new Serena and Lily bedding. Stay tuned!}

{I am currently in the midst of several design projects, one of which is redesigning my home office to be more functional and stylish. I spent several hours this weekend working on my new inspiration board. I will be sure to share photos once this project is complete!}

Well, I’d better get back to those design projects! Are you as addicted to Instagram as I am? Which filters are your favorite? For more glimpses into my daily happenings, follow me on Instagram!

This Week’s Quote: Following your Passion

{Image via Pinterest}

Fabulous Room Friday 02.22.13

This week’s fabulous room is a peek into Sasha Adler’s fabulous Chicago living room. Sasha Adler is one of the design directors and Nate Berkus Associates and I have admired her undeniably chic style for several years now. Her beautiful Chicago home is featured in the current issue of ELLE. While there is plenty of eye candy, I wish there were more full room shots because I just can’t get enough of Sasha’s amazing style. In the living room of her one hundred year old apartment, Sasha added new bookcases designed to look old and had the built-ins and millwork lacquered in Farrow & Ball’s Pitch Black creating a dramatic effect. The brass grates and picture light balance out the darkness and masculinity. I love how Sasha has mixed silhouettes from various periods and has layered in multiple textures to create a collected, highly personal look with a dose of glamour.

Would you ever try a color like Pitch Black in your home? I will be tackling some design projects at home this weekend and actually can’t wait to get started. Have a wonderful weekend!

{Image Source: ELLE.com}