Holiday Shopping: Steals and Deals

I hope you had a wonderful Thanksgiving! Now that the countdown to Christmas is officially on, many of us will be working through our holiday shopping lists. Whether you opt to battle the crowds during today's Black Friday sales, prefer to support local shop owners on Shop Small Saturday, or if you prefer to shop from your computer on Cyber Monday, shopping season is on! To save you some time, here is a list of sales and discount codes from some of my favorite retailers. 

Ann Taylor :: Save 40% Off Entire Purchase.

DATES: Nov 29 (3AM EST) – Dec 1 (5PM EST)

CODE: GET40

C. Wonder :: Save 30% off 3 items or more, full price or sale + free ground shipping.

DATES: Nov 27 – Dec 1

C. Wonder :: Save 40% off 4 items or more, full price or sale + free ground shipping.

DATES: Dec 2

CODE: GIFTS40

DVF :: Save up to 30% off on wear-now styles from DVF’s Fall 2013 Collection.

DATES: Nov 26 – Dec 2

       ALSO: Enjoy free shipping with your $300 purchase (Nov 26 – Dec 1).

Emerson Fry :: Save 20% off on all full-price items, (with few exclusions).

      DATES: Dec. 2

Furbish Studio :: Save 25% off + free shipping on any order over $100.

DATES: Dec 2

CODE: MONDAYMADNESS

GiGi New York :: Save 10% when you spend $150+; Save 15% off when you spend $250+; Save 30% when you spend $500+. Free shipping on all orders and also receive a free Zip Pouch when you spend over $100.

       DATES: Dec 2 – 3

Graphic Image :: Save 10% off when you spend $100+; Save 20% when you spend $200+; Save 30% when you spend $300+. Also free shipping on all orders.

DATES: Dec 2 – 3

Henri Bendel :: Save 25% off your order over $100 and receive a $20 Splurge Card with every purchase.

DATES: Nov 29 – Dec 1

CODE: TURKEY25

J.Crew :: 20 % off your entire purchase.

DATES: November 27- Dec 1

CODE: HOLIDAY

Joie :: Spend $250, save 20% off – Spend $500, save 30% off.

DATES: Nov 27 – Dec 2

Kate Somerville :: Save 30% on all orders.

DATES: Nov 25 – Dec 2

CODE: HOLIDAY2013

Kendra Scott :: Save 20% off site wide and enjoy free shipping (excludes LUXE collection and gift cards).

DATES: Nov 27 – Dec 2

CODE: BFCM2013

Kiehl’s :: Receive $20 off on purchases over $65.

DATES: Nov 25 – Dec 4

CODE: CHEER

LOFT :: Save 40% off EVERYTHING!

DATES: Nov 29 – Nov 30

CODE: ENJOY

LOFT :: Save 50% off EVERYTHING!

DATES: Dec 1 – Dec 2

CODE: CYBER50

Loren Hope :: Save 20% off orders over $100 + free shipping.

DATES: Nov 29 – Dec 2

CODE: THANKS

Nordstrom :: Save 33%+ off on select brands.

DATES: Nov 28 (10PM PST) – Nov 29 (10PM PST)

Serena and Lily :: Save 20% off site wide and enjoy free shipping.

DATES: Nov 26 – Dec 2

CODE: THANKS20

Shopbop/ East Dane :: Save 15% when you spend $250, save 20% when you spend $500, and save 25% when you spend $1000.

DATES: Nov 26 – Dec 2

CODE: BIGEVENT13

Sole Society :: Save 33% off all jewelry, handbags and shoes (with new offers being presented everyday at 10am).

DATES: Nov 25 – Dec 2

Steven Alan :: Save up to 50% off on new markdowns.

       DATES: Nov 29 – Dec 2

Tory Burch :: Save 20% off orders over $300, save 25% off orders over $500, save 30% off orders over $750 plus free shipping.

DATES: Nov 29 – Dec 2

CODE: HOLIDAY

Zhush :: Save 20% off all orders including sale items.

DATES: Nov 29 – Dec 2

CODE: BlackFriday

Happy Shopping!

Happy Thanksgiving!

{Image via Martha Stewart}

Happy Thanksgiving! I hope you are enjoying time with loved ones along with a delicious meal today. I just wanted to take a moment to let you know how profoundly grateful I am for your readership and support throughout the past six and a half years. You all have inspired me beyond measure and have given me the strength, courage, and encouragement to spread my wings and take on new challenges and have given me an outlet that feeds me so much creatively. I know how busy everyone is these days, so I thank you from the bottom of my heart for taking the time to visit La Dolce Vita each day.

{Image via Grey Likes Weddings}

This year, as every year for the past thirteen years that I've known my husband, Fabian, I am extremely grateful to him for being my rock and constant supporter. He has encouraged me and cheered me on through every adventure, always by my side to guide me and make me feel loved. He truly is my best friend. I am also tremendously grateful for my sweet dog, Tate. He has shown me unconditional love and has taught me to be a total animal lover. I'd never known how special a bond with a pet could be until Tate joined our family. This year, I am especially grateful that his health is on the mend. As many of you know, Tate had an injury at the end of October and we went through some scary moments of uncertainty, but he is recovering really well and it looks like he will be just fine, with a few lifestyle modifications—ie. no more jumping on the furniture. A huge thanks to all of you who kept Tate in your thoughts and prayers!  I am also quite grateful for our wonderful family—especially the little ones, my niece and nephew whose innocence and fun-loving personalities are refreshing and endearing.

{Image via Domino}

I am incredibly thankful to be able to get up each day and spend it doing what I love. Delving into interior design full time this year has had its challenges, but it has been so rewarding. I am so lucky to have some amazing clients and to get to create beautiful homes for them. I know that I am doing what I am meant to be doing—decorating and blogging! I am especially grateful to some amazing friends who have helped and mentored me along the way—Mark S., Lauren H., Meg L., Ashley G., and Betty N.—you are the best! You are all so kind and have such generous spirits. I've learned so much from each of you and cherish our friendships.

I hope you have a wonderful and safe Thanksgiving filled with love, fun, and lots of good food!

Effortless Entertaining: Last Minute Thanksgiving Details

Hello, La Dolce Vita readers!  It is Erin Hodges from Fig + Cotton with my first Effortless Entertaining post!  As a new contributor, my posts will be full of fun and easy entertaining ideas and tips including interesting menus, fool-proof recipes, free printables, charming party decor, and beautiful tablescapes.

Since tomorrow is Thanksgiving, today's post is all about conquering those last minute details for an unforgettable feast.  Below you will find an elegant and rustic place setting for you to quickly recreate at home before your Thanksgiving guests arrive.  Further down, you will find a menu full of simple, but delicious, recipes that you can whip up tonight or tomorrow morning.  Your guests will never know you waited until the last minute!

A festive table doesn't need to be difficult.  Look around your home and use what you already have on hand.  For example, I used tarnished mint julep cups, antlers, and some left over plum velvet ribbon to create an elegant dinner space.  Once you start thinking outside the box, you will be surprised what you will find on your bookshelves and mantel!

Don't stress about florals.  I used a simple white hydrangea bloom in a tarnished mint julep cup, and you can find gorgeous flowers in most of your local supermarkets.  Keep the blooms in the same shade for easy arranging.

Use your linens, dishes, and glasses you have on hand, and add small holiday-specific accents and pops of color such as the plum velvet ribbon and the faux deep orange pumpkin.  In my linen closet, I keep napkins and table cloths in multiple shades of white, burlap runners, and other neutral fabric remnants for easy access.

Finally, use place cards; they make everyone feel special.  I was lucky enough to have some beautiful place cards done for me by calligrapher extraordinaire, meme davis, but a white piece of card stock and pretty handwriting does the trick!

Now to the menu-- each recipe below is either quick and painless or something you can do tonight and reheat tomorrow.  As opposed to cooking a whole turkey, which would have required that you buy in advance and thaw, I recommend a turkey breast.  And, although the recipe below is a good one, to cut down your dinner prep time, purchase a pre-cooked breast if you can find one.  With these memorable and hearty sides, your guests will definitely be impressed.

turkey breast  -  salad  -  mashed potatoes  - dressing  -  brussels sprouts  -  apple charlotte

2013 LDV Gift Guide: For the Little Ones

As most of you know, I love my dog, Tate as if he were my child. He will always be our first born and we spoil him accordingly. I already have a few gifts in mind for him this holiday season. Now that my niece is two and a half years old and my nephew is one and a half, they are at really adorable ages, so the idea of shopping for them for Christmas is really exciting this year. Naturally, I thought a gift guide for the little ones in our lives was in order. Much to my surprise, this has turned out to be one of my favorite gift guides to put together! All of these adorable clothes make me want a little one of my own to dress up, but until then, I think I’ll just get Tate a cute raincoat.

I love children’s clothing—is there anything cuter? So naturally, I’ve rounded up dresses, sweaters, jackets, and shoes for the haute tots. I also included a batman alarm clock as an homage to Batkid—the coolest kid ever; along with some fun toys like a sled, a wooden Instagram camera, and a Hello Kitty bike. Hello Kitty is still my favorite at the ripe, old age of 32. I also included a set of personalized stationery and a personalized, leather bound diary which I am sure any little girl would love to receive.

For the sweet pets in our lives, I've opted for a couple of stylish leash and collar options-- ombre or studded leopard, anyone? You'll also find tried and true toys for both cats and dogs, dog beds--including a fabulous Lucite number, food and water bowls with a stylish twist, and a few other fun surprises to thank our most loyal friends for the joy the bring to us.

Revisiting an Old Favorite

{The home of Lyndsay Caleo and Fitzhugh Karol is located in the Park Slope neighborhood of Brooklyn, New York.}

Back in the spring of 2010, the home of Lyndsay Caleo and Fitzhugh Karol, founders of The Brooklyn Home Company, took the blogosphere by storm. Their awesome home appeared on design*sponge, and soon after, it popped up on several blogs, including La Dolce Vita. You can read my original post on Lyndsay and Fitzhugh’s home along with several other projects here. While perusing Pinterest this weekend, I came across an image of their home when it was featured on The Selby recently and I was quickly reminded of everything I loved about their Park Slope home. It is open, airy, and bright—everything I think I would crave if I lived in New York, especially since it is generally a luxury to have these things there.

{The dining room is my favorite room in the house. I love the juxtaposition of the white Panton chairs paired with the rustic wood table. The built-ins are fabulous!}

{Built-In Shelf Detail}

   {The wooden beams on the ceiling and original fireplace create beautiful, architectural focal points on the main level of the house.}

{Another Shelf Study}

{A View of the Dining Room, Living Room, Kitchen, and Loft}

{I’m usually not a huge fan of open shelving in kitchens, but it really works in this space because it works with the airy feeling of the house and capitalizes on the tall, narrow space.}

{The farmhouse sink is a great detail in keeping with the age of the house.}

{I really like that Lyndsay and Fitzhugh took what was once a house with formal, smaller rooms and opened the whole thing up to feel bright and spacious. I also like that they filled the house with organic shapes and finishes that you wouldn’t always expect to find in a house in the city.}

{The wide-planked, white painted wood floors are one of my favorite features in the house.}

{The master bedroom has plenty of storage thanks to the built-in wardrobes with mirrored fronts.}

{The master bedroom also has a beautiful, original fireplace.}

        {Classic Fittings and Fixtures in the Master Bathroom}

{Having this much private outdoor space in New York is sure to be a luxury!}

  {How adorable is their sweet little pup?}

 

{Images via The Selby}

This Week’s Quote

{Image via Carolyn Roehm}

Fabulous Room Friday 11.22.13

This week's fabulous room is the ultra-chic, Caribbean-inspired living room of Rebecca de Ravenel. I'll be totally honest-- I had a hard time finding a room for this week's "Fabulous Room" feature. Sometimes, I'll come upon a room early in the week that I can't wait to share, and other times, it's like finding a needle in a haystack and nothing feels quite right. 

There's a chance that you may have already seen this room. It was published on Vogue.com as an APT with LSD feature a few weeks ago, but I kept finding myself going back to it. It's a pretty big departure from my own style and design work, but it is such a fresh and inspiring space. I love the fact that Rebecca was so inspired by the time she spent living in the Bahamas that it has clearly permeated her aesthetic in a very profound way and served as a major inspiration for how she decorated her apartment. I love the tone-on-tone use of blue in various patterns and the wicker furniture juxtaposed against the traditional bones of this West Village apartment in New York. I'm sure it must feel like a welcome respite from the hustle and bustle of the city.

{I dream of a fireplace like this. So beautiful!}

{Blue, blue, and more blue!}

{A Vignette Composed of Vintage Items from the Antique Malls in Stamford}

{Images by Jeremy Allen for VOGUE}

Wrapped Up: Personalized Gifts

Hello, La Dolce Vita Readers! I am Katie from Blueprint Modern and I am honored and excited to be a new contributor. My series will focus on gifts and all that surrounds the art of giving. In this first post, I am focusing on personalized gifts. Bespoke gifts are one of the most thoughtful ways to give as they necessitate customization and a certain amount of planning. Since we are little over a month a way from Christmas, now is the essential time to order this kind of present. Here are my favorite picks for everyone on your list.

For Her: Lucite Tray; Jewelry Pouch; Earrings; NightShirt For Him: Pool Balls; Tie; Whiskey Seasonal: Ornament; Wreath Holder For the Kids: Memory Game Stocking Stuffers: Initial Trays; State Notepads To Spoil: Art; Red Handbag; Men's Duffle For the Party: Stir Sticks

Dissecting the Details: Liz Caan

Hello LDV readers! Nancy here, happy to be back with another 'Dissecting the Details' for you today. We're covering chic children's rooms designed by the lovely Liz Caan. Let's dissect what makes these rooms tick - here are 3 elements Liz utilizes in her designs for oh-so-stylish tots:

Wallpaper doesn't have to be permanent! Make a bold and whimsical statement {like the zebra wallcovering above} that will quite literally let your little one's imagination run wild.

You're never to young for a monogram. And quite frankly, this chic bedding will easily grow with the haute tots!

I have to say that a window seat is my favorite addition to any kids room, I grew up with one and loved it. It's the perfect spot to do homework, read a book, or simply lay & day dream. And flanked with built-in storage, it's perfection!

What would your children's room must-have list include?