Delightful Daily: The Definition of Girly Glam

Mary McDonald

Top 5: Breaking All the Rules

Someone once said you must know rules to break them. This was a conversation about interior design of course. I'm not encouraging you to break the law. But it got me thinking about which rules I tend to break while decorating, which is the topic of my post today on Damask & Dentelle.

Rule 1: Trims and ceilings should be painted white. Well yes, among other colors. Sometimes trims can look really fantastic in a bright color like these teal trims.

Read the other 4 on Damask & Dentelle!

Delightful Daily: Party in the Bedroom

Jeffrey Bilhuber

Gab Loves: 29.08.12

1. Bungalow 5 Christina Lamp | 2. Lemlem® for J.Crew Mare Tunic | 3. Green Squiggle Pillow | 4. J.Crew Emblem Paisley Bandeau top and String Bikini Bottom | 5. Petrified Wood Bookends | 6. Notoriously Cheerful Elva fields Necklace | 7. Kate Spade Monogram Note Card | 8. Crate & Barrel Darlene Ottoman | 9. Alice Hobo Tote | 10. Worlds Away Chinright Green Side Table | 11. Birds & Butterflies Wallcovering by Schumacher | 12. Vintage 1960s Afghan Dhurrie

Delightful Daily: Rusty Lacquer

Steven Gambrel

Houzz Round-Up: Asian Infused Decor

You may remember last week's post on Damask & Dentelle on the art of Eastern influences. I think this topic must've stuck in my mind because this month's Houzz round-up is all about Asian infused furniture and accessories. With a little whimsy of course. 

Think bright lacquered furniture, blue and white chinoiserie, faux-bamboo... Below are a few of my picks for Houzz. Check out my article for all the other picks and sources.

Do tell: which one is your favorite?

Delightful Daily: Room with a View

Better Homes and Gardens

Color Palette: Green and Gold

Maybe it's Australian nostalgia, or perhaps it's Julia Reed's gorgeous living room featured in the last issue of Elle Decor, but I'm drawn to the moss green and golden yellow color combo.

Seems I'm not the only one with a penchant for those colors. The ever talented Jenny of MFAMB seems to be sharing the feeling according to one of her most recent paintings. Isn't it a beauty?



As for the color combo in decor, it just warms up the room so much you'd just want to transform into a cat and lounge in the sun all day! I'm completely partial to yellow drapes, they will just bring the sunshine right into any room.

I'm also digging the shade of green on the walls, the bamboo shades and the mix of periods and styles. If I had to change one thing? Although I love the shape of the settees, they seem a bit austere. Maybe two cream turned-arm sofas would do the trick?

What do you think? Diggin it?

Delightful Daily: Sunday Bath

Annie Brahler via House Beautiful

Delightful Weekend: Spending a Few Days at the Beach!

Southampton House

Worthy Links: 24.08.12

So I was having a perfectly great day on Wednesday, and then this happened. ALT Summit SLC sold out already? How did I not get the memo? When did this happen? I must've been on another planet momentarily because I had been looking forward to this for like 1.5 years. No joke. I am utterly shattered. Hence this PSA: If you or anyone you know is selling a ticket or if you know of a way in HOLLA please! I'm dying to go to this!

Moving on to other news, I'm off to Maine this weekend with a girlfriend (can you believe I've never been?) - so I've been told that the water is not quite as warm as in Montauk but hey, we're talking about half the distance so I'll take it! Follow me on Instagram until I'm back on Tuesday.

Victoria shared some pretty fantastic closets and the girl behind them

Raina shared some jaw dropping news... something about an upcoming book I had no idea about

Anyone want to see photo shoot outtakes from Scot's home? I do!

Erin introduced the contractors that will work on her new house.... some contractors!

Nancy shared photos from her trip to Italy and came back with an exciting project!

Anyone considering going back to Chucks? Chassity and Erica are in... and so am I.

Have a sunny weekend everyone!

Delightful Daily: Be Bold or Go Home

Domino Magazine

Top 5: The Art of Eastern Influences

It's time for another Top 5 on Damask & Dentelle! Today I'm discussing Asian inspired elements in decor... They’ve been around forever but I’ve only recently started seeing them in fresh new ways.



Tip #1: Blue and white porcelain is my favorite, especially when in lamp form. I’m always impressed by the impact it makes on a room, no matter how small the object. It doesn't matter the space's style or colors, a blue and white porcelain lamp will look good everywhere.

Read the other 4 tips on Damask & Dentelle.

Delightful Daily: Burgundy and Mint

Isabel Lopez Quesada

Gab Loves: 22.08.12

 1. "These Are Not Dark Days" painting by Michael Kagan | 2. Ivory Tassel Pendant | 3. J.Crew Oxford Popover in Sky Blue (I seriously cannot take it off!) | 4. Alexander McQueen Sequin Skull-Embellished Suede Loafers | 5. Room & Board Saarinen End Table | 6. Tigers in Red Weather by Liza Klaussmann | 7. Jonathan Adler Pink and Blue Bargello Chevron Pillow | 8. Tory Burch Roslyn Zip Continental Wallet | 9. Jonathan Adler Templeton Apartment Sofa | 10. Oomph Backgammon Table in Navy | 11. Mango Contrasted Straight-Cut Dress | 12. Noir Ascona Small Chest in Hand Rubbed Black

Delightful Daily: Freshen Up your Grasscloth

Country Living

This or That: Two Classic New York Living Rooms

Have you perused the latest Architectural Digest yet? It's a pretty good one. There was a couple of very classic designs in this issue, which begs the question: which of these two traditional living room do you like best?

The first one is in Michael S. Smith's Manhattan pied-à-terre. Personally, I would kill to have two-story NYC pied-à-terre with a wraparound terrasse and views of the Manhattan skyline...

It's a very traditional room. Smith was inspired by 18th century France savoir-faire to redesign the penthouse duplex. That being said, the room is undeniably set in the present, the period given away by the contemporary artwork and the perfect shade of grey on the walls. I love the relaxed-roman shades and the moldings. The tension between old and new; French and Asian is what really makes the room.

The second living room is set in a 1930's Hamptons mansion re-imagined by Steven Gambrel. Again the room is very traditional yet slightly more transitional and with strong influences from the era of the house. I love the wall color and the rug. The sheer grandeur of the space is pretty astonishing don't you think?

 So, which of the two rooms did you like best? I have a favorite but I'll let you guess which one...

Delightful Daily: Sophisticated Office Nook

Traditional Home

Quick Guide To: NYIGF 2012

Ok, time for a confession: as I've been getting bombarded with NYIGF updates in the past few days, I've kind of regretted not attending. Reality is: I really can't do it all. However, if I HAD been, these are the booths where you would've found me. And for the peeps that will be there in the next couple of days, don't miss out! This is my cream of the crop for NYIGF 2012.

1. John Robshaw (Booth 8004): I'm a huge John Robshaw fan and he's my go to for gorgeous and quality patterned ready made pillows and bedding.
John Robshaw Afghan Pillows

2. Bungalow 5 (Booth 41001): Bungalow5 is one of my most recent favorite furniture lines. I'm highly coveting their navy blue grasscloth console table, but I also love their choice of bedside tables, lamps and more.
Bungalow5 Christina Lamp in Green

3. Natural Curiosities (Booth 47008): This is a great source for interesting art from the famous Jean Baptiste Geometrics to cartography, celestials, botanicals and more.
Planisphere Print

4. Worlds Away (Booth 43041): Accent tables, dressers, chests, media centers galore, they also make mirrors , bar carts, bookcases, lighting and stools, all in a Hollywood Regency vibe.
Worlds Away Ponti Mirror Media Center

5. Made Goods (Booth 43031): These guys are known for super high quality accent furniture and mirrors in beautiful materials such as shagreen, gold/silver leaf, reclaimed wood and hard-pressed shell | Made Goods Daryl Hexagonal Shagreen Table.

6. Hillary Thomas Designs (Booth 46035): There is one great reason to visit Hillary Thomas's booth: brilliant finials. Sure, this may seem like a bit of a luxury at first, but you'll never look at a lamp the same way once you've seen her finial collection. Bonus points for launching a new line of finials in collaboration with Alexandra Von Furstenberg at the NYIGF this year.
Chic Shop Walkin' on Sunshine Finial

7. Oomph (Booth 41005): These guys have really cute and colorful accent tables, lots of pillow options and more. My favorite piece from them, hands down, is their backgammon table which comes in a wide array of colors and finishes.
Oomph Newport Side Table

8. Beeline Home (Booth 46033): With Bunny Williams being one of my favorite designers, her line Beeline Home wasn't a hard choice. From gorgeous lamps to seating, accents tables and more, this an absolute must.
Beeline Home T42 Chair

9. Matouk (Booth7805): Hello bedding heaven! Here we're talking super high quality monogrammed bedding and bath linens in classical shapes and a variety of colors.
Matouk Mayfair Bedding

10. Dash & Albert (Booth 7809): My tried and trusted go to line for all things rugs, especially when we're talking outdoor or family friendly. These are extremely resistant and come in virtually any color, pattern and size.
Dash & Albert Canary White Indoor Outdoor Rug

What would be your NYIGF musts?

Delightful Daily: Glossy Work

Aerin Lauder's East Hampton Library

Delightful Weekend: Dreamy Lap Pool

Ferguson & Shamamian

Worthy Links: 17.08.12

How was your week lovelies? I had a great but busy one (seems to be on trend these days). I already cranked out a few posts today plus two guest posts coming up and client work, so I'm a bit brain dead. This screams the need for Gossip Girl episodes and white wine! (note: I'm writing this post on Thursday night and not Friday morning - I don't do the morning wine thing)...

I'm off to the country again this weekend (I'm a bit repetitive aren't I) - going to enjoy the last rays of sunshine!

Beth and Carolina revealed a stunning gallery wall

Inslee became a contributor on the Layla Grace blog and painted a pretty watercolor

I loved Jamie's feature on how to style a bed

Molly and Sally discovered a pretty life changing shopping app

Blog brunch recapped their reader engagement brunch

Happy sunny weekend everyone!

Delightful Daily: Muted Jewel Tones

Ferguson & Shamamian

Top 5: Improving your Kitchen Cupboards

Of course we would all want gorgeous kitchens filled with marble countertops, gold hardware, herringbone floors and ladders but that’s just not always how life goes is it? Which is why I'm sharing my top 5 tips on how to improve your kitchen cupboards for very little money on Damask & Dentelle today.

Tip 1: The easiest, fastest and cheapest trick: get new hardware. Your kitchen will instantly look a million times better. Hardware is the jewellery of a room, so don’t be afraid to splurge. If you’re renting, it will only take a screwdriver to get those babies off and into your new place. If you’re in a temporary situation, get hardware that is classic and won’t get discontinued so that you can order missing parts once you change kitchens.

Read the other four on Damask & Dentelle!

Delightful Daily: Whittaker Does it Again

Ashley Whittaker via House Beautiful

Gab Loves: 15.08.12

1. Framed Vintage Butterfly Scarf | 2. Vendome Small Chandelier | 3. JMF Side Table | 4. Junghans X Max Bill Watch | 5. Leopard Print Mirror | 6. Theory Caliay Brushed Satin and Feather Dress | 7. Orange Ming End Table | 8. Baublebar Necklace | 9. Jonathan Adler Regent Cocktail Table | 10. Blue Swivel Club Chair | 11. Pincushion Dot Fabric | 12. Organic Culture Florence B Sofa

Delightful Daily: A Fresh Twist on Traditional

Anne Hepfer via House & Home

House Crush: This Will be 2012's Best House

Firstly, I need to apologize for this post. I thought the simple Delightful Daily the other day would suffice to satisfy my Kelly Wearstler obsession, but I was wrong. I've basically been dreaming about this home for days now. And so I have to share it, even though I know you've all seen it. Feast your eyes once more...

It's hard to believe that this was just a cottage-style home before it got the Wearstler treatmemt. No surface was left untouched. Every floor, every ceiling, every railing, molding and wall was made into a work of art. I'm obsessed with the wallpaper, the custom made brass railing, the marble floor and the runner in the staircase.

Who (other than Wearstler) could create such incredible marble patterned floors? Everything from the doors details to the brass railings and the dark stair runner blends perfectly together.

The reality is I could stare at this house for days because every little aspect is so unique and worth taking into account. I don't think anyone has an eye quite like Wearstler. The subtle repetition in color and pattern is quite sublime. Every single element is a work of art in itself.

The sheathed ceiling is a striking contrast against the purple rug and chandeliers. The glossy black is repeated throughout. I'm crazy about the table, the chairs and the buffet. I could honestly do an entire PHD thesis on this dining room alone.

This is an aspect of KW's design that I never particularly loved: the curved tire-looking sofas. That being said, I can't deny that it works in the space. I love the floors the painting on the far right, the art deco chairs and the draped table.

I'm not normally a fan of brown but in this case, I love every single shade. The wood against the leather and wool is striking and there is just the right amount to black, cream and gold to balance it all out. 

Don't even get me started on this wallpaper in the hallway. I'm so completely in awe of it, as I am with every single artifact in this vignette. Where does she find it all is what I want to know. In fact, I'd love to get inside KW's brain for a day. Is that weird?

The master bath's been the most harshly critiqued around the blogosphere. Personally, I think the bath looks a little narrow and I'm not sure I would've picked a simple bamboo shade for the window but I'm amazed at the onyx walls and the marble and onyx geometric floors.

I'd take this guest bedroom any day, though it's not my favorite. I'm obsessed with the bedside tables and I'm digging the crazy wall art.

I especially love how the guest bath reflects the exact same colors as the guest bedroom, but without repeating any of the textures. Now that bathroom is one I could definitely get used to...

I'm practically dying over that entire kitchen. Seriously, no one does glam kitchens like KW. Black marble and cerused oak: hello? In fact, I think cerused oak's officially become my new favorite wood.

Gahhhhhhhh. I'll be dreaming about this De Gournay wallpaper for the next few years, guaranteed. Mixed with the glossy black floors, ceiling and trims, and the lovely cream shades on the rug, chairs and gorgeous lighting fixtures, it's pretty much perfection. And can we talk about that chrome coffee table?

As far as this last room is concerned, I may as well die and go to decorator heaven now because I'll never ever find anything better. Ever. Please, the custom made brass staircase, the perfect shade of green walls, double-story bookcases flanked with brass art lighting...

We could honestly go right in there and film a modern day Beauty and the Beast. Sighhhhhh. That desk is crazy perfection. KW tore through the ceiling to a second story bedroom to create this room. Take note kids. This could come useful if you're ever gifted with a spade second story bedroom.

Last but not least, the picture that started it all: I give up on life. this is too good. Nothing will ever compare. Throw in your hats people. This is it. We can all die happy.

So, love it? Am I just cray cray? Losing it perhaps?

Delightful Daily: Understated Glam

Tiffany Eastman

The Great, The Good and The Ugly: Lonny August 2012

You have to give it to Lonny: they're damn good at sourcing the best items for their marketplace section. While I wasn't the biggest fan of the last issue, I think the Lonny team has really stepped it up with this one.

The Great
I think this is the best dining room I've seen in a long time. I find that often, dining rooms are too stuffy or seem too empty. This is the perfect balance between new and old. The colors are stunning and don't even get me started on that rug or that chandelier!

In fact that entire house left me panting. Do I spot a look-alike of my favorite cabinet? Can you spell jealousy? That geometric brass table, the chairs, the bed and the rug tells me that Kristi Bender may be the next KW.

How about that completely adorable playroom? I love the gallery wall on grasscloth and the Coleen & Company coffee table. Bender even had malachite wallpaper in her entry hall!

The Good

I really enjoyed Estee Stanaley's house but I especially loved her backyard. Nothing makes my heart flutter like herringbone bricks and lots of leafy greenery.

I would spend countless days lounging on that daybed and endless nights sitting by that fireplace roasting marshmallows.

 The Ugly
I had LOTS of trouble finding something ugly this month, because Lonny really pulled it off well this month. This bathroom is the closest to ugly I could find because, although I really love the marbled pattern paper on the walls, I hate that it's not matched from one paper to the other and I'm not a fan of the tiles or vanity. Also I would have invested in a new mirror and lighting before purchasing that skull.

What did you think of the latest Lonny?