Fiddle Leaf Fig

image from apartment therapy

image from House Beautiful

image from So Haute

My new favorite thing in our house is a living and breathing (no, not a puppy) Fiddle Leaf Fig! I have long wanted one of these pretty trees with big, shiny leaves, and our mother-in-law was kind enough to give us one this week. One of my favorite things about these trees is the fact that since their leaves are so big, they add a big dose of color. 


In case you're interested in getting one of your own, I actually found one online after searching at a couple of area nurseries. They like quite a bit of light and enjoy humidity (bingo...cuz I got that!), and they take about a small pitcher worth of water about once a week. Fiddle leaf figs also grow towards the light; so you need to rotate it every couple of months to ensure even growth.


Here's our little tree...hopefully soon to be accompanied by a gallery wall. Cross your fingers I can keep this baby alive!

Style Icon

image from Daylife

image from Vanity Fair

image from Habitually Chic

image from Harper's Bazaar

image from Easy Fashion

Forget bringing just sexy back. Shala Monroque is bringing lady-like and sexy back.  Her signature mixture of classic silhouettes in bright colors shows that you don't have to be trendy to be right-on-trend. I love her enthusiasm for prints, punchy dresses, fun shoes, and at times, eye-catching accessories. Plus, she's always rocking a killer smile with her ensembles. Now this is how to dress. 

Driftwood Interiors

all pieces available from Driftwood Interiors on etsy

Something about the warm weather that comes with Spring and Summer makes me want to cover all my walls in watercolors. I've been a fan of Driftwood Interiors ever since I found the shop searching etsy for watercolors of butterflies. She has a wide variety of paintings from coral to abstracts to interiors to florals and butterflies. I love the combination of classic blue and white, pastels, and shots of pink. The paintings of blue and white china would look perfect clustered around a china cabinet or hanging around a breakfast nook. Plus, they're just so cheery!

Spiro Style

all images from Absolutely Beautiful Things

I adore all things Anna Spiro and the bright, fun, and layered characteristics of Australian style. Anna is the queen of mixing bright colors, preppy prints with ethic textiles, collected antiques and lacquered furniture, and vibrant art. Her interiors look collected and liveable and her art is always gorgeous and modern without being serious and pretentious. I would move-in in a heartbeat, especially if this means a visit to Australia and being a hop skip and a jump to the ocean (oh and Australian wine). But if we can't move to Australia or hire Anna Spiro, we can at least try and get the look...

pillow from Lands End | pillow from Yastk on etsy | Picture frame from Furbish | 

French market tote from Sirene | Artwork from Annechovie on etsy | Rug from Dash and Albert | Ginger jars from Wisteria | Staffordshire dogs from Yonks on etsy

Poolside

image from Poolside with Slim Aarons | swimsuit from Milly | Cover-up from DVF | 

Bag from Hunter Boots | Hat from Kate Spade | Cover-up from lemlem | 

Swimsuit from Melissa Odabash | Hat from JCrew | Bag from Zara

I'll be spending the majority of my weekend laid out next to a pool with some breaks thrown in for food, margaritas, and mimosas. I am definitely more of a person who scrounges around a sale bin to find my beach/pool attire, and it's high time I stepped up my game. I love all things 1960s; so I'm going to work on channeling my inner Slim Aarons socialite style with some caftans, chic hats, and bright colors. Happy weekend! I'll be back on Monday (with a sunburn, I'm sure)!

On My Wishlist

image from Munger Interiors

image from Urban Grace Interiors

image from Lonny

image from Palmer Weiss

I kept spotting these understated gilt mirrors on blogs and interior design sites and immediately became obsessed with finding out what they were called. After much Pinterest-ing (look at that new verb I made), googling, and reading blog post after blog post, I found out the object of my desire was aptly named a Louis Philippe mirror. I especially love the contrast they give with a wood dresser, but one would look equally amazing over a mantel. And now excuse me while I spend the rest of my day hunting for one of my own. 

Going Green

image from turner davis interiors

image from design-crisis

image from house beautiful

image from chicago home magazine

image from houzz

I just finished the Green House Beautiful issue, which sadly enough was on the list of goals for this week.  Now my stack of magazines is 9 deep instead of 10. (Does anyone else get ridiculously behind on these?) 


Green is one of the colors I tend to shy away from in both fashion and decor. I'll do seafoam and turquoise, but bright greens, chartreuse, and more murky, camo-ish tones don't do it for me. However, I'm beginning to really like the way a bold green accent can add a preppy punch with the help of fabric and/or paint, and there's always the option of bringing the outdoors in for just a small dose of color. 

April Showers

Zara shoes | Micheal Kors wedges | JCrew wedges | JCrew dress | Kate Spade dress | Tibi dress | Kate Spade necklace | Tory Burch earrings | JCrew necklace | Bauble Bar cuff

...bring Summer nuptials. Wedding season is upon us, and although you do need that perfect dress for the reception, there are also showers, brunches, and engagement parties to consider. Thus, the sundress with the combination of easy to wear and walk in wedges and bright jewelry you can mix and match from event to event. Now all you have to do is comb the registry for the perfect gift.

Real E-stalking

Looking at online real estate listings is quickly becoming one of my guilty pleasures. It started while we were looking for a place to live from out-of-state, and for some reason, I just cannot drop the habit. Now I catch myself looking up homes all over the place...Charleston, Savannah, Austin...(please give me more cities and feed my compulsion). 


Looking up real estate listing is also a great source of inspiration. 9 times out of 10 it's really more of a "I hope to never do that" type of inspiration, but sometimes you run across some real gems that give you good ideas to take away.


This house was listed in Houston a few months ago. It was teeny tiny, but from the pictures, you can tell the owners did a great job of making it feel larger. The use of gray in differing shades across the whole house helped to expand the space as did the use of furniture that is moveable and doesn't take up a lot of space. The use of two small tables as a coffee table works like a charm in the sunroom, and that round dining table is perfect in the open dining room. Plus, those antique dressers look snazz-tastic and add a lot of storage. I tried desperately to convince my husband we needed to move-in ASAP to this house and ask for all the furniture as well, but apparently my convincing skills could use some work. 

Pardon the Interruption

In case you haven't noticed, my blog posting has been less than stellar. I started a j-o-b last week and am failing at juggling anything other than sleeping, working, and eating. Apologies for not providing any worthy workday distractions, but hang tight amigos for just a few more days. For now, I'll leave you with a pic of my sister and I and our fancy Easter hats. 

Pillow Perfection

My all-time favorite blogger, Anna Spiro blogged about Sally Campbell's home, which introduced me to her amazingly bright, beautiful, and bohemian textiles. She has a collection of handmade and vintage quilts, pillows, bags, tablecloths...and the list keeps going. They come in all kinds of colors and patterns, plus you can get shipping to the United States. Who wants to go in with me on a sunroom where we can put some wicker furniture, white couches, and mounds and mounds of Sally Campbell pillows and throws? 

On My Bedside Table

The Invisible Bridge is on of those rare books that stays with you long after you've finished reading it. The story is based on the story of Andras Levi, a Hungarian architecture student living in Paris in the years prior to WWII. Upon arriving in Paris, he becomes involved with the recipient of a letter he has promised to deliver. Through this involvement, he becomes entangled in family secrets that he becomes unable to escape. 


The book is a sweeping novel that covers the build-up to WWII, Andras's experiences as a Hungarian Jew, and the experiences of his families and fellow Hungarians. Julie Orringer is a masterful story-teller who creates realistic twists and turns and a series of interesting, yet believable characters. Sometimes, something as staggering and terrible as the Holocaust can lose it's impact due to the fact that we are unable to break down the horrific numbers into something more identifiable. Orringer does just that by creating such a dynamic and interesting family and viewing the effects of the Holocaust on each character. The story doesn't rely on ghastly details and grotesque depictions to depict the magnitude of the horror, but instead paints of picture of how difficult life must have been for families and individuals involved in WWII.  


I could go on endlessly talking about the book. It is difficult at times, but such a beautiful story of love and human triumph. I would highly recommend adding it to your list of reads for 2012. 

Color Splash

Necklace from Bauble Bar | clutch from Clare Vivier | Necklace from Bauble Bar | Shoes from TopShop

Clutch from DVF | Shoes from Shopbop | Clutch from JCrew | Shoes from Shopbop 

Purse from Shopbop | Purse from Shopbop

Spring wardrobe recipe: One part neutral dress + Two parts neon or brightly hued accessory. Mix together with a dash of confidence. Wear while drinking on patios, heading on a Spring vacation, soaking up the sun, meeting up for brunch, and/or generally enjoying life. 

Paley and Palermo

Vogue | Elle Ukraine

Power of Style | Marie Claire Spain

Vogue | Elle Ukraine

Before Olivia Palermo, the socialite/fashion/it girl of the mid-20th century was Babe Paley. Babe was raised in Boston and eventually made her way to New York, working for Vogue and marrying into high society. Friends with Truman Capote and photographed by Slim Aarons, Babe was one of the quintessential style icons of her time. 

The other day, perusing some pictures of Olivia Palermo in various fashion spreads, I couldn't help but notice a resemblance to the original style icon/socialite Babe Paley. I have a case of Babe on the brain, reading Vanity Fair's "Revisiting Ladies Who Lunch" and The Power of Style, but I can't help but noticing that Olivia Palermo is seriously channeling Babe in these pictures. Anyone else?

Sheridan French

If you've been around the blog world, you probably know of Sheridan French. The impeccably dressed, super mom with a little sass, a lot of style, and a super cute clothing line. (Just to be clear here, in Texas, we like our women with some sass.) What you may not know is that she just released a home line. It's full of her signature ikat patterns in bright colors and napkin rings made in the shape of her logo. The only question is, which one to buy first?

You can buy all items here