This Week's Quote

<div align="center"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjb13tAozmRYadhGuGcCYitOG6E4fWzbPR6IMthCTuWymWAEi2VNGxvw53y88DBhKH30RXWM0R7kD5Q_jSQlnSK266mSX2l7CqZO7kQTiWeh-DgXXOUfAXicRIiITfjy4DsZNjRzwYY4F5e/s1600-h/P1030811.JPG"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5381333774982439874" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjb13tAozmRYadhGuGcCYitOG6E4fWzbPR6IMthCTuWymWAEi2VNGxvw53y88DBhKH30RXWM0R7kD5Q_jSQlnSK266mSX2l7CqZO7kQTiWeh-DgXXOUfAXicRIiITfjy4DsZNjRzwYY4F5e/s400/P1030811.JPG" style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" /></a><span style="font-family:georgia;font-size:130%;color:#990000;"><em> "Now and then it's good to pause in our pursuit of happiness and just be happy."</em></span></div><div align="center"><span style="color:#990000;"><em><span style="font-family:georgia;font-size:130%;">- Guillaume Apollinaire</span></em></span></div><p><span style="color:#990000;"><span style="font-family:verdana;color:#000000;">We're back from London and had the most incredible holiday. Fabian and I are both completely smitten with the city and can't wait to go back and spend more time there. It was honestly one of the most enjoyable and romantic trips we have taken. I have a ton of blog material from a mere week in London and will share it all with you very soon!</span></p><div align="center"><br /></div></span>

This Week's Quote

"Now and then it's good to pause in our pursuit of happiness and just be happy." - Guillaume Apollinaire We're back from ...

Read more »

Personal Style, Defined: coco + kelley

<div align="left"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhW0Ece1r_K00_-FCwg-YKanDOQQxWOKY0wCj2_AWTrOXj5iuiG-_Dp-uVam4Jwq6A8iBBcKNO6Us7CyK7jMaHfscg16xPS8MxAJJBBAGCoxGPwOFEf9xjzttZ4lvsexjEUJqCRbix6sejf/s1600-h/header+coco+kelley.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5381026552872481586" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhW0Ece1r_K00_-FCwg-YKanDOQQxWOKY0wCj2_AWTrOXj5iuiG-_Dp-uVam4Jwq6A8iBBcKNO6Us7CyK7jMaHfscg16xPS8MxAJJBBAGCoxGPwOFEf9xjzttZ4lvsexjEUJqCRbix6sejf/s400/header+coco+kelley.jpg" style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 57px; CURSOR: hand" /></a><span style="font-family:verdana;">The wonderful Cassie of </span><a href="http://cocokelley.blogspot.com/"><span style="font-family:verdana;">coco + kelley</span></a><span style="font-family:verdana;"> was slated to share her take on "Personal Style" with us last Tuesday while I was in London and while she was an awesome contributor and sent the post to me days in advance, I had some technical issues across the pond (more on London very soon!)and have been unable to share her post with you until now. However, I think it is definitely worth the wait. Cassie is the consummate blogger, is incredibly sweet and equally talented. She has killer style and I am so excited that she is sharing her design philosophy and process with us.</span><br /><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5381026544377988818" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfjWzf8yEpqNzeMuorISHOj7UQ9zC3wBVvC8uJVlmfmuJ3hw-JkCNZEJU6WeJtnVLgDWepFDy1wuC5PcSK9Kv5YXN_85i2Wo50YDGsMERgJWYxjN-3HIXmiHTXcBe7XiJoM47uJ8Mr_HbF/s400/Cassie1.jpg" style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 268px; CURSOR: hand" /><span style="color:#000000;"><u> </u></span><br />As an <a href="http://cocoportfolio.com/splash">Interior Designer<!-- a-->, I love helping others find their personal style when it comes to<br />their home. But, when it comes to my own? Forget it! So many options,<br />ideas, colors, patterns, materials... it feels impossible! So, when<br />Paloma asked me to contribute to her <a href="http:///" q="'personal+style">Personal Style</a><br />series, I was instantly ecstatic and horrified. Where to start?<br /><br />Well, I did exactly what I ask my clients to do - I went through my<br />huge collection of rooms, and started pulling anything that <span style="FONT-STYLE: italic; FONT-WEIGHT: bold">really </span>spoke to<br />me in its overall design - may of which I'm sure you'll find familiar<br />- and then looked at them as a collective and discovered a few things...<br /><br />1. I love lucite:<br />I love the element of clarity in a room - I do not consider myself a minimalist,<br />but by using materials like lucite and acrylic, it allows me to keep<br />a room feeling open. It also helps bring the modern contrast to more<br />traditional materials and pieces - something I absolutely love to do<br />when designing a space.<br /><br /><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5381026539507763730" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUvr6VVajeld8hwuMRuXmOBsmcsoVQvDiYlLbui3D_ixWCEsrwbU46Gh_l1m860iSuoy19vw1UiVkZPD6kcCb1XjAqEufljlwdJrPNQU_E-0EofAcszq71Rlv2Lro377lhDPrgkpP712CZ/s400/Cassie2.jpg" style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 400px; CURSOR: hand" /><br /><br /><br />2. I am a collector:<br />I like to purchase furniture and accessories because I love them - not<br />necessarily because they all 'go' together. This habit tends to<br />create spaces that look a little mishmashed, and it certainly takes<br />some effort to pull them together at times, but I wouldn't have it<br />any other way! I try to mimic this style in my client's homes as well<br />- there's no rule that says you can't mix modern, traditional,<br />midcentury, and gothic all in one place!<br /><br /><div><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5381026532090705410" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggB2dM8jXpzHskYUV_Szrg60Znxb0DH9KNzzO23UlD-lIAadbEEcAGjPph9zE47a2hRxs_kZsLxWSh4lW_mnb9BwbcoG0TpmP-RjUiNW0yt2hVPaBF6HRo9Z614Hnws2Khw7e_wJ8VNBnW/s400/Cassie3.jpg" style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 244px; CURSOR: hand" /><br /><br />3. I require a touch of bohemia:<br /><br />Along with mixing and matching my eras, being a California girl makes me crave a<br />touch of bohemain style in all my rooms. I think we all define<br />bohemia in our own way, and for me it usually means adding a piece<br />that makes the room feel more casual - in the case of these rooms the<br />wicker stool and the throw pillows on the bed do exactly this.<br /><br /><div><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhniV8vSvPTiPpVwvZDWoykOmudb-uGM_Qam8m8q9Nqnx4z8MN7l_mgFAK-tQPdee85CXwsLcx2nUaOqw1Xzdnwa1zprAlTsMti21tahwfgSNHFqS4xA3hs_S_vtrRW7Mt6Fk80UslCEAK_/s1600-h/Cassie4.png"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5381026224810770034" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhniV8vSvPTiPpVwvZDWoykOmudb-uGM_Qam8m8q9Nqnx4z8MN7l_mgFAK-tQPdee85CXwsLcx2nUaOqw1Xzdnwa1zprAlTsMti21tahwfgSNHFqS4xA3hs_S_vtrRW7Mt6Fk80UslCEAK_/s400/Cassie4.png" style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 310px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 400px; CURSOR: hand" /></a><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmIPeIXIxeb4XfnGiV58ARIMar4ak1bfyT8wCZOQTmWWobK_DfC6qNEn7zYCnYsYqWPhhtGFu30KlvPJijBOhkFdhzgtE6ZCHA2rI7XPEahhi6eQ7W0ZiBByDNjQo9VO9GaoSVQQhANCWA/s1600-h/Cassie5.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5381026220539395794" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmIPeIXIxeb4XfnGiV58ARIMar4ak1bfyT8wCZOQTmWWobK_DfC6qNEn7zYCnYsYqWPhhtGFu30KlvPJijBOhkFdhzgtE6ZCHA2rI7XPEahhi6eQ7W0ZiBByDNjQo9VO9GaoSVQQhANCWA/s400/Cassie5.jpg" style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 354px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 375px; CURSOR: hand" /></a><br />4. I prefer light rooms and neutral pieces:<br />White walls and neutral palettes give me a great base to work from, and<br />that's what makes me love them. Where others see 'boring' I see<br />'possibility'. Because I change my mind on what I love. A LOT.<br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwmp-icfvbp97y9mKs8t291ZDE0HY1IwR0fvV7cK0rGtcSyt8htyN9pjw2ldnGq2RdJEzNXTrJVw0XVJq4uALdFf2WV4wxBusAIwosTFfh0oQYrxCt3XM00xvyFCRQXnKwW8-5DdGYfGof/s1600-h/cassie6.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5381026212943271202" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwmp-icfvbp97y9mKs8t291ZDE0HY1IwR0fvV7cK0rGtcSyt8htyN9pjw2ldnGq2RdJEzNXTrJVw0XVJq4uALdFf2WV4wxBusAIwosTFfh0oQYrxCt3XM00xvyFCRQXnKwW8-5DdGYfGof/s400/cassie6.jpg" style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 324px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 400px; CURSOR: hand" /></a><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKfrPSJ0g85xRVhFcFNpQ5LYsxp06JHK4ZFEEFaTbZdQXp7bau0U96xFJQdGlbXLrQA9inJoHe1qOkYRPWoK1Gxm10wNNGHI2_lNHbeI8_SWmWHFhlTgGZxjPPS6MMaBoyH5y3zIXLfOlf/s1600-h/cassie7.jpeg"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5381026203214054626" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKfrPSJ0g85xRVhFcFNpQ5LYsxp06JHK4ZFEEFaTbZdQXp7bau0U96xFJQdGlbXLrQA9inJoHe1qOkYRPWoK1Gxm10wNNGHI2_lNHbeI8_SWmWHFhlTgGZxjPPS6MMaBoyH5y3zIXLfOlf/s400/cassie7.jpeg" style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 307px; CURSOR: hand" /></a>5. I never leave a room without a little touch of glamour: It's amazing what a shiny piece of chrome can do to a room, don't you think? When I think of glamour, I usually think metallics. I use everything from gilded mirrors and accessories to crystal chandeliers, and furniture pieces like those above to provide that unexpected pop that adds just a little be of sex appeal to any design.<br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2_z6g_oQE-vkpDoDk_mTKt1GWTHRHPvQ_exqzyleSfvFl8Q_KdVDC2WRwx1S8T6hMllRZTiYAxp1cto9cG2yq_1Gbb4Tyfy3S-wHKw4A7N-SR57qTZZmilAezHVePiPz1YJ5ln3VGV5j_/s1600-h/cassie8.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5381026199671364866" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2_z6g_oQE-vkpDoDk_mTKt1GWTHRHPvQ_exqzyleSfvFl8Q_KdVDC2WRwx1S8T6hMllRZTiYAxp1cto9cG2yq_1Gbb4Tyfy3S-wHKw4A7N-SR57qTZZmilAezHVePiPz1YJ5ln3VGV5j_/s400/cassie8.jpg" style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 354px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 375px; CURSOR: hand" /></a> </div><div>Room sources: 1. ny mag, 2. martha stewart, 3 - 5. domino, 4. the city sage 5. domino, 6. elle decor, 7. domino, 8. canadian house & home</div></div></div></div></div></div></div><br /></div>

Personal Style, Defined: coco + kelley

The wonderful Cassie of coco + kelley was slated to share her take on "Personal Style" with us last Tuesday while I was in London...

Read more »

London, here we come!

<div align="center"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrptaMAjy8hgnzg5bVkUhh8luqtCXfmURiHbKTPraW8NV-CUfwakhSEBXTv97zkUidWHdi4Vrsy8tGYqJcmERbQVfcOGBq7ToOyrxwWBtS1rTOqqJaqmIsNhFNrMxw2XP18K4OEUb2Fycx/s1600-h/joe+p.bmp"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5377706619248474130" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrptaMAjy8hgnzg5bVkUhh8luqtCXfmURiHbKTPraW8NV-CUfwakhSEBXTv97zkUidWHdi4Vrsy8tGYqJcmERbQVfcOGBq7ToOyrxwWBtS1rTOqqJaqmIsNhFNrMxw2XP18K4OEUb2Fycx/s400/joe+p.bmp" style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 284px; CURSOR: hand" /></a> <span style="font-family:verdana;">After what has felt like a very stressful packing experience, we are finally heading to London in a few hours. We have a long list of things to see and do and are excited to not only experience one of the greatest cities in the world, but to spend some relaxing, quality time together. Please pray that we have a smooth flight and that our luggage arrives safely along with us. That always makes me so nervous! I will try to check in and post as soon as possible.</span> </div><br /><br /><div align="center"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqK1Fs3a6_Wz7H84_lOZyJKgby-BrT8yME5iURpMeMkdlBztloOPjOsxRjm871bPAtwSJ6goVDhgZ3uzn6TvMOf4hKkBvghKNLnbcEkd4oOntyq0Eq5EPxCw-DwHDISokuhTMBKUp55_Ia/s1600-h/joep+r.bmp"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5377706616207073634" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqK1Fs3a6_Wz7H84_lOZyJKgby-BrT8yME5iURpMeMkdlBztloOPjOsxRjm871bPAtwSJ6goVDhgZ3uzn6TvMOf4hKkBvghKNLnbcEkd4oOntyq0Eq5EPxCw-DwHDISokuhTMBKUp55_Ia/s400/joep+r.bmp" style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 277px; CURSOR: hand" /></a><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;">If you're a new reader, I'd like to invite you to check out the La Dolce Vita archives over the next few days. I am positive that you will find plenty of good reads and eye candy!</span></div><div align="center"><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUzj3fkGowRvygl4W8glo3n-mI_e_tiG2U7MEnTIK-9sv-hS0fPySf4b9mmzNyI9-7CUQzNK7rPgN3nPbwG1vhqHBP9ZgC9iP5S7Adq4Mapl_Ac_Ci4Rf9xRNdRnvAMTYSntyzx60dVKTu/s1600-h/joep+r2.bmp"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5377706609943642162" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUzj3fkGowRvygl4W8glo3n-mI_e_tiG2U7MEnTIK-9sv-hS0fPySf4b9mmzNyI9-7CUQzNK7rPgN3nPbwG1vhqHBP9ZgC9iP5S7Adq4Mapl_Ac_Ci4Rf9xRNdRnvAMTYSntyzx60dVKTu/s400/joep+r2.bmp" style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 282px; CURSOR: hand" /></a><br /><div align="left"><span style="font-family:verdana;">These gorgeous images of London are from </span><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/joeproosen/sets/72157613325251906/"><span style="font-family:verdana;">Joep R.</span></a><span style="font-family:verdana;"> on flickr. Be sure to check out the rest of his albums. His work is beautiful.</span></div><br /></div>

London, here we come!

After what has felt like a very stressful packing experience, we are finally heading to London in a few hours. We have a long list of thing...

Read more »