Peter Dunham's Bungalow Chic

Damn. After seeing designer Peter Dunham's Los Angeles bungalow featured in House Beautiful this month, I really regret not painting my living room pink a few years back. It was all planned out but oh, no, I chickened out at the last minute and went with a conservative neutral grey.  How killer is this wall color mixed with the modern furnishings and global textiles? Definitely not too girly or childish. 

Maybe I'll be spending another grueling twelve hours re-painting my living space in the near future. But then again, remember how I had to remove the two pillows that had pink in them from my sofa because it turned out that even though I loved them, I hated them in my home? Hmm... 

Images via House Beautiful 

Wear Now, Wear Later

I found myself in J.Crew last week just because I was out and about. I have a problem, I really do. If they'd like to pay me to wear and promote their clothing, I'm open to negotiations. I have several of their drapey silk tops in varying styles and they are far and away my favorite dressier items. Not to flimsy or sheer this fabric, well, drapes rather nicely. I discovered their newest addition to this line and my first instinct was to grab one in every color. I resisted but it was a challenge. It's the perfect item to transition from late summer into early fall. 

Pair it with shorts and a fun scarf for a causal gathering with friends over labor day weekend. Then squeeze into your favorite skinny jeans (I don't care how slender you are, you're familiar with the skinny jean dance) and pull on a classic blazer as the days get chiller. It also looks stunning tucked into a more structured skirt, like my all time favorite fluted number. 

Sources // 1 Drapey Silk Tee / 2 Patchwork Stripe Scarf / 3 Navy Blazer / 4 Alana Sandal / 5 Chino Shorts / 6 Long Layered Necklace / 7 Silver Mirror Pumps / 8 Foldover Clutch / 9 Skinny Skinny Jeans //

Where'd You Go?

More accurately, where did I go? If already follow me on Instagram you may have noticed that one of my big projects is almost complete. I've been onsite at this amazing beach house almost all day, everyday for two weeks as it came together with lighting installation, hardware installation, last minute plumbing additions (!) and of course all the furniture that I've been hoarding away in storage for months. It was amazing to see a house go from empty to full in a little under five hours. 

Now that the majority of the furniture has arrived, the client and I can move on to my favorite part, accessorizing. This means visiting lots of galleries, scrounging through antique stores and yes, even scouting out some newer items. I'll be back to my regular blog posting this week so stay tuned. And don't forget to follow me on Instagram for more project sneak peeks! 

Inspired Design: Blue & Orange Coastal

What resonates with you when you think about coastal interiors? The combination of orange and blue is not usually a pairing that comes to mind, for me at least. I think that's what makes this family room, designed by Katie Rosenfeld, so refreshing.  

It's a great example of choosing creating a design scheme that compliments the space's environment without overplaying or overstating the obvious. This home is coastal but the only obvious indicators are the rope lamp and the beadboard wall treatment. The patterns and colors of the materials are fun and playful but could easily fit into a suburban family room. But put everything together and you instantly get a coastal vibe without including the obvious nautical motifs. 

Sources // 1 Fiorentina Pillow in China Blue / 2 Striped Circles Tangerine Pillow / 3 Rope Table Lamp / 4 Spruce Street Chair / 5 Chatham Square Ottoman / 6 Diagonal Stripe Patch Pillow / 7 Slipcovered Sofa  // 

Inspiration Image via Katie Rosenfeld Design 

A Little House & Home Love

The late summer issue of any shelter magazine is always a gamble for readers. Is it going to be amazing or is it going to lack a bit because staff are away enjoying the warm weather? Allow me to allay your fears about the August issue of House & Home. The four "family" living features are all spectacular. A little mod, a little traditional, a little antique minimalist - a lot of gorgeousness. Not surprising, I fell hardest for the home decorated in shades of blue and white. 

With all this recent love of blue and white, I think a little redecorating might be in order for my apartment! For more images and the full article, check out August's issue of House & Home. 

Images by Virginia MacDonald for House & Home

Bohemian Neon

I'd like to state for the record that I'm not always dressed to the preppy nines. Gasp! It's true that for the majority of summer I tend to wear brighter, preppy clothing but there are sometimes when I'm a bit more bohemian. And it usually occurs during the work week when my edgier (anything not striped, navy blue or Lilly Pulitzer) clothing comes into play. This season I've been really drawn to black and white ethnic/tribal prints paired with some brighter accessories. 

I've always admired the classic Panama hat but I've always been a bit too self-critical about how I look in them. This weekend while enjoying the Newport Flower Show with my mother, I changed my mind. It was riotously sunny and I could feel my skin burning through my SPF 50. Hat vendor and Panama straw hat to the rescue. I don't think it's half bad...

Sources // 1 Cecilia Dress / 2 Clio Sandals / 3 Flower Cut-Out Bag / 4 Floral Vale Clutch / 5 Panama Hat / 6 Stacking Bracelets / 7 Perfect Cut Racer Tank / 8 Nadine Flared Skirt //