When I think of my own style, I always think of a mix of sophisticated and tough. From my vaguely gypsy-slash-rocker chick style in high school and college to the things I gravitate toward now (similarly rock chick chic), I love pieces with a little edge and hardware. Last night, I stumbled on this beauty online at Hudson, long a Boston design destination.

This ice bucket isn't inexpensive, but what a great statement piece (a much better statement than "I get tipsy off half a glass of red," which is sadly true in my case). Made of reclaimed teak wood, iron, and stainless steel, this will keep more than your wine bottle cool. 


image via hudson

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There's something I've been seeing more and more of lately and I just love it: black windows. A simple paint job changes the whole look of the room and, to me, makes it a lot more exciting. It adds a sort of architectural interest, even to a room that has none otherwise. 

Whether you do a little (only paint the muntins, the generally decorative pieces that divide the panes of glass) or a lot (include the channel and sill, the frames or even an door), it amps up the room. The stark contrast of black window against bright white walls is lovely, and I know they go well with dark walls. But I am also curious to see more black windows used in rooms that have colored walls, as I haven't seen too many examples of that. 

I've never been a fan of muntins in windows, always preferring to have nothing breaking up the view through the glass, However, in my next house, I'm leaning toward painting the windows black on all of the downstairs windows. Just picturing it makes me excited to paint shopping. Part of why I love the look is that it reminds me a lot of the spaces in New York where I've worked on photo shoots and the old iron windows looking out over the city and the rivers made me so happy. 


Would you try a black window?

images via cococozy, liz marie blog, houzz, domaine home, houzz, designed for life

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Whenever I see a cute trinket tray I always want it. I don't know why. Apparently I think it's something I need and will use often despite the fact that my keys are always in zipper pouch (so I don't lose them in my purse) and my glasses, when off, are usually in the bathroom next to the bottle of saline. 

I am, for now, resisting the urge to buy this Kate Spade Eyeglasses trinket tray. The illustration is adorable and it would look very cute on a table near the door. I tend to use small bowls for my rings and earrings, but it could be good for holding things that you want to remember to take on your way out the door. At 6 by 11 inches, it's pretty sizeable, so it could hold a fair amount.

Do you use a trinket tray for keys, glasses, or jewelry or do they just act as objets on a table or dresser?

image via nordstrom 

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When I was pregnant with my first daughter, I had a beautiful color scheme picked out -- inspired by a container of gumdrops I'd found at Whole Foods -- and I knew I wanted to do silver walls. I wasn't finding an affordable option and I also decided I wanted the paint to be as eco-friendly as possible since it would be where my first baby spent a lot of time. I ended up going with a gray that was a shade I really liked, but I always wished I had been able to do a metallic.

Have you seen the videos shared on Facebook this week of Hearst Design Group and Ralph Lauren's collaboration on paint inspiration. In the video above, Elle Decor senior editor/writer Ingrid Abramovitch made over her living room using a Ralph Lauren specialty finish, Metallic Mica. The color looks exactly like what I was going for five years ago. 


Now I'm thinking again about how much I'd love to do metallic walls. I might still be wary about doing in where the kids sleep, although I'm sure my daughter would love to have metallic Fairy Circle pink on her walls (note to self: do more research on mica).


The range of colors available is gorgeous and definitely has my wheels spinning.

If you like the metallic finish as much as I do, you can buy it online at Home Depot, and there is a how-to video if you're going to do the paint job yourself. Click here to access the rest of the inspiration videos, and be sure to check out the bedroom transformation featuring my incredible former boss Sabine!

video via elle decor

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It's a good thing 'Thou shall not covet thy offspring's dresser' isn't a commandment, because I am guilty. I spent a long time trying to find a cool dresser for Sunshine that would grow with her and not look like her sister's, which now feels a little too plain and white. (Maybe it's time for some kind of major Krylon project?)

Enter the Mid-Century 6 Drawer dresser in black from West Elm. Not only did I love the hardware, I loved that it was black and not the ubiquitous chocolate brown finish. It looks great in her room and coordinates nicely with the special knobs from Anthropologie that I put on the crib's drawers back when our first was born. 

Every time I go in Sunshine's room, I'm a little jealous of her dresser. The house we're currently in has a major lack of closet space and I'm currently making do with a sad little dresser borrowed from my sister. And when I say sad, I mean it was extremely cheap and duct tape is currently holding the drawer bottoms to the rest of the drawer frame. And barely holding on at that. But soon our housing situation is going to change and our closet situation with it. But I've still been thinking about the dresser. I went to West Elm's site tonight to look at the price and was crestfallen to see that this piece is no longer available. 

So, if I end up needing a dresser, do I pilfer this one from my daughter or try to find something else? What would you do?



image via west elm

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No matter how interested or involved in social media I am, I'm ever the print journalist, constantly taking down notes by hand -- and realizing that my handwriting has really gone downhill since college as I'm out of practice writing by hand at that length. While spiral-bound notebooks are the most convenient, they're not always the most attractive.

This adorable strawberry notebook from MoMA is perfect for to-do lists, ideas, and notes taken during an interview. The juicy exterior is made of vegan leather and the stem-styled page marker is made of suede. There's also a honey dew version. 


image via moma store

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Earth, Fire, Wind, Water, Heart! Sorry, I was thinking of the power of the elements and had a Captain Planet moment. Actually, I saw a video [see below] on Facebook this morning that really interested me. Water can be really calm and serene or it can be angry and scary and strong. And it can kind of be both at the same time. 

Hawaiian photographer Clark Little jumps into gigantic waves with his camera and shoots these incredible shore breaks. Some of the breaks are so big, I want to scold him for not wearing a life jacket (such a mom). He captures these amazing shots while he is completely enveloped and surrounded by the powerful water and the images are truly beautiful. Check out the video in which Little talks about his process and you can see more of his work.

images via © clark little photography

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I've always been a "fish," as my mom says, one of those kids who just always loves to be in the water and swim and splash around. I probably love vintage (or vintage-style) pool lifestyle photos just as much as being in the water. I don't know if it's the slightly more formal look and atmosphere or just the way we tend to romanticize the past, but these bathing beauties always look so much more glamorous than what you see today. 

I'm also fascinated by cultural symbols and how they evolve. Author Jeff Wiltse wrote Contested Waters: A Social History of Swimming Pools in America, which sounds like an interesting exploration of the shift of pools from municipal destinations for bathing to private luxuries, and the racial, gender, and class divisions that accompanied the move. It may not be something I want to read poolside, but I do hope I can read this book over the summer.

With any luck, the clouds and rain will finish passing through and we'll be able to take a dip in my parents' pool tonight, where I will look infinitely less stylish that the woman below, but will enjoy it nonetheless. 

images via tumblr, pinterest/©slim aarons getty images, huffington post/©anthony friedkin in vanity fair/©slim aarons getty images

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Summer is officially here! The last week has been a little crazy with a sick baby and our niece and nephew in town, but we had a lot of fun (minus the fever and cough). 

There are so many beautiful cotton and linen napkins out there, but sometimes paper napkins are more practical or preferred, so why not have a cute selection on hand? Meri Meri's Toot Sweet line is super adorable featuring fun patterns and, on most designs, a scalloped edge. Most of them come in lunch and beverage sizes and the striped versions offer additional colorways.

Which pattern is your favorite?