Lilly Coming Home

I've been meaning to post about this...for...a long time but have been completely swamped with my life. So, for those of you who don't read 1000 other interior design blogs, then this will be news to you--Lilly Pulitzer has a new furniture line coming out!


You might be thinking, this could only work in a little girl's room, or in my vaca home in Palm Beach, but I think it has some actual versatility.

See what I mean? This sideboard cabinet is so sophisticated and has just the right amount of embellishment in the knobs. SO gorgeous.

I love faux bamboo so this bar cart would look amazing in my NYC apartment. Really--does anybody want to step up to the plate to make that happen?

I want to trade out my super cool bar stools for these now! You guys know how much I love yellow and these are just SO YELLOW.

The Morgan Ottoman is just adorable. I love the wide pleats--this is perfect for setting a tray of treats down on. LIlly knows that we're not always out at fabulous parties or lying on the beach and that we like to kick back and watch TV sometimes. I love the blue on the inside of the cabinet and the cute little brass drawer pulls.
As a side note, I'm thinking of wearing this dress to my rehearsal dinner--thoughts?

So what do you guys think of the Lilly Pulitzer line? You know how I feel (can't breath with excitement). Practical? AMAZING? It comes out this summer, so you have some time to make room for it. (Images from Lilly Pulitzer, HFI Brands Facebook page, and CocoCozy!)

Alicia B.

Shopping at Claremont...but not for myself

One of the best parts of my new job is shopping! I get to pick out beautiful and amazing fabrics and textiles for our clients. Though i am beginning to loathe my old place of employment, the D & D building, I am learning so much. Seriously, the D &D is a huge time and energy sucker, but there is nothing to do about that--its the life of a design assistant. ANYWHAY, the most fabulous place I've been thus far was a showroom called Claremont. It's not in the D & D, but a few blocks north. It has the most beautiful printed fabrics and embroidered silks. It was like the high end version of Pierre Deux in the style sense; French Country but with a little city flavor, if you know what I mean.

The showroom was bright and cheery and I almost blacked out at how beautiful and perfectly organized it was.

All the fabrics were stacked one on top of the other. I hated to mess them up but I needed to dig into the gorgeous textiles. (pic from Brooke Giannetti's blog!)

The showroom (this is the LA one) carries about 7 or 8 lines of fabric. This one is Penny Morrison's welcome to the showroom. From Out to Lunch.

Speaking of awesome designer, Brooke Giannetti, she used this paisley fabric from Claremont to recover a client's chair. I love how the traditional pattern is made more modern with the poppy color.

The showroom, started in London in 1931, started with George Le Manash of Paris. I'm ABSOLUTELY obsessed with his fabrics.

OH MA GAWD I'm obsessed with this room. Le Manache is a fabric design god.

OH, I'm going to black out again (can blacking out be the new "swoon"?). This is another Le Manache fabric room. I love matching fabric to wall covering--but only when it's a good/amazing fabric. Photo from HERE.

I'm recovering this Saturday night from a crazy week at work (in a good way), and Saturday 9AM class. Thankfully I got the new House Beautiful to help me unwind. What are ya'll up to?


Alicia B.

Happy Birthday to my Sister!

Joe Nye from his book Flair.

Yup, this is how things roll in my family. Anyone who matters has a birthday in Spring or Summer--it's just the way things are.

Want to know more about the birthday girl? My sister is the baby in the family, has more nicknames than anybody I know, works in finance but is obsessed with Joe Nye. This hot redhead has nothing on my ginger sister--from the Sartorialist.

She's supremely fashionable, unlike her boring preppy sister (moi). Image from Kate Spade.

She is my go-to person (one of two--I have two sisters, okay!) if i'm having a life conundrum, or more importantly if I have a cute picture of a kitten I have to show her.

I hope you have a fabulous, flair filled birthday (even though I won't be there to celebrate). 23 is going to be a ridiculous year!

xoxo
Alicia

Happy Birthday to my Dad!

Today is my dad's birthday! He would be the first to scold me about privacy on my blog so I'm sure he'll appreciate the picture. Here are a few things my dad loves...(you know, besides his ridiculously awesome daughters and his amazing wife) and that I hope he gets on his birthday.

This is a two-parter. Taking pictures--my dad is on a constant quest for the perfect picture. My mom--he's taking a picture of her running a small road race! Plus, he adores her.

BOOKS. My dad's bedside table is stacked with books...we're not sure if he reads them all but he does love the look of them.

Bowties. Not a trend, a way of life.

Cake!

Sailing. Some of my best pictures of my dad are when we are out sailing.

Happy Birthday Dad!!

xoxo
Alicia B.

Waiting for the other shoe to drop...

I mean that in a hopeful way, not a sad way. I'm literally waiting for some shoes to drop out of the sky and land on my feet. As you know, I'm getting married in August and I've been busy looking for shoes, the dress (found it a long time ago), the perfect invitations, the list goes on and on. I've been absolutely loving the shoes though. Wedding shoes can be SO much fun and also very extravagant looking. While I'm mostly a ballet flats kind of girl lately (b/c I have 80 year old knees), I'm gearing up to wear some 3 inch heels on my (OUR) big day.

These, from Kate Spade are SO gorgeous. They are perfectly appropriate but with a little bit of bling on the heal. It's like a little surprise at the end--love it.

I'd prefer some color underneath my white dress. These would be perfect. Kate Spade.

Pom Poms? Don't mind if I do. I DO. These are from Anthropologie's Wedding line BHLDN. They have the most beautiful designs. Found via this amazing new blog!

I'm obsessed with these. The pattern on them is like mini confetti and with a huge pink flower to top it off, it's like a party on a shoe. Also BHLDN.

AND of course we need some sparkle. I love the tailored bow on the peep toe. BHLDN

I'm usually a low maintenance girl (don't laugh), but when these shoes are flashed in my face, I go a little bit crazy. I love how much fun you can have with a wedding shoe and I know that I def want some color on mine. Kate Spade also come out with a whole wedding line, much to my intense glee. It's literally the cutest place on the internet. Does anybody have any ideas for other places that sell fun wedding shoes? I mean OBVI Christian Louboutin, but this girl can't wear 4" heels. Thoughts?

Alicia B.

Kitchen Moment: Terracotta Style

HERE.

I've been helping a friend out with her new home in Philly and shes asked me to help her pick paint colors in a few rooms. The first one was her kitchen, which had red walls and a terracotta tile floor. The red walls MUST go and I recommend pure creamy white walls in her kitchen. While I'm naturally drawn to wide plank flooring, you have to play the cards you were dealt, right? Only kidding, the kitchen is going to look amazing. Take a look at some kitchens I found as inspiration with creamy white painted walls and terracotta floors.

The uneven tile floor and the and artwork on the wall (kind of 6 months ago) create a bit of character in this kitchen. I do love the scale of this kitchen though.

\

These red terracotta tiles are not your run of the mill squares are they? No. They are a rich red with a black tile surrounding the island. I like the contrast of the red and the clean white.

This is my favorite (from Elle Decor). I'm obsessed with the French bistro chairs and the polished look of the tiles.

This is a little something different, yes? Brick flooring with white paint and white cabinetry makes this kitchen look traditional but contemporary. From this gorgeous blogger.

You want your kitchen to look clean above all else. The red walls seem like an attempt at the "Tuscan" look from 1997 and they should def go. My friend is traditional, but shes also 27 and needs a great place to cook, entertain friends and be 27 with her husband. How do you all feel about the terracotta tiles? I like the look, because it reminds me of an open kitchen in France or Italy.

Alicia B.