Tassels for the Holidays

Red Dupioni Downing Dress

 

I posted this week on this wonderful green tassel top below. Well, this is also available in the top in black and a dress version in red and in black. I am so tempted to get the green top and the red dress for Christmas parties and the black dress for New Year's Eve. And they are so well priced too!

Mulch Madness

Beacham and Company

March Madness is over, but now we have Mulch Madness! Did you know that this is the time of year for mulch wars? This is when the home improvement stores go mano a mano with their lowest prices of the year on mulch starting around Easter.

Setting the New Year's Eve Table

Carolyne Roehm

This is great inspiration for setting the table for New Year's Eve - a very chic color palette of black, gold, and red. A very glamorous and sophisticated look. 

New Year's Eve Classics

Jody Jumpsuit Feather Fringe in Navy and Pink

 

My favorite choices for looks to wear for New Year's Eve include the colors navy and black and glamorous embellishments like sequins and feathers. Here are some of my top picks.

Feathered Favorite Restocked

Feather Jamie Dress

 

I posted last week on a favorite special occasion dress of mine, the Feather Jamie Dress. You can find the post here. I have this dress in Citron and love it so much I plan to order it in another color for the holidays.

Halloween Decorating @ CCC

CCC

 

Things are getting "spooky" at CCC this weekend. I am in Halloween decorating mode here. Pumpkins have finally arrived at Publix and I plan to get them this weekend too. I am doing my front entrance with all blue and white heirloom pumpkins to go with my blue and white Chinese porcelain at my front entrance.

Black in Warm Weather

Black for Spring & Summer

 

I absolutely adore wearing black. I went to law school in DC and lived in DC during law school and then lived and worked in DC for several years after graduating. Black was a mainstay of my wardrobe and remained so ever after. To me, nothing looks more chic in a city than black any time of year, and you don't have to worry about it showing dirt like light colors. It has such a classic vibe - very Audrey Hepburn and Jackie Kennedy.

When I moved to Florida, I put my black clothes towards the back of my closet and started wearing more patterns and colors. But I missed my black and it is back! I now still wear colors a lot, but enjoy my black as well.

A Great Dress for Valentine's Day

Red Finley Flutter Sleeve Dress

 

Red is such a happy color - it is bold, dramatic, powerful, and very flattering. If you are looking to add a red piece to your wardrobe for Valentine's Day and beyond, here is a great option.

My New Favorite Dress

Red Guipure Lace Daphne Dress

This stunning dress is one of my absolute favorite recent additions to my wardrobe. It flies out of stock and has just restocked.

Staub Pumpkins in the Kitchen

Staub Pumpkin Cocottes

 

A great kitchen is something we all love, but it doesn't stop with cabinets, appliances, and counters. Both highly functional and very beautiful, Le Creuset cast iron cookware and Staub cast iron cookware (especially their pumpkin cocottes) have become even more sought after of late.

Staub Pumpkin Cocottes

Happy Halloween

CCC

In honor of Halloween, a peek at my orange and black guest bath. The wallpaper is long discontinued Clarence House Chinoiserie Baroque left over from my dining room in Alexandria. The sink counter is black marble. The art and accessories are all from my Alexandria home. My painter used high gloss Benjamin Moore Tandoori on the wainscoting, crown molding, and door and he faux finished the column to look like silk. I love the room and that I was able to incorporate much loved wallpaper and things from my old home.

Classic Chinoiserie

J. Joern Cunningham

A wonderful work/study area has been created in the corner of this room.

The wallpaper is the classic Brunschwig & Fils Bird and Thistle. Although not a chinoiserie wallpaper, it is a very popular classic paper that works beautifully with chinoiserie, like the black Chinese Chippendale chair and blue and white Chinese porcelain on the mantel.

The Chinoiserie Entryway

James Farmer

This beautiful entryway features Schumacher's Hydrangea Drape wallpaper.

Perfection

Amanda Lindroth

Rarely do I see a room that captures precisely my taste. This is definitely it. I would not change a single solitary thing about it. Let's look at all the amazing elements.

*A pink velvet sofa with bullion fringe - it is actually a corner sofa - see the photo below. I ain't calling this a sectional - LOL. The fabric and trim are Mary McDonald for Schumacher.

Amanda Lindroth

*The walls are covered in fabric - Schumacher's Great Barrier Reef. 

*That incredible pair of Singerie Blanc de Chine monkeys.

*Layered rugs - a black and white stripe over seagrass matting.

*Palm frond lighting fixture. 

*The pale green ceiling.

* A lucite coffee table.

*The oversized faux bamboo sconces.

*The zebra - I am still searching for one of these guys.

*Wicker.

*Seashells.

*Orchids.

This is the perfect color palette of pink and green with touches of black to ground it and a mix of chinoiserie, Hollywood Regency, Palm Beach, island style.

This room is featured in a wonderful interior design book - S is for Style:The Schumacher Book of Decoration.

PS - I found another shot of this room and you can catch a peek of a Slim Aarons photo "Sea Drive" above the mantel.

Amanda Lindroth

The Banquette

Barry Benson - Luxe Magazine

 I know we all love white Chinese Chippendale chairs, but black is a chic alternative, upholstered here in Brunschwig & Fils suzani. I wish the banquette seat was in the same fabric.

I have been debating a banquette for my own breakfast room, but I am not crazy about it blocking windows like it is here. I think it would look awful from the outside as well. Hmmmm.

The Chinoiserie Entryway

Phillip Thomas - Flower Magazine

This dramatic foyer features Gracie Studios wallpaper, lacquered black ceiling and door, and stunning wood floors. The purple console table is an interesting choice. Purple is pretty much the only color I don't use in my home. I love lavender, but not a dark purple personally. But this pop of purple definitely works here with the green walls. 

 

Black Friday Sales

Ralph Lauren

 I am generally not really a fan of rooms with lots of black, but Ralph Lauren can do anything. And check out that plant - is it a banana tree or bird of paradise? They look so similar. I am planning on getting one for the garden. 

But I picked a black room today because many of my favorite online stores have already started their Black Friday sales and I am going to indulge in a little Christmas shopping today. I never ever did Black Friday shopping in person in my entire life anyway. That would be my idea of hell. But with the pandemic, it would be a suicide mission. 

So a heads up that many of your online stores have likely already started their sales if you have Christmas shopping to do. Have fun. Shopping from bed is much more fun anyway!

Saturday Inspiration

Bunny Williams

 Someone commented yesterday asking how many bar carts I have. Isn't there a famous expression "You can't have too many bar carts or shoes"?

I personally think bar carts are very chic and functional which is a win-win. Besides a bar, use them as

*A bedside table

*A coffee bar

*A tea cart

*For towels and toiletries

*For serving

*For displaying objets

My new bar cart is en route to me and I'm looking forward to getting it. Above is wonderful styling of a rattan bar cart for entertaining. I love how she has included a couple of pieces of blue and white Chinese porcelain and orchids.

A funny story - I posted yesterday about wanting an Old Man Palm. Right after posting, I texted my landscape guy about seeing one at Lowe's. He told me in Miami and environs they charge in the thousands for one. He hopped in his truck and I hopped in my Audi and we flew over to Lowe's Venice and bought it and he delivered it back here to CCC. He is planting it in a couple of hours. 

I need a palm that can be planted close to the house for my side yard project and it will be ideal. 

Another funny story - "HomeGoods and Gardens." I needed a black urn for the backyard for a Eugenia topiary - I planted two stunning black elephant ears in the same area of the garden. I popped into HomeGoods yesterday and found this urn and moss. It cracked me up that I am even finding gardening items there. 

The weather here has turned perfect. It will be 80 degrees and sunny every day this next week. I could get used to this. I'm on vacation every day.

My new HG urn

Pad Thai

Coral or Barnacle Vase

 This type of vase has been on my radar screen for a while. They are called coral or barnacle vases, and they are made by hand in Thailand using a pottery technique that goes back almost 1,000 years. Imagine my surprise when I saw one in HomeGoods in Venice yesterday for a small fraction of what they usually are priced. It's a soft celadon, and looks great on my Mercer table. It adds a seashell, organic, and artisanal element that I really like.

I was tempted to run to Trader Joe's for some flowers, but I am trying to be cautious and not overdo my nonessential outings, and I was just at TJ two days ago. So I erred on the side of caution. But I think it would be very pretty with spray orchids or calla lilies - black calla lilies would be stunning. 

Speaking of black plants, I have a shipment being delivered today from Plant Delights with a couple of black elephant ears and several Brugmansia, so this weekend I hope to spend time in the garden. The weather here has been lovely and perfect for gardening.

Happy Labor Day

CCC

Yesterday was spent styling the house and online shopping for exotic plants for my garden. Definitely two of my favorite activities.

I found several plants that I have been wanting at one of my favorite sources, Plant Delights Nursery including Brugmansias and two black Colocasias or Elephant Ears. I love black plants in the garden - a favorite book of mine on the subject that I read again yesterday is Black Magic and Purple Passion by Karen Platt.

Here is one of the plants I ordered.

Colocasia Black Magic

I have always loved black foliage and black flowering plants and I think the combination will be stunning with the green, chartreuse, white, and pink palette I am using.

I hope everyone has a safe and relaxing Labor Day. I am so enjoying some much needed R & R.