The Midas Touch

Cadiz Handknotted Shoulder Bag in Metallic Gold

I am a huge fan of gold accessories for a luxe touch, especially for evenings out. This darling bag is just the ticket.

The Chinoiserie Dining Room

Grace Kaynor Interiors - Southern Living

This pretty New Orleans dining room has me perplexed. I love the antique marble mantel, gilded mirror, pagoda pelmet, crystal chandelier, antiques, and the gold Chinese Chippendale chairs. It is painted in Benjamin Moore Beach Glass - a grayed blue green. The color works well in beach houses. I love New Orleans style - lots of high ceilings, crystal chandeliers, antique mantels, aged wood floors, and antiques. 

Gold and Black

Frances Valentine Marvelous Jacket

I love a gold jacket for the holidays. I was able to snag this at a fabulous price on the Frances Valentine Boxing Day Sale before it sold out and it arrives today FEDEX from the Madison Avenue store in Manhattan. I think I'll wear it for New Year's Eve.

The Tennis Sweater Reimagined

Metallic Morrissey Sweater

 

When I was a teenager, I had a tennis sweater that I loved. I often wore it playing tennis on chilly summer mornings as I went to camp for many summers in Wisconsin. I also loved it paired with madras shorts or white slacks or tied jauntily around my neck. 

A staple of Ivy League style, the cricket sweater, also known as a tennis sweater, is a preppy icon. Dating back to the 1920s, it was originally worn by British sportsmen before becoming popularized by the Prince of Wales.

The Gold Jacket

Marvelous Rockefeller Jacket

I love a gold jacket for the holidays. It is wonderful paired with black pants or layered over a dress or paired with a skirt. Such a dressy and versatile piece. Here are some favorites I have my eye on.

The Ladylike Trend - The Midas Touch

Gold Fringe Skirt

Gold is not just for jewelry. Gold pieces for your wardrobe can be a very elegant addition. They are great for the fall and also perfect for the holidays. The key to wearing gold is to stay away from sexy and slinky - keep it sophisticated. Here are some pieces I love - a couple I plan to add to my closet.

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. 

Golden Antlers

Gold Antler Candlestick

 

Antlers are very Christmassy with Santa and his sleigh and reindeer and all. So antler candlesticks are perfect for the mantel, sideboard, or dining table.

Setting the Summer Table

Lenox

 

This is a fun and quick DIY that I absolutely love. Using a place card at each table setting is very old school and elegant.

All That Glitters

Ginny Loafer

 

The holidays are full of glitter that seems to end up everywhere - I even found glitter on my dogs yesterday! It is the perfect time to add a sparkly piece to your wardrobe.

Fall Clothes ( My Style)

Frances Valentine

Fall colors have never been my thing - my wardrobe is basically devoid of beige, brown, burgundy, harvest gold, and olive green. The Frances Valentine Fall Collection is a dream - filled with pink, blue, plaids, metallic gold - all my favorites, but done in fall fabrics like corduroy and velvet and such.

Manolo Blahniks Gathering Dust

New Metallic Rothy's

 

In NOVA, I wore stilettos almost every day and have quite a collection of gorgeous Manolo Blahniks and other designer footwear. Here in Florida is a different story. I tried on a pair the other day toying with the idea of wearing them, but took two steps and thought better of it. I slipped back into a pair of Rothy's and I swear my feet sighed in relief. Looking back, I marvel that I did not break something walking in high heels on ancient bricks and cobblestones in Old Town Alexandria, Virginia thousands of times. (Widow Makers)

Blue and White Chinoiserie & Stripes

Ralph Lauren 

 

Ralph can do no wrong in my book and this is a master class. I so often mention how beautifully stripes work with chinoiserie and this is a perfect example. And no dinky blue and white Chinese porcelain - nice big pieces that make a statement. I love his frequent use of palm trees - even it's in a NYC apartment as opposed to a tropical venue. And lots of books - they give a room a soul. Gold/brass touches always look great with a blue and white palette. His use of brown furniture always looks classic and not dated. Is that a backgammon board on the coffee table? I use to love playing backgammon. 

The Foyer @ CCC

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I love my foyer - double French doors and a transom and high ceilings let in tons of natural light. A black and gold antique Chinese chest, a brass and black marble console table, and blue and white Chinese porcelain are from my Alexandria home. They combine with Florida touches like palms and seashells and a new Dana Gibson faux bamboo oversized Chinese lantern. The color palette introduces the colors in the rest of my home - blue and white with pink and green and lots of gold.

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More Holiday Tabletop

Jaye's Studio

 Here is a stunning Christmas table setting that would work perfectly in my home as it incorporates SO many of my favorites - stripes, pink and red, blue and white, faux bamboo, Greek key and gold. Jaye's Studio is a lovely online store, and they are having a holiday tabletop sale right now with the code SETTING. I would use one of my sets of faux bamboo flatware with this. Lots of great ideas to borrow here.

Bold Beautiful Color

Katie Ridder - House Beautiful

 I love this dramatic room - tangerine walls, a corner tufted banquette covered in an exuberant chintz, a unique Chinese garden stool, a gold ceiling, a striking green rug, and a beautifully detailed roman shade. 

The day went perfectly yesterday - I have a beautiful new Frame TV and a great sound system. I will post more details and pics tomorrow. I am taking the day off and chilling.

Here is a sneak peek - 

The Week of the Turtle

Gilded Tortoise/Turtle Shell

I posted a few days ago about the darling raffia turtle I found at HomeGoods for the lanai. Yesterday I found this gold tortoise or turtle shell on a lucite base - it is by Lamp Couture and retails for $260 and I got it for free with some T.J.Maxx rewards $ I had. I have been looking for something like this for ages.

Thanks for the input on the Dash & Albert rug. I am thinking about the Catamaran in the platinum and white stripes for the lanai - my lanai has a British Colonial vibe and is reminding me of my favorite Bunny Williams room just a tad so I was thinking about this rug similar to hers.

Bunny Williams 

Dash & Albert Catamaran Stripe

I'm still playing around with the sizing, but the colors would be perfect with my walls and floors. I do not want to cover up my beautiful floors in the house, but the lanai floor is not tiled and this would be a nice look.

Do any of you have blogs on Blogger? They are forcing everyone into a new interface that is absolutely dreadful with all sorts of glitches. It's like New Coke. If it ain't broke....

The Gilded Tortoise Shell

Paloma Contreras

Do you recall when Target was selling these Nate Berkus tortoise shells? (Now discontinued) I have one in white that was in my family room. I really like it in gold. I wonder if my fave Liquid Leaf works on resin? I think it's very glam in gold and very Palm Beach. Next little project.

Nate Berkus - Target

Chinoiserie Vignette

Society Social

Love this vignette in a Society Social showroom - a framed Chinoiserie panel, a gilded faux bamboo lamp, and a gold and pink velvet X bench - so pretty!

The Chinoiserie Powder Room

Pinterest

Chinoiserie wallpaper pairs beautifully with a gold Louis mirror, marble and brass sink, and gold sconces.