LOVELY WORDS

I love, love, love this! If I had to sum up what I'm all about in five sentences, this would be exactly it.

*image via run with scissors

DVF'S MANTRA OF THE MONTH

Diane von Furstenberg is a woman of strength, style, and great elegance. Which is why I love her monthly mantras over on the "Inside DVF" section of her site...when she speaks, I listen:

"Life is a novel, every word counts!!!"

*image via we heart it

A Girl Can Dream

I'd love nothing more than to be in her shoes...

But with an impending trip to Seattle tomorrow (yes we're already shooting for issue 2!) and a to-do that's list through the roof, it looks like there will be none of this in my future anytime soon. Here's a little quote that's helping me power through...maybe it'll help you too!

"If we all did the things we are capable of doing, we would literally astound ourselves." -Thomas Edison

*image unknown

Live the Life of Your Dreams

Yesterday on twitter I mentioned that I'd be enjoying a laid back night at home with a movie: Revolutionary Road. A few of you tweeted back warning me how sad and depressing it was...and you were so right! 

But sad as it was, it is also very poignant. I think we all fear living a life that falls short of our biggest dreams. For me, it's important not to lose sight of what those dreams are and to do something everyday (even if small) that gets you one step closer to them! 

Not too long ago, fellow Chicago blogger Jess LC of Makeunder My Life graciously asked me to share my life intentions as part of her 'Design Your Life' series every Thursday. I was delighted to wake up this morning to remember it was Thursday and headed over for a little inspiration to shake off last night's movie (today's guest is Cassandra of coco+kelley).

And it reminded me why I love all of you! Our niche community in the vast blogosphere is a talented, creative, and supportive group of like-minded individuals who generously shares their inspiration and kindness with each other on a daily basis. So, I just wanted to take this time to say, "Thank You," for contributing to such a lovely place for all of us to enjoy! I appreciate each and every one of you more than you know :)

"The biggest adventure you can ever take is to live the life of your dreams." -Oprah

*images courtesy of Rodney Smith Photography

Inspirational Quote: What Makes a Room Great?

"What makes a room great? A point of view. This means you come up with an idea for a scheme and you determine what the use of the room is and its overall spirit - and you stick to the concept until you bring it to fruition. You don't deviate along the way, which means you can't buy everything you fall in love with." - Interior Designer, Steven Gambrel

What makes these spaces from Steven's portfolio great for me? 

The frosty photographs and matching throw pillows.

The beach scene painting above the couch.

The curvy stool all by itself. 

The gilded mirror above the fireplace.

The scale of the wall art and window paired with the low sofa.

The light fixture.

The large plank wood floors. 

The fact that there's a desk in the living room.

The green accent wall with paneling.

I absolutely need to keep this quote in the forefront of my mind (especially as I move into my new apartment). When there are so many styles and pieces you fall in love with, it can be difficult to commit to just one. But I think if you master this, the space is all the more glorious because of it!

On a side note, be sure to stop by tomorrow for Installment #3 of Fall: Get Ready/Get the Look from a special guest! If you missed the first two, you can catch up here and here!

a wink + a smile

Last Saturday I was at a wedding and talking to a girl. I told her about some of the changes going on in my life....and the fear and the trepidation I sometimes feel around that. She looked at me and said in complete confidence, "In life, all you have to do is flash a big smile and people will be nice and come to you and help you if you need it." She is right and this image finds its way to me like a soft reminder...

*image via here, discovered via coco+kelley

Quote of the Week

"Part of being glamorous is taking risks." -Jay Jeffers

That is so true and this room captures it for me. The huge gold mirror is a bold, glamorous statement because of its size and unique style from the rest of the space. I love those "look at me" pieces and think every room (and outfit) should have one. Without them, you just blend in with the crowd and who wants that, right?

*room via Metropolitan Home

Quote of the Week

"I like mounds of white bedding. It's sensual but reminds me of innocence. Life begins and ends in white sheets - they tap into something essential rather than just being chic for the sake of chic." -Sean Cummings

*images via Elle Decor, House Beautiful, Simply Seductive and Reed Davis

Quote of the Week

"A woman who doesn't wear perfume has no future." -Coco Chanel

If ever I leave the house in a hurry and forget to wear perfume, I remember these words from Coco and feel a sense of doom. That's why you'll almost never catch me without it! This weekend my bottle of Un Jardin en Méditerranée by Hermés finished so I picked up Coco Mademoiselle by Chanel. I'm so in love with this scent! I've been spraying it everywhere and have even put it on before going to bed! I simply can't get enough :) 

Quote of the Week

"I believe what you wear on the outside affects who you are on the inside. It is so much easier to be kind when you feel beautiful. You know this is true." -Heidi Merrick

*via Heidi Merrick

Quote of the Week

"Purple is the best color for outside. It's the complement to green, and it's the color of shadows - just look at Impressionist paintings." -Tom Scheerer

*patio designed by Scheerer via House Beautiful

Quote of the Week

"Before you leave the house, look in the mirror and take one thing off." -Coco Chanel

*photography by Arthur Elgort via Ms. Muse

Quote of the Week

"Design is where science and art break even." -Robin Mathew

*photography by Corrie Bond discovered via Oh Joy!

Quote of the Week

"People ignore design that ignores people." -Frank Chimero

*image via Elle

Quote of the Week

"Fashion is so close in revealing a person's inner feelings and everybody seems to hate to lay claim to vanity so people tend to push it away. It's really too close to the  quick of the soul." -Stella Blum

*image source unknown

Quote of the Day

"Perfection is achieved, not when there is nothing more to add, but when there is nothing left to take away." -Antoine de Saint Exupery

*image source unknown

Quote of the Day

"It's not what you look at that matters, it's what you see." - Henry Thoreau

*image from Ms. Muse via Funambula

Quote of the Week

"The life of a designer is a life of fight - fight against the ugliness." - Massimo Vignelli

*image via RedBubble

Quote of the Day

"Fashion should empower you as much as it dresses you - it should make you a femme fatale one moment and a romantic the next. Fashion is there to transport you - it's escapist and seductive." -John Galliano

*image via CyanaTrendLand

Mary-Kate Olsen Interview

Check out these hot pictures of Mary-Kate Olsen (no, it's not Courtney Love) for her interview in Interview Magazine's March issue. I have to say that I really love her and twin sister, Ashley. What they've done with their two fashion lines, The Row and Elizabeth & James is sheer creative talent. Not to mention that they are incredibly intelligent businesswomen...

"When you're walking down the street, or you're at a restaurant, someone catches your eye because they have their own look. It goes way beyond what they're wearing into their mannerisms, the way they smile, or just the way they hold themselves." MKO