Hope you all have a wonderful holiday and enjoy the beauty around you.
We all have so much to be thankful for! Live, laugh, love and enjoy!
Because Brandon and I will most likely be deciding on a historical bed and breakfast in which to wed, I would love to incorporate a vintage vibe into the equation. With my color palette and a nice mix of textures such as recycled paper, burlap, ribbon,  feathers, birdcage, and  glass, my dream wedding should be quite interesting...




So a dear friend of mine has been asking me about what's up with the inspiration board that I was supposed to make eons ago, and I figured better now than ever since Brandon and I are finally starting to make concrete wedding plans. Friends and family often ask me about my wedding colors (usually that's the immediate question following  "Have you set a date?) and I try my best to explain my vision. Back in June I came across this interior from the HGTV green home and fell in love with the color palette. I've always been in love with bright colors, so it felt really... me.



I knew that I wanted chocolate tuxes instead of the traditional black, as well as pink and orange flowers, but the turquoise came as a nice surprise and cool pop of color, so I've been trying find some great turquoise dresses. You like, no? Don't worry, more to come.
It's not uncommon to see nature's lovlies showcased inside. Recently I came across the adorable idea of twigs in interior spaces. With the use of a trusty can of spray paint and some suspension, you can work wonders with something found in your own back yard.



I could see this eco chic application in a small retail store
(attached to the ceiling joists for support of course). The chains blend the industrial with the organic.



For a cool alternative to your standard curtain rod, why not use a twig? I would however layer the window and place a privacy shade underneath because this is stationary beauty. Cute none the less!






Christmas chandelier cheer? I thought this was so cool. Ornaments or (chandelier crystals for that cellula chandelier effect) would be absolutely wonderful! Just make sure that the lowest portion of the branch is at least three feet above the dining table. Side note - I love the different chairs painted a unified color. So vintage chic! I dare you to go out and see what you can find to make beautiful.  :)
So after stumbling all over the net, I've come to the conclusion that the shoes play a large part on your wedding day. I've seen so many pics taken from the neck down with emphasis on the shoes. I can't wait to finalize the choice for bridesmaid dresses and choose a fly pair of shoes to match. Check these out.



The gloves, feathers and ankle straps are so vintage sexy.



These candy stripe and wedges are so adorable. I'm sure they got to wear it again after the wedding.



The matching shoes are pretty cute. Not to mention, I really am considering choosing a color and length and letting them purchase whatever dress flatters them the most.




So sweet.



Let's not forget about the boys. I told Brandon to totally run with the different color socks idea.
He likes it. He also wants his guys to have different styles of ties.


 

 
I can't wait to finally choose a pair for my dress. I honestly think that I'll have a few different pairs to change into throughout the day. I definitely purchased my Christian Siriano boots and flats for pictures, but a girls' gotta have a sexy of heels! I'm JUST SAYING NO to the dyeables. They're expensive, they bleed, they're horrible. I wouldn't want my girls to waste the money. I really want a nice pair that they can rock later.  I'm definitely wanting a contrasting color from the dresses (the brighter the better). Anyhoo, wish me luck on finding the perfect pair!


Lately I've been really into bathrooms. Why? I often feel like it's one of the most forgotten rooms in the home (aside from the laundry room, but we'll talk about that another time). So where do I like to start when designing my bathroom at home? Well, the shower curtain of course. When changing the lackluster tile or flooring is simply out of the question, the shower curtain is a sure-fire way to create a worthwhile color palette for a transformation. Here are some shower curtains to get you inspired.


Kaiku Shower curtain from Marimekko - Here are some accessories that help spice up the look.
 



 





Cityscape by CB2- mustard and shades of gray create a nice unisex compromise.
Refinish an old cabinet or add a prefab one in a funky color (to hide your unmentionables) and add a cool industrial clock on the opposite wall.












My Bookie got me an awesome Alexander Girard Number Stripe shower curtain
from Urban Outfitters (on super sale) and I can't wait to use it!








Of course I turned to the trusty range that I know best for the accessories.
The key is just to keep it relaxing. I mean hey, they call it a "restroom" for a reason.
Just don't forget about the bathroom though - your body deserves something beautiful.

Oh... and for kicks and giggles, if you ever feel the urge to conserve more water when in the shower, shuffle on over to Moco Loco and check out this prototype curtain!

I was stopped in my tracks when I saw this...


Of course you can make it as chic as you wanna...

 

Yep, amazing I know. It's a collection of bedding made by a Dutch company called Snurk beddengoed. And yes, I know you may be thinking "sleeping under a cardboard box, that's not funny." Although tongue and cheek, according to the company's website, "A large proportion of the proceeds from the Le Clochard duvet cover go to SZN, the foundation for homeless youngsters in the Netherlands." Awesome, huh? I'd own it! Along with the cinder block fitted sheet - so realistic. Check out the rest of their ingenious collection here.


I love discovering restaurants. It's definitely a past time for me and my boo. We love to experience new places, great food, and breath-taking designs. My heart smiled when I saw this cute little place on the internet, then got sad because it was much too far for a visit. Meet Sweetiepie Restaurant in Greenwich Village in New York City. It's absolutely chic.


 


Mirrored ceilings, marble flooring, fushia tufted banquettes (you know how I live tufts), intricate iron seating, and white, white, white. GORGEOUS!  The last photo is a waiter inside of the custom birdcage which seats 4 comfortably. Sweetie Pie the best comfort food in luxury, and they are best known for their extravagant "Sweetie Pig" which consists of 18 scoops of ice cream with all the fixings for a mere $75 dollars - definitely a party affair. I think it would be darling for a bachelorette party. Just the interior alone gets me giddy (as wonderfully-designed spaces should do). Branding is so important, and the concept behind this one is so... well... sweet.
So after a trip to Atlantic Station with my boo, we stumbled into Z Gallerie and completely fell in lust with lots of the luxurious things that we found there. One mainly being this amazing X Canopy queen bed.


Yeah, it's a little pricey at $1,099, but after all, my dad did say that he'd buy us a bed for our wedding... but of course, I kind of talked us out of the purchase - at least for now. It stands at 7 feet tall and some change, and I can't help but keep a designer outlook at the fact that a typical apartment will have an 8 foot ceiling - let's not even talk about a ceiling fan. So if we get a bed like this, aesthetically, we only have two options - a cool loft, or our first house purchase (hopefully with at least 9 foot ceilings). So we had to come up with an alternative (that was more pricey of course) but I'm good at finding comparable alternatives. 



Meet the Nina bed at $1,699. Yeah, it's a beauty. I'm totally in love with the wingback chair headboard. So I scoured the net until I found another one.




Costco!!! Yeah, I couldn't believe it either! At $599, it's pretty close. More of an angled back and no tufts, but I'm still falling in love with it. But I definitely won't knock Z Gallerie's prices. Lots of things were extremely reasonable, and when I'm a "big ballin' designer" (yes, that's what we call it) I'll invest in some really chic things. Let's not forget, we still have to do our wedding registry (the less expensive accessories of course). Until then, I'll continue to be a baller on a budget.


After perusing the Forever 21 website for potential purchases, I began to notice that a lot of the items I was drooling over were indeed black - which is quite weird for me because if you know me at all personally I LOVE COLOR. But the attention to detail in these pieces are quite strong, and of course the color black always reads really powerful. Check it out...


 


Croco Embossed Shoulder Dress -$24.80.  A head turner for sure!

 





Belted Halter Dress - $44.00




Peep Toe Cage Heels - $20.80 A staple you could wear all year, really.



Vintage Mode Belt - $7.80

 
Mini Veil Clip - $6.80. You know How I love hair accessories, so I really couldn't resist.
Now get out there and get your body into some black!

"Cascading layers of dazzling forest creatures and foliage" - doesn't that just sound beautiful? I came across this lovely light fixture today and I fell, well- in love. The intricacy is utterly ridiculous!

  
 
 
The fixture is constructed a very durable paper material called tyvek, and the light is separated by a heat resistant cone. In love yet? I'm definitely putting it on my "gotta have for my happy home" list. And at $56 dollars and $8 shipping courtesy of unica HOME, how could I not?
So in case you were wondering, I'm still trippin' off of that Jader Bookcase, but my bookie sent me a stumble yesterday with the most awesome wallpaper, and I thought to myself,  "Self, I've really got to start sketching and doodling again! I mean, after all doodles can really become magic!" This wallpaper created by  John Burgerman sold by nineteenseventythree totally rocks my socks! Check it out.


Oh yeah, did I mention that you color it?




I could totally see this on a focal wall framed with some simple moulding or even in a kid's room (after they've mastered the technique of coloring inside the lines.) Pretty awesome, huh?
I know you'd think so! Thanks for the tip, Babe!
Many thanks goes out to my lovely design buddy Quintel of  URBAN PAINT. Check this design diva out! As one of my fellow alum, she is taking the design world by storm and has recently graced Charlotte, NC with her presence. Q actually passed the Kreativ Blogger award on to chic little me,  and I couldn't be more excited! Here's the award below!



I'm definitely flattered. When I started my blog, I just wanted to have a creative outlet for organizing all of the cool things I see and think about, so this a way cooler response than I thought that I'd ever get. As apart of accepting this award, I must also nominate other awesome bloggers who deserve a kreativ high-five. Much like Q, I have to get my blog-follow-game up, but this goes out to:


So thankful 
Christine Rivera GRD*BLG
head vs. heart
Ruffled
Design*Sponge
desiretoinspire 




More to follow... "insert pun"

As a rule of thumb, I also must share 7 things about myself:

1. I've been feeling very lackluster about my hair and I am seriously contemplating an edgier cut.
2. I must own a piece of turquoise furniture.
3. I want to eat at as many different restaurants as I possibly can before I die.
4. It's always been a dream of mine to work, live, and love in a big city.
5. My biggest flaw is that I put others feelings before my own.
6. I could eat sushi every day of the week.
7. I just purchased my dream car - a lime green 2002 Volkswagen New Beetle

More to come...
As I sat in training at work about a week ago, not only did a contract a nice little cold, cough, and infection (another whole story entirely) but I learned about a sweet limited edition product celebrating Billy's 30th birthday. Naturally I had to look this up later to see just what the heck was going on ,and when I finally saw it on the floor I was blown away by the design AND the price (of course, that's IKEA for you)! The Billy just got better. Meet Jader.


Yes, brains, function and beauty all rolled into one; a bookcase with some personality.
And the writing, you might wonder?



Yep, they are doodles with - get this - Shakespearean love sonnets! The creator of the limited series, Annika Bryngelson, says that she created the Jader with "a young, romantic man in mind".
How adorable is that?





And for "the colourful, trend-conscious young girl"?
The Billy Bjasta look a cue from Japanese Manga.





And if you think that wasn't enough, the limited-edition Billy also comes in 2 other graffiti-licious colors - orange and green. I'm drooling over the black because of its versatility, and because it's basically awesome.  Wanna know what else? The best part is that the bookcases are only $49!  For that price, you can add some bookcase accessories like the "B" book ends and some matching glass enclosures. Happy reading!