The Princess Bride

Just breathtaking, a moment in time to be remembered for a lifetime! Finally, the gown by designer Sarah Burton for Alexander McQueen, absolute perfection. As I sit here this morning having my coffee and scone I can't shake the chill bumps of this momentous occasion. Happy Friday everyone, that is all I am going to say about that, next week back to regular scheduled blogging! 

London Calling

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Hello my dears I hope all of you are well and having a marvelous week! It is Thursday evening and I am awake much later than I anticipated seeing as my plan is to wake early in the morning for all the Royal Wedding festivities. 

Whether you are over it, have no idea what I am talking about, or bursting at the seams with excitement (like myself) you have to admit it will be a truly spectacular occasion. Somewhat of a welcome distraction from the world's problems, if only for a few hours.

 I will say the dress speculation, comparisons to the late Princess Di, and baby talk are a little much...really, let the bride have her day.

So for all the enthusiasts I have found a few little odds and ends of interest to share with you. I didn't have enough time to prepare a history lesson but there are several posts out there with some fantastic information. The first being This is Glamorous with a background on Royal tiaras...which one will she wear, if any?

If you would like a little piece of history and didn't receive an invitation, why not indulge yourself in your very own letterpress commemorative print from Etsy.

Didn't we just celebrate Earth Day? I know my daughter's school is doing everything this week to help out mother Earth and this might be a tote that would be adorable going to Whole Foods...not sure how the other shoppers there would feel about it? 

You can find this and other British accessories at Decorative Things.

Move over Barbie there is a new princess in town and you can grab a mini Limited Edition Princess Catherine Here

Fancy Kate's Fascinators (that is fancy for hats)? 

Check out a recent post over on Highstreet Market to see more beauties and where to purchase them. I wish I would planned more appropriately, one of these would be darling while watching in my living room.

Okay friends, that is all the fun I have for this evening. It is time to get some shut eye. 

I would love to hear from any of you tomorrow and hear your favorites!

If you want a Royal insider and are on Twitter follow India Hicks at IndiahicksStyle.

For a little background on India, she was one of Princess Diana's bridesmaids and second cousin to Prince Charles, visit Habitually Chic.

Lonny

Happy Easter

Tamar Mogendorff

Hello chickadees and Happy Easter to all!

 It is a gorgeous day here in NC and I just thought I would share a few pictures of my holiday table with you for a small family lunch today. Really simple, decorated with help from my daughter, and last minute, seeing as we just returned home late Friday evening from our week long vacation. My tulips were smiling so beautifully this morning for me that I couldn't resist taking their picture.

The theme of our table is edible...you can eat everything including the grass, eggs, and M and M's.

Enjoy your day!

Friday Feature with Hillary Thomas

Hello my dear friends and Happy Friday to you! What a lovely week it has been since we last said hello. I have enjoyed relaxing by the pool, a few fruity cocktails, time with my family, but I can honestly say that my 3rd child may never see inside Walt Disney World...it may just have to be a figment of his imagination. Whoever named the Magic Kingdom missed in the name game because the Magic is lost somewhere between screaming babies, long lines, and 90 degree weather. Call me Debbie Downer but I guess this kind of entertainment is not for everyone although we did enjoy all of the other parks especially the ones with animals, Animal Kingdom and Sea World, bravo!

I will miss sunny Florida as we drive back home today, it makes me look forward to summer  vacation with no alarm clocks or schedules, just fun...

Now on to a long awaited Fabulous Feature that is looong overdue! She has been so patient with me and I want to thank her immensely. This designer as I stated in an earlier post is LA Chic but prefers to call her interpretation of design Vintage chic, and she has my dream...her own little Chic Shop. 

Yes, Hillary Thomas is the designer about town with her own line of bedding, accessories, including, lamp shades, art, and, a selection of finials in her shop that would be like selecting a beautiful piece of candy from the most fabulous candy shop!  

You too can visit Chic Shop to catch a glimpse of her goodies, including the finials appropriately named the Rock n' Rolla collection, and see her aesthetically pleasing design style. Click Chic Shop

 Her oversized photographs of children in a living room had me hello and I hope that you too will find your own inspiration in the work by Hillary Thomas.

Where are you from?

I grew up on the East Coast in Locust Valley, Long Island, but I adore Los Angeles, so you can imagine I’m a little conflicted!

What you led you into Interior Design?

When I was a little girl I would spend hours in my bedroom re-organizing my stuffed animals and all the knick-knacks on my desk and dresser (triple virgo - it comes with the territory). My freshman year of college I broke out the Laura Ashley pink bow boarder in my dorm room. The following year it was a whole blue and white theme. My friends tell me I’m a compulsive decorator….

Describe your style?

I love it when you walk into a room and instantly get the feeling that someone has lived there a long time and their home is a clear reflection of who they are and the life they have lived. Let’s call that layered, collected and lived in. And for me personally, I adore the lifestyle and design flair that came from the Jetsetting crowd of the 50s and 60s. It was pre-women’s lib, so women still changed their clothes three times a day and handwrote invitations for dinner, yet air travel was exploding, so glamorous people suddenly had access to new exotic places. This began to influence a new style that I call “Vintage Chic”. And my interpretation of that is very wabi-sabi, colorful, and eclectic. I mix high and low, splash in some 60s fab, layer in antiques with contemporary art and voila…you have my own interpretation of Vintage Chic!

What are some of your favorite looks, accessories, items? 

I love mixing unexpected colors, like purple with burnt orange, and punching up a room with fun pillows. I’m a big fan of Bob Collins, Dek Tillett & Kent Brangeline Fabrics – very old school Palm Beach chic! (I’m actually about to go Palm Beach with One Kings Lane to do a Dixie Highway container sale!) And as you can tell from our store, Chic Shop, I do have a thing for vintage accessories like barware, fun brass animals, foo dogs and Murano glass.

What other designers, architects, do you admire?

My design idols are Dorothy Draper, Sister Parrish, Billy Baldwin and Tony Duquette. My current design crushes are Miles Redd, Meg Braff, and my East Coast design partner Jeff Lincoln.

Can you give me a brief summary of " a day in the life" of Hillary Thomas?

Lots of coffee, shuttling kids to school, bootcamp by the beach, then race to the office. Then job site visits, client meetings, sourcing furniture and fabrics (love this part of my job!), then baseball games dinner and backgammon with the family.

Describe your personal fashion style?

 do you lean toward solids or patterns? I definitely fall somewhere in between solids and patterns – can I say that? I live in LA and am a big fan of bold colors (which are really enjoying a renaissance right now!), so I tend to go big and bright (my New Year’s resolution was “Go Bold, not beige”). I love mixing the high and low in home design as well as fashion. I’ve always got something on from H&M, Forever 21, and Zara along with Christian Louboutins, YSL hand bags and my old school Ray-Ban Wayfarer sunglasses!

What is the best piece of advice you ever received? 

Go with your gut and trust your instincts. Decorating is ALL about trusting your instincts. Dorothy Draper said it best, “I believe in doing the thing you feel is right. If it looks right, it is right.” At the end of the day, you’re the one living in your home (not your interior decorator), so you make sure you go with what you love.  And always bring the outside in - the absolute best design comes from nature, so I like to celebrate that inside.  

Your dream project?

A boutique Hotel in Palm Beach or in the Carribbean. I’d love to get my hands on the Greenbrier Hotel in West Virginia and help them own an old WASP-y chic style. They need me! I’m also a big fan of Tom Sheerer’s redesign of Lyford Cay & Meg Braff’s redesign of Round Hill – a project like those would be amazing! And perhaps an East Coast country club like the Maidstone.

If you were not designing fabulous interiors what would you be doing? 

Interior design is my fantasy career  - work is play for me, and I pinch myself everyday that this is my career! There is nothing I’d rather be doing.  Well, maybe singing backup for The Stones…

For more interesting conversation with Hillary hop over to One Fabulous Mom to see and hear about her Bollywood themed birthday party...love this girl! 


Hillary Thomas Accessories

Portfolio

Images courtesy of Hillary Thomas and Lonny

How I adore thee

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Bippity Boppity Boo to you! Spring Break is next week for my children so we are headed South to the land of wonder today...I wonder how I am going to make it around Walt Disney with a broken big toe? Bad timing yes, and a little painful but really just a pain in the foot. More than anything I am looking forward to getting away with my oldest 2 children, husband, and possibly being able to relax a bit by the pool. So with that being said I am checking out for a few days and will catch you on Friday with a fantastic Feature. I will give you a little hint.. she is LA chic, talented, and has great things on the horizon! 

I won't leave you this week without a few tidbits of fun that I have on my platter so I hope you are able to check all of them out for your own inspiration.

Huraraches

Rag and Bone has some killer clog huaraches for Spring that I have fallen in love with! How cute are these with shorts, jeans or even a dress. I had some when I was in grade school and I wore them to pieces...these might be my new Summer staple.

To order go Here.

Lulu DK

The wildly talented and sensational Lulu DK debuted her first collection of art shown in a gallery this month in New York. Of course like LuLu, it does not disappoint. Vivid collages depict her inspiration from a life of travel and art.

For more information Click.

Like any designer/artist I love seeing their work space and where magic starts. Lucky for us Lonny featured Lulu's home in one of their issues and her home office with a plethora of paint.

Trad Home

Now, I would not be a very good friend, blogger, colleague, or whatever I am to you if I did not pass on my knowledge of Trad Home because it is fantastic! Michelle Adams and Patrick Cline of Lonny partnered with Traditional Home to present an online magazine with designers who decorate using traditional decor but add fresh not overly trendy elements to their work...for me that is perfection. I have really enjoyed perusing the pages but I will say have a good cup of coffee or a glass of wine at your fingertips because there is a lot of wonderful inspiration for you!

Kate Middleton


A princess in waiting is terribly romantic and the marriage of Prince William of Wales to Miss Catherine Elizabeth Middleton in precisely 2 weeks will be one of the biggest historical events in many of our lifetimes. I have enjoyed seeing Miss Middleton through the years, as of lately reading all the quirky information about the Royal Monarchy and how this marriage is the hope for their future. Of course I enjoy her sense of style and think she is simply stunning. The hats for me put the British over the top and the future Princess certainly gives everyone a run for their money. Wedding coverage starts at 4 am April 29th in the States and I read somewhere yesterday that the official kiss on the balcony will be at 8:45 am I believe (please correct if I am wrong). As you can tell I am very excited! 
Pimm's anyone?

Happy Weekend to You!