Such Pretty Things

Pretty Books: Pretty Pastel Style by Selina Lake (win a copy!!!)

It was with bated breath that I awaited the release of Selina Lake's newest book, Pretty Pastel Style.  Given the title, I doubt this will come as much of a surprise to you. My love of Selina's work dates back many years, as I share her love of pretty colors, floral patterns and vintage china. Selina is a well-known, UK-based stylist who has an incredible eye for color and pattern. While I have adored all three of Selina's previous books, I must say that Pretty Pastel Style is my new favorite. What a stunning, stunning book!  The gorgeous, candy-colored photographs (by the very talented Catherine Gratwicke) are completely drool-worthy!

The book features many beautiful homes from all over the world - and clearly demonstrates how anyone can incorporate pretty pastels into their home decor, regardless of their personal style (whether it be modern and sophisticated or romantic and vintage).

Pretty Pastel Style covers many facets of home decor - living spaces, color palettes, furniture, etc...

Selina also includes sections on adorable children's rooms, pretty outdoor spaces, and wonderful craft and work spaces.

Congratulations, Selina!  You have done it again - what a truly fabulous book!

Now for the really great news...you can have a chance to win your very own copy of Pretty Pastel Style right here!  Ryland, Peters & Small, the publisher of Pretty Pastel Style, has generously given me a copy to give away to one of my lucky readers! And since I am so excited about this book, I am also going to include some of my own pretty pastel trinkets - think vintage millinery flowers and velvet ribbons!  To enter to win, all you need to do is leave a comment on this post by Midnight (EST) on Friday, April 26, 2013. A winner will be chosen at random.

Good luck, everyone!!!

XOXO

Jessica

***Pretty Pastel Style can also be ordered on Amazon and on the Ryland, Peters, & Small/CICO Books website.

Pretty Collecting: Colored Glasses

I have people write to me all the time and ask me how I find my pretty collections of things. The truth is, I am always on the lookout for things that appeal to me. When I find something I absolutely love...that I am drawn to...I try to buy it. I don't always have a purpose for it in mind and, often, it does not yet belong to a particular "collection". For me, the best part about collecting is that it takes time. While I am not a super patient person by nature, I do love watching my collections grow and evolve over the years.  Take these colored glasses as an example....

I have loved colored glass ever since I was a little girl and admired my grandmother's beautiful glasses.  She kept them displayed on her window sills, so that the sunlight would pass through them and create a kaleidoscope of color throughout the room. It was mesmerizing. Later, I started collecting my own colored glass in college...both vintage and modern (like these). Whenever I found a style or color that I loved, I bought it. Now days, I may have a lot less cabinet space, but I also have a large collection of glasses that I just adore.

The tall pink goblets are from Laura Ashley (back when she had shops here in the U.S.). These aqua ones are my favorites (as is evidenced by my blog cover shot!).

They are from Anthropologie. I actually bought them many years ago, but they still carry the same ones today. These lavender ones are so, so pretty and such a hard-to-find color...

I purchased them from Rachel Ashwell's Shabby Chic store in Santa Monica (and sadly, they are no longer available). And I recently found these bright turquoise ones at Pottery Barn...

So, you see, a collection doesn't really happen overnight, so don't expect it to.  Enjoy the hunt...the search...and before you know it, you, too, will have a pretty collection of your own!

XOXO

Jessica

My New Old Chandelier

A number of years ago, I bought this vintage tole chandelier at a flea market.

It was truly love at first sight - the creamy white paint, just the perfect amount of chippiness and those gorgeous pastel porcelain roses.

But it needed re-wiring and I had about a zillion other things going on at the time, so I put it up in our attic and promptly forgot all about it.  Recently, I decided that I wanted to get a new chandelier for our kitchen.  So, I started shopping around and I looked everywhere - and I mean, everywhere! From Restoration Hardware to antique shops to ebay.  With no luck.  Nothing was really fitting "my vision". So, one day I am up in the attic looking for something and I see my long-forgotten chandelier! And wouldn't you know it - it was absolutely perfect! Exactly what I had been searching for! Now it hangs prettily over my kitchen table...my new "old" chandelier.

:-)

Jessica

Keeping Cozy

It's been soooo cold and dark here these last few weeks. I don't like it one little bit. I find I am already longing for spring and we still have a good three more months to go before it will truly warm up. So, in the meantime, I am taking daily refuge under my collection of pretty blankets and quilts and finding comfort in their bright, cheerful colors.

The latest addition to my collection is this gorgeous Cath Kidston fair isle blanket that the husband brought me back from his latest trip to the UK. So pretty...and cozy, too!

XOXO

Jessica

New Year, New Chair

Up until recently, my desk chair was of the purely practical variety. It was just your average, office-type desk chair - I think I bought it at Pottery Barn years ago and it was perfectly fine.  But it wasn't particularly pretty.  Now, given that "pretty" is the basic requirement of most items that make their way into my home, it's rather surprising that it lasted around here as long as it did. I had been looking for a replacement and when I found this shabby, french style armchair, I knew it would be perfect.  It came upholstered in a nice beige linen, but I wanted something slightly more colorful and special.

So, I decided to have it reupholstered in this gorgeous vintage fabric from the 1940's.

I had been saving it for years, as I usually just stash away my vintage fabrics for future projects that never seem to materialize.  Soooooo, since one of my New Year's resolutions is to actually start using more of my stuff - it seemed like the perfect choice.  Now I have a pretty new desk chair...and instead of my lovely fabric just hiding away, I get to enjoy it every day!

:-)

Jessica

 

Shabby Anticipation

 

From literally the very first second I get into L.A., I start counting the minutes until I can get over to Shabby Chic on Montana Avenue in Santa Monica. It is truly my favorite of all of Rachel's beautiful shops - probably because it's the original one and also because it has such a dreamy, ethereal quality to it.

Here are some photos of all the shabby loveliness...

Rachel is also opening another shop in mid-September at her gorgeous new B&B, The Prairie, in Round Top, Texas.  And for those of you who can't make it to one of the brick and mortar shops, on-line ordering is now available on the website! Yay!

:-)

Jessica

Corners of My Home

As you may know, I am a big fan of Flickr.  I often post my blog photos over there and I love to look at all the beautiful photographs.  One of my favorite Flickr groups is called Corner of My Home - it features wonderful little snippets of people's houses.  I find the photos so inspiring and I love to get a glimpse into how other people decorate their homes.  So, in that spirit, I thought I'd share some little bits and pieces of my home with you today...

Here's one of my favorite Italian tole candlesticks.

My older daughter's dresser top.

Her pastel tole chandelier.

Stacks of china plates.

Flowery hooked rug detail.

Some tole cans on top of my bedroom armoire...

My living room mantel at the moment.

Shelves of floral china.

Drawer of vintage linens.

Girly headbands.

The little one's purse...

A favorite antique plate I keep on my buffet.

A very old oil painting of pink roses.

Mercury glass candlesticks just waiting for the holidays.

Ruffled, shabby chic pillows.

Oh, and lots and lots of laundry...

Happy Tuesday!

:-)

Jessica

Target Tuesday: Mirrored Holiday Mini-Bar

I am thrilled with my latest Target find!  It's a beautiful mirrored tray that's totally glamorous!

It's very well made and has a very high-end look to it.  What I love about this tray, is that you could use it for so many things - as a serving tray, to hold a pretty perfume bottle collection, or to organize papers on your desk.

With the holidays fast approaching, I thought it would be fun to turn mine into a holiday mini-bar.  I like to have a bar set up when guests come over, but I'm never really sure exactly which bottles of this and that I should include.  So, I decided to do some research on bar essentials over at Martha Stewart. Martha has a great list of must-have items and you can find it here.  Some of the items I already had, but a few I still have to get.  It will come as no surprise to you, that when picking bottles, I tend to go for the prettiest ones in my favorite colors!  :-)

After choosing my bottles, I added some crystal glasses and a silver mercury glass filled with pink roses.

All set up...

The great thing about this "min-bar" is that it's compact and portable, so you can place it on top of any table or buffet...or simply carry it from room to room.

Happy Tuesday!

Jessica

ABC Carpet and Home

One of my favorite New York shopping destinations is ABC Carpet and Home. ABC is not your typical shop...it's actually two huge department stores devoted to the prettiest and finest home furnishings and rugs. Kind of like Anthropologie on steroids!

At ABC, you'll find tons of high-end home furniture, antiques, lighting, carpets, and linens.  Walking in the front door is like walking into a beautiful, magical world of prettiness...

 

ABC is know for it's gorgeous chandeliers...

This aqua beaded one was my favorite.

 

And this white china rose one is so lovely...

 

ABC has a nicely edited collection of antiques - like these pretty floral china pieces.

 

There are tons of home decor and tabletop items.  I especially love these glitzy napkin rings...

I would love to set a table with this shabby-chicish dinnerware...

 

They were just starting to put the Christmas decorations, so I will have to go back again soon.

There is lots of antique and vintage-inspired furniture...how fab are those French dining chairs???

The children's department is incredible.  So many pretty and unique things to decorate your nursery or child's room...

 

 

The dress-up clothing is straight out of a vintage storybook.

 

 

There is an entire floor devoted to bedding, bath and linens...in every style and color imaginable.  I want this bed!

This one, too!

Piles of pillows on every surface...

 

And some fanciful toiletries.

 

One of the great things about ABC is that you never know what you'll find.  I was shocked to come upon this basket of vintage wallpapers.

If you are planning a shopping trip to ABC (and you should!), here are a few tips:  Remember to bring a big, fat wallet - these are NY prices (i.e., expensive) - and please allow yourself enough time to really wander around and take in every little detail. The store displays are truly beautiful, with incredible attention to detail...

ABC Carpet and Home: 888 & 881 Broadway, New York, NY 10003  Ph: 212 473-3000

:-)

Have a pretty day!

Jessica

Pretty Summer Reading

Well, Summer vacation is almost here (only two more days of school for us!) and I have begun thinking about sunny afternoons spent by the pool and warm, breezy days by the beach.  One of my most favorite things to do during Summer vacation is to catch up on reading all my design magazines and books.  I collect them throughout the year, but never seem to have the luxury of just sitting there and perusing each page.  Here are just a few that I am so excited to finally have the time to enjoy...

I fell in love with Atlanta Bartlett's beautiful books while I was in the UK last Summer.  Her newest book, Easy Elegance, is absolutely stunning!

The photographs are by Polly Wreford and they are gorgeous!

I think I must duplicate this bed somehow...

And wouldn't you love to have this door with the peeling vintage wallpaper!

At Home with White is another one of Atlanta Bartlett's lovely books.

 

Again, the wonderful photos are by Polly Wreford...

I think I need to re-do my kitchen to look exactly like this one.  I love the "unfitted" look...

Another great book I have on my reading list is Thriftychic by Liz Bauwens and Alexandra Campbell.

The pretty photos are by Simon Brown and the book is full of great budget decorating ideas - all in a shabby, cottage style.

Another great cottage kitchen.

I must have every cupcake book out there, but Bake Me I'm Yours Cupcake by Joan and Graham Belgrove is one of my favorites.

Not only are the photos pretty to look at, the book has terrific recipes and lots of great decorating tips.

And finally, have you seen the June 2009 British issue of Country Living?

The issue is devoted to roses and filled with glorious photographs...

Do you have any beautiful design books or magazines that you've read lately and would highly recommend? Please let me know and I'll publish a list for everyone in an upcoming post...

:-)

Jessica