pure, clean & simple

Noted fashion designer Norma Kamali has opened a Wellness Cafe inside her New York City boutique.  Who is Norma Kamali and what is she know for, you ask???  Only THE MOST ICONIC bathing suit ever!!!  She designed that infamous red one-piece bathing suit in the worldly-know Farrah Fawcett swimsuit shot (the bathing suit has been recently donated to the Smithsonian)!!!  In 2010 she was also honored as one of WWD's "100 Designers Who Shaped Fashion."  Keeping in line with her design philosophy to promote self-esteem and wellness, she offers her favorite wellness products, foods and solutions in her new Cafe.  Everything offered is all organic and natural, from her olive oil products (she swears by it) to her tooth soap.  The design of the Cafe reflects her philosophy as well - pure, clean and simple.  A pure white color palette, clean geometric lines and a simple de-cluttered atmosphere.

Read the article at Organic Spa Magazine here...

Check out Norma Kamali's website here...

Check out here new Wellness Cafe here...

secondhand style

I've found a new passion that has been driving Chuck up a wall.  Garage sale treasure hunting!!!  In Ohio, there's only a couple months out of the year to enjoy the sport because there's either ten feet of snow on the ground or it's hot and humid enough to make you melt.  So now is the perfect time to put your game face on and go a hunting.  And it is truly hunting because you really need to weed your way through all the trash - and btw people, "one man's trash is another man's treasure" is not always the case.  Do I really want your old underwear?  Answer: no.  But when you do find that one great treasure after searching for what seems like days, it's the greatest feeling ever!  What a sense of accomplishment!  Good for you!  Way to go!  On to the next...  So in my great quest for treasures, I found this home that gives the word vintage a new meaning.  The owners of this Minnesota home recruited a designer who has a knack for repurposing the unexpected.  Their home is a combination of the family's favorite pieces from their old Wisconsin farmhouse mixed with unique antique finds.

Click here to read the full article from Midwest Living!!!

a look inside...

I love taking a peek into the homes of the stars......  What do they live like?  What is their style preference?  What color palettes do they favor? 

Celeb:  Mariah Carey

Location:  Manhattan Apartment

Style Preference:  Glitzy Glam (I think we all could've guessed that one???)

Celeb:  Michael Jackson

Location:  Neverland Ranch in California's Santa Ynez Valley

Style Preference:  Rusticity & Refinement (surprisingly, Michael opted to keep most of the interiors as they were when he purchased the property) 

Celeb:  Lionel Richie

Location:  Beverly Hills, California

Style Preference:  Italian Renaissance Revival / Singer-Songwriter Sanctuary (when asked where his favorite vacation spot is, his answer is home)

Celeb:  Frank Sinatra

Location:  Palm Springs, California

Style Preference:  Fully-Renovated Resort (over four decades, the singer's home went from one-story, two-bedrooms to an 18-bedroom, 23-bath compound equipped with a theater room, full-sevice salon, tennis court, and more!)  

Celeb:  Sting & wife Trudie

Location:  Wiltshire, England

Style Preference:  Warm & Inviting (they turned the formal barrel-vaulted dining hall into a studio)

Celeb:  Tina Turner

Location:  French Riviera

Style Preference:  Mediterranean Style (Turner was referred to as a "natural born decorator" by her designers and set the tone of the design)

images & info via Architectural Digest

crazy about color!

Colorful accents are made even more vivid and cheerful when keeping the backdrop neutral.  In this LA home, vivid bright bursts of color are highlighted on a black and white background while the bedrooms are saturated with intense color...

via Family Circle

friday fun find: poop products.....yes, really.

When I heard about these recycled products I nearly crapped my pants (pun intended).  Found online at Abe's Market, Mr. Ellie Pooh LLC literally sells poop.  Recycled elephant dung, to be exact.  In paper form.  It's actually a pretty interesting story.  Mr. Ellie Pooh, as he is now know, is a huge animal lover and soon discovered the need for volunteers around the globe to care for the environment and the animals that lived there.  His path of choice?  To care for the elephants in Sri Lanka.....hence the recycled elephant dung.  There's not much of the story after that, only that he now has his own line of eco-friendly poop paper (as well as a bunch of other environmental products that aren't as exciting as poop in my opinion).  The products are 100% recycled - made up of 50% fiber from elephant dung and 50% post consumer paper.

Elephant Dung Paper Letter Set - Orange

Elephant Dung Paper Notebox - Robin's Egg Blue

Eco-Friendly Poo Pads (Note Pads)

Embossed Elephant Dung Book Marks

fantabulous fixtures

Currey & Company has some SERIOUSLY KICK-ASS, GORGEOUSLY BEAUTIFUL, UNUSUALLY UNIQUE light fixtures........

Belle Isle Lantern

...the metal scrollwork is magnificent!!!

Dream Pendant

...I could dream under this pendant all day long...

Eufaula Lantern

...industrial + architectural + mixed use of raw materials = stunning

Parker Pendant

...i mean, who wouldn't want this fixture in their house??? 

Quantum Chandelier

...LOVE everything about this chandelier...

Raffles Chandelier

...the cute wire forms remind me of whimsical little birdcages...

Suez Pendant

...I would love to see the light this perforated iron pendant throws off...

immerse yourself in chocolate...

Coconut Chocolate Truffle Immersion Body Treatment.  Whipped Cocoa Bath.  Chocolate Fondue Wrap.  Chocolate Sugar Scrub.  What in the world are these you ask, as they sound quite decadent???  They are just some of the many Signature Collections spa treatments at The Spa At The Hotel Hershey located in Hershey, PA.  The Spa offers enough treatments and packages to make your head spin, and each one of them is as delightful as the next.  The interior design was modeled after High Point Mansion, the home of chocolate guru Milton Hershey and his wife Catherine.  With its rich tradition of stained glass windows, polished marble landings, warm pecan paneling, and grand views of The Hershey Hotel's majestic gardens, the thought of one important thing almost escapes us.........chocolate!  Chocolate and roses (Catherine's favorite flower) are the main theme throughout...........and what more can a girl ask for?  Chocolate, check.  Roses, check.  Chocolate and Roses Decadence Body Treatment?  Check!!!