20

Apr

Beverly Hills – The Apartment

Spent the entire week in Los Angeles (sigh.) i had lunch at one of my favorite spots on S. Beverly Drive followed by a conversation with one of my sorority sisters about her moving to New York at my Urth Caffe a block over where I used to live. I’m not going to lie, i miss my old apartment in Beverly Hills. It’s where i felt happy and truly came into my own as an adult in my late 20’s. The reason why i let it go was to move to New York and get out of my comfort zone to see if i can make it in the “greatest city in the world.”

There comes a moment in your life when you feel like you’re an outsider looking in on your own life.  i realized i had a routine and it was so ideal that it started to feel surreal. My office was a short 3 mile drive through palm tree lined Doheny Drive up to legendary Sunset Boulevard. i would wake up and walk a block over to head to the magazine stand, grab a drink at The Honor Bar after work, rush over to Barney’s and basically walk all over Beverly Hills. It truly is a neighborhood.

i was very grateful for my life but it felt stagnant. Imagine a serene lake. Picture perfect. Idyllic. i felt like i needed a river to rush through it and bring in new energy and break through. i felt like i needed to do something different and i realized i never knew what it was like to live outside of LA as an adult. i went to USC and then i started working here while my friends left after graduation to places like Vegas, Ohio, Virginia, London and of course New York. Maybe it was me turning 30, but i just decided that it was time to head to New York City and find out for real…if i can make it there then i can make it anywhere.  Why though? Why leave what you know and worked so hard to achieve a comfortable life to start again somewhere else? Because i could. Because nothing was holding me back. Because it was either now or never. i felt like i didn’t want to move on to the next chapter of my life without finding out the answer of: What would it be like to live somewhere else?

These are beloved glimpses of my apartment in Beverly Hills. It’s been nearly a year since i moved out. Today, the furniture has been pulled out of storage and is in a house in the suburbs I’m sharing with my brother while i live in New York. I’m so happy to have these images. It represents that time in my life where i really invested in my space so i can truly experience living and making it my home.

Chrysalis wall flats add dimension to the dining room to represent gem facets.

Obsessed with my chandelier. It was much bigger than i thought. Kartell Louis & Victoria Ghost Chairs.

Bright. White. Clean. Serene. Boutique hotel feel.

i was going for a look reminiscent of South Beach Miami with a little old Hollywood glamour.

White king bed from Brocade home. Mirrored desk and nightstands.

Photo shoot in the dining room. Centerpiece from ZGallerie.

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20

Mar

Chevron Print Style for Home

Statement entry! Love the bold chevron with the gold mirror accent.

Right now, I’m obsessed with chevron print. It’s bold and the zig zags are not only mesmerizing but chic. i love it in pastels, bold colors like navy and black and of course there’s my favorite gold.

While perusing through Apartment Therapy, i stopped at the gorgeous photo above from a West Village apartment. Small spaces in New York are the norm so it’s crucial to see how other New Yorkers are maximizing their living situation.

Jasmine/Bitter Orange scented, 100% recycled paper printed with gold soy ink.

If you don’t want the chevron print to be front and center on your walls, you can discreetly add it in your drawers as a chic shelf liner. I have to have these gold metallic Hammocks & High Tea drawer liners! The liners also come in pink and grey and get this– they are scented! Might even try it on the walls for wallpaper– why not? I’m not scared of chevron.

Spot the chevron throw in this beautiful living room! Z Gallerie is one of my favorite stores to shop for home accessories. They have a huge selection of chevron this season from candles, dinnerware and even a headboard. However you work the chevron print into your home, you will appreciate the vibrant pop of print!

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11

Jan

Luxury Home Fragrance

Creating a pleasant atmosphere at home makes me happy. Sometimes you need to indulge in little personal luxuries that will enlighten your mood. Whether you’re home alone and relaxing or trying to focus on work, i found that scented candles is a luxury worth investing in. My favorite scents are usually clean and reminiscent of citrus and water and the best candles are those that have long burn times and simple designs.

The most important thing is to light the candles— not collect them.

My all time favorite candle is no longer sold but i did buy as many as i could get my hands on…White Arum scented candle by Jeff Leatham flowers by design. i keep one in my office and in my apartment in New York and home in LA.

i try and choose different scents for different rooms. i love the Kobo Yuzu Leaf candle in the kitchen and the Tocca Cleopatra candle in the bathroom especially when there’s guests. The (untitled) candle by Maison Martin Margiela is actually my personal fragrance that I’m using now so i like it for my bedroom. For the living room, i love the candles from Vie Luxe, not only are they named of the places i would love to travel to like the Maldives, Cote D’Azur and St. Barth’s…the scents are actually reminiscent of vacations! That’s the mark of a great luxury candle…to allow the scent to create a pleasant atmosphere that allows you to escape and feel more at ease.

1. Vie Luxe Maldives Deluxe candle $48
2. Vie Luxe Cote D’Azur Three-Wick candle $80
3. Maison Martin Margiela (untitled) candle $65
4. Tocca Cleopatra (Grapefruit Cucumber) candle $38
5. KOBO Yuzu Leaf candle $31 

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25

Dec

Merry Christmas from my home to yours…and my peacock colored tree!

Being home to spend Christmas with my family is everything. I love walking into my house and seeing all the Christmas decorations up. It really adds to the beauty and ambiance of our living room.  Years ago, I carefully selected an artificial Christmas tree and even though my brothers complained that we wouldn’t have the smell of fresh pine from a real tree, we all agree the faux tree is not only convenient but the perfect size and it even has “ice crystals” on it! A traditional fireplace is the center of our living room so we placed a wreath and our treetop angels on the mantle.

Our Christmas decor isn’t complete without a Nativity Scene. Ours reminds me of Precious Moments! An adorable Hallmark ornament also expands the scene and provides the star.

Ornaments were also a major investment i made years ago and don’t regret at all. i was going for a very haute look for my tree. These golden feathers add a touch of glamour and adds a non traditional twist amongst the other ornaments like crosses, poinsettias, feathered birds, ornament balls in every size as well gold strands with crystal balls and more. Most of the ornaments were all purchased at once in downtown Los Angeles and the total was way over $500 but I haven’t added to the ornament collection for years so it’s been worth it.

The deep red ribbon with gold swirls ties in our color palette of rich tones of metallic bronze, copper, dark brown, different hues of blue and burgundy with pops of bright winter colors like glittering silver.

A peacock feather actually captures the brilliance of the color scheme the best!

We set the atmosphere with holiday music, the smell of turkey roasting and cakes baking but most of all the memories that are made with my family as we laugh and exchange gifts is what made me happy.  They are what i love most about being home for the holidays. Merry Christmas!

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20

Dec

My Personal Holiday Cards… handwritten, heartfelt and arrives in the mail

Holiday cards are an important gesture for me to send my regards to my closest friends.  Even though we keep in touch through text and emails, i feel it’s important to make sure i send an actual card that is handwritten with a personal message straight from my heart and complete with my signature that arrives at their home.  i usually buy cards the year before when they are on sale!  i adore the message on this one…it’s exactly what i wish for my loved ones—

live well , love deeply, be happy and share the joy! Enjoy the season!

Another personal touch that i add (to know i put in some thought and time) is adding stickers to seal the envelope as well as creating a custom return address label. i love fonts and use signature fonts for my company name and my own name. Branding is what i do so it’s important to keep it consistent every single day.

Holiday cards only go out once a year so set aside some time whether you’re at home or like me– at the office to hand write what you feel and create a keepsake they can hold on to.

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18

Dec

Holiday Glamour

A Christmas tree to welcome you home in NY! Living in Manhattan is very different from Los Angeles mainly because everyone seems to live in an apartment building in the city. i remember coming down to the lobby after Thanksgiving and seeing the Christmas tree by the door with festive poinsettias dotting the lobby in my building. It was a great reminder that it was indeed holiday time in New York. Much like the decor in the rest of the building, the Christmas tree was elegant and well appointed and the sight of it just makes you feel happy as you walk in and out– they even added faux presents! It’s the little things that my building does to make New York seem a little more like home.  I took these photos right before i left for the airport to go back to LA to return to my main office and spend Christmas with my family.

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