12. Zebra

Zebras are as beautiful in Africa as they are as clothing or home accents. 

Subtle zebra accents.

Fabulous bold chair

I love everything about this outfit. 

This color is great.

I love how streamlined this lamp is. It would look great in a lot of rooms.

Pretty summer dress.

I love this bench for an entrance hall

I love the unexpected zebra rug in this very blue room.

1. Coastal Living 2. Neiman Marcus 2. Emilio Pucci 3. Manolo Blahnik 4. Ralph Lauren Home 5. Milly 6. Oly 7. Architectural Digest

11. Hotel Lobbies

I am in love with [nice] hotel lobbies. The only thing better than a vacation is a vacation that involves an elegant hotel with a lobby that makes you smile as soon as the doorman opens the door. 

There is no single formula for the perfect hotel lobby, but one thing is for certain: it either works, or it doesn't. The lobby is the first representation of the hotel's style, but shouldn't give every unique design detail away immediately. There should be plenty of seating areas for tired travelers, family games, or intimate conversations. The furnishings can be fancy, but must not look too precious. Above all, guests should feel comfortable in the lobby because it could affect their entire hotel experience. Here are some hotel lobbies that I have particularly enjoyed.  

The Hotel Monaco, Denver has such a bold, colorful lobby. It is fanciful and not too stuffy. It matches the hotel's laid back vibe perfectly. 

A perfect example of classic elegance. The Greenbrier, WV.

The Homestead has a very grand lobby. Its high ceiling and great old American style  is  beautiful enough to entertain you for quite a while! A perfect lobby to pretend to be a First Lady in. 

The Ritz-Carlton in Philadelphia mixes the old architecture with trendier colors and seating.  

The Mark Hopkins Hotel in San Francisco has a great lobby. It is lavish but not overdone.

The Hay-Adams in Washington, DC perfectly reflects the city that it is in.

10. Personalized Stationery

I have always loved personalized stationery. There are so many beautiful designs available that range from simple and sophisticated to fun and full of personality (my preference being the latter). Although it is faster and more "eco-friendly" to send emails, I love an old-fashioned handwritten note. Especially when it is written on thick, pretty stationery! Added bonus when it comes in a custom envelope.

These elephants are so adorable!

I love these colors and the design on the bottom.

I like this pattern. 

Pretty colors and interesting design.

The perfect stationery for a classic man with a sense of style!

Very cute for a kid...or a man with Peter Pan Syndrome.

I love how this font looks.

Bright, simple, pretty.

For the globe-trotting child.

Gorgeous colors. And apparently for women AND men!

A touch of France

This makes me want to become a stationery designer. If only I could draw...

1. iomoi 2. Tiny Prints 3. Dabney Lee 4. Whisker Graphics 5. Minted 6. paper plains 7. ajcreative 8. Annie Clark 9. Dabney Lee 10. Jennifer Wick 11. iomoi 12. Amanda Larsen Design

9. Bernhard Lang

I just came across Bernhard Lang's amazing photography. It is so beautiful and original without being too artsy. My favorites are his aerial views. 

8. Navy and White

Navy and white is such a clean and crisp combination. 

This is the bedspread that I have at school and I absolutely love it! 

Zippy Zorah pillow

Classic china that would look beautiful with any color scheme.

Timeless Jack Rogers. 

Sweet slipper chair with a fun pillow.

Casual and elegant living space.

J'aime cette chemise!

Nautical Lamp

1.Serena and Lily 2. ShopTen 25 3. Meissen 4. Jack Rogers 5. Oomph 6. Victoria Hagan Interiors 

7. Armor Lux 8. Ralph Lauren

7. 2012 Non-Resolutions

I have had trouble coming up with my 2012 New Years Resolutions. I am not very good at following lists of "dont's" and generally do not like feeling restricted, even if it is self-imposed. In addition, I don't feel an overwhelming need to change how I live because I lead a healthy and happy life. Once I read the list of Mr. Blasberg's Non-Resolutions, I realized that that is what I need to make. A list of things that I will continue to not do during 2012. Now, I feel like I am making a promise to myself to continue living the good life I lived in 2011. 

I've never lived in excess. I do not drink myself to oblivion. I do not chain smoke or experiment with drugs. I do not shop until I drop. I do not exercise until I pass out. I do not hoard large bags of chips then devour them all in one sitting. Okay, yes, I have eaten one too many cookies on a couple of occasions, but who hasn't?! 

I've never stripped in public. When I was younger, I thought that it would be funny to get arrested for indecent exposure. Maybe it was because I was 13 years old, 100 lbs, and unaware of what kind of girls actually disrobe in front of strangers for fun. Now that I have grownup a few years, I have decided to leave the unbecoming skin baring to Girls Gone Wild. After all, I am not a stripper. One day I hope to have a successful career and respectable family, so I think that I better keep my clothes on.

I've never gotten fired from a job. Despite some instances where I think that I should have been fired (like when I refused to sweep a bagel store), I have never been fired. Then again, the majority of my working experience has been at my mom's art camp. 

I've never destroyed my hair. I don't dye it because my dad says it's tacky for a young girl and too expensive. Blow drying takes too long and I'm afraid that my hair will become heat damaged and brittle. I don't like straightening my hair because it reminds me of every middle America preteen. 

I've never been bored. My mom used to always tell my sister and I that, "Only boring people get bored." I hated her for saying it at the time, but now I love it because it has turned me into a self-sufficient person capable of finding something to keep me occupied at any place or time. To combat boredom during the SAT's, I planned my wedding from cocktail hour to goodbye brunch. At school, I am involved in multiple extracurricular activities to keep myself busy. The only downside of my ability to keep busy is that I can't stand people who are constantly complaining of boredom!

I've never worn something just because it is "in." I hated gauchos and pink pleather pants in elementary school. I don't like ankle boots, Chan Luu wrap bracelets, or heavy sequin tops. I will forever refuse Harlem pants, colorful camo, and bubble skirts. Just because everyone likes a trend and looks good wearing it doesn't mean I have to, too. 

6. Window Boxes

There is something so sweet about window boxes. To me, they are also very romantic. When I think about Juliet looking out her balcony at Romeo, I see capacious window boxes brimming with magnificent flowers. I have always dreamed of having them on my house filled with bright snapdragons, miniature roses, and trailing vines. During the winter, I would arrange lush greenery and holly berry branches or little evergreen trees with white lights in the boxes. 

These monochromatic window boxes dress up this old building without looking too ornate or overdone. 

It is interesting how the fullest boxes are on a high floor instead of the first floor. 

These are so full and luscious. I like how the white and purple compliments the bluish-gray siding.

The bright red flowers in these window boxes nicely work with the abundant garden below.

These colors are so bright and delicious.

A marriage of my two favorite things: a white house with black shutters and beautiful window boxes!

I love how this little shed all decorated for Christmas.