The Importance of Accessories

The trip from New Orleans Magazine Street to Darien Ct was amazing! It was a full trip of visiting fun restaurants and boutiques. Our favorite boutiques were the ones with the best accessories and the way they were placed around the shop. The following images have great accessories and I love this kind of photography.

*Images compliments of Photographer Alli Gaulin and Chic Coles

Looking Something Like This...

We hope that everyone has a wonderful holiday weekend,

 that looks a little something like...

This.

And this.

And lots of this.

Wherever you are, enjoy your weekend! 

-Chic Coles

Images Compliments of Apartment Therapy, Pinterest and Fern and Feather (via pinterest)

The Romper-Do You Rock Em?

Yumi Kim - Liz Romper

So I allowed myself a bit of retail therapy tonight and ended up trying on a romper. 

The people I see rockin' em on the streets, parks and beaches look amazing but I never

thought I could pull off the look. I was wrong!

They are super comfortable and the perfect easy outfit for concerts and such things. I got the below one from Forev and am thinking about getting the black one too!

So my question to you is, do you rock the romper? Do you dare?

 

Forever 21-Ikat Print Romper

 

La Mode-Tara Romper

T-Bags - Double Strap Pocket Romper

Forever 21-Smocked Abstract Print Romper

Wallpaper Search!

Calling all designers...two weeks ago the painters discovered this fabulous floral pattern hidden below layers of newer wallpaper in an upstairs bedroom. It is the original wallpaper from the 1890's in the restoration project we are working on in New Hampshire. We would like to find a similar wallpaper since the walls need a little TLC. We are trying to keep it as close to the original as possible!

Any Ideas?

*Images from Chic Coles.

Vanity Dressing

Vanity dressing is so much fun, to display a collection of perfumes, jewelry, candles and all the little trays and bowls that hold all the treasures. With Mom coming down to visit I wanted to display all of my things for her to see. So I collected my things and carefully arranged them with the West Elm zig zag tray and Anthropology (which we're going to scope out today for drawer pulls for this very vanity dresser) ikat bowl. I'm really loving the different perfume bottles and their accessibility; so I can spritz a little on while i'm walking out the door!

Today mom and I are off on our New Orleans Adventure and we're hitting all our spots on our Nola Guide! We'll be sharing photos and experiences along the way!

Target Pillows/My Apartment Living Room

I am sure by now, everyone has seen these Imperial Trellis "look-alike" pillows from Target for $24.99 per pair. Well for the girl on a budget, these were a perfect solution for my bla-living room...until I added these pillows and I love what they have done to the room and how they compliment the area rug I purchased a while ago. 

*Please excuse the playstation and diy project in the background as these are by no means professional!

It is so fun to see how one addition or change like a pillow can make such a difference! (and believe me this is a big difference from what is was!

From Target

Happy Birthday Mom!

 Happy Birthday Mom!

 We love you so much and we are so lucky to have you!

xoxo
Cassandra, Melissa, Leslie and Ron 

oh and Welly & Lars 

The Big Easy

Off to visit Melissa in the Big Easy!!!! She had asked me "so what do you want to visit when you are down here?" Well the list went on and on in my head. The May issue of Lonny Magazine had everything mapped out on Magazine Street for us, so I thought, ok Melissa lets hit them all! So last night we planned out our days. I cannot tell you how much I am looking forward to exploring historical New Orleans with Melissa, we are going to have a ball. Listed below are some of the wonderful places we are planning on visiting.

Fun map from Loony showing  the six mile stretch of Magazine Street filled with boutiques, antiques, jewelry, handbags, and clothing, art galleries and great restaurants.

Crescent City Farmers Market we will be hitting on Tue for yummy goody's

International House Hotel

Places to visit from the Lucky Magazine New Orleans Guide: 

~Armoire Vintage Boutique

~Bamboo Makeup Boutique

~Em's Boutique

~Faulkner House Books

~Grace Boutique

~Hove Parfumeur

~Modern Market Interior Design

~Rendezvous Vintage Boutique

~Spruce Homewares

~T. Boutique

Extra Places to Visit from the Chic Coles New Orleans Guide: 

~Amanda Stone Talley Art Studio

~Leontine Linens

~Hazelnut Boutique

~Patois Restaurant

Want to live in this house? 5.19.2011 Addition

 

I'll admit, this addition of "Want to Live in this House?" isn't really about

living "in" the house at all. In fact, the inside of the house could use a teensy

bit of updating, but the outside is AMAZING! 

This gorgeous house, located near Lamberts Cove on Martha's Vineyard

is the perfect summer hideaway!

This is where I'd love to spend every night, after a long day of swimming!

Gardening

We are starting the gardening process here in the mountains, a little later than all of our southern friends. Gardens have been weeded and turned. Going out today to get mulch to cover the the lovely fresh soil  so that the weeds can not surface again. This will help the work load later in the summer. This garden is so inspirational with its raised flower beds filled with sunflowers and vegetables. The beautiful fencing and wooden sculptural elements are so rustic and add such interest to this beautiful garden.

Images Compliments of: House Beautiful

Billowy Hallway Look Alike

As I was reading the May issue of House Beautiful, I stumbled upon this hallway that was designed by John Saladino.  I couldn't help but making a connection between this hallway and the one designed by Cole Design a few years ago in Connecticut. The long hallway, the long panels of fabric, a look into the room at the far end. There are a few differences too; the first hallway has a console table with a hurricane lamp, architectural columns and I love the way the panels of fabric are creating doorways in between different rooms and the hallway. The second image is more open and bright, and shows the hardwood floors. I love both of these hallways!

*Images compliments of House Beautiful and Chic Coles

Hess Surfboards

Hess Surfboards is a local (San Francisco that is) surfboard company based on recyclable

 and sustainable practices. Not only are the boards built with an emphasis on both strength and performance but they are so incredibly beautiful! Danny Hess (the cutie above)

 integrates materials that have a low environmental impact. 

As I'm not a surfer, I can't quite appreciate the boards for their performance,

 but only for their beauty! 

The boards are so gorgeous that I think I would love to incorporate 

them into my home as art. The natural wood effect of them is what really 

catches my eye. Be sure to check out their  beautiful website!