My 5 Favorite Summer Beauty Products

This past weekend,  I laid by the pool for the first time this season.  It was pure bliss.  The temperature was around 80 degrees, the sun was shining, and I was soaking in the Vitamin D.  After going to the pool, I used my trusty Bumble & Bumble Surf Spray on my hair to give it that beach wave feel, and it made me realize how my beauty routine shifts a bit during the summer.  For instance: I will admit to you during the warmer months I usually only wash my hair 1-2 times a week.  To keep it looking pretty between washes, I'll sprinkle baby powder on my roots (a blonde trick) or use Batiste dry shampoo. I've tried pretty much every dry shampoo on the market, and Batiste is my fave because it adds volume and body while taking away the grease.  In addition to Batiste, here are my top 5 summer beauty product picks:

Shop My Beauty Picks:

1.) Dolce and Gabbana "Light Blue" Perfume $95/2.) Urban Decay Naked Eyeshadow Palette 3 $52/3.) Sally Hansen "Airbrush Legs" $13/4.) Bare Minerals "Warmth" All-Over Face Color $20/5.) Bumble & Bumble Surf Spray $27/

1.) Dolce & Gabbana "Light Blue" Perfume- This is the perfect scent for summer.  It's light, airy, and universally liked.  While I normally wear Thierry Mugler's Alien, it feels too intense for casual summer days and nights, so I'll spritz on Light Blue instead.

2.) Urban Decay Naked Palette 3-  I was turned on to the Naked palettes by my go-to makeup artist Kristin Daniell.  The Naked Palette 3 features warm, rosy hues that are perfect for dusting on during summer.  My makeup routine typically consists of a bit of foundation, dusting on a touch of this eyeshadow, applying Bare Minerals warmth to my t-zone, and then putting on a little mascara. 

3.) Sally Hansen "Airbrush Legs"- This is probably one of my favorite products of all time.  My friend Lindsay originally showed it to me last year, and I've been hooked ever since.  You spray this formula on your legs and then rub it in for an instant tan.  I actually like to use it on my arms and chest too, and find it works great for an all-over glow.  I am not someone who tans when they lay out (I burn, unfortunately- so have to use strong SPFs!), so I like to use this to feel like I have a bit of color.  Since I am naturally so pale, I use the Medium tan color, but the spray comes in about 5 different shades. 

4.) Bare Minerals Warmth All-Over Face Color-  I LOVE this bronzer because it actually works, as it says, as an all-over face color.  I typically just dust a bit on my cheekbones, nose, and forehead and feel it gives me a nice contour as well as a touch of color.  It's very easy to use- like most Bare Minerals products, you swirl a bit on your brush and then tap off the excess powder in to the lid before applying to your face.

5.) Bumble & Bumble Surf Spray-  This spray has a definite cult following, and for good reason.  It gives your hair a messed up, beach-wave look that seems to say, "I just walked right out of the ocean."  Everyone from 1 Direction's Harry Styles to Man Repeller's Leandra Medine uses the product.  I originally discovered it when I worked at a spa in high school and have loved the salt-water styling spray ever since.  Just spray it in on wet or dry hair, scrunch your locks (or use a diffuser), and go!

What are your fave products to use in the summer months?

Think Pink

The weather here in Houston was perfect yesterday and it made me so happy.  Seeing/feeling the sun shine all day with no clouds in the sky can do wonders for your mood. Although I was wearing all black (or course!), the sunny weather made me wish I had on one of my favorite colors- bright pink.  Whether it be a mini skirt, a midi skirt, a dress, or a pair of heels- adding a little pink to your outfit can do wonders for your disposition and always seems to make a statement:

{H&M}

{Happily Grey}

I always love seeing bright, bold colors paired with leopard print:

 {Sequins & Stripes}

{Haut Appetit}

{A Little Dash of Darling}

{Class is Internal}

{The Fashion Spot}

{She's Charming}

Fancy a little pink in your life?  What's your favorite color to wear during the warmer months?

Designer Crush: Carrie Hatfield Design

I love discovering new designers who have a thoughtful design eye.  I think it takes great skill to slow down and plan a room along with the details. I thought I'd start off the week by sharing one designer I feel has an immaculate style - Carrie Hatfield Interior Design.  Based in Dallas, Carrie started her design business in 2003 after working under designer David Cadwallader and Fort Worth architect John Sheffield.  Her work is always infused with interesting details and fun, modern touches:

I love the brass and lucite drapery hardware Carrie used in this sitting room.  It is so clear the level of detail Carrie thought out when pulling together the elements in this room.

Although I love the furniture pieces she puts in her spaces, I am most drawn to the accessories she picks to display in each room. 

I LOVE the brass and lucite chandelier Carrie put in this powder bath, and that she boldly paired it with a polished nickel washbasin.  Although it would seem mixing these two materials wouldn't work, I think it does in this space.  I also adore the malachite-bordered mirror:

Carrie lives in Dallas with her husband Reed and their daughters Claire, Cate, and Virginia.  Follow her on instagram here.

{all images via Carrie Hatfield Interior Design}

Friday's Worthy Links

-I loved seeing Houston decorator Sally Wheat featured on Domino's "Get to Know" series.  She is one of my all-time favorites for her eclectic style and bold use of color, and she couldn't be sweeter in person.  A while back, I had the privilege of interviewing her on the blog here.

- Harper's Bazaar shares The 15 Most Iconic TV Wardrobes.  Which is your fave?  I'd have to go with Olivia Pope from Scandal.

-Speaking of dressing well, Eva Mendes was quoted yesterday saying she believes sweatpants are the #1 cause of divorce in America.  What do you think? I live in dresses and skirts during the day, but when it comes to lounging at home at night, I refuse to give up my comfy pajamas.

-I officially found my new favorite instagram- Ashley Longshort Art.  While I love her artwork, what really has me hooked are her hilarious posts (warning- they're explicit).  I was lying in bed last night scrolling through them and (literally) laughing out loud.

-Aziz Ansari is my favorite comedian of all time.  He released a new standup on Netflix, and explains why we're the flakiest generation of all time.  

-I've been eyeing a few pieces from the Serena & Lily sale on One Kings Lane (hello mint barstools!), and also love to see my favorite hotel of all time, Hotel St. Cecilia, featured on the page.  Someone please buy this navy velvet sofa before I do.

Have a great weekend, everyone!!

{image above via Domino's feature on Sally Wheat Interiors}

Wallpaper Crush: Rose Cumming's Zebrine

I've always had a penchant for a good animal print.  Simultaneously bold and timeless, utilizing animal prints can bring new energy and life to a space.   Unfortunately, they are so often done wrong when it comes to decor that they seem to get a bad rap.  One animal print motif that remains popular with designers since it's release in the 1930s, when it was used as a fabric in the post-prohibition nightclub El Morocco, is Rose Cumming's Zebrine wallpaper:

{Elizabeth Bauer via Lonny}

While not for the faint of heart, Zebrine jazzes up contemporary and traditional spaces alike.  I love how decorator Elizabeth Bauer used the navy and white color way on the walls and ceiling in her Gramercy Park studio apartment.  The coral sconce shades and accent pillows add a lively contrast to the blue. 

The black option is lovely in this stair landing:

{Megan Winters}

I love the versatility of this paper.  While the pattern at first might seem limiting, Zebrine works for a variety of rooms- like this home office designed by Elizabeth Kimberly:

{Elizabeth Kimberly Design}

Ashley Whittaker used Zebrine in her NYC apartment kitchen, and added accents of yellow and red. 

{House Beautiful}

She also gutted her entire kitchen and replaced dark cabinetry and terra-cotta floors with Carrara marble and white paint.  I love the bright, happy feel!

{House Beautiful}

If you're afraid the lively pattern might be overwhelming, take a page from designer Mona Berman's book and use it on an accent wall, rather than the entire room:

{Mona Ross Berman}

So what do you think?  Would you use Zebrine in your own home?

 Zebrine wallpaper can be purchased through Dessin Fournir.

Sam Loves: 3 (St. Patty's Day Edition)

Happy St. Patrick's Day!! Admittedly, I am not a huge fan of the holiday, mainly because I recall grade school classmates pinching me for forgetting to wear green.  Nevertheless, I'm down for any chance to focus on green because it is my favorite color:

Sam Loves (Top to Bottom):

I'm smitten over this outdoor seating area via Things That Inspire- it's finally patio weather in Houston, and this would be the perfect spot for relaxing!

Bauble Bar always has the cutest statement pieces for reasonable prices.  I love these Cloud Spike Earrings, $32, because they combine both blue and green, which are my favorite hues.

What would St. Patrick's Day be without a whiskey cocktail? Learn how to make a Whiskey Rickey on Jojotastic.

Quadrille's Conga Line fabric is an all-time favorite.  Purchase a throw pillow in the Moss & Aqua color via Arianna Belle/

The perfect vibrant desk for a child's room- Beverly Writing Desk $1,095

I live in cute sandals during the spring and summer.  How fun are these L*Space Fringe Sandals?  $75

Have a great St. Patty's Day!  Anyone going out to celebrate tonight?
 

Monday Morning Inspiration: Favorite Headboard Styles

When I first started my blog in 2011, I had a column every Monday called "Monday Morning Inspiration."  It was the perfect way to start the week, get inspired, and delve in to a pretty topic for the week.  Today, I thought I'd revisit that column to share my favorite headboard styles with you.  Lately, I've been really attracted to geometric styles.  Whether it be the actual cut of the headboard, or just the nailhead pattern, like on this Serena & Lily headboard, I love the clean, tailored look:

{For People Design}

{Emily Henderson}

To soften it up a bit, you can add a curved edge detail.  This feels a bit more feminine and traditional to me:

{India Hicks via My Luscious Life}

I am always inspired when a room includes a quirky, out-of-the-box style headboard. It becomes the focal point of the room, especially when paired with a graphic textile pattern:

{Ruthie Sommers}

{Tom Scheerer}

And you can never go wrong with a rectilinear headboard upholstered in a bold fabric.  In this bedroom, the headboard itself acts as a piece of art that coordinates with the main colors in the room:

{SB Long Interiors}

Which headboard style is your favorite??

I hope you guys have a great week!

House Updates (Pt. 2)

TGIF!  Any big plans for the weekend? I am headed to San Antonio to visit a friend and so excited to get away, even for a few days.  It's supposed to be sunny, which will be a nice change from the continuous rain we've been having in Houston.  A couple of weeks ago, I shared a few small house updates I made around my casa, and today I thought I'd follow up with a few more.  First off, I added Schumacher silk velvet throw pillows to my sofa:

Ever since this fabric came out, I have been utterly obsessed over it.  But, it costs a pretty penny, so for a few years I tried to talk myself out of using it.  Nevertheless, I could never picture any other fabric in my living room, so I finally bit the bullet and went for it!  To save a bit of money, I only did one side of the pillows in Shockwave, and did Schumacher's Gainsborough Velvet in Charcoal on the welt and opposite side.  I'm really happy with how they turned out and how they look against the painting.

The next thing I wanted to do was replace my dresser.  I originally found my current one at a cute antique shop in Oklahoma and had it with me for awhile, and eventually repainted it gold.  But when I moved in to my current house, the dresser got lost against the wall color.  I've also have created a more streamlined look in my bedroom, so the French-country style piece really doesn't fit anymore:

Luckily, I found a loving home for it with a close friend of mine.  To go in it's place, I found a vintage dresser on Jasper Kane Design's Etsy page  for $489 that just needs a bit of love:

I love the bones of the piece, and am getting it sanded down/repainted in Benjamin Moore's Soft Chamois (OC-13) for a fresh look.  I think it will look a lot better against my wall color and not get lost in the room, like my current piece does.

And just for fun, here's what's on my bedside table:

I can't live without Diptyque's Ambre candles.  And I adore this picture of my mom and niece!  Two of my favorite girls in the world. :)  Now I just need to find some great bedside table lamps, and my bedroom will be finished. 

Have a great weekend, everyone!!

Designer Crush: The Elegant Abode

Happy Thursday!  This week has flown by for me as work has been crazy, and I can't believe it's almost the weekend again.  Today I wanted to share a design firm I just discovered and am swooning over ~ The Elegant Abode.  Run by New York-trained design duo Villalta and Ali Vanderpool, The Elegant Abode creates timeless, neutral-rich spaces that exude a sense of calm.  Based in New York, the girls definitely have a penchant for classic, Northeastern design.  Isn't the exterior of this house so very northeastern?

What a beautiful exterior.  

I delved further in to their portfolio and had to share with you my favorite rooms:

Any room that uses the classic Hicks pendant is a room done right to me.  I know a lot of people are "over" them, but I still love the unique look!

The Elegant Abode was recognized as one of the 25 Next Wave Designers by House Beautiful in their July 2012 issue.  I can't wait to see more from the duo in the coming years!

{all photos via The Elegant Abode}