Comments Will Be Up and Running by 11!

Due to the overwhelming response the comments for our site have gone a little buggy! Don't worry though, you will still be able to enter to win our fab bench by commenting on this post by 11am Eastern time. Sorry for the inconvenience!

Kentucky Derby Daze!

This Saturday marks the 136th annual Kentucky Derby at Churchill Downs, where the finest horses on the race circuit will compete for one of the highest honors.  Although betting and breeding is what the derby is centered around, the fashions, specifically the hats, can disrupt everyone's sight-line's.

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The derby is also a huge draw for celebrities and US politicians on top of having the history of being a "society" event.  

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NYC Real Housewife star Bethenny Frankel shows up her "skinny girl" figure in a pink seersucker jumpsuit.

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Gabrielle Union

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Kim Kardashian 

Nick Lachey and Vanessa Manillo

Our very own Melissa Hawks, Owner of The Well Appointed House at the Kentucky Derby, wearing a hat that she made for the event.

Getting the right derby look is easy the hard part is asking, what comes first, the hat or the sundress?

Derby Dressing by gkatz featuring Jimmy Choo shoes

Items in this set:
Knotted cutout silk-blend dress, $675
Jacquetta stripe dress, $530
Parker backless mini dress, $250
Jimmy Choo hot pink strappy leather 'Poppy' sandals, $900
Fluorescent Yellow Strappy Sandals, $350

After putting these looks together, the answer is definitely hat. To achieve that Southern Bell look we suggest not being afraid to use color, color, color. Even with the neutral Steven Allan dress and brown hat, the neon strappy sandals give it a little punch. The top print trends for Spring/Summer are ikat, tye-die and stripes, which is why we love these dresses so much; they are current but still classic and conservative in their shapes. Perfect for this type of event.

derby daze by gkatz featuring Manolo Blahnik shoes

Items in this set:
Candia woven mini dress, $705
Adriana silk rows tank - J.Crew, $70
Striped cotton skirt, $165
Coddila - Teal, $895
Badgley Mischka 'Randi' Sandal, $215

For a little bit of a younger, edgier look to your derby dressing we suggest a more contemporary floppy hat alternative, like the straw fedora or ornate headband from ban.do.  For an event like this where everyone will be wearing some form of headpiece its a great way to set yourself apart.  It seems that the early Spring is the season for the hat! Read more about the Central Park Conservancy's Luncheon here, where hats are anything but optional.  For those of you not attending the Derby there are still ways to outfit your home in the finest derby decor dudes that are out there.  Here are some of our favorites.

Derby Accessories by gkatz on Polyvore.com

Items in this set:
The Well Appointed House by Melissa Hawks. Set of Ten Black and White..., $5,250
The Well Appointed House by Melissa Hawks. The Horses Julep Cup, $525
The Well Appointed House by Melissa Hawks. Devon Tureen, $370
Devon Equestrian Dinner Plates with Horses - Set of Four, $305
Devon Salad Plates with Horses-Set of Four, $275

When it comes to serving up mint juleps there is no other way to serve them than in our heirloom quality Horse Julep cups. This special occasion cup serves up cocktails in style and reaffirms the genteelness of this event. For serving up chips and dips, our equestrian platter is the end all. With a black helmet for the dip and a horse and bit border, this piece fits in perfectly with any equestrian themed room or holiday. Click each item for more information. Enjoy the Derby on Saturday and may the best horse win!

Don't Forget to Enter to Win a New Garden Bench!

Don't forget to enter our latest and greatest giveaway!  In order to win you must comment on the following post.  Only blog followers will be considered so please remember to not only comment but to click the follow button.  Thanks for playing and don't forget to check back on Monday to see if you were the lucky one!

Well Appointed Homes: A Look at Whitney Port and Olivia Palermo's NYC Apartments

Last night was the big series premier of MTV's The City.  For those of you who haven't had the re-runs constantly on your flat screens, the show is centered around former Hills star Whitney Port, who leaves the California sunshine for the gritty, cut-throat streets of New York.  She started her career working for Diane Von Furstenberg, where she met frenemy (now enemy), New York Socialite, Olivia Palermo.  Both girls are known for good looks, amazing style and oil meets vinegar relationships. It stands to reason that their good tastes and personalities would make their way into their apartment's decor.  Whitney posted these pictures on her blog last year as she made major plans to redecorate her space.

 Whitney clearly hasn't shaken her L.A. roots, but she has incorporated some good ol' New York luxury to her space.  The velvet couch is romantic, as are all the flowers throughout.  We love it paired with the mirrored furniture and the simple furniture.

The rug adds a nice pop of color and definitely brings in some California cool to the space.  On the other hand there is New York born Palermo's pad, which brings Upper East Side style to Tribecca. 

 Olivia hooked up with Page Six for these shots.  A moment of silence for her 63 square foot walk in closet.  I don't know if my bedroom is that big! She says she got her inspiration for the space from seeing pictures of Mariah Carey's home.  The zebra seems very Mimi.

 Everything is really light and airy, which allows for the big windows to take center stage.

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Whitney came to Manhattan to realize her dream of becoming a fashion designer.  Last fall she debuted her Spring 2010 Whitney Eve line to rave reviews at New York Fashion Week.  Take a look at some of the pieces from her line and see if you can tell whether her apartment influences her design or vice-versa.

 This pastel dress is soft and romantic.  It kind of reminds us of her plush velvet couch in her living room (the sparkle would have to be the mirrored pieces).

 East coast meets west coast in a dress! The sweetheart neckline and super short cut is totally LA chic, but the neutral colors and black lace makes it work for girls who survive in colder climates.

The designer, cute as can be! Photos from Style.com

Not to be outdone, Palermo is also getting into the designing game.  This winter she debuted a small collection of necklaces for Manhattan based staple Roberta Freymann.

It seems that her gig as accessories editor for Elle Decor is paying off!

The girls face off in every way this season, so lets see how they match up in our picks for them from The Well Appointed House. 

1. RUGS

 

Olivia was all about the Zebra in her dressing room, so to get her look we suggest our Dransfield and Ross Needlepoint Zebra Rug, while for all those on team Whitney, our Trina Turk Zig-Zag rug would be a great substitute for the one seen in her room.

2. DRESSER

 






These dressers could easily fit in either girl's living room or bedroom.  Palmero preferred white and bright, with a little bit of downtown youth, which is why this white lacquer stud piece would be perfection in her space, while Whitney's place would kill with our Beveled Nine Drawer dresser.  It has some old Hollywood glamour, to remind her of LA, but has all the straight lines and chicness you would fine in the city. (Both pieces are available in black.)

3. ACCESSORIES

 


Olivia's Hermes tray is a focal point in her space.  We love our Barbara Barry Script Tray for her, because it sticks within her decorative scheme and brings in a high end designer.  Hopefully Whitney has help keeping all those flowers alive (if in fact all of them are).  When you fall for an arrangement you'll never want to go through the trauma of throwing it away, which is why pick this peony and watergarden arrangement for her.

Be sure to check out The City every Tuesday 10pm to keep up with the drama (and the fashion).

New Giveaway!!

This week we are teaming up with Elements of Style to bring you a new giveaway, perfect for your outdoor space.  For those with a green thumb, who need some help decorating their garden or for those who have a smaller patio that needs a statement piece, this Black Lacquer Lutyens Bench is perfect!

Valued at $350.50 this giveaway is our biggest to date!  How do you enter? Leave a comment under this post to count as your entry.  Only those who comment and are followers of The Well Appointed House Blog will be considered, so please don't forget to click the follow button before you leave your comment!  Winner will be announced Monday so be sure to keep checking back on the blog and our Facebook page for updates.  Best of luck and don't forget to forward this on!

ScreenspirationTM: The Secret Garden

With April currently doing its best to shower the landscape, we can only look towards May and beyond for some beautiful, colorful days.  Thinking about flowers and the majesty of nature led to thinking about an old time favorite movie, The Secret Garden.  Based on the beloved English novel, The Secret Garden the movie brought to life the a little orphan girl sent to live with her dark and mysterious uncle.  While mourning the loss of her parents, Mary makes many discoveries, finding a sickly cousin she never knew existed and a banned garden.

The movie was shot at Allerton Park in Knaresborough Yorkshire.  The perfect stage for a romantic tale.

 Mary is a thorny little English Rose who isn't afraid to stand up to adults who stand in the way of her wishes.

 Mary and her cousin Colin's mothers were twins.  When Colin's mother fell off the swing in her treasured garden she went into early labor and died.  Colin's father shut the garden off and had his "sickly" son restricted to his room.

 The young houseboy, Dickon, showed Mary that the garden was alive and helped her replant.

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Not everyone has sprawling acreage to plant in, but everyone can create a charming English garden with the right accessories (green thumb not required) that we sell at our retail site, The Well Appointed House.

This Faux Bois Arbor Bench is a pastoral inspired piece that would fit into any "secret garden." This steel bench is covered in concrete to recreate a made-from-trees feel.

This Beaujon Loveseat is a little more delicate, but is made in the same manner as above.

For a little more of a traditional look, this Provincial Garden Bench is the end all.  Available in eleven different colors, this bench has beautiful curved legs, a quatrefoil pattern throughout.  Its a little bit rustic, all the way classic and perfect for an English Garden. 

This garden trellis is etherial in nature and all American in craftsmanship.

Every well appointed garden needs a fountain and this Taj garden tank and optional fountain would be perfect for Mary's secret garden.  Mary lived in India before coming back home to England so the subtle hint of Middle Eastern styling paired with its rustic composition is perfect.

The children spent a lot of time playing in the garden.  It is even where Colin took his his first steps! This picnic basket would've been the perfect accompaniment.

It was a little Robin that originally led Mary to the garden's door, so it would be appropriate to award the little guy with a home fit for a bird of his intellect.  This Aviary Tall Birdhouse is simply perfect for this type of outdoor space.  It adds height and fits in with a traditional theme.  Be sure to peruse our entire Patio and Garden section for further keys to unlock your own personal secret garden.