Living the Well Appointed Life with Melissa Hawks: Style, Fashion, Home Decor, Decorating Blog: June 2011

Thursday, June 30, 2011

Jet Set: Kate Middleton Travels in Style to Canada!

Duchess Catherine looked very chic today as she boarded a Royal Canada Air Force plane wearing a Roland Mouret navy shift dress with a coordinating jacket by Canadian label Smythe. Her fashionable stiletto pumps were sleeker in shape than heels she was wearing until recently.

Perfectly complementing the ensemble was a £895 ($1,433) Mulberry handbag. We give her two thumbs up for her polished look!

To the surprise of no one, she disembarked the plane at Ottowa Macdonald-Cartier International Airport wearing an equally stylish navy lace dress by Canadian designer Erdem Moralioglu and nude pumps. Her in-flight primping would not be complete without a hair change as well, with half of it pinned neatly up and out of her face.

Photos: Reuters

Photo: Chris Jackson/Getty Images

Nine-year-old Keenan Schleyer presented the smiling and relaxed Duchess with a beautiful bouquet of flowers.

The couple meets Canadian Foreign Affairs Minister John Baird and looks like she's enjoying her new role!

William and Kate with the Canadian Prime Minister and his wife.

Prince William has a new flag flying high on his official visits!

Her Royal Highness looking very much the Hollywood celebrity as she makes her way through a crowd of well-wishers!

Shop Catherine's style here:

Up..up.. and Away

Christian Dior, Clarins, Giorgio Armani, Max Factor

The Duchess and Duke of Cambridge were spotted getting onto a Royal Canadian Air Force plane at Heathrow only hours ago,...

Blazers by Smythe
Heels by French Connection

Day 1: Canadian Tour

Chloé, NARS, Aristoc, Dyrberg/Kern, Matt & Nat

Catherine Middleton looked every inch the fashion icon as she touched down in Canada last night.
Our Duchess had clearly done...

Day Dresses by Erdem
Heels by LK Bennett

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Wednesday, June 29, 2011

As Seen In! Moroccan Side Table & Ikat Pillow

It's always fun when I see a fabulous room shot in one of my favorite magazines and then get to see items either from The Well Appointed House (my retail site) in the spread or ones that are similar to items we carry.

In this shot from the July 2007 House Beautiful, I like the Moroccan side table at bottom right. It's a unique alternative to your typical mahogany side table and adds a stylish twist to the room. If you love this look and want to take it home for yourself, take a peek at some of my Moroccan tables. We have a variety of styles and price points:

The octagonal shell inlay table is elegant with a bit of Indian inspiration. It retails at $1,235.

Our embossed natural leather table ($800) has brass nailhead trim and is very chic!

The Tooled Silver Table ($775) will add glamour to any room! It's made of nickel silver so it won't tarnish and it comes with a glass top -- perfect for drinks!

This Italian gold table ($518) features a classic Moroccan design but with a little extra flash! It's got a mirrored glass top and can be used in a guest room or den!

Here's another fun one. It's a family room designed by Patricia heeling and Daniel Barsanti that was also featured in House Beautiful Magazine. Spotted on the couch is our Arsenic Ikat Pillow ($230)!

It comes in two sizes and is quite popular! Enjoy!

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Tuesday, June 21, 2011

Wallpapers: Colors and Patterns

One thing that's always amazing to me is to see a wallpaper or fabric up close in a designer showroom -it's usually a whole other thing entirely to see it actually installed in the space. When selecting a design, it's surprising how little the actual pattern has to matter. Sometimes people can over think things and get hung up on the small details and often it's the whole picture that has the greater impact. I can sometimes separate myself from the details of a pattern and can focus more on the color combinations and how they will work in a specific space, with varying light and furnishings that will complement the textiles. Here are some good examples:

We love the Majolica Blue and ivory in Scalamandre's "Ouistiti" fabric (Sku 16234-001) It's 100% Cotton printed chintz and while one could get distracted by the monkeys (which I think are actually quite charming), they are a whimsical minor detail that completely complements the greater pattern. "Ouistiti" pronounced "wee-stee-tee", is French for "little monkey". The design was Inspired by a French document from the early 19th century. This charming toile design depicts monkeys at play. Monkeys have been around for centuries in design. Coordinating wallpaper in this patter is also available, and it's fun to now take a few steps back and see this pattern in green actually installed in a room:

Here's another great one. You might not think you're much of a cat person, and might initially be dismissive of Scalamandre's "Kilkenny Cats", but you're sure to give this room a double-take when you see the wallpaper up and the whimsical balloon shade in place! Take a few steps back to see how elegant it can be when done right:

A paper like this, Scalamandre's "Tarbert Roses" from the Irish Georgian Collection, might look like something you would have seen in a presidential ladies suite or powder room...when paired with subtle coordinating fabrics on the bed and upholstered case goods, it can convey sophisticated feminine charm!

If the repeat isn't huge, you can make the pattern work well no matter what the subject matter!

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Monday, June 20, 2011

Resort Report

Yves Saint Laurent / Mimi Ritzen Crawford / vogue.com

What's not to love about resort? The collections never fail to be uberchic, timeless, and a little understated -- and undoubtedly will have you dreaming of a jet-set-worthy getaway. The latest resort season was all this and more... There was French nautical (Yves Saint Laurent) and retro-French (Louis Vuitton), beautiful blooms (Jason Wu), and edgy prints (Carolina Herrera, Oscar de la Renta). Let's not forget about super-sporty cuts (Michael Kors, Derek Lam and Thakoon), and eye-popping colors (Gucci).

The best part is all the extremely wearable, classic closet-staples that the designers pack into their resort line-ups -- think timeless trenches and trousers, day dresses and accessories you'll have forever. The worst part? You have to wait until the end of the year to start stocking up.

Derek Lam / vogue.com

Greg Gex/Courtesy of Louis Vuitton / vogue.com

Bold and bright: Gucci and Michael Kors went for big color.

Gucci / vogue.com

Michael Kors / Kevin Sturman / vogue.com

Nautical chic at Louis Vuitton:

Yves Saint Laurent / Mimi Ritzen Crawford / vogue.com

Sportif: Hints of Body Glove at Derek Lam, Jason Wu, and Michael Kors and a tennis-inspired frock at Thakoon.

Derek Lam / vogue.com

Jason Wu / vogue.com

Michael Kors / Kevin Sturman / vogue.com

Thakoon / vogue.com

Feminine florals at Yves Saint Laurent and Jason Wu:

Yves Saint Laurent / Mimi Ritzen Crawford / vogue.com

Jason Wu / vogue.com

Perky prints and patterns: Eye-catching elements ran to gamut -- from mushrooms at Carolina Herrera, Paris scenes at Louis Vuitton, cubism at Oscar de la Renta and ikat at Thakoon.