Style & Life

Tag: home

  • A Chic Thanksgiving Table

    A Chic Thanksgiving Table

    Style & Life Blog: A Chic Thanksgiving Table

    s

    A Chic Thanksgiving Table

    s

    Style & Life Blog: A Chic Thanksgiving Table

    s

    Next in our Thanksgiving series is our home feature.  While I absolutely love Thanksgiving, most of the decor associated with the holiday is not quite my style. I live in a high rise condo that is contemporary in feeling…our decor is a palette of grey, white and black so traditional autumnal tones do not complement our aesthetic. However, I wanted to create something chic and elegant so I decided to get creative.  I started with my favorite color palette for clothing…blush, white, black and rose gold and took it from there. 

    s

    Style & Life Blog: A Chic Thanksgiving Table

    s

    I already had the black Manta Placemats from Z Gallerie so I used those as a foundation. I then used these round white plates for the dinner plates and layered the shimmer rose gold salad plates on top of them, both are from Crate & Barrel. These gorgeous floral napkins from CB2 are really the statement piece and I used these wrap copper napkins rings from Crate & Barrel.  This rose gold flatware is positively stunning. The champagne colored pumpkin centerpiece was a gift from my beloved aunt and is available at Pier 1. The gold rimmed stemless glass is from West Elm. 

    s

    Style & Life Blog: A Chic Thanksgiving Table

    s

    s

    I usually assign seating to ensure a good flow of conversation. The place card holders are from Crate & Barrel and the rose gold Sharpie is from Amazon.

    s

    s

    Style & Life Blog: A Chic Thanksgiving Table

    s

    If you are entertaining this year, get creative and show your personal style in your Thanksgiving decor!

    s

    Style & Life Blog: A Chic Thanksgiving Table

     

    Bisous,

    Rebecca

    s

    Style & Life Blog: A Chic Thanksgiving Table

  • Marble & Copper Home Accessories

    Marble & Copper Home Accessories

      s

    Style & Life: the elegant edit on fashion, beauty, food & drink, home and kindness

    s

    Marble & Copper Home Accessories

    s

    sSometimes my fashion obsessions carry over into my home decor selections…so being that white, blush and rose gold is quite possibly my favorite color combination, it is not surprising that I gravitate toward it in home decor.  I was hosting friends for an afternoon chat and created this chic little edit of marble and copper accessories.  These pieces are far more versatile than I realized…and somehow make the food and wine look extra pretty.  

    sS

    MARBLE BUTTER BELL

    This is a unique dish you often see in France so I was excited to find this pretty marble version…it is called a le beurrier. It is a dish used for keeping butter at room temperature so you can easily spread over delicious baguettes. You fill the crock with water and it keeps the butter soft and spreadable. You can keep it at room temperature for 3-5 days without refrigeration…just be sure to change the water so it stays fresh.  Available at www.williamssonoma.com.

    s

    sWINE COASTER 

    This stylish wine coaster is perfect for displaying a bottle of rosé for an afternoon of wine with friends. It complements the cheese board and knives beautifully.  Available at www.williamssonoma.com.  

    s

    CHEESE KNIVES

    This knife set coordinates perfectly with these pieces. The pronged knife breaks up hard cheeses, the tear shaped knife is for spreading soft cheeses and spreads and the plane is for shaving medium and hard cheeses.  Available at www.williamssonoma.com.

    Style & Life: the elegant edit on fashion, beauty, food & drink, home and kindness

    s

    CHEESE BOARD

    The pièce de résistance of this edit is the gorgeous cheese board.  This lovely piece is incredibly substantial and has a nice weight. It is perfect for serving delectable apps or a cheese and charcuterie platter. Available at www.westelm.com

    s

    sThe holidays are around the corner…these pieces would make a fabulous gift for family, friends…or yourself. 😉 

    s

    Bisous,

    Rebecca

     

  • DIY Floral Arrangement

    DIY Floral Arrangement

    Do It Yourself Floral Centerpiece

    s

    DIY Floral Arrangement 

    I LOVE fresh flowers. They make any space feel more lovely and are the most elegant decor for entertaining.  Fortunately, I have a husband who frequently comes home with flowers “just because” so we often have fresh flowers in our home. I find myself taking a mental break to just stop and enjoy their beauty.  

    When entertaining, flowers are one element you can easily add to your gathering that make it feel special. It can reinforce a color scheme or provide a pop of color.

    If you are including a floral arrangement on a table where people will be eating, I STRONGLY encourage you to keep your arrangement low. There is nothing more annoying than moving and straining your neck while trying to converse with others.  

    Here are the basic steps in creating your own DIY Floral Arrangement.

    s

    Step 1: Select your flowers…you can pick one type of flower in a monochromatic color or variety of flowers and colors. Have fun-the options are endless! For this arrangement, I chose to mix colors and the types of flowers.  Here I am using a mix of roses, hydrangeas and peonies.  Try to ensure one variety of the flowers you are using has leaves long enough to wrap around the base of your arrangement so you can hide the stems. 

    Do It Yourself Floral Centerpiece
    Step 2: Select a vase. I keep a few of these square vases (found at Amazon) on hand for last minute floral arrangements. If I have a separate appetizer or dessert table, I will add a coordinating arrangement (usually a bit taller). I will also add a small arrangement…even just a few roses in a small bud vase to the powder room. 

    Step 3: Measure how much you need to trim the stems of the flowers in order for the arrangement to be at the correct height. Cut the stems and be sure the arrangement is not so high that it will tip the vase over. If you are unsure, start by cutting less than you think you need as you can always cut more. 

    Step 4: Use thick rubber bands (I usually use 2-3) to keep all of the flowers together. You  may have to adjust the position of the flowers

    Step 5: Use a leaf to line the vase so that you do not see the stems.

    Step 6: Place arrangement in vase, adjust as needed and then add water. 

    Do It Yourself Floral Arrangement

    Not only does this make a beautiful centerpiece for your table, it also makes a lovely gift.  Good luck creating your own DIY Floral Centerpiece! 

    s

    Bisous,

    Rebecca

    s

    Photography by Erica Dunhill Photography

     

  • Five Tips for Spring Cleaning

    Five Tips for Spring Cleaning

    Five Tips for Spring Cleaning

    s

    Five Tips for Spring Cleaning

    Tomorrow is the first day of Spring, which means warm weather, vacations and summer holidays are around the corner.  Like you, I am busy…working, mom-ing and blogging. Keeping things streamlined and organized is key to staying sane.  I grew up in St. Louis where space was never an issue, but have spent most of my adult life in Florida. Alas, there are no basements in Florida, which means you have to get savvy really quickly because storage is minimal. We live in a condominium so space is even more limited. However, I like the challenge of trying to be minimal (shoes are not included in this minimality). It is amazing how many things you can truly live without.  If you are not naturally organized, we are here to help. Here are my Five Tips for Spring Cleaning. I like to do a major cleaning for Spring and Fall and then a smaller cleaning for Summer and Winter…since I have a good foundation of organization, it really only requires some touching up and cleaning of containers and cabinets. 

    s

    1. SORT AND SEPARATE

    As demonstrated above, keep things separate so you can see them. Previously, I kept all of my pasta in various bags and locations. I would constantly buy the same things over and over, forgetting I already had some. After sorting out what I had, it allows me to only buy what I need. 

    2. MAKE IT VISIBLE

    If you have something, make sure you can see it. If you need to pack things away in a storage unit, then clearly label and organize them, so you can easily identify them when you need them. If you cannot see it or find it, it is probably best to trash it because you will forget you have it.  

    My kitchen cabinets are filled with the OXO Pop Up containers above and my refrigerator is filled with these Glasslock containers so that I can see exactly what is inside.  

    OXO Containers available at www.containerstore.com

    Glasslock Containers available at www.amazon.com

     s

     

    3. LABEL

    I am certain my husband thinks I am 100% OCD when I get out the label maker, but he is glad when is is looking for something in our utility closet and instead of opening up all of the drawers, he can just go to “screwdrivers” or “batteries” to find whatever he needs quickly. For me, I might mix up “steel cut oats” with “quinoa” if I am in a rush and cooking. Labeling my containers saves time so that I can avoid mistakes.  

    Available at www.amazon.com.

     

    4. DONATE 

    A good rule of thumb for cleaning your closet is if you have not worn it in a year, it should go. Find a reputable charity and donate your unused things…there may be someone in need who could use something that is just collecting dust in your home.

    s

    5. STAY ON TOP OF IT

    Now that everything has a place and is easy to find, all you need to do is maintain. When you are finished using something, return it to the proper place. It only takes a few extra seconds but saves minutes when you need to find it. 

    s

    Spend some time cleaning and organizing your home, I promise it will be worth it. We are all too busy to waste time! Best of luck.

    s

    Bisous,

    Rebecca

  • And We’re Back…

    And We’re Back…

    s

    And We’re Back…

    After a 1.5 year hiatus…Style & Life returns. When I found out I was pregnant, I became overwhelmed with the idea of juggling family, career, blog and all other things.  As is usually the case, things are usually worse in your mind than anywhere else. After taking a few months to endlessly kiss baby cheeks, I got into routine and found the creative side of myself needing an outlet. And, so, here we are. When I think of Style & Life, I think of us as your go-to friend when you don’t know what to wear, the place where you hear a new beauty tip that adds a bit of pizzazz to your makeup routine or when you need a fresh recipe for a dinner party. That’s who we are. I hope you enjoy the new content and look forward to much more.

    Bisous,

    Rebecca