Style in Seven - Irene of The OP Life

First...more news.

1. Not only is #pkg appearing in the January issue of Style at Home...it's going to be on the mother farter COVER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

And. I. Die.

2. I'm filming another episode of Steven and Chris as we speak...a tour of #projectscarlett will be shown, along with my 2 cents on how to use pink correctly in your home- good stuff.

All thing totaled, it's pretty much nothing but rainbows and unicorns in these here parts....

...if you minus my ridiculous baby induced weight gain and very crampy lady parts that is.

Happy, happy, dance, dance.

Moving on.

Since I'm off being semi-famous today, I thought it a great time to feature another....

...and it's a doozy folks.

Please join me in welcoming Ms Irene from the OP Life.

Now if you aren't already a fan of this fabo blog, well you must start being so now...it's filled to the brim with pretty fashion, design, life, health and food stuff - all wrapped up in a sparkly bow of prettiness.

I'm always very touched by how supportive Irene is and am so happy to feature her dazzling style here today...not only is her seven lovely to look at but my goodness...it's so packed with GREAT info.

Enjoy my lovelies.

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I am a huge fan of Christine, love her style, love all that she does, her artwork, her fabulous blog, and the super awesome mommy she is!  So you gotta know how UBER excited I am to share with all of you Bijou and Boheme fans my Style in Seven.  I just am wrapping up my own project in my casa and I am thinking to myself, OH how I wish I did this full time because I have SO much fun designing, decorating, making our dwellings just OH so wonderful to be in.  I’ll be sad when my little personal project is complete.  So there is when I get to VENT to all of you and my readers whenever I blab about domestic goodness.  So THANK YOU Christine for letting me share a bit of myself with your awesome readers!

My STYLE in SEVEN totally defines me.  Anyone who reads this and knows me and knows my tastes and my home will completely agree! 

Here is my STYLE in SEVEN! 

1.   Buy your stuff EVERYWHERE.  Be a HUNTER and a GATHERER.  Especially with first time or new home buyers.  Don’t run out to the furniture store and fill your home with THIS set and THAT set.  Get some new things, YES, but include some old treasures!  Shop at estate sales, go to consignment shops.  I LOVE to find things that NO ONE else has, things that are not what you see in every display in every furniture store with matchy-matchy set stuff.   Just yesterday, I got the most INCREDIBLE end tables this weekend at an estate sale.  Two oval cream tables that had a gold border inlaid in their tops, AND their tops SWIVELED, and the entire thing was made out of like a faux travertine.  A M A Z I N G.  And the best part?  They are SUPER unique!  I spent $135 for both and look like DA BOMB, like something I’d find on 1stDibs! 

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     2..  Mirror, Gold and Clear.  Three elements I GOTTA have.  Add an element of mirror.  Be it in your furniture, in your accent pieces, on the walls, it creates dimension and depth.  If you have mirrored walls, it creates an illusion of a larger space.  The walls surrounding my Jacuzzi tub deck are mirrored to the ceiling, and makes my master bath look larger than it is AND makes the travertine in my opinion POP.   I think I have some piece of mirrored furniture in EVERY room!  If not a piece of furniture, then for sure a mirror on the wall.  Adding Gold.  Bling!  I can’t live without it.  I donno if it’s because it’s a WARM metal tone, but I love it.  Maybe it’s like jewelry to the room?  It mixes and goes with EVERYTHING.  Add it in with your furnishings, accent pieces, anyway!  It just BELONGS.  Clear?  Lucite or glass.  I just love all 3 of these elements and can’t live without em.

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    3. Bold patterns and print.  Animal ALWAYS goes.  It’s my first choice!  Add some splash of animal somehow in the room.  Even a little sprinkle.  It’s a bold fun print that brings that excitement into area.  If not animal, then there are many others that are pretty awesome… a Moroccan pattern, chevron, or my favorite, the Greek key design!  Have some KA POW somewhere somehow through pattern.

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   4.  Lighting.  Ceiling lighting specifically.  Let it drip. Let it sparkle.  Have it where you can.  Fun beautiful lighting is like an accessory to an outfit.  Sure, you can go with simplicity, can lights, but perhaps adding a totally unique fixture in the room is like that finishing touch like adding an amazing grouping of bracelets to a great outfit already… it makes it that much greater!  That mud room I’ve been working on has 2 chandeliers.  Am I crazy?  Why not dress it up! Have fun with your lighting, too.  Traditional works, but why go for ORDINARY when you can go for unique!  

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     5.   Make it YOU.  You don’t have to go out and fill your space with STUFF.  Accumlate it as you find it.  From travels, to collections, to things you love (like I love elephants, I LOVE LOVE Florentine, I love Czech glass art, I love to display my kids art as the art it is).  Have it be a reflection of you.

     6.  Anything goes!  Mix it all up.  Can you tell that’s a BIG thing of mine? 

  Mixing up textures, styles, patterns, colors.  Have some traditional elements with some sleek contemporary things, add maybe some Hollywood glam, some retro.  

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     7.  Be UNIQUE.  I think that is a HUGE part of my style both for design as well as my PERSONAL style.  It’s not about having the most expensive things, but having a fabulous look, no matter HOW you achieve it.  Mixing old with new, from a garage sale or thrift shop to the most incredible furniture store splurge or the most INCREDIBLE retailer with awesome labels.  It’s how you put it all together to come up with a totally unique, one of a kind look that you love to wear or live in.   I swear one of my most complimented coats I got um, maybe 9 years ago in a THRIFT shop?  For REAL!  

And as I was gathering images to share with you, I realized that all of these really overlap!  Every space I love has some part of some of these elements if not ALL of these elements. 

These are my seven.  A very simple seven.  Maybe a LUCKY seven? (I’m always thinking casinos!)  But it’s for sure seven that define me and my style!  Thank you Christine for having me be a part of your collection of Style in Seven!  Much agape your way!!  Muuuuuuuuuaaaaah!

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It's official...Ms Irene is professor design enlightment.

Loved this.

Love you.

xo

Style in Seven - Erin of the Holtwood Hipster

Well hello and welcome to Tuesday.

I was all set to give you some updates on #projectbaby, #projectlittlemiss and #winkofpink today but then I remembered that I have an ah-maaazing...



...that's been waiting in the wings and well, I couldn't keep this fabooshness away from you a second longer.

So...please sit back and get ready for some gorgeous style, a la Erin from Holtwood Hipster.

If you're not familiar with her blog, and are kind of a decor, food and style stalker, then really, you must check the whole thing out.

There's a whole lot of goodness going on...for realz.

Yesterdays' post, for example, was all about this coming to be...



...DIY styles.

I rest my case...'tis good.

And just in case you needed a little more convincing, read on my friends...this Style in 7 is admittedly, one of my absolute favourites yet.   

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One of the reasons I was so excited to take part in Christine’s Style in 7 series was because it really forced me to step back and really put a concrete definition around my own style preferences and put them down on “paper” so to speak.

I believe style is inherent and largely subconscious. I’m not saying I don’t work at it and that it doesn’t evolve over time. I most certainly do and the last two years renovating an old home have shown me plain and simple that it does.  As people in love with our homes and design, part of the thrill is the ride, right?  It can be a bit anti-climatic in the end, the day all that planning and plotting, hunting and bargaining for the deal is over.  But not having a clear view into the things that really move you and the fundamentals shaping your personal design plan can also be just as disappointing and expensive in the outcome. Trust me.

I’ve always felt I had a fair sense of what I liked, but I've also made some very costly design decisions, things I thought were the right course based on what I saw in other people’s homes and in magazines. If only I had  listened to my own gut. I started blogging to catalog not only the renovation process, but my own design preferences as well. It’s helped me to tune into that sub-conscious voice that’s really been there all along.

MASCULINE // As much as I admire girly-girls, I cannot say I am one. Over-styled, bouffant hair-dos paired with heavy-footed oxfords and clunky men’s jewelry is more my thing. Much is the same with my take on design. I find I’m always attracted to the weight of more masculine furnishings; deeply stained lacquered woods, caramel leather, deep jewel tones, offset by my own design trinity of black, white and shades of grey. 

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NOSTALGIC // I’m a romantic and as such, my style is very nostalgic at heart. I’m so fond of rooms that incorporate meaningful tokens of a bygone era. A collection of oil paintings handed down from the family beach house, your grandmother’s wedding portrait or the records you once rocked out to with your dad… these bring another, essential kind of weight to a room. Many layer these in as after-thoughts. But I see them as more than just added dimension. I like to think of these as the “roots” in a space, anchoring more forward thinking design elements.

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MID-CENTURY MINDED // That nostalgic heart I spoke about? Well, it leads to other style propensities as well.  I grew up vacationing in 60’s era Palm Springs hotels, listening to my parent’s favorite high school songs and watching every Elvis-Doris Day-Natalie Wood movie under the sun. You know, it wasn’t always so cool. But those hotels and movie sets were my earliest design influences. They were the places I wanted to vacation when I had a family and the houses I envisioned living in once grown and out of that, grew my sentimental affection for desert-modernism and deliciously gaudy ornamentation.

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CALIFORNIA CASUAL // Upbringing has a lot to do with honing a style. I’m a Californian, born and raised. I think most people grow up thinking they live in the best part of the world and I’m no exception. I’m prone to wanderlust- even through my cooking and reading I like to escape to “more exciting” places. But my day-to-day style is casual and undeniably Californian. Lots of warm woods, organic materials and drought tolerant plantings abound. It's the requisite pool time though that keeps me going all year round.

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STATEMENT PRONE // As casual as I consider myself to be, there’s nothing I like more than an unexpected element to keep me on my toes. This is a common theme when I dress, entertain and when I decorate. Large scale, seemingly random artwork in an otherwise classic or neutral space, grand party gestures and YES!, big, baubly statement jewelry. These are all in my bag of tricks.

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COLOR-BLIND // I’ve fought it like hell, really I have. I get so excited when I see rooms bathed in color. But for the life of me, I just can’t seem to integrate the pinky-reds, kelly greens and bright yellows that make me ooh and ahh when I see them in other people’s homes. What can I say? The heart wants, what the heart wants. Black and white has become my signature combo. Our last home was decorated in nothing but, actually. But what I’ve learned in my own little design lab of sorts, is to balance it out with rich texture and something natural, lest it look flat and well, cheap. Yummy warm wood is my go-to favorite accent.

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PATTERN PLAY’N // What I lack in color, I make up for with pattern. I’ve always favored bold, repetitive graphics and I’ve certainly never met a black and white stripe I didn’t like. My previous obsession with zig-zags and chevron has been replaced recently by various takes on dots and spots… swiss, ocelot, leopard, you name it.  Quite honestly, I still fancy a little structure to the chaos and I’ve always been a bit reserved when it comes to using florals in our home. But there is no denying that layered patterns can infuse both depth and playfulness into a space not solely achieved by color and texture alone.

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A BIG thank you to Christine for allowing me to share a bit about my own style with you today! I'm a big Bijou and Boheme fan and what an honor it is to be featured on one of my own daily reads. 

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What did I tell you?

Though Erin's style is definitely different than mine, I find it stunningly chic and sooooooo inspiring.

Now click over and follow her blog- 

And if you've got some great style up in there and want to take part in this series too...the world's your oyster...get in touch;)

xo

Style in 7 - Natalie of The Enchanting Life

Good day my love beans.

It's going to be a perfectly swell one for me.

First, I'm off to the doctor for a bambino check-up and will hopefully get to hear his/her heartbeat for the first time...for those of you who've had beans before, you'll know that this is a big moment...could barely sleep last night I was so excited.

And on top of that, #projectscarlett is going to be make mucho progress...wallpapering is happening...ps, stay tuned to my instagram feed (@bijouandboheme)...will post photos of the action.

Also, my curtains and pink French chair are being delivered...happy happy happy.

So...since it's already a great day to be alive, I thought it a perfect time to share another newbie Style in Seven.

Today, I'm welcoming Natalie of the blog, The Enchanting Life.

After only 2 months on the scene, this young lady has already mastered the inspirational and is cranking out posts devoted to all things pretty with ease.

Natalie's blog features all the big hitter favourites like food, fashion and decor...it's got just the right mix of fabulous, along with a little dash of personal stuff to keep things interesting.

I'm very pleased to feature her Style in 7 today and am pretty sure that you'll see why I'm smitten with her after reading it...let's just say her version of style hits very close to my little heart...

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Hello everyone! I’m Natalie from The Enchanting Life. I am so honored and excited to be featured on Bijou and Boheme as part of the “Style in Seven” series! I could write my whole post on the 7 things I love about the Bijou and Boheme blog but since you obviously feel the same, I will share some of my other style inspirations.

1. Bold

As much as I love a whimsical and soft style, I am drawn to a room or outfit that has a focal point. A bold look, to me, can be accomplished through bright colors, loud patterns, and a mix of textures. I admire anyone who is willing to use a bold style in their apparel or their interiors because it draws so much attention; however, you almost have to have a room or outfit that is close to flawless if you want that kind of attention. My favorite bold combinations are black and white stripes, a large chevron print, color blocking two opposite colors, and a bright-colored ceiling.

2. Vintage

I think every outfit or room needs a touch of vintage; anything from a skeleton key necklace to an old steamer trunk used as a coffee table. Using a mix of old and new makes an outfit more charming and a room look more cozy and lived in. My favorite pastime is spending the day in a flea market or on Etsy looking for the perfect vintage item to add to my collection. A vintage piece is a conversation starter and is even more special if it has a story to tell (like it belonged to a grandparent or Abe Lincoln’s neighbor). Adding a vintage piece breaks the cookie cutter mold and makes any room/outfit one-of-a-kind.

3. Whimsical

Whimsical is one of my favorite styles because it’s so playful and makes you use your imagination. A whimsical room can make me feel so relaxed that I drift off into a dream world made up of enchanted forests and Alice in Wonderland tea parties.

4. Glam

Like most women, I am drawn to anything that sparkles. Being surrounded by diamonds, crystals, and gold can make any woman feel like Kate Middleton. I love how a glam style is the perfect mixture of feminine and vintage with a touch of charm and a whole lot of bling. Massive crystal chandeliers, Chanel, white marble, and gold furniture makes for the perfect combination of glam.

5. French

If I had to sum up my style in just one word, “French” would probably be my word, it covers all the bases. The French have achieved a bold and modern look with their black and white stripe; a vintage look with the shabby chic farmhouse style; and their haute couture, crystal chandeliers, and elaborate Rococo furniture make for the perfect mix of glam and feminine. To top it all off they have the world’s most delicious and decadent pastries. Goodness, why am I not living there? The French style always has me saying, “C'est très belle!”

6. Feminine

Soft and pink, bold and glam, I love it all. I admire feminine interior design so much because it’s somewhat out of reach now-a-days. Now that I’m married I have to find the right balance of masculine and feminine within our décor so that the hubby doesn’t complain. This leaves me scrolling through pages on Pinterest dreaming of my Bachelorette pad made up of pretty pinks, delicate lace, and soft linens. Luckily I can still fully embrace these same elements of the feminine style through my wardrobe.

7. Eclectic

Whether I’m designing a room or getting dressed in the morning, I lean towards an eclectic and asymmetrical style. I am drawn to things that are made of up several diverse styles, colors, prints, and patterns. I love when several pieces look so different from one another but when brought together they make a cohesive and beautiful room or outfit. Having that diversity gives so much more dimension and interest; it makes we want to know more about the person who owns that outfit, painted that picture, or lives in that house.

Well there you have it, my “Style in Seven.” Thank you so much to Christine for allowing me to post on her incredible blog. I’m still high-fiving a thousand angels over this awesome opportunity!

Hope you all have an enchanting day,
Natalie

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What did I tell you?

Natalie's Style in 7 could totes be mine...love, love, love her pics.

xo

Style in 7 - 219

As promised, it's time to delve back into the world that is...

...and today, I'm so happy to introduce you all to a new blog that I know is going to be one we're all soon talking about.

Founded by neighbours and friends, Christine and Sarah (and PS, they had a leg up in my love department since I'm Christine and my sister is Sara) their new blog 219 is devoted to all things interior design...as two self-confessed decor obsessed mamas, the two also have plans to open a shop so stay tuned on that front.

For now, I'll tell you that I'm VERY smitten with what they've already put together.

Their blog is crisp, modern and filled to the brimski with pretty.

I stumbled upon shots of their homes in one post and well...





...we're clearly speaking the same language...I mean that chinoiserie console and the vintage perfume bottles...delish...and don't get me started on Sarah's dining room...it's seriously one of the best spaces I maybe have seen...ever.  The JRS painting...those chairs...the lamps...the sheers...luuuuuuuuuv.

Anyone that can put rooms together like these two seem to be able to, clearly deserve a little love in the follow/admire/read blog department so without further ado...their fabo Style in 7...

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Welcome! 

We're Sarah and Christine from the blog 219 and we’re SO excited to be guest posting on the fabulous blog that is Bijou & Boheme, sharing our Style in 7!! 

Okay, so trying to come up with 7 things that best represented BOTH our styles was not an easy task! There is so much that we love and it’s a bit of a moving target, so we thought that the best way to capture would be to illustrate some of the design principles that especially resonate. 

It all starts with… 

• Mix it up! Sarah and I completely agree – the rooms that have us coming back for more are those that layer and blend different periods, pieces and styles!

• It’s the little things… Whether it be architectural elements, fabrics, wallcoverings, fixtures, trim, accessories, you name it – details distinguish!!

• Impact – This can come in any number of forms  - unexpected pairings, art, furniture, fabrics, textures, colours, etc. – but every space needs at least one thing that draws you in and leaves you wishing…

• Classics - lines, pieces, colour combos etc. E.g. French pieces, black/white/cream colour combo, slipper chair, Billy Baldwin-style sofa, French-pleat linen draperies – classics anchor a room and you can play around with the rest. 

• Balance – Victoria Webster summed it up best when she said: “I like having a lot to look at without it being busy”. Back to principle #1 and the art of effectively blending and layering!

• Vintage/antique – So much goodness - a great art deco side table, vintage sputnik chandelier, great Louis chair etc. 

Stay tuned! 219 will be opening it’s ‘blog boutique’ in the coming weeks, which will carry our favourite vintage/antique finds in addition to some new lines!

• Keep it real! – Sure we’ve deliberated over the placement of a piece for more time than we care to admit, but overall, we like spaces that feel authentic, accessible, and lived-in - not contrived or deliberate. 

A house is your home and haven and a mirror of yourself and your family, so tell the story! We both have our favourite pictures and our kiddos’ artwork diffused throughout the house as well as the things nearest and dearest to who we are and what we are about! 

And yes, we both are completely obsessed with anything gold, shiny, vintage, pink, leopard print and expensive… we just couldn't fit it all in! 

A heartfelt thank you to everyone who took the time to read this and again to Christine for letting us be a part of her amazing B & B world! 

Hope to see you again soon!

Sarah and Christine xo

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I'm counting these two as definite ones to watch and am pretty damn excited for their little 'blog boutique' to open.

You can follow along with the fun HERE.

xo

Style in Seven - Sam of The Peak of Tres Chic

It's time for another fabulous....

...and today, I'm very happy to be welcoming Sam, of The Peak of Tres Chic.

Her blog is a relatively new one and in only a few months, has become an absolute oasis of design pretty.

And what's more....Sam is one of the sweetest and most gracious bloggers around...she always leaves the most genuine and uplifting comments...totally one of those girls you'd love to have on your team.

Her Style in 7 is totally delish and packed full of some of my personal faves...Sam is totes a girl after my own heart...enjoy!!!

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Bonjour, Bijou & Boheme readers!  I am so thrilled to be here posting on Christine's blog.  Although I have many blogs I adore, B&B speaks to my heart. Christine's love for pink and feminine glamour also resonate deeply with me- I am a complete girly girl.  Which brings me to my first Style in 7:

I find such inspiration from timeless Hollywood beauties like Audrey Hepburn, Marilyn Monroe, and Brigitte Bardot.  Their classic glamour and elegance is so present in every image and movie they did.  They were the true original divas!  I love looking back to old Hollywood for style inspiration. 

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My next Style in 7 is black & white fashion.  I love the simplicity and elegance of a simple color palette.  Black+white seems to look great on anyone, no matter one's size, shape, or style. It's no wonder the LBD has been a fashion "go-to" for years.  All one needs to do is look to Angelina Jolie's classic all-black ensembles to see the power of simplicity.  Although I adore color, I naturally gravitate towards classic black and white in fashion.

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My inner French girl squeals with delight at all things French shabby chic.  I love the warm lived-in feel of French-styled interiors. The French live a different lifestyle full of rich cultural history and experiences.  They take time to enjoy the finer things in life, while also not taking themselves too seriously.  I believe their lifestyle is evident in the way they design their homes, which I would describe as laid-back charm with a touch of sophistication.span>

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A defining element of my style is being willing to take risks.  Whether it be fashion risks, interior design risks, career risks, or relationship risks, it's so important to believe in yourself enough to take a leap of faith.  I've always said fashion rules were made to be broken.  You can't be afraid to make a mistake- because mistakes are how we learn and grow.  Although I love high fashion and expensive decor as much as the next girl, I try to allocate enough money to see a new place each year.  It's important to get out of your comfort zone and learn about other cultures.  On a trip to Switzerland in the summer of 2010, I took a literal leap of faith!

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My next style in 7 is sexy tablescaping.  I love a well-dressed table for a fancy soiree, but for me it is important for my guests to feel relaxed and at home when coming over for a party.  That's why I love a good sexy tablescape.  Rich elements combined with luscious flowers, lots of candles, and dimmed lighting create a great environment for guests to mix and mingle.

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I was once told that artwork is furniture for your walls.  Choosing art for your home is such a personal decision.  I always try to only buy art that truly speaks to me.  Often, that means artwork with bold colors and thick, wild brush strokes.  I like to make a statement with art.  Instead of adding it as a "final touch" to a room, I have been guilty of buying a bold piece of art and designing a whole room around it.  What can I say?  When a piece of art speaks to me, I just have to have it!

My last Style in 7 is well-dressed tabletops.  One of my favorite elements in a person's home is what they choose to decorate with because it tells so much about the person~ who they are, where they've been, and what's important to them.  I love it when people decorate with photos, coffee table books, and other pretty little things.

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All in all, my style is very feminine, shabby chic, with a touch of glam.  Thank you Christine, for helping me divine my style in 7 elements!  I  had a great time putting all of this together.  Feel free to come visit me at The Peak of Tres Chic.  Big hugs to Christine and her Nana!

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Loving all the femininity and personality in this post...so delightful!!!
And PS, how amazeballs are those sky-diving shots?  LOVE!


A big giant thanks to my three Style in 7 ( Aubrey, Nuha and Sam) posters this week and to you my dear readers...you've all made my heart swell up with the support you've given me...appreciated more than I can say.


Stay tuned for another great guest post tomorrow...we're switching gears a bit with some fashion to room fabulous, thanks to my dear blogging friend Alex of Things That Sparkle.  And then on Tuesday, sweet Chassity from Look, Linger, Love will be here with a little preview of the fabulous she's cooking up for her new house!!


As for me, I'm leaving today for PEI to see my Nana so I'll say later skaters for now.


Mushy hugs,


xo