So there may be a colour revolution going on at the moment, but sometimes it’s the subtle nude tones that make more of a stylish statement. Especially this Gucci bag… word of warning though, don’t look at the price:

{Gucci Bamboo crocodile shoulder bag / Anna Sui embellished tulle & lace dress / Giuseppe Zanotti flower appliqué leather sandals}

During my daily travels through the blogosphere, I have come across many home offices that make me want to miraculously create an extra room in my flat so I can have one of my own. At the moment, the only option is the cellar – but the fact that it’s basically a dumping ground and has no natural daylight (and quite frankly gives me the creeps à la Kevin in Home Alone), doesn’t equate to a dream workspace. I often daydream about having an incredibly light and bright room, filled with a ton of personal items that makes it manifestly mine. I’m thinking along the lines of my bright yellow Roberts radio, an inspiration board filled with magazine cuttings and all manner of objects that I’ve felt drawn to or that have inspired me, framed photographs of loved ones, a giant flat screen desk top to fill with beautiful images, vintage pieces of furniture (definitely a buttoned armchair), an incredibly organised yet chic storage system, and vases of fresh tulips. Can I have French doors leading to a patio or balcony as well? Yep, then that too please.
Here are some offices that would not only inspire me, but also make me jump out of bed every morning eager to get going:

{images via Pinterest, House Beautiful & LivingEtc}

I hope you all had a lovely weekend! This week’s going to be a busy one for me, as it’s the last one in the office before heading over the pond to run an event in DC, so there’s no time for easing myself back in gently, sadly. Straight into today’s post then, and it’s all about a look that never goes out of fashion, but is having a big moment this season: lace. Erdem, Ralph Lauren, Elie Saab and D&G in particular used this fabric in abundance in their S/S11 shows, and D&G’s white lace dress has been hailed as the dress of the season. And of course there was the Duchess of Cambridge’s McQueen triumph (any excuse to include a royal wedding pic). Lace is a perfect look for summer, and although seen as very romantic and whimsical, it can be toughened up to great effect with a leather or khaki jacket (think Kate Bosworth). It doesn’t have to be just the traditional ivory lace, either… coloured lace is equally hot at the moment, and you can go for the heavier material or the more sheer, floaty version depending on your preference. Are you on board with the lace trend, or do you worry about net curtain comparisons? I’d be interested to hear your thoughts!

{images via Pinterest}

{1. Topshop nude lace bow belted dress – £85 / 2. New Look lace Peter Pan top – £19.99 / 3. Dorothy Perkins sleeveless lace dress – £26 / 4. Topshop embellished lace top – £45 / 5. Adele Marie lace pearl necklace – £42 / 6. Peacocks bead & lace dress – £22 / 7. Dorothy Perkins lace trim maxi skirt – £32 / 8. Warehouse lace shorts – £35 / 9. Wallis ivory lace zip back tee – £30 / 10. Monsoon lace crochet scarf – £16}

Welcome to the weekend! Somehow I crawled to the finishing line, and now have two days to relax and spend time with the birthday boy. My boyfriend had his actual birthday on Wednesday, but he’s adopted my fondness for having a ‘birthday week’ (one day is never enough, right?), so the celebrations continue! Do you have any exciting plans for the next couple of days?
Here is a round-up of the most stylish things that have taken my fancy this week:
The glitz, the glamour, the French Riviera, it’s all so très chic! A-listers, their entourages and mini dogs have migrated to the Côte d’Azur to the annual Film Festival, shaken out their Chanel towels on the sun loungers at the Hotel du Cap Eden Roc, and embarked on 11 gruelling days of publicity, schmoozing and, well, posing. Day one, and the posing portion of proceedings was magnifique. Salma Hayek sparkled in Gucci Première, Rachel McAdams was a siren in Marchesa, Karolina Kurkova sizzled in Armani Privé and Uma Thurman was effortless in Versace. 10 more days of this? Parfait!

{images via prphotos}
Since I posted about my new favourite online boutique, Rose & Grey, I have been gazing at the images of the crates in particular, and wondering where I could find a place for them in my living room. It would be a tight squeeze, but where there’s a will there’s a way. After perusing Pinterest to see if there was anyone else who shared my crate obsession (of course there was), I realised there was a solution to the space issue: crates as table. Now all I need to do is find a new place for my current coffee table…

{images via Pinterest}
It seems that since Stella McCartney paraded fruit prints on the S/S11 catwalk, she’s opened a whole can of, er, peaches? Fruity prints are everywhere on the high street from pretty cherry dresses to zesty vest tops. It’s a veritable fruit salad!

{ 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 }
I know that Louise Body’s beautiful tile wallpaper has done the rounds in the blogosphere, but I couldn’t let my Friday round-up pass without showing my favourite designs. They’re so Mediterranean, conjuring up images of outdoor kitchens, azure skies and terracotta back-drops. It’s such a simple concept, but like most things, it’s those kind of ideas that work out the best:

{available via Louise Body}
Now, if I said leather hot pants and stilettos, you’d say street walker, correct? Well, imagine those shorts are Chanel, the heels are Loubs and the girl is Rachel Bilson. The result is so glam it just shouldn’t be allowed. Bilson is a worthy winner of my ‘Look of the Week’ award, after her appearance at the Chanel Resort Collection, held at the aforementioned Hotel du Cap. She even out-glammed Blake Lively, also clad in Chanel shorts… no mean feat! As for my favourite room of the week, I saw this sofa and looked no further. The colours are sheer perfection:

{images via prphotos & Pinterest}
I hope you have a wonderful weekend whatever you’re doing and wherever you may be…

If you remember a while back (seen here), I gave you a tour of the home of Jen Ramos, from one of my daily ‘go to’ blogs, Made By Girl. Her home has a very distinctive style with its white walls and monochrome furnishings, and pops of colour to complete the look. Not only does self-professed “driven entrepreneur” Jen produce striking prints in her etsy store, she has now branched into the world of abstract art. Her inaugural collection has a website of its own, Cocoa & Hearts, and the pieces are selling like hot cakes already! Talented lady. Here is a selection of her work:

{images via Cocoa & Hearts}
I have to say, I really like her bold use of colour without form… each one is completely open to interpretation. If I were to display one of her pieces in my home, I’d make sure it was a largely white room with the subtle but effective use of colour that appears in Jen’s home – this would ensure that the artwork would stand out as a real focal point. Here are some examples of rooms that I think would provide the perfect backdrop for a Cocoa & Hearts painting:

{images via House Beautiful & Pinterest}
What do you think of Jen’s artwork?