Stars and Stripes

Memorial day is a few days away and thus begins the summer season of outdoor entertaining and patriotic festivities. I head to the Cape on Friday and am looking forward to barbecues, white jeans and most importantly some red, white and blue! As meals move outside I thought it only appropriate that I highlight some great ideas for tablescaping Americana style.

I adore sunflowers (and pretty much all yellow as is probably apparent) and like the idea of always using flowers, fruit or items that are unique to your area when dressing the table.  The lemons below add a personal touch and dimension to the table.

Minimal, yet perfect. I wouldn't add a thing and would love to pull up a seat!

                                          

Don't worry about everything being perfect- the oversized tablecloth on this table adds some great flair and won't intimidate your guests!

Some lovely linens to use as a jumping off point...

*Courtesy of D. Porthault, Horchow, Anthropologie, Pottery Barn

Fun plates that you could mix and match to create a playful and fun place setting...

*Courtesy of Anthropolgie,  Bloomingdale's, Horchow, Pottery Barn

I like using a bunch of different size and shaped glassware to add a little individuality to each setting...

*Courtesy of Anthropologie and Horchow

If you're looking for a great dessert to make this weekend - try out Barefoot Contessa's flag cake. My friend, Katie, baked this deliciousness for the 4th of July and it was a major hit! Plus, it makes a terrific centerpiece...click here for the recipe.

J.Crew does basics right on Net-a-porter

I was doing some browsing of my favorite online retailers and am loving the J.Crew basics that they exclusively produced for Net-a-porter. So bummed that I did not purchase this chambray bikini last week, but I will keep it in mind should my other J.Crew suit not work out.

I think these t-shirts are definite must-haves, they look absolutely delectable! 

Another J.Crew collaboration done right. I expect good things to come as this partnership grows...possibly expansion of the J.Crew Collection line? It seems like an obvious fit to me!

Put a ring on it!

During the summer I tend to cut back on the amount of jewelry I wear and try to get more bang for my buck with strong statement pieces. You never know when you could find yourself outside catching some rays and the less clutter the better! My go to is a statement ring. It can brighten up any outfit and add a bit of pizazz and attitude to your casual summer style. Some great finds at even better prices are below:

A personal fave - turquoise...

Keep it clean, keep it silver...

Embrace the sunshine, whip out the pinks and corals...

Prrrrrada

Want to make a fashion statement the next time you head to Whole Foods? Step it up a notch with one of Prada's new "B.Y.O. Bags." A genius way to strut your stuff eco-style. The bags are extremely light, constructed from the traditional Prada fabric (translation: easy to clean!), and printed in prints from the Prada archives. 

Speaking of prints and Prada, Prada's aptly named "Print Collection"is now hitting stores. Inspired by the 1950's and Mad Men, Prada has created a single silhouette and produced it in a series of prints from the archives. Channel Betty Draper in one of the flared skirt dresses with a cinched-in waist and a pair of delicate ballet flats. Top your look off with a classic quilted bag complete with the signature Prada chain. Best of all the prices are relatively sane - for Prada at least- as dresses are priced between $650 and $725 and the ballet flats are $360. 

Kate Bosworth wearing one of the limited edition dresses...lucky lady!

Just because...

Not only do these two look adorable together, but Michelle Williams is the epitome of being effortlessly chic! Her make-up is simple and natural and with no jewelry the dress is able to steal the show. This is an amazing silhouette on her and paired with a nude pair of wedges that elongate her legs she looks much taller than her tiny frame is in reality. The dress is part of Suno's Fall/Winter 2010 collection. Suno's frocks are available at Barney's and Opening Ceremony. Scoop one up and create your own "scene stealer." 

Je T'aime Chanel

If I could pick an image that represents a quintessential lifestyle it would be one of these from the Chanel Resort show in Saint Tropez. Flowy dresses, lovely florals, sandals in hand, barefoot by the sea...oui, oui!!

House Beautiful take-aways

There were a few great shopping finds in June's House Beautiful...


Some great cotton herringbone throws from brahmsmount.com in a multitude of colors- perfect for brightening a room!

West Elm has added a genius finish to its' Parsons console table- rattan! Bonus: currently on sale for $299, snap one up while you can...great for an entryway, behind a couch, or really anywhere!

They also featured a rug from one of my faves, Dash and Albert. Cute rugs at great prices...enough said. Some of my picks are below:

   

   

Weekend plans?

This weekend's Tastemaker Tag Sale on One Kings Lane is curated by English-born, LA-based designer Kathryn Ireland. She has a great collections of fabrics and wallpaper in addition to her many design projects. Her sense of color and bohemian flair create fabrics and rooms that will make you happy for years to come. I just added her book, Creating A Home, to my amazon store if you're interested in learning more about this design maven.

Creating A Home chronicles Kathryn's restoration of her estate in Ojai, CA (bonus info: she recently sold the home to Reese Witherspoon) and the process she went thru to capture its' original beauty. Some great images of the home are below.

      

        

A snapshot of her textiles...

A few more of her "rooms"

        

      

      

       

       

Be sure to check out OKL this Saturday at 11AM EST before all her picks are snapped up!

    

It's like Saks was reading my mind (or blog!)

Shopping at Home with Nate Berkus

Nate Berkus designed one of my favorite rooms of all time that I have posted on To The Tens before. It is so fab though that I thought I would include it again...

As seen in Elle Decor. 

A friend of mine is looking into furniture for a new apartment and while looking for some fun, affordable pieces I remembered that Nate has a line on HSN - yes, the home shopping network!

I am dying over this piece - i love all things ikat and think it is such a fun shape. Better for a secondary seating area though as it may be a little hard to snuggle up on without arms!

Two great chair options for a living room or bedroom. The tufting detailing is gorgeous as is the nailhead detail, you can go wrong with either piece.

Some fun throw rugs in great neutrals.

Loving this headboard - the velvet is such an amazing deep navy and looks luxurious with the tufting detail.

Super fun tray table, would be great for a mini-bar area. 

A few great rooms designed by Nate Berkus...

Check out HSN next time you need some new home decor items - they have a ton of great designer collaborations!