Glamour Obsession: Neon

{Can I wear this right now?? I want the dress the shoes, the purse, the jewelry.  It's beyond perfect!  Adore!}

 

Hello LDV Readers!  Vanessa Stern here from Vanessa & Valentine!  I feel like it's been forever since my last post.  Lots is happening right now and so far 2012 has been a very exciting year!  I can't help but notice lately pops of neon everywhere.  I go walking outside and I see runners with bright neon colored shoes.  Walk into any store and the spring collections are bursting with neon!  I am all about color and when I see people wearing bright bold colors, it makes me happy.  Do you ever notice when you wear a bright color like yellow or aqua, people are nicer to you, they speak to you, they turn their head and open the door?  It's odd, but I totally notice that when I wear bright colors.  I'll even wear a bold yellow scarf or a pop of color when I go on client meetings because I've observed people are generally nicer and  more engaged in the conversation.  You should try it sometime, I swear it works!  Ok, so here's what I am loving for spring and what's on my color radar right now....

Bright, bold colors for the office everyday.  Paired with a perfect graphic black and white blouse and red pants, the accents totally work.  I am loving that turquoise and gold ring and the neon yellow clutch.  I'd probably pair this down even more for the office, but this look pretty much rocks!

 

Digging this bright little neon green messenger bag.  Chick has guts to wear this, and I don't think we would miss her walking down the street!

 

Here is a great little way to add a little touch of bright color to your life everyday.  Buy a fierce bright pink shade of lipstick,  add a thin little neon green belt to your basic black pants, get a bright orange pedicure, wear some bright plastic sunnies by the pool, wear more pink blouses, a little goes a long way, so just have fun with color! 

 

Wear a bright orange clutch with a blue dress...

...or mix red and hot pink for the office and neutralize it with brown (HOT!)

 

Pure white with neon brights is the perfect way to complement each other. 

 

Cheers Everyone and see you next time!

 

xo,

Vanessa

 

Images via Pinterest- follow me here!

Beautifully Organized: The Medicine Cabinet

Hi everyone! Arianna here of Arianna Belle Organized Interiors. The bathroom medicine cabinet tends to be a place where many of us store everyday essentials like our toothbrush, face wash, cotton swabs, etc. Since we access it frequently it's nice to have set it up in a way that's functional and looks good too. The best way to make this happen is to get rid of all the products that aren't being used. You know what I'm talking about - expired cosmetics and medicines, bath and body products once tried and didn't like. Doing this frees up space so it's not so crowded in there and makes products that are being used, easy to find. Once you get rid of the clutter, you can optimally organize. You can group items by type (e.g. all oral hygiene items on the lower shelf) and arrange by frequency of use (e.g. put less used products on upper shelf). Use containers as needed. A pretty tumbler (2) makes a nice toothbrush holder, canisters (1) are great for cotton swabs and cotton balls, and small "drawer organizers" (3) are perfect for corralling smaller items. If you're short on space, use acrylic risers (5) to create an additional shelf, and take advantage of the unused gap between the cabinet door and the inside shelving by adhering magnetic pods (4) to the inside of the door. Pods are great for holding all the tiny things, like bobby pins, lip balm, etc., that can tend to get lost.

Hope you found these tips useful! 'Til next time!

-Arianna

---

top image: instyle magazine

Sponsor Spotlight: Serena and Lily

La Dolce Vita is thrilled to welcome Serena and Lily as our newest sponsor! I have loved this company, their products, and the way they do business for a few years now. What started out as a textiles company with a focus on children’s linens has evolved into a lifestyle destination with linens for little ones and adults, furniture, rugs, accessories, lighting, and fabulous vintage finds. Everything at Serena and Lily is high-quality and most of their furniture is customizable.

Serena and Lily’s newest catalog introduces an expanded furniture and home décor collection. I absolutely love the mirror and sconces in the image above!

In order to make the “Serena and Lily Lifestyle” more all-encompassing, they now offer tabletop accessories and items to help one entertain beautifully.

New designs for linens, home décor, furniture, and rugs were recently introduced with the launch of the company’s most recent catalog.

I love Serena and Lily’s beautiful, customizable beds and headboards. We got the Pondicherry for our bedroom last year and I absolutely love it.

The pages of the Serena and Lily catalog always make me daydream about my future children’s nurseries and bedrooms. They have the loveliest options for boys and girls.

 

Be sure to check out Serena and Lily’s Bazaar as well. It is filled with unique, hand-picked  items from around the world, some of which have appeared in their catalog photoshoots. Everything is personally curated by the Serena and Lily team and has served as a source of inspiration in some way. Don’t miss it!

Dream Home: Moth Design

Today’s beautiful “Dream Home” comes from the fabulous Erica of Moth Design! She picked some stunning kitchen and bath options for her post. Once you’re finished here, be sure to check out Erica’s stunning “real” home on her blog!

Hello, it's Erica from Moth Design here today with my dream home. When Paloma asked me to be a part of this series I found myself pondering what indeed makes a home a dream home. Finishes? Interior? With a little contemplation I realized it's just as much about location, functionality and aspects other than just aesthetics.

For me a dream home would be in a moderate climate (no -22F weeks). My list would include an enclosed outdoor area, the property would have great soaring views and waterfront access. My dream home would also have slightly more modern bones, architecturally speaking and slightly more traditional soft furnishings. While all of these elements might make for a pretty outstanding place I know it could still feel less than perfect without the details, character and special accents that give a home soul.

 

When welcoming you in to my home you may see something a little like this...

Setting the pace for what's to come in the rest of the home.

For my family, the kitchen is by far the most important room as we seem to do most of our living there. I know from my home now that a gallery wall is perfect in the kitchen.

I've done many white kitchens for myself and clients alike, however I'm thinking the next space would be layered with black and mixed metals. I seem to gravitate to this look.

via

 

This banquette is so inviting. I can imagine spending many happy hours in a space like this.

                

via
I'd keep the formal living room a little on the smaller side.

via
When it comes to hanging out as a family I'd want a room to hold the largest most comfy sofa around. There would be a lot of great movies viewed, board games played and generally good family times spent in a room like this.

 

I love a repetition of black and white in my home. I also love built in niches and marble. This is my idea of bathroom perfection.

 

I also have a soft spot for intriguing little architectural details. I really feel they are what give a space it's personality. This circular window in charming and I love the principal suite to match. Not too big and soothing in it's tone on tone palette.

Let us not forget the walk in closet!

via

This oversized covered dining room is amazing... with the addition of an all weather seating area and outdoor fireplace it would be nothing less than idyllic.

via

Is there anything better than being able to close the doors on this when you're done with food prep? I think I'll add this to the photo above as well!

via

Now, this may seem silly, but I've loved the idea of a paved yard for some time. I think this idea came from hot Calgary summers. The grass gets so dried out and my brown thumb doesn't help.

So there you have it. Thanks so much for having me here on La Dolce Vita for this fun guest post Paloma! Also, while we're at it, I'm on to thinking up my dream cottage, ski chalet, and destination city pied a terre. Ha! xo

Visual Comfort & Co. Job Opening: Marketing Coordinator

We have an exciting job opening in the Marketing department at Visual Comfort & Co. I know how talented and savvy La Dolce Vita readers are, so if you live in the Greater Houston Area, please contact human.resources@visualcomfort.com if you feel that you are the ideal candidate for the Marketing Coordinator position described below.

Do you have a Bachelor’s degree in Marketing, Graphic Design, Fine Arts, or a related field?

Do you have excellent skills in PhotoShop, InDesign, Illustrator, and Microsoft Excel?

Are you highly organized and detail-oriented with an ability to handle multiple projects and deadlines simultaneously?

Do you have excellent communication and problem solving skills?

Are you a team player with a positive attitude who thrives in a fast-paced environment?

Do you have at least two years experience in graphic design work?

Do you currently live in the Greater Houston Area?

We’d love to hear from you if you can answer all of the questions above with a firm YES. Please email your résumé and portfolio to human.resources@visualcomfort.com if you feel that you are a good candidate for this position and we will send you more information.