Faux Fur Fantasies

Whlep... our glorious "Indian Summer" has come to a screeching halt today.  We'd had blazing temperatures in our little city by the bay for the last few days.  Kris and I even got a little evening ritual down where we'd walk down to get some frozen yogurt after dinner - sans hoodies, jackets, or any sort of outerwear.  Yep, that means I was strolling around San Francisco in a sleeveless dress and sandals last night at 9pm.  And I was still hot.

Anyway, the fog just rolled in this afternoon around 4pm, and so I think it's safe to say that our heat wave is over.  Sad.  On the flip side, I've been thinking about cozy fall nights, and I keep coming back to the idea of fur.  Actually... faux fur.  Scared yet?

Don't be... I think there are some fabulous options, and done in the right way, it can look really pretty - cozy, inviting, and not at all "Jersey Shore"

Here are a few shots I'm using for inspiration:

Contemporary Bedroom design by Other Metros Interior Designer Mikel Irastorza

Traditional Living Room design by Interior Designer celia maria

Contemporary Living Room design by San Francisco Design-build Urrutia Design

Spaces design by Furniture And Accessories Horchow

Modern Bedroom design by Dallas Design-build Bauhaus | EGC Custom Homes

Eclectic Living Room design by Boston Interior Designer Hudson Interior Design

See!!  Amazing right?!  Obviously, a real fur throw would cost me my next year's salary (and then some), and since I'm not into animal cruelty, I'd want to go faux all the way.  Next step??  Finding some viable options that are not only in the budget, but that don't look like fake fur.

I saw that West Elm had a few priced at $119.  Not bad, and they look good enough to burrow in permanently...

World Market had a few last week when I swung in over lunch, but as good as they look in this picture, they felt rough to the touch... it's a shame, because they are a FABULOUS deal at just $60.

What are your thoughts on faux fur in the house?  Big mistake, or amazing decision?*All homes a feature of Houzz

Making Fall Trends Wearable

Finally!  The stores have updated their merchandise with all the fun new fall trends, but to be honest, some of these trends look hard to wear, severe, and unflattering.  For the non-model types like myself, there are definitely easy ways to incorporate some of these trends into your fall wardrobe... take a look at some of my favorites...

Modern Romance:
This look is all about modest necklines, embellished details, and feminine touches.  Lace, ruffles, and bows are everywhere, but in non-girlish, sophisticated silhouettes of course.  The peter pan collar was made popular on little girls' party dresses (god knows I had plenty growing up) but when they are touched up with rhinestone details or intricate black embroidery, they are nothing but "adult".  Go monochromatic with navy suede booties and a navy trench dress, or nude strappy sandals with a nude lace dress for a fancy dinner out.  With so many grown-up ways to wear bows, lace, and sweet collars again, who can resist?!

Embellished Collar by beckyc1923 featuring oasis shoes

Vintage style dress / Mango embroidery dress, $97 / Stella McCartney ruffle front dress / Tory Burch bow shirt / Pink blouse, $22 / Peter pan collar blouse / By Malene Birger peter pan shirt / ASOS embellished top / Jil Sander Navy / Oasis lace top, $23 / Ash tall suede boots / Oasis shoes, $40 / Elie Saab heel sandals / Dolce&Gabbana tote handbag / Dorothy Perkins bow clutch / Silver brooch, $19

Ox Blood:
Isn't that just a horrific name for such an awesome, rich color?  Call it what you will - ox blood... burgundy... tomato, to-mah-toe.  This color is everywhere this fall, and I'm sold.  From deep red handbags, to stacks of bangles, dark shiny lips, and faux ruby cocktail rings.  I am seriously loving it all.  Especially both of these skirts - one is full and feminine with super flattering inverted pleats (that means you'll get a full skirt without the bunching), and I'm somewhat obsessed with the peplum pencil skirt, since it's one of the most flattering trends in ages... both skirts would be so perfect with some textured tights, and cute booties...

Ox Blood by beckyc1923 featuring a pea coat

Derek Lam / Pea coat, $56 / Pleated skirt / Dorothy Perkins / DKNY high heels / Rebecca Minkoff leather clutch / Urban expressions handbag / Vintage jewelry, $685 / Antik Batik , $82 / La Mer watch / Eyeglass

Baroque Chic:
Let me preface this by saying, this is DEFINITELY an evening look, so unless you work in a super avant garde industry, save these pieces for after-work activities only.  Let's be honest, the pants are going to be VERY hard to pull off, but if you've got the body (and attitude) for them, dive right in.  I'm loving the embellished tops, and accessories most of all since they are obviously the easiest way to incorporate the ornate over the top baroque pieces into your fall wardrobe.  The white a-line skirt is also another great alternative if you want to dip your toe into this trend, since the creme is clean and simple, despite the busy pattern inlay.

Baroque Chic by beckyc1923 featuring corset tops

Alexander McQueen knit dress / Patrizia Pepe pattern dress, $315 / Miss Selfridge printed shirt / Lipsy sheer shirt, $65 / Stella McCartney , $1,040 / Lipsy corset top, $65 / Lipsy short skirt, $40 / Black pants, $15 / Alexander McQueen black handbag / Oscar de la Renta tahitian pearl earrings / Sequin pave jewelry / Floral jewelry / Dorothy Perkins / 80s sunglasses / Kim Seybert Baroque Runner

What are some of your favorite trends this fall?

Chalkboards at Home

It's not a secret that chalkboard paint has made a huge resurgence recently, and it keeps popping up all over the internet.  It's making offices functional, giving kitchens a fun place for children to play, and it's dull finish looks uber chic when painted on furniture.

Is anyone surprised that Martha Stewart jumped on this bandwagon??  Not only did she feature an entire chalkboard wall, but also featured various shades of chalkboard grey that make up a perfect calendar grid - ingenious!  Bravo Martha... bravo!

Martha Stewart

This next wall - a feature in the dining room - actually has magnetic chalkboard paint - a double whammy :-) If the room were busy, it would all be way too much, but with simple furnishings, clean lines, and natural materials, it looks amazing - even once it's covered in doodles.

Source

Ok, try to tell me that this isn't the most clever idea yet!!  Using chalkboard paint to create a whimsical headboard in a child's room.  If our bedroom weren't so dark, I'd be seriously considering this for our headboard!!

Decoist

Kate from Centsational Girl recently madeover an computer armoire, taking a once dingy dark desk, and making it bright and functional - I love that the inside doors are used to keep track of schedules, but that it can all be closed up at the end of the day.

Centsational Girl

And finally - chalkboard paint in a super formal dining room.  All that wood paneling is giving me a bit of anxiety to be honest, but I do love the creativity of creating a fun chalkboard border.  This room needs a can of white paint on that paneling, stat, along with a non-brown rug, but that's beside the point.  Bravo to these homeowners to stepping outside the box a bit!

Apartment Therpay

Black and White Weddings

I am normally drawn to weddings where light colors and rustic details take center stage, but I have to say that the graphic contrast of black and white is a breath of fresh air from all the summertime weddings that take place in a garden, barn, or vineyard.

     

     

Doesn't this bouquet of white anemones make a bold statement without being too "loud"?  I also love the black sash that break's up the sweetness of this romantic dress.



I've always been a fan of having bridesmaids wear different dresses, and this line-up above is still cohesive, while letting the girls wear something that is a) flattering to their figure, and b) shows off their personality.  Aside from that, the blush and black is a little more fresh and unique than the standard creme, and more flattering than nude.  So pretty!



This picture strikes me as the perfect look for a Halloween wedding.  Without being costume-y about it, the black lilies in the bouquets add drama, while the strappy black shoes are adventurous, and give a nod to the spooky... almost witch-like.

      

I love these invitations wrapped in black and white string, and how fun are those checkerboard socks and black and white wingtips?!  Adorable!



Maybe it's just me, but I think the chiffon softens the all black dresses above.  The vibe is romantic all the way despite the dark color.

     

Ok, who can say that these sheer lace Valentino's are anything short of FABULOUS.  With the big bows, sexy peep toe, and sky high heel, these shoes are sexy meets sweet.  Weddings aside, I want these for my own closet!

            

Feather's aren't really my thing, but it makes for a dramatic detail on a white lapel, and don't even get me started on that necklace.  I love the antique brooch that serves as a clasp, along with the oversize pearls - so pretty.



These invites are modern all the way.  I love the graphic "LOVE", the black background with white font, and the simple lay-out.

The more I look at it, the more I love the idea of a black and white wedding... what do you think?

Hunting at HomeGoods

Oh HomeGoods - this place is such a wealth of treasures... it also houses a lot of "non-treasures", so whenever I make the trek 45 minutes outside of the city to go there, I give myself at LEAST a few hours to dig through everything.

I went there over the weekend, bound and determined to find some fun fall decor, and as I was walking through the store, saw some really great things.

Mirrors:
We need a replacement mirror (or even piece of art) for the hallway, where we currently have our dwarfed sunburst mirror.  These two immediately caught my attention -

The first one with the leaf motif was $50, and the second one was $100.  I actually hate the "marbled" frame on the second one, but that can easily be fixed with some paint, or some gold or silver leaf.  This picture actually doesn't capture the scale of this mirror - it was really large at roughly 3 feet in diameter, and it reminded me quite a bit of this one, originally posted in a bedroom makeover from A Well Dressed Home (seen below):



I also saw this candle holder - kind of tacky, but also kind of cool.  One of my favorite homes belongs to a woman in Southern California, who would prefer to keep her family's blog personal.  Her style is clean, and simple, taking shabby chic, and mixing it with classic lines, and minimal colors.  You'd be shocked to know that there are three wild girls running around her all white house.  ANYWAY, in her living room is a really pretty candleabra, and this candlestick reminds me so much of it!

HomeGoods beaded candlestick:

Antique Candleabra:

I know, I know... the finish leaves something to be desired.  That's why it stayed at the store instead of coming home with me, but with a little creativity, it might work...

After accessories, came the chairs.  There were SO MANY really cute ones, but my favorites were these Ikat print sliipper chairs ($350 for the pair), along with these oatmeal linen dining room chairs with the nailhead detail ($199 each).

Near the chairs were the larger pieces of furniture.  I LOVED this mirrored console table, although I'm not sure how Kris would feel about that....

It reminded me so much of the ZGallerie borghese collection... right??


I came home with a lot of little things - a new vase, some autumnal preserved leaves, a new bath mat that feels like heaven on our feet, a few holiday throw pillows to be stored until December, and some picture frames, waiting for pictures.  Nothing ground breaking but it was fun to come through everything!

Hope you all had a great weekend!