markus linnenbrink.

german artist markus linnenbrink is famous for his wildly colorful, psychedelic installations, sculptures, and paintings. i don't know about you, but if i had the money i would totally commission him to paint a hallway in my house!

manish arora fall 2012.

fluorescent, graffiti-inspired designs by manish arora.

textile designs by holli zollinger.

if you haven't discovered spoonflower yet, it's time to jump on the fabric designing bandwagon!

not only can you design your own fabrics using designs you've created on your computer, but you can also browse through thousands of user-created designs to find the perfect fabric for your next project.

holli zollinger is one of my favorite designers on the site. i am enamored with her use of fun colors and geometric patterns mixed with organic shapes.

these are some of my favorites... don't you think they'd be perfect for a modern patchwork quilt?

design crush: logos in black + white.

{a bit of crumpet by super_furry}

{old faithful shop by PTARMAK}

{sfgirlbybay logo by shanna murray}

{cast iron design company, via designspiration}

{cal's classic american tavern by taylor pemberton}

{allude by bibliothèque design}

pink paint.

{photo sources: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10}

i recently borrowed an issue of house beautiful magazine from my mom that had a whole section on decorating with pink. now, i can't get all those gorgeous pink interiors out of my head!

i love the idea of orchid pink, almost verging on lilac, walls. paired with crisp white trim and taupey-grey accents, i think it could be so beautiful and sophisticated... dare i say even a bit parisian?

what do you think... are you brave enough take the plunge and decorate with pink? and how do i convince my husband that we need a pink room in our house?

dream downtown (& my next adventure!)

well, i've been home from paris for a couple days now and i'm already missing it terribly. in fact, my husband and i went to see midnight in paris for the second time last night to help ease the transition back to normal life! if you haven't seen it yet, please do... it's the next best thing to actually being in paris.

while it's always sad to leave the city of light, i'm on to my next adventure this weekend... the new york city wine & food festival!

i went to the festival with my family for the first time last year, and it was a blast. waaaaaay too much delicious food, fun demos, freebies, and lots of food celebs!

this time around we're spending the weekend at dream downtown, a fabulous boutique hotel with a really cool, modern design aesthetic. check out the pictures from the website... it looks like a dream come true (pun very much intended)!

i'll be sure to report back on all the details... au revoir!

missoni for target.

the missoni for target launch was so huge it crashed the target website for most of the day tuesday, leaving many eager shoppers in the dark. luckily, i went to my local tar-jay at 8 a.m. and was able to score some amazing designer loot! and don't tell my husband, but i may have also ordered a couple more irresistible pieces once the site recovered from the rush of traffic. here's what i picked up...

clockwise from top left:

tote bag; glass jar candle; black and white patterned blouse; silk scarf; one-piece bathing suit; silk pajama shorts; black and white ottoman pouf; men's chevron socks

pretty packaging . . . marvis toothpaste.

if this toothpaste wasn't over $10 a tube (yikes!), i'm sure i'd have one adorning my vanity right now. prettiest dental hygiene product ever? i think so.

friday fave finds.

1. my dream bedroom, via mila keln

2. diy christmas light artwork! via apartment therapy

3. photograph via dress design decor

4. lovely floral platter from anthropologie

5. wish bracelets by ayofemi jewelry

6. watermelon mojitos, photo via bippity boppity boo

7. photograph via ein sommernachtstraum

8. missoni swimsuit, via net-a-porter

happy july and happy weekend!

the lbd of my dreams.

i'm pretty sure it tops every list of fashion essentials ever compiled, but i've never been able to find the perfect little black dress... a dress that fits like a glove and makes me feel confident, sexy, and ready to take on the world.

well folks, after years of searching, i've finally found it. behold... the caruso dress by temperley london:

i've been lusting over this dress for months... maybe even years... but i never thought i'd be able to afford it. then one day it showed up on gilt... for 70% off!

mind you, it was still about four times what i'd normally pay for a dress. but this is an investment piece i'll wear for years to come. plus, it's the lbd i've been searching for all my life... how can you put a price on that?

rent the runway.

if you're like me, you absolutely love designer fashion but can't exactly afford to splurge on this season's hottest looks. rent the runway has the perfect solution... a website packed with tons of amazing designer dresses, handbags, and accessories that you can rent for a fraction of retail price!

if you've got a special event coming up and want to knock 'em dead with a gorgeous, stylish look, you've come to the right place. rent the runway will send your choice of dress in two sizes, so a perfect fit is almost guaranteed. when you're done, just toss the dress into the pre-paid shipping envelope and you're done! how easy is that?

dress rentals start at just $50, so now you have no excuse not to look fabulous! click here to sign up.

here are some looks i've put together to help you look amazing for your next party, holiday, or date night...

dress by temperley london. retail: $1,550 rental: $200

earrings by badgley mischka jewelry. retail: $65 rental: $25

ring by erickson beamon. retail: $408 rental: $45

dress by badgley mischka. retail: $510 rental: $75

earrings by miguel ases. retail: $400 rental: $50

clutch by lauren merkin. retail: $195 rental: $25

dress by carlos miele. retail: $1,100 rental: $150

necklace by gemma redux. retail: $680 rental: $50

clutch by judith leiber. retail: $995 rental: $100

dress by brian reyes. retail: $1,250 rental: $150

cuff by kara ross. retail: $395 rental: $40

clutch by kara ross. retail: $975 rental: $45

stina persson.

stunning watercolor paintings by swedish illustrator stina persson.

homako.

on today's wishlist: whimsical textile jewelry from homako.