off to the races!

Tomorrow I'll be attending the Virginia Gold Cup Races at Great Meadow in The Plains, VA.  I'm looking forward to wearing my new coral sundress from Anthropologie and slipping on my current footwear obsession, Cynthia Vincent for Target Gladiator Wedges.  The day is sure to be packed with good friends, sunshine (fingers crossed), bourbon-laced cocktails, and of course, horse racing!

On Sunday, I'll be heading to the Georgetown Flea Market for the first time this spring.  If I find any great deals, I'll be sure to share them here- so stay tuned.  Hope you all have a fantastic weekend.  

courtney cox's cougar den

Every Wednesday night, my TV is tuned to ABC's must-see comedies, Modern Family and Cougar Town.  I absolutely love that sitcoms are making a comeback with ABC leading the way.  I mainly watch Modern Family for the side-splitting humor (I literally laugh so hard I cry at least twice per episode).  But I tune in to Cougar Town every week to drool over the set design and Courtney Cox's wardrobe (laughing at the quirky cast is an added bonus).

Courtney Cox's character, Jules has such a fresh, welcoming and comfy home.  It screams, "Florida!" to me with the abundance of sea shells, cheerful color scheme and playful fabric patterns. I also envy her clean,white kitchen - the main hangout for the hilarious neighborhood "coffee circle."

The two pieces in her home that catch my eye during every episode are the floral chair in the living room and the stylish and classic bookcase (that I just can't seem to get a good screen shot of....).  Trust me, the show is worth watching for the laughs and the interiors!

I found a few "Jules-inspired" products and images for you all below (including designs by one of my all-time favorites, Celerie Kemble).  

(anthropologie's antwerp chair in bloom)

(thomas paul fabric via duralee)

(celerie kemble fabrics for shumacher)

(kemble interiors)

cougar town images via casa sugar

ikat is (still) everywhere

(ikat bowls | anthropologie)

Last week, I was reading an article on CNN.com about the staying power of the cupcake trend.  The article said something to the effect of, "Cupcakes are here to stay.  Get used to them."  Then, yesterday, as I was perusing my favorite websites and saved images in iPhoto for blog post ideas, I noticed that I have saved a ton of ikat print photos.  It got me thinking that, like cupcakes, ikat prints have staying power, so we better get used to them.   


Ikat emerged as a serious design trend a few years ago after features in trendsetting magazines like Vogue and Elle Decor. The trend has since exploded and trickled down from high-end textile designers like Madeline Weinrib to mass retailers like Target, Urban Outfitters, Antropologie and the like.  (Good news for those of us on a budget!) 


I personally love the different ikat patterns out there, and think they can really make a room (or outfit) look pretty chic.  I have the orange Anthropologie ikat bowl in my own home and am considering re-covering chairs for my dining room in the light blue/aqua ikat print used for the headboard in Julianne Moore's room in Tom Ford's A Single Man.


I hope you enjoy these photos as much as I have.   No matter what your taste or budget, I also hope you're inspired to incorporate a little ikat into your home or wardrobe!

(Madeline Weinrib pillows)

(Madeline Weinrib pillows in designer Sara Gilbane's NYC living room | Feb/Mar issue of Lonny | photograph by Patrick Cline)

(Madeline Weinrib pillow | Design by Betsy Burnham | Feb/Mar issue of Lonny | photograph by Patrick Cline)

(Madeline Weinrib pillows | Antonia Thompson's NYC apartment | Feb/Mar issue of Lonny | photograph by Patrick Cline)

(blue ikat pillow | amazon.com)

(anthropologie ikat bowl | nate berkus's chicago kitchen | elle decor)

(dkny dress | net-a-porter)

(diane von furstenberg)

(diane von furstenberg)

(grey ikat drapes via pink wallpaper)

(ikat slipper chair | urban outfitters)

(ikat rug | anthropologie)

(Tilbury Lapis by Laura Ashley fabric | A Single Man | via Habitually Chic)