A COLORFUL CLEMSON LIVING ROOM

You did it Clemson. This week you are #1 - will it last? I guess we'll see tomorrow but to honor this moment in time - it's your time to shine! Gather close all your Clemson Orange and Regalia (I know you're probably already decked out in orange, it is Friday after all). This blog post is almost more exciting than that moment you got your t-shirt at Tiger Town Tavern. Almost. So what are my first impressions of Clemson? For one, I know you're rabid football fans, next I know that you live in an absolutely gorgeous state. I had the honor of spending some time in South Carolina recently and let me tell you  wow. I never wanted to leave. Those blue ridge mountains y'all. We don't have mountains here in Texas, that was a real treat. That and everyone was so, so friendly. So lets see, friendly southern hospitality, football fanatics, and fabulous outdoorsy-ness? I'm sold. This one is pretty wild - an orange and purple color palette will do that - so lets dive right in: 

1 - Since from what I can gather it seems that all of your Clemson bars close at midnight, how about bringing the party back to the house, and while you're at it, class it up a bit. These beautifully packaged small batch mixers  from Jack Rudy Cocktail Co deserve a place on any bar cart, but since their made in Charlston, South Carolina they're extra special. Drink up Tigers!

2 - These pillows from One Kings Lane and Manor inject pattern and color and help break up that great, orange, expansive couch.

3 - South Carolina is a beautifully artistic state. These pieces from Minted are a beautiful, colorful addition to the space and for me the images evoke the feelings of being immersed in the beautiful natural surroundings of South Carolina. Clockwise from the left they are Sunset Fade 2 by Kelly Ventura, Cacophonic by Kelly Witmer, and Midnight Mountains by Holly Royval.

4 - Make sure everyone who comes over on gameday cheers at 110%. This River Rock side table and planter are from a fascinating little (oh but really not at all little) shop out of San Jose - which is even better because - for those not in the know - Howard's rock was originally a gift from Death Valley, California. Fitting. Buy it and you, too, can stroke it lovingly on game day hopefully securing yet another Tiger win.

5 - The orange couch. I went for it. Clemson. Orange. You can't miss it; this couch packs a powerful, midcentury punch. Not for the faint of heart this orange couch would shout your school spirit from the rooftops of Tillman Hall and is definitely giving 110%. Not to mention that it will easily seat all your rowdy orange-clad friends.

6 - This coffee table from West Elm encourages resting your feet, drinks, and eyes (that orange couch though!). It has a rustic mid-century vibe and is big enough to hold it's own against the Joybird couch and visually heavy enough to ground the space. Style it up with a tray full of tailgating snacks!

7 - Finally a rug because I can't do a space without a soft little guy underfoot. This rug from Lulu & Georgia not only defines space but gives little nod to tiger stripes with it's subtle Moroccan inspired pattern.

Alright Tigers! I hope you liked it, it's a little wild but hey, so are you! Good luck holding on to that #1 spot this weekend! 

A NOTRE DAME LIVING ROOM

I've been literally dying to do a Notre Dame living room. Navy and Gold are BAE. Thats the second time I've used BAE on this blog - and funny enough, the second time I've used BAE ever. You know that it means "before anyone else" or something like that? It's an aconym, not a short form of babe, and that makes it marginally less obnoxious. But I digress. We're gonna get a little crazy with this room. I think a lot of people think of Notre Dame as a very traditional school - and since I'm all about contrast, funky and contemporary seemed like the way to go. This is the perfect room from which to listen to a chortling Lou Holtz predict another Notre Dame win.

1 | I always have to address the bar y'all. This set of glasses and decanter are from Anthropologie and right off the bat get you thinking about the Fighting Irish. Whiskey? Irish. Drinking? Irish. Impossibly shiney gold helmets? Irish. Someone give me the tiniest reason to style this set on a bar. *insert heart-eye emojii*.

2 | Surviving those South Bend winters is no easy feat but a cozy living room can make it a little bit better. And a cozy living room isn't complete without pillows! You can snuggle up with your significant other and watch Rudy for the 939,485th time. I've been drooling over The Citizenry's amazing collection of worldly textural pieces and Lulu & Georgia is always a good source...and H&M Home is without a doubt my go-to for solid pillows in any color I need!

3 | Always gotta have a rug - it ties the room together, visually organizes the space, and keeps things soft underfoot for all those little ones running around (because everyone you went to college with has long since gotten married - you know thats how those Irish roll.) I tried this scheme with two different rugs from Lulu & Georgia this one and the one I chose.

4 | This couch is from Bryght Furniture. I love the golden burnished leather on this beauty. It looks so warm and masculine but also inviting - and I can tell you from first hand experience that they make super comfortable furniture. I think this would please men and women alike - and a great piece for couples decorating together.

5 | This coffee table might be the craziest, most incredible thing I've ever seen. Not to mention it's the perfect coffee table for a house full of little rug-rats - they might put their eye out on those side chairs, but this big ol' guy would softly caress them as they fell. If this coffee table doesn't scream GOLDEN DOME you're clearly not listening - it might even become a family tradition to rub it's shining form after every touchdown. I know how you Irish love your traditions.

6 | Referencing the dome again is this Milo Baughman Style shelving unit from Charish. A great place to keep all your books and momentos and if you could get your hands on one of those shiney gold helmets it would look so good styled on these shelves. 

7 | Finally this custom upholstered chair from West Elm (that is actually very Baughman-esque too) brings in that navy punch. I would get two and have them on either side of that couch facing each other. Below is another layout I was working with that pulls a bunch of the pieces together so you can get a feel for what I'm thinking with the furniture. Floating in the middle of a generous living room....

As always I'd love to know what you think about the room and I would love if you have some Fighting Irish friends and family if you'd share with them as well. Look for a post in the coming weeks about Bryght too, if you're in the market for some furniture you should probably check it out. I just received my first order from them and I'm completely smitten. 

ROUND UP: KATE SPADE NEW YORK HOME

Stop the presses! Ring the bells and call the president and shout it from the rooftops! Kate Spade has officially entered the furniture design arena! I love me some Kate. From her stationary to her handbags to her cute as a button dresses, I’ve always loved her tailored, feminine, sassy aesthetic. I even have one of her very early, just-starting-stationary mailers from forever ago. Last week I attended a panel discussion with David Peck (Houston fashion designer extraordinaire) and he said his dream was to be a cross between Oprah, Martha Stewart, and Ralph Lauren – me? I think I’d go with a mix ofBeyonce (duh), Emily Henderson, and Kate Spade. I want to share some of my favorite pieces from her new home collection – pieces you definitely need if you want to bring home a little sassy (classy) New York flair. The collection is full of understated bows and clean lines and flashes of gold. The hardware is flawless and the upholstery is perfect – with moments that make you remember this is all coming from a designer who excels in the littlest details. View the entire collection here and keep reading for my favorites.

1 | Lets start big. She introduced two sofas but take a real close look at the Downing Sofa. At first glance it seems like any other mid-century inspired sofa, so much so that I honestly glanced right past it, but the best parts are in the details and I’m pretty much head over heels for the piping panel that wraps around the back. I honestly can’t get over it. If you had a situation where you needed to float your sofa in your room, this sofa is it. It would almost be a crime to put a console behind it.

2 | Probably my favorite piece in the entire furniture collection is the Georgia Bench. It looks like an entire black-tie event got turned into a bench by a fairy god mother. Benches are fantasic, flexible pieces: in entry ways, at the foot of your bed, as a window seat, or if youre lucky enough to have a closet that can fit furniture – in your closet.  The legs recall Kate’s favorite bow-tie motif and while Navy and Gold will always be BAE, I’ve been really feeling Black and Gold recently.

3 | This Ellery Sconce is adorable. And classic. And glam. And tailored. Use it in an entry way to flank a mirror in a thin gold frame (over that bench?), use them over a vanity, in a moody dark powder room...use them everywhere. 

4 | A little while back I posted a Best Of: White Desks. I was 110% sure I wanted a white desk. But then this beauty came along in all it's hand-painted glory and suddenly I have always needed a polka dot desk and didn't even know it. Click the link and check out the hardware details. OH MY.

5 | These accent chairs make my little heart sing – they come in two beautiful colors – teal and a charcoal gray. They could be mixed into any décor and would make wonderful dining chairs as well. And would you look at that: the back looks like a bow. Not so much that they scream “LITTLE GIRL” but enough that Kate’s signature quirk shines through.

Maybe you're not ready to commit to a whole couch, Kate's got plenty of little accents for you to drool over. That black, white, and gold motif still dominating:

You can never go wrong with a bold graphic statement pillow, a warm, white willow scented candle, and this Hampton Street Rosebowl vase is so perfect - I would need a constant supply of garden roses.

As if all of this wasn't enough, Kate Spade announced an athleisure collection with Beyond Yoga to be available this coming January. Y'all what a dream. So what are your favorite pieces? What do you think of the bolder colored pieces? Whats on your wishlist?