The beauty of The Great Gatsby

Today is the day! With The Great Gatsby finally arriving in theaters today, I think millions of people around the world can breathe a sigh of relief (and squeal in excitement) because Baz Luhrmann's film has been released. I'm excited to see the somewhat modernized take on the film, and I love Luhrmann's incorporation of Kanye West, Jay-Z and Lana del Ray's music. Beyond the music, however, are the overly lavish sets. Architectural Digest recently published pictures of the various sets, which were designed in and around Sydney, according to the article. How beautiful are these?

Also, who wouldn't want this? Even Kate Spade is in the Gatsby spirit!

{The Gatsby mansion, modeled after the Gold Coast estates of Long Island, NY}

{Jay Gatsby's ballroom}

{Daisy and Tom Buchanan's red brick manor}

{That spiral staircase! Gatsby's bedroom} 

{Nick Carraway's cottage}

{The interior of Carraway's cottage}

{The Buchanan's sitting room}

Pillow talk

When it comes to decorating a space, I think throw pillows are a key element. I found a couple of pillows from Ikea and Home Goods before I moved into my apartment, but for the most part they're all pretty simple. I like to call the pillows below "statement pillows," because like a good statement necklace draws attention to an outfit, these pillows bring attention to a space. I originally saw the needlepoint Beatles pillow at my local Nordstrom, and I've been in love with the Jackie Kennedy pillow by Jonathan Adler since I first saw it around Christmas time. 

Would you buy one of these, or are you drawn to more simple covers when it comes to pillows?

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Wallpaper accent wall

Just when I thought everyone was swearing off wallpaper for good, the blogosphere and interior design magazines are making us all run out to our local Sherwin Williams to sift through the pages of numerous wallpaper books in search of the perfect pattern. This time around, we don't have to worry about A. spending a lot of money, or B. hours of frustration over wallpapering an entire room, because the trend is only wallpapering one wall.

This seems a bit silly, but it allows you to make a contrast between your paint color by choosing something to decorate one wall with. It adds of pop of flair to a simple room. Here are a few of the spaces that use this idea well.

Getting off on the right foot

I don't know what it is, but there's something about quirky decor that's struck a chord in my interior design fantasies lately. I may be frequenting Anthropologie too often and daydreaming about going on a spending frenzy in their home section, but when I do get a place of my own I plan on adding a small piece of Dylan Kendall to it.

While her design company is fairly young (it just launched last year), her talent as a ceramicist with an original idea solidified her place in the home decor department. Enter: the footed bowl.

 

I'd be surprised if Urban Outfitters and Anthropologie weren't bending over backwards to get their hands on selling a large number of these whimsical dishes. Kendall's site also features vases, mugs, salt and pepper shakers and more with the little footed design. My favorite are the bowls, used as part of a serving set or simply a counter-top statement piece to fill with fruit. Talk about a conversation starter!

{All images via}

Gift Guide 2012: For the home

 

 

{Rope wall mirror} {Mr. & Mrs. Muse mugs} {Zebra tray} {Tea light votive set} {Colorful cake stands} {Decorative pineapple} {Hand tossed salad servers} {Krups citrus press} {Monogrammed pillows} {Footed bowl} {Wine pairing towel set} {Metallic leaf tray} {Cream + brown throw} {Engagement ring measuring spoons} {America cutting board}

Previous gift guides: For Her, for Him, For the Co-workers, For the Tech-lovers

A Pop of {cheap} Style: 'Target does it again'

Something either really amazing, or really horrible recently happened in the world of retail. This week I was introduced to "Target Does it Again," an Instagram account that chronicles all of the latest and greatest Target has to offer. As if we didn't already love this store enough, it's about to become even greater with an Instagram account that shows us items that will have us running to our nearest Target store to snag. If you don't already, follow them on Instagram at @Targetdoesitagain. Happy shopping!

xxo

Home decor and kitchenware (I really want that cutting board in the shape of the US!):

  

Apparel and Shoes:

  

  

Tech Accessories:

  

Pure white

I'm really nit-picky about finding the perfect comforter for my bed. The one that I've had since high school took me months to decide on, and, let's just say it was ready for an upgrade. Before I became obsessive over trying to find a new one, I decided to change my approach. I figured I'd go for simplicity in the cover with a white down comforter, and spice up my spread with colorful pillows. White rooms and interior design with a focus on neutrals have always caught my eye. I love how something so simple can become classic and stylish with just a few touches of color.

I plan on decorating with pillows that are shades of navy, pink and light grey. I'm a huge fan of chevron anything right now, so a light grey chevron pillow is a must-have. 

xxo

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The elephant in the room

Maybe it's all of the excitement over the GOP and election season, but I can't help but see elephant-themed decor wherever I go (Elephants are just a little cuter than donkeys too ;) ) When I get a place of my own soon, one of these items below will make it into my apartment. Right now, my favorite is the little jewelry bowl from Z.Gallerie. How cute is that?

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White Deskspaces

Lately I've had a thing for redesigning and reorganizing my desk space in my apartment. My older brother gave me his old corner desk that has a glass-top, so really I had a lot to work with. My old desk from when I was a teenager had a bulky hutch, so the space became confined and somewhat un-customizable.

While I love my glass top desk, I'm really into the simplicity of a white desktop, because there's so much you can do with it. Add a DIY dry-erase board, a messy inspiration board or a vase atop a pile of your favorite magazines for some added color.

Here's a little bit of office space inspiration, along with a few white desks (ranging from cheap to super-pricey!).

            

          

All images via

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Photos from ikea.com and pbteen.com.