Visions of Valentine's Day XOXO

Valentine's Day may be one of the most commercialized holidays ever, but if you have sweet teeth like me (yes, plural) then you'll be be buying into it hook, line and sinker. I still remember the huge white chocolate lollipop that my mom used to give me every year growing up. Those were the days. I think half the pleasure in a sweet treat, especially if you're on the receiving end, is how yummy it looks. Here's a visual taste of some chic treats that I'm craving.

Red Velvet Cookie Sampler

Chocolate Heart Truffles

Candy Dessert Sushi

Rainbow Marshmallows

Square Cupcakes

Chocolate Cake Pops

White Chocolate Toasted Marshmallow Truffles

Style Steal: Nicole Cohen's NYC Apartment

This apartment is one to be coveted, especially if you live in NYC. I love to see what people can do with the limited amount of space we are granted here. Nicole Cohen is blessed to have 2 apartments that are combined into one, but when she moved in a few years ago, all her family (which included her husband and 3 month old baby) had was a bed on wheels, a card table and folding chairs for awhile. They eventually moved in some furniture from their previous apartment that they sold, but that still included a lot of Ikea and furniture that needed some upgrading. She took her time, created a mood board and swapped out those original pieces for more luxurious and modern ones. I love that. Her abode and her blog (called Sketch42 and created to document her design process), were so inspirational that they are featured in the most recent issue of Rue Magazine.

Charcoal Templeton Sofa: Jonathon Adler ($3600)/ Bengal Bazaar Pillow: Plum Cushion ($125)

Pharmacy Lamp: Restoration Hardware ($359)

Gold Leaf Coffee Table: Clayton Gray Home ($1650)

Dakota Oval Dining Table: Julian Chichester ($5795)

Z Chair: Plexi-Craft ($580)/Black+White Ikat Pillow: Plum Cushion ($125)

Here are a few ideas if you want to get the look for less:

Charcoal Paramount Sofa: Blu Dot ($1699)

Modern Acrylic Chair: Dymas ($150)

This sofa is a great alternative to the Jonathon Adler and it is less than half the price. It offers both style and comfort and that warm charcoal color.

                                                                                                                                 

This chair is also made from acrylic, but at an affordable 

 price compared to the Z chair. It's still tres chic and has a  

more traditional flair.                                                            

Pharmacy Adjustable Floor Lamp: Dainolite ($174)

Director's Coffee Table: Williams Sonoma ($595)

  

 I love this coffee table by Williams Sonoma! It's so contemporary

and could easily go from elegant to rustic depending on your style. 

Oval Dining Table: Stockholm ($748)

Preston Bailey at the Learning Annex in NYC

Image via Brides Magazine

Preston Bailey is one of the most sought after event designers in the world. Using his god-given abilities to make the impossible, possible, he is literally in the business of making dreams come true. Preston was born and raised in Panama and after moving to the US, opened his own floral business in NYC in the 1980's. Sixteen years later, he was doing events for Galliano. After that, came the Trumps and Oprah. Not only is he a leader because he is one of the best at what he does, but he is black in an industry not known for its diversity. He is giving a class tonight at The Learning Annex in Midtown called How to Create One-of-a-Kind Events. Anyone interested can sign up here. I wanted to feature him because he is one of my personal fav's (I could go straight to heaven if he did my wedding!): a true visionary and inspiration for people of color not only in the fields of events, design and architecture, but across the board.

Preston gives an interesting (and candid) time line of how his company grew financially over the course of 20 years and mentions that 15 years ago he was in debt over a million dollars on his personal blog.

Some of Preston's blow your mind creations:

Did You Say Your Prayers Last Night?

Breakfast at Tiffany's

The Diva's Prayer

Armani

Which art in Neiman's

Hallowed be thy shoes

Thy Prada come

Thy shopping done

On Rodeo

As it is in Paris

Give us this day our Visa Gold

And forgive us our balance

As we forgive those who charge us interest

And lead us not into Penny's

But deliver us from Sears

For thine is the Chanel, the Gaultier and the Versace

For Dolce and Gabbana

AMEX

Color Scene: Winter White

Central Park Walkway/Image via: Bing Homepages

The weather outside is frightful! This post is inspired by the obscene amount of snowfall that New York City is enduring this winter. It makes you want to curl up with a big mug of hot cocoa and a good book and tell the civilized world sayonara until spring. If you are able to make it out before the snow is turned to "snirt" (snow and dirt) by pedestrian treading, the serenity and omnipresence of the snow can be breathtaking. Truly a white, winter wonderland.

Image via Apartment Therapy

Image via Decorpad

White decor can be intimidating, but it lends such a light and airy feel to a home and can really open up small spaces. Clean and ultramodern, it can be an instant upgrade to elegant and chic. If you're concerned about keeping your whites bright, Associated Content has five straight-forward tips to maintaining your white furniture:

1. Use a Slip Cover

2. Treat With a Stain Guard

3. No Food, No Drinks, No Shoes

4. Watch What You Wear (and read) - dyes and inks in clothes and magazines can easily transfer

5. Get Furniture Professionally Cleaned

From Bleak to Chic: Dining Room Cabinet

Inspiration: Mirrored Entertainment Center by Oly

I stumbled upon this amazing DIY home project that I just had to share. Rachel from Southern Exposure completely revamped a three-piece dining room cabinet that she discovered at a local store in her hometown of Burlington, NC and the results are stunning.

Dining Room Cabinet: Before (one of the two upper cabinet pieces)

Dining Room Cabinet: Before (base)

The original cabinet had antique charm, but was a little drab, and the glass panels displaying pictures of Greek gods aren't exactly the epitome of chic.

Dining Room Cabinet: After

After some white paint, liquid nails, super glue, and a few weeks of labor this was the end result! Quite the transformation, wouldn't you say? Rachel had the mirrors cut to size at Lowe's and used the super glue to attach the decorative molding (cut by her crafty husband) on top of the mirrors.

Hidden Treasure: Fold Down Cabinet Turned Bar

One of the cabinets folds down so she lined the back of it with some wallpaper that she had leftover from a previous project and added a bar! So chic and adds an interesting pop of color!

Rachel's Dining Room

The contrast of the glossy black and stark white in this dining room adds such a glamorous touch. The new cabinet really brightens up what was previously a pretty dark area. Mirrors can have a similar effect to windows in a room that doesn't get much light! This DIY project was definitely not one of the easiest to undertake, but the results are undeniably worth it and should inspire you to take one of your ordinary household items from bleak to chic!