Donna Wilson Pouffes

I absolutely love these knitted pouffes by designer Donna Wilson. Just in time for fall, these pouffes are sure to add a cozy and intimate feel to the home.


Henry Pouffe

Each pouffe is made by hand stuffing calico bags and upholstering them with these warm knitted patterns that are made in Scotland. The end result is additional seating that adds both color and texture to your interior.


Ernest Pouffe

Each pouffe also comes with its own name - Ernest, Frank, or Henry. Very cute!


Frank Pouffe

If you're looking for something warm and cozy as the weather begins to turn cooler, these pouffes are just what you're looking for. Check them out at SCP Furniture.

Press: Quoted In Today's Miami Herald

I am so excited to have my quote on home office decor featured in today's Miami Herald. Check it out here.

Fresh Design: Chauncey P. Graham

About a month ago I received an email from New York jewelry designer David Morgan. His work was immediately striking. His company, Chauncey P. Graham (what a cute name!) is all about handmade jewelry that features traditional methods of crochet and macrame in bold textures and shapes that result in some cute and chic pieces.





Warm, unique and handcrafted, Chauncey P. Graham is an exciting line of fresh jewelry that you can't help but love.

David also has a blog that documents the inspiration behind his designs. Go on, take a look.



And now, your weekly wrap-up:
- The global home of Monelle Totah from Williams-Sonoma.
- Announcing the winner of our Dabney Lee At Home Moodboard Contest!
- Gorgeous letterpressed coasters from Kamal Art on Paper.

Have a fantastic weekend!

Original Art: Kamal Art on Paper

I am such a fan of pretty papers, and I was struck when I read about Kamal - Art on Paper on decor8. Custom invitations and some of the most lovely coasters you can find are featured on the Kamal - Art on Paper website. Eco-friendly and letterpressed, these unique coasters seem too lovely to put a cup on.


White Lily


Gold Rangoli


White Rangoli


Gold Starburst

Find more beautiful art on paper at their new online boutique. You are going to love it!

Contest Winner!!!

I am happy to announce that Jeanine Fleur has won the Dabney Lee At Home Moodboard Contest. Her Del Mar cocktail party moodboard was a favorite among 86% of voters. Nice job Jeanine!

Congratulations on winning a fabulous set of monogrammed salt + pepper shakers from Dabney Lee At Home. I hope you enjoy them at your next cocktail party!



Thanks to all who participated and voted. More giveaways will be coming up!

Sophisticated Global Style

I was so impressed when I read about the home of Monelle Totah in a recent issue of Elle Decor. Monelle, Vice President of Design for Williams-Sonoma, has an amazing San Francisco home filled with finds from her world travels.



With a beautiful neutral palette of white and gray, this serene environment is the perfect backdrop for an eclectic global mix.



Her diverse collection of pieces, from Buddha statues to an Asian armoire and French antiques fit together as a complete collection in a home that is well-tailored and united by a simple palette.





This home is a true sanctuary filled with an exotic blend of items, with an end result that is warm, inviting, and oh so worldly.

See more of Monelle's global style right here.

{Images from Elle Decor}

Have An Artsy Weekend!

Zephyr by Emilia Arana at Artquiver

Wow! I just finished watching 3 1/2 hours of Project Runway. I thought it was pretty fantastic. Did you catch it? What did you think?

Now, I'm getting prepared for a nice, relaxing weekend. We have best friends coming in to the city for a movie and a great dinner and then on Sunday I will be attending Blog Out Loud. I'm so excited because Cassandra Lavalle from Coco & Kelley will be there! I am really looking forward to meeting her and the other panelists.

If you're looking for something fun to do this weekend, can I recommend some online shopping? There are some wonderful art sales going on this weekend offering deep discounts. This is great if you are adding to, or just starting an art collection.

Here are some weekend ideas:
- Artquiver is having a wonderful giveaway of a painting (worth up to $5,000). Visit their blog to enter to win.
- Samantha Hahn is having an original art sale.
- Dallas Shaw will be having a sale on select items in her Etsy shop from now until November.
- If you're in the Bay Area stop by Blog Out Loud on Sunday night at the Belljar. It's going to be fun!

Finally, don't forget to vote for your favorite moodboard. Voting ends Sunday at 11:59pm.

Have a happy weekend!

Let The Voting Begin!

We have two fantastic finalists for the Dabney Lee At Home Moodboard Contest. Some of you were being a little shy and didn't send in your moodboard, but I promise there will be opportunities for you to show your creativity in another giveaway. Today, you can vote for your favorite moodboard, and the winner will receive a monogrammed set of salt + pepper shakers from Dabney Lee At Home, just perfect for their next get together.

Remember, the rules were to create a moodboard for the perfect cocktail party by using at least one item from the Dabney Lee At Home Collection. Here are your two finalists. You can click on each image for a larger view:


Del Mar Cocktail Party by Jeanine Fleur.
{Sources in moodboard}


Oriental Garden Party by Stina Gyldberg.
{Sources: Outdoor oasis, www.architecturaldigest.com; Drink Coasters, www.dabneyleeathome.com; Margarita Glasses from Crate & Barrel, www.trendir.com, $9.95 each; Live What You Love Letterpress Print in Pink, Hijiriks on Etsy, www.etsy.com, $12.50; Round Paper Lanterns, www.beau-coup.com, $2.75 each; Candle holders, Day Birger et Mikkelsen, www.day.dk; Monsoon Pink Oriental blossom dress, www.traffordcentre.co.uk, £48}

I absolutely love both. Extremely chic, with cute dresses I would love to wear, and some absolutely lovely accessories. So, which one is your favorite? Vote by taking the poll on the right. You have until 11:59pm on August 23rd. The winner will be announced on Monday the 24th!

Inspiring Wallpaper at My Deco

Today, in interiors it's all about wallpaper. The selection and choices are more varied than ever before. From bespoke wallpaper that can be made from your very own photos, to wallpapers from some of your favorite designers like Sophie Conran, wallpaper is definitely back in style.

Here are some inspiring looks sure to make a statement at home.



This Venezia classic wallpaper would look incredible on a feature wall. A little goes a long way.



This Geisha design is a busy pattern that's toned down in a refined color palette. Could you imagine this in your bedroom?



I love how the flowers in this Exuberance Floral wallpaper look like they've been sketched on to the wall. Big, exotic blossoms feel so modern.

If you're ready to cover up those blank walls, UK site My Deco has exclusive wallpaper for 40% off! Explore more inspiring wallpaper ideas right here.

{Images from My Deco}

Jenna Lyons in Living Etc.!

I admit it, I am a huge Jenna Lyons fan! I really want to be her when I grow up. Jenna has changed the way we look at fashion as the Creative Director of J. Crew, and is the queen of signature style these days.



Last year Domino did a wonderful spread on her New York brownstone (see my post on it here), and I am happy to see that Jenna and her home are now in the September issue of Living Etc. The article highlights Jenna's amazing makeover of her 19th century Brooklyn home.





I fell in love all over again with Jenna's inspiring space. The black claw foot tub is my favorite. So elegant. And I could just live in that backyard. The pops of pink are gorgeous.





Take a room-by-room tour of Jenna's home right here, and don't forget to pick up the September issue of Living Etc. It's fabulous!

{Images: Living Etc.}

Happy Weekend!

Vogue Magazine

It's Friday! I couldn't resist putting up this picture of Michelle Obama. It's one of my favorites, and truly expresses the way I'm feeling today. It's time to take some time off to enjoy a cup of tea, a little bit of reading, and to do it all looking fabulous (if only I could look as fabulous as Mrs. O).

I'm heading out early for a nice weekend, but before I do, here's your weekly wrap-up. It was cocktail party week on AphroChic and we had some fantastic inspiration for you:

- Create a fabulous moodboard to showcase your dream cocktail party and win this set of monogrammed salt and pepper shakers from Dabney Lee At Home. Submissions are due by the end of day today, but hey, it's the weekend, so I'll give you until Monday to get those moodboards in.
- Pingg is the latest in online invitations. Just tried it this week and love it!
- Tips from designer Dabney Lee Woglom on planning the perfect summer cocktail party.
- Check out new fall looks at Kate Spade. You'll be wowed!

Have a fabulous weekend! I will be back next week rested and with stylish new finds.

Kate Spade Wows!!!

Sorry for the late post today. I have been working so hard on getting everything ready for our launch that I fell asleep before I could post last night. However, I could not wait to share with you these photos from the new fall collection at Kate Spade!

As we're talking about cocktail parties this week, any cocktail party is in need of the perfect ensemble. Look no further than Kate Spade. The new fall collection is sophisticated, colorful and fun all at once. There are a number of cute cocktail dresses that I have fallen in love with.





This hot pink jacket is so beautifully tailored, and fun in an eye-catching hue.



Mustard Embellished Gail Dress, how I love you.



Oh how I love those big, beautiful polka dots!

Check out Kate Spade's fall collection right here, and don't forget to include your signature look in your moodboard for the Dabney Lee At Home Moodboard Contest. Tomorrow is the last day to enter.

Style Talk With Dabney Lee

Name: Dabney Lee Woglom
Place: Brooklyn, NY
Company: Dabney Lee At Home

It's the third day of our Dabney Lee At Home Moodboard Contest, and designer Dabney Lee Woglom is here to share her At Home collection with us, and to provide some tips on planning the perfect summer party. Dabney is a California girl who is now an East Coast transplant, bringing her vision of bold patterns and bright colors to her collection of items for the home as well as her collection of stationery. Every product is designed to bring your home and office happiness and style, and it really shows.

Dabney, tell us the inspiration behind Dabney Lee At Home?
Color, fashion, fabric, wallpaper, the city…



You love mixing bright colors and bold patterns. How do you make it work?
Color has no rules. I am a huge fan of mixing colors for a fun and fresh look. You just have to go for it and own it!

What's your favorite item from the At Home collection for summer entertaining?
The ice bucket is my favorite item right now. Nothing is more fun than a splash of color at a cocktail party!




Tips for creating the perfect summer cocktail party?
It’s all about being spontaneous. I love texting my friends for a quick drink before we head out to our plans. I always keep vodka, tonic & fresh limes on hand just in case.

What's your favorite cocktail?
Hard thyme lemonade. The recipe is from Danny Meyer’s cocktail book: Mix Shake Stir.



Can you suggest a favorite dish? My favorite cocktail nibble is Ina Garten’s sundried tomato dip with triscuits or a yummy baguette (I am obsessed with Ina).

Suggestions of fun ways to entertain your guests?
I love playing board and card games, so I am always up for cocktails and a good game of hearts or scrabble.



What are some thoughtful gifts for the host and guests at a summer cocktail party?
Definitely our ice bucket, it’s a great price point for a weekend get away hostess gift. I am also loving our super notepad because let’s face it, who doesn’t need a fabulous notepad!

What do you love most about summer gatherings with friends and family?
I love the feeling you get at a summer party, like all is right with the world. The fireflies are buzzing around, your family is near, people are laughing, music is filling the air. It’s simply inspiring.

Thank you so much for sharing with us Dabney! Now it's time for you to share your moodboard and win a fabulous monogrammed set of Dabney Lee At Home salt + pepper shakers. The deadline is this Friday, so go on, get started on creating something fabulous!

Pingg For Your Party!

Designed by Martha Stewart

So, you're planning your summer cocktail bash, and what's the first thing you need? Why, eye-catching invitations of course. For years I've used sites like e-vite and even hallmark's ecard program to come up with a an invitation for parties, but no more. I just found out about Pingg. This site makes invitations fun, and they have a fabulous designer series to boot.

Not only does Pingg allow you to make some very stylish online invitations, but you can also have the invites printed and sent to your guests with their complete service. You can also post invitations to your twitter and facebook page, making the invitation process so streamlined and cool.

As inspiration for your cocktail party moodboard, I had to show you these fantastic invitations from their designer series. Your guests are sure to love these original invites. Whether your theme is elegant and sophisticated, colorful, or with a little bit of urban edge, Pingg has it all.

Here are just a few of my favorites, from some wonderful up-and-coming artists.


Designed by Erni Vales


Designed by Erin Sledd


Designed by Jenean Morrison


Designed by Christina Entcheva

Oh, and also feel free to use these online invitations for your moodboard theme for the Dabney Lee Moodboard Contest. I can't wait to see what you come up with. Send moodboards soon!

Dabney Lee At Home Moodboard Contest!

Oooh...I love contests and you are going to Love this one! In celebration of summer, Dabney Lee At Home is sponsoring a wonderful contest just for you.

Dabney Lee At Home is a wonderful collection of home and office accessories that are super stylish and add a pop of color to your home decor. Items from the collection are wonderful for hosting parties and make fantastic hostess gifts. In that vein, we are asking you to create a cocktail party moodboard inspired by the Dabney Lee At Home collection!


Square Lucite Tray

I know how much you love creating moodboards. We had some very creative ones submitted for our last giveaway, and now that you've had some practice, I expect these to be even better. If you love throwing parties and coming up with ideas for your next bash, then this contest is for you.


Drink Coasters

Here are the rules:

1. Use at least one item from the Dabney Lee At Home collection in your moodboard. You can download photos here.
2. Feel free to choose items for the perfect cocktail bash from some of your other favorite websites to create your moodboard.
3. Be as creative as you want to be! Cocktail party moodboards aren't limited to home decor. Include what you would wear, hostess gifts, etc.
4. Indicate the sources for the items you choose for your moodboard.
5. Send your moodboard with subject line: Dabney Lee Moodboard to aphrochicblog@yahoo.com, with your name and contact information by Friday, August 14th. Next week AphroChic readers will vote for their favorite moodboards.


Salt + Pepper Shakers

What will you win? A set of monogrammed salt and pepper shakers from Dabney Lee At Home (a $40 value)! The perfect accessory for your next cocktail party.

So, are you ready to get started? There will be some cocktail-inspired posts throughout the week, as well as a special visit from designer Dabney Lee Woglom on Wednesday. Stay tuned...