happy friday + MAY DAY!

May Day has been one of my favorite days of the year since I could walk. When I was little I used to put together bouquets of flowers for neighbors. Making each one perfect . . . those memories are so vivid. Now that I'm older I try to fill my apartment with lilacs, peonies and other flowers that jumps out at me. So, enjoy your weekend lovelies, and if you get a chance be sure to get a bouquet of flowers to celebrate May Day with me.

xo, Caitlin

p.s. Next week I'll post a few of our wedding photos. We've only received a handful so far, but we should be getting all of them in two weeks. Thanks for the continued support. I know all of you have been wanting to see them :)

sparkling chandeliers

Sometimes I need a little sparkle in my life and after a long week of work, I definitely need it. These chandelier images have been piling up in my inspiration folder - this is the perfect opportunity to showcase them. Lighting is one of the last things I think about when I'm decorating a room, I'm not sure why, and I would like that to change because lighting is incredibly important in a room. It's something I'm constantly inspired by. A chandelier however makes a room glow, and that's something I love.

{photo's courtesy of 1. unknown (anyone know?) 2. lonny 3-4. beautiful things to share)

tranquility + simplicity

Last night while I was organizing my apartment (it's out of control right now) all I wanted to do was blink my eyes and have everything magically fit into our cabinets. Unfortunately, that isn't the case, but in due time we'll get our apartment in order.

This tranquil home put me at ease last night. Envisioning a clean, crisp and simple look is just want I'm in the mood for. That's just what I'm going to try to achieve this summer when I'm re-decorating our little abode. Everything about this home screams comfort, which brings a smile to my face.

{photo's courtesy of automatism via sköna hem}

lazy days + refreshing sunlight

I have found myself re-living the past two weeks I spent reading books and taking naps. Being home makes me long for those days, but it's nice to be home. Spring brings in bursts of light into our apartment, which makes me crave bright crisp whites. With white on my mind, I've decided that after living in my apartment for four years, it's FINALLY time to paint the walls. Goodbye light yellow (it was freshly painted when I moved in) and hello white walls. In the next few weeks, I'll be searching far and wide for the perfect white paint. I'd love any suggestions you have that would go well with linen and browns. So, what's your favorite white paint? I'm so excited for my new project!

{photos courtesy of FGR, dress, design & decor, elle decoration}

10 Things That Make Me Happy: Destined to Design

Happy Tuesday! I'm excited to be bringing back 10 Things That Make Me Happy after three weeks away, and there couldn't be anyone better than the wonderful Jessica from Destined to Design to kick it off.

Destined to Design is one of my all time favorites. I discovered it this past Fall and now don't go a day without checking for one of Jessica's fabulous posts. My weekly favorite are her "for the record" guest posts. Through these posts I've learned so much about fellow bloggers that I admire.

By day Jessica is an interior designer living and working in Los Angeles with an affinity for all things well-designed. You can definitely tell by the exquisite blog posts she puts together.

Thank you Jessica for guest blogging here today. I know everyone is going to be inspired by your post!

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I'm so excited that Caitlin has asked me to guest blog here today. I always loved reading the 10 Things that Make Me Happy columns in Domino, so I love her take on this idea. While it was awfully hard to narrow down my ever-expanding list of 'I Love It's' to ten, I leave you with a highlight of things I am currently coveting or can't live without. I hope they bring a bit of inspiration to your day, as they do mine.
1. Anything and everything designed by Jacques Adnet - namely his leatherwork with white stitching. It's timeless. Price: $2,500
2. Riding Boots - I recently bought my first pair from Banana Republic and have yet to take them off. Since then I've bookmarked at least five other pairs and have come dangerously close to purchasing them all. They look good with everything - jeans tucked in, skirts and tights, dresses - they're foolproof. Find boots here. Price: $129.99



3. Hermes Orange - Lately it's been my favorite accent for interiors and fashion. Especially when paired with grey tones, it's a surefire way to punch things up. For interiors, I love a cashmere throw draped over the back of a sofa. And for fashion, I love an orange handbag (Price: $1,950) with a completely monochromatic ensemble.
4. Glass Beverage Bottles - It's a bit of an unnecessary indulgence, but I love setting a table with a glass bottle filled with chilled water for guests to pour from. It makes me feel like I'm in an Italian cafe. I bought mine at a restaurant surplus store for super cheap. Find them here (They apparently stopped carrying them at DWR.)
5. Pashminas - Though not intentionally, my wardrobe consists of mainly black, and having one of these in every color is the easiest way to spice up an outfit. Find pashminas here. Price: $18.00

6. Striped Shirts - Maybe it's the fact that I secretly wish I were an artsy Parisian girl traveling around Montmarte with my Moleskine and pencil in tow, but I find myself endlessly drawn anything with black (or navy, or red) and white horizontal stripes, namely sweaters. They're just so effortless and classic. Price: $39.50
7. Moleskine Notebooks - I find that even though we've come so far with cell phones and applications that do it all for you, I always reach for my little black notebook when I want to jot things down to remember or make a to-do list. I think it's the satisfaction that comes with crossing something off when it's done. Price: $10.95

8. Nancy Meyers' films - Whenever I'm feeling down or the weather is gloomy, I pop in one of her movies and instantly feel good. I could (and have) watched each of them dozens of times, and they never seem to get old. They make me want to transport myself into the lifestyles and settings she creates. Price: $14.94

9. Ray Bans Clubmasters - The only pair of "designer" sunglasses I've ever splurged on, and totally worth every penny. Kind of going along with my affinity for striped shirts, these glasses always look sharp and make me feel a bit Parisian. Price: $128.95

10. iPhone - Cliche as it may sound, this little device can change your life. I've never been bored waiting in line anywhere - there's always something to see, do, research, photograph, and be entertained by. The apps are endless, and the ultimate boredom buster. My current favorites are Feather Report , and Font Game. Price: $99-$199

I'm Back!

Hello luvies! I've missed all of you so much over the past three weeks.

I don't know how to describe how perfect our wedding day turned out. Eric and I are still glowing from our wedding day. It was truly a beautiful, joyous and heart-warming day. I can't wait to share photos with you. We've only received six so far as a preview. I'm dying to share them, but I'm hoping that we get more in the next couples days.

After our Napa wedding, we got on a plane to Kauai. Let me just tell you, I couldn't imagine having a better honeymoon than we did. It was relaxing, adventurous and incredibly fun! I'll be putting together a whole post about the favorite little hideaway spots we found around the island.

Lastly, I'd like to say thank you, thank you, thank you to ALL of the amazingly talented bloggers who filled Sacramento Street while I was gone for three weeks.

Cassandra – coco + kelley

Paloma – La Dolce Vita

Erin – Apartment #34

Kelley – Mrs. Lilien

Anne – The City Sage

Daniella – dress, design, décor

Julie – CreateGirl

Crystal – Plush Palate

Melissa – Ruby Press

Lori – automatism

Jennifer – Bits of Beauty

Victoria – sfgirlbybay

Without you wonderful ladies I don't know what I would have done. All of your posts were truly inspiring!

It's nice to be home and I can't wait to get back into blogging. Keep a look out for our wedding photos, Kauai details and daily inspiration.

xoxo, Mrs. Caitlin

{photos courtesy of definitely golden}

Inspiring Home Décor: sfgirlbybay

hello sacramento street readers! i'm victoria smith of sfgirlbybay, and i'm very happy to filling in for caitlin whilst she's off get married and enjoying her honeymoon! today, i like to offer you some eclectic design inspiration and ideas, that also encourage individuality and unique, personal style, because let's face it, your home should be a direct reflection of you.

i hope my home does that, and i am constantly changing it up to suit my moods and changing tastes, but no matter what this room looks like, i usually find myself drawn to hanging out in my living room. the bay windows bring in an amazing abundance of light and lovely views of the city's victorian landscape. and, i quite like cozying up and reading or blogging on my laptop with a warm fire going in the unusual copper-faced fireplace.

i keep my decor palette and main furnishings white, and then as the seasons, or my tastes change, i find the white easily interchangeable with accessories, pillows, throws, and artwork in any color scheme that's currently grabbing my attention. i mix up basic white pieces with mid-century modern, vintage, and a bit of what i like to call 'industrial chic' pieces in metal and natural woods - mostly scoured from the flea market. and while the white sofa may not seem practical, it is slip-covered (from room & board), so when it soils, i just toss the slip covers in the wash and they come out like new. thanks for allowing me to share one of my favorites spaces with you today! i hope you've found some fresh ideas.

cheers!

Inspiring Home Décor: Bits of Beauty

Hi all! Ms. Jenn from {Bits of Beauty} filling in for Caitlin. Ms. Caitlin is about to become a Mrs. Caitlin, so she's asked a few of us girls to share our favorite rooms with you. Each of my rooms has a definite mood. I'm big on color; I like to be transported or immersed in a style when I enter a room, so color is a must.

My bathroom has to be one of my favorites. It's a glamourfest, with bits of Marilyn and Agent Provocateur for inspiration {both make appearances in the decor.} The bathroom is the first place I go in the morning and the last place I visit before bed.

Being that pink is said to be the most flattering backdrop, and having all the sexy, girlish references throughout make me feel like a million bucks at two of the most unflattering times of day.

How can I not love it? It's not quite finished, though. I'd still like to add drapes to the glass shower {or for something a bit cheekier, black silhouettes of bombshell bodies} and chandeliers.

Inspiring Home Décor: automatism

Hello, Lori of automatism here today, filling in for Caitlin while she's off happily honeymooning! Caitlin asked me to share with you my favourite room in my home -- and as my home is a tiny one, I'd say it would be my main living area.

Since it's a multipurpose sort of space, when it comes to decor I keep things fairly light and neutral, as anything more dramatic in the way of colour or accessories quickly makes it visually overwhelming. I find that my books (of which I've accumulated rather a lot) do in fact provide a lot of colour and interest to my space, and help keep things from getting too bland. In terms of inspiration, my influences are the elegant clean lines of midcentury modern furniture, loft spaces, modern French interiors, the beautiful simplicity of Scandinavian design and traditional artist ateliers, too. That's me in my living room, photographed by my good friend Martin Lipman -- and here are some of the looks that I found inspiring for my own home, too.

This beautiful French loft has a wonderfully serene atmosphere, but it's a sociable space, too. photo link: here

These lovely eclectic midcentury modern dining chairs are as much sculpture as seating -- and the lamp is wonderful, too. photo link: here

Frédéric Méchiche's gorgeous Paris apartment, which is as much an artist's atelier in approach as it is a living space. photo link: here

Another part of Frédéric Méchiche's apartment, showing his fantastic personal library -- books are an important part of an interior for me, too. photo link: here

A fantastic loft in Zurich, filled with fascinating angles and a bit of colour, too. photo link: here

Inspiring Home Décor: Ruby Press

I spend the most time in my living room when I’m home, so it’s all about comfort to me (and to my husband Sam and our two dogs, Huck and Lulu). I think the room is cozy and comfortable and probably one of the most masculine spaces I’ve ever created. The color palette is a mix of chocolate brown, lemon yellow and moss green and the style is a mix of vintage (old maps, vintage calligraphy, antique horse prints) with more modern shapes (Lucite trays, modern lamp, etc.). The Ruby Press office is completely different- very light, airy and full of girly touches. I think having that juxtaposition in my day is quite nice!

I’ve never created or decorated a room after another room I’ve seen, it’s a much more gradual process and it’s always evolving. That being said, these are images that inspire me and the evolution of our living room.

Scott Hill’s historically referenced prints and store in NYC’s East Village, Old Village Hall

John Derian’s prints, always, always….(I have a collection of his plates on one of the walls!)

The Hollister Hovey Blog… (image from Hollister Hovey Blog)

Inspiring Home Décor: Plush Palate

Hi Everyone! In case we haven't already met, I'm Crystal from Plush Palate and I'm thrilled to be here today! When Caitlin asked me to help out while she's away getting married and honeymooning, I couldn't have been more excited for her and for the opportunity to share what room in my home inspires me most!

That room would definitely be the living room as I've put a lot of heart and soul into getting it just right and spend most of my time in there. I'm currently working on getting my place professionally photographer before revealing it fully, so today, I'm giving just a sneak peek!

Here are two polaroids of my gallery wall in the living room. I wanted something fresh, feminine, and fun! I thought fashion shots were the perfect way to capture the mood I was after. And here are the images that inspired me through that process and kept me on track.

I hope you enjoyed a little glimpse into my living room and inspirations. A huge thank you to Caitlin for having me as a guest today. And CONGRATULATIONS to the happy couple! xo, Crystal

*images 1., 2. Plush Palate 3. unknown 4. Domino 5. Dress Design Decor 6. Windsor Smith 7. The English Muse