Why hello, summer!

The weather was absolutely gorgeous in NYC over the Memorial Day weekend -- after what seemed like weeks of endless rain, summer made a bold appearance. Yay! To celebrate, I added a few spring/summertime touches to my apartment:

{these pretty peonies replaced the ranunculus on my media console}

{the console table in my living room -- look closely and you can see the reflection of the rather unsightly overhead light that came with my apartment -- it's shining just above David's head}

{my reliable peace lily, which I've had since February 2010! the pillow in the foreground came from the new Home Goods store on the UWS -- I braved the grand opening las weekend to get it!}

Three-Day Weekend DIY

I understand that I may be the last person to embrace this trend, but I've been eyeing chalkboards in the kitchen on some of my favorite design blogs for months. (Maybe years?) This weekend, I finally put the finishing touches on my own DIY-version of chalkboards in the kitchen. I found this great contact paper on Amazon.com. (And I followed this reviewer's amazing advice for "curing" the contact paper before using it as a chalkboard. Her method is fool-proof!)

This project couldn't have been any easier -- after measuring the cabinets and cutting the contact paper to size, I carefully applied the contact paper to the cabinets, smoothing out any bubbles as I went along. And that was it! It took ten minutes (fifteen, tops), and I'm really pleased with the results!

Ranunculus

The Weather Channel tells me to expect rain every. single. day. this week. As long as I have this little bouquet in my apartment, I don't care what the weatherman says.

Color of the Day: Orange

orange: /cheerfulness, enthusiasm, creativity/

Color of the Day: Green

green: /calm, harmony, freshness/

ikat bowls, anthropologie

Color of the Year: Honeysuckle Pink

honeysuckle pink: / Pantone color of the year, 2011/

image via decorpad

What She Wore: Jackie Kennedy

Jackie Kennedy in Oleg Cassini

India, March 1962

{image via Life magazine archives}

Color of the Day: Black

black: /elegance, sophistication, strength/

image via decorpad

Color of the Day: Red

red: /warmth, love, excitement/

image via Living etc

What She Wore: Michelle Obama

Today, I'm excited to launch a brand new feature on the the Ruby Perrin Design blog (I did promise that 2011 would bring a series of mini-upgrades to the blog). "What She Wore" will explore the high-fashion choices made by high-profile women, both contemporary and historical. (It's not superficial. It's celebratory.)

Up first is the First Lady of United States herself, Michelle Obama:

Michelle Obama in Alexander McQueen

White House State Dinner, January 19, 2011

{image via Boston Herald}

Color of the Day: Yellow

yellow: /liveliness, optimism, energy/

image via Living etc

Color of the Day: Tropical Turquoise

Yesterday, the temperature in New York remained in the upper-30's for much of the day (it felt like summer). Today, the temperature seems to have dropped back down into the 20's, and it feels so, so cold. The obvious solution to this is to dream of vibrant, tropical colors. Like today's color of the day: turquoise.

image via fontainebleau.com

Ahh, the Fontainebleau Miami Beach. Makes a Florida girl like me yearn for home.

Color of the Year: Honeysuckle Pink

This week, the color of the year (still honeysuckle pink) is brought to us by In the Pink, a coffee table-worthy book that celebrates the work of Dorothy Draper, the great American interior decorator. (Surely that's a shade of honeysuckle pink on the cover.)

For those who are new design enthusiasts (like me) and excited to learn more about the history of interior design, studying the work of Dorothy Draper is a good start. Dorothy Draper was considered a pioneer in the industry during the early- and mid-20th century. Draper decorated several high-profile interiors, including San Bernadino's Arrowhead Springs Hotel and Washington, D.C.'s Mayflower Hotel. And New York's Essex Hotel:

image via Good Housekeeping

Check out this slideshow (also courtesy of Good Housekeeping) for more Draper-designed interiors.

Current Crush: The Draper Stripe

I love stripes. And I do mean love. At the moment, I'm obsessed with Dwell Studio's take on this classic pattern: the Draper Stripe.

The Draper Stripe rug in ink/cream (5 x 8)

The Draper stripe sheet set in ash

The Draper Stripe duvet set in ash

Stripes are such a great way to introduce a little pattern into a room while maintaining a sense of order. I love the clean, classic look of the Draper Stripe. It's perfection!

Click here to view Dwell Studio's entire Draper Stripe collection.

Color of the Year: Honeysuckle Pink

This morning, I'm kicking off a new feature on the Ruby Perrin Design blog: the weekly tribute to Honeysuckle Pink, Pantone's Color of the Year for 2011. Without further ado --

image via cubespsl.co.uk

What's the verdict on the use of pink in this room? I'm sorta digging the chair -- it has a very "1950's soda fountain" meets "The Jetsons" vibe.

Favorite Finds: Winter Edition

One of my favorite things to read on other blogs is [wait for it] . . . the "favorite" list! Whether it's a list of favorite shops, favorite scents, or favorite t-shirts (American Apparel tri-blend tee, anyone?), I love that these lists offer a glimpse into a blogger's personal style.

I thought it might be fun to post a few of my favorite things on the blog. So, without further ado, here's a "lite" version of the favorite list: 3 things that are keeping me happy (and warm) during this blustery January in New York:

1. Wolford Tights

Wolford tights are the Cadillacs of winter hosiery. They're not cheap, but they're totally worth every penny. They're luxurious, well-made, and without them, your favorite dress will spend a long, dark winter in the back of your closet.

2. Kiehl's Whipped Creme de Corps

I have used Kiehl's Creme de Corps moisturizer for years, and I was a little skeptical when this whipped version hit the market. I am a skeptic no more. I may even like the whipped version better than the original. It smells great, it's rich without being heavy, and provides the perfect amount of winter weather protection.

3. iPod Touch

I have only recently discovered the real magic of the iPod touch. Sure, you can load tons of mp3's on it (I currently have 6 on mine). But what I really love about the iPod touch is that it can be transformed into an e-reader (mine is now a Kindle and a Nook) and a Netflix player -- for free!!! I've spent the past few weeks watching episodes of The Tudors and reading classics on my tiny little iPod. And yes, I realize that I'm probably the last person to appreciate all of the neat things that can be done with the iPod touch. But that doesn't make me any less thrilled about the amazing capabilities of this little machine.

[Note: This is not a sponsored post. I really do love these things.]

Why hello, 2011!

Mini flashback: In the fall of 2007, I was entering my last year of law school. As part of an effort to maintain a healthy school/life balance, I started a little blog where I could indulge my love for sports and fashion. Over time, my interests evolved and I gradually found myself enamored of all things design: interiors mostly, although I can be swept off my feet by a beautifully designed anything (including a classic Prada leather handbag and a perfectly frosted chocolate cupcake).

As my interests evolved, so too did this blog. Last summer, I rebranded the blog as Ruby Perrin:Design, and I seriously considered launching an e-decorating service and an accompanying e-boutique. And while I may pursue those projects in the future, after a little blog soul-searching during the holidays, I've decided to focus my extracurricular efforts on the Ruby Perrin blog over the next year. This is good news! I'm really excited to continue exploring the world of design on the blog, to connect with like-minded bloggers and to celebrate the creativity of talented artists whose work I admire.

I'm planning some fun features that will debut in the coming weeks (including a weekly tribute to Honeysuckle Pink, Pantone's choice for color of the year, which will debut later this week). In the meantime, if you have any comments or suggestions about the blog, I'd love to hear them.

See you again here soon!

[lovely image via Pieces of Fate]