StyleWhipped

Sherin Botros: Make a Statement

For some reason, when I think of chandeliers, I envision large ballrooms filled with royals dancing the waltz, ladies dressed in formal ballgowns and and dapper gentlemen suited in tuxedos with tails. Party goers laughing stoically, sipping champagne and hob nobbing with high society families. (what, you don't think that too?)

Okay okay, I know most people don't think that, but don't dismiss my thought completely... once upon a time, the chandelier used to mark your arrival. Adorned in crystal, it met you in the foyer of a well-appointed home. Elegant and sophisticated grand chandeliers would hang only from the ceilings of the wealthy and were used to boast their social status. 

Times have definitly changed, and while chandeliers still capture the eye, with shimmering lights and lavish beauty, they have come a long way in terms of versatility. There is a myriad of choices, now they come in all shapes, styles and sizes, a variety of price ranges and can be used in most rooms. So say good-bye to the days of only hanging them in the living room, dining room or entry way. Today, they can appear in bedrooms, bathrooms and even walk-in closets

Chandeliers can be more interesting and attractive! Think fashion meets function, and your chandelier can add an artistic touch to any room, like this beautiful Crytorama chandelier from onekingslane.com.

There is no need to stick to the same standard of traditional colors and finishes that everybody else has. Chandeliers are a home accessory that can definitely add a lot of design punch to your home.

It's up to you to create the ambiance of the room. Does your home have a rustic vibe? Perhaps a wrought iron chandelier is for you. Is your home contemporary? Look for something with simple clean lines.

What kind of statement do you want to make?

-Sherin

Sherin Botros: Thrill of the Chaise

Very few people fall in love with furniture, but I'm not afraid to confess I get very excited about it! And let it be known my first love was...the chaise lounge.

Yes, a little dramatic I know, but in my eyes, the chaise is the embodiment of luxury, glamour,and even a bit of exotic mystique.

I'm pretty certain somewhere in my Egyptian lineage I'm related to Cleopatra, which compels me to fulfill an aristocratic life....draped over my lounge chair, sipping a glass of champagne and listening to my own personal violinist play soothing music to ease the stresses of my high-society life. Ahhh, a girl can dream...Right?

Reality check: Life is hectic....crazy commutes, stressful jobs, unrealistic deadlines, over-scheduled kids, housework, homework, yard work, whatever your reality is, put it behind you. The chaise lounge makes the perfect way to remove yourself from the hectic outside world and indulge in a good book, take a nap, or unwind with a glass of wine (okay, maybe a bottle for some of you).  

The chaise (sometimes referred to as the 'fainting couch') is quite versatile and can be showcased in any room as a statement piece or an as an accent.  

I found this chic Maxine Chaise Lounge from raymourflanigan.com that would look exquisite if placed underneath a window, or by a fabulous piece of art, next to a floor lamp and a side table or even next to an over-sized floor mirror. 

Ornate, modern, or casual, these loungers come in a variety of materials and styles. They come with side arms or armless, a high back or backless, in leather or microsuede, and can be upholstered with your favorite fabrics. Whatever your unique style, this will be your personal little haven!

-Sherin

Fun Facts: 

- The chaise lounge was first created in ancient Egypt as a comfortable seat upon which only royalty reclined (so really, maybe I am related to Cleopatra?!). But it was really the French art and architecture of the 18th century Rococo period that brought the chaise lounge into the forefront of interior design and made it a focal piece for wealthy aristocrats and royalty.

- The chaise was sometimes called the "fainting couch" thanks to Victorian women of the 19th century who fainted frequently from their tight corsets. A well-appointed home or building would have a fainting couch at the top of every set of stairs for her use.

 

Rebecca Gordon - For the Love of a View

As I may have mentioned before, I have lived in the same apartment for the past 7 years and, if you are paying attention, you will recall I have a roommate and I am in my 30s.  You may have even seen the picture of the spectacular view from my apartment.* Seeing this view may have helped you understand why a single woman in her 30s would choose to have a roommate.  What you don’t know is that the roommate scene is not actually something I put up with for the sake of the view, the roommate scene is actually a positive, if unusual, aspect of my life**. The dog that comes with the apartment doesn’t hurt either. There are, however, a series of things I have tolerated in order to remain in my apartment.  In no particular order, here they are:

1. My next door neighbor can see into my bedroom from his terrace.  Even for the five years when my next door neighbor was male-model handsome and was the kind of guy to read The Economist in the gym, this was not great.  The only way I made up for this was the day I got off the elevator at the exact time he was opening his apartment door for his girlfriend and he was wearing only his underwear. I ruined that romantic moment for them, but at least I got to see him in his underwear.
2. If I sleep with my bedroom window open and my next door neighbor has a cigarette on his terrace at 3am, the smoke comes into my apartment and wakes me up and I am unable to fall back asleep. There is no making up for this.
3. Two years ago, during a terrible rain storm that also involved a lot of wind, my apartment flooded in the living room and my roommate’s bedroom. The flooding caused a temporary smell of moldy cheese in my apartment and ruined the floors.  The only way the building made up for this was redoing the floors and telling us they fixed the source of the leak (the terrace).
4. In August, during what was supposed to be a hurricane but what was really just a terrible rain storm that also involved a lot of wind (and required the evacuation of my building), my apartment flooded in the living room, dining room and my roommate’s bedroom. The flooding caused a temporary smell of moldy cheese, ruined the floors, and permanently damaged some personal property. The only way the building made up for this was redoing the floors and reimbursing us for a few nights in a hotel.  I am not superstitious, but I am not unconvinced that I did not bring this on myself by saying to a handsome fireman 12 hours before I discovered the flood that he should take my number “in case things get serious and I need his help.”
5. In September, during a terrible rain storm that also involved a lot of wind, my apartment flooded in the living room and my roommate’s bedroom. The flooding caused a temporary smell of moldy cheese in my apartment and ruined the floors.  The only way the building made up for this was redoing the floors and telling us they fixed the source of the leak (the terrace). I may have just cut and paste #3, but these were two different events. I promise.
6. Two weeks ago, during a terrible rain storm that also involved a lot of wind, my apartment flooded in the living room and my roommate’s bedroom. The flooding caused a temporary smell of moldy cheese in my apartment and ruined the floors.   Are you noticing a trend? The only way the building made up for this was redoing the floors and telling us they fixed the source of the leak (the terrace door). This time I believe them.
7. Last week, I started noticing the smell of gas every time I came home and sometimes when I awoke in the middle of the night.  One maintenance guy sort of smelled it as well and he suggested the oven needed a new tube connecting to the gas source.  So he replaced this tube and I slept with my window open just in case the oven wasn’t the source. And then I came home the next night and the apartment still smelled of gas, so the super turned off the gas supply and I went to bed with my window open just in case the gas supply wasn’t the source (he did insist it could not possibly be anything else).  But then the next day I could still smell the gas. I was starting to think maybe I was crazy because other people could not really smell it and the super thought maybe it was just from the floors (see #6).  In what I assume was an effort to reduce the amount of time they were spending in my apartment, the super and the maintenance guy checked my neighbor’s apartment. Turns out my neighbor*** had accidentally left one of the knobs on his stove turned on so that gas was leaking into his apartment and through the vent that connects our bathrooms. And then my neighbor went out of town. The building made up for this by turning off the gas in my neighbor’s apartment and confirming I am not crazy.
8. On Friday morning, I waited until the last possible moment to take a shower and then realized there was not enough pressure to keep the shower on. By the time the super fixed the issue (just ten minutes later), I could not wash my hair and still get to work on time.  So I used some dry shampoo and headed to work. The building made up for this by having the doorman tell me my hair looked clean.

Have I mentioned the amazing view and the dog?

~Rebecca

*If you missed the view, just check the site from two weeks ago. You won’t regret it. Or you will, because you might be jealous of me.

**Wait for that story, it is worth the wait.

***Not the handsome neighbor. He moved out and a new guy moved in. No sightings yet.

 

Sherin Botros: A Picture is Worth a Thousand Words!

The soul never thinks without a picture. - Aristotle

I love pictures and consider them to be one of the most beautiful and personal forms of art. 

However, I must admit it took me some time to realize and accept that the ‘picture form’ of art is very different for each of us. To some it can be treasured family photographs and memories with friends, to others it can be beautiful scenic photos or priceless works of art.  The beauty of it is, it doesn’t really matter, it fills your soul and is an extension of who you are, so tell your story!

As a matter of fact, you should flaunt it! But if your anything like me, you have no patience for lining up and measuring (I probably shouldn't admit that, but I know you feel my pain). Let's face it, inevitably one of those pictures won't be straight and will annoyingly stare at you in the face until you fix it...Ugh, I hate when that happens!  So if you're looking to cheat a bit, a nice way to exhibit your priceless memories is through an elegant pre-arranged frame set like the one I found from redenvelope.com  

It's already aligned and ready to be displayed for your viewing pleasure. Just insert the pictures of your choice and share your story.  

No wall space? No worries! There are endless ways to display your framed pieces and still add that personal touch to your home. Grouping your photos over a ledge,  or on a desk or end table is just as spectacular as a wall. It’s all in how you pull it together. You can mix and match frames, colors and patterns, or keep a uniform look, and combine with books or other personal items that have just as much meaning to you as your photos. Arrange in a harmonious and appealing way and...ta da, that's what I call Picture Perfect!

- Sherin

Happy New Year!

To all of our amazing readers...Happy New Year!

Thank you for coming back for our relaunch in 2011, and we promise that 2012 holds lots of fabulous new fashion, places, people and ideas to make your life even more full of style! We'll be back on Monday with a brand-new column from our 'girl-about-town' writer Rebecca Gordon (you don't want to miss it!), as well as more from editor-in-chief Alison Stewart, Bridal & Party Planning expert Danielle Aspromatis, Interior Designer Sherin Botros, and resident Music writer Jennifer Corcione. 

In the meantime, celebrate the new year in a way that would make us here at Stylewhipped proud...beautifully, safely, and full of hope.

~ The Stylewhipped Team

Sherin Botros: Mirror Mirror On The Wall...

....the floor, the vanity, but hopefully not the ceiling!

Mirrors can be used as decorative items that are not only functional but versatile in their many shapes, sizes and uses. Use them to open up a room, reflect a little light, or if your into feng shui, add a little bit of energy to your space.

My must-have mirrors for every home are 1. in a foyer or entryway, as it’s always ideal for that last quick look before going out. And 2. a full length mirror in the bedroom! You don't want to wait till you pass your reflection outside a store window and realize yikes, you should never have left the house like that...Get creative with your mirrors, as these can be bold and used as a pieces of furniture like this gorgeous Burnished Copper Bassett mirror from simplymirrors.com,

or as accents to add visual dimension to the space. 

I love mirror collages that are randomly grouped with various shapes and sizes featuring different frames and borders. But if your going for a more classic feel, nothing beats the elegance of a mirror hung over a fireplace. It is a perfect way to add openness to any room for a great aesthetic and decorative feel. And for you hopeless romantics, place one behind pillar candles for that warm and refelective glow of twinkling lights....sigh

The beauty of mirrors, is that they can be utilized in every room of your house, whether hung up along stairways, as back splashes of your kitchen, or even over buffet servers of a dining room, because overall they can just bring a room together. 

What's your personal style..bold, classic, artistic or romantic?

- Sherin

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~ The Stylewhipped Team

Sherin Botros: And the 2012 Color of the Year goes to....

...Tangerine Tango! 

Pantone, the global authority on color revealed Tangerine Tango as its choice for the color of the year.

So what does this mean to you? A new color to play with of course! If you're about to start a major decor overhaul or just want to recharge a room, this vibrant reddish orange hue will add a touch exotic flair to any home decor project.

Rejuvenating your space with this attention getting color on an accent wall is bold, but for the less devout, this can also be done with home accessories such as pillows, area rugs and tabletop accessories.

I found this set of sleek tufted orange dining chairs with a dark brown finish on overstock.com; that is sure to add a litle dramatic energy boost to your room.  

You will find orange is very versatile and can go well with many colors and unique combinations like pinks and greenish blues, taupes and yellows; the options are endless! Just imagine using this vivacious hue to add warmth to your bathroom, sophistication to your living room or spice to your bedroom! 

Va Va Va Voom! Are you feeling daring?

- Sherin

Holiday Gold

I have said it probably 1,000 times on this site alone that I am a yellow gold kind of girl. I will wear platinum jewelry, but gravitate towards yellow gold (even my wedding rings are in yellow!) and if given the choice of anything in silver or gold, I will choose gold. And this is especially true around the holidays. So many other women at every party will be decked out in silver shoes, silver sparkly jewelry and bring silver-toned gifts, that I like to stand out and make my own little gold statement!

So I put together a little 3-piece guide to incorporating yellow gold into your holidays. And just for an extra bonus, each of the three are under $100, leaving you plenty of your budget left to expand on my guide with your own touches! So, if you buy nothing else this season, you absolutely have to have a pair of fabulous gold party shoes...they need to be very high, attention-grabbing, and mixing the gold with black makes them a little more winter than summer. So these, from Colin Stuart for Victoria's Secret, are perfect. Their skinny, python-printed straps are super sexy, their black platform adds formality (and comfort!), and their 5.5-inch heel will make you stand out that much more at any event. Wear these with a mini-dress, with flared jeans, with leather leggings...they really work with anything (and at only $68, I'd get them in the metallic teal, too!).

Wearing those gold party shoes but want to pair them with a simple black tank and skinny jeans? Add in a statement necklace in gold-tone and your outfit goes from being just about the shoes to a complete "look" that will make everyone think you took a really long time to put it together! This necklace from K. Amato is the ideal combination of feminine and rocker-y, and at $68 would also make a beautiful gift. Its layers of gold chains bring you attention and the oversized champagne crystal hanging at the bottom keeps it on you...

Lastly, if you are the party host, make sure your event details measure up for thier own gold medal. (And if you want to bring a really amazing hostess gift, this works just as well.) A bright gold cocktail shaker is not only unexpected (99.9% of them are silver or chrome), but it is so stylish and eye-catching, people will be flocking to your bar for more than just a refill! Make sure there are other gold accessories around the party (think gold oraments on your tree or desserts displayed on shiny gold platters) to keep the look & theme consistent.

Happy gold-ing...!

~ Alison.

Sherin Botros: 'Tis the Season

Editor's Note: Stylewhipped welcomes yet another amazing Guest Writer this week...Sherin Botros! Sherin is our newest columnist and resident Interior Design & Home Decor expert. Every other Wednesday, Sherin will bring you the very best in interior design & home decorating ideas that will help you make your home look like it stepped out of a magazine. To read Sherin's complete bio, click here!  ~ Alison.

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Gift-giving season that is...

This time of year can be overwhelming especially when you have to think about what to get for the person who has it all. Well take a sigh of relief, an alluring page-turner is sure to please whomever is on that ever-so-long list of yours!

A coffee table book is a thoughtful and engaging gift idea for the home. They are the perfect home accessory to be added to someone’s collection or as a starter gift for someone who may not splurge on one for themselves. What a treat you’d be giving them!

They look great stacked throughout the home, whether by theme, by color or by size.  People love to flip through them, as they often contain gorgeous large glossy photos that open to different worlds, hobbies and interests.  They can be arranged throughout any room for great aesthetic pleasure.

I’m madly in love with Michelangelo’s work and indulged myself with books I bought from my most recent trip to Italy. But don’t worry, you don’t need to travel abroad for your gift-giving. I also snapped up this gorgeous book full of iconic photos of Audrey Hepburn from Barnes & Noble for under $25. 

Whether for a man or woman, you can’t go wrong with a coffee table book as a present; it says ‘I actually put thought into you your gift’. Just be sure to choose books that reflect the personality and interests of those your buying for.  And if you end up getting one for yourself, don’t worry, your secret is safe with me! wink wink...

-Sherin.