Friday Favorite

ZGallerie is the perfect feature site for today's Friday Favorites.

With a great selection of new arrivals just in and just in time for the spring, the collection is
bright, full of pattern and has lots of texture.

I fell in love with ZGallerie  a long time ago when I came across the store in Florida while visiting my parents.  Although I wish I was in Palm Beach strolling the isles of the store, I am shopping online for a client in the comfort of my own home.   (If anyone is on the east coast from New York to Boston we are getting hit HARD with about 2 feet of snow today)Spring is right around the corner, right!??

So get that coffee brewed and let's get into our little ZGallerie cocoon. I promise you will forget what's going on outside, for a few minutes anyway :)

YES!

Go ahead... When your done shopping, EAT that candy!  Just think, you'll work  it off with all the shoveling you have to do soon...Just don't eat the yellow snow!

DESIGN YOUR LIFE! ~ G

Distinctive Design By Gina

All photos from ZGALLERIE unless otherwise stated.

Rocky Mountain High...

What's old is new again and guess what?? Brass is back people!!

I am a HUGE fan of the one passe trend. Currently  in a kitchen re-design I am working on  I am going full throttle on this brass/gold motif for the hardware. It's perfect to mix and match with many metals & stainless steel is no different. It's just a hint of sparkle & glam with just the little touches.

Rocky Mountain Hardware is an amazing hardware company that has great traditional yet very modern styles with amazing quality.   I haven't found many that currently compete.  I go gaga for gold/brass in the kitchen and here are a few examples that will get you going gaga too!

Farmhouse Sink

no caption needed...drool.

Faucet

Push/Pull Handles with leather grip 

Charlie Pendant

Echo Sconce

Interior Doors

Tile (Blush)

Bloom (blk) Dots(wht)  Back splash 

Brut Catch Pull

Rail Towel Bar

All photos are courtesy of Rocky Mountain Hardware unless otherwise stated.

RMH doesn't just carry hardware for kitchen & bath, they also offer everything from custom lighting  to window casings and home accessories. Want brass house numbers or a game of horseshoes? Yup, they got it! 

I hope this post has inspired you to embrace this brass trend. I am sold!

DESIGN  YOUR LIFE! ! G

Almalfi Dreaming

It's Sunday so I am taking a day off of blogging about design & styling to divulge into my dream vacation...This is how it began.

My father and I always spoke of traveling to Italy together to visit the coast where my grandparents grew up & lived until the 1930's when they came to America. He spoke about a town called Vico Equense which is a town inside of Avellino on the Almalfi coast.  This is the town where my grandparents met and fell in love, where my grandfather learned to make ricotta and mozarella cheese from the jesuits. This is the same town where my grandfather became exporting olive oil & italian tomatoes into America. 

Joe (my father) spoke fluent Italian so he would be the perfect sidekick. He always said that when we go, I will be coming home alone because he won't ever want to leave.

Vico Equense

Unfortunately that trip never happened as my father passed away in 2009 after a long battle with cancer. My dream to go hasn't gone with him and the desire is only getting stronger.  Although I always talked of going with my dad, it is my husband now that will be traveling with me. 

My husband never got the chance to meet my dad as he passed 8 months before we met. 

We got married in Mexico in late 2012 and because we had a destination wedding we never took an actually honeymoon. This is what I want for a honeymoon. Ten days of roaming the beautiful coast of Italy and experiencing what my father never was able to all while showing my husband my heritage and where one half of my family is from. This is a dream that will happen!

Can you really get any more gorgeous than this?  

Vico Equense

Sunset

House on a Cliff

Le Axidie

Convento di San Francesco

Restaurant

Map

Boating

Beautiful Sunset

Italy is a place I have only seen in pictures & have only imagined in my mind. The beauty of the country inspires me. My family was very lucky to have lived in such a majestic place. I look forward to traveling to the place my father calls Heaven soon. I hope this is what his heaven is like.

DEISGN YOUR LIFE! ~ G

What's My Name?

Monogramming is huge right now in styling. People like putting their name on something  and monogramming is the best way to do so. It's making a mark on the style scene both in interiors and in fashion.  I am all about monogramming and these are my favorite ways to put my initials on my favorite possessions.

Photos: Pillow, Gold necklace, Monogram Tray, Tote, Home Button, Nursery, Cocktail Napkins

If you like then you should put your name on it! 

DESIGN YOUR LIFE!~ G

Shell Shocked!

Move Over Zebra & Leopard, the Tortoise is here!

Animal print has been all the rage again for over a year now. The trend comes & goes. We designers always like to work with it no matter the trend because we love it but a new trend we are cursing on is Tortoise.

Used in both interiors & fashion styling, it's soft, textured & neutral tones lend it to go with just about any design.  Not always made of actual tortoise shell it is also the coloring of the tortoise which it is named after. Let the drooling begin....

photo credits: Watch, Lamp, Cabinet, Tray, Sunglasses, Bracelet, Bath Accessories

Spring 2013 you will see this trend develop even more so. A lot of people use this trend in moderation. In fashion you will mostly see it in sunglasses & watches. Tortoise is masculine too so don't be afraid to use it! Tortoise is far better than the Hare!

DESIGN YOUR LIFE!~ G