HOSTESS GIFTS for Style Maniacs

You can't help but wonder ... did Jonathan Adler create these Zebra Coasters just for Style Maniac?  After all, I'm wild about animal prints and have used zebra and yellow as identifiers for my Style Maniac "brand" since the beginning.  And just last month I finally designed a logo based on these elements that's been twirling around in my head for quite awhile (look for it on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, the website, the footer of this blog and more).  Well, truth is, I doubt Jonathan Adler knows a thing Style Maniac.  And his little plates are not cheap.  But the perfectly boxed set and colorful prints seduced me the moment I saw them at the new Jonathan Adler store in Old City, Philadelphia.  Plus forget the coaster idea, they'd be adorable canape plates ... or little dishes to hold jewelry ... or a pretty accent for my desk.  So I bought them as a hostess gift ... for myself.  I can think of a few more style maniacs who might like them as well ....

STYLE MANIAC's NEW FALL WARDROBE

Perhaps you've noticed: Style Maniac has a whole new look for Fall.  And by Style Maniac I mean the blog! She's dressed for autumn, inspired by the fiery russet of a velvet jacket, leopard boots, bags and wallpaper, my favorite coffee cups and the touch of magenta in an October leaf.  Her signature yellow color now shows up as gold and toffee in the text links.   And she has a few lil treats for you: scrolling updates from Twitter, Facebook and the website; an extended list of Links I Love (both in sidebar), plus a showcase of great reader quotes (scroll down to footer for this clickable link).

And this is just the beginning.  Just as the blog posts--and my own home and wardrobe--celebrate the change of season, so will the blog design.  So, dear email & RSS subscribers, don't forget to click through every so often and enjoy the full pretty picture. And to all of Style Maniac's smart, fun and stylish readers: thank you for visiting, commenting and letting me share my mania day by day and season by season with you.

Special thanks to my friends Andrew & Lee.  Our recent Media Bistro Cocktails chat helped focus so many plans for this blog. Stay tuned ...

Leaf image via Backgrounds.  All other images by Doreen Creede. 
Leopard boots: Wilbur Vintage. Leopard wallpaper: Ralph Lauren.  Gold wallpaper: Donghia. Gold coffee cups: Marc Blackwell New York.

EVERYDAY STYLE TIP: Change Your China Wardrobe

Get a fresh look for not a lot of money by switching a few of your dishes seasonally. If you keep your main set of china neutral and simple, you can mix up and mix in fun finds like these colorful chandelier tea cups and lunch plates from Rosanna, which just shout "Spring!" when you open your cupboard.

Chandelier set from Style Maniac's collection.  For current styles visit Rosannainc.com
Photo by Doreen Creede.

A LITTLE GLEAM & GLITTER

Combat dark dreariness outside with a little gleam and glitter inside. Sprinkle a dusting of gold via fabric ... wallpaper ... a glittery pillow ... a mixed collection of new and vintage dishes. Or take a page from Louis XV and transform your bath into a glamorous hideaway.

And speaking of gold ... the GOLDEN GLOBES (aka Style Maniac's World Cup) air tonight at 8 p.m. on NBC. Have fun, girls.

CREDITS (from top): Robert Allen fabric; Bliss pillow; Annie Glass, Rosanna, Marc Blackwell New York and vintage dishes; Designers Guild wallpaper from Osborne & Little; Donghia wallpaper.  Most items available through The Redecorators LLC / 215-429-2000.  Bottom photo of Versailles bathroom from Compendium of Interior Styles.  All other photos by Doreen Creede.

DECORATING INSPIRATION (Part Two)

Same inspiration (Versace Medusa Red china) as the previous post, same living room, but a deeper, warmer variation for winter.  This translation is more about the luxe richness of the pattern than the actual colors.  For winter, the velvet fabric becomes a slipcover for the cream sofas and the jewel-like silk replaces the tropical pattern pillows.

Photo by Doreen Creede

DECORATING INSPIRATION (Part One)

Where does the inspiration for decorating a room come from? Once you understand how you live and choose the type of space you want to live in how do you narrow down your selection from the still infinite choices available?

For me it always begins with color and pattern. In the case of a yet-to-be-realized concept for my own home, the basis of inspiration were the colors and patterns of my extensive china collection (have I confessed to my china addiction yet?).  On my first floor, an open living/dining/kitchen space, my Versace Medusa Red china inspired two palettes. In the "summer" palette, shown above, the bold colors of the china translate into a bold color scheme of cream accented with black, red and gold.

Photo by Doreen Creede

EVERYDAY STYLE TIP: Use The Good China

Why save your prettiest things for rare occasions? Savor coffee in a gold cup, lunch on a vintage plate, dinner on your wedding pattern.  Enjoy your "good" china every day.


Photo by Doreen Creede