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My love this week from Etsy: Rhino-planter (not plasty!)

15 Jan Look What I Found Header 2

By Christabelle…@CBellesCloset

I have been a crafty geek since I was a kid…those of you who have known me for life can recall my first company “Khrys Kollectibles” – my friendship bracelet making company.  Apparently, I had not discovered my love of  “CC” at the age of 9 and “KK” (perhaps a psychic prelude to the Kardashian empire) was all the rage…as was swapping a “y” or an “i”.  I digress…though a creative bug runs through my veins, I am eternally fascinated with the amazing finds on Etsy (best website – EVER!).

My newest ETSY obsession…

My love this week from Etsy comes from Coastal Moss…I actually just bought the little orange guy for my coffee table and couldn’t be more delighted at his modern Eames Era feel. I love him.  Anyone have suggestions on names? Please leave in the comments section below.

From Coastal Moss: This mini modern centerpiece has been made from a recycled toy. The planter has been painted thoroughly and sealed with care.This plant needs little care to survive. so please only feed a small amount of water a week.This planter is made with organic soil, succulent, forest moss & lichen that I have collected from the coastal redwood forest I live in.

While you are on etsy – spin by our Vintage Shop…http://www.etsy.com/shop/ChristabellesCloset

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Cool Peep of the Week: Jennifer Scully, Fairy Design-Mother…

9 Jan Cool Peep of the Week Header 400x100

By Christabelle…@CBellesCloset

WHO IS THIS COOL PEEP – JENNIFER SCULLY:

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Jennifer Scully
Interior Designer/Discount Furniture Dealer
and her gorgeous daughter, Lola.

A Long Island native, I began my career as a professional singer (an amazing 11 years that included touring with Enrique Iglesias’ band),   I am now a single mom to a beautiful 7 (going on 17) year old named Lola, an interior designer, discount luxury furniture dealer and animal lover. Realizing a gypsy lifestyle was not compatible with raising a “mini me”,  in 2004, I conceived and gave birth to ReDesign For A Dime.

I am truly blessed to be able to do something I love that allows me the flexibility to be there for my little one. Starting a business during a recession may not have sounded like a great idea to many at the time, but I knew I could succeed with my passion and drive. I have carved out a niche for myself and word of my discounts has traveled across the country and even across our northern borders into Canada. With a great demand for discount design decor, in  October of 2011, I opened my second business, Discount Designer Furnishings. Now I have an online catalog of the more than 200,000 deeply discounted, but oh so designer home pieces.

A FEW OF JENNIFER’S FAVORITE THINGS:
My daughter’s laugh, nice people, my 3 dogs and 2  cats, eating Greek salad on a Greek island, Italy, massages, helping others, cheese, very high heels, moving, B&Bs, redecorating, “Before” & “After” photos, a beautiful dress (and somewhere fabulous to wear it to).

HER WISH LIST:
Peace and a little house by the sea. That’s it.

WHAT IS HER FAVORITE HAUNT:
I love Emilio‘s restaurant in Commack, NY. The food is great and when Emilio is there, he’s always good for a brief dance around the restaurant.

WHAT IS ON JENNIFER’S IPOD RIGHT NOW:
I don’t own an iPod. Is that weird? I like Pandora and created a Carmen McRae station. She is so juicy.

WHAT HANDBAG IS SHE CARRYING RIGHT NOW AND WHAT’S IN IT:
A cream colored Coach bag. Listerine strips, business cards, a credit card plug-in doohickey for my iPhone, gum, floss, Makeup Forever lipliner and Sephora Kohl eyeliner.

WHAT SONG PLAYS IN THE ROOM WHEN SHE WALKS IN: 
Definitely Whatever Lola Wants!

WHERE CAN WE FIND THIS COOL PEEP OF THE WEEK NEXT?
You can sometimes find me working in my design showroom at 75 Main St in Cold Spring Harbor, NY. but more often I’m in my client’s homes.

I’m currently designing and overseeing a new construction in the Hamptons and collaborating on a furniture line with a local craftsman. I balance designing with selling/shipping furniture across the entire US and Canada and making “designer house-calls” clear across the nation. With a wave of my decorating wand, I  grant home-design wishes wherever I land.

Note from C: Want the scoop on the LOWEST prices around for furniture and designer (rumor has it so low they can’t even be published…that’s my kind of gal!) contact Jenn NOW and get your pad House Beautiful.

Jennifer Scully

I love being surrounded by timeless pieces mixed with whimsical things and I especially love anything reminiscent of the beach. For my clients, I design Moroccan bedrooms, Restoration Hardware-inspired dining rooms, uber-modern living rooms, cottage-style guest rooms or whatever style they so desire.

Follow Us On Facebook!e-mail me!DDFTwitter RDOD

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Do you C what I C…?

29 Dec Look What I Found Header 2

By Christabelle…@CBellesCloset

C.Wonder store Spring Street – Soho NY

Though I have never loved my name (scream Chris in a room and see how many people say “What?”), I was blessed with the best initials ever. Initials that have also provided me with the most magnificent nickname: CC.  Somewhere in my deranged psyche, I truly believe I am the secret heiress to Chanel (I mean – is it sheer coincidence my initials match their logo?? I think not.).

So I would be lying if I said I checked out C.Wonder for any other reason, but they have a TON of things with the letter “C” on them.  But what I found when I got there was WAY beyond just “the letter”.  What I discovered was a colorfully, ingenious store  – one that reminded me of an Andy Warhol painting of a bag of Skittles being poured over Montauk, NY (don’t go Googling that artwork – I just made it up). Modern prep and a bit of sass; delightfully perky sans the annoyance; perfect with imperfection sprinkled on top.  From a home decor perspective, C.Wonder is -  dare I say-  the love child of a threesome that happened one night between Anthropologie, Jonathan Adler and CB2. Yes I dared to.

With a vast selection and deliciously affordable price scales, how could I NOT buy my apartment some new presents…it is the gift giving season, no?

My Haul from C.Wonder

My Haul from C.Wonder

Do you Wonder what C bought? (ok, lame attempt in playing with words).  Here is what I walked away with:

The Monogram Mug (in “C” of course!): bought one for my man too, so he can cheers to his own initial with his coffee each morning, $10
Ikat Tea for One Set: now I can drink all of the fresh chamomile that I want (and in style), $38
Monogram Pillow Cover: DUH – in “C”, $44
Chevron Notecards Box: if you are a friend of mine, you know I am good on email/texts etc., but that I adore giving and receiving handwritten notes, $48

Though my birthday technically isn’t until April, I am accepting gifts early this year (wink-wink) – these are the diddys I still have my eye on at C.Wonder – they make perfect gifts for your favorite hostess, next door neighbor, best friend or FAVORITE BLOGGER.

Foo Foo Dog Set, $58

Cheese Markers Set of 6, $24

Polka Dot Soup Bowl, $12

Visit C.Wonder in NYC at: 72 Spring Street NY 10012 or online at C.Wonder.

From Zagat.com: Christopher Burch – Tory’s ex – knows from retail, as evidenced by his “whimsical” SoHo emporium that lives up to its name; “bright and exciting”, this “prep explosion” of inexpensive apparel, “hostess gifts” and personal gadgetry delivers an “Alice in Wonderland” experience that’ll have you “smiling in a New York minute”; if kvetchers quibble “quality isn’t top-notch”, ravers retort the “mood-inspired dressing rooms” alone “make a visit mandatory”

xo, christabelle

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DIY Kitchens and Paint…

15 Sep

By Christabelle…

With the cooler weather coming toward us full speed ahead, get your creative juices revved up and DIY your pad in style (and on a budget!).

When inspiration strikes, grab it! That can often be easier said than done when it comes to remodeling and updating your home, but not anymore.  From the popular Do It Yourself magazine comes Do It Your Self: Kitchens and Do It Yourself: 100+ Paint Jobs.  These books will not only guide the home remodeler to success but inspire anyone to make home renovations themselves.

Do It Yourself: Kitchens – Stunning Spaces on a Shoestring Budget  (Wiley Paperback; $19.99)                                                     

  • This do-it-yourself guide to kitchen remodeling presents an array of inspiring kitchen makeovers for $1,000, $2,500, $5,000 and $10,000.
  • Real-life before-and-after photos include budget breakdowns, solutions to common problems, and space-planning tips.
  • Hundreds of ideas from adding a paint-on message board, how to shop at unexpected places and incorporating personal touches are given to make creative changes to your kitchen.

Do It Yourself: 100+ Paint Projects – Fresh Ideas for Your Home (Wiley Paperback;  $19.99)

  • This book covers everything a DIYer needs to know about paint, from how to pick the right paintbrush to the best tips for painting walls, woodwork, furniture, fabric, and more.
  •  It features more than 100 paint projects, from creating decorative paint effects on walls and floors to stamping and stenciling window treatments to making over a piece of furniture.
  • Learn how a simple can of paint can transform any room

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Building a Nest…a PetitNest

7 Sep

By Christabelle…

PetitNest's Sophie Dresser/Changing Table

As a woman, your internal “baby” clock goes off without you doing a thing, right? Well, mine just went off as I perused the online store of PetitNest‘s  modern collection of nursery furniture (a brainchild of actress Tiffani Thiessen and designer Lonni Paul). The line made my eggs do a dance in hopes of someday living in a room filled with these delicious designs.

PetitNest, eco-friendly and made in the USA (go American pride!) – include not only a sublime selection of cribs, changing stations and gliders – but are soon to also sell a bevy of fashionable pillows, bedding collections and sheets for le petit YOU. Your bebe will grow up enveloped in ecologically hip craftsmanship and when it is time for “big kid” furniture, PetitNest’s all wood designs can easily transition into another room in the home (I see myself reading a good book in that Luc glider sans a baby and those stunning bird decals flying over my own “big girl” bed!).

actress Tiffani Thiessen and designer Lonni Paul

Breaking out of the traditional, formula of “pink” for girls and “blue” for boys, PetitNest opens up a child’s world by offering the full spectrum of the color palette for their room. With the growing trend of couples waiting until birth to learn the sex of their baby, PetitNest provides the ideal solution to the design challenge of creating a baby’s room that is equally suited to a boy or a girl. The collection empowers families to maintain the same high standards of style and design throughout their home in their children’s rooms by creating environments that seamlessly integrate into their homes.

All products can be purchased on the PetitNest website.

Local to Miami, Florida? Check out the collection in person at:

Give Wink
2570 NE Miami Gardens Drive
North Miami Beach, FL 33180
www.givewink.com
877.494.wink or 305.705.3341

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Queer Eye for AMAZING Bedding Goods…

16 Mar

By Christabelle…

In my former PR life, I had the joy of meeting Thom Filicia , when he was a part of the Queer Eye for the Straight Guy quartet and fell madly and deeply in love. Seriously, what more is there to love about Thom – he is handsome, hilariously funny and has impeccable taste. Thanks to the folks at QVC, I was enlightened to yet another thing I needed to obsess over Thom about…HIS NEW HOME COLLECTION. Yes, you heard me right, home goods and they are even more amazing than the man himself. OK…not quite, but damn close!

This Emmy-award winning television personality, best-selling author and renown interior decorator Thom Filicia launched his first bedding collection for QVC in February of this year and I have been snuggling with every piece I can get my hands on ever since – loving each gorgeously printed element better than the next. In a word, Thom and his line are MAGICAL!

Priced between approximately $28.00 and $250.00, the Thom Filicia line includes an assortment of bedding pieces, including comforter sets, decorative pillows and throw blankets that are perfect for updating any living space from a mansion to a dorm room. They are versatile, beautifully made and are designed with – well, an exquisite eye.

My personal faves (and your MUST-HAVE-GO-RIGHT-NOW-AND-BUY) are:

Thom Filicia 50″ x 70″ Throw

Like a big pashmina for my couch…have been snuggling in this so much, I haven’t gone to the office…hope my boss isn’t reading my blog today. Throw this into the mix. A lovely accent for your decor, this acrylic throw is also soft and cozy for snuggling. Ash and Blue Surf are my two personal color choices, but all are perfect for any room in the house!

Set of 3 Floral Vine Decorative Pillows

Could this bed look any more luscious…Thom’s new Floral Vine Decorative Pillows add just enough pop for the female in the house, with enough male form, function and base color palette for the man in the house. My man welcomed these into our home to help balance what he calls my overly “girly” bedroom decor.  Thom’s inspiration was wildflowers and their lush foliage. From the softly bending leaves of the purple iris, to the delicate stems of Adirondack wildflowers, the bedding evokes an organic, easy, botanical feeling. Not to mention, they are actually soft, yet sturdy if someone uses it for more than just “decorative” purposes.

2’6″x8′ Griffith Park Handtufted Wool/Viscose Rug

Walk all over my floors with this stunningly designed runner rug …Thom really won over my heart with this addition to his collection. This Emmy-award winning television personality, best-selling author and renown interior decorator Thom Filicia launched his first bedding collection for QVC in February of this year and I have been snuggling with every piece I can get my hands on ever since – loving each gorgeously printed element better than the next. In a word, Thom and his line are MAGICAL! Anyone who has tried to source the perfect runner for their home knows – there just aren’t too many fabulous ones out there. Not to mention there are full sized rugs to match – talk about tying up a perfect design story from room-to-room.  Made in India, The Griffith Park rug’s allover chevron pattern is a bold accent in any room, while its soft mixture of New Zealand wool and Viscose fibers feel amazing under your feet. What are your friends going to say when the first thing they see upon entering your home is this breathtaking runner? I already know…and it is ALL GOOD.  It is impressive beyond words…looks and feels way more expensive than its $230 price tag.

Another notable “need-to-have” from Thom Filicia’s QVC line:

Floral Vine 8-PC Comforter set (to match those schnazzy throw pillows mentioned above) – soft (and NO WRINKLES) 300TC, includes comforter, flat sheet, fitted sheet, two pillowcases, two shams, and one bed skirt.

Thank you Thom and QVC for allowing us all to decorate our homes in such style and class!

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How to Save Your Small Space…Thank you Ikea!

1 Oct

By Christabelle…

Let’s face it, NYC living (or any city living for that matter) can be not only expensive, but cramped and at times not very “user friendly”…But our friends at Ikea have come to the rescue with some space-saving kitchen ideas that will make you jump for joy (and make your wallet sigh happily!).

NYC KITCHEN - BEFORE

NYC KITCHEN - AFTER

Our client’s space came with a small kitchen – I mean SMALL…tiny, miniscule. And for a typical female, New Yorker, probably not a big deal – except, this client is a cooker. Not pop a can of soup in the microwave, but Food-Network-Iron-Chef create a magical meal from scratch cooker.

NYC KITCHEN - AFTER (2)

With a small addition of 2 Ikea Expedit bookcases (one Expedit 2 x 2 unit in white, bolted to the wall and one Expedit4×2 unit on its side), we were able to not only maximize existing wall space and otherwise wasted floor space, but created an ideal cutting surface and storage space for our queen of the kitchen. All for under $300!

With a small white shelf we also picked up at Ikea, we maximized the open space above the stove and moved the microwave. This opened up a large space for our client to install a countertop dishwasher.

Best of all – she was so happy with her kitchen make-over, she spent the money she saved on her home repairs for a kickin’ home cooked meal for the Christabelle team!

Thanks Parker – we hope you are in love with your new space as much as we are!

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