White Now

While I happily wear white all year long, there's something especially refreshing about it when temperatures rise. So I was excited to see a fantastic roundup of white clothes on Shopbop. Here are a few sleek dresses -- by Club Monaco, Susana Monaco and Tibi -- that I'd love to wear all summer long.

Photos from here. 

White Out

White is one of my favorite colors. It's endlessly fresh and crisp. I love wearing and decorating with it year-round, but there's something especially satisfying about it when the weather is warm. That's got to be one of the reasons white looks so good in this California home, featured in Architectural Digest. I'm digging the mod sixties flair of the place, too.

Photos from here. 

White Hot

It was so much fun spending the weekend with my family, and we got back in time to watch the Oscars on Sunday. I loved seeing what all the actresses were wearing. My favorite looks of the night were white, cream and blush gowns. So pretty!

Photos from here. 

White Out

After a very full and hectic week, it's quite nice to be forced to stay in this weekend. A big storm rolled through, canceling plans and keeping everyone in their homes. Outside, a thick blanket of snow is making everything brilliantly bright, and inside we're staying warm and not doing much at all.

The bright outdoor light brought to mind this fantastic Victorian, featured in Living Etc. White materials and simple-lined furniture seem the perfect counterparts to all the natural light this home gets. It's just lovely.

Photos from here.

Reset

Ahhh, this was a wonderful weekend. It was one of those weekends with the ideal mix of the fun of doing neat stuff and the satisfaction of getting things done. We went shopping (I didn't get a coat but I got some goodies), saw a movie, went to hear a band play, had a lazy date night in with a bottle of wine, went to breakfast, and cleaned the house top to bottom. So now it's Sunday night and I'm cuddling on the couch with my pup, enjoying a tidy home and looking forward to the week ahead. I feel reset, refreshed and ready for a new week.

I feel like I could be ready for anything if my bedroom looked like this one, photographed by Laure Joliet. I love the clean lines, texture and all that white. Something to work toward, I guess!

Photo from here.

Step it Up

The work day is over, it's blazing hot out and I'm going out to dinner with my man in a few hours. Whew!

I wish I had these sexy, summery sandals to step out in tonight, but even without them I think I'm going to have a good time.

Photo from here.

Decked Out

Wait a minute, when did it become Thursday? This week has been flying by, and it's only going to get busier. It's a good kind of busy, but nevertheless I am craving some nice, low-key relaxation time. I might have a little window on Saturday to kick back with a book on the deck. 

I hope the experience is as relaxing as this incredible deck, featured on Canadian House and Home, looks. The light wood and bright white is such an understated, elegant, calming and refreshing combination. Ahhhh ... 

Photo from here.

White Hot

White is one of my favorite colors to wear. I love it in winter and I especially love it in summer. It doesn't get more effortlessly chic than a simple white dress in sweltering weather.

A slew of gorgeous white clothes can be found on Calypso St. Barth, which I stumbled upon after seeing this lovely post on Black*Eiffel. Take a peek at some of the beautiful looks:

Bring it, summer. We're ready for ya!

Photos from here.

A Dose of Pretty

There's so much beauty in the world, isn't there? And so many talented people who take the time to capture perfect moments. I'm so grateful for that. And I'm happy to share these three gorgeous images by luvpublishing. They're perfection.

Photos from here.

A Pretty Place

What a busy week this has been -- and it's only Wednesday! I've hardly been at home at all, so I was excited to have a cozy night in with my husband and pup. It was lovely.

When life gets chaotic, I want more than ever for home to be a haven of calm. This beautiful house, showcased recently on the always fantastic Ill Seen, Ill Said, is a great inspiration for this. All that white, offset with touches of wood and pops of color, would make coming home at the end of a long day a very happy experience.

Photos from here.

Know Thyself

This weekend has been filled with lots of the things I love: going out for sushi with my husband, getting lost in a book, going for a long run, cuddling with the pup and devouring a big stack of magazines checked out from the library.

While there's hardly a magazine I won't read -- or enjoy, most likely -- I was blown away by the September 2009 issue of House Beautiful. I know, it's a little old but this, the Fall Color Issue, is packed with info that's anything but dated. There are house tours to pore over, a feature on the color amethyst and lots more.

But what I especially love is the back page, which lists twenty questions that help determine one's "color personality." I love this type of thing, just for the chance that it will help me understand myself better. And indeed, this quiz was quite illuminating. Here are HB's questions and my answers:

1. What's the first color you see in the morning? Either the pale turquoise of our bedspread or the soft white afghan knitted by my grandma that I pull on top at night or the light gray walls of our bedroom.

2. What color are your eyes? Blue -- like denim, really.

3. What color do you wear the most? I definitely have a thing for dark pink.

4. What color do you never wear? Coral.

5. What color do you wear when you want to feel sexy? Black most of the time, but white in summer or on vacation.

6. What color gets you the most compliments? Usually blue, sometimes yellow.

7. What color is your lipstick? I'm more of a gloss girl, but I have a deep pink lipstick I like.

8. What color was your living room when you were growing up? White.

9. What color was your bedroom growing up? Lavender. I really, really wanted this color although I don't remember why.

10. What color are your sheets? White -- definitely my preference for sheets.

11. What color was your favorite crayon as a child? Green, my favorite color for awhile as a kid.

12. What color is your car? White.

13. What color was your prom dress? Light turquoise, actually the same hue as my bedspread. Weird.

14. What's your favorite gemstone? Diamonds or sapphires.

15. What is your favorite flower? Pink peonies and white tulips and roses.

16. What color makes you happiest? A cheery yellow.

17. What color depresses you? That really awful mint green.

18. What color calms you? Deep blue.

19. What color makes you grind your teeth? Warm beige.

20. What color would you like to try, but are scared to? I'm kind of intrigued by champagne, either in a formal dress or some sort of home accessory.

Here's what I've learned: Apparently I really like white, blue, deep pink and pale turqouise, with a little gray, yellow and green thrown in. Cooler shades all around. In our house, these are the prominent colors. Wow, right on!

White Hot

White holds a special place in my wardrobe. It's the hue of my handbag, many of my favorite tops, a few warm-weather dresses and waaay too many pants. But the final frontier for white in my closet are shoes. So I'm intrigued by this spring's white shoe trend. I hopped on Piperlime and found lots to love:

Nexi by Rock & Republic

Atwood by Naya

Denise by L.A.M.B.

Telepop by Michael Antonio

Gaie by Jessica Simpson

Photos from here.

Peaceful, Easy Feeling

There's something really charming about this Evanston cottage. The combination of white walls and gorgeous woods creates a peaceful feel. And I love those numbered plates in the kitchen!

Photos from here.