Gray Matters

I don't typically think of gray as a summery color. I tend to reserve it for clothes I wear in fall and winter. However, I recently bought a super-soft gray wrap dress and it feels so right, even now in the height of summer.

But then I noticed the gorgeous gray dresses in Donna Karan's spring 2010 ready-to-wear collection on style.com. So beautiful! There really is something to be said for the hue, no matter the time of year.

Photos from here.

Drop-Dead Gorgeous

There's something really special about these necklaces by Lizix26 on Etsy. I love how your eye is drawn along the chain and rewarded with the beautiful stones, flowers, beads and charms at the end. Lovely!

Photos from here.

Pop It

Often, when I see homes and rooms in shelter magazines and on design websites, I'm drawn to serene white spaces. Gorgeous rooms that make you breathe deeply and settle in to a relaxed state.

But when I think about living in one of these homes, I get antsy and begin to mentally inject color.

So when I saw this slideshow on Canadian House & Home, I knew why I liked some of the rooms. They all have a glorious pop of color. An orange floor lamp, a purple dining table, bright yellow accents -- yes, yes, yes!

Photos from here.

Spot On

The travel bug has struck again and I'm itching to go somewhere. Anywhere, really, that's out of the ordinary and has the promise of seeing, hearing, tasting and experiencing new things.

Maybe that's why these prints by JHill Design are so appealing to me. I love how they epitomize the color, pattern and mood of each incredibly unique place.

Photos from here.

Pretty in Pink

Summer is in full swing ... and I've been socked with a cold. I very much dislike being sick in the summer. It feels like I'm missing out on so many great things. I want to be out and about, having fun with friends, hanging out with family, going on dates with my husband.

If I were feeling up to any of these activities, I would slip on a pretty pink dress, like one of these frocks from J. Crew. These muted colors are gorgeous and the silhouettes are simple -- perfect for adding on fun accessories. Ahhh, it will happen soon enough, I suppose.

Photos from here.

Made for Living

While all the spaces in our home matter to me, our living room is a special place. I want it to be comfortable as well as stylish, a place we crave and look forward to spending time in.

As I was perusing galleries on My Home Ideas, I found these living rooms particularly inspiring. Take a look:

Colorful, patterned accessories meld together nicely in this white room.

It's almost impossible to tell where the indoors ends and the outdoors begins.

Could anyone ever be crabby in a room this sunny?

Neutral tones look sumptuous thanks to lots of different textures.

I wish more rooms were this vivacious!

Photos from here.

Cool Cucinas

Everyone talks about the kitchen as being the heart of the home. Indeed, it's where we end up chatting at the end of a day, where friends inevitably congregate during parties. What's great is so many styles of kitchens are conducive to forging these types of connections.

Here are a few kitchens I liked at My Home Ideas.

I love this room! The blackboard walls are so irreverent and fun.

Equal parts clean and natural.

Can't you imagine talking with friends for hours at this table?

Such warm and luxurious materials!

This kitchen is graphically gorgeous.

Photos from here.