DESIGN FOR MEN

I was finally able to read my December issue of Elle Decoration UK. I was stunned to find that 1. H&M has a home collection and 2. the products are available in the online shop.  Not to mention that 3. the advertorial presents inspiring spaces for him and her.   I thought to myself, yes, 2011 is looking pretty good.

H&M brings their low price tag and attention to trends to their Spring collection for the home. While they are sticking to accessories for now, I foresee them venturing into furniture. Check out some of my favorites from the collection.

And a shot of the storefront of the London flagship store – ugh – yet another reason to be bummed that I don’t live there.

Photo Credits: 1. One Photographic, 2. Ria Trudgeon {Beautifully photographed by Damian Russel, click his name to check out his amazing work}, 3. Tea For Joy, and 4. Style Pantry

I am feeling especially thankful this Christmas as this is the first time ever that I am hosting family.  Yesterday,  a friend asked me what I wanted for Christmas and I quickly said, “nothing”.  And I thought to myself – hmm, it is uncommon for me to not list at least a couple of things.  And then it hit me, my family coming to visit DC is the best gift that I’ve received to date.

Wishing all of my readers, a holiday filled with cheer and the warmth of being surrounded by family…Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays!

I love the holiday season, especially because of the cheerful decorations. This weekend, I went crazy decorating. As a single guy, I wondered how I could balance incorporating Christmas (my holiday of choice) cheer and not going overboard. I figured that I would share how you can do just that.

1. Keep it simple – my place is small so I settled on 3 holiday statements – a tree, a wreath, and garland. Also keep the decor simple as well.

2.  Create a budget - prevents overspending

3.  Go real - while a personal preference, there is nothing like the smell and look of a real Christmas tree, wreath and garland

4. Get inspired - what do recall from your childhood? I started with how much I loved our large Christmas trees growing up. Rather real or fake, the tree was always at tall and full.  Image above from Apartment Therapy….great color palette and love the oversize ornaments

Here are some great options that inspired me this season.

THE PALETTE

Fruitfully Luxe I love this palette of rich cherry red, violet, plum, blackberry blue, and teal. Image from Apartment Therapy

Monochromatic and masculine. I love the ads for Macy’s this season featuring stylish duds in an equally stylish christmas back drop.  Note the great tone on tone gifts in chocolate and silver….Love that combination this season as well. Image from Glamour Boy

THE TREE

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My tree of choice this year  and perhaps for years to come is the Concolor Fir AKA White fir.  The trees tend to be quite full and quite wide in diameter but the overall look is phenomenal.   Here are some ideas for trimming the tree.

Images by Cupola House Tree and  Iowa State University

Fruitful Plumage

Monochromatic

Silver  with  subtle pops  of color

Love the gold and silver in the Macy’s tree and the pool of ornaments is fun touch – imagine integrating your gifts too.

Tree images Credits: Apartment Therapy 1,3 Your Nest Design 2, Macys 4

WREATH

My favorite wreaths and garlands incorporate magnolia leaves.  Perhaps it is because I am from the South.

Traditional Charm

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Pottery Barn Magnolia Wreath and Williams Sonoma Bay Leaf Wreath  – add a colorful bow to these beauties for some pop

Monochromatic

Crate and Barrel Centerpiece Wreath Champagne

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Neiman Marcus Shell Wreath and CB2 Bubble Ball Wreath or Garland – a little DIY project

Out of the Box

NM Lodge Wreath (R)- masculine and certainly a conversation piece, although I would loose the dangling spruce cones

GARLAND

My favorite wreaths and garlands incorporate magnolia leaves.  Perhaps it is because I am from the South.

Traditional Charm

Copper Ribbon Garland by William Sonoma – WS has great combos for wreaths and garlands

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Pottery Barn Magnolia Garland and William Sonoma Triple Berry Garland

Monochromatic

Vintage Beaded Glass Garlands – combining these will provide the look of the garland in the Macys ad I love.

Crate and Barrel Jingle Bell Garland

So have fun decorating this season but remember to keep it simple and classic so your decor will stand the test of time.

Although, I have been in denial, fall is here and winter approaches. The cold weather does mean wearing more clothes which means more opportunity to make a statement with your style. Here are 5 things I am obsessed with the Fall/Winter season.
1. Tailored Preppy American classics are back but with modern tailoring which I love.  And I especially love the clothing from Penguin this season.

2. Blazers & Ties Try dressing up more whether you have to or not…Add a skinny tie to an long-sleeve oxford and a herringbone blazer with dark blue jeans…For a more layered and warmer look add a cardigan or sweater.

3. Work Boots I am obsessed in general with boots but my favorite style this season is military and work boots in dark colors – black, charcoal, or brown.   Specifically, I am digging Corcoran Jump Boots…pretty easy to find on Amazon or even Ebay for a pre-owned pair.

4. The Vest Vests are an easy way to dress up  just about anything.  I especially love a vest with a henley or oxford shirt.

5. Black and Tan Not sure why but this winter – I am all about mixing blacks/grays with camel/tan colors.  I plan to pull out my Camel coat this winter and wear a black oxford, pants, and boots…and you should try it to.

IMAGE CREDITS: 1. The Fashionisto, 2. J Crew, 3. The Blaque Book, 4. Macys, 5. Eclectic Jewelry and Fashion

The search for a car has contributed immensely to decline in posts lately, my apologies.  However, I am pleased with my purchase and  I am loving my “new-to-me” 2009 Volkswagon Rabbit, pictured above.  I learned a great deal through this process and thought that I would share with you.

1.  Do your research! I am not a huge car person but you must be familiar with the following when purchasing a used car:

- Searching multiple sites, eg. Craigslist, AutoTrader, Cars.com

- Appraising using Kelley’s Blue Book or Edmunds

- Checking the Carfax report

- Getting cars checked out by a mechanic

- Financing (if you plan to get a loan)

- Certified Used Cars
Additionally, I found a lot of information on Edmunds.com to extremely helpful during the search, from articles, to reviews, to car listings, so start there!

2.  Know what you want! I decided to purchase a Volkswagen early on as I have always wanted a Jetta or a Golf (a.k.a. Rabbit). Focusing on these models made things easier as I looked for cars through private parties and dealers.

3.   Determine a budget and stick to it! As you begin looking at cars, it is surprisingly easy to lose sight of your budget.  And especially, don’t let a dealer or anyone lead you astray.  If you finance, pay attention to residual value so that you don’t wind up upside down on your loan – or owing more than the car is worth.

4.  Take your time! Avoid making  decisions on the spot.  I found great value in taking a night to think every time I came close to purchasing something.

5.  Go with your gut! Buying a used car involves risk so if your gut is telling you something is off – something is off!  I was considering purchasing a Jetta (pictured above) at one dealership and the manager was very brash and aggressive, all the while not explaining the fees assessed.  I just felt uncomfortable and despite the low price on the car.   I just got a real sleezy vibe and started questioning everything.  So, I left the dealership.  Best thing I could have ever done. Because….

I had a wonderful experience purchasing my car from the first salesperson I saw during my search.  We negotiated pricing and I feel that I received a great deal on this car.  He was exceptionally knowledgeable and never pressured me to buy.  In fact, he followed up with me the day before the shenanigans at the dealership mentioned above.  I just had to get back in touch with him because I felt more comfortable working with him.

So special thanks to Charles at Volkswagen Alexandria.  DC readers, if you are interested in a new/used VW, give him a shout.

IMAGE CREDITS:  2 from Edmunds

I have been noticing the resurgence of the attaché case and I love it.  There is something about carrying the right one that adds sophistication to the work ensemble.  I am coveting the St. James Lid-Over Attaché case by Ettinger of London.  The interior lining makes grabbing your computer or documents just a touch more special.  And aspects of the case can be customized specifically for you. Check out the Ettinger site for more info by clicking here.

Images courtesy of Ettinger of London

Since I am in the market for a car, I have been paying closer attention to what’s on the road.  I was walking home from work yesterday and saw a couple approaching me in this sporty Volvo.  I literally did a triple take.  The new 2011 Volvo C30 is a new four seat sports coupe, perfect for the city with 30 MPG on the highway.  And the hatchback is affordable as well, starting at $24,600.  While I had my eye on the Volkswagon Tiguan or Golf, I absolutely must test drive this beauty.

Images from Automobilemag.com

This weekend is the 11th Annual Side Walk Sale which is DC’s Downtown Neighborhood Hosts the Hottest End-of-Summer Weekend!  Stop by and enjoy special events, sales, restaurant deals, and family fun throughout MidCity!  Check out the MidCity Life site for more info, by clicking here.  The following are a few of my favorite spots participating.

RCKNDY
1515 U St NW
Save up to 80% on select furniture, décor, and gifts.
www.rckndy.com
202.332.5639

Urban Essentials
1330 U St NW

Floor samples discounted up to 70%, plus 15% off regular prices on everything else in the store!
www.urban-essentials.com
202.299.0640

Millennium Decorative Arts
1528 U St NW

Save 20-50% off Mid-Century furniture and decorative accessories throughout the store. www.millenniumdecorativearts.com
202.483.1218

Room and Board
1840 14th Street NW

Room & Board Celebrate Dog Days with dog biscuits and “people biscuits” from CakeLove for hungry shoppers and their four-legged friends.
www.roomandboard.com
202.729.8300

Images from MidCityLife

For over 40 years, Baxter of California, has been known for providing premium men’s grooming products.  This month, the company opened a shop on La Cienega Blvd. in Los Angeles, CA, called Baxter Finley Barber & Shop.  Named after the company’s founder, Baxter Finley, the shop showcase their products and barbers provide cuts and shaves for patrons.   The old world inspired design is masculine combining rugged features like Douglass fir flooring and exposed wood beams along with the sleek finishes including subway tile and marble counter tops.  The highlight is the restored Koken “White King” porcelain and leather chairs which are from the early 1900’s.  Kudos to Baxter for creating a refined shop that feels modern while retaining the tradition of the old school  barber shop experience.

IMAGE CREDITS: Images from Baxter Finley

These days, it is all about the rucksack, or as mom used to call it, the knapsack. These bags are no longer just for kids transporting books to and from school. The key to carrying off the look as an adult is simplicity – avoid crazy prints and stick to the basic materials, canvas and leather. The following versions which are great for the weekend or for an overnight trip. And hay, it doesn’t hurt that they make you feel like a kid again.

Ally Capellino Rucksack in plaid (above)

Archival Clothing Rucksack in black

Makr Farm Rucksack

IMAGE CREDITS: Selectism