The Leontine Look for Less

The Fretwork Collection by Leontine Linens

I don't know of anyone who hasn't lusted over Leontine's lustworthy linens at some point. Not only is the quality superb, the attention to detail is unparalleled. Their designs are both fresh and classic, but very, very pricey (they are definitely investment pieces). Today as I was browsing around on the internet, I came across the Solano Bedding Collection from Z Gallerie which looks very similar to Leontine Linens' Fretwork Collection for a fraction of the price. Now, I know that Z Gallerie is notorious for knocking off designs, but I think that this is a great option for someone looking for a similar look without spending a small fortune. Some of the details are a little different. For example, Leontine uses percale and poplin, while Z Gallerie uses 500 thread count sateen and the color selection and direction of the pattern are slightly different as well. All in all though, it seems like a great option!

The Solano Collection by Z Gallerie

Images via Leontine Linens and Z Gallerie

Urban Market Recap

So, it's over! Like a wedding you spend months preparing for, the Urban Market has come and gone in a flash. My husband and I are both pretty tired from an exhausting weekend of pre and post market activities, but we had a ton of fun in the process. The Urban Market brought out a great crowd. We even had a line of people waiting to get in at 9:00 am! The flow of people was pretty steady throughout the day and we sold quite a few things. I am thinking about possibly selling some of the things that are left here on the blog.

My favorite thing about the day was seeing several blogger friends who came to say hi and to lend their support, including Courtney of Under a Paper Moon, Sarah of Jeune Marié, Lauren of Material Girls and Joni of Cote de Texas. I also loved the countless people who came by to tell me that they are fans of my blog! I chatted with several of them for quite a while and thought everyone was really sweet. It is still a little surreal to think that people actually read my blog and I am incredibly flattered to have such amazing readers!

A huge thank you to my dear husband, Fabian for his unwavering support and for doing all of the heavy lifting as well as to my awesome booth partner, Carolina of Carolina Eclectic. I had so much fun doing the show with you!

My Ikat Chairs

A Few More Chairs in My Booth

A Pair of Knoll Brno Flat Bar Chairs in My Booth

Carolina's side of the booth was filled with tons of cool accessories, vintage finds, and mid-century furniture.

Carolina's super cool military trunk and feeding troughs are in the foreground; my chairs are in the background.

The biggest downside of having a booth at the Urban Market is the fact that it doesn't really allow you the time to explore the booths the way you would as a shopper. I usually love going into every single booth and normally take lots of pictures. This time around, I was only able to take some pictures of our booth and of a couple of booths on the way to the bathroom.

My Sweet Friend, Sally Wheat's Booth

Our Neighbor's Booth- I think four or five women shared this space. A few of them have booths at Memorial Antiques and Interiors.

This Week's Quote

Don't Forget!

A Tiny Sneak Peek of What You Can Expect To See in My Booth

I hope everyone has a restful or exciting weekend, depending on what you are craving. How about a little of both? If you are in Houston, don't forget to come visit me at the fabulous Urban Market on Sunday from 9:00 am until 4:00 pm.

I am still busy getting everything ready to go for this weekend. Consequently, my house looks like it was hit by a hurricane, which is why I am only showing you these beautiful chairs for now. They are from the 1950s and were lovingly painted by my talented husband and then meticulously reupholstered. They are just a tiny bit of what I will have, so make sure you come check it out!

Noteworthy

I am so excited about the fabulous stationery I just ordered. I love stationery and have tons of it. I love sending a nice card and it is always nice to get one in the mail, too! Two days ago, I was browsing on Etsy and came across these lovely designs by Ana Stella. I received an e-mail yesterday saying that they are already headed my way. I can't wait for them to arrive!

Come One, Come All!

In the past, I have shared my trips to Houston's Urban Market with you. Well, it takes place again this Sunday and I will have a booth there along with Carolina of Carolina Eclectic. I will be selling some custom vintage furniture along with a fabulous assortment of lamps and many other items representative of my style here at La Dolce Vita. If you live in Houston or are close by, please stop by and say hello (and maybe buy something :))!

Click here to read about my trip to the Urban Market in November 2008. The images in this post are from the Urban Market this past February.

P.S. I will try to give you a sneak peek of my wares before Sunday. We are working vigorously to get everything organized and ready to go!

Personal Style, Defined: Katiedid

A couple of weeks ago, I was really inspired by a topic on Decorum: If someone asked you to define your personal decorating style in three words, what would they be? It led me to do a post defining my own style, but I also felt inspired to ask some of my favorite bloggers how they would define their personal style. My goal is to bring together some of my favorite bloggers and to showcase their different styles. I want to focus on the importance of individuality and personal style. Even if we identify with a particular style or trend, no matter how popular it may be, there is always a way to make it our own. "The Personal Style, Defined." series will feature a different blogger each week, who will share a room with us that is the embodiment of her personal design aesthetic.

Katie's gorgeous console table changes with the seasons.

To kick things off, I couldn't have asked for a sweeter or more talented blogger. Katie Denham, of katiedid writes one of the first design blogs I ever read and has always been personable and accessible. Katie is a super talented interior designer who has a knack for writing. She recently decided to start her own design firm, Katie Denham Interiors, which is already doing quite well. Without further ado, I present Katie's "Personal Style, Defined."

First, I wanted to thank Paloma for inviting me to participate in her “Personal Style, Defined.” series! I have been thinking about how to define my personal style. Not all that easy really. There are so many styles I love to work with for my clients, and so many styles I love to see from other designers. I try many of them on for size for myself….in my own home. Some work for me…some don’t. Sometimes I find that an idea or an object I thought I would never tire of, I start to see everywhere…..so, like a song that is overplayed on the radio….I have to turn the station to something new.

So, back to the question. Defining my style. I think it is tailored, timeless and fresh, with a little bit of something unexpected or humorous so as not to be static. I like traditional rooms with a modern twist. I like modern rooms with a traditional classicism.

The room above is a place where my family spends the bulk of our time. We think about, plan for, prepare and eat meals at home a lot. The feeling I wanted was of a beach house with lots of windows, lots of light. And I wanted it to tie in with the rest of our 1911 house. I used v-groove paneling , beams, and open shelving to create a casual atmosphere. The wood floors are used throughout the rest of the house as well. So….to add a little something different, I used four industrial beaker type light fixtures above the island, and added the modern classic barstools by Bertoia.

Paloma asked what our favorite thing was in the room we were posting. I would have to say, in this room, it would be my dog, Cooper. After all, he is a classic….sort of like an Eric Clapton song.


A huge thanks to Katie for being the first one to take the plunge in this series! Your kitchen is absolutely gorgeous!