Summer brings an abundance of possibilities to entertain family and friends. That’s why I scrolled back through my archive and decided to give this simple summer table blog an update. Whether it’s an al fresco get-together or a fun Fourth of July celebration, creating a simple and chic table is easy. Here’s a look back to how I designed an effortlessly easy table setting for summer. I still use this table setting today! It has become a go-to when I need to create a nice tablescape last minute.

Original Posting Date: July 17, 2018

It’s finally here! One of my favorite sales of the year is the Nordstrom Anniversary Sale. They have so many designer items and luxurious beauty essentials for a discounted price. That includes my favorite brands Nars and Veronica Beard. The sale doesn’t officially start until July 15th. However, their early access sale is going on right now. So I decided to browse their sale selection to help you all find the best picks! Items usually sell out quickly so shop while you can now. See my favorite picks in fashion, beauty, and home decor below.

Make sure you activate Chirpyest while you’re shopping the Nordstrom Anniversary sale. You can earn 3.5% cash back from your total cart at Nordstrom. I never shop online without the browser extension. Trust me…the cash back adds up quickly! If you’re not already a member, then join here.

Doing a guest room makeover has been on my list of things to do for weeks! I recently was approached to do an Instastories partnership with Home Depot for a bedroom makeover. I love the final result so much, I decided to blog about it. This post is not a sponsored post. 

The dilemma remains, rug vs no rug in the dining room. I am trying to decide what to do at my house. Currently, I do not have a rug under the dining table. I always thought it was weird to have a table full of food over any surface other than hardwood, stone or tile, but lately, all these fabulous dining rooms with rugs under the table changing my mind. Dining tables with rugs underneath them are winning me over.

Let’s decide on the rug or no rug debate. Here are a bunch of great dining rooms: some with a rug under the table, some without. Which do you think looks better in these fabulous dining rooms? I found a few great ones with rugs under the table and a few without.

Bringing you an almost 360 view of my dining room this Tuesday morning. I have not shared photos of this room because I have no really good photos of my dining room or house for that matter. Over the last few months, in a world where everyone has beautifully curated and edited images of their lives, I have recently realized I am not a great photographer or photo editor. I have thousands of photos on my phone that you may never see. I take the photos and then I think “oh…these photos aren’t good enough and I do not really know how to use photoshop to make them look good…oh well now my phone is running super slow and I can’t use half of my apps because my memory is clogged with photos that I will never share. Darn it.” Anyhoooo, needless to say, today I am not letting photo self-consciousness hold me back. I am in the mood to share, so here are some angles on my dining room…an eclectic design really with a mix of things I love. My dining room style is a mix of things that probably only I like…a combination that no one else in the world would probably pull together. Maybe this room decor and these photos are a visual allegory of sorts…a metaphor for celebrating unique points of view. While my photos may not be pro-quality social media-ready, they are my photos and they are in a way me. Imperfectly perfect…

Happy May! I just made a pretty big update in my breakfast nook. Can you spot it?!

Ok, I’ll just tell you. I recently opted to switch out the chandelier in the nook and I couldn’t be happier with the decision. Sometimes it’s nerve wracking to take the leap on a design switch, but I’m all about following your gut.

Take a look at how my new light fixture changes the feel of the room (below)!

The best made plans…often go awry.  When that happens, I use spider mums!  This lovely spring centerpiece I used for an Easter gathering actually came together by mistake.

It ended up being the perfect, bright and fresh addition to the table setting — and it’s so simple to make, you could throw this together for any occasion!

So here’s what happened… I had 12 members of my family over earlier this month. The *perfectly-planned* plan was for a lovely garden filled with blue hydrangea.  If you caught my girl boss luncheon post… kinda like that! And my menu included barbecue chicken, lightly dressed kale salad, fennel and tomato salad, corn bread and from my Caribbean background the family gathering staple, Haitian rice (red rice and beans).

Time for another micro makeover!

I found these iron chairs at the Long Beach flea market years and years ago. I can’t remember exactly, but let’s say they were $100 for the pair. They were purple and pretty beaten up, but had great lines.

With a little love and inspiration from my favorite Casamidy, I was able to get these chair living room ready!

Take a look at the transformation (below).

Introducing my cozy breakfast nook!

I love having a special space in my home that is bright and inviting — the perfect place to have a cup of coffee and start my day!

Whether you have a whole room or just a corner, these ideas will help you create a charming place to grab a quick bite before heading out or dine with the whole family. Have a look (below)!

Ladies who lunch!

I recently held a spring luncheon for four fantastic women to discuss a project we’re all collaborating on. There is nothing more inspiring than being surrounded by fellow girl bosses supporting each other and being able to create together!

I invited everyone over to my house for a gathering on my patio – which ended up being the perfect way to celebrate the beautiful spring weather!

Follow along (below) to see how I pulled it off!

The world changes when we change our perspective.

Every day I’m noticing little things about my new home in Beverly Hills that makes me fall even more in love with this property. The other day I was walking around the back of the house through the gated tunnel to my courtyard, when I realized I had never seen the view from this angle before.

I know this may seem like a trivial example, but it got me thinking about how we have the power to take what we see every day and look at it from a different perspective and be enlightened to even more beauty.

Slowly but surely my room is coming together!

As you probably have experienced, picking out a rug is truly a process! For my bright master bedroom, I went back and forth between having a rug… having a colorful rug… or having no rug at all! Ultimately I decided on this muted grey COCOCOZY ring rug — and I couldn’t be happier!

I know, I know — straying away from a Moroccan or vintage worn Persian style rug is a design risk, but I’m choosing to step outside the box! This is me in 2018!

It truly is the little things that make life happy.

Every morning when I wake up, walk down the stairs and see this morning light in my living room, I am filled with such great joy! It’s easy to start the day with a positive mind when greeted with such a cheerful and bright glow.

The past few years have been a roller coaster for me (to say the least) — and I’m feeling extremely grateful to have found this Spanish style Beverly Hills house after making the difficult decision to sell my tiny little cottage in the Hollywood Hills. 

The radiance in this special spot of my “home for now” reminds me to embrace all the newness that comes with this next chapter!

Welcome to my guest bedroom!

I absolutely love having a special place for my visitors to stay — and I want to make sure they feel right at home while in town!

My intention was to create a warm and inviting room by having attention to detail but ultimately keeping things simple. So far I’ve gotten the stamp of approval from my mother and best friend — so that’s how I know the transformation was a success!

Things are coming together over here in Beverly Hills!

Many of you may remember my old patio from my tiny cottage in Hollywood Hills — and now I’m taking elements of that space and incorporating it into my new oasis!

Welcome to my personal sweet spot… the upstairs patio of my home that is nestled in the hills and surrounded by beautiful palm tree views. An instant calm!

Is it just me or did January fly by? I wrapped 2017 by throwing an over-the-top winter dinner party for about 30 of my family and friends — and I’m just now getting around to sharing it with all of you! Better late than never!

If you watch my Instagram Stories, you know this was definitely a design-as-you-go project… so this one goes out to all the readers who are willing to fly by the seat of your pants!