Life lately through the instagr.am lens...

Hi lovelies, I hope you all had a brilliant weekend! I thought I'd share a bit of life lately according to {instagr.am} to give you a peek of what I've been up to...

{one} I spent most of yesterday working, but I'm loving my workspace and fresh roses sitting on my desk always make me smile.


{two} My go-to salad right now is a mix of baby spinach, blanched asparagus, cherry tomatoes + grilled haloumi + topped with balsamic dressing - so yummy!

{three} I bought a Tocca candle for the first time a couple of weeks ago and oh my goodness, it smells amazing. My favourite candles are the ones where the scent lingers in the air long after it has been put out and the Tocca Brigitte does exactly that!


{four} My sister, who is very much into raw + organic food lately, baked these yummy carrot cupcakes for us on Saturday night - these are not only raw + organic, but also sugar free + yes, they tasted delicious!

{five} I'm loving my new striped JCrew blazer + have been wearing it a lot recently, its' so comfy + I always love wearing stripes.


{six} A few glossies on my reading pile at the moment: Madison, O Magazine + Real Living.




I hope you're week is off to a wonderful start!


Rachel xo

happy weekend + lovely links

Happy weekend friends! Another week has flown by + leading us closer to winter here in Oz. The days are starting to get shorter + I've noticed the temperatures subtly starting to become cooler. I'm looking forward to seeing my sister over the weekend + have loads of work to do on the product I'm launching in a couple of weeks. Things will be a bit quiet on the blog next week as its starting to get a bit crazy on the work front. It's all very exciting though + I can't wait to share the new site I've been working on with you! 

Here are my favourite lovely picks this week....

* The Sydney home of Sally Campbell featured on the Design Files.


* A lovely way to organise + store spices.


* 16 things you can learn from Mad Men.


* Helpful ways to overcome blogger's block.


* A charming cottage with a lovely white + duck egg blue palette; styled by Shannon Fricke.


And in case you missed it....


* Currently Coveting {navy}


* I shared my Monday Inspirations over at The Peak of Tres Chic.


* Sam shared her 5 Lovely Things.

* The minimalistic workspace of Rachel Duister.

* I loved this  gorgeous editorial featuring Olivia Palermo for Lifestyle Mirror.




Have a wonderful weekend!


Rachel xo




Image credit: Unknown, please let me know if you know the original source!

Olivia Palermo for Lifestyle Mirror

Its no secret that I love Olivia Palermo + her fabulous sense of style, so I couldn't help but post about this shoot she did for LifeStyle Mirror with her beau, Johannes Huebl. The wildly decadant scenes were shot in Paris at the Le Meurice Hotel in between the shows during Fashion Week and feature the couple wearing perfectly accessorised attire, looking nothing short of amazing...

Olivia leads a crazy, but utterly glamorous life that is so much fun to peer through the lens of, don't you think?


Rachel xo




Image credits: Photographs by Sofia Sanchez and Mauro Mongiello. Directed by Robert Rabensteiner for Lifestyle Mirror. Discovered via Dreams + Jeans.

Wednesday Workspace {minimalistic}

I made the lovely discovery of newly the redesigned studio of Rachel Duister, founder of the shop Fashionology, today. I adore the industrial feel of her minimalistic workspace that still manages to have loads of personality. How fun is the swing she has set up for guests as a seat?

Happy hump day friends!

Rachel xo

Image credit: I Love Fashion News via Desire to Inspire.

5 lovely things {the peak of tres chic}

Hello lovelies! I'm thrilled to introduce you to Sam from The Peak of Tres Chic, who is sharing her 5 Lovely Things today! Sam's blog is always an inspiring read + I love her Boudoir of the Day series where she features the most glamorous bedrooms - do stop by + say hello!

***

Bonjour, Little Bits of Lovely readers!  It's Sam, editor of The Peak of Tres Chic.  I am thrilled to be here posting on Rachel's blog.  She has the best taste and I can't help but love that she is an Aussie- just like my boyfriend!  There are so many things in life that inspire me, so choosing just 5 is quite a challenge.  But here is my best attempt...

1 | 2 | 3 |4 | 5

{one} Travel -- Travel is such an important part of my life and the woman I have become.  I was fortunate enough to travel internationally with my family growing up.  Seeing the world has helped broaden my perspective and generally made me a more passionate person.  

{two} Music -- Music is a large part of my life as well.  I love discovering new bands and going to concerts and music festivals.  It's amazing how a particular song can remind you of a time in your life, a person, or an event.  There is such strong emotion tied to music.

{three} Fresh Blooms -- Nothing brightens up my day like flowers.  I like to pick up a fresh bouquet for my kitchen once a week.  It gives life to my whole house!  Although I do not have a backyard or a space for a garden at my current home, I would love to have a little garden some day!

{four} / {five} Pretty Shelves + Vanities -- Well-designed shelves and vanities are one of my favorite elements in a home.  It can be hard to combine just the right amount of color, texture, and shape to make them look pretty rather than disorganized or busy.  I also love that they can provide a vignette that tells a story about the decorator.  Often times there are framed pictures, trinkets picked up along vacations or discovered at flea markets.

I hope you enjoyed my 5 lovely things!  Rachel, thank you so much for having me over. I hope you will stop by the The Peak of Tres Chic and say "Hi!"

currently coveting {navy} + a guest post

Slightly preppy, but very chic, navy is a colour I can't get enough of recently.

Perhaps its the change of season and the prospect of cooler months ahead, but I have been obsessing over everything navy lately. High on my wish list for the season are these gorgeous  ballet flats + I have just bought the classic schoolboy blazer which I'm looking forward to arriving.

Here are a few favourite navy picks...

1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7

I'm also guest posting today over at Sam's gorgeous blog, The Peak of Tres Chic, so pop on over to see my Monday morning inspiration!

Hope you're week is off to a fabulous start,

Rachel xo

Image credits: 1 | 2 | 3 | 4

happy weekend + lovely links

Happy weekend friends! I've been super busy in my day job this week as the project I've been working on for the past 6 months is nearing launch so it is a mad rush to finish it - I know this weekend will involve lots of latte's! I'll hopefully squeeze in time to catch up on your lovely blogs + a some long runs with Charlie to keep myself sane...

Here are my lovely picks this week...


* Nicole reveals the incredible bachelor pad she designed.


* I loved this Mad Men-editorial for US Vogue, styled by Grace Coddington. (discovered via Helen)


* Kinfolk Magazine collaborated with Etsy to create the loveliest video recipe on homemade pesto.


* Leighton Meester looks gorgeous in her editorial + cover for Marie Claire.


* Beautiful interior shots of a photographer's home.


I have also just ordered one of these lovely cushions from a new Australian Etsy store I discovered + I can't wait for it to arrive!


Do you have any exciting plans? Wishing you a wonderful weekend,


Rachel xo




Image credits: Penny Pickard, shot by Steven Chee for Fashion Quarterly New Zealand. Via Fashion Gone Rogue.

Love her style :: Emily Weiss, Into The Gloss

I've been a big fan of beauty blog Into The Gloss for a while now; I'm a bit of a beauty fiend myself and have a bathroom stacked full of products, so I always find it fascinating to get an insight into other people's beauty routines. 


It wasn't until recently, when I noticed one of Emily's street style pics on Vanessa Jackman's blog, that I had seen the woman behind Into The Gloss, but what a lovely discovery it was as her style is a perfect take on classic with an edgy twist, and so very chic. 


Here are a few of my favourite looks...

Are you a fan of Emily's signature style?

P.S Would you be interested in a peek inside my beauty bag? I've been thinking about doing a post on it for a while, but was kinda apprehensive given I don't ever write about beauty stuff...


Only one more day until the weekend. Thank goodness. 


Rachel xo


Image credits: 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5

Wednesday Workspace {colourful + cozy vintage}

This colourful workspace caught my eye today and I'm loving how the gorgeous vintage pieces have been used to create such a warm + cozy space. The key focal points of the room - the yellow chair, the industrial-style pendant light + the subway sign art - really make the room visually pop... And I do love the effect those fabulous lime-wash floors have. 


What are you loving about this cozy little space?


Hope you're having a brilliant Wednesday,


Rachel xo




Image via: 79 Ideas

Tuesday inspiration :: Life's a beautiful thing

Images: 1 | 2 | 3

Side by side :: Black + White

Happy Monday lovelies! I had a great weekend and got a chance to catch up on my glossy reading, which included the latest issue of Lonny. I was thrilled to see that two of the homes featured a black and white palette - but that was where the similarities ended, as they had each been decorated in completely opposing styles: the first a Malibu beach house and the second a chic NY apartment...


First up was the cape-cod style beach house, owned by designer and boutique owner, Tobi Tobin who has decorated her home beautifully with a mix of modern furniture and antiques + vintage finds... I would be impossible not to feel uplifted + inspired waking up and staring at that incredible view every day...

The second home was that of Laura + Diego Garcia, who successfully managed to fuse together modern elegance with an edgy flair. The result is a very glam + rock-chic apartment which complements both of their individual styles perfectly...

So, there you have it: two opposing styles both using the same colour palette; do you have a favourite?


Check out the rest of the issue here.


Happy Monday friends!


Rachel xo




Image credits: March/April Lonny Mag

{happy weekend + lovely links}

Happy weekend friends! I had to share the lovely pics of Lauren Conrad's closet, as featured over at The Coveteur. I'm having a major crush over her beautiful Louis-style love seat; how charming is it?


:: Here are my favourite picks this week ::


* Make your shoes into a lovely decorative display.


* Love this pretty pink chalkboard idea.


* 3 budget-friendly home makeover ideas


* The charming house tour of Anthology Magazine's copy editor, Kate Woodrow.


* 11 ways to uncomplicate your life.


* Online glossy reading: a new look Ivy + Piper & Matchbook  


:: And in case you missed it ::


* Spotted Style


* A guest post:: Sydney City Guide


* Ada popped in to share her 5 Lovely Things


* Bright + happy workspace


 * Taylor Tomasi Hill's colourful New York apartment.


Thank you for stopping by this week; I wish you a wonderful weekend ahead!


Rachel xo






All images: The Coveteur

Taylor Tomasi Hill's New York Apartment

Taylor Tomasi Hill, Moda Operandi's artistic director + former accessories director for US Marie Claire, has the kind of apartment that I could only dream about: it's in New York to start with, but then there is the fabulous use of colour, maximised to breathe life into the all-white walls; plus the decorative mix of quirky vintage pieces. 


But what makes me love Taylor's unique style is her design philosophy that she describes as "a little bit of everything...sometimes it works and sometimes it doesn't, but that's what makes it fun". Yep, I have to agree, the fun part about decorating is experimenting and discovering your own style...

Is that shoe collection not amazing? What are you loving about Taylor's apartment?




Rachel xo




Images via: Vogue

Wednesday Workspace {colour me happy}

This workspace is making me happy. Not sure if it's the bright orange chair or clock; or those glorious white walls brimming with lovely art + pretty plates.

Either way, this space has put a smile on my face today.

Hope you're having a fabulous Wednesday!

Rachel xo

Image credit: Design*Sponge

5 Lovely Things {Classiq}

Hello lovelies! Today I'm excited to relaunch the 5 Lovely Things series on the blog and who better to start it off than one of my favourite bloggers and long time friend in the blogosphere, Ada, who pens the beautiful Classiq. 


Ada's blog is one of my daily reads and I'm always inspired by her supremely classic + chic perspective on all things fashion and of course, film + cinema.  Thank you Ada!

***

{one} Books and magazines :: My blog is mainly about fashion and classic movies, but reading was my first passion. And still is. Reading broadens your horizons and enriches your knowledge and culture. I deeply cherish every book I own, be it fiction, biography, history, fashion or film book. As for my fashion magazines, I've been collecting them for years and they have proven to be a constant source of inspiration.


{two} My classic film DVD collection :: The story telling, the black and white cinematography, the style icons, the Hollywood glamour, the Italian neo-realism, the French poetic realism, the German expressionism, a form of art. Just like reading, films open up your mind.


{three} My watch :: I don't leave the house without it. Simple, classic design, masculine style. A symbol of elegance and dependability.


{four} Summer :: It is by far my favourite season, every sun-drenched day is a joy. I feel reborn or like a fish in the ocean in the summer, a time when I truly believe that everything is possible.


{five} Camera :: It's always in my bag. A photograph speaks volumes and I love capturing as many beautiful moments as I can.


Thank you for having me over, Rachel.

***

Thank you Ada! 

If you haven't yet visited Ada's beautiful blog, do head on over now.

Rachel xo

Spotted! {+ a guest post}

Welcome to a brand new week lovelies! How was your weekend? Mine was bliss - after working the past few weekends it was so nice to catch up with girlfriends for dinner + treat myself to a bit of pampering!


Lately, I've been crushing in a serious way over all things spotted + pretty polka dots. It started when I found this gorgeous organiser, but now they seem to be popping up everywhere!

Anyone else going crazy over polka dots too?


I'm also guest posting today over on Andrea's blog, so hop on over to check out my Sydney City Guide - a must if you are planning on visiting Sydney any time soon!


Happy Monday friends!


Rachel xo




1|2|3|4|5|6