Back from...

Mom and Dad are finally back from their vacation, and they've been sending me pictures.

Wonder where they were? I'll give you two hints.

First: it's about as far away from Key West as you can get in the Continental U.S.

And second:



Any guesses?

We'll be back tomorrow with more details.

What's Your Signature Color?

Ever since that famous "blush and bashful" line from Steel Magnolias, I've always loved the idea of having a signature color. And even better - to take it one step further and personalize it.

In or out, I've always gravitated to pastels. Either as a backdrop or as a full theme...both interiors and ensembles...those pale, ethereal shades are my true north when it comes to color.

So when you say you have a favorite color - a signature color, if you will - what does that mean? Is is bright or pale? Or does it depend on the venue? Do you like a lot of it or just a splash? Or does it depend on the day?

Pick a color - any color:
















I have to say - it's hard to decide... But I do respect a girl who is bold enough to make her signature colors "pink and pink."







Images via: A Life Through the Lens, Sherrill Canet, Elizabeth Dinkel, Maureen Footer, Angie Hranowsky, Hillary Thomas, Palmer Weiss, Michael S. Smith, the lil bee, Wren and Chickadee

Color Stories: Sand and Surf Inspiration

We've now had five days of guest bloggers (see Anne Harwell of Annechovie HERE, Robin of Around the Island Photography HERE, Megan of BonBon Rose Girls HERE, Linda of Lime in a Coconut HERE, and Anna from An Inch of Gray HERE). Today is our last guest post, and it comes from Lindsey of A GreatFull Day and The Bright Side Project.

I've been a big fan of Lindsey's for a while now. Not just for her great eye for fashion and design...OR for her incredible artistic talent...but also for her kind heart (see the editor's note at the bottom). If you're ever looking for design ideas, general life inspiration, or just some good 'ol eye candy, add her blogs to your daily reads.

Welcome Lindsey!

Hello all!

Lindsey from A GreatFull Day and The Bright Side Project here! I'm so honored that Kate asked me to do a guest post here. I've grown up with a love for the beach as my first trip to the sea was when I was a mere 9 months old. Each year come spring I begin feeling my annual "beach fever" and know I need to return to the place that makes me feel most at peace.

Right now I am loving decor inspired by the sand and surf so I decided to share my favorites with you guys:


Enjoy and happy weekend!

Image credits top to bottom: Coastal Living, Country Living, West Elm, Melissa Barbieri, Beckster740, Coastal Living

EDITOR'S NOTE: As a lifelong Louisiana resident, Lindsey feels a strong connection to the tragedy unfolding daily along the Gulf Coast. So she's decided to offer a photo print from her Etsy shop and donate 100% of the proceeds to the Audobon Society who is helping preserve wetlands, heal animals and clean up the mess.


Please help our coast by purchasing a print or donating directly to one of the organizations aiding in relief.

Color Stories: Nice Accent!

Day five of our guest posts (see Anne Harwell of Annechovie HERE, Robin of Around the Island Photography HERE, Megan of BonBon Rose Girls HERE, and Linda of Lime in a Coconut HERE) brings us Anna from An Inch of Gray.

Anyone who reads The Big Piece of Cake or Wishing True (my own blogs) may have seen Anna in comments. She was my first real blog friend and by some stroke of luck we actually live in the same area. Not that we see each other nearly enough...but we're going to be roommates at BlogHer in August - so she may think she's seen quite enough of me for a while after that...

While Anna doesn't write a design blog, she does post a lot about her home decorating, DIY and "dumpster diving." And she she's really funny. Hope you love her as much as I do.

Welcome Anna!

I've been thinking about color. Taking a look around my house you'll see:

Palladian Blue, B. Moore
Summer Shower, B. Moore
Yarmouth Blue, B. Moore

A lot of my walls are painted my favorite color... blue.

It got me thinking about how the use of color in our homes and clothing has changed over the years. In the late '80s and early '90s you would likely see me in my fuchsia "Tab's Got Sass!" sweats or, for work, in a hunter green pantsuit. One color from head to toe. Matching shoes and earrings a plus!

So, looking around at all the blue in my house leaves me wondering, has my decorating style become akin to... a colorful pantsuit?

After all, while there are many troubling aspects of the tracksuits Sue Sylvester sports on Glee, the matchy-matchiness is certainly not the least.


Accent colors are a wonderful way to add life to a room and bring in a new color, without over saturation, Sue Sylvester-style. I have tried accent colors in my home with some degree of success:


The jury is still out on that crazy yellow lamp.

One thing I love about accessorizing with an accent color, is that colorful pillows, lamps and frames are easy to change when a new color strikes my fancy. A 150 lb couch? Not so much. I guess that's why both of my couches are brown.

I recently came upon a fun blog, A Punch of Color, which shows how to inject color into your decor.

These images from a recent post on ORANGE, blew me away.




I wouldn't even consider myself an orange girl, but these rooms are charming, and I can see how a jolt of color (I can't bear to say "pop" because it's so overused) liven up a room.

While the rooms in the photos are professionally decorated and styled, I can see how I could use the same approach in my own home.

And when the mood strikes... bring on a different color. Now that's something even grumpy Sue Sylvester could get behind.

Thanks so much Anna! Come back tomorrow for our last guest post from Lindsey of A GreatFull Day!

Color Stories: Local Color Inspiration

Day four of our guest posts (see Anne Harwell of Annechovie HERE, Robin of Around the Island Photography HERE, and Megan of BonBon Rose Girls HERE) brings us Linda from Lime in the Coconut.

We're fairly new to today's guest since the Style Key West blog is still pretty new and we discovered Lime in the Coconut through Linda's lovely comments.

Her profile describes her site as "...house and home tropical style (ish)" which provides a very appropriate introduction to the whimsical and sometimes even musical writing that accompanies incredibly lush tropical(ish) photography.

I love how Linda can say so much with a picture and a few words. It's a talent that most (I) can't claim. We're so glad to have found her and we're beyond thrilled to have our new friend visiting Style Key West today. Welcome Linda!

Florida has a virtual cacophony of color to inspire.

Living in this sun soaked, color saturated corner of the world has taught me, if nothing else, to follow it's lead...

Choosing from it's natural palate...sometimes dusky

often vibrant. It has certainly inspired our art...

and how we layer the pieces of our home...

...different textures and colors all intermingle

Colors that I think may not work

...That I may not have tried...work.

Yep...Florida colors...always working their way in.

Who knew?

Thanks so much Linda! Tune in tomorrow for a guest post from Anna of An Inch of Gray!

Color Stories: You Can Take the Girl Out of Florida...

Day three of our guest posts (see Anne Harwell of Annechovie HERE and Robin of Around the Island Photography HERE) brings us Megan from BonBon Rose Girls.

I'm not sure how I found BonBon Rose Girls - but I immediately fell in love with Megan and her partner in crime, Kristin. They have more enthusiasm for life and their passions (for Kristin, it's fashion and for Megan, it's décor) than most people I know. One thing that I particularly enjoy about their site is the fact that they make their interests so accessible. They don't just feature fantasy images of clothes and furniture that could only be procured by the rich and famous - they find online deals and even post pictures of themselves and their homes, showing off their latest finds and party wear.

Since this is a design site - I called upon Megan for her take on color. So take it away Megan!

As a tried and true Florida girl (I grew up in Tampa with my blogging bestie Kristin), I’ve found that the love for bright colors and seaside décor has continued to stay with me.

Even now years later living in Annapolis, MD, I’m still drawn to vibrant pieces in pinks, blues, and greens, like a moth to the flame. Of course, living in a more traditional east coast neighborhood has meant toning it down just a bit. Instead of intense paint colors, I aim to keep things light and airy while incorporating fun accents throughout our house in my favorite hues. It’s by painting a bright accent wall, having fun throw pillows or simply using turquoise hand towels on the towel rack, that this Florida girl can stay true to her inner “bright colors rock!” self, even living a thousand miles away from the Sunshine state. Here are a few examples from my own home:

I painted the inside of a white bookcase lime green for effect. It was an inexpensive way to get some "wow" factor and walking in the room, it always makes me smile!

A whimsical framed poster in deep pink hangs in my office.

Throw pillows like these (bought from inhabitliving.com) add a seaside splash to our couch.

Lime green candles are a small accent that can go a long way when it comes to color.

Of course, for a quick fix, a bouquet of flowers on the table makes an impact and brings in color. This bouquet was only $8 at Whole Foods!

Thanks so much Megan! Tune in tomorrow for a guest post from Linda of Lime in the Coconut!