{a glimpse: beautiful balmain}

. . . impossibly elegant gilt-panelled walls and mirrored halls, velvet chairs and intoxicating bouquets of roses, softly pooling drapery and sexy tulle-enveloped dresses: a glimpse into the enchanted world of balmain . . .

{images: 1, 2, 4, 6, 7, 8, 10, 11 - joseph dirand architecture for balmain via the diversion project; 3 - magdalena frackowiak, paris fashion week - balmain spring/summer 2009 fashion show via fashionising; jacket via maison des rêveries; ;tulle skirt via a glamorous little side project; daria via a glamorous little side project}

{have a fantastically fun weekend + links}

. . . hello! it's the weekend and what are your plans? . . . currently out of town to breath in every last moment of one of the last of the summer weekends, an ivy-covered country house and floral bed linens, italian coffee and pale morning sun, vibrantly lush english gardens and azure august skies . . .

hope you're having a fantastically fun weekend and that it's beautiful where you are,
xo

{a few lovely links}
* summertime: a perfect afternoon
* sneak peek: a beach cottage
* first love: monet & giverny
* travel: the augstus hotel, forte di marmi , italy
* décor inspiration: stairways & headboards
* at home: stylist tricks
* let's picnic: french willow baskets
* photography: artist kotori kawashima's daughter {via scout-holiday}
* architecture: sand beneath your toes
* summertime: fireworks & forests
* décor inspiration: blue velvet
* colour inspiration: streets & reflections
* design: air lamp
* wedding inspiration: white lanterns
* architecture: beach wood

{as always, a few things you may have missed:}
* happy monday & thoughts for a new week
* lookbook: lover, spring/summer
* utterly romantic: feather clutch
* décor: unapologetically pretty
* lookbook: lover, autumn/winter
* shoes, shoes, shoes: pink suede & bejewelled
* colour inspiration: falling for fall
* travel: new york city

{& new for the weekend:}
* photographer: ellen silverman

{images: editorial - americans in paris, daria werbowy by mario testino for us vogue, may 2010; fashion editor, marie-amélie sauvé via absinthrill}

{inspiration: always the ocean}

. . . few things are more romantic than the ocean -- the lull of crashing waves, the promise of sandy toes and saltwater kisses -- and so, fell in love with the underwater enchantment of glittering and iridescent mother-of-pearl & mirrors, and the shapes of scallop shells & starfish in this charming beach house powder room . . .

". . . if your love were a grain of sand, mine would be a universe of beaches."

~from The Princess Bride

{images: 1 - daria werbowy via a glamorous little side project; 2 - photography by james merrell for house beautiful via creategirl}