Tag: home decor

PLANS FOR A SPANISH OASIS: PHASE ONE

posted by Elshane on Jul 2 2014, under Home Decor/Entertaining

I'm turning my sweet little Spanish home into an extraordinary Spanish oasis.

Living in Los Angeles, I find that outdoor space and indoor space are one in the same. I want to transform my 3-bedroom home with outdoor courtyard and swimming pool into a free-flowing space of indoor and outdoor modern luxury, while staying true to its original Spanish roots.

In short? I want an epic compound. A compound that leads you from the street through a secret garden to its golden wooden, hand-carved, larger-than-life gates. And once you've made it through the doors, anything goes...

So here's how we're executing...

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MAD FOR MOSAICS

posted by Elshane on Jul 29 2014, under Home Decor/Entertaining

So, we're tiling the floor, wall, and water feature in our #elSpanishOasis. And it's giving me nightmares.

I have an image of what {I think} I want in my head, but no spot-on photos to show for it. Houzz.com (where most of these inspirational photos come from) has given me a taste of inspiration, but it seems like it's up to me to put all the pieces together (hehe).

So I went tile hopping shopping, and here's what I learned...

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TURKISH DELIGHT

posted by Elshane on Oct 26 2014, under Home Decor/Entertaining

I'm six weddings deep into wedding season, and it's only been five weeks! Good thing I have a wild, wild west wedding to look forward to next spring... in Istanbul!

I remember the last time I was in Turkey-- you could find me haggling with the tapestry dealers in the Grand Bazaar or {raging} like a classic American dancer with moves like Elaine Benes (old Seinfeld reference) at clubs on the Bopshorus after midnight. I took a hefty side trip to Bodrum, the Saint-Tropez of Turkey and spent most of my time tanning topless on boats and eating Manti (Turkey's finest #eeeeasts-- essentially, spaghetti Bolognese, dumpling style).

Here are a bunch of photos that I never released on Elshane's World. I categorized this as Home Decor/Lifestyle because this culture is so rich with color and architectural inspiration, that you can't help but invite these images into your home. Dig in...

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GIFTS FOR THE HAUTE HOSTESS

posted by Elshane on Dec 17 2014, under Home Decor/Entertaining

It's not too late to get on Santa's your neglected friend's good side this holiday season. Online shops are still guaranteeing deliveries before Christmas, so score your favorite gifts here for that hauter than haute hostess in your life! (Ok, or yourself...)

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SPOTLIGHT ON: GRAY MALIN PHOTOGRAPHY

posted by Elshane on Mar 5 2015, under Home Decor/Entertaining

This Elshane's World way of life (you know, for the power chick who wants it all), really goes from head to toe, from inside out, from my closet to my living room. The keyword is GLAM!

Talk about full circle, funny story: Four years ago when I moved to LA from NYC, I visited a local flea market in hopes to bargain hunt trinkets and treasures to fill up my new home. I found myself in a booth filled with vibrant photographs that blew my mind-- donkeys, farmers, and everything else strangely southern perched perfectly in front of a lone Prada Marfa storefront. These images were very familiar to me-- I had seen them all over the internet by a famed photographer, and I figured I had stumbled into a steal of a re-print. I made BFF's with this cute local photog, and a few small bills later, the print was mine.

Within a year or two later, I had discovered the photographer Gray Malin, and recognized that he was the genius behind the Prada Marfa series. Although I knew I got my print from a tiny flea market vendor, it was exciting to know that I had a piece in my home that was inspired by the great artist. The piece was a no-fail conversation starter and lead me to follow each new series of Malin's work.

I even hung another series of Gray Malin-inspired photographs in my house after I honeymooned in Positano, Italy with my husband and had us each photograph the sea of orange umbrellas like in Malin's La Dolce Vita series. We framed our versions of "Positano Town" in our guest bathroom, and signed it with our honeymoon date.

But wait...the story doesn't end yet...

One perfect afternoon right after the 2015 new year, I decided to get my faux- Gray Malin Prada Marfa photograph re-framed professionally. And then it happened...

As the man at the frame store took my photograph out of my old frame, a business card fell off of the back of the artwork.

It read, Gray Malin Photography.

It was Gray who I met at the flea market that day. It was Gray who I bought my prized photograph from. It was Gray who was the photographer. It was, this entire time, an original Gray Malin Prada Marfa series!

My jaw dropped. I immediately emailed Gray from his email on the business card and asked him if I could come by to re-introduce myself, have him sign the work, and give me a big, fat hug. 

The rest? History. Art history, that is...

Here are some photos I took while visiting Gray's office to have my work signed:

Special sale alert! Today's birthday boy Gray Malin (happy birthday!) is running a one day mega sale on his Prada Marfa series on his website today! Shop the collection here!

And the other best news? These are only half of the photos from my amazing home tour. Find 12 new photos of different room by visiting Gray Malin's webiste here!

 

Photographs of me in my home by Tori Aston.

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#ELSPANISHOASIS BY SAFAVIEH

posted by Elshane on May 1 2015, under Home Decor/Entertaining

Welcome home... Welcome home!

It's been a long journey of construction, 4 months in total, but we've officially laid down the last tile, painted the last beam, and fluffed the last pillow.

With our #ElSpanishOasis construction, we focused on 4 key areas. I'm releasing one of them to you today-- our beloved indoor/outdoor courtyard! We took what was simply a long, narrow enclosed driveway that was parallel to our house, and turned it into an indoor/outdoor peaceful abode, with the help of Safavieh Outdoor Furniture.

Here's our old space, a shot facing the street:

Notice the stark white wall hardly shading us from our next door neighbors. Also notice the concrete flooring, the unsightly black swing doors toward the front of our home, and the overall "driveway"-like feel.

Now see the same shot after the construction (but before any of our landscaping grew in)-- you'll notice the following things:

1. The white wall is 3 feet higher (and will soon be covered in lush greenery).

2. The driveway doors were replaced with reclaimed wood doors that are 3 feet taller and much more aesthetically pleasing.

3. The 800 sq. feet of floors have been tiled in Saltillo tile with hand-painted accent tiles.

4.We installed a water feature with light beams against the white wall.

5. We built a reclaimed wood pergola (which will soon be covered in lush greenery) to create an indoor feel outdoors.

6. We built a white wall towards the reclaimed wood doors to hide our garbage cans and BBQ.

7. We furnished the space with the most versatile and chic Safavieh Outdoor Furniture!

Enjoy some great shots below of the new space.

Can you imagine the endless entertaining we've been hosting? As it gets dark and our pergola market lights turn on, along with the surround sound system and soothing water feature, it's been an ideal spot to relax and watch the sunset. During the day, we use the space as an outdoor living room-- an easy flow to and from our backyard pool!

P.S.- Do you melt for these layered outdoor Safavieh rugs? I do!

The greatest part of our space is our outdoor furniture and layered rugs by Safavieh. It's allowed us to feel completely at home, as if we were indoors in our living room, while we are outside. Plus, the maintenance is practically non-existent. Sometimes I cover the couch cushions when I know it's going to rain at night. Otherwise, we just leave everything as is! The rugs are completely waterproof, and the cushions can be unzipped and washed when necessary (but we haven't even had to explore that yet)!

I can't wait to show you the progress of the space in a few months when the landscaping grows in, completing the look. We even planted a large tree in the center of the space. A tree in a living room? Sounds about right.

California living at its finest...

Join my conversation about my #elspanishoasis by following along these hashtags on Instagram - #elspanishoasis and #safavieh. Happy decorating!

Photography by Tori Aston.

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LAVENDER AND GOLD NURSERY

posted by Elshane on Mar 29 2016, under Baby/Motherhood

Hello! Welcome to Sunday's new nursery!

I had honestly never dreamed of a nursery space, so when it came time to design my daughter Sunday's, I really started from square zero. I only knew for certain two things: 1. I wanted to stay on a tight budget (she has her whole life ahead of her to have grandeur rooms!), and 2. I wanted to repurpose my DIY handmade purple tulle and silver butterflies wedding veil as a focal point of the room.

After a few short months of brainstorming, I sourced items from near and far (from Target to Morocco), and ended up with a space that is both calming yet completely on point with my personality. 

Please enjoy the 30+ photos of the beautiful space, including my mini-me's infant closet tour, and the one mom accessory that I just can't contain my excitement over, by clicking the **continue reading** tab, below!

Enjoy, and please, please leave comments with your thoughts!

So how did I start from zero inspiration and end up here? I used my favorite home decor meets rapper chick formula...

(Insert beat...) I started from the bottom now I'm here!

No, literally... I started with the rug. Not the small accent rug under the chair, but the absolutely gorgeous, gorgeous, gorgeous grey and purple half Persian-inspired, half contemporary "mush/faded" rug that I worked with Safavieh Rugs to source. Safavieh has always been my go-to rug source, and they delivered once again with this room stand-out staple!

I knew I needed lavender to be a primary color of the space to allow my wedding veil to weave its way into the decor. I also knew I wanted to mix gold and silver accents into the nursery to create an ethereal, glistening world. The rest? Well here's how it all went down...

This is the special "mommy and me bonding time" corner of the room, featuring our glider chair, foot rest and side table. A glider is a chair that both rocks and sways, allowing mom to breastfeed her baby with ease and comfort.

I opted for this perfect grey glider chair by Babyletto since it was the most comfortable chair that didn't sacrifice style or bulky space. It's chic, clean, and comfy-- a deadly combination! Oh, and only one third the price of its Pottery Barn Kids competitor! ;)

I spied this ottoman at Target and it was an instant win. I nabbed it before anyone else, I promise... but now you'll see it on some seriously enviable home decor sites and instagrams worldwide. It's the hottest item out there right now, and it's as inexpensive at it gets. I knew I could use it for years to come... as an ottoman, stool, table, etc.

The overlay rug is a Moroccan Wedding Blanket that I sourced from the least expensive location outside of actually flying to Morocco! I've been a fan of layering rugs since my days working in Public Relations for Diane von Furstenberg-- she taught me all about the power of the layered rug! Score your very own Wedding Blanket here. (p.s.- it's traditionally called a "blanket" but it's definitely a rug!)

This rose gold drum table was another Target score. Rose gold is bursting through the jewelry scene right now, but it's pretty rare to see it in the home decor space. Had to have it!

How sweet does this doll look perched on the glider? Her manufactured name is Everly! Pottery Barn Kids Unicorn Doll

 

4Moms Bounceroo Swing chair, for baby's sweet and sound little daytime naps!

Do you want to hear about the curtain saga or shall I spare you the details? 

I'll give you the abridged version. I didn't get the memo that nurseries needed black-out shades until late in the game. Well, it wasn't easy to find black-out shades that suited my gold and silver needs! So after much research and investigation, and two trips to fabric stores to make my own curtains (that didn't turn out favorable or cheap), I came up with the idea to do two rows of curtains. The back row is a chic and simple tassel black-out set, and it's covered in the front by a beautiful and whimsical gold confetti curtain set. 

Solution? Close the back when nap time is eminent, and only close the front when you want that beautiful morning light to shine through the sheer confetti drapes! Pat.myself.on.the.back.

Ahhh, my DIY wedding veil has made an appearance! This wedding veil was one of my favorite memories of my wedding (did you catch the feature that Glamour mag wrote on my wedding?)

I knew the second I found out that I was having a girl, that I wanted to incorporate my special veil into her nursery. I envisioned it as a canopy above her crib, and executed it as such!

Jumbo Lamb Plush

Dreamy Cloud and Stars Crib Mobile

 

My perfectly pretty crib (and matching changing table/dresser) is all by Babyletto. I chose white so that the set would be timeless for kids of all genders to come! ;) I also thought the white would pop best against my painted grey walls. I found the Babyletto design of this crib set to be the chicest and most affordable of all of its equally high-end competitors. 

Elephant Crib Sheet Set

Gold Swiss Dot Crib Skirt

 

No room is complete without a touch of leopard (pimpin' gold Versace choker necklace sold separately). Plus, her other leg is engraved with my little lady's name in bold white letters. <3

Pottery Barn Animal Plush Rocker

 

Public Service Announcement: I discovered Babyganics baby products and am very excited about it. It's a full line of affordable, natural and non-toxic products that are both green and planet-safe, and baby-safe. I plan to use the entire line for my little lady, from their laundry and dish detergents to their shampoos, wipes, and hand sanitizers.

Besides, the packaging is kinda cute sitting on top of my changing table. You're welcome!

 

All hail closet time!

I've been very superstitious thus far and haven't bought many cothes for her, so this is it. These are a few of those "I just couldn't resist" items, particularly accessories, faux fur jackets, and little woven dresses from my trip to Mexico in December. One things for certain... I hope she likes color as much as me!

 

I discovered the baby shoe brand, Umi, which makes a large variety of little leather slide-ons for every little tater tot's toes! That's where you'll find these metallic moccasins that every infant wobbles and strolls around in, and the black and white star-printed Mary Jane's, too! 

And of course, turbans of every color, shape, and size will be a staple in her wardrobe. Like mother like daughter!

 

We've got swaddles, and stroller blankets, and security blankets, oh my!

The cutest prints and best fabrics for your too-cool-for-school-tot? It's a tie, and yes you need multiples of both! Lulujo and Bebe Au Lait.

 

Check list? Baby bookshelf. Check!

I filled this Pottery Barn Kids bookshelf stack with a curated selection of beautiful, meaningful, and purposeful accents.

Milestone Baby Cards Book (30 photo cards to capture your baby's first year)

Farm Animal Rattle Soft Blocks

Denim Ballerina Bunny

Gold/Black Chevron Milestone Blocks

I found the most affordable storage bins at, you guessed it, Target! The large storage bins you see in most glam nursery photos are over $100! Mine were under $20.

I filled them with the most delicious plush toys in the shapes of hot dogs, donuts and strawberries from my favorite stuffed animal brand, Yummy World.

 

Oh, and this ol' thang? Only my FAVORITE accessory that I can't wait to rock!!! It's the newest LILLEbaby limited edition Tokidoki printed baby and child carrier. It's the best and safest carrier in the game, and so happens to come in the world's coolest print.

You'll be seeing this carrier on me daily. Best part? You'll be seeing it on my husband, as well! (Took me a few days of convincing him to go with this wild print, but like I always say to him, he knows exactly who he married!)

So there we have it. A glistening lavender and gold room, a male labradoodle in a purple tutu (Homer loves dressing up, I promise!), and a closet and toy bin just waiting to get rummaged through.

I hope you liked Sunday's nursery tour! Please leave your comments below. :)

 

Photography by Valorie Darling

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OUR NYC NURSERY ON THE FLY

posted by Elshane on Aug 13 2018, under Baby/Motherhood

 

So we moved to NYC in a flash and I was determined to create a nursery for Sunday that felt warm and inviting, as if she never left Los Angeles. I knew that this NYC apartment was temporary for us, since we'll be back in LA in no time, so I was on a serious budget, but I didn't want to sacrifice style.

I styled my nursery around this palm printed peel on/peel off (like a sticker) wallpaper to remind our family of our life in Los Angeles that we love so much. The rest of the decor was up for grabs...

I stumbled upon Hutch.com, a home decor site that allows you to visualize your space as you decorate it with items from their site. Since their database of inventory spans from all of our fan-favorite home decor sites, from Pottery Barn and West Elm, to Wayfair, Serena & Lily, and beyond, I was able to search items by price and style to fit my needs.

Here's how it works...

 

 

I found this dreamy orange rug that I thought would compliment my palm printed wallpaper perfectly. Then I played around with different cribs--  I surprised even myself when I ended up choosing this light wooden crib. Once I saw virtually how well it sat on top of the orange rug, I knew it was my best choice. 

Funny thing is, if I were shopping in a store and didn't first see the virtual layout of this room, I never would have picked the wooden crib to go with the orange rug. Hutch.com made me realize how important it is to virtually see a layout of a space before you make big decisions.

 

 

The apartment we rented came fully furnished, so this white daybed was already in the room. If I were designing the room from scratch, I wouldn't have chosen to add this piece of furniture, but it's proven to be an incredible lounge space for Sunday and I to lay on and read together every night. 

 

 

The closets in the apartment were designed for adults-- beautiful, ample hanging space-- but that leaves so much wasted space when storing tiny kids clothing! I purchased these fun plastic drawers to store all of Sunday's foldables, which allowed for maximum usage of the closet space.

 

 

Now that I look at it, I definitely was subconsciously inspired to choose that orange rug because of the incredible orange light fixture that came with the room! If I could, I'd run away with this light fixture and never come back! It's so fabulous and really adds an element of individuality to the space. 

 

 

Most importantly, Sunday absolutely loves her room. She loves her crib (is it ok if I keep her sleeping in one until she's 10?) and she loves the juxtaposition of color and good vibes. 

I hope it reminds her of Los Angeles the way it does for me. 

It seems that a slab of wallpaper, a crib, some throw pillows, and a few baskets can really go a long way for a "nursery on the fly"! 

With love from NYC, XO

 

** You can shop all of my decor pieces in my shop the look section below! **

 

Photography by Cameron Mirza

 

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Los Angeles, CA
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HI! IT'S ELSHANE FROM LOS ANGELES, CA
(BY WAY OF NEW YORK CITY)

I STARTED MY BLOG IN 2010 AS A WAY TO ARCHIVE ALL OF THE ONE-OF-A-KIND RUNWAY PIECES THAT I OWNED FROM WORKING AS THE IN-HOUSE STYLIST FOR DIANE VON FURSTENBERG IN NYC.

THEN, IT ALL HAPPENED SO FAST... BIO

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ELSHANE@ELSHANESWORLD.COM

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