style

HAT FREAK

luxorlivingandstyle

HAT FREAK


hat by Nine West, glasses by Prada, scarf by Betsey Johnson, jacket by Cache

     I have a very bad head cold, and feel like I want to go to bed and curl up in a ball and die…but you can’t tell.  Thanks to my new Nine West animal print hat, which provided an easy out for dealing with hair styling, my Prada glasses and a bright red lip by MAC in “Relentlessly Red,”  so that I appear alive and well, you can’t tell. 

   I am a hat freak.  A lot of my friends are scared of hats. What will people think? Who cares? Hats are cool and easy.


     The scarf is also new and is from Betsey Johnson.  I found it when I was helping a friend shop for a scarf for her new vacation outfit, and the request was for a scarf that wouldn’t look “old lady.”  We both ended up grabbing one of these!

     I thought it would be great to go with some of my other AP collection items and the animal print combined with the bright roses at the base of the scarf is too cool!


bag by Michael Kors, watch by Movado, ring by David Yurman, bracelet by Tiffany & Co

      From my perspective, after years working in the retail world, I’ve seen trends come and go.  The goal is to have you chasing your tail year after year, buying up the latest and greatest, season after season. I prefer classic timelessness, with a hint of edge so you don’t appear dated, cheap or broke. It’s all about balance.

     I was going into the bank to make a deposit about 8 months back.  A cute girl, in skin tight True Religion jeans, with sparkles all over the pockets, drove in and parked next to me, and walked into the bank in front of me.

David Yurman, Tiffany & Co, Movado watch, Michael Kors bag, Prada glasses

     

     She was still inside the bank, probably fighting with them over her overdraft fees (LOL) so when I was walking out the door, I noticed her car.  It had dents all up and down the left side, and the hood was literally tied down with a rope, which was looped through the headlight area.  The dents were all old, because they were already rusted.  This made clear to me the state of her finances, and served as a lesson to me when I want to go crazy and over spend!  You should have more money in the bank than you do on your back, period. 

     Fashion should be fun.  It shouldn’t put you in financial ruins.  Find fashion that is within your bracket and helps you to also maintain your financial peace of mind.  Have fun checking for bargains! Mix high end with low end, whether it be with fashion, cosmetics or home decor.

-SDS

October 10, 2013

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TEXAS GLAM-ESTATE HOT-PICKS (vol 3)

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(vol 3)
Texas Top Real Estate Listings, decor, Luxor by Stephanie Dawn Sjoberg, Luxor Leasing and Real Estate, Luxor Living and Style Blog, Texas blog
     Goodness.  It took me longer than I’d hoped to find a Texas home to add to the Luxor Glam-Estate list.  Then, I happened across this Georgian style home in my area of town…The Woodlands, Texas.
 
     I’d looked at some homes that were much more expensive than this one, which is listed at $4,750,000… however, just because they cost more, does not mean the decor is one I would feature.
 
Texas Top Real Estate Listings, decor, Luxor by Stephanie Dawn Sjoberg, Luxor Leasing and Real Estate, Luxor Living and Style Blog, Texas blog
     In some extremely large homes, the furnishings match each other perfectly from one room to the next, and sometimes the personality gets lost.
 
     This one has the black and white checkered marble look that I absolutely adore.
 
Texas Top Real Estate Listings, decor, Luxor by Stephanie Dawn Sjoberg, Luxor Leasing and Real Estate, Luxor Living and Style Blog, Texas blog, kitchen ideas
     Each room flows easily to the other, yet carries itself independent of the other.  
 
     If you’ve never been to the area, you can check out this previous post. The Woodlands is also about 3 miles from Old Town Spring, which is where we do most of our blog post photos from.
 
 
Texas Top Real Estate Listings, decor, Luxor by Stephanie Dawn Sjoberg, Luxor Leasing and Real Estate, Luxor Living and Style Blog, Texas blog, wine room
     This wine room is amazing! 
 

     The master suite is a bit to sterile for my taste, I prefer a bit more drama, but I do love that it flows into the most fabulous bathroom, which is probably where the party is!
 
Texas Top Real Estate Listings, decor, Luxor by Stephanie Dawn Sjoberg, Luxor Leasing and Real Estate, Luxor Living and Style Blog, Texas blog, master bathroom in The Woodlands Texas
     Amazingly romantic architecture and space.
 
Texas Top Real Estate Listings, decor, Luxor by Stephanie Dawn Sjoberg, Luxor Leasing and Real Estate, Luxor Living and Style Blog, Texas blog, master bathroom in The Woodlands Texas
     Very glam! Keeping it simple with fabulous white marble flooring.
 
Texas Top Real Estate Listings, decor, Luxor by Stephanie Dawn Sjoberg, Luxor Leasing and Real Estate, Luxor Living and Style Blog, Texas blog, media room
     I love the cozy movie room.  I like that the sofas enable people to sit together rather than each person alone in their own recliner. I’m all about the intimacy. Well, and the animal print.  Look at the fabulous carpet!
 
Texas Top Real Estate Listings, decor, Luxor by Stephanie Dawn Sjoberg, Luxor Leasing and Real Estate, Luxor Living and Style Blog, Texas blog, The Money Room, home office
     There is so much more to the Georgian style home, including fabulous landscaping and pool area, but I always love to show what I call…the money room.
 
     The money room is the home office area, in which I envision that someone must surely sit at least a few hours a day, wheeling and dealing and running the calculator, checking on investments, cutting checks and planning the next trip to Aspen.
 
     Most people say that the kitchen is the heart of the home, but hell, I say it’s the Money Room.  It’s the engine that fuels the machine and keeps the lights on.
-SDS
-September 30, 2013
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MOVIE NIGHTS: MY WEEK WITH MARILYN

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    Friends always ask me where we go and what we do at night and are not excited by my answer. It’s what we appropriately  call “Movie Night.”  This is when one or the other picks out a movie to rent at home, we have a show time that our movie will start, gather the babies on the sofa in a blanket with all the lights off and scented candles burning and enjoy an hour and a half of escapism and relaxation together at home(…and of course there must be snacks!) Movie nights at home are an “event” for us. 
 
     When friends ask us how we stay home so many nights and why we don’t go out more often the answer is always the same…”going out is like taking sand to the beach!”  I have what I want at home.  We love being home and we love our planned movie nights.  I plan on blogging about the movies we come across that are worth seeing every Friday morning in case if you missed it at the theater!
 
     I had never planned on seeing this film…at the theater or from my sofa.   Marilyn is often portrayed as simple and one faceted.  I didn’t have time for yet another thing Marilyn, yet in the door he walks with our movie for the night…and he thought I’d be happy with “My Week With Marilyn” which had come out earlier this year.
 
     I pretended to be content with his movie selection, and after dinner we gathered with the babies on the sofa and began the film.
 
     I totally was not expecting a wonderful movie, but it touched our hearts, it had lovely scenery and Michelle Williams acting and appearance was stunning. She was awarded a Golden Globe for Best Actress  for this film.
 
     Usually, whenever anyone is trying to portray Marilyn, a lot of red lipstick is used, as a lot of obvious eye contour as well, however in this film, the makeup artistry was amazingly natural looking.
 
      We walked away from the film feeling we understood Marilyn Monroe a lot better than before, and were extremely impressed with Michelle Williams as well as the entire cast.  This movie will stay with you.
 
    This is a MUST-RENT !!
 
 
 
 
 
September 21, 2013
–SDS
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Texas Glam-Estate (Vol 1)

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Sharing My Top HOT PICKS for the Most Amazing Real Estate in Texas 
Texas Realtor, Stephanie Dawn Sjoberg, Luxor Leasing and Real Estate,LLC, Luxor Living and Style Blog
 
     Sometimes, when sifting through my junk emails for my Real Estate Business, I get side tracked because one link leads to another and the next thing you know, I find myself looking at the decor on listings well over a few million dollars.
 
 
Texas Realtor, Stephanie Dawn Sjoberg, Luxor Leasing and Real Estate,LLC, Luxor Living and Style Blog, closet decor
     I find the decor and well, especially this closet…to be motivating! 
 
Texas Realtor, Stephanie Dawn Sjoberg, Luxor Leasing and Real Estate,LLC, Luxor Living and Style Blog, bedroom decor 
   This listing is in the Fort Worth area and is currently listed for $2.8 million.  It’s fabulouslyTexas styled throughout. 
 
Texas Realtor, Stephanie Dawn Sjoberg, Luxor Leasing and Real Estate,LLC, Luxor Living and Style Blog, kitchen decor
 
 
 
 
   When I see wonderful homes like this, I often wonder about the people…why are they moving, how can they stand to move out and really…who could I possibly sell a home like this to?  
Texas Realtor, Stephanie Dawn Sjoberg, Luxor Leasing and Real Estate,LLC, Luxor Living and Style Blog
  This home has a fabulous pool area, privacy and a lot of covered porch area, and would sell for three or more times this price in other markets.
 

 
 
  I think I may continue sharing these types of real estate listings with the blog readers because you can get a lot of top notch decor ideas and motivations from some of these properties! ( Not only that, but maybe someone in the United Kingdom or France actually needsa million dollar vacation spot in Texas!) I’d be glad to help!
-September 9, 2013
-SDS

 

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MASTER BATHROOM RE-VAMP

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master bathroom, decor, home, black paint

 

     Let me begin by saying that I do not enjoy the act of painting. I do, however, enjoy having a completed, comfortable, and fun nest.  To get from A to B…painting must be done!

     In this case, the house was complete except for the small crack den looking master bathroom that I hadn’t gotten around to yet.

     I’d been putting it off this entire year, but my husband asked me to have it completed as a birthday present to him. He did help with the paint roller part, but the trim work was the part I was dreading!

     So I put on my ugly “painter girl” shirt, which actually is an old shirt of his that he wore on our first date to church, and has paint splatters all over it now.  It is my painting uniform. We got it knocked out in our spare time.  

  

     I’d wanted to add some character to the small area, so I opted for metal decor candle sconces as well as a metal trim piece above the window instead of curtains.

I find the garden tub area to be so much more inviting and soothing with the darker color, which is a black paint named Francesca by Martha Stewart, which is also in the master bedroom, kitchen, and the fire place wall in the living room.

When adding things such as towels or art…I had decided to be thrifty and use what I already owned.  However, one trip to Kirkland’s for some additional pieces was all it took to complete the look.

For example, the crystal hurricane lamp, I already owned, but the silk floral arrangement for the tub area, I purchased. The crystal ball shown below and the metal wall piece I already had.  

The decor towels are mismatched on purpose to try and create an undesigned, old world look. Using the old multi colored runner that I dug out of the back of a closet, also helped to add to the old world look. 


So how much did the bathroom re vamp end up costing me? Just under $250, including paint and painting supplies!

master bathroom revamp, decor, black paint, black bathroom ideas, DIY, blogger, decor

It was my intent to focus on yard projects this summer, as well as a few other DIY type projects (like maybe hitting the gym again)but I am so glad to have this bathroom project complete! Happy Birthday, Ken…your private sanctuary is complete!

 

-SDS

June 22, 2013

     Let me begin by saying that I do not enjoy the act of painting. I do, however, enjoy having a completed, comfortable, and fun nest.  To get from A to B…painting must be done!
 
     In this case, the house was complete except for the small crack den looking master bathroom that I hadn’t gotten around to yet.
 
     I’d been putting it off this entire year, but my husband asked me to have it completed as a birthday present to him. He did help with the paint roller part, but the trim work was the part I was dreading!
 
bathroom re vamp
     So I put on my ugly “painter girl” shirt, which actually is an old shirt of his that he wore on our first date to church, and has paint splatters all over it now.  It is my painting uniform. We got it knocked out in our spare time.  
  
     I’d wanted to add some character to the small area, so I opted for metal decor candle sconces as well as a metal trim piece above the window instead of curtains.
 
     I find the garden tub area to be so much more inviting and soothing with the darker color, which is a black paint named Francesca by Martha Stewart, which is also in the master bedroom,kitchen, and the fire place wall in the living room.
 
    When adding things such as towels or art…I had decided to be thrifty and use what I already owned.  However, one trip to Kirkland’s for some additional pieces was all it took to complete the look.
 
    For example, the crystal hurricane lamp, I already owned, but the silk floral arrangement for the tub area, I purchased. The crystal ball shown below and the metal wall piece I already had.  
 
     The decor towels are mismatched on purpose to try and create an undesigned, old world look. Using the old multi colored runner that I dug out of the back of a closet, also helped to add to the old world look. 
 

     So how much did the bathroom re vamp end up costing me? Just under $250, including paint and painting supplies!
 
black bathroom decor ideas, Luxor Living and Style, Stephanie Dawn Sjoberg
       It was my intent to focus on yard projects this summer, as well as a few other DIY type projects (like maybe hitting the gym again)but I am so glad to have this bathroom project complete! Happy Birthday, Ken…your private sanctuary is complete!
 

 

 
-SDS
June 22, 2013
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D-I-Y HOLLYWOOD GLAMOURPUSS VANITY AREA

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     I stumbled upon a blogger’s dream!  Yesterday we went to my sister-in-law’s house for Easter.  When I saw her new Hollywood style d-i-y vanity project, I decided I just had to do a blog post on it!

Chanel, Vanity area, decor ideas, Luxor Living, style ideas, bathroom vanity, makeover, Chanel Cosmetics

She had recently started adding tiny blings to her lip glosses and lipsticks.  Since bling is addictive, the project grew into adding pearl buttons to an organizer tray.

Chanel, Vanity area, decor ideas, Luxor Living, style ideas, bathroom vanity, makeover, Chanel Cosmetics

When she couldn’t find a nice larger oval tray…she decided to purchase an oval mirror, remove it from the frame it came in and convert it!

     By adding black felt to the bottom, and black and rhinestone pieces to the edges, she created her own, large sized custom vanity tray.

Chanel, Vanity area, decor ideas, Luxor Living, style ideas, bathroom vanity, makeover, Chanel Cosmetics

 

She then opted to deck out her own vanity mirror because nice embellished ones are impossible to find.  The bling added to the edges of the mirror helps to add to the finished look! I recently used a wall mirror for my perfumania tray, but had never thought of anything this elaborate!

Chanel, Vanity area, decor ideas, Luxor Living, style ideas, bathroom vanity, makeover, Chanel Cosmetics

     The vanity chair was purchased online and helps to complete the glammy special morning spot!  

     I love this vanity area, and it has motivated me to set a deadline of May 1st for my own master bathroom re-vamp!  My bathroom is going to be black and white and this look will fit perfectly with my recent master bedroom re-vamp.

     I snapped a few pictures of other great ideas in her house, and those posts will be coming up later this month!

-SDS
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