New Posts!

Please excuse the laxity of posts lately! The stress of moving has gotten to me, sadly. I spend most of my time, when not working, scouring Craigslist for postings. And I now have my own "the-one-that-got-away" story. Yay me! But I'm back in the saddle and looking for my next apartment. I have two to see tonight, wish me luck!

Inspiration: Midtown NYC Hotels.

The Waldorf Astoria. Love this crystal idea, would work as a window treatment. Or maybe as art work on the walls, behind a sofa, perhaps.

The W hotel, love the coordinating art work, they look like shards of glass on the walls.


Hudson Hotel, love the use of color and texture. Very exotic.


The Pod Hotel. Nice vintage vibe and that great fabric. Almost feels like a Winnebago. The bathroom is very economical and is good inspiration for small spaces.

The Royalton. Love the light fixtures and sumptuous fabrics.

Craig's Makeovers

Okay so I kind of got lazy about the whole Craigslist thing, even though I've been looking everyday for a new apartment. I've had some luck, but now I'm not even sure I want to move... but I digress. Today while perusing, I found this person's funky little studio in the Sublets section. After uninteresting post after uninteresting post, these pictures really piqued my interest.

I love all the little details- like the shelves in the windows, the arrangement of the artwork and the use of color. This is a way to make white walls work- matted art work, and just the right amount of color in the fabric choices.

Love the little bottles, the hanging lights, the blue of the bathroom. Very cute. This space, although a little cluttered, feels cohesive and welcoming. And they sure got lucky in the amount of windows they have!

Here's the link to the original post:
[http://newyork.craigslist.org/mnh/sub/1129475725.html]

Muji now online!

I love the Japanese store Muji, which is located in Soho and in Midtown NYC. It's hard to describe the items they carry, but I guess it's like a neutral Target, a UNIQLO for home decor? I dunno, but it's awesome. The Muji online store does not carry anywhere near the range of items found in-store (hello, where's the lovely bed linens?) SIGH. Maybe in time. [muji.com/store]

Rustic Farmhouse Tables.

This post is kind of in conjunction with my recent post about Vicky Christina Barcelona and my continuing dining room obsession. I understand some people in the know have declared the farmhouse table over, but I still love blocky, heavy, rustic tables. They look so great matched with a minimal or modern decor! And of course, the best rustic table would be one built by someone Amish or rescued from a flea market in Kansas or something, but here are some that are more accessible to us monetarily-challenged urban dwellers:


Better Homes and Gardens Farmhouse Table, Walmart.com, 127.00

Farmhouse table, Pier1.com, 199.58, on sale from 499.00.


Rustic Dining table, jcpenny.com, 199.99

Sanders Cove Dining table, jcpenny.com, 379.00 on sale from 649.00.

Kitchens without cupboards?

I love this look, it's very clean. If I ever have a kitchen to remodel, the top cupboards are going in the dumpster!

On Set: Vicky Cristina Barcelona

Vicky Cristina Barcelona is one of those movies with a breezy style that feels effortless. Gauzy and natural fabrics, like cotton and linen, and colors from nature, like clay, terracotta, and sky blue, give this film a kind of exotic adventure, safari-like vibe. I can imagine lots of mosquito netting on this set. I also love the use of tropical plants.



The style of this film would be easy to replicate on the cheap. Minimalism is useful here. A few key, big pieces, wood or metal, should be enough to anchor the room. Paint the walls in muted earthy tones. Don't forget a Spanish splash of blue, in art work, or maybe in a smaller piece of furniture. Curtains should be linen or linen-look, and should drape on the floor. Bedding should be a textured white or beige.


Another important thing to keep in mind in trying to replicate this look is to look for pieces that are a little banged up and antiqued. Shouldn't be too hard to find at a thrift store or flea market. And don't neglect lighting. I love the little modern globe light on the table, it's an unexpected item that adds some fun to the room.

Square Wine Glasses

I've been obsessed with square wine glasses ever since I saw the film Vicky Christina Barcelona last fall, and here's an affordable option from CB2. Gigi Stemware, 4.95 each, cb2.com.

Pegboard Floors

This innovative fellow built a house and used pegboard as flooring! Crazy, but if an idea I'll keep in mind if I ever build or renovate. It looks pretty sleek. Hardibacker board would be another cost effective idea...

Picture courtesy of [dwell.com]

"Puffy" Chandeliers

I guess I'm going to dub April lighting month, because I seem to keep posting about great lighting. I love the sculptural quality of these chandeliers, and am brainstorming a way to replicate them in a way that would work in my home:

This chandelier was created by artist Kwangho Lee out of styrofoam. She also works with knotted wires to create light fixtures. Check out her website at [kwangholee.com]

This Haldane Martin fixture was created with ostrich feathers. It's available for purchase, but is expensivo. [apartmenttherapy.com]


A Yale college student made this, draping plastic bags over mesh-wrapped lightbulbs. Makes me want to get crafty.

Aqua and Red

I love this color combo and would like to play it up more in my own apartment... love those Marais chairs! Photo from Design*Sponge [designspongeonline.com]

Sale Item(s) of the Day

The Green Leaf Sheer Window Panel, from Pier 1 Imports, has a big vibrant print and is an awesome color. I might just buy a couple for my kitchen...





Green Leaf Sheer Window Panel, $20.95 down from $25.95, Pier1.com

Dining Rooms

Now, seeing as how I live in a little white box, I had to choose between having a home office area and a dining area. For necessity, I chose a home office area, complete with my BF's guitars and keyboard. But a girl can still dream about a perfect dining area...







Pics from Apartment Therapy House Tours and NYtimes.com

Need to divide a room?

How about using a bookcase, in this case, the Ikea Expedit? Check out Apartment Therapy for the whole article. I also love the use of red in the vintage print and the signature bedding. A little bit of red goes a long way. I've also been intrigued with using signature bedding (available from outlets such as Pottery Barn) for awhile, but thought it could be a little stodgy. This room shows that it can be bold and vibrant, and add a touch of class at the same time!

Sale Item(s) of the Day

I've been really into benches lately. They're just so versatile, they really are perfect pieces of furniture for small space dwellers. Benches can be used as extra seating, a coffee table/ impromptu dinner table, or in an entry way, as a place to relax and take your rain boots off. This bench from Target has an antiqued finish and it's made from solid wood. I'm still looking out for a reclaimed wood bench though...

Bench-Antiqued Grey, $44.99 down from $179.99, [Target.com]

Tall Bedside Lamps.

I like this idea from Apartment Therapy: tall lamps on bedside tables. I like the use of vertical space and it adds height to the room. This look could be replicated cheaply with paper lamps like the Horup, 16.99, from Ikea:

Or a more expensive option would be the Block floor lamp from West Elm, $199.00...