Tag Archives: interior design

nesting

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DSC08248.jpgIt’s nesting season!  Christmas gifts nestle into their nooks, scatter onto shelves and exhale renewal.  I’ve been cleaning out, rearranging, and savoring that fresh feeling of a new view.  A few peeks into the nest, if you’re interested…

these spiky friends and a new cookbook in the kitchen.DSC08234.jpg

a few sunny corners with new crates, cacti and collages.

 

three soft bells, the sweetest Christmas surprise, which will hang on my bar cart year round.DSC08209.jpg

this gorgeous interactive edition of one of my favorite stories, gifted by a best friend, lending its beauty to the sunroom.DSC08224.jpg

…and on that note, Wendy Darling’s dream boat above marshmallow Sunday sheets.  An oldie but goodie.dsc08236

july

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My mind comes tumbling down slowly.  Released from the delicate weave of dreams, it descends back down to my skull with a floaty, Alice-down-the-rabbithole, intentional nonchalance.

I’m still between the ceiling and my brain, so my eyes have not yet realized the option to open.  This is a good thing.  It forces my ears to place me somewhere, and I hear the vague breakfast chatting of early birds from the window to my left.  The deepened voice of a mother says something vaguely pirate(or is it beanstalk giant?)-esque and the familiar screech-giggle of my young next door neighbors erupts on cue.  Audible evidence of the existence of innocence in an otherwise increasingly jaded world.  My tired face thanks them for this with a slow raising of heavy eyelids.

Blinking eyes drink in the summer morning sun, at once anchoring and elevating me.  After a weekend of salt and sun in my happy place, home and a morning ballet class feel refreshing.  As much as I love a few days away, I find my daily routine most therapeutic.

nesting

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It seems my last post (the one where we discussed negativity) was relatable for more of you than I had anticipated.  Since so many were able to identify with the struggle of controlling interloping thoughts that are anything but happy, I thought it would be nice to share some tricks to keeping yourself balanced outside of the studio.

For the first installation of this balancing-act how-to, I’d like to focus on creating a zen space.  Having an area to yourself designated purely to relaxation and restoration is key to maintaining a healthy mind and body.  Much like a mom-to-be nesting in preparation of her baby’s arrival, I find immense satisfaction in building a nest of my own.  I’ve shared just a few photos of my new apartment previously (which I regularly refer to as the coziest place on earth), but my favorite spot therein has slowly become my bedroom.  I’ve been taking my time putting it together, adding special elements to up its relaxation factor.  A few things that are currently making it extra-snug…

A new mattress from Santa.  One word: plush.  And new sheets, too, because comfort is an extravagance I do not play around with.

String lights in leu of a headboard.  The soft glow of these warm lights makes me feel like I’m wrapped up in a warm blanket- perfect for lazy Sunday mornings spent blogging from my bed.  More fun lighting options here.

Heavenly scented candles. There’s something so comforting about the flicker of a candle.  I once told a friend that when I’m alone, I like to keep a candle burning because it’s subtle movement serves the same “white noise” purpose as a soft radio playing in the background of an empty house;  Its delicate dance creates a buffer between the apartment and me, filling the air with just a bit of motion produced by some source other than myself, and strangely enough, I feel less alone.  My friend looked at me like I was 100% crazy and we moved on, but I’m sticking to my story.  My favorite scents are this (whose sexy smell has earned it the nickname “man candle” amongst my friends and me) and this classic.

Artwork with personal meaning.  When I arrived home after opening night of Peter Pan last spring, there was a package for me at the door.  A very dear friend of mine who lives out of state had thoughtfully sent over a beautiful print depicting one of my favorite quotes from J.M. Barrie’s timeless story- “Just always be waiting for me”.  It’s deep hue and night sky theme make it perfect for hanging just above my bed, and every time I see it I am reminded not only of that magical performance weekend, but also of my lovely friend and her sweet gesture.  I also have a print from Viktor Plotnikov’s Orchis hanging near my bed to remind me of another favorite show.

Something uniquely “me”.  It’s obvious by now, I’m sure, how much Peter Pan means to me.  When I first saw the Haptic Lab “Wendy Darling” kite at the Catbird boutique in Brooklyn, my eyes turned into animated red hearts a la this infamous emoji.  It’s so light and ethereal, and with it hanging right above my bed, I am tugged back to a time where innocence prevailed and I imagined my dreams being carried from Neverland to my bedroom in an enchanted floating ship.  It’s eclectic, it’s strange, it’s a kite hanging in my home- but it’s me and I love it.

So, I’d love to know, do any of you nest like me?

PS- check out my new “Muse” status on the gwenythbrand website ;)

life on lewis

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Moving my entire life from a 2 bedroom apartment to a 4 bedroom house has kept me quite busy, to say the least.  It seems there is always something to be done here, and just when I feel like I’ve accomplished something, another task swoops down in my face, announcing its incompleteness like a half-eaten donut just waiting to be devoured.  But, like a good donut, these tasks are more sweet than laborious.  Hanging art, stringing lights, potting plants…the sweets of summertime moving.

The most exciting bit about this move, though, is that I have a new roommate: my boyfriend!  He hasn’t moved in quite yet, but give it a few weeks and we’ll be en route to the blissful, difficult, just-moved-in-together life that is waking up next to your favorite person every day.  That, my friends, is what I’m really looking forward to.  Beyond excited.

In the meantime, le boyfriend and I have been antiquing, flea marketing, and DIY-ing up a storm, determined to make this place feel homey and like “us”.  One of my favorite projects so far was spray painting that blue shelf in the first photo.  It was a hand-me-down from Kevin’s mom, a gorgeous piece whose chipping white paint needed a bit of TLC.  It was Kevin’s idea to paint it blue, my first time attempting a spray paint, and now one of our most prized transformation pieces thus far!  I think it pairs really well with that J.M. Barrie print, a gift from a dear friend on the opening night of Peter Pan.

I’ll share more photos as our decorating process continues.  That’s all for now.  Happy Monday, cats.

clarity

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If you’ve never stayed up late at night emptying every orifice of your home, tossing out old things and rearranging the new, you don’t know what you’re missing.

There is something about a clean and simple living space that can alter your mood entirely.   As the calendar days roll by, our lives become cluttered physically and mentally, stuffing our closets and our minds with baggage better suited for Logan Airport’s endless luggage claim.  With the new year approaching in what seems to be a swifter pace each December, time can begin to feel like a big snowball, rolling closer and larger and faster towards our backs every second.  January 1st is our chance to clear all slates, both environmental and metaphoric, and head into a new calendar with the excess behind us and only the essentials in our keeping.  So here’s to cleaning it out, calming the soul, and raising a glass to 2014.  Let’s make this the best year yet.

you put the lime in the coconut

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With my last week as a full-fledged “minor” officially underway, I’ve been thinking a lot about the inevitable possibility of drinking wine with every meal, going out on Saturday nights, and learning how to make delicious (and low-calorie) cocktails with fresh fruits and simple syrups.  Of course, thanks to Pinterest and the blog-o-sphere, I’m also dead set on the idea of building my very own bar cart, complete with pretty geode-encrusted bottle stoppers, vintage inspired tumblers, and little drink accessories (think striped straws and teeny umbrellas).  Below you’ll find a little photographic bar cart inspiration I’ve been clogging my desktop with studying closely.

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Special thanks to these three ladies for being especially inspirational in the whole home-bar-setting-up experience.

pretty things

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I’m not sure if it’s the unrelenting low temperatures outside or the fact that my current ballet schedule has me missing out on all hours of daylight, but lately I’ve been gravitating toward bright colors, pretty packaging, and fresh looking interiors.

I’ve been meaning to get a calendar for weeks now, and after perusing Anthro, Whole Foods, Barnes & Noble, Frog & Toad and all the usual calendar shopping hotspots with no luck, I decided to bite the bullet and order this one from Rifle Paper Company.  To say that I’m eagerly awaiting its arrival would be a massive understatement.

I’m also enjoying my new Hanae Mori  No. 7 perfume- happy early birthday to me!  Happy Monday all. xx

decorating with dinnerware

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^the only creepy crawlers I would ever want in my home^

I’ve been a fan of these dessert plates ever since spotting that little green bumble bee guy at Anthropologie a few months ago.  Now, as someone who has been known to lob a shoe across a room just to kill a spider (sorry, charlotte) the thought of eating cake pie cookies salad off of an insect-laden plate seems pretty out of the question.  But that doesn’t mean my lizard-fearing self can’t recognize an adorable set of plates when I see one.

At first, I was thinking it might be nice to purchase and mount just one of these plates on the wall (who doesn’t love a little alternative artwork?), but with the super reasonable price of $18 per plate, my vision has expanded to a whole china cabinet shelf dedicated to the wild little porcelain friends.  What a perfect way to create that mismatched, french bohemian household vibe I’m always craving…

interior inspiration

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With plans to scope out Brimfield Flea Market with my mom tomorrow, I’m finding myself trolling through all of my  favorite interior design photos (yes, I have an entire folder dedicated to that on my desktop, that’s normal right?).  I can’t wait to look around one of the country’s biggest and best flea markets for some fresh new pieces to update the apartment with.  I think antiques add such a unique and unexpected charm to any home.  They possess personality and character not found in their younger, more modern counterparts. I especially enjoy pairing antiques with bright, cheerful colors and patterns for an unconventional look.

What’s your take on antiques?  An interesting way to personalize your living space, or strictly reserved for your grandma’s house?

the loo

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Les toilettes, watercloset, washroom, powder room, privy.  Sometimes while I’m in the shower I find myself day-dreaming of  the gorgeous bathrooms of my imagination.  They all include elegant tiling, light airy color schemes, and quirky personal touches.  I love when bathrooms feature little nods at nature, like a bird print or fresh flowers (brings a whole new meaning to the expression, “Nature calls!”).  I also love displaying pretty towels in interesting ways, and keeping things like cotton balls, q-tips and toothbrushes in unexpected vessels.  My dream bathroom is feminine and light, with juxtaposing structural elements like clean and simple framed art and modern hardware.

What does your ideal bathroom include?