Bathing Beauty

It has happened! We have an apartment! After months and months of fantasizing, the time has come to actually plan! I don't even know where to begin!

Ok that's a lie. I know exactly where I want to begin: the smallest room in the apartment.

THE BATHROOM.

The bathroom is very important. It is where we relax. It is where we primp. It is where we spend too many hours examining the size of our pores and (if you were like me in high school) reenacting neutrogena commercials.

Several things must be kept in mind when designing a fashionable yet functional bathroom. *There must be proper storage.

*There must be good lighting

*There must be a cute shower curtain

Our bathroom has white tiles 3/4 of the way up the wall so naturally, we must paint the remaining wall space. Hanna has suggested a pastel yellow or lavender. I have thrown a bright spring green into the mix.

There are already two wooden ikea shelves hung over the toilet, providing ample space for cute baskets and (labeled?) bins of beauty products and cosmetics.

But what's to be done about the shower curtain situation???

I have a thought. It is called: recreate my fantasy entryway in the bathroom setting.

What's this you say? I am genius?

Yes. Yes I am.

Perhaps you need reminding of Rita Konig's awe-inspiring wallpapered entryway?

Here is what I would propose:

1) we paint the walls the yellow, lavender or green.

2) we use a darker, bolder shower curtain similar to this fabric (from ikea):

3) We accessorize with really simple, perhaps metallic toothbrush holders, soap dishes, etc.

I realize this is more than slightly dramatic but hey, that's how I roll!

Okay another idea.

We screw traditional shower curtains all together and buy a regular awesome curtain and use it in conjunction with a simple liner. We could pick a subdued wall color and let the shower curtain do the talking. It would say, 'hi. we are girls. we like girlie things. we are delicate but not dainty. we refuse shower while concealed in vinyl bubbles or some random subway map. ps. we are hot.'

Ok maybe our shower curtain won't be that verbose but it could be pretty nonetheless!

Perhaps something like this:

Or this:

I'd post more but my asshole internet is being its asshole self. Besides, I think you get the idea...

Images: Ikea and Urban Outfitters

Angels in the Outfitters

I'd like to say I despise Urban Outfitters for its prescribed hipster aesthetic, unrealistic sizing and snobby, mullet-sporting sales associates. I'd like to pretend I don't deign to set one foot on the over styled sales floor nor would I ever be caught dead wearing one of their dresses that look more like my grandmother's slip than a $200 mass produced crime. But sadly, I every once in a while I find myself drawn in to their sick little game. Once inside, I cannot stop hovering over the sales rack. Who cares if this grey t-shirt is XXL. It's tissue thin and ONLY $50! Down from $88! And once I go near the home section, it's all over. Long story short, I had some time to kill before a movie this week. Below is a list. I won't go into details because I've already shamed myself a little bit.

I want it. I want it ALL.

Images: Urban Outfitters

**Disclaimer: I am NOT a hipster. I couldn't bear to purposely look unattractive. **

Color me Happy

I'm not sure why it is that my first impulse is to repaint every piece of furniture I find in some bright color. I should really stop that before I wind up living in the rainbow room or worse, Barbie's dream house...

Nevertheless, I was perusing The Company Store's new website and I found these neat wire stools and my immediate thought was 'I should paint these a shiny red. What's wrong with basic black? Nothing at all but sometimes you have to follow your instincts you know? Paint or no paint, my instincts tell me that for a mere $40, some extra seating isn't so bad!

Other clearance finds:

This ornate jute rug. It would look awesome in an entryway or even a larger kitchen (oh and also dyed pink....)

I like these ottomans a lot. I think I like the turquoise best but the plain white is also really elegant.

This Tall Boy reminds me of an old library. I'm not even sure what I would do with it but I know I want it.

                                                  These nesting tables: they are just cute.

Last but not least:

An upholstered bench! It provides tons of storage space PLUS extra seating AND would be reasonably comfortable to sit on or against. (I spend a lot of my time sitting on the floor.) I think I like it best in olive green but that could because I saw a FABULOUS living room in Domino as some point (sniffles) that featured a lot of olive green velour with deep magenta accessories, lots of bookshelves and silver lamps and I fell in LOVE.

If only finding and moving into an apartment would be as fun as decorating it.....


Images: The Company Store

Oh hello lover

In a perfect world, I would be able to carry this off. In this world, I would look ridiculous. And pale. And dumpy.

 Image: Hayden-Harnett

Lazy Saturday

I love lazy Saturdays. I work on Sundays so I have to somehow squeeze an entire weekend's worth of activities, errands and laziness all in one day. I tend to concentrate mostly on the laziness. Here is what I have done so far today:

*consumed a yummy eclair

* watched an episode of The Office

*apartment hunted online

*ate a sandwich

*talked to my mother on the phone

*apartment hunted online

*fantasy decorated the apartments I found online

Busy day and it's not even 2pm!

While trolling the internet on a break from apartment hunting (wow is it harder than I thought!) I found this great post on Constanca's apartment, which was also featured in the Ikea Family Live magazine.  As usual, Design Sponge has the scoop and a ton of wonderful before and afters. 

As usual, I am in love with all things shelving. The kitchens shelves! I die. Everything is color-coordinated, super organized and still functional. I would pretty much kill for enough space to include a wall like this in my next kitchen. 

I am also crazy about the shelves in the living room. A lot of people are so hesitant to use large shelving units in a small room because they think it will be overpowering but I think it's a great idea. It makes the room cozy, gives you space to store all the things that might otherwise crowd or clutter the room and also, it just looks good. I would probably swap out the white rug and couch for something with a bit more color and add a ton of colorful pillows. 

Speaking of pillows, I just found an old silk scarf I bought years ago and have never worn. I tied it around my neck but it looked stupid. I wore it as a headband for all of five minutes before it gave me a headache and then it occurred to me: I'll make a pillow out of it! 

Note to self: Start stocking up on vintage scarves...

Images: Constanca via Design Sponge

I must have a lot of time on my hands.

So I used to be all obsessed with that 'Keep Calm and Carry On' poster. You know, the one that's basically in every Domino spread and every sneak peak on AT and Design Sponge. I loved it mostly because it was so simple and came in a variety of colors. Plus, I have a thing for crowns. Of course, it was culturally and economically relevant as well but yeah I mostly just liked the design of it.

The other day I was staring at my walls (it's what I do best) when my mind wandered to that poster and upon further reflection I realized that it just isn't for me. First of all, I'm not really a 'keep calm' type of person. I'm prone to dramatic fits (big surprise). Second of all, rather than 'carry on', I am more likely to wallow in a pit of doom until something more glittery catches my attention- like my roommate's new green spatula. 

Sorry Miss Jackson but I need a different poster. 

Perhaps one that says:  STOP NOW AND FREAK OUT 

Quick, who can make this for me??

Image: Pressureless on Etsy

Best. Picture. Ever.

Basically, this is heaven. Isn't this just gorgeous though? There's something about the color and texture of the flowers next to the dark matte chalkboard that is so obscenely fascinating to me.

Ps. I have no idea why I am suddenly so freaking obsessed with chalkboards right now. It's not a THING I promise. 

Image: Wild at Heart's Shop via {frolic!}

It's not easy being green

My adoration of all things jewel-toned has been well documented on this blog. As has my tendency to go overboard with the color grey (evidence = my grey wall and the two grey blankets, grey shirt AND grey jacket currently spread out on my bed).  Yet somehow when I look around my room, everything is suddenly green. I have nothing against the color green. I find it quite nice actually. I like green eyeliner. I like green tea. I like green apple jolly ranchers. J'dore the color green. Just don't particularly think to use it much in my living spaces. As a nice accent color, sure. Who doesn't love a kelly green cushion against a glossy white chair? Now I look around my room and I have an olive green dresser inherited from my roommate, TWO army green lamps (non-matching), a turquoise green rug and an old print that uses turquoise, lime green and olive green quite liberally. How did this happen?

Anyhoo. Despite my impulse to scale back my greenosity, I am still in love with this living room, featured in an Apartment Therapy post on shades. Contributed by Jenny of The Little Green Notebook, the furniture is large without being too dramatic or fussy and I love love love the couch. It looks so comfortable and perfect for a Sunday afternoon of reading and drinking coffee. (Is there anything else to do on a Sunday afternoon??)  

Also, I am obsessed with the idea of placing a small desk in front of a bookshelf. I have seen this in numerous Domino spreads and the idea of having a random desk creating a small work area in the living room is so much fun.  That way, when I'm pretending to do work while really watching 30 Rock, I will be that much more convincing.

Image: Little Green Notebook via Apartment Therapy