found: something awesome at babyGap

Is it weird that I kind of want this Polar Bear Blanket for myself?

Image: Gap

ZOMG

YOU GUYS THIS TREE  IS MADE OUT OF COOKIES!

Image: Crate & Barrel

OverwhELMed. (I just cracked myself up)

West Elm has been killing it lately! I spent a mere five minutes on the site this morning and found about 30 items I could easily buy for myself or others, depending on how much I like them.

Here are a few of my faves:

Wood Boxes with Lacquered Lids

Faux-Fur Throw. Gorg.

 

Mercury-Glass Vases

Studded Wool Pillow Cover

Origami Banks! Proceeds go to St. Judes! Hooray!

Nature Entertaining Gift Set

Last but not least...

Sequined Bunny! Proceeds also go to St. Judes!

Image: West Elm

mia mia mia mia mia

Look! It's my name!

There was a time when I hated my name because it was considered exotic in Minnesota and no one ever knew how to pronounce it. Everyone thought I was named after Mia Farrow and all I knew at the time was that she looked like a boy in Rosemary's Baby. In the early 90's, surrounded by Jennifers and Tiffanys and Melissas, I tried to convince my mom to let me change my name to Kelly Kapowski and yet she refused. How rude! I was convinced she was denying me a life that involved wearing a cheerleader uniform and spending long hours leaning against my locker talking to my hunky blonde boyfriend named Rick who would play football and take me to The Olive Garden for fancy dinners on a Friday night.

These days I like my name and it's not just because it's become more common. (10th Most Popular Female Name of 2009!) I like my name because it suits who I am now and backwards, it spells AIM which is maybe not-so-coincidentally my favorite toothpaste. Also because now I can actually find it printed on things that are not shoes.

Image: Mooza Designs

I need an intern just to think of titles for me

I was reading The Kitchn  this afternoon when I spotted this wonderland of loveliness in one of their galleries. I love how much character and personality this kitchen has-somehow a dresser and lamp next to a freaking stove looks chic and elegant.  I'm also mad about the fancy terrariums and the pottery vignette on the open shelving. I would genuinely look forward to cooking if my kitchen looked like this.

You can see a tour of this whole duplex apartment in Dallas over on Apartment Therapy and I highly recommend it because each room is brimming with interesting accessories and layers of pattern and texture. I am especially fond of the exquisite hallway/foyer, which is probably to be expected.

Image: Apartment Therapy

If Only I Didn't Want EVERYTHING

Damn you, holiday gift guides! I look forward to the annual round ups of fun gifts for every price point and giftee imaginable all year long and yet somehow they wind up populating my own wish lists instead of my gift lists. Epic. Fail.

Example: This superb mobile from graphic designer Clara von Zweigbergk.

I could name 3 people I know who would adore this mobile and if I bought it now I would be planning in advance which is, obviously, something I never do. However, I can't help thinking how perfect it would look hanging in my living room, possibly replacing the metal hanging lamp (currently without a fixture) that everyone insists is an upside down layer cake.  Plus, all these colors are currently in the living room AND I've been looking for ways to add in some modern accessories since the room looks a little too...old. Also I just really, really like it.

The jury's still out on whether I will actually purchase it or who will receive it but in the meantime, you should buy it! Especially if it's for me!

Image: A+R Store

Design Soulmates

 I have been freaking out over Matt Berman's Manhattan apartment, which was featured recently on Elle Decor. Isn't it just so yum?? I cannot stop staring at the photographs because the apartment gets better with every photo in their slideshow.  From the artwork below the bookshelves to the cubed coffee table, green dining room chairs, and oversize mood board, this space has excellent attention to detail and a well thought out floor plan. I love how the masculine heft of the larger pieces are balanced by lighter benches, patterned accessories and soft rugs. Basically, I would do anything to live here. Berman's aesthetic sense is so amazing, I would like to cut out his prefrontal cortex and just insert it right into my brain. Then I would decorate my apartment to look like his. And then I would give him back his prefrontal cortex because it really isn't nice to go around cutting out chunks of people's brains. Also, ew.

Moving on:

Look at the watercolor of Mae West! Check out the hanging lamp above the table! Why don't I have big branch arrangements on my table!?!?!

This is my ideal workspace: simple and not fussy with interesting things to look at when I am lacking inspiration/procrastinating/bored out of my mind.

Images: Elle Decor

yet another wallpaper alternative

I had the most annoyingly long commute this morning and was in a thoroughly bad mood when I arrived at work but my mood was somewhat lifted when I saw Jennifer Hill's gorgeous stencil job featured on Design Sponge today. Inspired by a mural on the wall of their Honeymoon suite in Morocco, Jennifer transformed a small wall in their bedroom with paint, an allover patterned stencil from Royal Designs, and what looks to me like a lot of patience. The result is nothing short of breathtaking and frankly, I am so jealous that I am tempted to copy her idea in my bathroom this very weekend.

I won't- but only because I am too lazy.

This ain't Jennifer's first time at the rodeo either. (The rodeo being Design Sponge.) Jennifer's swoon-worthy Jamaica Plain home and workspace, along with her charming cards and calendar, were featured on the site back in June of 2008.

Check out Jennifer's blogpost, which includes relatively easy instructions, here.

Ps. I also want her dresser. And her rug. And her honeymoon suite.

Image: JHill Design via Design*Sponge

Want.

Sorry the picture quality is bad. I don't understand why this is happening.

Want Want Want Want Want

Image: Marks & Spencer via Bright Bazaar

apartment envy

Sometimes I sit around my apartment and I think, ' Apartment, you bore me'.

True story.

The fact is, I like bright colors and modern lines and enough artwork to cover a whole damn wall and that is sadly not happening in my apartment at the moment. To be fair, much of this is due to my budget and the fact that much of my furniture was inherited from either my parents, friends or craigstlist. One day I will get it together and start replacing things and buy appropriate frames for the piles of prints I have lying around everywhere and then my apartment will be a wonderland. Sort of like the apartment of one David Kaiser, an art curator whose magnificent apartment is currently featured over at NY Mag.

See? Isn't it just fabulous?

I am over the moon about this West Village apartment. Under Miles Redd's direction the floors were hand-painted, tables were ebonized, dressers repainted in Yves Klein blue and sconces were designed complete with matching oversize urns.  How is this not the most beautiful place you've ever seen?

Further evidence:

Yves Klein Blue! Yves Klein Blue! I die.

Images: NY Mag

Nook Fetish

Just another addition to my photo collection of breakfast nooks with upholstered benches...

Image: Apartment Therapy

this is getting out of hand.

Hey! Remember when I was procrastinating by designing the production office for a company I haven't yet started? Yep. Still at it.

I won't bore everyone with my plans for desks and storage space and the amazing kitchen we will have that will rival Flower Films (pastries included) but I would just like to point out that this living room, featured in Canadian House & Home, would be an amazing reception area. Also, I like the idea of wallpapered partitions in a brick loft space.

That is all I will say for now. Back to real work.

Image: Canadian House & Home

Diamonds are a Girl's Best Friend

I know people have been talking and writing about this lightbulb for months but I can't seem to get it out of my head and so I'm going to throw in my two cents as well:

I love this! It is fabulous! It shall be mine!

Glad I got that out of my system.


Images: Eric Therner via Design Shimmer

Welcome to my Birthday Month

I keep my spare change in a hideous blue plastic container from Ikea and every time I see it sitting on my desk I silently curse myself for not owning something more attractive. Afterall, I'm pretty sure that plastic container is meant to store leftover pasta and not my life savings. Wouldn't I be more motivated to toss in an extra dollar or two if the container were as nice to look at as this pretty drop bank from Vitrine? I'd like to buy the yellow or teal version and store it on my mantle. Yes, it is mantle-worthy. Buy it folks!

Image: Vitrine via Shelterrific

Wallpaper, Inc.

C'est Magnifique Wallpaper by Anthropologie

I just returned from a short trip to Los Angeles where I visited my friend Amy and spent a lot of time fantasizing about how I would decorate her amazing new house. She is doing a wonderful job on her own but you know how I am...

One of the small victories of my trip was convincing her to wallpaper a wall in her kitchen which then led me to go a little overboard researching sample designs while she was at work one morning.

Blazing Poppies Wallpaper by Anthropologie

I decided to stray from my usual go-to wallpaper sources like Walnut, Ferm Living and Cole & Son, and I am so glad because it led me to Anthropologie's excellent collection. Just like the rest of the store's inventory, their wallpaper is delicate and girlish with a hint of charm. Traditional floral and filigree mix here with Shakespearan scribbles and a pattern of miniature tea cups that mimics penny tiles. My two favorites are the French-themed C'est Magnifique and floral Blazing Poppies designs. Although they aren't necessarily appropriate for a kitchen, I just adore the fun pattern of the former and the bright, saturated colors of the latter. I would love to take a bath surrounded by the Eiffel Tower or wake up to those cheerful poppies in the morning.

I also found some good ideas for Amy's kitchen, which is currently under renovation. She has a Black & White theme and a style that is simple and slightly retro but I know she has a tendency toward floral and nature-inspired patterns. Here are some of my favorites:

McGegan Rose by Timorous Beasties

A Stone's Throw Away by Oh Joy! 

Serious Bokay by Nama Rococo

Images: Anthropologie, Timorous Beasties, Hygge & West and Nama Rococo