Dining Room Rant

Here is what is unfair: If you live in New York City and you are not a billionaire, it is unlikely that you can afford an apartment with a separate formal dining room.

You know why this sucks? Because you can't host a proper traditional Thanksgiving meal complete with centerpieces and a family riot. But ALSO because you don't get the joy of decorating it! Look at this table and chairs! Look at that lamp! Look at the freaking wall art!

My current dining room is the small corner between the living room and my refrigerator. It is also directly in front of the door to our apartment and therefore it acts as a catch-all for mail and other detritus of daily life. Plus, randomly, our seltzer maker. I've always wanted a dining room because when I was younger we ate at our coffee table unless it was Thanksgiving, Christmas or Easter and I hated it. I wanted a formal place setting and multiple glasses and flowers on the table! I wanted to practice my mastery of which fork goes with which course, etc!

So you can see why it is so disappointing to be in this predicament. Sure, I can eat a proper meal at my dining room table. But it will be to the hum of the refrigerator, not the chatter of my incredibly interesting and intelligent dinner guests and smooth jazz.  And god help us if someone happens to enter the apartment while we are eating because they will basically walk straight into our meal and chaos will ensue. Oh woe is me.


Image: roygbiv via my little apartment

I never liked the name Irene

Everyone's freaking out about the hurricane but I prefer to think of it as an excuse to stay home and attend to the domestic chores I've been ignoring. For example, baking. Wouldn't it be helpful to have some delicious blueberry crumb bars during a treacherous storm? What else would one eat- cereal?!?

What are we, farmers?!?

Emily over at Cupcakes & Cashmere made these treats last year from a Smitten Kitchen recipe and I've had them bookmarked for months. They look filling and contain enough blueberries to convince myself that they are, in fact, healthy.  Wouldn't they be delightful with some coffee and perhaps a side of crispy bacon?

Also on my list: changing my bedding, an art project, painting an old mirror and lounging about with some magazines.

Image: Cupcakes and Cashmere

Shut Up, Monday

I guess this gorgeous space makes my day a little better. It is essentially the most beautiful goddamn room you've ever seen right???

Image: The Inside Stoop via Acoustic Garden

Looking Up

Look how the painting matches the wall and ceiling colors so precisely! How Meta!

I adore the painted ceiling in Kelly LaPlante's design studio. It's so simple but it packs such a big punch. I often overlook my ceilings because, well, it's hard enough to find the time and energy to paint the walls!

Painting the ceiling can seem intimidating and a lot of people think it's too much work, but it's really not. It's usually less square footage to paint than your actual walls (unless you're just painting an accent wall). I get why it seems so complicated though; sometimes you want high contrast and bright shades and it's hard to envision bright colors on your walls or sometimes the color clashes with your furniture.  Maybe you think you'll tire of it within a few months. But forget all that! Painting the ceiling is a great option because it's high impact but doesn't interfere with the rest of the room! If you get sick of the color, just repaint! A super long roller will have that sucker shiny and new in a matter of hours. How can you go wrong?

How awesome is the abstract painting that hangs in their conference room? I love how they've matched the wall color so precisely. 

Image: Celeste Sunderland via Apartment Therapy 

UPDATE: More Peach Obsession

The Kitchn

Yes, I realize I'm going a little overboard here but, um, PEACH THYME BELLINIS y'all!

Oh and also this:

Lonny

August Obsession: Peachy Keen

Martha Stewart Weddings

Peach is traditionally a spring color but I like it this time of year because it seems like an appropriate precursor to the darker, rusty tones of Autumn. I also love how delicate and ladylike it is- is there anything more beautiful than a bouquet of peach-toned flowers? I think not.

Southern Living

Joy of Kosher

Style Me Pretty

We Heart It

!!Stripes!!

My love of stripes is getting out of control.

Image: DecorPad via. The Decorista

Dancing Queen

I have been an avid fan of So You Think You Can Dance since that boring brunette hosted the very first season and ever since it has been the highlight of my summer. This season has been one of the best and has included some of the finest, most engaging performances to date. In fact, it's been so inspiring that I'm loosing sleep over it.

Yes, you read that right. I have LOST SLEEP over a tv show about dancing. THIS IS NOT HYPERBOLE.

On three separate occasions I have stayed up well past my bedtime watching YouTube videos of past seasons and these videos have filled me with such unbridled enthusiasm that I have been unable to sleep. One night I was so excited by a particular routine that, while lying in bed trying to force myself to sleep, I caught my foot weaving through some of the toe work.

In case you doubt the power of these routines, I give you this one choreographed by Mandy Moore (not the movie/pop star): 

See? Don't you want to dance now? Yes. Yes, you do.

So basically I have dance on the brain all the time. I am like an 10 year old who just discovered that boys don't, in fact, have cooties. 

My dance obsession might also spread to my walls. Ever since I saw this photograph in Domino Magazine (RIP) I have lusted over similar photographs. 

Isn't it classy?! Basically, as long as I steer clear of ballerinas I can avoid looking like an 8 year old. I like how simple the black & white image is though and the fact that it stands out but doesn't overtake the space.

Thank god the show's finale is tomorrow so I can return to my regular sleep schedule!

Image: Domino Magazine

Workin' on it.

Image: Where is the Cool via The Inside Stoop

Speaking of large scale wall art...

I have been in love with Sharon Montrose's prints for a few years now. If anyone ever wants to buy me a present, please feel free to order any one of her amazing animal photographs. They are so lovely that it's hard to choose favorites but I've had the Bunny and Flamingo prints bookmarked for some time!

The beauty of these prints is they look good both on their own and in combination, which means they are incredibly versatile. I could see hanging two side by side over my bed or a gallery of 4 in the bathroom or one large print over my couch in the living room. But why stop there? You could line a hallway with the whole collection, going from largest animal to smallest or vice versa. And would it be inappropriate to feature the Ostrich egg in the kitchen? I think not.

Check out Sharon's website to see the full menagerie!

Image: The Animal Print Show by Sharon Montrose

A girl can dream.

All I really want in life is some large-scale art work, a comfortable yet stylish couch and a soft blanket.

Image: Residence Magazine via The Beautiful Soup

What I did on my summer vacation

1. Went to Maine and watched one of my best friends get married! 

2. Drank Arnold Palmers by the pool

3. Saw the new Harry Potter movie

4. Read several books

Pretty nice right? Now it's back to reality. August is just the worst.  There are no special holidays or reasons to celebrate, just the sticky, horrible reality that summer is coming to a close. You're stuck in the last sweltering weeks of summer and you know you should be having fun and logging in as much beach/pool time as possible before the weather changes but a big part of you is already longing for Fall and planning outfits and menus and excursions to apple orchards. Then you feel guilty for not taking advantage of the weather and living in the moment and the guilt begins to take over your life until all you do is sit around watching Boardwalk Empire in your air conditioned living room.

Or is that just me?

Photographs Courtesy of: Oliver Scott Snure