persimmon dresser

in an effort to avoid spending money on a dresser when the one at home does the job - it just needs a makeover. this time i'll paint it persimmon.

handmade days - chunky knit pillow covers

inspired by this sweet collection of knits - i think i'll replace my current throw pillow covers with a chunky knit. now i just need to find the right yarn; i'd love to do something in a nice persimmon for spring/summer. i'll stick to a simple purl stitch, but you can check out other options here. any suggestions for a spot to buy some yarn online or in seattle?

etsy wednesday - umbu

these lampshades from etsy seller umbu seem so perfect - i'm imagining places to put them in my apartment as i type.

craigslist finds

i'm back to making my house (apt) a home. some things have changed in planning a bit. we're thinking about getting a large table for the front room that can double as a work space & an entertainment spot. maybe we'll pair it with a cozy chair & side table. i'm also looking for a small cabinet or dresser for dvd storage - something similar to the above.

highboy dresser, $60 & this lusty teak dining table, $900.

the new place

there are things i like about moving. in addition to making a home with a wonderful man, i get to start fresh & move into a blank canvas. last week i shared my mood board for the new place & this week i'm giving you the space as we received it. the apartment is wonderful - lots of light, high ceilings, a balcony, awww the pics do the work.

i'm going to do some postings of our progress, although we've vowed to take our time decorating & making any big purchases. our goods are moved in, but boxes are still flooding the floors - more pics later this week or early next.

sew this table

this table is so perfect - maybe i can find a smaller scale way to do this for myself - featured on apartment therapy.

making the bed

a lovely flickr set from jek in the box featuring one bed, appropriately titled, making the bed. i'd love to grab a book on a sunny morning & drink coffee right there - i am obsessed with all of the color, kitsch & vintage linens.

found via apartment therapy.

maison luxe - retail & interiors

i was walking around downtown seattle with my mom when i noticed a beautiful store (understatement) on 1st ave, maison luxe. kitschy, feminine & beautifully juxtaposed - they carry beautiful goods for your home, as well as offer interior design services.

the walls of the store are filled with vintage mirrors & paintings/collages by local artists. the large farm tables are topped with white ginger jars, velvet moss (one of which i now own), sea shells & yummy candles. you'll also find linens & textiles, furniture, vintage glass & paper goods.

blonde redhead home tour

via domino magazine, you can take a look into the light, textured & beautiful home of amedeo pace and kazu makino (rock duo, blonde redhead). can't you feel the sunny breeze?

sighhhhh

poppies & fromage

my first trip to the broadway farmer's market was a success. there isn't a ton of variety yet, but i did make away with these beautiful poppies, heirloom tomatoes, chard, arugula & fromage blanc from mt. townsend creamery.

cheers to sunny sundays at the market.

domestic wall decals

wall decals came up in conversation a couple weeks ago when i helped move a friend into their new condo (yes - concrete floors, 14 foot ceilings, the perfect base for dramatic decals). i remembered back to a certain wall decal & it's european website that had a greater variety & was less known than blik. after the idea faded, so did my memory. today - it is back in my life.

domestic has so many wall decals to chose from, playful, sophisticated, dark & awesome.

apartment pics

just some fun detail & big picture apartment images. ohhhhh home.

hollywood regency

i've seen this term around - hollywood regency - but i let it slip past me. up until wednesday i let it be seen, but never registered. up until wednesday i had not heard of the parker palm springs. this leads to fantasizing about sun, living in southern california, having bold wallpaper & wearing a bathing suit with a flowy white robe all day, every day.

hatch has a great post on decorating titled hollywood regency 101 that you must read if you are interested in the style. it's funny to look back at my apartment inspiration folder & see how much of it is in this style.

latest apartment pics

in the last couple of weeks i have a couple of apartment additions. first is a four generations picture of my mother, my grandma, great grandma & great great grandma. i got the picture matted & framed on capitol hill; i picked a slightly off white matte & a distressed gold & silver toned frame. it looks really good hanging next to my syroco birds. i also bought a shag rug from urban outfitters for dirt cheap! i like the way that it warms up my apartment & creates a separation of space. i also snagged a little white shelf from craigslist for underneath my photo collage. it needs a repaint & may eventually be replaced, but it works for now.

i'm getting there i tell you! still on the list: a new dining set, a chair to face my couch & artwork for behind my couch.

shot of pink

i had read an article a few months back about a woman who was trying to choose paint colors for her new house. she hired a specialist who asked her to gather all the things that she loved & to pick a color that complimented them (instead of the colors they were). she was surprised when pink ended up being the best color.

i developed a color palette when i first moved into my apartment, pink was one of the accent colors, accompanied by chocolate brown, yellow, rust & deep turquoise. i then sent in a picture of my living room to apartment therapy, where the advice of one person stuck, "paint the wall behind your couch a rhododendron pink & get floor to ceiling chocolate brown curtains." both of these were things i had considered & having it come from a 100% outsider made it happen.

i went with matte finish, tiger pink by behr & the ritva curtains from ikea. i'm really happy with how it turned out. next up is a something for behind the couch. i'm currently looking for 10 24" inch (varying width) plywood or chip wood pieces to create a "forest" of cartoon birch trees. hard to explain, but it makes perfect sense in my head.

i think that pictures make the wall more "bubble gum" than it really is, but i could be tainted. more pics.


before

apartment therapy

i sent in some photos of my window & dining area of my place to apartment therapy for suggestions. i got some good advice from the people of at san francisco & readers; it looks like i may have some work to do. i'm not quite sure i want to paint, but have been thinking about replacing my dining set for a while.














don't i have anything better to do?

magnets & such

i've been meaning to get something to display pictures & prints above my desk. while at home depot i decided to pick up some 8" by 5" galvanized steal panels to complete the task. i simply used mounting tape to attached the panels to my wall & it seems to be sturdy enough to hold my stuff.

gold birds

i bought these yesterday on ebay. i love tacky wall hangings & was blessed with discovering the keyword syroco during one of my morning blog rolls. i'll have to have them in my hands before i decide if they go above the tv or above the bed... yeah!

foot stools

not long after posting about my couch & my desire (struggle) to find foot stools or an ottoman, i found some. i bought both for $50 from craigslist, they were recently upholstered, in great condition, easy to move around & match the color palette of the moment (the morning sun makes things really bright in my aparment, so it's hard to see the exact color).

the apartment is a work in progress, two things in debate currently:
- whether i should paint my side table yellow
- what sort of painting to put above my couch

alicia bock

i found the link to alicia bocks site at craft synergy. something about her images strike me. i like the feminine & vintage look to her work. i have two square gold frames begging for art & walls begging the same. i am getting the 5 x 5 of this & this (it might be a debate, because i like all of the beach prints). she is from michigan & i'm sure these pics are from lake michigan which makes them even more special to me.