#Blogmas Day 14: Holiday Candles from Bath & Body Works

Happy Monday, y'all! Hope you had a great weekend and are ready for more #Blogmas action here on the blog! I've said it before, but the holidays are not the holidays without a 3-wick candle from Bath & Body Works burning in the background. And one of my favorite things to do is pop into the store near Grand Central Station and just stick my face into each and every one of them until I decide which are THE BEST. It's a very scientific process, and part of my own personal catalogue of Christmas traditions. Anyone else? No? Well, that's okay... I've done the embarrassing legwork for you then! Below are my personal top 4 Holiday 3-wick candles. And, as always, pay attention to sales because you can get an amazing deal on these. In fact, as of now (for a limited time only) they are $15.00 marked down from $22.50, so get to shopping!

1  Cinnamon Caramel Swirl Basically a christmas cookie/dessert in the form of a candle. Yum!

2  Mahogany Teakwood This is a totally masculine, woodsy scent that (not gonna lie to you) kind of smells like a sexy man! I told another lady who was sniffing it, and she bought two! Heyyy girl.

3  Vanilla Bean Noel This is a classic. It's just so sweet, creamy, and totally just  warm, and I love burning it in the kitchen.

4  Frosted Cranberry This is also totally an annual classic, and really reminds me of home. It's fresh and fruity, and totally festive.

Art Prints by Remko Gap Heemskerk

Happy Monday, friends! Fall has arrived in Manhattan, and it's brought rain and subway delays with it! It took me nearly an hour to get to work this morning...thank goodness I left early. Anyway, I would never complain too terribly much about New York life because despite the ups and downs, it really is a dream land. Just take a look at these beautiful art prints by Remko Gap Heemskerk for living proof that the vibrancy of NYC is apparent year-round. You can purchase these online here, and just as a suggestion, I'm thinking three of them lined up and framed would make a lovely series! My faves are below. Enjoy!

Park Avenue  |  Buy print

Tribeca  |  Buy print

Greenwich Village  |  Buy print

Naturals and Neutrals

I am usually quite a fan of color. This we know about me, yes? But I feel like as my style has evolved over the years, or perhaps becomes symptomatic of life in New York, I find myself gravitating quite a bit more to some lovely neutrals and chocolate browns, rustic woodgrain and chunky natural knits. I've assembled a little mood board of neutrality to explain just what I mean. Take a look!

Via They All Hate Us

L: Via Basics of Man   I   R: Via Sevier & White Interiors

John Derian's Apartment via From The Right Bank

L: Brianne on Pinterest   I   R: By Jared Fowler via HomeLife

Via Live from IKEA FAMILY on Pinterest

L: The Knot   I   R: Cha Cha Diaries

Barr-Co. Pure Vegetable products from Anthropologie

Home Sweet Home

I just realized that I've lived in the city for 9 months now and still haven't shown you my apartment! Part of that is because I'm embarrassed to admit that it took me until about 3 weeks ago to finally finish it....but hey, hours are crazy and city life is a blur. And it's finally finished now, so I wanted to give you a little Instagram shot of my blogging headquarters, aka bedroom. The theme here is mixed patterns and textures, vintage flair, and tons of pillows. In my opinion, that's the secret to a perfect living space. What do you think goes into your dream bedroom?

Little Boy Blue

I am completely in love with this perfect bedroom for a little boy. It is colorful, stimulating, and styled to perfection. And of course it prominently features my favorite color...so there's that. The child that lives in this room is beyond lucky to have such a cool space with a place for everything and tons to look at... But, if the little owner of this room is anything like the boys I've encountered through being the oldest of a gaggle of cousins and a middle-school babysitting pro, then I just pray none of these beautiful things get destroyed in a child-sized maelstrom. Enjoy!

All images via Rafa Kids via 101 Woonideeën

GIRLS: Charlie's Apartment

Did you guys watch the first season of Girls? I have to say, it's proven to be pretty polarizing here in the city in which the show takes place. Some people say it's completely unbelievable and the characters are unlikable and not at all relatable...others, like me, say these people are exactly like myself and my friends. It more than resonates with me, so I try not to take offense when people dislike the Girls. I think it paints a fairly realistic picture of life as a twenty-something when you are definitely nowhere near as fabulous as you think you should be at this point. I highly recommend you at least check it out. If anything, for the "breakout star" of the show: Charlie's Apartment. While Charlie's girlfriend, Marnie, found it a bit...claustrophobic in the end, it's probably the most endearing piece of set design I've ever seen. I know every twenty-something apartment-dweller secretly wished their own studio or bedroom looked a little more like this. Check it out!

The entryway. Love the idea of overlapping rugs. Image via LA at Home

The stained Piet Mondrian-esque built-in storage unit. Image via LA at Home

An enclosed bed with storage stairs leading to a lofted living area. Image via LA at Home

A wire boxspring used to hang pots and mugs in the kitchen. Image via LA at Home

The concept sketch for this amazing set piece. Image via LA at Home

Wonderful + Whimsical

I think I happened upon quite possibly the most amazing Pinterest account I've ever encountered! Will you get a load of these bright, cheerful, colorful interiors? I can't imagine better eye candy on a Monday... Thank you Pinterest, and double thank you to Live from IKEA FAMILY for a major dose of inspiration. Check these beauties out!

Originally pinned from Camille Styles

Original pin here

Originally pinned from Bungalow 5

Originally pinned from Éénig Wonen

Originally pinned from by.bak

Originally pinned from House to Home

Originally pinned from Coco+Kelley

The Big Bang: Amy Borrell

I saw this closeup of a print by Amy Borrell today on Pinterest, and it stopped me in my rollerball tracks. It's so incredibly random and beautiful. Those colors! It reminds me of something I wish I had the time and/or talent to create while I was in art school...watercolor mixed with crayon, pen, india ink, and even embroidery thrown in? Yes, please. I just wish it was sold as a long print exactly like this, because I currently have a very spacious hallway that happens to be begging for some art. But if you're interested in checking out the actual piece, which is even more lovely, visit Little Paper Planes. The print is 42x42" and rings up at $225.

If you'd like to check more Pins, you can follow me right here on Pinterest. Cheers!

Bubble Wrap

I am oddly intrigued by this Bubble Wrap vase from Anthropologie. At first I thought it was bizarre, but then super interesting and a cool conversation piece. I don't really love that price point, but that's because I spent less money on an entire couch last year. And my decorating rule of thumb is that accent pieces should never cost more than something you either sit or sleep on... What do you guys think?

Images via Anthro

Coming Down the Pipeline

My roommates commented recently how often they've been mentioned in my blog lately (when I actually post, that is...) and all I have to say is, blogging imitates life! Our sometimes-slow-moving home decorating projects are the only blog-worthy thing I have to show for myself lately, and Ryan Dean recently found something so cool on Etsy that I couldn't resist sharing it with all of you.

These industrial-chic storage solutions from StellaBleuDesigns on Etsy are easily the raddest things I've seen lately. If my room didn't look like a 26-year-old's take on the Pottery Barn Kids catalogue (hey, it's a work in progress...) I would have ordered them for myself! But alas, I've realized lately that I am faaaar too girly. And they are perfect for our resident male! I will be so jealous when these arrive and his room looks amazing (and age-appropriate) and just plain cool. I am not 100% certain, but I think he ordered the Industrial Pipe Shelf Level 3 Wood and the Bookshelf Industrial Pipe Mario Bros Finish Line. I am also totally digging the Industrial Pipe Corner Shelf with Pendant Lighting and the Industrial Garment Rack Triple Level. So definitely check out StellaBleuDesigns ASAP if any of these pieces are striking your fancy!

Bookshelf Industrial Pipe Mario Bros

Industrial Pipe Corner Shelf with Pendant Lighting

Industrial Pipe Shelf Level 3 Wood

Industrial Corner Pipe Shelf

Industrial Garment Rack Triple Level

Paint the Town

There are certain things one never thinks about when imagining life in New York City...
When I decided to move, I thought about pretty much everything that could possibly be different or inconvenient. I mentally prepared myself for the impending adjustment to the new way of doing things like grocery shopping (getting groceries for the evening rather than the week, or the month in my past life...), doing laundry (I'm lucky enough to have washers/dryers in the basement of our building, but plenty of people here have to hit the laundromat), or even something as simple as cooking (kitchens are notoriously quite a bit smaller here) but those adjustments haven't been nearly as cumbersome as I anticipated. There was one thing I've done, however, that made me stop and think about just how totally different life here is. And believe it or not, it was a trip to The Home Depot.



I know it sounds ridiculous, but I never really thought about what going to a large chain hardware store would be like in the middle of Manhattan. No huge parking lots littered with orange carts. No families standing around loading their purchases into the back of an SUV. In fact, the exterior of the building was kind of beautiful with lots of intricate white molding that was probably crafted hundreds of years ago. I found myself walking there on a beautiful tuesday afternoon last week. It's only about twenty blocks from my office. I met my roommate there, and we picked out paint swatches, and selected the color for our kitchen and our bedrooms. We bought blinds and over-the-door rack thingies, and lots of other home nesting goodies. And we bought PAINT. Three large cans and two mini ones to be exact. And then as we awkwardly juggled our haul and headed for the door, I remembered that our shopping cart was about to go bye-bye. We would be heading out into the sunset on foot, carrying our goods on our backs like urban pack-mules.

What ensued was exactly the Marx Brothers, slapstick comedy you're imagining. Walking to the subway station, passing things back and forth over the turn-styles in order to get out our MetroCards without hitting strangers in the face with a gallon of "Mimosa," and then taking three different trains to get home, all of which were standing room only. "You two are going to be busy," commented a friendly lady sitting across from us, spotting our home improvement supplies with a glad-it's-not-me twinkle in her eye. But you know something? We made it home without any major incident or injury. And as we slapped a few splotches of paint in the kitchen with the underlying realization that we may not finish this task for another month (or more) with our busy schedules, I realized I live in New York City, so I didn't mind a bit. And, honestly, I'd rather walk twenty blocks, or take three separate subway lines, to get to the ornate facade of the 23rd street Home Depot than ever have to look at another vast, midwestern parking lot again. I don't need the depot to tell me I'm officially HOME.

fun in the tub

Chrissy, again, from Harve & Polly!

01/ whale mat $16.00  //  02/ squid helper $35.00  //  03/ fish stopper $11.99  //  04/ suicide guy $30.00  //  05/ Frog bath caddy $30.49  //  06/ ducky curtain $25.00

It is cooold here in Boston! And my favorite cold weather fix is a soak in the tub. Bubbles, steamy hot water ... and usually my nintendo DS... what can I say, I'm not a big reader. But I am a big fan of all these items to make my tub time more awesome!

New City, New Mood

I've been thinking about redecorating my bedroom all year long, but never really got around to it. I primarily focused on my living/dining area instead since, for the past year and few months, I've lived in my own place and had no immediate plans of doing anything crazy like moving to New York City... But now that life has changed, and plans have changed, I'm happily planning on investing some time really decorating my NYC bedroom. My goal is to keep it bright, but calm, and a little eclectic. Totally me. Of course, I needed to find a way to combine my living room pieces with my bedroom items, because now that I'm moving in with people who've already lived together for a year, a lot of their furniture and decor is mostly figured out. That makes this an ideal time to really overhaul my boudoir. So for your viewing pleasure, and with the hope that you'll give me some budget-friendly ideas, I've created a little mood board.

1  Mix and Match Lamps from World Market. Base: Martina Aged Mirror Table Lamp Base Shade: White Mulberry Paper Table Lamp Shade.
2 This ultra-cheap Room Essentials Leaf Comforter from Target is reversible, and super soft to the touch.
3  I have a ton of painted gold frames that I've picked up at Goodwill and garage sales. And a vanity mirror to match!
4  The hardwood floors in my new bedroom (the first one shown in this video tour) are just about this color. I think? Maybe just a bit more red.
5  I fell hard for this Silver Recycled Bangle Jewelry Box from Urban Outfitters.Very art deco.
6  This Room Essentials Bright Exploded Flower Rug from Target currently lives in my living room, but will be making the switch to my bedroom in NYC.
7  I'm planning on jazzing up my room with a good old-fashioned frame wall!
8  I'll never forget my old stompin' grounds with my Columbus Neighborhoods Map from These Are Things. Maybe I'll get a matching NYC map once the city really feels like home?
9  Concealed storage is the only way to go. Classic white boxes from Ikea will have a home in any place I ever live...
10  Not my exact dresser, but the same finish, Birch Veneer, from Ikea. I'll replace it eventually, I'm sure, but for now, it works just fine.
11  Just an idea, but I'm thinking about painting a subtle, thick stripe on my walls, or maybe even a chevron wall behind my bed...depending on how much smaller it may make the room look. We'll see when I get there!

So this is the direction I'm headed when it comes to nesting in my New York bedroom. What do you think? I wanted to go with something a little more adult for my actual bedding, but then use the bright colors in the rug to really make the space cheery and fun. We shall see how it all turns out, once I move into my permanent apartment in February! In the meantime, I'm sure I'll just keep compiling more ideas. Or be so busy exploring my new turf that I won't think of it at all!

Laundry Room Lust

I spend an inordinate amount of time just pining for laundry rooms. I have been without one of my own for the past seven years, and even when I did have one, I was sharing it with four messy, disorganized people... i.e. my family. I can not wait to live in a place where I can go into a whole room designated just for washing, drying, ironing and folding clothes. Goodness, I'd even settle for a washer/dryer behind some folding doors! But I can promise you, if I had one of these laundry rooms, I would never ever EVER take it for granted...

 

All images via Pinterest

Plumage

I have been a huge fan of Young House Love for probably forever. I've loved so many of their DIY decorating ideas, but one literally stopped me in my tracks, and I can't seem to let it go. They painted their guest room this very deep navy/aqua color called Plumage by Martha Stewart with lime green and yellow accents, and these amazing curtains from Ikea. I can't seem to get it out of my head. I want it. All of it. So I think I'm going to go for it! Plus I found the print of their curtains in a set of sheets at IKEA yesterday, and picked them up. Now all I need is a can of Plumage, a white downy comforter, and to go shopping for textiles! Wish me luck!

Photos via Young House Love  I  John & Sherry Petersik

Pin Frenzy

I've been pinning up a storm lately. I think finishing a mondo-creatively-draining freelance project left me parched for inspiration, and thanks to Pinterest, the waters are flooding again. Here are some of my top pins this week...

Photo via Coco + Kelly from Anthropologie

Gorgeous cocktail styling by One Sydney Road

Pinned from the inspiring Armonia Decors

Pinned from Eat Drink Chic

Wall-map inspired room by Lisa Sherry via Elements of Style

Sweet and Shower

Pardon my blatant 500 Days of Summer reference there...I just wanted to let the world know how enamored I am with this gorgeous shower curtain from Anthropologie. I kind of have a 1950s retro/clean look in my bathroom right now, but I am jealous of a person out there with a gorgeous clawfoot bathtub and a beautiful shower curtain just like this one...sigh. Also, I've been thinking a lot about doing a decorating overhaul on my apartment, since I've officially decided to resign my lease for another year...Any suggestions, tips or inspiration for a quick and cheap way to transform a rental?

Heavenly Home

Thanks to a tip from my lovely friend Nathan, I wanted to share the interior photos of renowned composer John Mackey, taken for a real estate listing. His entire home is unbelievable, but his incredibly modern kitchen is what inspired me the most. What do you think of that crazy backsplash? 

Isn't that backsplash incredible? Here are some photos of the other inspiring spaces.