Can you spot the hidden thermostats in these vignettes?
I can’t possibly think of a better way to cameoflage unsightly wall electrical controls.
Now if I can only find a solution to distract from monster window AC units…
Category Archives: BIG CITY LIFE
Bookshelf Basics
Leroy bet me I couldn’t find a pot of gold at the end.
I told him that was a stupid bet because the rainbow was enough.
- Rita Mae Brown
That’s exactly how I feel about my personal library.
After all of that time spent arranging book jacket covers, in full ombre fashion, who knew the literary tomes would look just as great, simply flipped to display their pages outward? The result is very minimally textural, yet rich; the pages – both antique and freshly purchased – add depth to any space and instantly streamline shelves.
Some organization would obviously be necessary, so that locating a favorite novel would not require tearing your entire library apart. However, I have a feeling this concept could really work to my advantage.
What’s that, Jackson? Oh, you can’t find a single textbook for your grad school classes? Well damn. Guess we will just have to work on our tans in Montauk, instead of that supply chain management paper of yours…
Climb On
According to our lease:
“Tenants are prohibited from all outdoor gardening practices and placing any planted items on the fire escape.”
Luckily, I’m seriously crushing on these beautiful residential facades, thickly festooned with vines of climbing ivy.
So it looks like all I’ll need is an exterior wall, some smuggled kudzoo from NC and a landlord with the patience of Job.
Classic Comics
I’ve been a fan of Natalie Dee’s pithy artwork for ages.
She really has mastered an expert level of ridiculous social commentary, washed down with the best razor-sharp sense of humor. This random sampling of her work may not be as impressive as a De Kooning- what, with a few blobs discussing callout bubbled celebrity gossip, and all – but Natalie churns out consistent, comedic genuis on a daily basis.
That’s everyday.
Since 2004.
Talk about an unlimited supply of creativity.
Check out Natalie Dee’s quirky original art and prints on her site.
And if you happen to have a few free hours, to fall down the ultimate rabbit hole of browsing, check out this awesome archive of Natalie’s 2,500 silly doodles, for a truly recession-proof Friday’s Find.
All Wired Up
Nothing is ever really lost to us as long as we remember it.
- L.M. Montgomery
…or tuck it away in one of these amazing chicken wire catch-alls.
Yes, the “chicken wire in salvaged frame picture holder/memo board/earring holder/token pinterest project” DIY has been floating around the internet, roughly, since the beginning of time. It’s like the little black dress of the crafty world.
Despite its epic dilution, I can’t help loving the rustically upcycled treatment, especially when the rough honeycomb mesh is applied to the entire span of a wall.
This thrifty storage solution is a great idea for renters, teachers, dorm residents – or anyone – wanting to dress their walls, but not technically allowed to paint or wallpaper their space.
I just probably like this concept so much because I’d finally have a legitimate reason to ferret away all of the wedding invitations, ticket stubs and life’s tiny trinkets that I’ve been known to hoard, without feeling like so much of a pack rat.
Jackson, don’t throw away that receipt from The Dutch, it’s for the chicken wire wall!
No Strings Attached
I’m the queen of over-analyzing.
Should I have really eaten that last citron macaron, from Ladurée, after my friend begged me to polish it off? What if she actually wanted it! Maybe she would have rather had a proper chocolate cupcake, from Magnolia Bakery? And what if she did NOT EVEN WANT DESSERT, IN THE FIRST PLACE?!
Decorating is one of the few instances in my life, where I don’t over-think and reconsider decisions.
When it’s right, it’s just right.
Like these wonderful tassel garlands.
Purely looking at these sparkly beauties makes me happy. They’re a YES – an everyday of the week, any hour of the day, for the rest of your life- sort of necessary object. Bring them out for parties, special events, weddings, in your home instead of wallpaper, really any time you want to spice up a lackluster space.
Check out The Flair Exchange‘s amazing offering of garlands as well as this great tutorial to make your own!
And, if you regularly second guess your dessert choices, you are not alone.
Number The Stairs
I have a love/hate relationship with our pre-war, 4th floor walk-up.
It has charm and character. And on a good day, I consider the multiple flights of stairs additional exercise.
But after a long day of work and running errands, as I’m mounting each precipice with exhausted trepidation, armed with 8 bags of over-priced NYC groceries, straining against their plastic bags, just looking for a chance to break out of their entrapments and tumble back down to the first floor from the third, I can’t help cursing their existence.
So, directly calling attention to the distance between each landing, with numerical details, may actually not be so great of an idea. What I really need is a design concept that makes the stairs disappear altogether.
Or, just maybe, an elevator.
Open Door Policy
I myself have never been able to find out what feminism is; I only know that people call me a feminist whenever I express sentiments that differentiate me from a doormat or a prostitute.
- Rebecca West
1. / 2. / 3. / 4. / 5. / 6. / 7. / 8. / 9. / 10. / 11.
These are just a few of my favorite doormats.
Bright colors, bold patterns and whimsical sensibilities work so well in the summer months.
On the front stoop of an East Village brownstone, the back porch of a Savannah cottage , a home on Fire Island, in my apartment building…the possibilities are endless.
Because every girl- from Gloria Steinem to Anastasia Steele- deserves a stylish entryway.
Hats Off
Belmont Stakes 2012
Before:
After:
We may not have been able to cheer on I’ll Have Another this weekend at the Belmont Stakes, but I’m betting these straw hat decorating ideas are the perfect way to store race accessories, year-round.
The delicate woven fibers safely out of reach, neutral and textural hats make quite a statement as wall candy. A little bit country, a little bit funky, I can’t possibly think of a better example of functional art.
Not to mention, an excellent reason to stock up on hats.
Sands Of Time
I’m positive that NYC is governed, exclusively, by Murphy’s law.
If I’m waiting for the N train, in the subway, on my way home to Astoria, the R will come, 4 times in a row. The time I’m looking for a new dress, for a friend’s upcoming wedding, the only suitable options will all be white.
And of course, when shopping for clothes, I will only stumble onto great decorating ideas.
Last Friday afternoon, I was exploring the wonderful world of Splendid knits, in Soho, when I spied these bowls of striped sand.
A grown-up version of that plastic chipmunk figurine you filled at the state fair, these beauties are versatile, fun and super inexpensive.
Round up a smorgasbord of your favorite glasswear- varying heights and widths for an eclectic mix- and pour your heart out. Colored sand is available year-round at your neighborhood discount or craft store.
Though it’s a perfect idea for a dinner party centerpiece, seasonal accent or wedding DIY, these bowls are an especially fitting topic, as I’m headed down south for a week on Ocracoke Island.
I’ll be gathering my own sand and looking for new decorating ideas.
Which means, I will probably find an entire new summer/fall/winter wardrobe instead.
Have a lovely Memorial Day weekend!
