a cozy corner

well we finally moved and i've been wanting to aggregate pictures and thoughts into a post to share and the days get away from me. in the meantime, i thought i'd show you an inspiring dining corner shot... our new place shares nothing in common with the above image other than wood floors. but we're hoping to create a little banquette area with a bench and some eclectic chairs. i also love the idea of the gallery wall above the table. totally planning on that as well.

image source unknown

midcentury love

what's your feeling on the midcentury modern pieces that have become all but ubiquitous over the last few years? the two that come to mind immediately are the saarinen table (replete with tulip chairs as seen here) and the eames molded chair. although there's a part of me that desires them less because it seems everyone has them now, there's a larger, more pronounced part of me that feels like if i still love a piece regardless of how mainstream it's become, then who really cares? 


are there items you've loved, only to love them less when you see them everywhere? does ubiquity water down something we love? does it have to? i think not. look at all the gorgeous ways these two iconic pieces can be used and enjoyed...the one thing i probably wouldn't do is use them together, but mixed with other special and not-so-special pieces? eclectic perfection.


i love the idea of a slightly less-oft seen take on these special pieces like the saarinen table with a marble top or in an oval shape, or the eames chair as a rocker in a punchy color.

p.s. this saarinen replica is under $200. just saying...ubiquity be damned.

images from here, here, here and linked sites

getting ziggy with it

i'm having a zigzag moment, majorly. since i'm dreaming of moving to a new place, it opens up all kinds of thoughts about new things...new colors, new patterns, new ways of mixing said colors and patterns...here are some of my favorite chevron/ziggy items right now.

there's the zig zag printed rug in so many fun colors, and it's so reasonably priced. i love the idea of the black and white one in a kitchen or entryway, and the serene light blue one would be perfect in a bedroom that dabbles in grays, whites and blues.

and then the zigzag duvet ... i love the gray version to be mixed with lots of white pillows and textiles, or the idea of the amazing saffron color in pillowcases against an otherwise solid or monochromatic bed.

and how about the ziggy chair? i love the thought of the navy one used in an otherwise preppy, nautical style room.

and then i die for this amazing print for a pair of x-benches or an awesome chair. does ballard designs not kill it?

obsessional over these gorg bangles...

 and of course there can't be a complete conversation of zigzag without talking about missoni...have you seen the missoni for bugaboo stroller? check it.

are you getting ziggy with me?

kitchen whites

i'm all aflutter with dreams of a white kitchen (with touches of blue). these dreams aren't new to me, just renewed because we're talking about moving so possibility is in the air. i'm already set on white dishes, but here are some of the white kitchen accents i think would be cheerful, even on a frozen day like today. 

i love all the stoneware and ceramic egg crates i've seen so often recently, but my personal favorite is the one from anthropologie since it holds a full dozen. if i got this one or this one, though they're pretty, i'd still have a half empty carton of eggs each time i bought them until i got through the first six. not pretty.

i also really love the berry boxes because they're sweet looking and they just look so much like the real thing, even with the little puckers and dents and bends in the basket. even though i prefer them in white for my fantasy kitchen, you can see all the lovely little details in the green one here. aren't they lovely?

jayson home and garden has three different ones in white that's a nice mix and crate and barrel's are basic and inexpensive.

i'd also love a really simple set of white mixing bowls like these...

... and canisters, even with one special one like this thrown in (note: in this fantasy, i make cookies). 

and even white can have whimsy with little pieces of art like these owl measuring cups. 

i guess the nicest thing about these moments of white is that i might not be able to (read: will definitely not) have a dream white kitchen like this or this, but i can get some of these little accents and feel like i'm living a little piece of that wonderfully white dream.

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can i come in?

isn't this santa monica midcentury modern home just ideal? i love the mellow blend of clean lines and natural textures and shades. this type of warm collectedness is exactly what i'm loving right now.

all the woods just look perfect together, even though they're not perfectly matched or coordinated. and the way the outside of the home blends in through the sheets of glass for windows is just impeccable.

 

and don't you just want to pull up a fabulous midcentury chair for a summer or fall afternoon?

laundry in french is so much better

i so love all these textiles from french laundry home...gorgeously spun linen that sings with that vintage, timeless look. they're made in plain, in pitch-perfect stripes and then also in coordinating prints - i really love the whole grain sack look, and the numbers too. do you not just want to crawl into a bed dressed with these beauties? i think with too much of it, it could easily be overly sweet (like this), but with one or two thrown in unexpectedly to an otherwise eclectic or modern mix, i'm in love.

and how about these chairs? would love one at a mixed-and-matched table of chairs, no two alike. it's this concept, though i've started to like the idea of leaving each chair in its own color too.