what to do with those bare walls: maps

displaying collections of any sort is such a wonderful way to fill your home with character and create an interesting space.  i was at a friends house a while back, it was a real bare-bones bachelor pad filled only with the necessities for living.  on the walls he had displayed his collection of vintage maps of all sizes and it was amazing!  i had no idea that he was a collector.  anyway, this memory has inspired me to gather interesting examples of displaying maps.  enjoy.

images: elle decoration; elle decor; apartment therapy

resource: national geographic

stockholm furniture fair

the swedes get it right...pretty much every time.  here are a few items from the 2011 stockholm furniture fair that were covered in wallpaper mag.  i usually go pretty traditional as far as sofas, but those acne numbers have me rethinking my tendencies.  anyone going to the icff in nyc this weekend??

getting excited about scout & catalogue

scout & catalogue is one etsy shop that i will definitely be following.  they've just posted their summer lookbook so be sure to check it out!  

eye on: nickey kehoe

listed as one of elle decor's 5 designers to watch in 2011, nickey kehoe has a consistency to their design and style that is impeccable.  opting for a more toned-down approach to an often vibrant and bright los angelese aesthetic, their spaces are subdued, earthy, and absolutely beautiful.  

image from nickey kehoe diary

 

images: nickey kehoe shop

weaving spiders come not here...

according to the author albert parry, at least two elements are essential to bohemianism, the first being an obsession with one or more of the seven arts, the other being poverty...i definitely adhere to the latter.  he describes "his bohemian" as a free-thinker, unconventional in their views on art, literature, and the ability to make beautiful with what is available.  i love how these ideas show themselves in design - eclectic, whimsical, free and unassumingly elegant.

images: cintia dicker via studded hearts; west village apartment via homedesignparadise; loft life_1; loft life_2; painting from pierre bergé; dress; sofa

book via amazon: garretts & pretenders: a hostory of bohemianism in armerica 
book via amazon: gypset style 
book via amazon: bohemian style

sunday tea

Hermés has opened a new shop in shanghai called shang xia.  the interior was created by famed architect kengo kuma and the brand is run by shanghai designer jiang qiong'er.  the walls and ceiling of the shop are draped with a shape-retaining, hexagonally cut cloth that gives an airy, cloud-like feel.  the rest of the store is minimal but rich, displaying delicate porcelain teaware, capes made of cashmere felt, and fine jewelry.  what's not to love?...as usual.

images: shang xia, kengo kuma
book via amazon: kengo kuma 

weekend getaway

I'm totally inspired (and a little jealous) of kristiana spaulding at silver trailer. reinventing the interior of an old airstream has been on my wish/to-do list for a long, long time. she has a collection of them and they're for rent...

happy friday

images: via
book via amazon: the history of the land yacht

collecting

yesterday a friend of mine showed me her amazing collection of old pakistani caps or taqiyah. after years of international travel and countless homes in various countries, she has settled in nyc. the new apartment is filled with beautiful asian pottery, elaborate tapestries, piles of oriental carpets, and rich colors. now we're looking for a good way to display the taqiyah. i thought i'd gather some inspiration on displaying collections:

images: 1 skona hem; 2 apartment therapy; 3 lonnymag; 4 apartment therapy; 5 (via éclat); 6 automatism
book via amazon: the art of display


see what's for sale on etsy from the above photos:  the observery

french connection + céline =

i'm really into what french connection has going on for summer. it just looks so natural and comfortable. top that off with a céline bag that i covet on a daily basis...

ruggedly sophisticated

i first learned of el garzon while watching an episode of anthony bourdain as he covered the mouth-watering food creations of chef francis mallmann in uruguay.

the restaurant and hotel has this remote sort of elegant campy feel that's just beautiful.

here are some of my own finds...

images on left: nowness, ingalls photography, el garzon

found items: chairs via 1stdibs, table, metal bins, candles, lanterns, grill

in the name of jil sander

i will consent to color

i'm ready to ditch the puffer for lighter layers.

images: jil sander

getting green

i love the green of spring, the way it contrasts with the shades of grey left behind from winter. here in nyc we're just starting to see some little baby sprigs fighting their way up through layers of dirt and sand left behind from way too many snowy days. this got me thinking about gardens and some work done by one of my favorite shops in austin, tx.

new beginnings

i've been on hiatus, working for a stint at a boutique interiors firm in manhattan. while i learned a lot, not only about design but about people, i am happy to turn the page. im in the middle of planning my wedding and thinking about what sort of "tools" for living we might one day have. my interests are always changing and my attention span short, but i am consistently drawn to smokey blacks, creamy whites, the sparkle of glass and the occasional colorful surprise.

things i covet:

black basalt wedgworth

vintage bar ware

also similar...

designer: James Lee

each podium is composed of 200 pieces of laminated wood which was sourced from a variety of different forestry communities in canada.

via coroflot