A fresh, light and airy house tour that totally has me craving spring!

Even though the winter here in Maryland has been mild, I feel like we really haven't been getting much sunshine. This morning there was a fleeting 10 minutes of bright sunshine coming in my bedroom window, so I just stood there soaking in the light and heat while I could get it. It was nice to feel a little perked up for a while, and apartments like this one give me the same feeling of spring, when things are first starting to brighten up and you can smell spring in the air.

Now that my curtains are finished - I'm thinking of slip covering my couch in a lighter fabric like this.  I love the easy look of it.

Like my apartment, which is a one bedroom, the living room also serves as a dining nook and home office.

A white chair and clean-lined Parsons desk helps integrate the office space into the living space

How could pretty pink flowers not make you think of spring?!?

The more I see simple white linens, the more I want them.

What do you think, is this space too sparse and white for you, or could you feel right at home here?


via Rue mag

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Book Review: The new book from Decor8's Holly Becker and Joanna Copestick

I'm sure many of you here have heard of Decor8, but have you heard that it's creator, Holly Becker, along with Joanna Copestick - have come out with a book?!  Well, the book, titled "Decorate, 1000 Professional Ideas for Every Room in Your Home" does not disappoint.

The book definitely focuses on ideas instead of achieving a specific look/or style - which I prefer anyway because it means there is a little something for everyone. It does tend to feature interiors with more of a Scandinavian chic aesthetic though, so if that's your style - it's an added bonus.

adore the color scheme here - the yellow, light blues, and gray is perfect.

The book also features tasty tidbits of interior design genius from Nate Berkus, Jonathon Adler, Amy Butler, and Maxwell Gillingham Ryan.

' "Start thinking about how you live, then plan a layout of rooms and furniture to suit your lifestyle before you get on the details about what style to follow" - Rita Konig, writer/interior designer" '

The book also features some helpful arrangements for different types of floor plans.

All in all, Decorate definitely has something for everyone and anyone. You can purchase it on here on Amazon. If you pick it up or already own it please share what you think!

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An amazing mid-century modern home mixed with victorian glamour

Something yummy for you...
from Loft Life Magazine

"Charoonkit Thahong’s New York loft mixes Hollywood regency with mid-century modern overtones to create a space that celebrates good design. Some gems include the 1969 VP Globe lamp by Verner Panton, the Fortuny Moda lamp, the Knoll Tulip armless chairs and the oh-so-fun black Victorian love-seat. Thahong, an art director for R/GA, has managed to infuse warmth into the otherwise over-sized, industrial space (located in Hell’s Kitchen) adding subtle touches of glamour to finish off the look. It’s proof that life without walls doesn’t mean sticking to only one aesthetic; Thahong’s space is fit for both Charles Eames and Marie Antoinette!"

...swoon...




If you live in a loft, open floor plan, or studio, book cases without a solid back allow light through but create a divider.


..a pretty corner...

Here's a few pics from a tribeca loft, also as seen in Loft Life magazine

What do you think of the curtain divider with artwork displayed on it like a wall?

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An up-and-coming interior designer you must check out

House Beautiful had an exciting article in the Dec/Jan 2010 issue called "The Next 20 the Next Wave," which showcased 20 designers their editors picked for keeping an eye on. Danielle Fennoy was one of them and I think you guys will really appreciate her beautiful, practical, fuss-free design sense - and her philosophy that design is not only for the privileged, but "good design should be accessible to everyone." I agree.

The perfect bedroom - pretty and serene


The above are from a West Village apartment.
"The goal of this project centered on accentuating and filtering the light, restoring the original character of the building, adding modern conveniences, and making the place look and feel like home. In this case, the floors became the most major transformative feature of the project. Instead of staining them, we chose to “whitewash” them with a hint of blue tinting. Although each room has a specific mood and function, the continuous blue floor became a unifying feature throughout the entire apartment."



I love the bedroom in this one too, modern, yet still warm and pretty.

The above two are from a midtown apartment.
"With an open living/dining space and closed kitchen at one end, the goal of the project was ultimately about “defining” space without putting up physical walls. In order to achieve this, we created more functional and intimate zones that created an open kitchen with peninsula and nearby dining area."

The amazingly large kitchen above from a Lower East Side apartment.
"In addition to giving the place an overall "vintage chic" aesthetic to go with her collection of vintage furniture and barber's accessories, we also changed how the space would feel and function. What was once a closed eat-in-kitchen became a large open kitchen with lots of storage, a dining peninsula, and views of the living room, terrace, and the gorgeous city beyond."

This shot is from a Chelsea apartment.
"This was previously a segmented studio alcove apartment.... a unifying color scheme ties it all together. All these elements really made the space look and feel spacious while still providing the necessary functions of a modern day NYC apartment."


What do you think of her style? You can see more and read her philosophy on her company site, Revamp.

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Elegant city houses - with a country twist

Hi all! Sorry I've been MIA - I was packing to spend this next month visiting my parents - and then there was the whole moving and unpacking process - which I"d rather not think about. Well, now that I'm here in the country - listening to the crickets and birds - mixed in with the clickity clack of my keyboard - I thought a little reminder of civilization was in order.




The above is a one bedroom, one bath loft in Manhattan's NoHo neighborhood - "NoHo" meaning "North of Houston" - a name created by the real estate industry to give an area a trendy age and thus - up the edge on the prices.


The two images here are from the luxuriously renovated D.C. townhouse.


I adore this wide expanse of floor - a renovated Savannah townhouse.

via Metropolitan Home Sep. 2009

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