Once in a while I decide to torture myself and check out the rare, beautiful, EXPENSIVE, vintage finds from 1stdibs. Since we are in the market for an accent chair, I decided to see what they had. The chairs I came across are just to die for. I love the idea of having one unique vintage piece of furniture as the focal point in a room. Since these beauts are completely out of our price range, I am going to start sifting through sources such as Etsy, sketchy Craigslist, and local resale shops for a more affordable version.

Here are the spendy seats that make-a me weak in the knees.

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Handsome Ib Kofod Larsen Lounge Chair for Selig, Brazilian Arm Chair, Rare Danish Art Deco Viggo Boesen armchair from A.J. Iversen, barrel back desk chair by Edward Wormley for Dunbar, Unusual High-Back Wingback Chair in Original Upholstery, Pair Of Lounge Chairs From The Karpen Furniture Company, Finn Juhl Lounge Chair, Shaply Scandinavian Armchair in Boucle by Norsk

Oy! There are few things I loathe as much as cleaning the bathroom. My mum is coming to visit tomorrow and I wanted the house to be nice and sparkly for her, so I just got done power-cleaning. Since I am a neat freak, I actually enjoy cleaning the house… except for the bathrooms.

While I was inhaling Lysol fumes, I was dreaming about what I would do to give our bathroom a makeover. Other than a new tub, I would love to add wallpaper (including the ceiling), a new faucet and handles for our pedestal sink and some old-school teeny tiny floor tile. A bathroom overhaul isn’t going to be happening anytime soon for us, but it doesn’t hurt to collect inspiration in the meantime.

Here are some adorable bathrooms that I would LOVE to clean:

Interior Design by Albert Hadley

Interior Design by Ashley Putman

Interior Design by Lulu Powers

Interior Design by David Cafiero

Interior Design by Celerie Kemble

Here are five great bedrooms that make me want to throw our bedroom out the window:

Interior Design by Pam Voth and Tim Barrall
White duvets always look so effortless and clean. I’ve tried all-white bedding in our master bedroom but it only lasted 24 hours thanks to Fern. I love the soft wooly blanket and the vibrant throw pillows. The sheer window panels make this space look so calm and inviting.

Interior Design by Callie Jenschke
This is my favorite of the bunch. I love the rustic ikat coverlet, the dainty white quilt and the neutral yet interesting sheets and shams. I would never think to buy a gold floor lamp but it looks just perfect with this combo.

Interior Design by Jarlath Mellett
This space is all in the details: the ornate molding on the walls, the subtle artwork, the globe pendant and the detailing on the armchair. This room looks too pretty to actually sleep in every day, but I still love it.

Interior Design by Ellie Somerville
Love love love that rug! And the wood floors. And the bearded captain painting. Did I already say I have a favorite in this post? I’m changing it to this one.

Interior Design by Ryan Korban
The artwork above the bed is a little disturbing, but other than that I like how this space is packed with pieces that all work together. Throw a furry pillow into the mix and you’ve got perfection.

This chilly ass weather and having been sick all week really make me long for a big fancy claw-foot tub to take a bubble bath in. But unfortunately, our tub is from like, 1944 and I would not be caught dead sitting in it with my bare bum. Our shower/tub is the only thing that the previous owners did not update before we bought our home and I curse them for it. Replacing it is a major priority for me and I hope it happens in the next several months. (Pleeeeease, Jack?)

Anyway, a new tub has got me thinking about decorative soaps and soap dishes. This is something I never buy for myself but should. Every time I am shopping for gifts at Patina or Bibelot, I always sniff the oodles of pretty soaps but never take any of them home. At only $15-$20 a pop, I need to start stocking up on this kind of thing. Soaps, soap dishes, and soap dispensers are the perfect way to add a little color and scent to your bathroom or kitchen.

If only our monitors were scratch ‘n sniff.

Lucia Olive Blossom & Laurel Soap, Marseille Olive and Lavender Bath Foam, Melissa Soap Dispenser, Savon De Marseille Unscented Duck Soap, Basins Series by Fornasetti, Claus Porto Liquid Soap,Wood Grain Dish, Rainbow Soap Holder, Natural Nail Brush, Mason Jar Soap Dispenser

I am sick (not too sick to blog, of course). I am a huge baby when I’m sick, so stay away. To help myself feel better I decided to wander into a part of the internet that I should not be allowed: Kitchen & Tabletop. You see, our kitchen is chock-full of wonderful flatware, plates, mugs, serving-ware, wine glasses, etc. that we got as wedding gifts (I highly recommend getting married), so we are in NO WAY in need of this stuff.

Now IF I were to be in the market for this kind of thing, I think it would be fun to mix and match. I’d keep the dinner plates neutral and have fun with everything else. The pieces I’ve chosen here would go so well with our all-white kitchen and newly painted blue-grey dining room. We actually already have the wood serving bowl (thank you Jon + Lauren), which I love because it’s rustic and goes with anything. As for the other things, they probably won’t be a part of our collection anytime soon, but I can still dream of them as I cough myself to sleep later.

Time for some Campbell’s Chicken Noodle and buttered saltines like mom used to make.

Paper Pretender Dinnerware,Lotus Dessert Plate,Passementerie Placemat,Geo Printed Linen Napkins, Capri Blue Mercury Glass Candle,Mr. and Mrs. Muse Mug,Sun-Tipped Silverware,Acacia Wood Bowl

BEEP BEEP! I’m coming through, Christina! I’m gonna scoop up everything in your apartment and take it back to Minnesota with me.

I just saw Christina Weber’s home tour on Design Sponge and am hella jelly. I love spaces that are no particular style, just a mix of all things great.

There are a few things in particular here that I love:

Where do I begin? I wish we had space for shelving like this in our living room. Nothing says “lived-in” like shelves packed with personal items. I also love the nubby coffee table and would like to steal her fireplace.

I am a fan of all-white kitchens. Again, with the shelves! I’d love a place to stash all my cookbooks like that. And she chose my favorite color in the whole wide world for her accent pieces: blue.

With a beautiful large-scale piece of art like that, she was smart to keep the rest of the room simple and neutral. The chandelier is adorable. This looks like the perfect place to have my lady friends over for tea and crumpets. Or vodka and a game of Taboo.

I love incorporating words/typography into a room. These pillows alone make the space so calm and inviting…not to mention all the natural light flooding in through the pretty glass doors (*sigh*).

There’s a doggie! Enough said.

Click here to see the rest of her home and click here to read her cute blog.

Oh, hi! I am in a particularly good mood today because it’s a three-day weekend (thanks to MLK day). I thought I’d share some random stuff from my list of favorites. Why? Because it’s Saturday, silly!

1. Wasp Pillow: Have to have, have to have, have to have. The only thing holding me back from purchasing this beauty is that I’m not sure if the color will go in our living room. I have to wait ’til the rest of the room is complete before adding this to our sofa.

2. Pantone Mug: I come across these mugs a lot while perusing the internets. I LOVE Pantone swatches. My office desk is covered in little perforated Pantones arranged in different color combos. One of these days I will purchase a set of these mugs to sip our morning coffee out of.

3. Dog Book: Dogs, dogs, dogs! I would love to have this book on our coffee table. And incase Fern is getting sick of me singing her to sleep, I could read her this book instead.

4. Log Stool: Yes, please. I love nature inspired pieces that remind me of cabins and camping. And it’s gold… so that’s cool.

5. Cork Pets: These cute little pups have a wine cork for a body! Jack and I don’t drink more than two bottles of wine at home a year (in 2010, they both happened to be on New Years Eve), so these would be a perfect way to keep the corks as a memory.

6. Owl Plate: I’ve got a thing for them owls. I have a stash of “cute plates” that we eat dessert off of, and this one should be added to the collection.

7. Grace Chair: Probably a titch too chic for our house, but I like that it looks like the Tin Man.

8. Cowhide Rug: I loooove this rug. Jack does not, so you will never see it in our house. But that doesn’t mean it can’t be on my list of favorites.

9. Floppy Basket: I am a magazine junkie. Lucky, Marie Claire, Us Weekly… I read ‘em all. And for some reason I never throw them away. This cozy basket would be the perfect place to store all those glossy pages of eye candy.

10. Lambswool Throw: Plaid? Check. Fun colors? Check. Fuzzy and soft? Check.

We’re off to the dog park. Go have yourself a random Saturday!

I came across this great shop on Etsy called industrial relic that carries all sorts of vintage office goodies. Someday I hope to turn our den into more of a workspace/studio and I’d love to add little touches like the ones shown below:

1. Vintage Brown Desk Lamp – Cayooot! So simple and neutral, this lamp would match any decor.

2. Union Tackle Box – Currently all of my art supplies are stashed in random shoe boxes and plastic bins. I love the idea of using old tackle boxes to house and display my paint tubes, crayons, sharpies and whatnot.

3. Revolving Cork Desk Organizer – What a great little pop of color. It’s made of cork so I could thumb tack little to-do notes on it. Bonus: it spins around.

4. Vintage Wizard Electric Fan – I’m obsessed with old fans. They remind me of my Grandma O. We have an old green one that I bought at an antique shop and I love it. The only problem is that it’s so powerful it literally hops across the table when turned on. Might be time for a replacement.

5. Replogle World Globe – Globes bring me back to elementary school days, when I knew the name of every country in Africa and all it took to make me happy was a shiny new Trapper Keeper.

6. Berol Pencil Sharpener – This would be a welcome treat for the hundred some odd colored pencils I have laying around. They are all totally dull and unusable because somehow I don’t own a pencil sharpener!

To check out more great office items from industrial relic, click here!

To quote Jonathan Adler, “interior design is the ultimate contact sport; it is not for sissies.” I had never thought of it that way, but I guess it’s true. Hey, I guess I like sports after all!

Our Sunday mornings usually start with one of Jack’s famous brekkies (Swedish pancakes today!) and then we retreat to the basement for a day of laziness. Jack watches hours of football (yawn) and I sit on my laptop and thumb through magazines ogling inspiring fashion, interiors, and graphic design (which I am now considering a sport).

Of my favorite sites to visit, Rue Magazine never disappoints. The spaces they feature feel so real and lived-in. If you are looking for some eye candy, check out their site. Here are some rooms from their gallery that left me inspired and envious.

Talk about drool-worthy interiors. Below are five spaces I love and why.

Interior Design by Deborah Needleman
I am a sucker for dark walls. Especially in rooms broken up with lots of windows, shelving, or cabinets. I love how earthy this room feels. And hey! there’s a black version of the chairs I want for our dining room.

Interior Design by Betsy Burnham
Here is a workspace that doesn’t look like a workspace. The furniture, walls and ceiling are all super neutral and the color is found in the details. I like the mix of utilitarian boxes (extremely cheap from Ikea) with chic flowers and light fixtures.

Interior Design by Albert Hadley
We couldn’t pull these colors off in our home, but they look great here. I love the irregular shape of the zebra rug and the painting is my favorite shade of red. If you’re gonna do red in your home, tomato is the way to go.

Interior Design by Michele Bonan
Sigh. Look at those high ceilings. I’m jelly! Again, loving the tomato colored rug. This is another well-disguised workspace that looks much more inviting than a typical home office.

Interior Design by Angele Parlange
Here’s a shabby chic space that I would never in a million years try to pull off (nor would Jack allow it). But still, I love the color combos, the old cute wood chair and how the artwork is hung slightly off.