Textiles!

I consider my design aesthetic fairly minimal with a generally monochromatic color palette, wow sounds so exciting when I put it like that doesn't it? Lately, however, I've been feeling very inspired by the look of bold vibrant textiles.

This spread from Lonny magazine shows the Connecticut home of John Robshaw, a collector and creator of modern Indian inspired textiles. I love the impact the pillows, curtains and wall hangings have on his clean white-walled interiors.

If you like the look, check out Robshaw's website and here's some other resources..

tonic home

John Derian

Anthropologie

Etsy

Attiser

22 Irving in all four seasons

Last night the snow began to fall in Buffalo and this morning we woke up to the most delightful dusting of snow on the ground.

Winter

Spring

Summer

And Fall.

Our backyard is small and simple but I've loved watching its

seasonal transformations over the past year.

Instagram

I have three apps on my iphone. Epicurious, Facebook and Instagram (my new fav.) It's funny, as talked about in the New York Times write up, the new app is intended to be the latest in social networking and sharing images with friends blah-de-blaaah, the article fails to mention the reason I'm completely obsessed with it..the filters!! Have you ever spent hours pouring over your parents and grandparents old photo albums? Sentimental reasons aside, I find the rich buttery quality of their vintage photos completely enchanting. With Instagram any photo can be altered with your choice of eleven filters, my favorite so far: Earlybird, Apollo and 1977. Here's some fun I had with interior shots of the house..

Who's Cooler Than..

Joan Didion I ask you? This particular post is a digression for me, but I was at my computer listening to itunes when one of my audio books, The Year Of Magical Thinking, came on. I sort of unintentionally listened for a couple of minutes, still absorbed in my desk work, but eventually her words drew me in and before long I was googling insanely cool black and whites like these.

It's a heavy read but she opens an extremely personal window into the life she shared with her husband John in New York City and California and the pain and grief she experienced after his death in 2003.

Ode to Muji

Years ago in Brooklyn I decided to ditch my dresser, not only were its old sticky drawers almost impossible to close but somehow they didn't seem to be big enough any more..hmm.

De la Espada's low chest was what I wanted, but not even a good rationalization would work this time. I was in interior design school at the time with no income, credenzas of any kind seemed out of my price range. What a predicament! That is until I discovered Muji. Their incredibly logical philosophy aside, I just liked their clean and uncomplicated design. Since picking up these modular shelves in Brooklyn in 2007, they've traveled across the country to California, then back again to present day Buffalo.

Brooklyn.

Yes that's Ray in the puppy days.

San Francisco.

The shelves were moved from bedroom to living room,

no longer storing cloths but the TV, books and magazines.

Buffalo.

Again they're in the living area, but we've now taken full advantage

of this modular opportunity..

turning the forth shelf into perfect little bed side tables.

At Last..

I read about this new design magazine back in September on Design*Sponge, subscribed immediately and have been anxiously awaiting it's arrival ever since. Today it finally came and it seems to have been worth the wait! And I must say I love the optimism of two young ladies starting a design magazine in these times..very refreshing.

I Covet Context Furniture

Love the way the clean layers of birch plywood balance with the classic William and Mary silhouette. Slightly out of my price range, but these clever little end tables are handmade, so you know they will last forever..ah, the danger of a good design rationalization.

Garland!

Last year I was obsessed with the adorable handmade garlands I got on Etsy. I was all aflutter with the vision of how perfectly festive they would look on our Christmas tree. Well, turns out our Christmas was a little less Norman Rockwell and a little more demolition disaster zone, we never even got around to buying a tree let alone decorating it. So my cute little garlands did their best to brighten the old office (click to see new) for a while and have since been moved to some decorate branches where they have remained.

This year they will make it to the tree and I guess you could say I'm a little excited. It's silly to write about different places to purchase such garlands, with the help of a sewing machine and some old paper you could very easily do it yourself, but if you're lacking in such machinery, as I am, here are some links to very creative (and slightly more labor intensive) garlands. Enjoy!

emmersonmade

west elm

emma lamb

Julia's Poppies Design

a little cheeky

Renovation Remorse

Remember the darling, but ugly, wood burning stove I parted ways with this summer? As I expected now that the weather's cold all I want to do is sip hot cider and sit by a warm crackling fire. Well cider I got, but no fire.

I know that like the wall behind it, the clunky and inefficient stove had to go.

SO, now I'm day dreaming about this one! It's pricey but efficient, so we probably could turn down the thermostat and save a little on the heating bill. And it's cute and has glass on two sides. Love it.

Do any of you out there have thoughts? Would it be worth the investment? Hmm?

Now that I've shared photos of my kitchen, it wouldn't be right not to share my inspiration pictures, some of which I've been holding onto for a couple years :)

In poring over countless pictures of kitchens in design magazines and blogs over the last couple years, I've also fallen in love with pictures of pantries. I know it seems silly, but just look at these..woow.

I'm in awe, probably because my pantry looks like this. (frown)

Kitchen Before and Afters

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