New York Eclectic

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This is a dream loft.

It actually exists (and on the Upper West Side), but it looks like something more out of an imagination or set design than a real life residence.

Between the floor to ceiling windows, simple-yet-modern furniture, oversized fireplace and museum-quality artworks, it's not easy to discern which design component really makes this apartment so stunning.

The ceiling really ties the whole space together. With the expressionist brushstrokes on a mural scale, the painted ceiling, and the way it is juxtaposed against crisp white architecture, makes the whole space  come to life.

"New York Eclectic" at its finest.

Vertical Turquoise

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It feels like hurricane season is starting early on the East Coast. What should normally be the hottest weeks of the year has been dreary and wet.

All I want is to keep clinging to the last moments of summer. 

I'm definitely feeling the seasons change. I'm starting to think about my fall wardrobe and how I'm going to spend these colder months curled up inside.

One thing that might help me get through this coming fall and winter is COLOR. Color everywhere. 

How great are these turquoise walls? They're bright and cheery, but also surprisingly calming and versatile.

I love how well it lends itself to a "bohemian-modern collector" aesthetic.

Do you think my landlord would mind if I went Turquoise this fall?

Armchairs and How to Decorate a Bedroom for Messy People

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I'm in the market for a new chair. I think every bedroom should have a chair in it. It's nice to have a place to read, or put your shoes on, that isn't your bed. As an added bonus, they catch a lot of things to keep the floor a little clean. I mean, no one always has all their clothes hung up and put away, right??

Anyhow, I've had the same chair for years. When I describe it, it sounds terrifying. It's an armchair from the 70s, that's orange and white stripe velvet. See, terrifying. It's not that bad though, I really do like it, but it's time for a change.

Ideally I'd like a mix between beautiful hard wood and soft vintage leather (I feel like I want everything in that combination). Though I will not be spending thousands of dollars on a chair via 1stdibs, it certainly doesn't hurt to look.

Check out these dream chairs. Bet you didn't even know "dream chairs" existed.

....it's a niche market.

Nooks over Castles

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When I was little, and my number one goal in life was to be a princess (yeah, I know, it's working out great....), the only interior decor I dreamed of, was having a canopy bed. A great big canopy bed with long curtains that I could close whenever I drifted off to the dreamworld.

While I no longer want a canopy bed, with all its frills and royalty-associations. I do, however, want to slip into a sleeping nook at the end of the day.

A sleeping nook offers the feeling of a one bedroom, but with a more bohemian vibe. It's like a bedroom for people who can't decide if they want a bedroom all the time, or just some of the time.

Since I can never make up my mind, this is the perfect architectural half-way between a one bedroom and a studio.

Recent grads take note: sleeping nooks still let you avoid commitment. And no one will mistake you for a princess when you have a sleeping nook and not a canopy.

...i'm pretty sure it's a good thing too.

Non-Commital Walls

I suppose I should preface this by saying that my job involves lots and lots of scarves.

Which, of course, means I have amassed quite a collection....and come up with more uses for them than simply as a wearable accessory.

Lately, I've been exploring using scarves in decorating.

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Though both of these inspiration rooms are studio or art spaces which use scarves over windows, it seemed like a really great way to add some personality to interior spaces.

I hung this map scarf by Franco Ferrari in my room today (please forgive my awful photograph and glaring window light). I like using scarves instead of posters, because they're more sturdy. They can survive move after move, without the bulk of a frame, or the possibility of ripping paper. 

They also add texture and warmth to walls, which adds a certain coziness that isn't always easily obtained with traditional wall hangings.

It's the perfect decoration for the frequent mover or non-commital decorator.

It's just an added bonus that this scarf is an old map print, which just happens to be one of my favorite trends of the moment.

Fresh is More

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I'm not a minimalist.

As much as I would love to be, I simply cannot.

I define myself as a collector, one who is always looking for new inspiration, and as a result, surrounding myself in these things.

I'm not a hoarder, but it's safe to say, that my dwellings currently reflect a "more is more" philosophy.

Now that summer is approaching, I find myself responding to clean, minimal, yet loving, decor. There aren't very many "things." Yet, you still get the feeling that it is a home, and an opportunistic one, at that.

Who really needs all these things, when you have beautiful fresh light and soft white linens?

As far as apartments are concerned, is there anything that matters more?