Inspiration

Gallery Wall Inspiration

It’s probably a terrible habit, but I love falling asleep with the TV on. I settle into bed, turn on the sleep timer, and put on something mindless. I definitely enjoy having a TV in the bedroom, but it’s a bit of an eyesore. In my small bedroom, it takes up valuable wall space. After spotting the arrangements above, I’ve been itching to recreate the look. Incorporating a TV into a gallery wall helps draw attention away from the big black rectangle. I recently made some purchases from Society6 that will fit in splendidly.

Some additional inspiration for my gallery wall to come:

images via 1 / 2 / 3 / 4 / 5

Stephen Shubel and the Search for Leopard Pillows

Paris apartment designed by Stephen Shubel, via Dressed in Orange

I have been searching the past couple months for the perfect leopard print pillow to add to my sofa– not too orange, not too washed out, with a variation of small and large black spots, and definitely not furry. I couldn’t remember where I had seen a pillow like this, but thankfully I saw it again last night as I was putting away some books: on the cover of Be Your Own Decorator. Flipping to the back of the book, I saw the space was designed by Stephen Shubel, and after just a couple minutes of looking through his portfolio I was struck with how much I loved all the spaces he designs.

Below are some of my favorite images of his work– a perfect mix of whites, antiques, stripes, and carefully chosen color. I especially love the images from the SOMA loft; not only because it’s the area of town where I live, but also because I know how characterless these newer apartments can be, and his space layers the right mix of antiques to complement the modern architecture. The space feels warm, lived in, collected, classic, and clean, which is exactly what I hope to archive in my own home one day.

And that, my friends, is why it has taken me so long to finish my apartment– I go looking for a pillow, and end up with a new favorite interior designer!

designed by Stephen Shubel, via Dressed in Orange

All photos via Stephen Shubel’s website.

Oversized Flower Photography

Aerin Lauder office photos by Pieter Estersohn, for Architectural Digest.

After seeing these photos of Aerin Lauder’s Manhattan office on Pinterest for months now, I have been dying to figure out where I can get my hands on a show-stopping flower photograph of my very own. The original pieces by Paul Lange (from his Big Blooms series) are seriously incredible and definitely worth pinching pennies for, but if you can’t wait to get your own piece of floral artwork, I suggest you take a look at the offerings on Art.com. After browsing around for a bit, I found a variety of flowers and colors that can all be blown up to a variety of large sizes– most appealing to me was the 30″ x 40″ size, which (with some small trimming) would fit nicely in a large Ribba frame from IKEA! I’m having trouble picking a favorite, although those pink poppies seem to be leading the pack. Which would you pick?

Click here to see all these photographs, available on Art.com.

: “Red Poppy Blossom”, John Westrich

: “Red Poppy Blossom”, John Westrich

: “Himalayan Blue Poppy”, Unknown Artist

: “Himilayan Blue Poppy About to Bloom”, Unknown Artist

: “Red Poppy Flower”, Unknown Artist

: “Orange and White Poppy”, Unknown Artist

: “Pink Poppy”, Unknown Artist

: “Red Poppy Blossom”, John Westrich

: “White Poppies”, Unknown Artist

: “Yellow Iceland Poppy Flower”, Unknown Artist

: “Red Poppy”, Unknown Artist

: “White Poppy”, Unknown Artist

: “Iceland Poppy”, Frank Krahmer

: “White Poppy”, Unknown Artist

: “Pink Poppy”, Ian Winstanley

Summertime Host Gifts

art book / journal / bottle opener / napkins / apron / cook book / mug / writing book / towels / soap

With summer officially in full swing, it’s nice to have a couple hostess gifts on hand for any impromptu barbecues or seafood boils you might be invited to. Luckily, Anthropologie has a bunch of great items in their Summer Tag Sale right now, sure to be perfect for any of the friends you might be visiting this season.

I like getting a couple of small things to make a themed gift, like:

some fresh towels, soap, and seed packets for a friend with a green thumb.
loose-leaf tea, adorable mug, and illustrated writing reference book for a budding author.
homemade simple syrup and handwritten Rosemary Gin Fizz Recipe, with cocktail napkins and bottle opener for your favorite mixologist.

Have fun dreaming up your own gift combinations, and remember– when in doubt, chocolate is almost always appreciated!

Domaine Home

I was so excited to see that the WhoWhatWear team has launched Domaine, a shoppable online magazine dedicated to interiors. The site looks amazing, featuring everything from furniture makeovers by Kelly Wearstler, to advice on hiding your tv (with great example photos), to short one-room tours inside interior designer and celebrity homes. My favorite feature so far is the inside peek at Sara Ruffin Costello’s living room in New Orleans. Now all I want in my living room are turquoise walls, a huge palm leaf chandelier, a black and white striped lamp, and some gilt framed oil portraits to top it all off.

Additionally, I loved seeing all her favorite shops, especially the peek inside of Malachite. The shop’s interior looks like an incredible mix of furniture, pillows, and accessories, and is just another reason I need to visit the Big Easy soon!

All three photos via.

Bringing Nature Inside

via: 1 / 2 / 3

You can blame it on my Californian upbringing, but between the 80 degree temps and today being Earth Day I can’t help but want to add more natural and organic elements into my apartment. Incorporating natural textures like linen and wood and adding plants to your apartment is an incredibly easy way to bring the outside in, especially when you live in an urban area that might not have nature-filled views. Natural textures are also easy to layer with cozier blankets and pillows in the fall and winter months, which is key for seasonal decorating when you have limited storage.

I also love incorporating up-cycled items into my apartment, such as an adorable succulent potted in a vintage biscotti tin I bought at the Alameda Antiques Fair several months ago. What I would change about it, however, are the holes that were poked in the bottom of the tin for drainage– I have to keep a plate underneath it or suffer severe rust marks on my counter. I have plans to re-pot it based off this DIY tutorial from Canadian House and Home, which suggested adding gravel to the bottom of the tea tins, along with a plastic liner to avoid leaking. I love that they potted herbs in their tins, which would save you from needing to buy cut herbs at the grocery store. Beauty, economy, and environmentally-friendly, all in one package!