Pretty Picture Walls

Trailer Trash Living

Stylish Storage Ideas

Since my honey moved back into the apartment, space is at a premium. My pretty party dresses, work suits, flowery blouses, winter coats and fall sweaters fill five Ikea wardrobes even after two major donation dumps at the Salvation Army. Let's not even talk about the shoe collection. Now he wants to hang up a few dress shirts and I just simply don't have the space. How do I let him carve out his own space while still maintaining a clutter free home? A few ideas:

Check out this gorgeous built in cabinetry. If we owned, I would make every wall into built in closets and cabinets.

Here is another version of the "wall of closet". The mirrors make it bright and spacious, a great idea for a small apartment. Now what about those shoes?

I love the acrylic. If I can't see my shoes, I forget my options.

This is the perfect place to store cosmetics and jewelry. I don't like to have anything out on the counter tops if I can help it.

Vintage file folders like this are easy to find at thrift stores in Philly like Uhuru. And it will be a wonderful place to hide all his little piles of change, receipts and mismatched bike lock keys for bikes stolen long ago.

My apartment needs are expanding, and I need to get crafty to make it all work. Let me know if you have any good ideas to share for making a one bedroom into a two bedroom.

(Images Source, Living Etc.)

Anthropologie is Selling Wallpaper

I remember when my parents moved into our old house on Edgewater Drive and every room was wallpapered in a different pink and green pattern. The first thing my mother did was chisel every last piece of paper off the wall, re-stucco and paint. She complained about the process for years to follow and shook her head at even the mention of wallpaper. Well Mom, it's coming back. In a big way.

(Source, House Beautiful)

And it looks like my favorite store in the world is offering their own selection of pretty papers. Wonder if I'll cave to the newest decor trend and ignore the sound of my mother's voice reverberating between my ears.

1. 2. 3.


1. Flora & Fauna Wallpaper, $148.00

2. Vanuata Wallpaper, $198.00

3. Are You Being Served Wallpaper, $108.00

Bright, White, and Open Spaces

There is something about a sticky, hot, Philadelphia summer that makes me ache for the cool, calm and crisp of a white kitchen.

(Photo Source: Living Etc.)

Getting Away from Philly

So I think we all agree that we can't hang out in Philly all the time. That's how I was feeling this weekend when my boyfriend and I took a little jaunt down to Atlantic City for some sun and fun. On the top of my list of things to do was checking out The Chelsea, the hot new hotel and nightspot on the Boardwalk. Let me tell you, it is worth the hour drive alone! The place is more fantastic than I could have imagined - a real design lover's dream. Conceived as part retro motor lodge and part luxe boutique hotel, the Chelsea is a total Hollywood Regency bonanza of style. Think Jonthan Adler, glossy white Rococo-style tables, zebra upholstery, funky animal figurines, tons of mirrored surfaces (this view of the spa is fab) - basically, glam meets vintage with a generous dose of wit and whimsy thrown in for good measure. 

I only wish these images from the hotel's website did the place justice. It's actually much more quirky, colorful and wow-inducing in person. The coolest spot is the the fifth floor roof deck, which features a gorgeous pool, rows and rows of perfect white chaise lounges, a huge round bar, all surrounded by the most wonderful cabanas cloaked in black and white stripes. It's like the roofdeck at Continental Midtown times about a thousand... and it's open until 4am, so you can hang out under the stars to your heart's content.

A view of the roof deck...

The poolside dining room at Teplitzky's on the ground level. I am obsessed with the palm leaf wallpaper, the bamboo bar stools, and the tole chandeliers.

All in all, a pretty fabulous place to grab dinner and drinks (did I mention there are two Stephen Starr restaurants on the premises - the diner-style Teplitzky's and the very chic Chelsea Prime), or to spend the weekend if you're so inclined. I'm planning my next visit already!

Home Improvements

Hello everyone! It has been a while since I've posted (though you may have seen me Twittering) and I've missed you. What's been keeping me so busy? As usual... house projects galore! Now that spring has officially sprung, I am in the mood to spruce things up. There are many things on my to-do list - planting flowers, painting the fence, wallpapering the bathroom - but the task I decided to take on first was my tiny laundry room (check it out HERE).

I believe that paying attention to even the smallest, most utilitarian space in one's home can be tremendously rewarding. It perks me up every day to see the bright walls surrounding my washer and dryer, and makes doing laundry much less of a chore. Why not take a Saturday afternoon and, instead of sunning yourself in Rittenhouse Square, use the time to breathe new life into a sad corner of your house? Line the back of your bookshelves with a bold patterned paper, paint the interior of your linen closet a sunny hue, create a gallery-style picture wall in your hallway... none of these projects take much money, but will bring enjoyment every day!

So tell me, do you have any home improvement projects on your to-do list for spring? Please share!

Lucite Lust, Part 2

Or should I say... Lucite Love? Here's a chic little container for your magazines, perfect for the bedside or a favorite reading nook. Also, the perfect gift for any fan of (arguably) Philly's most famous work of public art...

Via Modern Dose

My Lust List - Acrylic

Lately, I can't stop thinking about and lusting over clear acrylic. I love the modernity and the way it disappears next to heavier pieces. Here are a few cool pieces I saw in a store in Palm Springs, as well as a few pics I found trolling the decor sites.

The Must-Have Planter

How can you resist these planters by Charles & Marie?

Snow Day!

Most of Philly woke up to a snow day today. What a wonderful excuse to light a fire in the fireplace, snuggle up under a recently marked down Anthro throw, read the latest Domino magazine that has been decorating my table for the last two weeks, and obsess about my apartment's inadequacies.

It's inevitable that too much time spent alone in my apartment results in a major purchase or project. Behold, The Great Textile Adventure.

The internal conversation went something like this.

“Look at that wall, it looks horrid.”
“It looks fine.”
“The color doesn’t blend. You must fix it.”
“It’s fine.”
“The entire apartment looks unfinished and overly youthful. I need, I need, I want… My whole life will be complete if I can just fix this one wall.”
“I’ll let you spend $15.00”

Here is the before:

A trip to Spool for fabric, a few bucks to the lady behind the counter to do the sewing, and I practically have a new living room.

Here is the after:

$15 goes a long way in Philly!