Midnight in the Garden of Good & Evil

Sorry guys for the lack of posts. It's been pretty hectic especially trying to keep up with 2 blogs. So posts may be more sporadic (at least until after finals are over), so please bear with me. :)

Lately, I've been getting emails from the Jonathan Adler subscription list that have given me great ideas for holiday gifts. The sleek lines of his pottery mixed in with whimsical and retro details make for the perfect addition to any home.


These fun, stark white ornaments give a high contrast to darker-colored walls. And at only $24, you're not breaking the piggy bank.

For the opposite end of the color spectrum, Adler also has a Midnight collection to add a touch of sophistication (or cool goth vibe) to your space.

Home Sweet Home: Kim C.

Decent Exposure

I'm a major fan of exposed brick when it comes to loft spaces. It helps to balance out the modern with the rustic and gives the room a warm and cozy feeling. I remember having brick walls in my first college dorm room and trying to figure out if I could hammer nails into it to hold up my posters. Indeed they did!

I think the warm and fuzzy feeling I get is from associating brick with sipping hot chocolate next to the fireplace. Even though I had a chimney in the house I grew up in, my family never had to use it because we had such mild winters (if you can even call it that) in Texas. I wouldn't say exposed brick looks great in all spaces considering it can also make a house look outdated. Below are some examples of the kind of brick I would love to find in a home:

Apartment Therapy


Design Sponge


Apartment Therapy


Lavender and Lilies


House and Home

This Bullet Belongs in No Gun

I am totally digging these retro bullet planters from Hip Haven. I think every decent mid-century home needs at least a couple at their doorstep and back entryway. They come in 3 sizes and you can pick from an array of colors. I especially like the aqua and rattan one!

And if you're looking for a contemporary version, here's a stylish silver one to house your pruned bonzai!

available at chiasso

FIT

Today I discovered an amazing new store called FIT. My sister had told me that a cute Japanese dollar store had opened up, but I didn't really know what I was getting into until I went for the first time today. I think of it as a candy store for adults (even though there are plenty of things for the kiddos too). It also reminds me of The Container Store with its huge array of cute storage options and bento boxes. It's touted as a Japanese home products store, and they are not kidding. You will probably find almost anything and everything you use at home (shampoo, plates, crafts, storage, washing supplies, ...you name it). Best of all, nothing is over $5. You heard me. The prices range from $2-$5 based on a colored dot system, and if it doesn't have a dot, then it's 2 buckaroos.

It was difficult pulling myself away from the store, but I did grab several things that, of course, I didn't really need.


I've always wanted a clear umbrella! This one has a single pink panel and a pink plastic handle.


A cute Scandinavian-patterned oven mitt! So much better than what I've been using- kitchen towels.


Cute panda stationery. How can you say "no" to a panda that dreams of riding a camel some day?


I've been needing a pencil bag to hold all my highlighters for school.


I am getting super prepared for Halloween. Now I have a 5 different costume choices! I'll make Bryan wear one too!


Don't you just love this new set of bowls? The mid-century pattern is perfect!

Finally, for every 10 items you purchase, you get a spin at the bingo ball cage. If one of the lucky numbers fall out, you get 1 or several free gifts that you pick from a wall of stuff. I won 1 free gift and chose this nifty secret pen.

Can't wait to write ultra secret notes with this!

The employees also greet you and say goodbye to you in Japanese as you enter and leave the store. It's like having a little bit of Japan hidden in the middle of Chinatown.

Cotton Mill Conversion

Augie and Sherie both share a love for metal and sci fi, but it's Sherie's fondness for unique vintage items that is most evident in their retro abode.

I'm totally envious of their gorgeous dining table that they scored from a family member who planned on throwing it out.

Their eclectic display of retro trinkets, Transformers, and dried piranha on a stand.

Sherie's vintage bear collection.

This is a weird nook that only their particular unit has. Who knows what it was used for but the eerie orbs give me the chills!

Check out the Star Wars sheets. Heh heh.

These stairs lead to their bedroom loft (a.k.a. Sherie's Ebay & Etsy work area).

Living in the Past

My style has been through a lot. It has relived the '50s, '60s, and '70s. Although I've started to dress more modern lately, I still enjoy watching others flaunt their retro flair and try to preserve the sentimental dress of the yesteryears.

Two girls in particular that are keeping the past alive are Rhiannon from Liebemarlene Vintage and Hannah Kristina Metz.

Doe-eyed Rhiannon has the sweetest outfits, and her photos are so ethereal. Her style is more '50s, but she is completely enamored with the on-screen darlings of the '30s and '40s as evidenced by her blog.

Hannah has the most precious face, a mix between Scarlett Johanson and Michelle Trachtenberg. Her look immediately recalls a time long gone.





These girls just make me wanna pull out my fur stole and mint-colored patent Mary Janes.

Etsy Lookout

Sweet, sensual, and sometimes a little morbid. Art pics for your home from Mee Gallery. I can see these next to a vanity or reading nook.

Wishlist Wednesdays: CB2 Roundup

A smattering of my current faves at CB2.

Apt. Snapshot: Tamar M.