brass fixtures

Images via: Melanie Acevedo, The Style Files, Malo Blog

Unpolished brass is so nice in the bathroom. Its hard to believe how much polished brass there is in the world. Why is that? There is something ernest about these fixtures. Finding them is a different story. For some reason it can be challenging to find a nice finish. Water mark makes some decent ones that aren't too pricey, vintage is always a good option.

Elizabeth Street

This project was my baby at Roman and Williams. Elizabeth Street is a model apartment in Nolita, and it's their first ground up. It was featured in Vogue Australia this month, which is one of my favorite home magazines. Anyway, I'm so happy it was recognized.

Photography: Australian vogue, my own.

mirror in the kitchen

Photograph via The lettered cottage

I thought this was such a great idea. I think I remember reading that these people bought these cabinets from lowes or home depot, you can check on their blog,. They took off the doors and lined the back of the cabinets with mirror using velcro to attach it. With such a dark cabinet it is a great source of light. Plus, the added depth is also interesting.

kitchen by the sea

via martha stewart

I love this wooden counter top, it just makes me want to make some seafood chowder! I am usually a marble fan, but I love how warm and boaty this is. It's a really nice change of pace from the average kitchen counter, and it looks great with that creamy white, and black, I'm sure brass would look great with it too!

Pictures

via emma's design blog
I love the way these industrial lights work to highlight pictures or art work. It's a nice alternative to picture lights. Lighting is a great way to emphasize things that may otherwise go unnoticed.

Philip Dixon House

Photography: Philip Dixon
via Apartment therapy
Concrete can be so warm and simple. I love that it creates one smooth look by blending architecture and the interior properties together.

I love these hooks

Photograph: William Brinson via design sponge

I love this idea for an entry way when you don't really have one. These hooks are a great idea, that also have character.

Work spaces in the home

Images: via Emma's design blog; elle uk; domino
I myself am getting ready to make a home office, instead of sitting on the couch. The great thing about an office is you don't need a lot of space for it. Some people remove closet doors and put a desk in the nook. However, that tiny most of the time wasted space can turn into it's own little room. An office nowadays is quite simple only really needing to consist of the basics, a chair, a desk, a lamp, and a laptop. Here are some of the images I have collected for inspiration.

collections and compilations

I've been thinking a lot about collecting things recently. Almost everything we buy we add to our collection of stuff. Our closets are full of collections, things we have gone out and bought specific to our tastes. Our appearance, the way we dress ect.., can help flesh us out. The same thing is true of a home. The things we surround ourselves with shed light on who we are.
Rooms that lack these things are flat.
These rooms are full of compilations and collections. It's interesting if you think of the space with out these objects how different it would be.
The great thing about a collection is that it doesn't have to be expensive to be interesting. The most mundane things together can become fascinating vignettes. I collect interesting wooden bowls, I also have collected prayer beads, religious charms, and rosaries from all over the world. My friend Rebecca collects vintage cigarette cases, and mirror compacts. A collection of old foundry objects are just as interesting.

DIY wedding ideas

Photography:Angela Cappetta
I was just looking through some of our wedding photos and remembered how much I actually made. I made my dress, my bridesmaids dresses, the ring pillow, and my veil. The veil was super simple, and I still love it. It was also really fun to collect all of the vintage silk flowers for it. I bought some in a paris flea market, some in nyc, and where ever else in between. You can purchase the base, from bridal stores in the garment district. Then you just attach the flowers either by sewing or their stems. When you are ready to wear it you steam it and they come alive!

B&B boulevard leopold, Antwerp Belgium

Photography: studio aandacht
via style files
I saw this post a while ago on the style files and loved it. It is a bed and breakfast in Antwerp that I must stay in! The bathroom I'm using as inspiration for one I'm working on. The tiles are fantastic! I love the boarder and the out line on the ceiling. This place has so much charm it just feels comfortable and interesting. I can imagine being there sitting on that velvet couch.

Chasing the past

We have a summer house near the beach and recently my husband thought we buy some bicylces. He, typically, found a nice new very attractive brushed steal high-end bike. I immediately went on Ebay to search out a vintage Peugeot white bicycle with orange lettering and a tan leather seat. It surprised that I instantly knew what I wanted, I had never thought of buying a bike before. Why wouldn't I just get a new more comfortable one?

My mother-in-law once commented on how I liked hard to find things. I had never thought about how true that was. My job at the time was sourcing vintage furniture and lighting at Roman and Williams. I loved the hunt of finding old things.

Wether it's furniture - lighting, clothing, music, cars or movies. Searching out hard to find things is a thrill for me. Especially with clothes. I'm always trying to track down late 80's early 90's Yamamoto, or Helmut Lang's last two collections in 2005.
If I actually drove a car, I wish it would be a Jaguar E type.

Furniture and lighting I'm always searching for.

Movies- american 70's, french new wave, Italian films from the 50's and 60's.

Old things have a soul, a moment in time that we can somehow still be a part of. Sometimes they seem more relative out of context and absorbed into our present lives.

Chocolate Towers

Photography:Michael Paul

This house created by Madame Sera was recently featured in Marie Claire Maison Italia. I think it is fantastic, authentic, with a ton of personality, yet totally lived in.