A Room (or Several) of One's Own

In my Edwardian lit class today, we were talking about children's literature - and Wind in the Willows in particular (I know, it's a tough life). It's a book which champions the home - there is comfort and safety in the nests and warrens of the animals. I have had images of interiors piling up over the last few weeks - every so often I get hooked on the interior design blogs, and I dream about having my own place one day and making it perfect - what can I say? I'm a nester!

Images from Ralph Lauren Home, DesignSponge and around and about!

Fictional Worlds, Real Style

Christina Tonkin decorated the interiors for both Gossip Girl and Sex and The City. The apartments and spaces are so familiar to us, and yet, I never thought about who was behind them. She also designed the events, like the Kiss on the Lips party of season one and Charlotte York and Lily Van Der Woodsen's weddings! I think what's wonderful is that Christina has such a wonderful understanding of a character's aesthetic, like Nate's 'den'. Quite, quite brilliant.

Wedding reception at the Palace Hotel

Gossip Girl Prom

Charlotte York's Wedding

The Petrofsky Loft

Nate's Den

The Humphrey Loft

The Waldorf Penthouse

Inside and Out...

I’m obsessed with houses at the moment. I love interior decorating blogs (obviously) but I have no interest in gardens. Having said that, look at these… Pretty…

Who Needs 1,000 sq. ft.?

A woman in the Catskills turned a tiny wooden shed into this miniature cottage, an escape from the trailer that she shares with her husband. The story is one of thrift and amazing creativity. It just goes to show that you don’t need huge amounts of money or huge amounts of space to create something wonderful…

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At Home in My Mind...

I have already blogged about my dream of a library, and I thought I would share these with you… How we house our books speaks volumes (heh, book puns) about ourselves. Colour-coded, cluttered, or pristine and untouched… Piled high or on shelves… Books, books, books. I wouldn't be at home without mine...

Write a World for Me...

Today I discovered that Nancy Meyers wrote my favourite film. Every time I'm sick, or feeling childishly vulnerable, I watch 'The Parent Trap' and immediately feel better. I could care less about the first part: long lost twins meet in camp, so what?

Nancy Meyers' films, such as 'The Holiday', 'Something's Got To Give' and 'Father of the Bride', feature highly in my favourite feel-good movies. And it seems to have a lot to do with the "lifestyles and settings she creates". Erica Barry's perfect white house in the Hamptons, Harry Sanborn's Manhattan bachelor pad, Iris' Surrey cottage, and especially Elizabeth James's London town house.

There's something about Meyers' worlds which make romance and interior design mutually exclusive. Make your world beautiful, and beautiful things will happen...

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Burlesque On The Wall

If I wasn't still living at home, or if my guardians weren't extremely Christian, I would totally throw this up on my new walls...

What does it say about me that I think this is really cool?

Living in Light

My bedroom lightbulb blew today, and they're impossible to replace. The room gets very little natural light, facing whichever direction never lets the sun in, so I have been sitting in the dark with nothing to work by but one sad little lamp and the light of my laptop screen... Naturally I am dreaming of beautiful light sunny spaces...

So Simple...

Finding great curtains is proving difficult... But then, why use just one fabric? I love how this enables a broader, beautiful palette to be introduced into the room, and that the eclecticism isn't overwhelming because the walls are just white... I will now turn my attentions to finding a collection of perfectly mismatching-but-totally-coordinated panels of fabric! All hail, Interior Design blogs!!

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This is my new china-pattern bird wallpaper… Isn’t it pretty?

Source: Sanderson

Pretty… Pretty… Pretty…

Source: TFS

They might as wise have lodged a bird for treason...

Since last I blogged, I've become obsessed with bird wallpaper. There’s something both antique and fresh about them. The motif can be seen on Chinese 18^th century wallpaper, such as these from the V&A print collection.

However, birds still adorn our walls and they're SO pretty! It maybe too overbearing for some, but I love it! It's so delicate, like the birds themselves, gilded and rich.

House Beautiful

Miles Redd

Chicago Home & Garden