The Wonderful World Market

i stopped in the other day and was amazed yet again at the new furniture they were carrying.  their pieces have always been well made and affordable, but their recent collections have been taken to the next level.  i narrowed it down to my favorites in each category, there's so much to love...

jackson kitchen cart and twist swivel stool

concrete hayden dining banquette - we own this and love it, in fact i'm sitting on it as i write this.

provence dining chair, jackson metal tub chair, and grayson nailhead chair

  easel media stand - by far the coolest way to display a flat screen tv i've seen in a long time.
and augustus library shelf and ladder - i'm a total sucker for anything with a ladder.

aiden coffee table (also available in side and console tables)
and cala hammered coffee table - what's great is the top comes off for storage.

campaign chair and desk - which could also double as a great console table behind a sofa

julian bed and isa nightstand

erin cute as a button loveseat - i don't think loveseats are usually very functional in living rooms because
they're uncomfortable for two, but i think this would be beautiful at the end of a bed.

sofia accent table and tribal carved coffee table (also available in an accent size)

indonesian daybed - i think this is so versatile.  it could be a child's bed frame, a loungy sofa,
or a beautiful addition to a covered patio. (also available in a standard bench size)

aged wood bench and jayden metal shelves - i love these rolling carts,
i'm considering one for extra storage in my bathroom.

Long Awaited Project

over a year ago i saw this beautiful light made almost entirely of string on an episode of the picker sisters.  i was immediately obsessed with trying to re-create it and i was thrilled a few months later when i came across a wine barrel ring at the flea market. fast forward five months later and i've finally finished it...

their series has since been cancelled, but here it is.
it is much bigger and more industrial than mine, but i am happy with the outcome
nonetheless.  i still have some tweaking to do, but it feels great to have finally done it!

click here to see some of my past lighting projects i posted about a couple weeks ago

Aztec Inspired Patterns

i love all these graphic versions i'm seeing lately on everything from bags to blankets...

i think these screen printed leather pouches by coriumi are so beautiful.

mossimo double-sided scarf from target - i'm currently using this as a runner on a table and it looks great.
and i would totally wear these isabel marant renell jeans... minus the heels. 

image via pinterest, love the sliding barn doors too.

west elm patchwork throw check out many more of their navajo inspired pieces here and photograph by alexandra valenti.

tent on display at the community shop in west hollywood

and while on the subject of tents... cole and i came across this
cool branch teepee a while back.

The Mom Stays in the Picture

i love to take pictures of my kids and if my photo shoot doubles as a field trip, then it's even better.  they are growing and changing so fast and it's encouraged me to become a better photographer because they don't exactly hold still or wait for the lighting to be good.  i'm always the one behind the camera and i recently read this article that has inspired me to get in the picture with my kids.  it totally reminded me that these pictures are for them to have someday and they don't care if i have makeup on or whether i'm wearing the perfect outfit.  i think it holds true not just for mom's, but for all parents and grandparents too...

i have the grandmas to thank for this picture, one snapping while the other was entertaining.

this time we went to carriage hill farm

Framed Vintage Pieces

i recently came across an english flag in an antique store that caught my eye from across the room.  upon closer view it was fabric, tattered and so brittle it felt like paper and seemed like it had been through war and back. it was on a wooden stick like it had been waved in a parade, but no one there had any further information on it.  it was perfect for my husband who is a die-hard chelsea [english futbol] fan and i thought it would be great in the room where he watches it.  i framed it and gave it to him over the weekend and it turned out even better than i expected...

i love this new line of threshold wood frames at target.

and Hello room 125...

an art gallery out of new york with these amazingly beautiful large scale pieces.
they were featured on home by novogratz recently and i am in love.  

these three pieces, part of their exquisite objects collection are captivating to me. (especially THE shuttlecock)
in real life the subjects all fit in the palm of your hand, it's amazing the new life they take on at this scale.

seeing these confirmed an idea i had - to photograph some of my small vintage accessories that are not safe around the boys,
so i can still appreciate them for the time being. these pieces inspired me to a whole new level!

Dress Up

my son loves to dress up, hats, boots, goggles, anything really.  so since it's the season, i thought it would be a good time to add to our collection.  here's some of the extra cute costumes and accessories i found, great for a rainy day around the house or an entertaining trip to the grocery...

land of nod - monaco motorsport kit, spec-tacular spectacles, incog-neato mustaches,
one knight only mask helmet and lance, jolly robert saber, beard and hat.
target - brave bow and arrow, harry potter quidditch outfit and woody cowboy hat.

i love these handmade masks and tails by BHB Kid Style

and more beautiful handmade pieces - turtle and bee cape by seven little rabbits and fancy wings by big birds boutique

astronaut and dino costume from pottery barn kids and this adorable handmade unicorn cape is by pip and bean

and speaking of dressing up, we went to a really great superhero party last week that my friend

kristen threw for her daughter harper.  it was such a great idea and all the kids had so much fun...

there were lots of great handmade decorations everywhere, including masks for the kids to decorate
 and a superhero obstacle course.  the guest of honor in her beautiful pink and gold cape made by her grandma.

a few of the superhero obstacles... cole especially loved #2
which was a mini trampoline with a small dollhouse next to it for the kids to jump over - so cute!

my first little superhero sporting "the before".  his favorite part was tying up evil dr. bear.

and the official "after" rocking some fantastic bed head.

Closet Craving

i've been slowly organizing what feels like every room (and especially closet) in our house the past couple weeks.  i've also been working on some design ideas for a client's closet, so i thought i would share some beautiful closet inspiration...

i love this glass cabinet idea!  i've walked past many at flea markets and antique stores and thought they were gorgeous,
 but wondered - what i would i ever fill them with?  i would have never thought to add a rod and make it a closet - genius.
 and the best part is you can move it around and i'd rather spend money on one i can take with me.
 i would love to credit the person behind these, but i was unable to find any information.

ellen's closet via architectural digest, love the juxta position of all the shoes. 
and i am in love with those two trunks and that leather ball.  i am such a sucker for vintage sports equipment.

nate berkus's chicago closet and the right via elle decor

interior designer celerie kemble's closet and a page from restoration hardware's source book.
 both are very elegant, but in totally different ways.

and this is my favorite of all - turn an entire room into a giant closet!

 this may seem ridiculous and excessive, but it's actually very functional. i did this years ago when we rented a huge three story house downtown that had more space than (the two of us at the time) knew what to do with.  it was a great way to get ready in the morning without worrying about waking up my husband while tiptoeing and rummaging around in the dark to find an outfit.  it made my mornings much less stressful too because it allowed me to be super organized.  organization can cure a lot of stress and often lack of space is what makes us unorganized.  if you have a room that only functions as a guest bedroom and have a small closet, then i would highly consider trying this.  all you need is a couple rolling racks or shelves, a large floor length mirror and a chair or ottoman floating in the middle.  the way i figure, you get dressed everyday, but do you have guests everyday?  i would just bring in an air mattress when i did... and i would gladly stay in this "closet" as a guest!

it's been six years since i moved from that house to my current one and prior to that i used to move all the time

(almost every year in fact).  i've had all different shapes and sizes of closets and the two things

that have had the biggest impact on the function and beauty of them was to...

Prisms + Ployhedrons

and other pretty shapes.  everywhere i look i see beautiful geometric forms, from the hand-made to the high end...

chestnut and moth oragami lampshades handmade in holland by studio snowpuppe

etched tabletop terrarium by meg a meyers

steel polyhedron pendant by restoration hardware

between a rock lamp base by land of nod... proof yet again that they're not just for kids

crayon gems from todd oldham's kid made modern target line.  i must confess - i have one nicely
 displayed in our office and i will be sad to see it disfigured the day my son figures out what it is.
themis mobiles from minikin for "play, decoration and imagination."