Obsessed: World Market's Josephine Desk

Now that I've officially been working from home for 15 months, I'm starting to think that a nice little home office would be rather helpful to keep me more organized. Chances are you've seen this Josephine desk by World Market in many of the greatest looking home offices in the blogosphere, and while I'm not really one to follow the crowd, I am completely obsessed with it. I'm going to have a real problem when it comes to deciding whether to get the white or the blue. I think you could lacquer just about anything and I would want it. But typically this stunning look isn't always so affordable. At merely $199 for this beauty, it's impossible to resist.

Sweet Dreams: Mood Rocking Bed

Move over hammocks, there's a new cozy indoor/outdoor lounge in town-the Mood Rocking Bed. This artful oval bed made from a carbon and steel frame and combined with rustic pine, oak, walnut and mahogany is giving me sweet dreams. Top it with a flow-through foam mattress and outdoor pillows and fabrics or bring it inside to rock yourself to sleep each night. Rubber stops will stabilize the bed when you want. Available in twin, queen and king sizes at Etsy.com.

Swooning for Serena & Lily

Serena and Lily's Octavia Headboard has had me swooning all week. It's so simple and understated while still being elegant and showing attention to detail. It comes in 22 fabrics with two choices for nailhead finishes and three wood finishes for the legs creating dozens of design possibilities. I think it looks best in one of the color options as opposed to the neutral fabrics. My favorites are the petal cotton (shown), navy linen, mist linen, and seaglass linen. Swoooon.

Jonathan Adler Nixon Tables

Hi. My name is Sarah and I'm a Jonathan Adler addict. When the email arrived in my inbox last week announcing the new Jonathan Adler Nixon tables, I was pretty excited, but the featured color was brass with a walnut top. Lovely, but it wouldn't work anywhere in my house. Then as though a light shone down from the heavens appeared the picture of the polished nickel version with a navy lacquer top...

that reverses to white! It just kept getting better. I love, love, love these tables. I can surely find a spot to put them. The brass based version has a walnut top that reverses to orange lacquer that is equally as stunning.

The table is also available in a cocktail table version (above) and a dining table version (no reversible top on those) . Personally, cocktails and Jonathan Adler are two of my favorite things so I'm pretty much sold.

DIY Chalkboard Easel From Old Crib

There are few things that make me happier than seeing something transformed from it's no longer useful self into a completely new and fabulous product. Katie from Notes From a Very Red Kitchen has really killed it with this one, particularly because there are thousands and thousands of cribs out there that are no longer deemed safe because they have drop sides, my daughter's included. Katie has taken an old crib and transformed it into a two sided easel and chalkboard, something that just about every kid enjoys. Not only is it a great re-purposing of a no longer useful item, but it's actually better looking than most kids easels on the market too. Bravo! You can create your very own by following her detailed crib to easel directions and pictorial.

Image via
Notes From a Very Red Kitchen

Maximo Riera's Octopus Chair

There is quite a bit of debate in the design world as to whether Maximo Riera's Octopus Chair is awesome or hideous. One thing is undeniable, it is clearly a piece of art. I do not love the look of the chair from the front, but they would look ridiculously amazing in a library or giant den as you approach the room from a large foyer or hall.

I was just looking at the pictures of Gray Craig, the estate down the road from me that Nicholas Cage is selling for a steal. The price was just lowered to $7.75 million, about half of what he bought it for. I'm thinking that when I win Powerball, I'll scoop that little 12 bedroom, 18,000+ sf abode up and throw a few of these in one of the libraries. I can't wait! Wonder what the lead time on these 8-legged (well I guess 10 technically) beauties is.

Emergency Cocktail Station

With all the snow we've been getting on top of just getting off of holiday break and the Martin Luther King, Jr. holiday, my kids sure seem to be home a lot more than usual. They are predicting more snow for RI tonight until about noon tomorrow making the morning commute difficult, and I am fearing school will be canceled again. In order to survive another day trapped in my house with two children, I think I had better get one of these emergency cocktail stations from urbancase. All the glassware and bar tools are included. I just need to fill those little bottles up with my poison (I mean pleasure) of choice.

And then it folds up neatly right against the wall. In fact, I believe the general recommendation is to have emergency items on each floor of the house so I should probably get one for upstairs and the basement as well in case I find myself in a dire situation. I suppose it would also be really great for something like a tiny apartment in the city where space is optimal.

Vintage Scarf Decor

I've always loved using objects in ways other than for what they are meant. I was perusing Vivre this afternoon and found this fabulous use of vintage scarves by Chanel and Yves Saint Laurent on a chandelier and some chairs by Susan Fellman, and I think this is a perfect combination of fashion and home decor as well as art and functionality. The chair uses three different vintage scarves and each of the pieces is made to order so no two are alike.

Not surprisingly, the prices on these pieces are steep. But if you have scarves that you aren't wearing but still love or are looking for a new piece of art, think outside the box. Frame one, have it turned into a pillow or bring it to your local upholsterer. I love the thought of a bedroom or vanity chair, even if just the seat, being upholstered with a beautiful feminine scarf.

City Girl Farm Chickens

Hmmm, why would I post a picture of a bunch of chickens in a corn field? Because these chickens are in fact furniture! City Girl Farm makes these amazingly life like wool and bronze chicken footstools. They get filed under smile inducing objects because it is virtually impossible not to smile when you see these guys.

When I saw them at the New York Gift Show in August, it was also almost impossible not to touch them as they are upholstered in incredibly soft hand felted Kansas grown wool. They are sturdy with cast bronze feet and beaks, and are available in a variety of colors.

The "grass" rug is also available and would be incredibly amazing under foot when you step out of bed each morning. Each piece is hand made to order by sisters Emily and Sally Ebright. The only problem is that I'm not sure I would want to put my feet up on them as they are each an amazing piece of art.

Serena and Lily's New Fall Catalog

Belgian Club Chair
Serena & Lily's Fall catalog is out and there are some truly fabulous pieces in it. I've been a fan of theirs for several years, and I just love that they keep expanding into home furnishings while continuing on with their bedding collections. Here are a few pieces from the fall catalog that I just can't get enough of. I think the Belgian Club Chair could easily be used in any room of the house, but is probably the perfect bedroom chair. It's not too large so it would be really great for a kids room too because it would carry them right through their teens and into adulthood.

Senegalese Storage Baskets
The Senegalese Storage Baskets might just be the perfect place to store those items you use every day, but don't want to look at all the time. Think extra blankets, toys, etc. Suddenly storage is looking fun and interesting. Also available in pink and a navy/green combo.

Chakki Ottomans
I'm really loving the Chakki Ottomans which are available in both white and dark walnut. The details in the wood add interest and it's nice to see a round ottoman instead of the rectangular ones we are so used to seeing. Great as a coffee table too!

Lucky Lacquered Table
We've talked about the Lucky Lacquered Table before, but now it is available in Black and White. Tres chic!

"The Coast Is Clear"
This "The Coast is Clear" wall art may not be new, but it was too fun not too include. I love the pink and orange combo. For boys, check out the "Save Our Ship" wall art which is equally as cool. If you haven't checked out Serena & Lily in the past, be sure to add it to your must see list!

Etsy Pick of the Week: Fabulous Mess

Vintage Art Deco Mirrored Credenza
I know that my last Etsy Pick of the Week (which was sadly a few week's ago) was for The Vintage Supply Co. which specializes in vintage furniture, and I generally try to mix it up, but when I happened upon Fabulous Mess, I just had to share it. I don't really know where to begin and narrowing it down to only eight images was hard because they have so many A-MAZ-ING vintage pieces, from furniture to lighting to accessories. I don't even really think there is anything to say since they all seem to speak for themselves (at least they are all telling me to buy them!) so just enjoy.

Vintage Bamboo Lacquer Dining Table

Vintage Brass Owl Trays

Vintage Brass Nautilus Shell Bookends

Vintage Brass Sea Creature Andirons

Vintage Moroccan Wicker Shelving Units

Vintage Lucite Demilune Tables

Vintage Lucite Table Lamps

I hope you all like these as much as I do. Be sure to check out the dozens of other selections at Fabulous Mess as well. You will not be disappointed!

Carolina George: Chic Multi-functional Furniture

While there was lots of great furniture at last week's New York International Gift Fair, there was one company that really stood out as being truly unique and innovative, and that was Carolina George. The company is the artistic collaboration of Caroline Cummings and Georgia Tapert who have a combined experience in art history and interior design as well as furniture design. The duo's web site says, "We believe that good furniture and design should be able to adapt to your ever-changing life and tastes."And I'd say they are off to a pretty good start with their current collection.

The 5 O'clock Slipper Chair (above) is sleek and modern while still being comfortable, and you never have to worry about where to put your drink (should you be one to put it down) with the built in side table. I'm hoping they have plans to make this chair as part of an outdoor line of furniture. I just want to sink into it with a cocktail and watch the sunset.

So many people have the need for a little office in their home, but don't have the space. Well, that excuse no longer exists with the School Girl Desk and Chair. This petite desk could easily double as a side table or a place to rest your keys in an entryway.

But it then turns into a sweet little spot to sit and write letters (yes, some people actually still correspond via snail mail) or hop on your laptop.

The Sideboard Dining Table isn't quite as glamorous as some of the other pieces, but it might just be the most ingenious of them all. I am a firm believer that houses should have dining rooms, but so many people gave up on them in the '90s in exchange for the "great room" that opens into the kitchen. This table allows you to turn any room into a dining room easily.

With shelving in the sideboard to store your dishes and glassware, you simply slide out the table (on the hidden locking wheels) and can configure it a few different ways, and then set the table with the items stored on the shelves. The table seats up to 6 people, but you also have the option of leaving the sideboard in place and only opening up one side of the table to seat up to 3 people.

Clearly, this furniture is great for anyone who lives in a tiny apartment, but still likes to entertain, but I have a feeling we'll be seeing it far beyond city abodes. And with several different finishes and fabric choices, you can truly create your own look with it whether you want a lacquer finish or one in high gloss mahogany. I can't wait to see what they think of next!

New York Gift Show Roundup: Jonathan Adler

I couldn't have been any happier than to see the Jonathan Adler booth meet me at the top of the first escalator I went up as I entered the New York International Gift Fair on Monday. If I haven't made it clear before, I am OBSESSED with his products. His designs are the epitome of smile inducing objects. They are just the perfect mix of preppy, modern, and fun. I don't know if I am suddenly loving turquoise because it's the Pantone color of the year, but the Mrs. Godfrey Chair (above) is awesome and comes with an equally fabulous name. I'm also totally digging the Talitha Rug under it.

I love the combination of the chunky wood and lucite in the Bond Collection Tables. And the gold side tables are an amazing piece of functional art.

One of my favorite Jonathan Adler pieces are his fish platters, but I think all of his tableware adds a nice splash of color to every day.

Hollywood Lamps, British Flag and Anchor Rugs, and pillows galore. Yes please!

I love a splash of fucshia lacquer mixed in with all the white. And the Ropes Wallpaper will make its way into my house some day.

The only thing that could be better than his products, are his products in miniature. The Jonathan Adler Junior Collection is to DIE for. I seriously can't decide what my favorite piece is, but I'm pretty fond of both the Junior Lampert Sofa and the ultra chic Junior Templeton Chair.

I'm also really keen on the Anchor Blanket, Zebra Rugs, and those adorable animal puzzles on the shelf. The Dinosaur Lamp is also in the running to replace the Giraffe Lamp as my favorite. I could probably change the name of this blog to the "Jonathan Adler's Biggest Fan Blog" so I better stop now before I go too far!

Etsy Pick of the Week: The Vintage Supply Co

Etsy is not all brand new crafts. You can also find some amazing vintage pieces on their site. And The Vintage Supply Co. is a pretty good place to start. They offer everything from vintage Lilly Pulitzer clothing to lamps and furniture. While I'm generally not a fan of vinyl upholstery, the colors and shape of these mid century modern tufted button chairs caught my eye. I love the lines and they actually look pretty comfortable.

You can't really go wrong with a pair of vintage Eames chairs.

And I love this vintage chrome chair, although I would definitely reupholster it in something fun and fabulous, maybe Hable Construction's Sky Beads on oyster linen. Oh, how nice that would be!

DIY Headboard and Duvet

My latest project has been a new headboard for our master bedroom. I'd been looking for fabric for a while and when I found this turquoise starfish print on linen back in March, I knew it was the one. So I bought it and the solid turquoise fabric to pipe it in and then proceeded to let it sit in a closet for 4 months constantly thinking that I would get to it just as soon as I had a spare moment. Then as if she were a gift from heaven, my most fabulous aunt Juanita who loves to have a project and is a wonderful perfectionist stopped by to borrow my sewing machine and asked me what projects I had done since she had last been over. So I showed her the family photo gallery wall and the kitchen message center and pulled out the fabric and told her my plan. The next day she called and offered to help if I wanted her to. Hmmm, let me think...yes!!!!

We were winging it a bit, but you can learn from our mistakes. We used a solid wood six panel door that my dog had scratched the heck out of (there may or may not be a door on our downstairs bathroom at the moment) as our base. We inserted foam into the area where the panels were to prevent and divets, and then wrapped the door with a queen size piece of quilter's batting. We attached everything with a staple gun except the foam which we taped down with industrial tape. Unfortunately, it didn't give us quite the thickness we were hoping for so we added a bit more batting and then wrapped it again with a few old towels to give it more thickness. That was perfect.

Next we laid out the fabric on the door, centered it where we wanted it and cut it to size with an additional 1/2 inch on the top and sides for seems and about 3 inches on the bottom so that we could wrap the fabric around the bottom and fasten it with staples to the back. Note that I bought railroaded fabric (which can be run either way without the pattern looking sideways) so that I wouldn't have to have seems on the front of the headboard. I bought 1 3/4 yards which was cutting it pretty close so buy 2 yards if you can just to be on the safe side.

We also cut 3 strips of the starfish fabric to about the depth of the headboard plus 4-6". One was the length of the headboard, and 2 the height of the headboard, and we sewed them together so that the seems would fall in the top corners of the headboard and it would appear slip covered. Then we sewed the front piece, turquoise piping and strip of fabric that would cover the depth of the headboard all together. We flipped it to the right side, put it over the door and fastened the fabric on the back with a staple gun. And voila, a fabulous new headboard!

Of course you can't have a new headboard without a new duvet too. One of the reasons it has taken me so long to do this room is that I painted the walls Bittersweet Chocolate by Benjamin Moore which is very dark, but which I also love. My husband said no flower bedding, and I didn't want anything that was going to make the room look any darker, but I was having no luck finding anything in my price range that also met those requirements. I also didn't want to spend a lot of money because we have two small children and a dog that destroyed our last two duvets that I loved from Yves Delorme and Manuel Canovas. So I bought two king size white flat sheets at TJ Maxx and cut them down to fit my down comforter and piped them with the same turquoise fabric that we piped the headboard with. I'm contemplating adding some pretty gold buttons that I have, but it might be too much for this particular room. We'll see.

Either way, I love how both the headboard and the duvet came out, and both for under $100. I'm hoping to use the money I saved on two ceramic turquoise lamps that I spotted at TJ Maxx too. And while I am not so thrilled with the minimal styling and wrinkled-ness displayed in the photos here considering I have helped style many a bed for photo shoots, it would probably have taken me another 4 months to post this if I waited til I had an ironed duvet...unless of course my fabulous aunt Juanita stopped by again.

Etsy Pick of the Week: Mod Mom Furniture Toy Boxes

Owyn Toy Box
Perhaps you recall previous posts about how I long to be organized, but can't seem to get a grip on corralling all of my children's toys. In my defense, I do have to say that since I declared my ultimate goal of having "a place for everything and everything in it's place" this past January, I have made some progress, albeit minimal. Baby steps.

Riley Paige Toy Box
But how cute are these toy boxes from Etsy shop Mod Mom Furniture?! I wouldn't even mind having one of them in my living room, although the patchwork flower one is calling to me and I'm pretty sure it's saying "Please put me in your daughter's room!" I particularly love how the lids are cutouts and not on hinges so there is no risk of them crashing down on kiddie fingers (my worst nightmare about toy boxes).

Noah Owl Box
And if you don't have a lot of space (all the more reason for needing a place to store things), there are smaller sizes available like this ridiculously cute owl box. These might even earn my exclusive distinction as a "smile inducing object". Now pick up those toys!