Apartment Vignettes

So a lot of people have been asking for pictures of the apartment in NYC. Last spring I posted about how I was moving into WWB's apartment when I was finished with school, and had talked about a few of the things that I wanted to do. Well I don't think that it is quite finished yet, so I am not ready to post full pictures, but I will send along some of these teaser photos. Do you see a book theme? 

Cheap and Chic of the Week: Chic Christmas

Hello All! A week and a half ago, WWB and I went to get our first Christmas tree together! A big endeavor indeed, not only because we were getting our first tree together, but because it was our first tree for both of us individually. This meant that we had to go shopping for ornaments. 

This silver mistletoe ornament from Crate and Barrel was quite nice. Then we went to Gracious home and picked up some filler ornaments. But it wasn't until we were walking home on the Upper East Side that we spied the absolute best ornaments at one of our favorite stores - Roberta Roller Rabbit! 

You all know how much I love their home accessories, as I have mentioned them in previous posts here and here. The tablecloths, napkins, and place mats are fabulous and some of my favorite "go to" home accessories and gifts. 

The pillows are also a favorite, WWB and I have two of these in the apartment. 

And let's obviously not forget the thing that we all came to know and love Roberta Roller Rabbit for, her amazing beach cover ups. However, the Christmas ornaments are definitely my new favorite thing about Roberta. 

And, it gets even better, they start at $8. They are hand painted papier mache cylinders with all of our favorite Roberta Roller Rabbit patterns, in two sizes. Tres chic! 

The picture quality could be better, and you can't see the detail of the Roberta Roller Rabbit ornaments,  but you get a sense of how the tree turned out. We couldn't find a star or other tree-topper that we loved, so we decided to buy some ribbon and tie a large bow. We got three Roberta ornaments, but honestly I'm thinking I may have to go back for more ... What do you all think? 

I Need a Vacation ...

Work work work! I need a vacation and some time with my blog! However, no time and no money to do so. Instead, perhaps I will take the advice of Elle Decoration UK and do this ... 

Thoughts? ... A pretty good fix to a lack of vacation. 

... And May All Your Christmases be White

I'm so sorry that I have been neglecting everyone! Work has been busy, and traveling, and Thanksgiving - again, no excuse. Although I usually resist decorating for Christmas early, there is one thing that I don't resist that says Christmas to me - paperwhites. Growing up, Christmas in Connecticut was always about smells: the smell of the tree, the garlands that my mother draped over the mantelpiece, bowls of clementines, and my favorite, paperwhites. Every year around Thanksgiving, my mother places these delightful bulbs all over the house, filling it with the most enchanting aroma.

For me, paperwhites smell like "home for the holidays," and purchasing my own paperwhite for my first New York apartment was almost ceremonial. The simple green and white will complement the color palate of any room--but for some additional color you can tie a ribbon around the stems of the flowers. Last year, I bought a thick chocolate brown satin ribbon from Kate's Paperie and tied it around the stems of my paperwhite--it was like putting a great necklace on over a little black dress.

One of my favorite things about paperwhites, is how inexpensive and easy to maintain they are! The most beneficial thing to do for your paperwhite is to put it outside for the evening. Don't worry about them getting cold, they like it, and the hit of cold every now and then prevents the stems from wilting. In New York,  I put my paperwhite on our balconette every night, and this ensures that its stems stay straight for the duration of the holiday season! If you don't have a mini balcony like WWB and I, use your fire escape! 

I bought my paperwhite last week for $8 at a market on Lex , and it is still going strong. Check out your local market or Trader Joe's, and if you don't have one in your area, typically Whole Foods or other grocery stores stock them this time of year. Merry Christmas!

Here's a tip: if the stems of your paperwhite begin to wilt, use the ribbon suggestion to tie them up. This way, you are supporting your paperwhite whilst adding some color.

A Victorian Home with a Spartan Sense of Style

First off, let me say, clearly my scanner is having some difficulty. I apologize for the green lines on the photos - but I scanned these from the November 2011 issue of World of Interiors magazine, and it seems the two do not get along. That being said, below is what I believe to be an absolutely stunning home built in 1859 in London. Originally the home of a painter, the structure had bastardized over the years when used by a charitable organization for public space. Now after a painstaking restoration, by its owner and decorator Rose Uniacke, it is in full bloom again. 

My motivation behind showing you this house is that herein lies a perfect example of the spartan decorating that I alluded to in last week's post, Are you a Spartan? or a Victorian? I love being a spartan in rooms where the architecture speaks for itself. Although this house is much larger and much more ornate than anything I might ever live in, Uniacke allows the architecture - the mouldings, windows, fireplaces, and staircase - to be the main focus of the experience within the house.  

I can't decide which room is my favorite in all of these, although I do love the kitchen and the bathroom (to follow). Uniacke used reclaimed marble on the floor of the kitchen. 

Again, I apologize for the scanner difficulty, it won't happen again - but how beautiful is this house? I really do love the understated decorating, the neutral color palate and the furniture that is clearly contemporary but references the past. What a way to bring 1859 to the 21st century. 

Books and the Recipe for my Aesthetic

There are those decorators who you wish that you could be a bit like. Rooms that you wish you could create, places you wish you could live. I have a list of decorators that I love; and whose style I hope that I can emulate. Combined, these decorators illustrate the way I would like my design aesthetic to appear ... Amelia Handegan, Tom Scheerer, Darryl Carter, Albert Hadley, and Jeffrey Bilhuber. Over the weekend I bought Bilhuber's new book, The Way Home - and its great. The interiors included are beautiful, but it is the stories behind the projects that are the most fun to hear about. Below are some Bilhuber rooms that I love.

Who do you wish you could emulate? Do you have a list of favorite decorators that combined, you feel best describes your style? 

Are You a Spartan? or a Victorian?

What kind of decorator are you? Do you like minimalism or do you like more "stuff"? I am never sure what type of decorating I like best, because I am constantly drawn to different things. As a preservationist, and lover of architecture, I find that certain spaces call for certain types of decorating. Typically, more modern architecture calls for more minimalist type decorating, and a traditional architecture calls for a busier look. However, that is not always the case. 

Darryl Carter, one of my favorite decorators, typically works in spaces with more traditional architecture, but he decorates with an understated minimalism using both traditional and modern furniture. What I love about his take on traditional architecture is that many people forget that historic colonial homes had very little furniture. Drapes and carpets and wallpaper and bric a brac is something that was brought on in the 19th century, and taken to the next level during the Victorian era. So when Carter decorates either an 18th century space, or a colonial revival space, he is actually decorating the space like it would have been originally. 

Here is Bunny Williams' NYC apartment. I also love this look. Stacks of books on chairs, under tables, bookcases, flowers on the mantle, and several smaller seating arrangements. For some reason, I always love this look for a New York apartment. I don't know what it is about our apartment in NYC, we have so little space, but I want our apartment to look more like this. And that is easy, because I have stacks of books everywhere and no shelves to put them on! 

But this, this is the ultimate. Somehow this Copenhagen living room manages to have both a minimalist appearance, as well as having tons of stuff in it. I love the stacks of paintings on the walls and the bookshelf brimming with books. And yet the room does not feel cluttered with the minimalist furniture and doors opening to the outside ... I love it. Also helps that this house sports 12 over 12 windows, my fave. What do you think? What type of decorator are you? 

Images via DarrylCarter.com, BunnyWilliams.com, and Marie Claire Maison Italia