Bedroom Makeover

So a group of bloggers that I follow kicked off a one room challenge at the end of June, and tasked themselves with redoing and blogging about a room in their house. Since my new apartment bedroom is in some serious need of some decorating, I've decided to follow suit and challenge myself to a bedroom redo. Even though I moved to New York with no furniture, I've picked up a few IKEA pieces from Craigslist and the store. So as I was deciding how to decorate my room, I had to find a style that would go with the mix-match items that I've already purchased....so here's what I've already got.

And here's what I'm thinking -  one of the two below. What do you think - room 1 or room 2?

Hard Chic // Schiaparelli and Prada

This weekend I went to the Met to see the Schiaparelli and Prada: Impossible Conversations exhibit. It was really interesting to see how completely opposite these two Italian designs are in how they approach fashion, and surprisingly comical. 

One of my favorite highlights from the exhibit was the focus on Hard Chic, a fashion trend from the 1930s to the end of World War II that focused on attention in the shoulder, with butterfly sleeves, banjo sleeves, and exaggerated shoulder pads. (sorry for the dark photos - these are clipped from an online video tour of the exhibit!)

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What I like about this trend is its simplicity and subtle femininity. It reminds me of Top Shop's line from a show earlier this year featuring "utilitarian dressing reworked for the modern girl."

"Utilitarian dressing reworked for the modern girl" or maybe...hard chic?

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Do you like Hard Chic or not?

Hump Day Home Makeover // Bedrooms Galore

In lieu of the past few week's of Hump Day Home Makeovers...if you're reading this week's, you've hit the bedroom makeover jackpot. I'm in the process of deciding how to decorate my new apartment, and have been doing some pretty heavy Pinterest and blog browsing. Here are some of my favorites that I've found and how you can get the look for your room!

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1. Rellance Atrium White Wood Table Lamp

2. West Elm - Stevenson Nailhead Headboard in Solid Coral Pink Sumbrella

3. Annette Tatum - Navy Windowpane Pillow Sham

4. My Paris Apartment in Summer Sky Blue on Etsy

5. Leigh Viner Draw The Line - Art Print on Etsy

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1. Serena and Lily Fillmore Heaboard with Nails in Bark Jaiper 

2. Vienna Crystal Cube Table Lamp

3. IKEA London Doors  + Riba Frames

4. West Elm - Organic Cotton Pintuck Duvet Cover + Shams

5. For this one, you're going to have to get a bit crafty. Check out this awesome DIY IKEA hack for the Rast dresser - here.

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1. Pottery Barn - Morgan 400-Thread-Count Duvet Cover & Shams

2. West Elm - Moroccan Pillow - Black

3. Golden Gourd Lamp + Black Lamp Shade

4.  Crate and Barrel LaSalle Round Nightstand

5. Pottery Barn - Polka Dot Organic Sheet Set

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1. American Idyll Wingback Bed 

2. Williams-Sonoma Solid Cashmere Throw in Core Red

3. Natori Tree of Life Coverlet, White

4. Yellow Trellis Pillow

5. Crystal Table Lamp

6. Matted Gold Picture Frames  

Which look is your favorite?

Weekend Wrap Up

This weekend CT came to visit, and we had a great time shopping and eating in the city. I am still in the process of decorating my room so we took a trip to IKEA on Saturday. It was a huge ordeal, but pretty cool to take a ferry to get there. While shopping in Soho, we found this shabby chic furniture store by Rachel Ashwell. The awesome silver baskets and tufted baby blue headboard pictures are from her shop. 

Most importantly is the picture at the bottom right - it's from CT and my new favorite spot - Upstate Craft Beer and Oyster Bar. We went their Saturday night after trying to get in Friday and ended up going back Sunday night. It was delicious! They also do a happy hour special from 5-7 where you get 1/2 a dozen oysters and a beer for $12. All of the their food is extremely fresh and they order daily from the market to make sure it stays that way. We ate a lot of east coast oysters and tried about four different beers (even though I am a huge wineo). I'd highly recommend the Sly Fox Royal Weisse Ale, Hell of High Watermelon Wheat (goes great with Oysters), Brooklyn Sorachi Ace, and the Peak Organic Nut Brown. 

A New, New Yorker

2 weeks, 5 packed bags, 1 flight later, and I'm in NYC! It's been a crazy few days settling into my new apartment i.e. trekking the 5 packed bags up 4 flights of stairs.

Here are some shots from moving and meals from the week. 

Paumanok Chenin Blanc from...Long Island - who knew! | oysters with mignonette sauce

salade nicoise from Cercle Rouge | my roomate's awesome chandelier

my new home | & bathroom

Pictures of friends are a necessity | my new bed!

all set up with lots of work to do | goat cheese and beet salad at Banc

Packing For NYC

 I am happy to say that packing for New York is going really well. It makes me feel even better that   I will be flying to NYC, and my car won't be resembling the one below.

Although - I think all my packing is taking a toll on my packing buddy who won't be coming to NYC with me :( I mean come on - how cute is that sad face???

It's Official - I'm Moving To NYC!

for the love of decor // ikea edland

Last December, I was shopping around IKEA for a new bedside table to go in my new apartment. I really liked the EDLAND collection, but since all of my other furniture was dark brown or white it didn't really make sense. The collection is actually pretty unique for IKEA which is what caught my attention.

Flash forward a few months and my buyer's remorse set in - the furniture started popping up all over design blogs with awesome things you could use it for, and the line had been discontinued. The EDLAND tables were turned into a sink...

a bar cart...

redone as a set of buffet tables...

a changing table (not what sold me, but still a pretty cool idea), etc.

I think you get my point. So after searching Craigslist and eBay, I was out of luck until I started my move to NYC. I was up there last week looking for an apartment, and decided to check Craigslist again to find the side table. It was for sale in Midtown in mint condition and cheap! 

A subway ride later and I had it...outside...on the curb...with no car...and the table was MUCH bigger than it looked in pictures. 

Seriously.

I was so awkward trying to carry this thing into the elevator that some random guy offered to carry it out for me. His football tuck of the table walking out didn't make me feel much better about my awkward waddle.

The culprit:

With the help of an amazingly nice taxi driver, who helped me try to fit it into the trunk, the back of the cab, the trunk again, and got his bag stolen in the process by another cab driver, some nice people who held the door for me to my building, the security guard who shot me a thumbs up when I was doing some more awkward waddling and backward lean to get it through the security gate, and a very bruised arm...I managed to get this table back to Tribeca.

What would you do for the love of decor? 

Currently Crushin' On

Handbag - REBECCA MINKOFF | Leopard Shoes - CHARLES PHILIP SHANGHAI | Hanging light - FURBISH STUDIO | Photograph, La Playa Dominicalito - ETSY | Coral Maxi Skirt - HALSTON HERITAGE | Purple Maxi - ATLANTIC-PACIFIC BLOG | Philip Persio Wrist Watch - AMERICAN APPAREL | Lonny Magazine - July/June image | Painting - Amanda Stone Talley | Zuccaghetti recipe - FOOD 52

Hump Day Home Makeover // Electric Blue Bedroom

This week's hump day home makeover is a bedroom edition, featuring this awesome room full of electric blue! I LOVE the color of the headboard, the white bedding and marlin adding another kick of electric blue to the room.

Domino Magazine via MadebyGirl

Get the look: 

65" blue marlin mount - eBay

To get the electric blue headboard - I found this fabric and an awesome DIY tutorial for a tufted headboard from Jamie Antoniolli on the blog Schuelove.

headboard pictured- Target

400 - count solid supima shams - Land's End

Orgel table lamp - IKEA

Tarva nightstand - IKEA

Leopard decorative pillow - Target