Being an interior designer by trade, Karras knows her way around a perfectly executed spacial design so there is really no surprise that her own home is as well curated and representative of her personal style as the homes she creates for her clients are representative of them. During the day a lot of Karras's clientele are edgy, rocker music people so in her own home she, according to the Lonny, attempted to recreate that wonderful balance of rock-and-roll flare and old Hollywood glamour. She says of her design, "it has a very 70's Stevie Nicks vibe going on". I really love everything about the design of this home and how well it reflects the personality and the life of its owner. Although I would never design my own home in this same bright and fantastical way, I can absolutely appreciate the well executed design and the eclectic vibe it screams. I would never live there, but I would sure love to visit.
Following the theme of pink and romantic considering it is the month of February and we are exactly a week away from Valentine's Day, I thought it would be appropriate to share a beautiful Hollywood home that aces romantic Bohemian style. Christina Karras's Spanish Santa Monica bungalow is the epitome of Old Hollywood glamour sans the fuss and drama. Despite the fact that all the walls inside and outside of her home are a blazing coral pink, the design does not feel childish or kitschy. It is actually breath-takingly stunning and I would totally move in. Being an interior designer by trade, Karras knows her way around a perfectly executed spacial design so there is really no surprise that her own home is as well curated and representative of her personal style as the homes she creates for her clients are representative of them. During the day a lot of Karras's clientele are edgy, rocker music people so in her own home she, according to the Lonny, attempted to recreate that wonderful balance of rock-and-roll flare and old Hollywood glamour. She says of her design, "it has a very 70's Stevie Nicks vibe going on". I really love everything about the design of this home and how well it reflects the personality and the life of its owner. Although I would never design my own home in this same bright and fantastical way, I can absolutely appreciate the well executed design and the eclectic vibe it screams. I would never live there, but I would sure love to visit. All images are found at Lonny.com via HonestlyWTF.
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I have said this before: I love a lot of things. And when I say "a lot" I really do mean "A LOT." Many of whom you have experienced here on this blog over the last while and to be honest, it is really just the tip of the iceberg. I mean I really love a lot of things, I am fascinated by literally almost everything on this planet, and if it is beautiful and wonderful to look at and tells a story and means something to people, I want to know everything there is to know about it. Fashion, food and drinks (especially drinks!), travel, interior design, theatre, music, art, LITERALLY EVERYTHING. I cannot tell you enough how much I love learning about everything there is to know in this world and I am so thankful that I have been blessed with the ability to experience it all in this time. But, to add to this cacophony of curiosity there really is an increased level of excitement and euphoria I experience when multiple things that I love converge. Today, I am sharing two things THAT I ABSOLUTELY LOVE, that have finally converged! The blog Cupcakes and Cashmere penned by Emily Schuman was one of the first fashion and lifestyle blogs I ever followed religiously when I embarked on my journey to being a stylish adult human, and since then we both have come a long way. She know has a new book, a husband and an unbelievably adorable baby not to mention an incredibly redesigned website. I have two more years of my undergraduate degree left, the most amazing group of friends, a constantly improving wardrobe, a job at an arts and design magazine and this blog! (among other things) So needless to say, we've been together a while (Emily if you ever ever read this, please don't be alarmed, I just really like you...) What has not been in my life very long is the Tappan Collective, an online arts collective for emerging contemporary artists to market and sell their work, and a place for, lets face it: broke-ass-obsessed-with-art-young-people, who want insanely cool artwork and photography. Jordan Klein and Chelsea Mann (both graduates of the University of Michigan's Faculty of Arts - Art and Art History respectively) found during their studies a gap in the art market where super talented emerging artists couldn't sell their work, and where people wanted good art at reasonable prices. I have been following their site and subscribing to their emails for a while now and I have to say I am over the moon obsessed with their work, the artists they feature and the things they are doing for the international contemporary art scene. So, now to today's post! Schuman, Klein and Mann teamed up not too long ago to match art with interior spaces (design + art = happiness orgasm for Naomi...) to show the diverse range of artworks that Tappan has on tap (get it?!). Emily proposed different design space aesthetics, and Jordan and Chelsea responded with small curated collections of artwork their site sells that match the vibe and design. I nearly almost died at the gorgeous imagery and I am not even joking I want to buy every piece of artwork they selected. And you guys know that when I find something that brings me an immense amount of happiness I share it here. So here it is! Take a look at the spaces and the works below I will link the website post from Tappan and from C&C so if you guys fall in love like I did, you can go buy these beauties for yourself as well as read the write-ups both teams put together for the project. Anyways, I apologize for being so MIA the last little while. UGH school, but whatever I am experiencing a slow period in the next little while but I cannot predict how often I will be posting. Please bear with me, I hope some of you are still out there despite my extremely long....ummmm....academia induced sabbatical???
xoxo, Naomi *All Images taken from the Tappan Collective website and Cupcakes & Cashmere. Collages are done by Emily Schuman. There is something to be said about interior envy, it's a real thing. And never, in the history of my expansive years on this earth have I ever had a more serious case of it than I do right now. Enter, the new flagship Aritzia store in the FlatIron in New York City. I mean hello! It is any style savvy, design doting, shop-a-holic's dream in terms of retail space. A visual merchandizers paradise if you will. So to show my utmost appreciation for the team behind the store design, and to express my now even more intense desire to skip my afternoon class to catch a flight from YYZ to JFK, I thought I would show you the magic first hand on this site. Be-still your hearts, and ready your defibrillators, because damn, this space is just too good! Whatdya know, a cheap AirBNB for NYC just popped up in my email.... ;)
*All images found via Aritzia's website. When one slowly enters into the realm of adulthood, it is generally believed that said person would start to shift their life's attention to more adult related priorities. One of those priorities is house hunting...or ummm in this day and age, what I like to call "house dreaming". And believe me, it starts much younger than adulthood. For the majority of my adolescence and teen years I have been fascinated with the thought of growing up and getting to do things my way. One of these glorious freedoms to which I will one day endeavour is of course house hunting, and subsequently, house decorating (which is the most important part anyways). So, as I draw closer and closet to the looming day of when I officially can fly my parents coop, I become more and more drawn to the decoration and story creation of decorating homes. Both inside and out... but mostly inside because in all honesty I will probably move into an apartment first, so the only exterior landscaping I will be doing is through a flower planter box. But anyways, those are just details. Here lies another addition to my copious number of interior inspirations. Surprise! It originates from NYC's West Village. (if you didn't pick up on it that was meant to be sarcasm, because if you are on here enough uou know my obsession with New York is no secret ;p) Can we saaaayyyy "house of dreams?!" I think so...
*All images via HonestlyWTF and are originally found on One King's Lane. I cannot even think of the age at which I decided I wanted to travel the world. Intense sense of wanderlust has just permeated my existence for as long as I can remember, so long I have forgotten when it began. I didn't grow up in an increasingly worldly household. My mother only started travelling seriously as an adult, when she could finally afford her vacations on her own. My dad was in the military and travelled a lot, but we didn't. And yet, I have the deepest desire to traverse the globe, and I have such an intense curiosity about the wonders hidden in the rest of the world, that I often wonder where it all came from. As with everything else in my life, I blame the Internet. The world wide web is a magical place for those wanting to experience life beyond their own backyard, and an even more magical place for making us think we can actually experience it for ourselves one day. I am a true believer in that you can do whatever you set your mind too. I guess that is one of the major reasons I am so excited to see my life unfold; because I have envisioned a future for myself so magnificent, that I cannot wait to get started on making it all happen. "Making it all happen" includes visiting gorgeous places like this. Euginia Silva's breathtaking abode located in the Balearic Islands is the stuff dream houses are made of. I don't think, actually I know, there is not one detail in these photos that follow, that I am not absolutely unwaveringly in love with. The tropical desert oasis vibe with carefree spirit and billowing window curtains, the bright light, shadows, crisp white linens, rustic stone and occasional pops of saturated colours are enough to make one's heart flutter with envy. So before I have an aneurism as a result of the amazement I am currently experiencing, I will let you take in the beautiful photography for yourself. *All images courtesy of Architectural Digest Spain via HonestlyWTF.
There is very little in this world (as of late) that gets me excited the way interior design does. I love everything about the decoration of spaces, as I feel the space you live in is a direct reflection of the person you are. As a visitor, you are able to see a version of that person in the details they choose to surround themselves in, a collection of memories and moments, cherished and experienced. And as a decorator of your own home, every piece is perfectly and thoughtfully selected to demonstrate ones personality and lifestyle through that living space. Very little in our lives serves the same purpose that our spaces do; a perfect combination of expression and functionality. Because who wants a space that doesn't make their lives easier? So in light of this personalization of spaces, I thought Erica's bedroom makeover with Decorist from HonestlyWTF was an appropriate (and gorgeous) reflection of what it means to struggle and succeed in creating a space that expertly speaks to the owner. The design is gorgeous, layout stunning, and I mean can we just talk about the photography that so perfectly captures the room?!?! Take a peek for yourself and maybe you too will be inspired to revamp your own room. I know I am! So there you have it! Basically my dream space wrapped up and perfectly executed in someone else's very very lucky home.
*All images taken from HonestlyWTF. P.S. If you noticed my old logo is back, yah I did that on purpose. I just wasn't feeling the new one and sometimes you just don't mess with a good thing :) I've never really been one for crazy theatrical wallpaper, but there is something about these hand painted reproductions by de Gournay that just intrigues me. I don't think I would ever make a design move this daring in my own home, unless it was incredibly restrained to maybe a powder room or closet, but that does not mean they are any less fun to look at. Oddly enough, despite their crazy, colourful eye-catching nature, there is a way these spaces are designed that doesn't make them feel overwhelming. The furniture accurately compliments the bright bombastic prints with simple lines, solid colours, accents of silver and gold to make the spaces feel dramatic rather than problematic. Sometimes in design, as in everything else in life, you just have to appreciate things for their ability to be pretty to look at. Forgetting the rationale and functionality is often the funnest part of living a creative lifestyle and creating spaces to emulate that are what truly brings one's personal character and design aesthetic into their home. Just because I would never do something like this in my own space doesn't mean it isn't down right cool. *All images found via HonestlyWTF.
All my life I have dreamed of living in Paris. Unlike most, my fantasy for the Parisian lifestyle is not exclusive to planning a once in a lifetime vacation where I see and do everything I've always dreamed. I want to actually live there. Being from a semi French background the culture and heritage has always drawn me in. Everything about the effortless beauty, fashion, and just overall quintessentially laid-back french living is something I hope to achieve in my life no matter where I am. So naturally to go along with the fantasy of moving to Paris for a period of time, comes a bevy of inspirational thoughts and dreams of what my Paris home will look like. And until now, I hadn't found a set of images that more perfectly encapsulates what for me it means to be living the Paris life. The apartment of Charlotte de Tonnac and Hugo Sauzay, two young and talented interior designers, in Paris's 4th arrondissement, is not only the place they call home, but the place they call work. An incredible attention to balance permeates their space as their home must not only inspire them to create amazing spaces for others, but it must also relax them at the end of the day. Clean, bright and quirky. This apartment is everything I associate with a Parisian way of designing a space. It is old enough to have amazing bones and character, as demonstrated with the wood flooring, intricate crown moulding and floor - to - ceiling colonial windows, but has been modernized through the marriage of old and new design elements Charlotte and Hugo have integrated throughout their space. I love a minimalist aesthetic. There is just something so calming about sleek lines, minimal clutter and having everything be in its place. But I am also a traditionalist. I love old architectural details like flooring and crown mouldings, arching doorways and turn of the century appliances. I want my space to not only feel like it's mine, but also as if it has been lived in (and loved) for centuries before me. This space does all of that, and only makes me more and more excited to see how my life turns out so I can someday create a space like this of my own. In Paris. *All images are from The Socialite Family found through FashionSquad on Bloglovin'
Oh and for any of you who caught it, the title of this post is a nod to a book called "The Paris Wife" by Paula Mclain. Really really awesome book if anyone wants to check it out! It's a historical fiction chronicling Ernest Hemingway's early life during his marriage to his first wife while they lived between Paris and Toronto. I am forever on the hunt for amazing apartment design inspiration. I guess the one great thing about taking my time moving out into my own place is that I not only have an extended period of time to collect finances, but I also have more time to collect ideas and decor items to make my first independent space truly my own. With that being said it is almost everyday that I see something online or in a store that I absolutely love and want to have in my one day space. But with that I am slowly keeping track of everything I want and the collection is growing to be quite large; as in pack rat large.... and I don't even have the actual apartment yet! I think I am going to have to scale down my accumulation of actual objects and continue to resort to saving images of beautiful things on my computer because if I owned every beautiful thing I ever saw I would probably win an awards for the world's greatest hoarder. It would be absolutely divine, but not exactly the most practical way to live. So for now, I scroll through Tumblr and Pinterest and long for the day I have the opportunity (and money) to venture on and finally decorate a space that I can truly call my own. They always do say that a picture is worth a thousand words right? :P *All images found via Tumblr (The Socialite Family).
I wouldn't necessarily consider myself or my style to be particularly bohemian, but there is something about the summer season that shifts my aesthetic preferences from crisp and clean, to more woodsy and ethereal. I spend my days leading up to summer dreaming of flowy dresses, bicycle rides to vintage markets, art collecting (and making) and most importantly frolicking through flower patches and being outdoors. Here in Toronto we are currently in an amazing spring period and I can tell you the excitement for summer grows with every day. I can't wait for my last two exams to be over with this week and then I can enjoy all the amazing things the summer season has to offer. Now given my tendency towards all things folksy and flamboyant come the summer months, I took great enjoyment in discovering super cool designer and artist Justina Blakeney this afternoon on HonestyWTF. It has been made known to me that her long awaited book The New Bohemians is now officially released, and boy oh boy am I ever excited to get my hands on it. Her amazing interior/decor photography of bohemian spaces is just what I needed to bring my summer vibes up a notch. Chronicling the lives and spaces of creatives all across the United States, Blackeney's book is a composition of various spaces playing off of a traditional bohemian interior aesthetic. Divided into chapters such as Modern Bohemian, Folksy Bohemian, Romantic Bohemian and so on each space is categorized by its level of bohemian-ness. The book also includes 12 amazing DIY projects and a Plant Encyclopedia containing all plant life featured in the book and pointers on how too care for them. Given that the summer also reignites my green thumb, I am sure that my summer will be filled with many plant related excursions and projects. Take a look below at some of the amazing spaces featured in The New Bohemians: Cool and Collected Homes and get your hands on it ASAP via Amazon.com :) All images found via HonestlyWTF.
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