ikea wish list

 

Picture taken by Aaron after the last "wave" of projects we completed.

Now that quite a few of the projects are done on the house (at least for now) I'm interested in filling it with things we love. I would say the interior design style we always seem to lean towards is pretty modern/minimalisic. We picked all neutral paint colors throughtout the house and I have never liked having tons of clutter and "things" out/visable.

One of the first things on my list is a bed frame and headboard.

We actually got our bedroom furniture off Craigslist...it's a mid-century modern set by Heywood Wakefield ("Coronet") BUT the bed frame is for a queen...which equals a problem because we have a king size mattress which I love and refuse to give up ;)

So, I have been looking for alternatives that will work well with the set we have.

I have always liked platform beds, so I think a simple frame to get the mattress off the floor would be fine, and then a headboard like the one below (from Ikea) would be perfect.

Simple, modern, inexpensive, and could be stained to match the wood of the set we have.

Next on my list is the back yard. 

It's getting warm, and we love to cook out on the grill and entertain...so I would like to have some simple patio furniture (since an enitre backyard makeover is not in the books for this year).

These 2 rattan pieces from Ikea are right up my alley. I found them when HRH Collection's Alex posted pictures of her home awhile back...she had this set on her patio.

I love the look, but was worried about actual comfort, so I tried the rocking chair the last time I made a trip to Ikea...much to my surprise it was actually very relaxing and comfy!

Since we live in the city, our backyard isn't very big, but we definitely have a decent amount of space to work with. I would love to have a firepit along with some outdoor twinkle lights, and maybe even a small water feature!

xx em

this weekend.

The past couple of weeks have been insane...working on our house non-stop. We finally got to a place where we can take a break from the projects for awhile... and I am so happy with how it's looking, especially now that it's getting warmer and the plants are starting to bloom in the garden :)

   

One of my favorite details of our house, the Victorian banister.

On Friday we head up to Cleveland for the weekend to take care of a few things...one being a trip to The Brew Kettle to bottle the man's first self-brewed IPA.

 

What I wore on Saturday...kept it simple due to all the running around we had planned.

Black off-the-shoulder tee from American Apparel

Abercrombie jeans (from probably almost 10 years ago)

Botkier Eden satchel

Aviators (about the only style of sunglasses that I wear)

I wore my favorite wedges the entire weekend, but not exactly by choice...I forgot to pack any other shoes for myself ;)

 At The Brew Kettle - A little harmless taste-testing while bottling 

his creation ;)

Now we are home, cooking dinner and listening to some vinyl...

I hope everyone had a relaxing weekend and has a fabulous week...

I know that I plan on taking full advantage of the sunshine and high temps!

xx em

missed the boat

There are a couple items that I hesitated on purchasing awhile back and, to this day, wish that I hadn't!

I'm sure everyone knows the feeling...

At the time I had started being very conscious about the money I was spending, really evaluating each purchase I made (since my closet was overflowing and bank account was hurting)

...but I definitely regret not pulling the trigger on these two things...

River Island sequin jacket

Seen here on the beautiful Teresa from Style Drifter (formerly Candy and Cookie)

H&M beige poncho

On the bright side...thanks to ebay, I still may be able to get my hands on these! I have been sure to check every couple of weeks just in case they pop up ;)

Is there anything you regret holding back on purchasing?

em xx

givenchy.

Well, it was supposed to be on my Christmas list this year...but I ended up just getting it myself after receiving an online coupon from Sephora and finding two unused gift cards hiding in my wallet. So it ended up being free, with free shipping! Can't get better than that.

I am so happy with this fragrance. It is unlike anything I have, which is exactly what I was looking for (I was getting tired of my signature scents). 

Sephora describes it as...

"Fresh, luminous, and fruity floral with a "jasmine tea" theme. Notes of Cranberry, Green Tea, White Peony, Sambac Jasmine, Blond Woods, White Musks.

I definitely agree with the description of fruity and floral...what I love about it is an almost "grapefruit" scent! It is very fresh and feminine.

My current collection:

Viktor and Rolf --- Flowerbomb

Givenchy --- Ange Ou Demon

Dolce and Gabbana --- Light Blue

Chanel --- Chance Eau Fraiche

Victoria's Secret --- Very Sexy Now Beauty of Brazil

em xx

favorites.

Wanted to do a quick post about my favorite beauty/fashion blogs.

I have been following these lovely ladies for a couple years now and I love keeping up with their posts!

The Honeybee

Absolutely love Andee's style and her great healthy recipe ideas! 

She also posts beautiful photos of Laguna Beach, her travels around the world, and her adorable daughter.

15 Steps, then a beauty blog

Sandra has a great modern style, sharing beautiful clothing and interesting pieces of jewelry. 

I also love her makeup posts and really value her reviews and opinions on products!

Mariannan

I just love Mariannan's blog! She is gorgeous and post fabulous pictures of her adorable apartment in Finland.

 She has fabulous style and has recently debuted a clothing line with Bik Bok!

Belle Du Jour NYC

I found Dara's Youtube channel a few years ago and it led me to her blog.

She stopped making videos for some time, but I am so glad to see she is back! 

Her posts of New York City fashion, architecture, and lifestyle are inspiring. 

She is witty, intelligent, and has a great sense of humor!

HRH Collection

Alex has an amazing interior design sense and she frequently share pictures of her stylish and modern apartment. 

She has an impeccably classic, yet modern fashion sense along with a fabulous line of jewelry she designs and is available for purchase on her website.

Be sure to check out all the lovely ladies and their amazing blogs!

em xx