Twinkle Living: Whimsical + Sassy Designs

I've just come across the most amazing home collection I've seen in a long, long time. Twinkle Living is not a new shop, but it's new to me, and I am loving the smart designs in this well-edited collection. I'm most excited about the bedding, which you can enjoy here...so fun!

And how awesome is this French Bulldog pillow? Lovingly designed after the shop owner's pup, Milan.

DecorBoard: Masculine Minimalism

I instantly fell in love with this gorgeous living room. It is so calming, and so thoughtfully designed. 

{ philadelphia home staging Voila Design Philadelphia }

Immediately I created a DecorBoard inspired by this space...I hope I have done it justice!

{ InteriorEditor via Polivore }

Useful + Beautiful: Kitchen Must-Haves

Houzz contributor + blogger, Becky Harris of thebubbreport, has posted a fantastic list of kitchen must-haves. I've shared my favorites below, but all forty must-haves are amazingly useful + beautiful! 

{ Normann Copenhagen Herb Stand from Design Public }

{ Park Slope Placemats from AphroChic }

 

{ Chemex Glass Coffee Maker from Williams-Sonoma }

{ African Market Baskets from VivaTerra }
{ Salt+Pepper Mill from Crate+Barrel }

{ Cheeseboard from VivaTerra }

{ Five Piece Gadget Set from The Conran Shop }

Thursday's Things

True to my nature, I'm very particular when it comes to holiday decor. I dare say most decorations out there would never make it past my front door, much less be incorporated into my holiday display.  However, these stylish + stunning specimens would be welcome back every year! 

HAPPY HOLIDAYS!!

{ Geometric Felt Christmas Stockings from Etsy's rikrak, found here }

{ Modern Paper Ornament from Etsy's kissadesign, found here }

{ Naughty + Nice Gift Tags from Etsy's RetroPops, found here }

{ Modern Bird Ornament from Etsy's spottedstonestudio, found here }

{ Festive Modern Ornaments from Etsy's soleilgirl, found here }

{ Custom Holiday Cards from Etsy's Little&TheGirl, found here }

{ Stitched Garland from Etsy's polkadotshop, found here }

DecorBoard: Notting Hill Living Room

A friend of mine has been struggling with both the layout and selection of her living room furniture...I've taken a crack at what I would do with the space, given the needs the room must fulfill. It is a small room, with a large TV unit to remain. The challenge is to fit in both a work and lounge area, without cramping the space. I chose to create a neutral palate for the larger pieces, adding a punch of color to ward off the London winter blues.

 

{ Published on Polivore }

Contemporary Tuscan-Style Kitchens

Tuscan kitchens always make me smile. They are  warm and inviting, open in plan and designed around a large communal table. And while Tuscan kitchens are often associated with old-world style and antique furniture, who says you can't update the concept to make it fresh and modern? Here are some kitchens with a contemporary twist on the classic Tuscan kitchen.

{ Coburn Architecture + Interiors }

{ Amoroso Design }

Thursday's Things

Weekly roundup of online finds. Enjoy, & Happy Thanksgiving!

{ Pretty + delicate bud vases from Etsy's cynthiavardhan, found here }

{ Fresh + modern pillows from Etsy's WillaSkyeHome, found here }

{ Funky crochet bangles from Etsy's Silvia66, found here }

{ Vintage 1960's dishware from Etsy's OBJX, found here }

...and this last one just makes me smile...

{ Awesome print from Etsy's tuttistudio, found here }

La Bonne Vie

I am leaving on the early train tomorrow, headed to Paris! I am so very excited, for so many reasons. Not only am I visiting an old friend whom I have not seen in forever, but I am dying to visit Paris again, after having spent only a brief but amazing afternoon there last summer. And while I am of course looking forward to the Eiffel Tower, Louvre, and Notre Dame photo ops, I am most excited about the food...and of course the flea markets!! Paris' flea markets have been around for centuries, and offer up the most delectable culinary and decorative delights. I cannot believe I will be there tomorrow, strolling the avenues and taking in the sites and tastes of Parisian street markets. These are, after all, just as much a part of the culture as the museums or monuments. Even more so, I would argue. Food helps define a culture, and it is well known that the French love their food!

To pay homage to French cooking and cuisine, I give you a photo that defines both. The French stove, specifically La Cornue CornuFe stove; admired by food enthusiasts and designers alike, this range ads beauty to any kitchen and legitimacy to any chef.

And when a kitchen is designed to fit such a beaut, the result is masterful...

eclectic kitchen design by portland interior designer Garrison Hullinger Interior Design Inc.

The Great Shape of California

In just one month, we will be home for Christmas. I cannot express in words how excited I am to hug my family and friends, kiss my nieces and nephew, and devour the delicious culinary indulgences that London has denied me (Mexican food, In n' Out burgers, Mexican food...) As my official countdown begins, and our calendar fills with dinner dates and planned shopping excursions, my heart flutters with excitement. It seems appropriate, then, that as I scoured etsy.com yesterday for Christmas gifts, I came across the most adorable cheese plate/cutting board I have ever seen. Okay, so I am a bit biased, but I do think the great shape of California translates perfectly to a serving board! I mean, just think how much more cheese can fit on California than, say, Virginia...

This beautiful Californian memento, along with many other wooden states, can be found at AHeirloom's Etsy shop. The heart can be placed anywhere you like, and mine would, of course, be placed over San Francisco - just is where I left it.

DecorBoard: Gilded Red & Aqua Living Room

It is a foggy and cold day here in London, and I am wishing I had a cozy and warm living room to snuggle into. Something like this would do just fine...

{ Published on Polivore }

Suppressing My Nesting

After three months, we are happily settled in London. Our furniture is neatly stored in a garage in California, and nothing but the clothing we own shipped over. The irony is not lost on me: I decide to start a blog about editing one's home at the exact same time I consciously edit EVERYTHING out of my own apartment. As I type, I am sitting in the living room of our pre-furnished London flat. While tastefully fitted, the flat is much too sparse, even for my taste. The walls are almost completely bare, the hardwood floors cold and naked. IKEA is the driving force behind the design, and my need to nest has been drastically suppressed.

While the reality of our short stay in London keeps me from creating the space I want to live in, a girl still needs to dream....

The green sofa + butterscotch ottoman combo makes my heart sing...

Oh, hello fuchsia poofs!

AMAZING use of monochromatic color...!

Is there anything else to say?! LOVE!

*Images courtesy of ELLE DECOR

Changes

Change is inevitable and constant, yet does ebb and flow. Right now my life is in "flow" mode, and as my husband and I prepare to pack up and move to London, I find myself editing my life and possessions...yet again.

The truth is, I love editing my things. Whatever the opposite of a hoarder is, that's me. I am seriously looking forward to giving away our sofa, selling our armoire, and packing up only the necessities for storage. Moving forces me to open drawers and rummage through boxes packed away and forgotten. I find it invigorating to throw away dusty knick-knacks that I never needed to begin with. For me, editing is a necessary step in change...out with the old, in with the new and (hopefully) more fabulous! By creating space in your life, you clear the path for the next opportunity and open up a world of possibility.

One of my favorite quotes is from William Morris, a 19th century textile designer and artist, which states that you should own nothing that is not useful nor beautiful. I chose to dub my blog "Interior Editor" for this reason. As we go through life, we acquire "stuff". It takes conscious effort to edit these possessions down to only that which is useful and/or beautiful. I hope to use this blog as a spring board for this conversation.

"Have nothing in your house that you do not know to be useful, or believe to be beautiful."
- William Morris