Could You Live in a Trailer

From my new favorite design blog, desiretoinspire.net, this Airstream is truly a dream.  Can you imagine traveling to and fro across the country, living in this little shiny pod.  What a chic nomad you would be.

lovingly restored (and all images) by Santa Barbara architect Matthew Hofmann

Amsterdam Loft of my Dreams

Generally speaking, I'm not a lover of loft-living apartments, I like a more traditional delineation of rooms.  But this loft in Amsterdam done by design firm Uxus Design is an exception.  It feels so natural with all of the wood (warm and lived in) and then, of course, the draping creates a more lush experience, contrary to that harsh modernity of your average loft.  Love.

There's a picture on their website of the closet, walled off by a very full set of drapes that is just such a beautiful idea, and can generally look so cheap and make shift.  I couldn't pull it for the blog, but I would definitely recommend checking out their work/website.

Photos:  Uxus Design

Thanks to Trendhome for leading me to this!

Chicness at the Gramercy Park Hotel

I always knew the Gramercy Park Hotel was chic, with the Rose Bar, the Rooftop Bar, and then the Italian restaurant Maialino, but I didn't realize how much I'd love the rooms.  Our suite had the cutest details.  A little bohemian, a little rococo, and a little modern.

The drop down mirrored bar, bright and shiny! (and check out the bit of bright blue wall, very fun)

The glass selection for your cocktail needs.  Why yes, I would like my $14 grey goose in a mini goblet!

The lighting in the bathroom.  Sorry the pic is a little bright- the detail shots are better but I wanted to give a feel for the whole thing.

Now the bathtub was a little shabby, peeling and grody, but otherwise, a charming hotel room.

http://www.gramercyparkhotel.com/

Center of Floral Design

I'm helping a friend decorate his apartment, a project that takes up a lot of weekend afternoons as we piece together the items needed, starting with the bigger ones and working our way toward knick knacks and bric a brac.

This weekend- a faux plant for his room. Obviously , a young, unmarried guy didn't want a living obligation so we headed off the flower district to find a fake flower store. I was surprised by the number of options, though many were shilling some pretty atrocious attempts at fake plant life.

Just as I was beginning to get a bit annoyed, we popped into the Center of Floral Design. I knew immediately it was going to have the one. A lovely salesgirl helped us, walking us around the ficuses and palms, discussing the merits of bamboo and appropriate ceiling to height ratios. They had the most lovely flowers as well.

The lucky plant!

Walnut Wallpapers

Barbara Bestor, chairwoman of the new graduate program at the Woodbury University School of Architecture in Los Angeles, did a piece for the Times on wallpaper. Many of her picks from the interactive portion were from Walnut Wallpapers and were adorbs. I would love to be cemented in one place long enough to consider wallpapering. I love the way it looks, dramatic and symmetrical and a little old-fashioned.

Walnut is in LA, sad face, but they have a great website and I've fallen even more in love with a few of their papers.

Folie

Mirage in Blue Raspberry

Makelike in Lush

There are probably a hundred more on the site I love, I recommend checking it out. WalnutWallpaper.com

Dining Room Table and Chairs by Verner Panton

Photo: Peter Margonelli/Courtesy of Robert Couturier from nymag.com

I came across this shot of an English couple's NYC apartment on NYMag.com. I love this dining set.

I'd like it better in gold, but that's how I feel about pretty much everything that's not edible. Modern but not harsh, I think it's the perfect size for my imaginary apartment I'm constantly decorating.

Had to google Verner Panton and wikipedia tells me "is considered one of Denmark's most influential 20th-century furniture and interior designers." Alright then . He also invented the S chair, which, while I don't currently have a place for it in my imaginary apartment, is a pretty pivotal piece in the history of furniture.

image from wikipedia.com

Medallion Dinnerware from Target

Available at target.com

While perusing Target.com, second only to going to Target in real life on my list of favorite non-apparel shopping, I found these porcelain plates. In general, I don't like the idea of eating of something that isn't white, but I thought these were so pretty! Especially the bowl and mug. And economical at $54.99 for four places. I guess the Chinoiserie theme continues....

Not Really "Mellow" Yellow

Onekingslane.com has a sale today on The Breece collection and I am obsessed with this crackle server. I'm really feeling Chinoiserie this week (and will be even more so if I win my ebay bid on a Chinese jewelry box, fingers crossed)

I think this is ostensibly for a dining room, but I'd like to put it in my bedroom and store pretty handbags on the shelves and more utilitarian ones in the cabinets. I'm also really into that warm yellow and may have to purchase this stool from Nate Berkus for HSN to sate this desire.


And at 119.95$, it's a little friendlier on the ole budget.