I Can't Commit

Six months ago I saw this large, hand-carved & gilted convex mirror labeled 'antique' and have been longing for it ever since. It's enormous, heavy and certainly a statement. This lousy photo hardly does it justice. Yet, the $600 price tag ultimately kept it far from my little home. And even after I learned that it is actually a reproduction (Atlanta made in fact) of a regency design, I found an exact replica minus the mirror, but I still am having trouble wrapping my head around blowing hundreds of dollars on a mirror. But I can't get it out of my head! The thought of this beauty against a color background--teal, magenta, plum, you name it!

c. jere

Something happened to me and here almost a month later, it's still kind of hard to talk about. In all my scavenging days, I let the best treasure walk away. I found a very large Curtis Jere sculpture from the 'raindrops' series, signed and dated, $300. Sure it was stunning enough, but maybe it was my buyer's anxiety, maybe it was my cloudy knowledge of the artist(s) that create these brass sculptures, anyhow, I turned to leave the booth. Before my feet had even moved from their spot, a red bearded rascal swapped the beauty. Of course, after a little research, a painful longing for my treasure lost, I see that Jonathan Adler has begun to reproduce this exact sculpture at a steep $1200 while the originals easily reach $2000.

Here it is. The work in progress. I have now been at my first apartment ever just over one month. And as I see my rent check depleted from my bank account, I think it's just about time I post a photograph of my living room--the cause of so many other monetary deductions. Ah, but it has certainly been worth it. The sofa and loveseat turned out fantastically (I'll post a before picture later), the paint job was right on target. Plus I've bought my own fabric and resorted to making the pillows myself, to get the perfect accessories for my planned palatte. It's starting to all come together. Now if I can only track down a handsome pair of Italian Murano glass lamps in a shade of aqua...

Dutch and Droog

I know I'm a little late mentioning this, but I feel that it's personally something I must address. A year or more ago I was shocked to see the student (student!) work of dutch prodigy Joris Laarman. This boy wonder transformed what is a completely neglected architectural element, the radiator, into this:

Now this may not seem like much to anyone else, one might even think I'm going WAY overboard here. But he had me thinking things over, not to re-invent the mundane, oh wow here let's not just add a little paint and decor, but instead wholly transform our dull necessities. I couldn't get him out of my head! And here now on Unica Home's website they are at last offering his radiators for sale. Sure at a hefty price, sure they're great and beautiful, etc. But really I feel like I just had to type his name, reference him for my own personal catharsis--I guess because I'm jealous?
Unica Home

Domino Decorating Contest

Here it is, the 23rd of October, and I've found a reason to post my first ever entry on this blog: the official announcement of the Domino decorating contest finalists. I have to say first, that though my young age would mislead you, I have actually been a Domino subscriber since the very, VERY beginning. I actually used to buy Lucky magazine mostly for the 'home' section the magazine featured monthly. So naturally, the first premiere of Domino had me tickeled with joy. And of course, when I heard about the contest, I thought, what better way to show off my devotion to their publication?

However, out of all the entries, all one thousand as they claim, I have to say I am pretty dissapointed with thier selection. The first three are certainly a gimmie; the living room by Steven from Des Moines, IA is a sure winner. I thought so from the start. His room is incredibly done-very bright, tailored, and is a generally inviting, happy room. But, the last two? First I must comment on the room submitted by Zim from Fairway Kansas. It looks like a grand salon, no doubt there, but if the judges made their selection based on photography I'd have thought that might have counted against this one. Now, I apologize in advance to Jen from Hackettstown, NJ, but I do not think her room should be a finalist. I find the room horribly bland. The walls are white. The furniture is white. The accessories are white. The only thing that is the least bit compelling to me, or inspiring is the Louis Ghost chair by Starck (I happen to be a big fan), and only Starck himself should get credit for that bit. I saw so many rooms that I felt were more deserving of being a finalist, and I am very dissapointed in Domino for this selection. Thoughts?
Oh and here was my room: