Desk Lamp

I am considering a new task lamp for my desk. It may be time for me to graduate from my translucent plastic Target desk lamp. And from calling it a desk lamp, to a "task lamp."

Option A - Maxwell Desk Lamp, Pottery Barn, $99.99 (on sale!)


Option B.) Classic Bankers Lamp, Target , Currently Unavailable (which makes me WANT IT)

















Option C.) I'm going to the Brimfield Antique Show in a couple weeks so I'm hoping I can find something there.

So I have a problem with photo 2 of the Maxwell Desk Lamp spread, no one can work at that desk. Well, I couldn't. It is like, clutter o-rama. I think this is one of the reasons why I have such disdain towards Pottery Barn sometimes. They typically do a lovely job of creating this classic American home and you can imagine the family that lives there; beautiful, happy and candid. But then they have to go ahead and take it overboard. You know what does it for me in this one? That leaf that is tacked against that cork railing. That family just became a bit strange.

Home Orifice

One of my goals is to create a think tank is condusive to writing and brainstorming. Seriously, I need to. I'm going to be 30 in June and I need to incubate my brilliant ideas rather than letting them blow away like a dandelion puff.

I don't have a lot of room to work with since I also have a keyboard and a very large rabbit cage for Pickles & Milly and they need their space. Those two things alone up every last bit of wall space I have. I'd love to create a little alcove or something. But nothing enclosed enough that would impede air conditioner flow in the summer or more importantly, be something that I could imagine an extra-terrestrial creeping behind when I wake up for water at 4 a.m.

So I reviewed with some of my most hip and tasteful co-workers today... and we decided it would be very beautiful to hang my map on a brick wall across from my bed. I'm very excited about it because as an honest pal pointed out, he hates the idea of something hanging over his head while he sleeps because it gives him the anxiety of it falling on him. Well noted.

Currently this is how my desk area across from my bed looks
:
Cluttered. Also, if you saw my desk you might guess a pre-pubescent Asian girl lives there with the prevalence of Hello Kitty. Everyone keeps giving me Hello Kitty stuff! INCLUDING Bank of America who have generously sent me 3 Hello Kitty debit cards, insisting that I activate them although I've told them I changed my mind. The gesture sort of reminds of the earnest women behind the makeup counter in Asia who are a little too eager to try skin lightening products on me like I'm some sun-roasted rice paddy tending vagabond.


So the map can be hung from right below the ceiling and basically take up the entire white square above my desk and the bottom will end up being right at eye level when sitting down so I think it may be ideal.

Nagging feeling: What if the map looks totally weird and weirdly placed because it won't be horizontally centered on the wall? I hope this works out.

Half Dressed

I have always had a hard time deciding on wall decor. As an 11 year old, I deliberated for weeks and weeks over the same bin of posters when my mom would shop the rest of the store and I'd try to mentally assort them on my walls at home. "You see how picky I am about my shoes and they only go on my feet!." (Cher, Clueless, in case you are completely unfamiliar with key figures in US history) Still so poignant and relevant.

From about 6th grade-12th grade, I ended up with the following:

• Kate Moss in Gucci Shoes - Landscape above closet
• Ace Ventura, Pet Detective - Portrait behind bedroom door
• Simpsons Group Shot - Over my bed Lisa Simpson rendition of The Scream - Across from my bed
• Murals & Murals scattered, leaning on dressers so I could be surrounded by the smiles of my friends.

Overall Feel: Honest, literal, indicative of a blooming wit, mostly embarrassing.

My brother has since taken over my bedroom at home, and he doesn't even stay in there. I think he might be bothered by all the googly eyed Simpsons characters boring their eyes into him. Either that or because my window frame has a gap in it now and it feels like an evil spirit dominates that space now. But I digress.

So I have had 2 great walls (1 in the living room and one in the bedroom) that have been mostly bare since October. It will be May on Friday! A couple months ago I got this great antique mirror on ebay that I miraculously hung by myself with the advice of my friend Elena's boyfriend, Eric. I am super proud of it. Proud of my mirror antiquing skills, the acquisition, and especially the feat of performing the task of HANGING a heavy mirror without it shattering all over my life. This is my living room. Taken from the corner of my kitchen.


I really love the mirror where it is. But it needs something. A series of (3) 8"x10" prints framed in a row below it, parallel to the couch? I have some great prints my very talented friend Matt shot that I could put there. Check out his website. It's amazing. http://bissonic.smugmug.com/

Anyway, if you know me at all you will know I have serious commitment issues with inanimate objects. It takes me FOREVER to decide if I want something. I know that because its inanimate, if I decide I hate it later, the issue is with me. So I like to be absolutely certain when making the commitment to acquire something, especially if it means I have to look at it everyday and if I take it down, there will be holes I have to look at everyday, reminding me of my lapse in judgement and fluctuation in taste. I'm not sure why I have such a high, non negotiable expectation of remaining consistent but that is another issue (and website.) Long story short... this is the other blank wall. Where the magic happens. Or no magic happens. You know, short of me inviting you into my life and surroundings, I'll thank you for staying out of my personal affairs. That was Ace Ventura. Also, it was acting. Thank you.


No, the glass vase is not a fire hazard although it is a shatter hazard. But I don't care, its pretty. In fact, a homeless man gave that bouquet of iris to me on my way home from ballet class yesterday. I accepted it like I was Miss Connecticut and carried it home, nestled in my arms like a baby and when I arrived home, a moth flew out.
So see that large, void space over my bed? Eric, is going to come to my aid tomorrow and hang my latest ebay acquisition for me. An authentic Rand McNally classroom map! I love maps.

I'm afraid it might be too much. Too much color for a really serene space. I want to be able to actually play with this map... it has all the 5 (land) continents represented so my friends and I have some vibrant visuals when we are trying to decide where to go on the next big group adventure.

The 09 Safari in Africa...

Purrhaps a weekend jaunt through Barcelona...

Or a relaxing week in the Soviet Union...

So its a little out of date... that I don't mind. But is it too much color? Is it too much for the bedroom? I wish I had an office. Maybe this goes into my Dad's garage for a while. TBC......

Another clear thing

I've been thinking a lot about trying to bring a little bit of luxury to my small space. I have great light and bright walls so it does possess airiness when I'm not hiding from the world behind my gray velvet curtains. This is a crystal lamp that I saw at Homegoods in Westport, CT for $130.

The base is about a foot tall and there is a good reason why I did not include the shade in this photograph; it's terrible. But luckily, I live a block away from a store that sells just lampshades. In case you're interested, its called www.justshadesny.com.

I'm trying to decide whether or not this crystal lamp would fit in, in my home. I love the idea of crystal, and its cheeky one dimensional impression of a vintage trophy (okay or urn) that differentiates it from the typical sentiment that crystal expresses. Stodginess... a stuffy UES apartment with faded wall paper way past its hayday.

I couldn't visualize it's place so I didn't buy it immediately and I have a rule about buying things spontaneously only when I have that gut instinct upon sight. I hate the idea of living in a space or with items that I don't absolutely love and feel inspired by when I look at them. I've had this picture in my blackberry for at least 3 weeks and have thought about it dozens of times. Maybe its time for me to go back and if it is still there, it may be meant to be.

So. What do I place it on? I'm also in the market for small side table for the lamp to rest on.

I'm thinking about possibly going to go glam with a mirrored side table - or find something like a chipped dark mahogany and enjoy the irony of a modern polished piece of crystal sitting on it. But where do I find a chipped dark mahogany side table of just the perfect size that can be delivered to me for a reasonable cost? I'm all for instant gratification and physically exerting myself as little as possible when it comes to schlepping furniture through Manhattan. The rewards of locating that perfect vintage dark chipped table might be a losing battle to the free shipping and neatly packaged mirrored table from Target. (Venetian Mirror Table, $109.99)

I imagine the lamp sitting on it with a low bowl of fresh peonies in front of it. I love it. Sold. I love mirrors.

Ideal Bathroom Sink

Wow. So indulgent. And so ideal for someone who fixates on the telly the way I do. Maybe one day...but here's the problem I might have with this arrangement. If I'm at the point in my life where I have a screen set into the mirror, that would only be secondary to having a tv in front of the tub. So would that mean I would have 2 TV's in the bathroom? That just seems offensively excessive. Also, that wood doesn't look very special to me. That's what she said.

Whenever I walk by this store on the way home and see this set up, I think of the scene that might take place in a bathroom as such... my special someone is watching important news and ticker stuff on that tv, and we're romantically brushing our teeth together, I nuzzle him as I draw the outline of a Chanel bag on the fog around the screen with my fingertip and smile at him through through my foam. These are the kinds of daydreams that help me sleep at night.

Grande Central Showroom, 19 Bond Street. Price: Too expensive.

My current bathroom is generous enough, for my amended standards after living in an apartment without a bathtub for a few months; I am not complaining. But its definitely not something I'm going to photograph and share for a couple reasons.
a.) It needs to be cleaned.
b.) The b/w tile trim around the room embarrasses me more than the fact that it isn't clean.
c.) I am drawing a blank on how to enhance it, other than optimizing window shelf space, which currently looks like this:

I know what you are thinking. Chaos. I'm not offended. I agree with you. Help me, help myself. These are the best creative storage solutions I've conjured up thus far.

• A hanging fruit basket from Sur La Table to hang from the ceiling. (but it might hang too high up, and I think the fact that something filled with stuff that teeters might give me anxiety.)
  
• A vintage cake stand (cake anything doesn't sound right in a girls bathroom.)
• One of those chrome tiered standing bathroom caddies meant for inside the shower and putting it in this little alcove.
  

To be continued.......... someday.

My love for clear things

You'll probably start recognizing this pattern. I love things that are clear. (Also, shiny mirrored things.) I love, love, love this little polycarbonate table and the little setup. I found this at Dovecote in Westport, CT, $500. Aside from being in a boutique on Main Street in Westport, I wonder why it's so expensive. I have deep appreciation for the technical and creative process that goes into making things, especially beautiful things.


My latest clear acquisition (possibly for a long while) is the Ghost Chair and it is romanced as "single mold injection polycarbonate." I have been STALKING this chair for the last year or so and I think most of my friends were pretty sick of hearing me talk about it. But it was $330 retail and while I have no problem buying nice things for myself, my rule is that I only buy if I think its is what worth it it's value to me. And to me, as beautiful and cool as it was, it still seemed like a plastic chair that cost the same amount as my keyboard. So I found it on ebay at a lesser cost and I LOVE it so. However, now I think I have to get my desk elevated for it to be the marriage. Behold... (MoMaStore.org, $330.)

I was really curious about the production process and difference between all the things that I feel like are the same thing: Lucite, Polycarbonate, Acrylic, Plastic; So I did some research.

Lucite: Acrylic is the generic term used to describe the clear hard material we all know as Plexiglas or Lucite. Lucite is the brand name of DuPont's acrylic material. In other words, Lucite IS plastic, just one of the many types.

Polycarbonate: Polycarbonate is a versatile, tough plastic used for a variety of applications, from bulletproof windows to compact disks (CDs). The main advantage of over other types of plastic is unbeatable strength combined with light weight. While acrylic is 17% stronger than glass, is nearly unbreakable. Bulletproof windows and enclosures as seen inside banks or at drive-throughs are often made of . Add to this the advantage that is just one-third the weight of acrylic, or one-sixth as heavy as glass, and the only drawback is that it is more expensive than either acrylic or glass. (Wow.) Add to this the advantage that polycarbonate is just one-third the weight of acrylic, or one-sixth as heavy as glass, and the only drawback is that it is more expensive than either acrylic or glass.

Acrylic: Acrylic is the clearest of plastics, about 8 times clearer than glass. It has good strength but is breakable. Acrylic is fairly rigid, as plastics go but will flex much more than glass.

Plexiglas: A brand name for Acrylic, often used as an alternative to glass, and in competition with polycarbonate (PC). It is often preferred because of its moderate properties, easy handling and processing, and low cost, but behaves in a brittle manner when loaded, especially under an impact force.

Plastic: The generic name for the above mentioned materials. Directly pertains to certain synthetic or semisynthetic materials that can be molded or extruded into objects or films or filaments or used for making e.g. coatings and adhesives

Good to know that my Ghost chair isn't likely to shatter under my weight.

2 rabbits, 1 girl, 1 400 sq foot nest.

I dedicate this blog to two little sweethearts, Pickles & Milly; The two little bunnies who I raise in my little abode on Spring Street. I've spent the larger portion of my life focusing on my first love, fashion. Since moving out and moving on and feeling settled with what my own style is, I've been working on fine tuning my home decor taste and trying to make tasteful acquisitions to "make nicer my home," (As Magda would say.) If there was a level before novice, I'd say that is where I am starting. I grew up in a pragmatic/functional home where design always came second, third, last or never. Euphamism for: jossie grossie.

I've listed some things which I really love and inspire me, some subjects of which could not contradict each other more, so its very possible my 400 sq. foot Manhattan apartment could result in a schizophrenic mess, but I'm hoping that some kind of tasteful concoction emerges. I'm going to be posting my finds, ideas, and any interesting resources I come across.

• Fairfield County beach houses. Boat knots, monogrammed sheets, monogrammed everything, spotlights.
  
• I'm not sure what to classify this as, but the combination of: Polycarbonate, mirrors, tiffany blue, gold accents, reproductions of coral.
  
• Old historical pieces like letterpress kits, metal lighting, maps, typography related items.
  
• Preppyness. Photographs of Jackie O & John, pennants, vintage school jewelry, monogrammed everything.
  
• ANIMALS. Especially sea animals.

xo xo V