I'm Still Here I Swear

After many months of being overwhelmingly busy and therefore unable to do the things I actually want to do (aka thinking about art and books and fashion and decor and writing about it on here), I finally have a reason to sit back and do only the things I want to do.

I got my wisdom teeth out.

And y'know what I dreamt of in my drugged up, post-anesthesia, face bleeding state? BLUE VELVET SOFAS. A couple weeks ago I saw the single most awesome sofa I have ever seen, while wandering around one of my favorite little stores in town. It was tufted, it was velvet, it was the perfect blend of navy and cobalt, and I NEEDED it. Obviously, I immediately pulled my mom over and started into a speech about how "since we're redecorating the family room and the library couldn't we also do the living room? and if we could, couldn't we also plan that redecoration around this undeniably fabulous sofa?" To my complete and utter surprise my whimsical, but admittedly occasionally traditional, mother agreed with my sentiments and fangirled just as hard over the sofa!

We asked the shop owner what the deal was with the sofa (essentially did it have a loving home to go to because we definitely could be that home) and sadly it wasn't actually on sale yet. Though I don't have it in my clutches, I've been thinking about that sofa ever since and have thus spent countless hours finding inspiration for a room that it could live in. We're hoping to make our old living room into a chic music room for my dad (but that my mom and I can really use show off our cool design skillz) which means we could go any number of directions with the style of the space surrounding the sofa.

Here's what we're working with so far:

Since it's a music room, we could go a little more bohemian, pairing the sofa with warm leathers and tons of vibrant prints, layering in wood and gold accents:

Or, similarly, we could go with a whimsical traditional theme, bright patterns over traditional shapes and classic lines:

Finally, we could do a chic and modern style with fun texture, and colors in icy blues and grays, plus lots of goooooold:

Personally I'm quite partial to the bohemian look because what's a music room without plushy, printed floor pillows to sit on and mournfully play guitar? Either way, I'm just hoping we'll be able to get our hands on this beautiful baby soon and finally revamp this room!

Nate Berkus Has a Pretty Cool House

So I'm an admitted HGTV addict. I could watch pretty much anything on that channel for a year and still be happy to continue watching, especially anything more focused on the design aspects of home and garden. I've been a huge fan of HGTV Design Star for a few years now, but my latest obsession is Nate Berkus' new American Dream Builders show on NBC. Not only does this show display some amazing design, but all the contestants involved in the competition are already big names in the industry, meaning they've already got some seriously impressive experience under their belt (aka we're talking GORGEOUS home re-models here, people).

I've also been a fan of Nate Berkus since his Target collab days began so I was pretty excited to here that he was a part of the esteemed judges panel for Dream Builders. Obviously all of this means that I freaked out a little when Rue posted this article featuring Berkus' glorious LA home. His style is incredibly distinct, dark and masculine with a unique mix of worn and glamorous details. I love the careful architectural executions of the home and the fact that while everything seems perfectly curated and placed throughout the space, it feels welcoming and comfortable at the same time.

Ugh Nate Berkus just be my friend and decorate beautiful homes with me:

via Rue

Mid-Century Bohemian

I've always had more of a classic inclination when it comes to interior decor. Lots of soft, cream couches, icy blues and chocolate browns, warm throws and pillows; your basic nice looking, simple, and perpetually classic room. While I still definitely hold on to this aesthetic, I've been leaning towards a new look lately and I'm pretty excited about it.

It's a little trendy and a little bit of a throwback, but mid-century modern is all over the web right now and I'm totally loving it. Now, this current trend isn't your typical mid-century look, though Eames chairs are definitely running rampant on Pinterest. This increasingly popular style of design is something between mid-century modern and bohemian, combining modern lined furniture in black leather and warm wood with layered rugs and colorful prints. I love this combination of minimalist form with free flowing color, especially when paired with sprawling gallery walls and indoor plants. If you can't tell from the photo sources, this look is definitely Californian and while it's a true west coast style, I'll definitely be bringing it in to my future tiny New York apartment.

 via SF Girl by Bay

 via Style Files

 via SF Girl by Bay

 via Eclectic Revisited

via Apartment Therapy