Fabs Vs. the Television

Ok so I'm not a tv person. I mean I LOVE tv (extensive knowledge of B list television stars is my hidden talent) but hate the way they look. I do not get excited about 60 inch plasma screens. I do not get excited about wall mounts. I realize the necessity of a tv - I just don't want it to take up 90% of my available wall space. So after seeing this lovely vignette at the NYC outpost of Mecox Gardens I decided to replicate the look at home. A long buffet would provide excellent storage and the pop color gourd lamps would distract the eye somewhat (I hope) from the tasteful 26 inch television (is that possible?) I'd be placing on top. I enlisted some help from Momma to search out similar lamps at slightly less terrifying prices (Christopher Spitzmiller's beauties will have to wait til I win the lottery) - and she found these Robert Abbey ones at Croft & Little. They're a fabulous alternative to the Mecox numbers and come in a ton of fun colors - we went for the Egg Blue. These bright and cheery lamps on top of the Mao Now Buffet I picked up at the Mitchell Gold downtown replicate the Mecox vignette really well (and at a much friendlier price) - and while I'm still not a television fan, I think I can live with this.

A Treasure Chest

Coffee table time, and this one's a doozy. While I adore the dainty mirrored top numbers favored by chic Parisians and their emulators the world over, I realize that my reality is not one of said Parisians (berets, etc etc). My reality includes three men who put their feet up on anything within reach and occasional visits from a rather rambunctious Frenchie with a fear of reflective surfaces. While a vintage Goyard trunk would be just lovely, so is being able to pay the cable bill (DVR is my life) - so off to my trusty Crate & Barrel where their Taka Trunk fits the bill perfectly. It's nearly indestructible walnut and still provides the steamer trunk look. Bonus - it has a ton of storage (which New Yorkers will never have enough of) and even a secret compartment. Did I mention the in trunk bar? Genius.

Pretty in Pink

One thing you might know about me (or be able to deduce from the earlier foyer picture) - is that I like pink. Correction, love pink. I painted my college bedroom a delightfully daring shade called Partytime Pink - how appropriate. But it really is an amazingly versatile color - it can be soft, bold, bright, dark, cheery, elegant - but mostly it just makes me superbly happy. So naturally it was only a question of which room would be pink, not if there would be a pink room. Then I saw this while perusing my House Beautiful archives:

How fabulous?! It combines my love of pink (Benjamin Moore Coral Pink to be precise) with my genetic predisposition to adore blue and white china (not to mention my mother's willingness to part with some of her extensive collection of Spode) in the chicest way. Pictures to come as soon as the Spode arrives...

Move In Day

Less than 24 hours since closing and this desperate to decorate (and have a brand new stove) New Yorker is moving in. The little place has had quite a transformation since last month (thank God). A little before/after below...

Foyer

Bathroom Hallway

And of COURSE the brand new stove. No more near death experiences with antique ovens in antique NYC rentals...hurrah!

And so it begins...