hiking in stilettos: housewares

Showing posts with label housewares. Show all posts

Thursday, February 2

Pillow Talk

I mentioned a while ago that this may be the year that husband and I become home owners. It's not definite yet {that whole I-need-to-find-a-job thing is getting in the way}, but the prospect is pretty exciting. I've already bookmarked a million or so inspiration images for what I envision as our calm, modern meets rustic bedroom. I am leaning towards a minimal wooden bed frame, a mix of white linens, Lucite tables, a grey {chevron?} duvet, and pops of chartreuse to break up the neutral pallet. Here are some of my favorite inspirations thus far.

{All images (and my commentary) can be found here.}

Sweet dreams.
xoxo

copyright Hiking in Stilettos

Friday, January 6

Have a fun and restful weekend!

This is my last weekend of freedom before I start back on rotation Monday, so I plan to soak up every sweet moment. Lately, I've been feeling out of the loop and longing after the lives of work-at-home moms and bloggers, so this weekend is about focusing on all the incredible blessings my life holds. It's so easy to get weighed down with what our lives aren't, and I really don't want to lose sight of how wonderful my life is.

This weekend we may also start looking {preliminarily} at a few houses we'd like to buy (!!!) which is simultaneously exciting and scary. Nonetheless, I've been overcome lately with finding the perfect pieces for my home. So, I leave you with this amazing store to fill your weekend clicking, since you know, I want everything they have.

Have a fun and restful weekend.

xoxo

Sunday, July 12

some {pretty} things

emma watson's teen vogue photo shoot...

{i'm still not over it}

exactly how i will be dressing for fall

vintage aqua bar stools from etsy

that make me think of an old soda shop

glass drinking straws from glass dharma

because they are so very chic yet so very practical

{and eco-friendly}

click here to see the rest of the collection

simple, fun, and adorable diy project from designsponge

{thinking i'll do a red and turquoise version of this for the kitchen}

paige black label greenwich jacket in navy

by paige denim

i hope you all had a very wonderful summer weekend!

xoxo

Monday, June 22

{so} inspired

Ever since K and I moved into our new, spacious apartment, I have had redecorating on the brain. Unfortunately for K, this is not such a new concept for me as I am constantly rearranging things in our home... everything from vases and pictures to sofas and armories. Whenever I get bored or have the need to feel accomplished, I rearrange. I simply love the feeling of creating something new from things that I already own. Some may call it unnecessary frivolity, but I like to think of it as decor recycling.

Since we've combined our two apartments into one, and since we've both lived on our own for over six years, we have tried really hard to minimize our clutter and keep only the necessary items. Unfortunately, some of the necessary items are in need of replacement. {ie the $5 pots and pans that I bought from TJ Maxx in college} Besides, isn't getting new things that we both love part of the fun of getting married?

The turquoise walls in this kitchen are so lovely! If only I could paint our walls!

I absolutely adore this kitchen which belongs to Hannah Berman of P ie Bird Press. The coupling of the turquoise with red is so very lovely. As much as I would love to adhere to a two-color palate, I find that I would miss all the green in my kitchen. I am thinking a modified version of the above scene with pops of avocado and lime green thrown in. I can't get rid of my 1960s, retro green blender, can I? Not to mention all the vintage tins I so adore...

I have been wanting to create a collage over the kitchen sink, and I think this is just the inspiration I needed. Now I am on the search for vintage-inspired posters and am planning a search for record albums and music fliers in a red and turquoise theme.

In fact, I am inspired by Hannah's entire house. I often feel a bit overwhelmed by trying to incorporate my feminine, vintage taste with K's masculine outdoorsiness and simplicity. Although I did recently find a beige zebra rug that looks wonderful in our bedroom! Hannah's home seems to have a sense of vintage charm as well as a laid-back comfortableness that I desire in my own home.

all above images found here

merci mme berman!

Here are a couple other ideas that I love from the home of Olga Naiman, creative director and prop stylist who worked regularly for Domino Magazine. Her home exudes style in every room without being overbearing.

images found here courtesy of Ms. Naiman

I will definitely be looking for a valance to place over the kitchen sink nook!

The use of cinder blocks as a bed frame is ingenious {shoe storage!} and also brings a bit of industrial chic to the bedroom.

The task of home-making is a bit daunting seeing as I am unable to paint walls or remove carpet for hardwood floors, but I am confident that after a bit of tweaking, a few DIY projects, and a few wedding gifts, our new apartment will soon take on the shape of our new home. Not just our individual stuffs sitting next to each other, but a space that we can share and enjoy while building a life together.

Tuesday, March 31

The Battle of the Beds

I have finally decided to leave behind my feminine, shabby chic Anthropologie quilt and opt for some new bedding that is slightly more man-friendly. Of course, I now have my little heart set on this quilt from Anthropologie. It is kelley green with hints of orange and gold which will compliment much of my furniture, and it isn't too feminine. (Ok, I know. It is floral, but given that my quilt now is pink toile, I say this is fair. Plus, it's beautiful!) Not to mention that it will look wonderful with a lot of the linens and fabrics that I already own. Added bonus, K is fine with it! Now, I just have to get some gift cards together to be able to buy it....

Saturday, January 24

Orla Kiely + Target

One of my favorite designers, Orla Kiely, has created a line of houseware items for Target that will be available beginning February first. I have been a fan of Kiely's designs for quite some time because of her bold, girly patterns. I adore the vintage-inspired look of theses kitchen items, especially the plates! I've been checking my local Target regularly for the past two weeks, but nothing is out yet. I am excited to add Orla Kiely pieces to my vintage kitchen, especially the apron and canisters.

images courtesy of Apartment Therapy

Sunday, January 4

Like Mother, Like Daughter

Considering my love of Carolina Herrera's designs, I shouldn't be surprised to find that I adore her daughter's decorating taste as well. Domino magazine did an article on Carolina Herrera, Jr in May 2005, and I always seem to forget how much our styles match. Herrera blends feminine colors with interesting prints and textures for an unexpected but personal style.

I love the combination of striped wallpaper, a leopard canopy, and blocked carpet. The mixing of patterns and textures throughout the room really gives it an eclectic, yet personal feel.

The rug is simply incredible, especially since it is sitting on top of wall-to-wall carpet. This gives the bathroom/dressing room a cozy, comfortable feeling.

I am quite fond of using a chalk board as a substitute for traditional cork inspiration board for many reasons, one being that it saves pictures from pushpin-sized holes.

images courtesy of Domino Magazine

Kitchen Inspirations

As spring is creeping into my thoughts, I can't help but be drawn towards the vibrant colors and vintage patterns in these lovely kitchens.

images courtesy of flickr

Wednesday, December 24

ABC's

I absolutely adore monograms when it comes to accessories and housewares (purses and clothing aside), so when I saw these necklaces in the Anthropologie catalog, I was in heaven. My friend Erin bought me the "A" for Christmas, and I ordered the other letters online since the store had sold out. The layering of the pieces can be a bit tricky as a couple of them are the same length, so if you want more than one, you may have to choose the same ones as I did. Also, if you are not interested in having your initials around your neck, choose letters that are meaningful to you... your mother's first name, the name of a spouse or significant other, children's names.

In addition to the necklaces, I also received a monogram soap dish and a wooden cutting board from two of my favorite people. I love that the cutting board comes with its own silver spreader! It will look wonderful in my kitchen hutch beside the great lettered mugs and dessert plates I found at Anthro on clearance!

mug and plate images courtesy of Anthropologie.com

Saturday, July 19

Pretty Vintage Kitchens...

bring a bit of cheer to a stressful Sunday evening...

images courtesy of flickr.com

Monday, May 5

sweet summertime

As I was driving home enjoying that lovely time just before dark as the sun is setting, I realized that summer has officially begun... because I smelled the faint scent of honeysuckles. Growing up in the south, honeysuckles were the definition of summer. I know it sounds cliche, but I spent my summers outside, often in the woods finding honeysuckles. For those who are not familiar with these dainty white flowers, at the base of the petals is a little green stem that you can pick off, allowing you to get the nectar from the flower. As crazy as this sounds, the nectar is so sweet and delicious! Maybe it's my southern-girl heritage that makes me gravitate towards the scent of honeysuckle in perfumes, lotions, and candles (wonder what Freud would say about that). Still, there is nothing better than driving along with the windows down just before dark having the scent of those little white flowers drifting through the air.