Design Files

Will you look at this?  Now I had a pink room all the way through high school, but I have to say this puts mine to shame.  The three shades of coral (helped by the beautiful moldings)  combined with those perfect perfect blown glass lamps and the fabulous 70s dresser (read: flower knobs).  Wow.  Just wow.

Quick gripe though: gah, those nightstands. The pagoda tops with the inward-facing club feet?  Amazing.  That Pepto-Bismol paint color?  Not so much...and it could be so so good! Imagine them lilac, like below:

That would be killer here.  Otherwise A+ on this room!  And the peach storage bench?  I need that in my life, both because it is that great...simple, but great, and because I could use that storage for real.  

What's your favorite part of this room?

Work in Progress Wednesday: Quick Coffee Table Refresh

Good Morning Everybody!

Hope everyone's doing well so far this week!  I am surprised it's already Wednesday, but let's wait to see how I feel by Friday before I make any statements about how great things are going.  So a quick Work In Progress this week (better than none at all!) and I already have a few more projects in the works so the next few weeks should be good!

PS: I adopted two cats two weeks ago so I'm sorry I have been so distant but they are settling in so I think I shall be returning more often to the ole blog here.

So, as you may know, I got this Crate and Barrel coffee table off of CL for only $30!  WOO! But after living with it for a few months, I realized it just wasn't doing too much for me so I decided to give it a quick refresh with some paint last week.

(Forgive the mess: cats)

The bronze looks good, no?  And it had the unanticipated benefit of bringing out the orange of the rug!  And it's shiny, so there's that...

I am going to be painting in my apartment in the next few months so I am looking forward to that green in the rug coming out more when I paint the walls the same color.  It'll look bangin' with the orange/bronze and don't even get me started on the blue sideboard.  Future "before and afters" abound my friends!

Design Files

Because this week has been a little too crazy for taste, I'm going to mix up the order on you (and just when I had sort of settled on a rhythm).  

So just in time for maybe spring (those of us in NYC are learning that apparently, you can never count of the first spring-like day), take a look-see at this beauty here.  I've had this kicking around for months and months and I am actually surprised it took me this long to post it for you, that's just how much I love it.  This image, originally (as far as I can tell) from Apartment Therapy is mighty nice.  That's how this room makes me feel!  I say things like "mighty" and "look-see."  First of all, tulips.  I just love fresh blooms of any sort, but a nice white tulip?  Perfection.

But now on to the good stuff.

Oh lord, those chenille chairs!  I grew up with chenille throws draped over my couches and damn, what a luxury it would be to have the whole dang thing upholstered in it!  Maybe one day, but definitely not today.  I imagine chenille is a pretty difficult upholstery fabric as far as upkeep goes.  Anybody have any experience?

After the sky blue chenille, I have to admit, the rest is just a wash.  A beautifully-curated, aesthetically pleasing wash, but c'mon, sky blue chenille!  I love how each of the art pieces pick up on the blue hues though and the pale blue walls offer a backdrop a touch warmer than stark white might be.  Don't believe me?  Imagine if the walls were the color of that flokati rug or the sofa?  A bit sterile, no?  Sky blue to the rescue.  

Speaking of the flokati rug, boy oh boy do I want one!  Can you just imagine how warm your little tootsies would be in the winter?  So good.  And the way things are looking today in New York, we might never get a spring so maybe this isn't such a bad investment.  But I imagine my rug would be filled with strands of hair and missing food particles pretty quickly.  Maybe when I become a grown-up... 

Craigslist Bible: 1st Edition

So it's no secret looking through my apartment or this very blog that I have a penchant, dare I even say a knack, for Craigslist (CL as I affectionately call it).  I love trolling CL, it's a like a blog that updates by the minute.  There is no better way to spend a rainy Saturday or a boring Monday-Friday than scrolling through the plethora of treasures that is your local Craigslist.

I read on FastCo. the other day about Curated Craigslist, an NYC-specific blog of just what it sounds like, a curated selection of thew immense NYC chapter of the site.  This is a cop out.  Plain and simple.  The best part of CL is taking your time to unearth the priceless gem you need to fit in your teeny-tiny apartment!  This shit isn't handed to you...and it shouldn't be.  More than half of my joy in refinishing pieces is telling my friends that I found it on CL and for how much (tacky, yes...but it's usually supa cheap so that makes it OK).  See below for what I mean:

Craigslist: $100 (plus a whole heap more for reupholstery)

Table: Craigslist $30, originally Crate&Barrel

Craigslist $40

Chair: Craigslist $125
Gray Nightstand that you can't see how cute it is: Craigslist $30
Indonesian Teak Carved Side Table to the right: Craigslist $10!

Sorry for the god-awful photos but my camera broke and I thought I'd save you all some Instagram-filtered iPhone shots today.  But as you can see, I love the CL!

Craigslist for me is the best way to make your design woes turn into design dreams.

Not enough space? Craigslist

Not enough money? Craigslist

Not enough time? Well if you do it right, Craigslist takes time but it's worth it!

In my next addition of Craigslist Bible, I will give you my own tried and true sleuthing techniques but until then, keep scrolling my friends (and searching, don't forget to use the search option)!

Trip to Trinidad

Sorry again for the radio silence, and unfortunately this will turn into a quick update.  Got back from my first trip to Trinidad with the boy last week (Carnival(!) and family bonding(?)).  And while all that was fun, I found myself especially inspired by some of the architecture I saw around me as I pounded through the sweaty streets for 2 days, wining with strangers and having far too much fun!  

But back to the houses...I just candle handle them! Between the rusted variegated tin roofs, the insane amount of fretwork, the gables and colors (oh the colors!), well I'm just in love.  Half a day of our vacation was spent walking around Woodbrook (a neighborhood in Port-of-Spain and where this style of house is named for) looking for new places to photograph and cooing about, "no, this one, I want this one!"  Maybe one day..

Keep on scrollin' to see what I mean and let me know your fave in the comments!

My favorite!

Another fave, and this one's literally 8 feet wide!

On: Festive Flatware

Long time, no see!  My name is Emily and I took a bit of an unintended hiatus.  I say unintended because as some of you know, I moved to a new apartment on December 1st.  After this, I intended to take a quick break while I unpacked my life and cried over the amount of shit I have accumulated in less than 2 years in New York.  However, right at the end of this quick break, HOLIDAY SEASON CAME UPON US!  I am not really one for freaking out over the holidays, but it sure does make things busier.  Thus, unintended blog hiatus.  But now bitches, I'm back!  With a new apartment and the all the fun stuff that goes with it!

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So this time around was my first opportunity buying all the essentials with a bit of money to spare and no roommates to consult with.  And I had one requirement: GOLD.  I love the gold flatware trend  that's going on right now and since it's a trend, it means I had plenty to choose from.

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After switching apartments, I had lost contact with most of my kitchen stuff so it was time to go hunting for one of the least exciting young adult purchases: flatware.  I say "least exciting" because most of my  age group would much prefer spending their hard-earned money at the corner bar (a lot of the time, myself included), but I am not most of my age group.

My choice is below, I found them listed as vintage on Etsy and while I love them (gold+bamboo? yes please) the engraving on the back suggests they are not in fact very old.  But no worries, no skin off my nose!

And you know the funniest part? The first thing the boyfriend said in response to my new golden utensils?  "The look a little gaudy, Emily.  I mean, their fine, just a little showy."  Well fine then, eat with your hand.

New Apartment

As someone who can still return to my childhood home to this day, I was, until recently, unaware of the joys (and perils) of moving.  Most people probably only think of perils (and I understand why), but I find something truly thought-provoking, like an intricate math equation, about a new space.

Let's first talk perils:

1) Seeing how much shit you actually have, even beyond what you see everyday (I'm thinking the nooks and crannies you open once a year).

2) The realization that you will need to move all of that stuff.

3) Putting out your friends for help with the move or putting your faith and money in movers.

4) UHaul Rentals in Manhattan (if this list had a discernible order, this would certainly be at the top of the worst list)


And now joys:

1) Purging the stuff you realize you no longer need (truly nothing in the world feels better).

2) Working out the new configurations and use of space that's best for you (and whomever you share your home with).

3) The consistent feelings of accomplishment when you a) pack your last box, b) carry up your last load of stuff, c) discover something you've owned forever that solves a problem in your new home, and d) unpack your last box (however long that takes you: no judgment!)


Now, full disclosure: I moved into yet another new apartment on December 1st!  And so far I am absolutely loving it!  It is a 1-bedroom in my same neighborhood of Brooklyn, Crown Heights.  I am still getting things together, but I'll leave you with a few teaser photos before I go (my apologies for the shitty iPhone shots, but it's what I'm working with right now).

Pantone

So the color of the year has been announced and finally Pantone has caught up with my love of purple!  Radiant Orchid is "officially" the color of 2014!

In other mildly related news, after moving this past Sunday (10 hours, 30+ trips walking around the corner from old apartment to new apartment) things are starting to look up in there!  I say mildly related because variations on Radiant Orchid are definitely making an appearance.  Follow me on Instagram (@TheEmilyGershen) to take a sneak peek before I showcase things here!

Design Files

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Are y'all picking up on a trend in my life?  I think I'm into blue and mint combined.  Need some proof?  Just look here and here .  Maybe I know the direction for a few projects coming up...

Questions, Questions...

So I've been doing quite a bit of thinking lately with my new job change.  I have seen quite a few projects that have inspired me and made me question what it is I'm working towards (see here and here).  I've been thinking back to the artisans I met on Zanzibar, block-printers in India and weavers in Mexico, and wondering why I can't create a sustainable and ethical link between their crafts and my market. 

 

Well, there's a whole slew of immediate concerns I have about maintaining that whole "sustainable and ethical" idea. 

 

 

Is there any such thing when you introduce small-scale crafts to the large-scale market? 

 

Is ethical possible while still making a living for yourself? 

Can I feel good about what I'm doing when I go to sleep at night?

 

Will I be able to afford a roof over my head when I go to sleep at night?

 

 

I feel like, many times, the blogs I read are written by people who have made it, done these incredible things, struggled through the tough stuff and are now living (and blogging about) the fabulous, creative life on the other side.  BUT HOW DO YOU GET TO THE OTHER SIDE?  How do you make a somewhat unclear amalgamation of ideals and aesthetics become a cohesive business model? 

 

Here's to finding out.

 

Design Files

 

There is just so much about this that I truly enjoy.  That blue, patterned couch for one.  That fabric is incredible, though I can't imagine that shape would be all that comfortable to sit on (lay down, yes, sit properly, yes, but my all-time favorite, lounging, I think not).  And then with those hydrangeas on the sideboard?  Too good.

Steady as She Goes

Sorry I haven't been around for a bit guys but frankly, I haven't really been feeling that inspired.  I am consistently impressed with some of my favorite bloggers who amazingly post multiple times a day (not just because they have the time, but as because they have that much to talk about--ironic coming from me!).  I am going to chalk it up to beginner blogging and keep on, keepin' on when inspiration strikes me, so I would love it if you keep coming back.  I promise I won't go anywhere permanently!

 

So some big things have happened since I last posted.  My last day of law firm life is tomorrow(!) and I start my new job as a Project Manager at a Design Consulting Firm in Midtown on Monday.  I feel pretty content about the whole thing and am just really excited to get started!  More on that will surely follow!

 

So while I'm lacking the inspiration to post, post, post to your and my's hearts content, I leave you with some before photos of what is my next project.  I was, oddly enough, looking for a table with no top that I could transform into a new beautiful ottoman to go with my new beautiful sofa.  And this beauty popped up on CL ready for some inspired creativity!

 

 

It's a solid wood stunner, but has seen some better days so I have no qualms about painting it, though I haven't decided if that's the way I will end up going.  You'll just have to come back and find out!

These are a Few of my Favorite Things: Traditional Mexican Fabric Edition

For more information on her collection, email alicebeharco (at) gmail (dot) com

Alice Behar's new collection, simply entitled "Folk by Alice," is making me swoon.  Otomi fabric is big everywhere this year, so this might be a bit trendy for some, but it is undeniably beautiful.  And my own history with Mexico ensures that I will love traditional Mexican fabrics for a longgggggg time coming.  Also, a bit of foreshadowing; there may be an upholstery project here in the coming weeks with some original Otomi fabric from Mexico City!

Design Files

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I'm particularly smitten with this room for...many reasons.  First I was going to say the brass coffee table (which I am on the hunt for now that sofa is checked off my list).  Then I noticed the neon pillows.  And the neon pillows with the aqua couch?  Yes, please.  I also really like the pink art mats on the back wall!  Far from girly, they add a lightness to the room that anchors what could be a too bold plethora of neon and saturated hues. 

 

For those of you that know me, you might be surprised to know that my room at home (to this day) is painted that exact shade of pink.  It surprises everyone that comes to visit, but I still love it!

 

And if this side view wasn't good enough, when I was sourcing the photo I found a full shot.

 

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Sometimes life just doesn't seem fair!  Those chairs! 

 

I think I am going to have to get back into the furniture business because if I make all the ideas I have going on in my head come to fruition, I'm not going to have anywhere near enough space to keep them all to myself!

 

But most importantly, especially as fall approaches, those big beautiful flowers!  There is nothing you can buy that can pull a space together quite like fresh flowers.  On that note, I'll leave you with one of my favorites quotes, that I think is actually quite appropriate for this room.

"I'd rather have flowers on my table than diamonds on my neck."   
-Emma Goldman

 

Mud Cloth in the Making

 

 

So it finally happened.  I finally brought home the mudcloth couch I have been waiting for!  This is truly the most gratifying piece of furniture I have had a hand in, and like my sideboard, I am so lucky that not only did I have my hand in it, but I get to keep it! 

 

 

I couldn't have done it without Colleen over at Timber and Cloth upholstery in Bushwick (please do get in touch with her if you ever have any Brooklyn upholstery needs)! 

 

It's a pretty impressive before and after, no?