baby room dreams

One of the first things I started googling when I found out I was pregnant was "baby nursery ideas." Decorating a space with childlike adorableness sounded like such an exciting thing to do! But, after 4 months I must say I haven't been wowed by many nurseries I've come across. Maybe I'm looking in the wrong places, maybe my expectations are far too high, but most nurseries I've seen are either way too over-the-top with hot pink or toy trucks plastered all over the walls, or they are just plain rooms without much going on. I do want my baby's room to be gender-specific, but not in an overpowering way. I'm thinking handmade art and decor, inviting textures, lots of neutrals, and small touches of pink or blue. I think I'll have a little more direction 2 1/2 weeks from now when I know the gender of our baby (I cannot wait to find out! I've never been more excited!). I did have a huge surge of inspiration for the room based on the names we picked for both a girl and boy….but that will mean I won't be able to reveal the room in its entirety to all of you until after the birth since this little one's name is top secret until then:)


A few nurseries I've come across along the way that I do like (I guess I really am forever drawn to neutrals, but I think if used properly a neutral nursery can be oh so soothing)….

rachel zoe and my love for neutrals

While my husband was away in Colorado last week I used the man-free time to gorge myself on reality TV—something I only get to indulge when he's not around because he acts like he's in physical pain and claims the estrogen levels will cause his brain to internally combust so….change. the. channel. NOW. It's quite dramatic. At any rate, I watched a few back-to-back episodes of The Rachel Zoe Project and completely fell in love with her new house. I just can't stand it. 

I have had a deep love affair with neutrals, most specifically white and cream, for as long as I can remember. It's really interesting because I love to see bright color in other people's homes, in other people's wardrobes and in my own art, but more often than not I choose white for myself—couches, clothes, throw blankets and pillows, cookware, dishes, walls….everything. And I sometimes feel a little self-conscious about the fact that my world in "colored" in white/cream/tan/brown/khaki/stone, but Rachel Zoe changed my mind. She is gaga about the color white, I mean crazy. And her new house speaks to that like no other. 

Looking at this space inspires me to embrace my love for neutrals (with pops of great color here and there) rather than try to force myself to go nuts with color in my house (something I've been trying to do). Of course, in a perfect world I would just move into this house tomorrow because it's absolute perfection….

I have a serious love for white furniture—so impractical, so amazing. I was able to keep my white couch immaculate….until I married my husband.

I could just live in this bedroom. Perrrrrfection.

Where can I get those yellow lamps?? Amazing!

country kitchen

I am incredibly frustrated by the kitchen in our new house. I know I should be feeling deeply appreciative of this amazing new home we've found ourselves in (and I am), but I can't find the love for this kitchen and am obsessed with remodeling it ASAP. For starters, someone removed the dishwasher and replaced it with an unusable cabinet (given its location and dimensions). Why would you remove the dishwasher? I have no idea, but these hands are mighty sick of washing dishes already. Beyond that (huge) issue, half of the cabinets are unusable given the piecemeal fashion in which it was remodeled at various points in time. For example, when someone put in a new stove and hood fan, they rendered 4 cabinets unusable—the door on one is blocked by the hood and the other three actually house the top of the hood. And having unusable cabinets in a small kitchen is not cool, not cool at all.

I'm finding my creativity is stunted when it comes to this space, which is crazy because I was able to transform a teeny, tiny San Francisco kitchen with no cabinet space, no dishwasher and all-around limited space into a kitchen I was relatively happy using. I attacked that kitchen—personally installed new flooring, patched walls, new paint, removed the cabinets to paint them and install new hardware, found a table small enough to tuck into a corner.

I am also trying to hone my own version of country style because it is not something that comes naturally to me. I have more classic/modern taste. Some thoughts on going a bit more country…..

 elle decor

all images from pinterest

I am also obsessed with the idea of buying an Ikea kitchen after visiting the local store in CT with my dear friend Hannah a few weeks ago. I was shocked by how affordable an entire kitchen could be—including cabinets, counters, new sink and appliances.

Ikea country kitchen

sunroom art studio

I've got house reno's on the mind as I anxiously wait to move into my husband's and my first home (in just 3 days!). I've been lying awake at night remodeling and decorating every room in my head, and while a lot of those projects will fall into the category of "someday," I'm hoping my art studio will be set up in the near future. Right now I'm thinking the sunroom would be a great location with nothing but peaceful green fields and flowers outside the 3 walls of windows and beautiful natural light filling up the space. It will be a little tricky to set up though and has no wall space to hang art, which might deter me from my dream. But, while I'm dreaming….a studio I love….

This is Robin Luciano Beaty's eco art studio, which was featured in Whole Living magazine a few months back. When I saw it I was obsessed! Robin was on a budget and wanted to create an eco-friendly space so she found a builder who allowed her to help him build this fabulous barn. I'm also totally in love with her encaustic abstracts and landscapes…

dream design: guest room

via apartment therapy

My husband and I have begun the long process of finding our first home so naturally I now have decorating on the brain! I have already been dreaming up rooms in my head for years, looking forward to having my largest canvas ever to work with (two rooms that I have posted in the past: yoga/mediation room and an Anthropologie living room). 


We are lucky to be moving to an area where you get a lot of bang for your buck in the housing market (a very welcome change after living in ridiculously expensive San Francisco and then the Gold Coast of CT). That means we are likely to end up with 3-4 bedrooms, which means plenty of guest rooms! The guest room has to be one of my favorite rooms to decorate given my natural hostess quality. I simply love tucking guests into a well-appointed, cozy room and making their stay with me as relaxing as possible. 


I have an endless amount of ideas and there are many possible directions I could go—I suppose I'll have to wait and see what kind of house I end up with first. But, I will continue daydreaming in the meantime! Here is one of many options floating around my head:

My design is built upon and inspired by this bright, blossom-covered rug from Anthropologie.

I'm loving this upholstered headboard by Pottery Barn with nailhead detail trim. I'm a hug fan of upholstered as opposed to wood or metal headboards—it's a bit softer and more inviting.

Add crisp white linens (PB) edged with a porcelain blue trim... 

and a set of spanish-inspired patterned pillows (Z Gallerie) and you've got a tailored, modern bed.

I love this carved mango wood panel for above the headboard (PB).

A nice chandelier hanging above the bed adds a touch of luxury.

A faded ivory dresser is softer than dark wood.

and matching bedside tables.

Always a fan of a decadent chair from Anthropologie.

a weathered, ornate mirror above the dresser.

Top it all off with a carafe for cold water and glasses (sur la table)…

some beautiful books for the bedside (Mark Rothko, Undecorate, and Clothbound Penguin Classics) 

a couple of exquisitely fragranced, luxe candles

and a vase full of fresh flowers...

and you've got yourself a guest room that your guests won't want to leave!