For Japan With Love

Bloggers Day of Silence

For Japan with Love

The Moroccan Pouf: Fad or Investment Piece?

At first I thought it was a fad, but the Moroccan pouf continues to pop up in the pages of shelter magazines month after month. No doubt they look fun and add an extra oomph to any room, but I've questioned whether they are really worth the $300-500 price tag. After some research, I've learned that due to the quality of leather and the detailed embroidery, a single pouf can take 4-7 days to make. Once completed, these handmade, multitasking poufs can serve as a small table, additional seating, or a footrest. And as you see from the images above, they really can work with any style of decor, from traditional to contemporary to a more casual space. Put one in your living room, office, bedroom, playroom, sunroom... I'm beginning to think their versatility, quality, and history really do make them an investment piece to consider.

So what do you think: fad or investment? Do any of you own a pouf? Do you actually use it?

Where to Get a Pouf:

Serena and Lily ----> $395

Jonathan Adler ----> $275

Pieces ----> $295

Imports from Marrakesh ----> custom colors, $150-200*

*we have a winner on the affordability scale!

Sources: Elle Decor, Lonny Mag, DecorPad, Lovers in Vain

My Home Office (on a normal, unstyled day)

I thought I'd follow up yesterday's Home Office Woes with some photos of what my own home office is looking like these days, completely unstyled, looking like it does right now - although I'm shocked there wasn't a coffee cup on the desk when I took these photos last week. Shocked.

As you can see, not much has changed apart from the new desk chair, the Union Jack pillow that I picked up in New Orleans, a yellow Serena and Lily rug I bought on Gilt, and a white West Elm curtain for the window. Oh, and I moved one of the spine bookcases into the living room. As you can see, this teeny 80 square feet of space is chalk-a-block full of nicknacks and items that inspire and make me smile every day. Everything from my favorite candles, books, postcards, vases, notebooks and baker's twine, to my first newspaper articles and my ever-growing collection of A's fill the shelves around me. It may seem cluttered, but everything has a spot and I try to keep it organized. I've repeatedly referred to this blog as my happy space; well, this tiny office is the actual happy place in which I sit, write, work and design. Do you have a happy place? Is it in your home? Or a favorite coffee house or bookshop, perhaps?

For any newer readers who may have missed various DIY parts of my office project, here's a list that could be fun to go back and look through:

• DIY nailhead bulletin board

• DIY painting an Ikea desk

• collecting A's

• Alicia Bock photography - posts 1, 2, 3

• Coralie Bickford Smith clothbound Penguin classics - posts 1, 2, 3

• the entire series of projects from my apartment

My colorful new desk blotter and the mini calendar sitting on the window sill are by the talented Dabney Lee. I won both items thanks to a giveaway from High Gloss magazine! Similarly, I won the monogrammed La Plates coasters through a blog giveaway. Oh, the joys of blogging!

If you have any other questions about sources, feel free to ask in the comments. I'll respond throughout the day.

Home Office Woes

I am not going to lie, working from home is pretty great. Except when it comes time to file taxes. I had a late date last night with my ol' pal TurboTax. After hours of filing through bills and receipts and hitting the "back" button more times than I care to think about, all I can give you today is this lovely assortment of home offices. Because despite how pretty and convenient they are, come March, they are laughing in your face as you try to deduct utilities and assets and you have to pay a computer program to explain to you what any of that means.

Seeing Neon

1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12

photo

Yesterday afternoon, I treated myself to a bit of retail therapy and was surprised to see each and every store overflowing with neon goodies. While I don't think I'm ready to sport full-on neon apparel, I'd proudly rock a bright accessory here or there. Case in point, #7 above: the polka-dotted Marni delights. I need those in my life. Not want. Need. We're talking full-on obsession, people. Too bad the price tag is just shy of my half of the rent... c'est la vie.

How about you? Will you be adding neon to your spring/summer wardrobe? Which item above would you most like to see show up on your doorstep?

Fashion vs Furnishings | 3.11.11

necklace | lamp

THE CHALLENGE:

A charming yet cheeky necklace to brighten your mood

versus a sky blue milk glass lamp to brighten your room.

Which would you buy?

see sources for last week's fashion vs. furnishings here