Clean Crisp White

Since I got back to Philadelphia this fall I have been feeling as though my life is extremely cluttered. You all know I love my little apartment, but trying to keep it neat with all of my things in their places is harder than you can imagine. I am fantasizing about clean, sleek spaces where everything is in its place and there is absolutely no clutter. I want to cast off all of my decorative objets and feel as though I have absolutely nothing weighing me down! (only for a day or so though … you know how I love a good objet)

Elle Decor
Ralph and Ricky Lauren’s apartment over looking the Reservoir in Central Park. For the man who loves to fill his stores with things … he is pretty simple here in NYC. 

Elle Decor
Their kitchen … no clutter. Isn’t it heavenly. So strange since modern kitchen is typically not my style! 
Marie Claire Maison
I absolutely love the simple hits of green with their potted plants–the bare floor and the white slipcovers are tres chic!
Dwell Magazine
This architect designed her apartment with storage in mind … an avid sailor, she treated this project like a ship, where everything has its place. 
Marie Claire Maison
Marie Claire Maison
Check out that view. The room’s white interior allows it to simply melt away, and one’s eyes are drawn straight out the windows. 
Darryl Carter
One of the things that I love about Darryl Carter is his ability to mix modern minimalism with historic architecture and great antiques.  The fireplace is so modern, and yet the house is an old farmhouse. Antique doesn’t always have to mean clutter … clutter is simply victorian. 
Darryl Carter
I wish my bathroom were this neat. 

Whilst I am in graduate school, I don’t see the clutter subsiding. What with text books and notebooks, calendars and post it notes, my life these days is essentially a massive paper trail. So for now I will simply light a Votivo Clean Crisp White candle, WWB’s favorite, and close my eyes and envision myself in a minimalist, clutter free, and chic apartment. 

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Royal Tubs

As a New Yorker, I am constantly blown away by bathrooms that resemble rooms other than the practical spaces that they are. Here in the city, and in Philadelphia for those of you who have seen the pictures of my teeny studio, a bathroom is a tiny closet with a small sink, shower, and toilet–without room for much else. For whatever reason, I feel that the ultimate in luxury would be to have a bathroom which feels less like a practical space, and more like a room you would want to spend time in. 

This bathroom, although not my taste, even has a comfy sitting chair. It seems like the perfect perch for someone who wants to chat with you while you’re in the bath. Remind me, who has time for baths anymore? 

I love the juxtaposition of old and new in this bathroom, which could easily be a sitting room with the way it opens into the next room. The wall treatment, coupled with antique mirrors and paintings looks great against the more modern room that it opens into. Additionally, while the tub is footed, the fixtures are mounted in a modern way and have a contemporary feel. 

A significant aspect of the “bathroom as an actual room” approach is locating the tub in the center of the room. By having space to move around the bath, it makes it seem as though it is a piece of furniture, rather than a practical fixture. 

Finally, creating a bathroom in a room that includes a fireplace, always makes the room feel more like a sitting room. In the case of this picture, the fireplace was most likely extant, however, if you are designing a modern bathroom, installing a fireplace with a traditional mantelpiece would achieve a similar result. This bathroom is so formal and fabulous it might be fun to host cocktails in it! Cocktails in the bathtub? Reminds me of a children’s book called King Bidgood’s in the Bathtub that I used to love as a child. Its about a king who wont get out of the bath so he makes everyone do everything (go to war, have masquerade balls, eat feasts) in the tub with him! This bathroom is certainly fit for royalty … but after all … we are still talking about bathrooms.
photos courtesy of Marie Claire Maison

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Tel Aviv Chic

For those of you who aren’t as obsessed with shelter magazines as I am, you may not have come across this spread in Marie Claire Maison, which is Marie Claire’s French shelter magazine. (by the way, its amazing). So, I thought I would share it with you!

Psst … similar chairs can be found at Wisteria and Restoration Hardware
What I love about these rooms is that the decor is totally paired down so that the architecture, and namely the beautiful tile floors, speak for themselves. There are very few pieces of furniture in each room, and there are very few pieces of art on the walls–because the tile floors are all the color and interest that the rooms need. Additionally, I love the idea of painting walls white, and painting the trim a contrasting color. So often we see colored, upholstered or painted walls and glossy white trim, and I love the historic nature of painted trim and white walls.
Photos courtesy of Marie Claire Maison

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