I got back last week from my second trip to Japan, a 2.5 week Shinkansen spin around the country. I ate the best fatty tuna, soaked in many an onsen, and shopped til I dropped. TIL I DROPPED. I really mean that. 20k steps, several bottles of Pocari Sweat, and an unspeakable credit card bill. That’s living!!!

Tokyo is the best shopping city in the w…

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I am in utter bliss at wearing my sweaters after sweating my ass off all over Japan. It was so hot. At one point this led to me wearing a truly bizarre (shorts and ruffles… Liam said I looked like Rumplestiltskin) one piece on a rooftop in Kanazawa just to access a cold plunge.

Obviously it was a great trip and I will not shut up about it for a while. Today I’m going to talk about the interior styling trick that has invaded my head since I saw it. But first, some links!

My house is so cold but these slippers are SO WARM. I can’t take them off.

If I didn’t spend every last dollar I have shopping in Tokyo I would be buying this incredible sweater.

I’ll stop plugging this incense when it stops changing my life for the better.

It’s time to start thinking about your 2027 calendar situation. I have the 2026 version this one on my fridge and it’s an essential part of my morning!

Loooooove this beautiful striped wool scarf.

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Tokyo is a visual feast. There are amazing things to look at everywhere, and I would tell anyone who loves to look at things, you should go to Tokyo right now. The sources of inspiration, sartorial or architectural, illustrative or culinary, are quite literally endless. Its strong craft history, design ethos, and appreciation of things old and new makes for a situation where you can find something that makes you say “oh my god LOOK AT THAT” every 10 minutes for three weeks straight. I digress.

There I was in Yoyogi Hachiman, shopping my little heart out (I bought a lot of Rototo socks), when I saw something that made me stop in my tracks.

That lamp is sitting on a little lamp sized rug!!!!!

I was shocked. I have never seen anything so cute in my life. What could have been a purely functional moment (I need lighting here) or a lesser design moment (I like this lamp) became a full fledged ZONE that instantly delighted me.

As someone who loves to anthropomorphize, this really spoke to me. The lamp, his feet are cold. Does he not deserve a cozy place to spend his days? Should his corner not be made nice for him?

I also have a deep appreciation for things that are scaled way down or up, and to see an honest to god woven rug at this size tickled me. Why do humans spend so much effort making things at a deliberately incorrect size? Is there science behind it? It is one of my favorite parts of being alive.

This rug sighting lit a fire within me, and I spent the rest of the trip searching for tiny little rugs everywhere I went. And I did not have to look very hard. I came back with 4 little rugs, and now my house is immeasurably cozier.

The possibilities here are limitless. The wide world of textiles are at your disposal to create adorable little moments like this all around your home.

Leave no surface un-adorned, lest it fail to reach its cozy potential!!!!

Somebody please buy this incredible pink silk mat so I don’t have to. Describes as “boudoir decor.” Exactly!

Mats are a great way to get the texture of rattan without actually feeling it on your feet.

These linen place mats are adorable, the delicate trim!!!!!

Vintage multicolor striped place mats would go a long way to up the warm factor.

Overshot weaving is one of my obsessions, would look excellent in any room imo.

You could also use a vintage lace napkin, if you wanted an Emily Gilmore moment.

A bold stripe would be so fun in a more maximalist space!

There are some amazing Gohar World pieces on sale now!

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Hello!

I’m in the final days before I head back to Tokyo and forget all about my real life for a few weeks, trying to finish up last minute work, get my house in order, and stressing out over packing (is 2 pairs of shoes enough????). At the same time I’m trying to hone my shopping eye for the trip. Tokyo is hands down the best shopping city on the planet and i need to be READY!!! Libra season in Daikanyama…… Can u even imagine?

Here are the things I keep coming back to in my directionless visual research and my wish lists.

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Space Age Details

To me, space age is totally timeless because it’s so specific? There’s no hiding it, it’s instantly recognizable. I’m seeing a lot of designers using the space age aesthetic in fixtures and architectural details (Umbo-style mirrors, rounded skylights, stainless steel+enamel) rather than just lamps and Boby trolleys.

Utilitarian Bags

The one thing I bought for my trip was this Arcs London crossbody bag, which has plenty of room and a plethora of pockets. I was searching specifically for a bag that can be used as a shoulder bag or crossbody, with wide straps and room for a light sweater. So far I’m IN LOVE with it. I also seriously considered the new APC trek bag, but it was a little big for my specific purposes. Damson Madder is also doing a lot of good work in this space.

Bookends

I find myself in a constant bookend deficit. All my books are falling down! I have probably 3 sets of bookends in my house and somehow need more, more, more. I love Shane Gabier’s ceramic bookends (I got to see them IRL at Walker Street Market in Lenox, MA. They’re lovely and very heavy) but there are plenty of good vintage options too. Bookends are such a good opportunity for a sculptural element in your home that’s actually super useful.

Sporty Mary Janes

Last month I splurged on some ROA Mary Janes, and now I wear them every single time I leave the house. But there are so many good options for the gorp-inclined ladies right now. I definitely considered these Issey Miyake x Camper shoes, which come with 2 pairs of matching socks. And the New Balance versions are giving water shoes in a really good way.

Coverlets

It’s hard to imagine anything more cozy than a coverlet? As my house has officially turned Chilly for the year, I’m dreaming of a giant bed with 1000 blankets. I think the ideal coverlet should be patterned, either woven or quilted, and thick enough that you can lie under it and on top of your comforter before you get all the way in bed.

Alt Color Vintage Boat & Totes

Of course I can’t resist a little bit of a psycho prep moment. I’m getting my boating license, and need a bag to match! The vintage L.L. Bean scene on Ebay is absolutely nuts. So many good options and so many unfriendly prices! Who is actually paying $700 for a tote bag? Luckily there are some more reasonable options as well.

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What r u loving rn? Let me know in the comments :)

But the number one thing I freak out about when I’m having company is how my house smells. Remember when you were a kid and you went over to your friend’s house and it just smelled fucking weird in there? And you thought to yourself how can they live with this smell? Not that it was even necessarily bad, just unfamiliar and decidedly not homey. I can’t have that. I need to incept good smells into your memory of my house, and therefore, me.

This became my prime preoccupation when we lived in an apartment where the cat litter box was in the hallway, across from the bathroom, literally the only place it would fit. This was, of course, a disaster to me on a nuclear level. My guests would enter my home and be hit with a potential double whammy of bathroom and cat litter smells. And what would happen then? They might block my number and start a blog about how stinky I am. Then how would I ever get another job?

I started preparing by lighting incense during the day when I was having people over at night, and soon just started lighting it all the time. Turns out having a house that smells good is nice for guests, but incredible for me, who is actually here all the time.

So keeping my house smelling nice is now a 24/7 job, and one that I take very seriously. Here are the various parts of my multi-pronged good smell attack plan.

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Incense

Incense is my #1 workhorse. I hoard it. My favorite kinds have a woody, earthy feel to it, and add a bit of a smoky campfire feel to the home. Incense always has a warm and inviting smell. I also just enjoy the process of lighting it and choosing from my dragon’s hoard of options. A classic stick incense is a good place to start, but I also love paper incense or incense cones. I find that incense smells tend to linger for a longer period of time, and sets the mood in a very intentional way.

This is my current favorite incense, it smells fiery and cozy. It also comes with a lovely little metal holder.

I smelled this one from Perfumer H a few weeks ago and am still dreaming about it. I should have bought it!

I love these smaller paper incense from Santa Maria Novella. Sooooooo cute.

I’ve heard great things about this small California incense and candle brand! I’m dying to try.

If, like me, you love a nice rose scent, you should probably try this incense.

Candles

Candles are more of a commitment. You have to let a candle burn for at least a few hours, or else the wax will melt weird and it’ll never burn quite right again. Also if you forget about it, your house will burn down. Bummer!

Still they are a classic for a reason— there can be a lot going on in a candle, and burning it for hours straight will make your house smell powerfully amazing.

I’ve been a fan of PF Candle Co ever since my friend Curtis brought me to their LA store and I had to figure out how to fit 5 candles in my carry on home. Their new Cardamom Bun scent candle is calling my name.

There is no denying that Flamingo Estate candles are theeeeeee fancy candle du jour.

The description of this candle is intriguing— “smells like the gods and the earths.” Ok I’m in!

Room Sprays

Excellent in a pinch. If a room smells a little stale I grab one of my room sprays and fix that real quick. The good ones will last for a long time, and crucially, no fire is involved.

I just purchased this hinoki room spray that makes a lot of promises that I want to be promised. The reviews look…. promising. Will report back!

This spray sounds woody and rich and warm… Very fancy.

Recently purchased a perfume from this company and obsessed with it. I’m sure their room spray also goes crazy.

Of course Aesop room spray is also a perfect option.

Diffusers

More of a slow burn solution, but if you’re dedicated to long term house smelling good, this is a good option. Place them anywhere you want to smell amazing and just let them cook. You have to turn them over every so often but it’s worth it. A set it and forget it solution to olfactory pleasure.

A verrrrrrry elegant diffuser from a brand I’d trust with my life.

I used these diffusers in my office and tv room last year, and need to repurchase.

A very unique diffuser but I’m kind of obsessed with it? You could mix and match scent with it!

Pot Pourri

Pot pourri is the rich old lady method of making your house smell good, and it’s definitely old fashioned, but I can see it coming back. As far as I can tell you just leave a bowl of inscrutable objects our on your table and put some oil on it?

This is an actual bag of beautiful moss to use as pot pourri. I’m obsessed with it but maybe I should just go outside and pick some moss from there?

This pot pourri is much more Emily Gilmore coded.

Linen Sprays and Laundry Detergents

This is a genre of products I have not tried yet, but plan to in the very near future. Imagine getting into bed and it smells sooooooooooooo good? And then waking up smelling fabulous??? I need it bad.

Dedcool is the classic of this genre. They made so many laundry detergents and dryer sheets. I ordered a sampler of their perfumes years ago and they all smelled incredible.

Fancy Cleaning Products

This to me seems more like a good gift to give your Martha-Stewart-Vibes friend, and less of a long term method of keeping your house clean, but maybe keep a bottle of fancy surface spray around for your kitchen counters?

Once again you can’t go wrong with Flamingo Estate. Who wouldn’t want their kitchen to smell like peak summer ripe tomatoes?

I would consider Diptyque to be like, the big guns of the scent world. Their perfume Eau de Minthe is one of my daily drivers. I neeeeeeed to see if their cleaning sprays punch that hard.

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It’s always exciting to see your life in a different time zone. Last time I got back from this kind of trip, I discovered that every single cat in my neighborhood could be seen in their windows if you walked down the street at 5:30 am to get a bagel the second the store opened. It was all very Murakami.

So, thinking ahead, I’m assessing my current nap setup, which will have to carry me through the obnoxious, study abroad energy that accompanies one’s return from Japan. May the vintage Pleats Please I buy make it all worth it.

My nap rule is that I can’t nap in my bed unless I’m sick. I chalk that up to “sleep hygiene” and feel like napping there will jinx my real sleep later. Sleeping in my bed, with all my hotel pillows, silk sleep mask, and brown noise machine, should feel like a reward at the end of the day, and therefore I must delay my gratification of utilizing my beautiful bedroom. I fear, if I nap there sans Dayquil, that it will all feel very been-there-done-that when it’s crunch time. Can’t have that. A nap must take place elsewhere.

Whereas Going to Bed is scheduled (i need to wake up at 8 am for yoga), high stakes (i need 9 hours or my Oura ring will be pissed at me), and long (i have pillow marks on my face that last until 4 pm) a Nap is light, impromptu, and ideally, completely nonessential. Without sleep, you eventually get psychosis. Without a nap, you can just keep on trucking.

In that way, napping is more like a hobby, an exploration, and therefore must take place in a different location. The ideal nap spot should be a little unfamiliar. Take your unconscious mind on a field trip! A couch is the obvious candidate for this, but don’t discount the humble carpet. A nap at home should take place in an uncomfortable position, and you should wake up with a cat on top of you.

But the perfect nap— in-situ, unplanned, incidental. Perhaps on a European train or a friend’s sofa. Hard to plan for, if you’re a person like me who is out here planning my naps more than a month in advance. Much like my trip itinerary (no reservations! a lot of “walking around!”) I have to plan my own spontaneity. Here’s what I’m shopping to create my perfect nap kingdom, where I will languish while playing Parks and Rec on my phone real, real quiet.

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Here is what I would like to have for my next nap session:

A pair of pajamas a Nancy Meyers character would wear.

A body serum so I will wake up with perfect soft skin.

A verrrrrrrrrrrry rich moisturizer that won’t break me out.

A plush-as-fuck robe in a pattern that reminds me of hand-loomed textiles.

And this hair towel designed for perfectly air dried hair.

Speaking of towels, a set of these towels that have no right to be this gorgeous.

A few beautiful throw pillows arranged just so.

A quilt that I want so so so bad this is the most beautiful quilt I’ve ever seen. 

Leave in conditioner for my hair so I wake up with perfect hair.

A foldable cushion to upgrade my floor naps.

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Thanks for reading, sweet dreams!!!!!!

I’m eyeing this perfect quilt for all my winter napping needs.

I’m in love with these beautiful blue sneakers.

I don’t need a new lamp I don’t need a new lamp I don’t need a new lamp

These currently-on-sale sheets are soooooooooo cute.

Need a good room spray to make my house as cozy as possible this fall.

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Liam said to me the other day, “Your book recommendations are always great.”

Best compliment I could have asked for. A good book-recommender is all I strive to be.

I’m PICKY about books. I often pick long books because finding a new book to read is such a slog for me. I won’t waste my time on a book that doesn’t seem promising to me, so I do a lot of research. And I certainly would never recommend a book to someone else that I’m not sure they will love. My reputation is on the line!

It is almost fall which means it’s almost perfect curl-up-with-a-book weather. It’s time to get out your sweaters and dust off your library card! If you’re looking for what to read, I got you. I will not lead you astray. I promise.

I tend to like a multigenerational family drama (hi Jonathan Franzen), a bit of magical realism, literary fiction from authors with very specific voices. I don’t mind slow books with minimal plots. I will hang around for a thousand pages if the prose is good.

I am currently reading the “Lord of the Rings” series which I am highly enjoying. <3 Gimli <3

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If you want a classic:

East of Eden- John Steinbeck

I know every online girly pop is reading this right now, but it’s because this book is really that good. A multigenerational epic set in California, inspired by the story of Cain and Abel. Read it, if for no other reason, because it’s being adapted to a limited series starring Florence Pugh. You have one month!

If you want a wacko translation:

The Wind-Up Bird Chronicle- Haruki Murakami

I’m in a big Murakami phase right now, having read three or four of his books in the past year. My favorite so far is his gigantic “1Q84” but that’s a heavy lift if you’re not sure Murakami is for you. “Wind Up Bird Chronicles” has a lot of Murakami’s favorite themes— alternate universes, cats, mysterious disappearances, shadowy organizations that possibly have mind control. If you’re going to read Murakami you’re going to have to accept that he is a Boob Guy and it’s going to come up A Lot.

If you want a contemporary voice-y tale:

Vigil- George Saunders

One of our greatest living writers does it again with this story about a post-life being helping a climate criminal to the other side. George Saunders is a truly unique writer, you won’t find anyone else who writes like him. I don’t even know how to describe it but it’s an experience— you really get a sense of how his mind works? If you like George Saunders be sure to read his incredible short stories.

If you want a slow but addicting series:

On the Calculation of Volume- Solvej Balle

These books walk an interesting line because on the one hand, they’re a slow and meditative Groundhog Day story about a woman who relives every day the same November day. What’s interesting here isn’t necessarily the “plot” per se but the rules of the world and how they are revealed over the course of the series. I’m fully hooked on these and can’t wait for the next one to come out.

If you want a charming novella:

The English Understand Wool- Helen DeWitt

If you want something short and sweet this! Is! It! Ugh I loved this book!!!! I don’t want to spoil anything because it’s such a delight. Read if you like the finer things.

If you want a sprawling family drama:

The Sisters- Jonas Hassen Khemeri

You know I love a long ass book. And this is a great one. Follows a young man and his obsession with three sisters who he knew as a child. We follow their lives and learn some things about why they are so connected. Set in Sweden.

If you want to fall in love with a character:

Ruth- Kate Riley

This book follows Ruth, a woman who lives in a communal Christian society. Ruth is a bit of an outcast in her community, who sometimes can’t help but give in to her impish tendencies, which butt up against the strict rules that define her surroundings. You really come to love her, and the book raises interesting questions about the nature of her community. Is she a victim or just an odd duck living the life she got?

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Please let me know in the comments if you’ve read and loved any of these books! If if you also have perfect taste, let me know what I should read next!

it’s been pouring rain up here for a few days, which i have been enjoying because all the frogs and turtles have been running around. i’ve spent a decent chunk of the past 48 hours playing animal crossing guard, escorting frogs out of the way of my car on my driveway, and moving a large snapping turtle off the road. my cold blooded neighbors have never been happier.

i have, naturally, been spending more time than usual inside, and due to some new self-imposed social media rules, have been putting around the house thinking of things to change and add.

more than visual style, aesthetic category, or even function, i am very concerned about the mood of the house. the “vibe” if you will. how does it feel to be in here? what does it feel like should happen here? what kind of person would live here?

i find myself thinking in character terms a lot of the time, treating the project of house decoration more as a production design job than anything else. i’ve boiled the themes down to a few archetypes i come back to again and again. in an ideal world, the house would be a perfect place for any of these characters to live, and as a result of my living here, i will become like them.

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sea ranch california surfer

a northern california native from a time where facebook does not exist. they surf every day and have even built their own boards. they go crazy at the farmers market.

• beautiful warm wood

• modernist architecture

• a little bit spare/pared back

• bold graphic color choices

• americana with a little bit of asian influence

shop the look:

lanterns are a must

uber geometric side table

design-legend blanket

nancy meyers baba yaga

woman of the woods but rom-com style. picture her tending to her 50 year old le creuset cauldron by candlelight. maybe she would be played by cher.

• layered patterned textiles

• witchy accents

• good old books

• capital c cozy

• deeper tones and low light

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you’re going to need a lot of baskets

witches need good incense of course

freaky cool wall lamp/art

scandinavian summer islander

directly inspired by “the summer book” by tove jansson, this lady can only bring in what can fit in her boat, and thus has learned to live with less. her house is not overstuffed, but it works perfect, and the things that she lives with have earned their place.

• salty patina

• nothing is too precious

• lots of nap spots

• a little bit dusty

• utilitarian

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perfect vintage style towels

gorgeous pitcher for lemonade and wildflower bouquets

moomin wool blanket for perfect naps

75 year marriage art grandparents

the house is the result of their work on it for many years, and it has memories of dozens of eras. some pieces have been in the same place for 50 years, other places get rearranged monthly. don’t ask where something is from unless you want a 15 minute retelling of their trip to morocco.

• collections built over years

• everything has a story

• knick knack city

• mixed materials

• handmade items everywhere

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quirky picture frames for your precious memories

hand-dyed napkins to make every meal special

beautiful games for playing by the fire

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First of all, yes I bought this Monchichi shirt.

Last week we did a double feature of “Maddie’s Secret” and “The Invite” which were both really good.

I really want this transparent blue digicam. Sooooooo early 2000s. Reminds me of Gameboy color.

I wore my trusty L.L. Bean insect repelling socks on a very overgrown hike and didn’t find a single tick on me.

I have discovered the ultimate soft serve order if you are at a place with a few more options: chocolate soft serve with caramel drizzle and toasted coconut.

I fear I may need these mary jane sneakers real real bad.

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A few weeks ago, I finally finished a home project I had been wanting to do since we moved in: I put a gigantic shelf in the spare wall of my living room.

After spending months agonizing over what modular shelf system to buy (and trying to justify purchasing a much more expensive one than I could afford) we ended up building the shelves out of Home Depot closet system brackets and regular old planks of wood.

Besides my obvious budget limitations, the decision to go with something a little more humble was an aesthetic one. I don’t want my living room to become an unusable design museum inside my house— I want it to be warm and welcoming and more than a little imperfect.

If you have a perfect shelf, there’s a lot of pressure to decorate it just right. If you have a more unassuming shelf, it can be elevated again and again with the nice things you put on it. Plus the mix of utilitarian closet brackets and pretty display items makes for a nice contrast.

Still, the shelf is not quite… done. It is not in its final form. It’s a little spare, and the pieces aren’t coming together in a perfectly pleasing way. Unfortunately, the work of making this shelf its best self will probably take years.

This is a frustrating concept I keep butting up against in my never-ending (read: one year in) quest to have the Cutest House Of All Time: anything worth having will probably take 3-5 years to get right. And it will probably look straight up bad for the first year or so.

Last summer I killed a big patch of my front lawn, and in the fall I covered the dead patch with wildflower seeds. The directions say it will probably look nice in about five years. Five! Their fastest growing seed mix takes three years. Today the future wildflower meadow looks like the saddest, ugliest piece of land on the planet. It looks weird and patchy, and very not on purpose. I go out there and look for “broad leaf seedlings” which are promising signs, but I don’t know what those look like so I’m kind of just wandering around in my gardening boots. I won’t even know if the seeds worked until next summer.

I’m now planning my next garden project— some more “planned” beds right in front of the house. If everything goes right, they will look awkward and ill-shaped next year, like a too-small rug in a living room, or a 7th grader. Maybe it will look good in three years.

All this to say, the shelf can’t be rushed. The foundation has been laid, and now I must wait. There are knick knacks and books the shelf needs that I have not found yet. There is art that belongs there that first needs to be discovered, purchased, and framed. There are ideas for arranging it that I have not yet come across. Buying little items online to fill it out would sabotage the entire thing. It can’t be rushed!

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In the comments lmk how you are coping with the process of becoming :)

I bought this excellent 100% linen shirt in the most beautiful brown.

I realllllllllly enjoyed this episode of Interior Motives with John Early and Kate Berlant.

Im trying to resist these stunning candles, perfect for my summer dinner table.

I have been listening to “Meditations in Music” by John Carroll Kirby while I do my work. It’s spa-music esque and very chime-y.

I’m on the hunt for throw pillows, and I’m inspired by these very cute ones which are all on sale.

I can’t stop watching Disney adult vlogs and cruise vlogs (and their demon spawn, Disney cruise vlogs…)? Is there a name for this disease? Can it be cured?

I ordered myself a second pair of these super comfy poplin pants.

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The other day, my phone decided to show me this picture of my second apartment in NYC, an itty bitty rent stabilized studio on the south side of Tompkins Square Park. The picture is ostensibly of my very cute old cat Hercules (RIP king, he was so beautiful and sweet and above all chunky) but also featured a pleasant tableau of one corner of my apartment.

My life is basically the opposite of my life then. During the time this picture was taken, I was a gal about town, drinking 11% IPAs and taking pictures in the bathroom of the dance bar. I was working as a PA on a tv show nobody watched, and my job one time involved going to barber shops all over the city and asking for bags of their old hair. I could regularly be found sharing a chocolate Oreo milkshake from Ray’s Candy Store with Liam at 2 am.

Now I work out of my converted attic in the forest, go to bed at 11, and make my own granola bars.

But if I’m such a different lady, how come we both have the same stuff?

How has it been nearly 10 years, and I still love these pieces the same?

What is different about pieces that I have left behind over the years?

The dresser

This is a teak dresser I bought on Etsy for my first apartment, which I shared with a roommate on East Houston. It’s a secretary dresser that has a tambour door close on the top. The dresser is in a bit of disrepair in the 2018 picture, since I could not be bothered to go to the hardware store for screws to re-attach the handles. I kept my makeup in the top right drawer, and kept the top of the dresser as full of girly ephemera as possible. My perfume at the time was “Midnight Fleur” by Nest, and my favorite blue hair clip was from the design museum in Copenhagen.

This dresser is currently in Liam’s office, where it holds his sweaters, random electronics tools I don’t understand, and some math books.

The couch

This couch is a steel-frame loveseat by Florence Knoll. One of the arms folds down to be a kind of sleeper sofa. The fabric is a pink twill, and you can see in the picture that Hercules had a habit of clawing at it that I dealt with by laying an old sweatshirt over the arm. I remember thinking at the time that having a pink sofa was pretty much the highest state of being, and I still agree with that. I recall researching sofas and seeing a lot of sensible beiges and greys. Respectfully I would rather die than spend money on that… My couches are still colorful— the newer (to me) ones are deep teal blue and eggplant purple.

This sofa is also in Liam’s office, and I patched up Hercules’ damage with a big swatch of vintage ticking fabric. If I wake up in the middle of the night, I can often find my cat Meatball asleep on one of the cushions.

The mirror

The wood mirror was free, something I picked up at an internship for an ad agency, where they had me in a 100 degree warehouse in Sunnyside spray painting old crap for a spray paint brand activation. My bosses didn’t like the mirror, and I asked if I could have it instead of it being thrown away. My boss said, “are you sure? It’s really ugly.” Which I thought was insane. She was not a person I respected at all. Everyone at the ad agency had a relationship to alcohol that shocked me. ME, a 21 year old who partied every day of the week. Can you imagine?

This mirror still holds a place of pride in my living room, as it has in every place I’ve lived since. I recently considered replacing it with a beautiful mod mirror from Bi-Rite, but Liam talked me out of it.

The electronics

You can see in the painting my record player, and the case for my Omnichord. The Omnichord was a first paycheck present to myself I got when I started said barber shop hair bag TV show. The Omnichord is an extremely fun little electronic instrument and I’m really glad I got it, even if it doesn’t get much use these days.

The record player……. She needs to get replaced. This stupid thing is only Bluetooth connected, and relies on a very sleek but actually useless screen-less system to connect. It does not connect to the beautiful speakers Liam built. It sucks and I want a new one. I actually can’t believe this is from 2018, or even before that. It’s time for her to be put to rest!

The chair

This is a folding chair with a cane back and leatherette seat, one of two I had at the time. I had to have folding chairs because, and I cannot impress this enough, this apartment was TINY!!!! I kept one chair at the dresser/desk, and one folded up in case I had people over and needed places to sit that were not my bed. I’m not even sure if it was a queen bed, it may have been a full.

I remember being very into Apartment Therapy-esque articles about “small space living” and feeling extremely pleased at finding these chairs that were both modular and nice looking. At my most recent apartment, Liam and I would fold them up and bring them to the roof for an aperitif.

Today these chairs are in the crawl space below my house. They are not needed regularly, but could come in handy in a Thanksgiving type situation. Why would I get rid of them, where else am I gonna find a beautiful set of folding chairs?

The art

The wall art and knick knacks we can see:

• A “Kiki’s Delivery Service” Liam bought for me at an art show in the LES

• A blue wooden cat sitting on the bookshelf

• A wooden figure of a frog wearing suspenders on a skateboard

• A poster from the Louisiana Art Museum outside Copenhagen

• A print of bathing women I got at a zine fair

• A selection of Polaroid photos I took

• A postcard of chairs from the design museum in Copenhagen

• A postcard of “The Umbrellas of Cherbourg”

• A postcard from Reykjavik, about cats

• A postcard of Matisse cut outs (lol)

• A film photo of me drinking a gigantic beer in Prague

• A print of a comic strip about ghosts, bought at a zine fair

• A Studio Arhoj ghost figure

• On the opposite wall, seen through the mirror, a painting of a UFO I did in high school

Here we can really see the origins of my “more is more” design sensibility. All of my walls were like this, no section was spared from my thumb tacks and sticky putty.

I think I still technically have almost all of these, and could find them if I tried. Several of them are currently on display, including all the knick knacks. I framed the Louisiana poster and the Kiki’s painting, and until recently the UFO painting was above my bed, as it was in 2018. I want to get it framed because I still think it’s pretty good.

The cat

When I got Hercules, I thought he was 5 years old, but he was probably closer to 10. He was rescued from a hoarding situation, and had an obsessive relationship to food. Two years after this picture was taken, we would discover that he had advanced kidney disease and would give him subcutaneous fluids every day for a few months before his health deteriorated to the point where we needed to put him to sleep. He was an absolutely excellent cat who had a habit of slamming himself on the floor, knocking the wind out of himself, to roll around and ask you to pet his belly. He liked to explore the hallway of our building in the middle of the night. He was known to accompany all our guests to the bathroom.

Though he is dead, I still technically have him, in a little plastic bag in Liam’s office.

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I think we can learn a few things here. First, good quality, interesting vintage pieces will take a long time to get tired of. There have been a few trendy pieces over the years that I have gotten rid of relatively quickly. The same thing goes for the art— things that I come across organically are more likely to stick around, vs things that I buy for a specific purpose. My Target TV stand and tapestry used to fill a large wall were the first things I got rid of when I had the chance. Things bought out of necessity don’t last. Things bought for their ephemeral qualities do.

Even though I feel like a different person from the 22 year old me who lived in that apartment, and probably most of the cells that created 22 year old me have died and been replaced by new cells, we both like the same things. I look at 22 year old me’s outfits and I think they’re cute. I look at the things she bought for her home and think I would buy them too. I look at her boyfriend and think, I would marry him. I look at her cat and think, we should probably get around to scattering his ashes.

For one, it wasn’t enough to light my house. With no Big Lights to speak of (not that I would deign to use them…) and nothing but dark dark forest surrounding our house, I needed more lamps. And then I also needed more lamps to fill the giant hole in my heart labeled LAMPS!!!!

I find them impossible to resist. I’m like a fucking moth. They’re the jewelry of your house. It’s fun to have a mix of classics— funky mushroom lamps and quaint classics, like wearing a chunky hoop with your grandma’s rings. At night, my little heart skips a beat looking at my house all aglow in warm whites and yellows. I now have a section in my brain dedicated to making lamps, which is constantly on patrol for ways I can learn to wire ceramic lamps (I am the mother of 4 lamps so far). That part of my brain is always on patrol, and never rests.

So without further ado, I will share with you all the lamps I love out there, so I can reference this list next time I have some lamp money.

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Post Modern Mushroom Lamp- $78

Look at that yellow! “Mushroom” without being too “mushroom.”

Black and White Table Lamp- $199

Yeowwwww she’s a statement! I love that it’s all done up in the same fabric. Very post modern.

Collapsible Linen Pendant Lampshade- $147

I’ve got a real soft spot for paper/fabric lantern shades. This one has a great UFO shape.

Blue & White Cylinder Lamp- $380

She looks like a little baby peppermint!!!!!

Arbre Lamp- $233

WOW this one caught my eye big time. Don’t forget the kids section, you guys!

Vintage IKEA Mini Mushroom Lamp- $31

She’s extremely petite. Reminds me of a souffle :)

Hashira Portable Table Lamp- $225

I have mixed feelings about portable lamps but sometimes they’re the only option. This one has a very homey Japanese feel.

Voltaire Petit Lamp- $65

Very sweet. Reminiscent of a little cafe curtain!

Gantri Pleat Table Lamp- $448

A very sick take on classic pleated lampshades. The whole thing glows!

Porcelain Plug-in Sconce- $104

This is an art piece that glows. Really, really beautiful!

Danish Scissor Wall Lamp- $207

I have this lamp and it’s equal parts dainty and utilitarian. Sooooo cozy.

Asano Paper Moon- $160

I love how sculptural this lamp is. I wonder if you could mount it on the wall?

Maple Wood Floor Lamp- $247

There are so few good floor lamps out there. They’re all trying to do too much. This one is actually good.

KD28 Table Lamp- $295

Your house needs a little space age influence! Next to a vintage quilt??? You’re kidding me…

Tulip Ceiling Lamp Cover- $149

This is a very clever company that makes renter-friendly covers for your landlord special boob lights. I had this in my apartment kitchen and it changed my life.

Hay Matin Table Lamp- $245

I have this light and influenced my mom to buy a bunch for her house! Perfect mix of a desk light and a table light.

Vintage Scandinavian Table Lamp- $350

The ultimate classic vintage lamp. I challenge you to find a more Lamp-y lamp than this lamp.

Batard Bread Lamp- $230

I have the baguette version of this lamp and she’s just so FUN and CUTE! A perfect art piece on its own, but the light is the cherry on top. Comes with a bag of bread treats made with the bread middles they cut out to make the lamp. That’s right— it’s not plastic, it’s real fucking bread.

Maple Wood Table Lamp- $134

Darling levels 1000000000.

Polished Nickel Table Lamp- $239

This one takes the “lamps are jewelry” point a little further by being made of shiny silver. I imagine she would cast some beautiful reflections across your table.

Paper Cube Table Lamp- $175

Super simple and super cute!

White Marble Table Lamp- $299

I like marble in little chunks like this rather than a giant swath like a counter. Really highlights that marble is just a big ol rock. A very fancy rock!

What lamps are on your list??? Tell me, I am dying to know <3

Flowy dresses were a good option, but as I’ve gotten older (and moved out of the city) I yearned for something more casual.

During the pandemic, I watched “The Talented Mr. Ripley” for the first time, and the whole thing got unlocked for me. That’s how you dress in the summer! Loose linens and rolled up button downs. Of course!

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But this rubbed up against my stubborn contrarianism. You see, I grew up in the eye of the prep storm. Vineyard Vines was inescapable. Salmon shorts were a town staple. The simple majority of girls in my grade wore Lily Pulitzer to our graduation. As a teen, refusing this aesthetic was the only option for my personal brand. I wore a black leather dress to the prom and was known for wearing spiky studded loafers and gigantic black headphones.

So the Ripley uniform took some soul-searching to adopt. Could it be that the WASP world had… a point?

One weekend in a poplin pant and loose button down convinced me, and now I spend all summer in my own little version of Coastal-Connecticut-Core. It feels like an homage to the world I am from, even if I can’t commit fully. You won’t see me in a whale print belt and Madras shorts any time soon.

Here’s how you can adopt the prep uniform, fuck it up a little, and sail through the summer heat.

Get Your Basics

Literally all you need is some cotton/linen shorts or pants, an oversized button down, and maybe a cute sweater. Don’t overthink it.

Customize

I like to buy a few vintage Ralph Lauren shirts on eBay at the beginning of the season, and attack them with my sewing machine, or embroidery needles. Since the uniform is so basic, I think it needs some personality sometimes.

Of course, you can also buy basics pre-customized, for a price.

Accessorize Obviously

Be sure to add your weirdest bag, your most offensive sandals, your biggest sunglasses, your wacko hair accessories.

The ideal endgame for this formula is that a friendly onlooker assumes you are on your way to, or from, the beach. That maybe you are going to buy some clams today, and have been on a sailboat before.

Stay cool!

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But honestly, I don’t have any complaints! Maybe that the winter is a little long? That’s still easily eclipsed by being able to have unlimited access to the outdoors— hiking, swimming, skiing, just sitting outside in the quiet. Hearing dozens of different birdcalls over my morning coffee. Having space to learn new skills and build things. Being able to grow things in my garden. Seeing so much wildlife up close. Learning about plants and being able to identify them. I LIVE FOR THIS SHIT!

So, what is it really like? It’s quiet, it’s outdoorsy, it’s a little hard to put yourself out there and meet people, but it’s certainly possible and quite worth it. It’s made me comfortable with water snakes and some spiders. It’s made my resting heart rate go down. It’s made me a snob about vegetables. It’s made me exclaim, out loud, to myself several times when I hear an unusual bird.

Early last year, when I was starting to pack up my apartment, I started getting a lot of questions. People on zoom calls, people at my typeface classes, people at the UHaul store, all wanted to know, why are you moving out of the city?

Most of them seemed a little offended. New York City is everyone’s dream place to live. Once you move there, where else is there to go? You’ve already won! Who was this person, this defector, and why did they seem happy about leaving the city? That was the narrative I got a lot (mostly from people who had purchased real estate in nice neighborhoods many years ago…) but that narrative had pretty much stopped working for me.

When I moved to the city, I was an 18 year old NYU student who spent most weekends drunkenly taking the L to Bushwick with my friends, and getting dollar pizza on St. Marks at 3 am. I was the world’s happiest person. The universe had opened to me, and I loved everything in it. I could go on long meandering walks through the Lower East Side and pop into adorable clothing stores. I could go to roof parties and underground clubs. I could get a bagel and watch the dogs in Tompkins Square Park.

Somewhere around the 7 year mark, things started to lose their charm. I lived in Crown Heights, and the splendors of Manhattan were a 45 minute ride away on the city’s least reliable train. I lived on a 4th floor walkup and my packages kept getting stolen. Leaving the city to get a dose of nature required at least 4 hours of traffic in and out of the city, every single time. I stopped drinking, and the pizza places in my neighborhood closed at 10pm.

I started dreaming of a different life, where I could be outside without everything being covered in piss. Where I could actually enjoy the summertime instead of rotting in my air conditioning. Maybe I could have a fireplace or a grill, and tend to my pyro tendencies.

But I had no idea how to actually do that. I was 28, in prime City Living territory! I talked about wanting to move out with some friends, and heard a lot of “that sounds great, in 10 years.” Had I become mentally middle aged? Was I having an early onset mid-life crisis? All I knew was that I could not do one more summer in the city.

What made up my mind was actually very simple.

My parents moved upstate, and Liam and I went to house-sit while they were away for two weeks in August. We spent our time eating local fruit, walking in the forest, and swimming in ice cold creeks. I woke up every day feeling like OH MY GOD, THIS REALLY IS THE LIFE!!!!

I cried on the way back to the city. At the Wythe Ave turnoff of the BQE (if you know, you know. And I’m sorry.) I resolved that my life in the city could not go on for much longer. Not when I knew what else was out there.

The house hunt was emotionally brutal. It felt like it took years, but it was less than 6 months. We went to see our first house on a whim, and I immediately fell in love. It was on a gorgeous country road, all golden in October foliage. It was definitely weird, and I think everyone but me was relieved when it turned out the house already had an accepted offer.

We looked at around 15 houses in the end. Many were depressing, flipped suburban nothings with bizarre twists (one had a barn full of taxidermy bears), others were beautiful but in states of major disrepair. I drove up to see one house, a gorgeous mid-century cedar home in a ritzy town, by myself, and then spent the next 3 days losing sleep over it. When Liam and my parents went to see it, my dad was furious— the house was essentially falling apart. A rival real estate agent told me her client put in an all cash over at more than twice the listed price. I was a mess.

I was also extremely picky. If I was going to spend all my money to buy a house, and live there for at least 10 years, it had to be worth it. After all my years living in builder grade landlord special hell, I wanted something nice. I vetoed houses for aesthetics, Liam vetoed for landscape. Options in the middle of our venn diagram were vanishingly slim.

We came up for the month of February to do some intense house-hunting, but found our house on day one. It was too perfect. The location was fabulous. It had the kind of mid century surf lodge feel I love, and was tucked into the kind of forest Liam had been dreaming of. We wrote a letter essentially begging the sellers to let us live there, and with some luck (and going a little over our budget…) they picked our offer. In another stroke of luck, the sellers turned out to be the loveliest people on earth, who we still see around town.

But when the city people on zoom calls interrogated me about my move, they sometimes made me feel a little unsure. After all, the city was all I had ever known in my adult life. And even though it wasn’t making me happy, it was the hell I was comfortable in. Still I had no choice to forge ahead, since I had signed many contracts saying I was going to buy my house. It was May and the city was starting to heat up. I had to get the fuck out of there.

I had a lot of fears before the move, a lot of questions. Would there be any people my age to make friends with? What is a septic system, and what do I do if it breaks? How do you actually make a friend? How do you find someone to plow your driveway? Am I dooming myself to a solitary existence among the elderly? What if I miss living in a walkable neighborhood? Will leaving the city make me a lame-o? I overthought all of it.

But the early days in our home were so busy I didn’t notice myself adjusting. I had too many trips to Home Depot and the recycling center to do. By the time the actual work of the move was over, I had too many other things I wanted to do. One day you’re writing “BOOKS” on your tenth box, the next you’re going to a dinner party with your new friends.

Before the move, I was worried that I would be bored. I was leaving the Things To Do capital of the planet. But one of the best things so far about having a house is that there is always something to improve, some project to take on. Right now Liam and I are collaborating on a headboard for our bed— I’m making ceramic tiles that he will inlay into wood.

We have like 30 other things like that we want to make. Somehow we will fit that in between all the swimming, grilling, and hiking we also need to do.

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Helloooooooo everyone. I spent much of this May with a nasty cold, watching hours-long “Backrooms” lore videos and chugging sudafed. If you have not seen “Backrooms” yet, and are insane or temporarily insane by way of cold meds, I really recommend reading up on the lore before you see it.

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When I wasn’t sick this month, I was working a lot, on some very very fun projects I cannot wait for the world to see soon!!!!!! Here is what I loved most this May:

• I got this amazing mini stumpy wood drawers thing… I don’t even know what to call it. It defies categorization. I got it at a flea market for $40 and haven’t decided what to put in it yet, but it’s very cute and adds a nice unpolished element to the Ikea dresser part of my bedroom.

• One of my ceramics experiements— a large wall-mounted tile— split right in half during its glaze firing. I just love how unreliable ceramics is! An adventure every time!!! I lie, through tears. I decided that I would buy a kintsugi kit and give visible mending a try. I don’t think this kit is very traditional but it was easy to do in my kitchen so it’s a 10 from me.

  

• I sold a piece of furniture for $500 on facebook marketplace, so by the transitive property I had a free $500 to spend on anything I want! So I bought the TV Table from Lazy Jamie (which was discounted to around $450 when I purchased) for my TV room. When you sit in the L part of my sofa (the obvious best seat) there previously was nowhere to put your seltzer or ice cream bowl. Now I can set it on this table that nuzzles into the sofa, or set the removable tray next to me. Plus it’s cuuuuuuuuuuuute!

• Like everyone else, I watched and enjoyed “Obsession” and “Backrooms” and very much enjoyed them both. And not to get tooooo #womeninfilm about it but, where are the 25 year old girls directing movies? If you are girl who likes movies, I command you: start a youtube channel and start making stupid things with your friends so you get a movie deal. I want to watch cute girl horror movies!

• Had my anniversary lunch at my very favorite restaurant in the city/my wedding venue, Frenchette. If you haven’t been to Frenchette, you are missing outttttttt. Best steak frites in the universe!

  

• I spent a lot of time this month in my garden, planting herbs and lettuces and flowers, watering everything, and continuing the process of growing a wildflower meadow. I honestly can’t tell if any of it is going well or going horribly? Results in a few months???

• May brought the return of (intermittent, unreliable) sandal weather! The dogs are out, folks. My two main summer shoes are my Cecilies and my Plasticanas.

• I’ve been reading “Vigil” by George Saunders in the morning while I have my coffee on the deck, since I have banned my laptop from leaving my office. I’m going 90s mode, everybody. I go to the computer, it does not come with me! Anyway, so far this is very good. I really like his free wheeling prose.

• Earlier this month I watched “Under the Skin” which was so weird but I think I really liked it? Scarjo plays an alien bug lady. Set in Scotland. Idek what else to say.

• I finally came to terms with the fact that I need my water bottle to fit in my car’s cupholder, so my trusty Nalgene has been demoted. Knowing that my brain cannot handle the task of finding the perfect water bottle online, I simply bought the same one my cousin Jamie has and likes— this Owala bottle. So far I love it. I like that you can use it as a straw or a regular bottle.I wish I bought it in blue, but Target did not have that color and impatience won.

• I went to the city the other day to see some friends, and my only goal for the day was to have a really good cookie. I tried to go to Levain but it had a 30 minute line??? Are you guys ok??? Instead I got a delicious black and white somewhere else, and took some Breads Bakery rugelach for the train ride home.

• I bought a new cotton button down from one of my favorite vintage stores upstate and customized it by sewing on an applique star from some vintage fabric I had in my stash. Very inspired by one of my favorite brands, Story Mfg.

Here’s what I’m thinking about for June:

• Wanting some new activewear, now that yoga classes are heating up. Loving these shorts (and everything else) from H-O-R-S-E

• 100% going to re-up on my favorite everyday sunscreen, from Sofie Pavitt Face, the only brand I really trust to not fuck up my sensitive skin

• I’m absolutely lusting after this Soft Services body lotion. I’ve heard incredible things about the brand and need to have a good lotion on hand for skin season.

• Need a nice tablecloth for all the eating outside I’m going to be doing. Thinking about this one from Hawkins

Thx for reading and hope you all have a fabulous June. Summer!!!!!

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Before we get into the main event today, here are some things I’ve been making/doing/seeing around!

My favorite summer apparel is a big vintage button down, altered with whatever I feel like at the moment. I got this shirt at a store mentioned below, and added a star applique with some ticking stripe fabric I had lying around. $20 for the perfect summer piece!

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I woke up this week to discover that the buttercups had come up overnight! These are my favorite little wildflowers, the first ones I noticed when we moved in last year. They are SO CUTE.

Swimming season is HERE!!!! I have huge plans for my swim situation this summer. Can’t tell you anything about it due to local gatekeeping social laws. If I break them they’ll throw me out, sorry!

To the swimming hole I always wear my favorite YouSwim suit, my trusty swim shoes (last year I saw a bigggggg snapping turtle in the creek. My toes need protection!) and my big tote bag.

Ok shopping time!

(Early) Summer has arrived, and with it, the throngs of tourists and city dwellers that descend on my town to look at a tree and breathe fresh air. And when they’re done hiking and waiting for a table at Phoenicia Diner, they need to go shopping.

The Hudson Valley has great shopping, particularly in the vintage and antiques spaces. The city has frighteningly few places to get a cute vintage lamp or L.L. Bean chore coat. But up here the options are abundant.

Behind the paywall, all my regular spots, and places worth the trip :)

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I remember the first time I realized how expensive real furniture actually is. I was 20, in my first apartment on East Houston, and I needed a dresser. I searched on Etsy for a while and finally found something that would look cute in my room, for $125.

Reader, IT WAS A DOLLHOUSE DRESSER!!!!! I was so out of my depth. Who could pay for this shit??

I finally found a beautiful teak secretary dresser, which I still have to this day, for $600, which felt like a million dollars back then, but seems like a great deal today!

These days, I can usually find something within my price range— with DITC (dual income two cats) money and more reasonable expectations for what things I like cost, I’m rarely totally flabbergasted if I look in the right places and succeed at being patient.

The exception has been rugs, which are, by all accounts, Investment Pieces. They are big, need to withstand a lot of wear, and can make or break your room completely. I get why they, generally, cost so much. It makes logical sense to me. Whatever. But it just means that whatever rug I get needs to be absolutely perfect.

So I need your help. Help me decide which rug is worthy of my neverending love, devotion, and cash money.

I’m looking for:

• Something that will play nicely with this color I’m thinking of painting the walls….

• High pile, for coziness reasons

• Hopefully a nice mild pattern

• If not a good pattern, the most stunning color on earth

• Ideally not 100% polyster………

I’m not going to be super price focused here, just because I am willing to save up for however long it takes for me to have no rug regrets. The rugs in here range from very reasonable to highly aspirational.

Here are my options!!!!

NOTE MANY OF THESE ARE ACTUALLY ON SALE RN CUZ OF MEMORIAL DAY!!!

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Design Within Reach Willa Wool Rug

A perfect, simple but not boring green and white rug. Seems to not be high pile so maybe not my first choice for this space, but extremely cute!

Pieces Maschi Rug

I’ve been watching this brand forever, they’re always making cool stuff. I love the tones of blue in this rug. The pattern reminds me of glass bricks.

Design Within Reach Salins Indoor/Outdoor Rug

Ohhhhhh she’s a contender! Indoor/outdoor appeals to me as a person with two cats who are prone to being kind of gross. Vaccumability is a plus.

Layered Evelina Kroon Shaggy Rug

OK…… Maybe the most beautiful rug I’ve EVER seen. Shaggy as hell. Reminds me of a shirt a kid in the 70s would wear to elementary school (complimentary)

Sundays Checkers Rug

Look how squishy this rug looks!!! Would be a very nice first step of the day. I love that the checks are a little bit imperfect.

Layered Lilly Rug

The Scandi cottage rug of my dreams… Looks soft as all hell. I love that the pattern is more of a texture than a print.

Nordic Knots Grand Rug- Pale Green

Really the only plain rug I’m considering. Not 100% about this color, only because they have so many beautiful colors to pick from…

Joon Loloi Janus Rug

Another play on the windowpane pattern, here in a gorgeous olive. I’m obsessed with the way they styled this.

ABC Carpet Modern Wool Rug

A slightly more traditional option in a beauuuuuuutiful blue. Love that the illustrated patterns are super subdued but also kind of intricate.

Etsy Indigo Check Rug

This pattern is pleasantly bauhaus and the tones of blue!!!!! Are stunning.

Etsy Green Rug

I had no idea Etsy had such amazing rugs. This one is another point for the Scandi cottage look vs the modern surf house….. Who could pick…..

Lulu & Georgia Vinyet Rug

The flower shapes!!!!! Ridiculously cute. Perfect blues, and looks exceptionally high pile.

Nordic Knots Loops Rug

This one is so delightful. The loops have so much personality!

Etsy Blue Rug

This one is possibly a bit busy for this space, but I’m not ready to take her off the list.

Etsy Blue Striped Rug

The pattern on this one is amazing. Not high pile tho :(

Lulu & Georgia Nelio Rug

One of the simplest options here, but soooooooooo nice.

West Elm Pierce & Ward Elise Rug

Not sure if the colors are quite right for my bedroom, but I really love the woven pattern.

Etsy Brown Rug

A sleeper fave. The pattern is so busy it kind of swings back around to neutral, and this particular low pile seems forgiving.

West Elm Colbie Stripe Rug

CUTE!!!!!!! Reminds me of a sailboat. Seems to be low pile but so nice.

Quince Maddox Wool Rug

Love this pattern! Looks really comfy as well.

PLEASE weigh in in the comments. I need help. I’m in rug hell. I see rugs in my dreams. I’ll keep which one I’m leaning towards to myself, with an eye on Labor Day and Black Friday sales later this year…..

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Other things in my heart and in my cart:

A very fun planter

A t shirt thats graphic but not too graphic

A step stool upgrade

The summer pants I’m OBSESSED WITH!!!

Really want to get a good shirt with sun protection this summer

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I took some pictures to signify that this was “before.” This is alllllllllll gonna change, I started saying all the time, gesticulating wildly. I sbegan furiously burning fossil fuels by mocking up the kitchen with different tiles I can neither afford to purchase nor install.

I decided to think smaller, and gave myself a budget of zero American dollars to make my kitchen nice. It now looks much nicer, performs better, and is, generally, a better place for me to live. Here’s how I did it.

I started by moving everything that didn’t get used every single day off the counter, and somewhere else. In this case it was our storage room (which very much needs its own makeover….) where the ice cream machine, mixer, and blender will wait until it’s their time to be used again.

I also removed the Christmas colored candles from the holder and moved some half-finished projects (ceramic liquid soap dispenser with too-small top hole, various mini LEDs that were smaller than expected) to more appropriate waiting areas.

Next I reimagined a very underutilized space in the kitchen- the cabinet above the fridge. We

Now that everything unnecessary was out, I needed to put everything in a place that actually made sense.

I relocated my bread box and kettle to the opposite side of the counter peninsula, since they are not exactly everyday (more like every other day) items, but still beautiful and in-use enough to warrant dedicated counter space.

I also took off the doors to the cabinet above the fridge, which had been very underutilized and really just stored some random first aid stuff. I put all my cookbooks there, since they had been a little too (visually and literally) heavy on the floating shelf.

Part of what was driving me crazy about the kitchen situation was that everything felt a little loosey-goosey. Oils and salts were strewn about, and tools were thrown into a dark pit of a drawer, guaranteeing a “where did u put the measuring cups?????” later. It had to end.

First I repurposed an enamel tray I had been using for oil paints as the corral for our everyday olive oils, salts, peppers, and spoon rests. They now have a cozy home together, and a dedicated space to return to after every dinner.

Then I stole this wall organizer that Liam had not been using as much as he thought he would, so I can hang often-used tools and pretty things that shouldn’t hide away in a drawer.

Most organizing advice you see involves putting things away and out of sight, so I was surprised that I ended up taking a lot more out into the light during this process. Yes it’s a bit busier, but certainly warmer and better laid out.

One piece that really set this whole thing in motion was this cute lamp I got at an auction years ago, which had a very cute wooden base and a very boring beige lampshade. I highly recommend having a cute little lamp in the kitchen, for times when your overhead lights are too much. Picture making a cup of tea by lamplight on a dark rainy day!!!

But the lampshade was on borrowed time. First I tried making an organic-looking paper lampshade, which uhhhhhhhhhh didn’t go well. So I sewed a ruffly new one with some Liberty fabric I made a quilt with last year and some vintage ribbon I got at an antique store. Yes I probably should not have skipped measuring my fabric, and as a result my lamp kind of has a bob. But she’s cute enough for now.

The last step was to go prop stylist mode on the floating shelves. I grabbed every cute item in the house that had been looking for a home, and put it on the shelf. After some finessing, I think it looks pretty good.

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Make Over Your Kitchen!!!

Enamel tray for keeping your salts and oils tidy

Colorful chopsticks to whisk your eggs with

Counter-worthy toaster

Beautiful butter dish for the good butter

Volcanic rock style vase for summer flowers

Cool minimalist tray for clementines and apples

Brass kitchen rack for your pots and pans

Silver canister for coffee beans or cookies

The thing is I already have a Pollock executive chair. I actually have two, but they’re both in various states of disrepair. One functions perfectly but is upholstered in a tragic burnt orange color that does not match my new office’s decor scheme. It is also my grey cat’s preferred nap spot, and as a result is coated in an extremely thick layer of cat hair. The other, in use by Liam, is falling apart in several different ways— the seat isn’t actually connected to the base, the upholstery has come undone, and the rubber has detached from the chrome. These chairs are so comfortable you wouldn’t believe it. They let you sit up straight or lounge about, and are wide enough to sit criss crossed if you want to. They’re a design icon straight out of the Mad Men set, and once you recognize them you’ll see them all over movies and TV. I love my chair so much, but I want a perfect Pollock chair: black leather with minimal to no damage, ideally wheels on casters.

I have looked into fixing up the chairs, but the word on the mid century design forums is that they’re notoriously difficult and expensive to repair. It’s just not worth it. All the parts for the old chairs are out of production and impossible to come across. The upholstery is done in such a way that it really cannot be repaired— the chair has to be taken apart and rebuilt with custom pieces. I got a quote recently to reupholster my chair for $1800, and they’re not even sure it can be done perfectly. If I wanted the chair of my dreams, I would have to get really lucky.

Enter Sheila, who listed a “chrome office chair” on Facebook marketplace for $25. Lo and behold, a pristine Pollock chair, photographed on a potato, and located an hour or so south of me.

This lady had no idea! I clicked through to her profile and saw your average upstate septuagenarian woman— grey hair, and a lot of reposted memes about missing Obama. I thought I had found the perfect mark. I sent an inquiry casually, trying not to scare her off with my real, frothing, thirst for a new office chair. That said, I was open to her needs: I am actually driving down to Wappingers Falls tomorrow, I can swing by any time! A lie that could easily become true.

My heart soared as I imagined pulling one over on Sheila. The performance I would sell tomorrow! I guess I could take this old thing off your hands. She would be so grateful I had messaged her!

But Sheila never responded. I grew antsy, and messaged her personally, outside of the marketplace chat, Hello Sheila! I sent you a message about that chair. I can be there in the next hour. My tone was getting more aggressive, but I hoped I wouldn’t have to resort to threats.

I checked up on my first message the next morning and saw a message I have never come across before: Sheila has been getting a large volume of messages about this listing. Back to search? My heart dropped. I imagined all my competition, the fuckboy Brooklyn resellers, the wannabe Connecticut starchitects, the podcasters, the yuppies with Pinterest brain, the upright do-gooders who had told Sheila what she had her hands on! I wanted to scream!

Not long after, she marked the listing as sold. You’re breaking my heart, Sheila. I almost messaged her that. An honest to god nice old lady.

In my early twenties, I lived in a shoebox studio in the East Village, which had a big shared trash and recycling room in the basement. The basement overall had a cursed feeling. There were very bizarre art pieces on the walls- giant Party City type pictures of chihuahuas in costumes. You could often hear a radio playing somewhere— but where? We came to think that there was someone living down there in an illegal basement apartment.

One day I was taking down my recycling in my building and there was a big weird chair in there. It was made of scroll-y wooden strips, a low to the ground armchair that was definitely unique but also definitely too big for my apartment. I took a picture of it and posted it to my Instagram story, but, having recently been admonished by a drunk group of Australians on St Marks for taking home a street chair, left it behind.

A few hours later this architecture student I had met a few times messaged me in a frantic tone. Where is this??? She asked. Is it still there? I thought she was kind of nuts— the chair didn’t look comfortable at all. And who in our age group had room for what was essentially a throne in our little apartments? I got suspicious and decided to go back to the trash room to collect the chair, (architecture student was from L.A. and in a very ritzy friend group— if she wanted it it was clearly worth something!) but it was gone.

Years later I would see the chair in a museum— it’s called the Power Play Club Chair, and it was designed by fucking Frank Gehry. You can buy it right now if you want it, for $18,000. Even if the basement chair was a dupe— still, what a find!!! And I let it slip through my fingers! Me and my idiotic lack of vision! My super had probably taken a mallet to it to fit it in the recycling bins, or some other, more cultured, neighbor had decided it was worth the floor space.

Or maybe they put it on Craigslist. Weird chair, $25.

I recently came across another Power Play chair, in a window of a very, very rural antique store. Not willing to make the same mistake again, I pulled into the parking lot, only to discover the store was closed, and seemingly guarded by a spooky unattended child. I gave a friendly wave, but he only looked blankly at me, as if to say, it’ll never be yours.

In my quest for powerful chairs, I am often playing catchup. I’m always a few steps behind, or a couple dozen thousand dollars too short. I want the chair. But even more I want the deal, I want to win. I want the lucky break of having insider knowledge at the right time. I want to look a friendly shop owner in the face as I buy something for hundreds of dollars less than its worth. When it comes to chairs, the most comfortable material is definitely victory.

Some nice things you won’t have to fight for:

• Beautiful candle holder, $32

• Cool desk lamp, $175

• Mirror salt and pepper shaker, $75

• Cute woven throw pillow, $39

• Dainty white wall mirror, $226

• Landscape wall hanging, $130

• Cozy collored cotton sweater, $168

• Super comfy wide leg pants, $75

Welcome back tooooooo Home Movies! Where I talk about interiors in movies I love, and what we can learn from them. Today we’re talking about “Perfect Days” by Wim Wenders, a sweet and quiet movie set in Tokyo. It follows Hirayama, a single man who works as a public restroom cleaner.

This is a very zen movie. Not a lot happens, strictly plot speaking. We spend a lot of time following Hirayama around, cleaning park bathrooms, eating lunch in the park, getting his photos developed. He is a man of routine, indulging in the lovely details of daily life, like smiling at a child, taking a photograph, or reading his book. The film seems to answer the question posed by so much of daily life, “is this all there is?” with a sincere, “yes, and isn’t that great?” In Hirayama’s world, the quotidian is enough to live on, and worthy of attention.

Hirayama also has a beautiful house. It’s a spare duplex with a small kitchen and tatami-floored living space. He has a parking spot for his work truck, and a vending machine ready to supply a coffee or a Pocari Sweat (I miss you Pocari!!!!) It’s certainly not lavish or glamorous, but it’s simple, and a pure reflection of the soul who inhabits it.

I have a few takeaways that we can borrow from Hirayama and use in our own spaces.

Books and Music are Decor

You won’t see much art in Hirayama’s apartment, maybe a few small prints and some curtains. He does, however, have a wall dedicated to his cherished cassette tapes and paperback books. These do a lot of the visual heavy lifting here, adding layers of complication and interest to an otherwise spare space.

Who needs wall art when you have a beautiful shelf of books, or a stack of nice records? Nice shelving can do the work of an art piece in areas where you don’t have space for both.

Take Pride in your Space

One of the main criticisms of this movie is that there are a lot of scenes of Hirayama cleaning bathrooms at his job. When he is finally off the clock, what does he do? He cleans his tatami mats and goes for a scrub and soak at the local sento. Hirayama’s habits of tidiness and cleanliness let him have space for everything else. When you’re living among dirt and clutter, your mind is cluttered too.

Is Hirayama rich? Does he live a life of luxury? Maybe not by typical standards. But what he does have, he takes excellent care of. He takes pride in his job, in his humble home, in the care he takes of his body, and his life is richer for it.

Get on the Floor

Hariyama barely has any furniture. He has a dresser, some shelves, and a small coffee table. At night, he sets up his futon mattress, and in the morning he puts it away. He spends a lot of time in the movie lying on the ground, listening to music or reading his book. After watching this movie, our cultural addiction to chairs, couches, and beds seems decadent. Who needs them?

Recently I have taken to lying on the floor while watching my nightly television. I sometimes do a little stretching down there too. Lying on the floor is nice! You feel, quite literally, more grounded. If you’re struggling to find the perfect couch or chair or whatever for your space, maybe take some time to explore floor cushion options, or just spend some time lying on the ground.

Be Discerning

Hirayama is not a hoarder. He goes to the bookstore only once he’s finished with his book, and buys only one book when he’s there. When he gets his roll of film back, he only keeps the best ones. Everything in his life can fit in his small home, which itself is very spare.

If you’re taking good care of everything you own, you had better keep the number of things you own down, lest you be trapped in an endless cleansing cycle (see: businesses that declutter your closet for you). Live with less and be free.

Make Space for the Things You Love

That said, give as much space as you can to the things that truly bring you joy. Hirayama appears to have an entire room (one of like, three rooms!) dedicated to his bonsai tree hobby. His closet is entirely filled with boxes of his film photos, which are mostly of trees. He appears to love sprawling out on the floor and taking naps there, so he has room for that too.

To those of us with too many spring jackets (me) having your entire closet filled with old photos seems insane. But they are important to him, and worth keeping. Decide what is truly worth the space you have, and give it freely. Maybe for you that’s an entire room dedicated to quilting, or turning a walk in closet into a dark room. Or perhaps, like me, you’ve claimed the biggest drawer in the pantry for fancy flours and seeds to make bread with.

Anyway

If you haven’t seen this movie, I really recommend it. Hirayama is one of my favorite characters ever, and we can all learn a lot from him. I have banned myself from watching it again, because I will go into a fugue state and find myself in a lie flat plane seat to Tokyo, with no memory of the last 24 hours, and a $10k Delta charge on my credit card. Right now the movie is on Hulu. Don’t you dare look at your phone while you watch it. Be pure! Try it!

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But it was not going to be easy to make that happen. The space is an irregular size- around eight and a half feet long, and only 20-ish inches deep. It has two very used outlets on either end, and has a baseboard in the back.

This seemed like simple enough variables— and we were going for simple. Donald Judd simple.

I didn’t think much of these variables until I reached out to local woodworkers to get something made for the space. They had one million questions about everything, and wanted upwards of $6,000 for the completed project.

This was very frustrating, not only because I did not have thousands to throw at this project, but also because it just seemed very simple to do. I was not asking for much, just something beautiful and functional and designed specifically for my space, right?

In the end, Liam and I got our shit together to make the bench ourselves, and during the few nice days at the end of March, we got our tools together and built it, for under $1000, including tools. Materials were only $200!

I’m not kidding. I just ran the numbers.

In this post I will tell you exactly what you need to buy, where to find plans to draw inspiration from, the basic principles we followed to build our bench, as well as our specific bench plans. I will also take you through some mistakes we would have loved to avoid, and the woodworking-for-dummies mindset that carried us through.

Because we put a lot of work into our research and labor, this will be my first ever paywalled post. Sorry! I don’t think they will happen often but a girl has to gatekeep a little. Forgive me!

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Here is what I read/watched/listened to/did/bought in March:

1. My current obsession is the British show “Last One Laughing,” a show where they lock up like 15 comedians and whoever laughs loses. This show is infectious and joyful and makes me laugh my little ass off. Two seasons currently out on Amazon Prime. The show we all need and deserve rn.

2. I read all three volumes of “On the Calculation of Volume,” which I really loved. It’s a Groundhog Day scenario where a woman is stuck in November 18, with some interesting world and time rules. It’s meditative and slow, which I don’t mind, mostly because I read every night before I sleep and getting bored and sleepy is sometimes the point. Will read however many more volumes come out.

3. Dinner with my mom at The Six Bells, which was my Christmas gift to her. We had been curious about this hotel since it opened, mostly because we are confused about the location. We are both nosy so my gift was for us to check it out for ourselves. And reader, we were both charmed and totally won over. Our dinner was delicious and it’s CUTE!!!! in there.

   

4. I spent two weekends in the Berkshires, one at Liam’s family’s house, and one at Kripalu on a yoga retreat with my mom and sister. We hiked a lot and did a lot of yoga and ate a lot of probiotic foods.

5. From the Kripalu gift shop, an aromatherapy mallet for thwacking your body. My mom first picked this up because we were confused at what it was, and by the end of the weekend we had all bought one. Perfect for whacking your neck and back and getting knots out.

   

6. Also from the gift shop! (It was a good gift shop.) Books on Feng Shui and animal symbolism. I am slowly building a reference library for the real natural world and kooky esotericism.

7. Results from a free online enneagram test, which told me I am a 7 wing 8. I already forget what that means.

   

8. I have been listening religiously to Caleb Hearon’s podcast “So True.” I think Caleb is the voice of our generation. Somehow perfectly on the line of hilarious and also having perfect takes. A true original.

9. Another book, “I Who Have Never Known Men.” Can’t recommend fully for plot reasons, but I mostly liked it. I wish I could trust Goodreads reviews for most books, but I really cannot. I am alone in my own world of what books I like and dislike.

10. A giant ziploc bag of coconut chocolate chip cookies, from one of my new friends in town. We froze them and have been heating up one or two while watching tv after dinner. Absolute genius host gift, no notes.

    

11. I saw “Project Hail Mary” and really liked it! Ryan Gosling is forever The One. I’m sure there are worthy criticisms of this movie but who cares, I had a good time.

12. The album “Massive Shoe” by way Dynamic. Some guy on Instagram reels recommended it and you know what, he was right! Very acoustic, very sweet sounding. A good early spring album for driving around.

13. I went to Mel the Bakery in Hudson twice on my way to the Berkshires. Those people know what they’re doing! Highlights include a divine mortadella sandwich and a lovely cardamom bun. Wish I could buy every single shoppy shop item in there. Hoping to go enough that I can justify buying one of their cute shirts someday.

    

14. This incense from Little King in Beacon, my current Favorite Shop in the Whole World. They are working hard to get my money and you know what, they’re earning it fair and square.

15. An attack by moths during fake spring. It turns out if you leave your leaves over the winter, moths will lay their eggs there and they will all wake up at once. Spooky but also a sign of a healthy ecosystem :)

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