Last week I was experiencing a serious pressure related block up/meltdown, and pretty much as soon as I (you) gave me permission not to decide, I decided a whole bunch of decor related stuff. I also decided not to worry about the house so much anymore, mostly because I am now 35 weeks pregnant and I look like I swallowed a whale and I have a sad little waddle going on. Apparently a tiny human will be rocketing out of my hoohah in five weeks or less and I should maybe probably focus on preparing for that, too.

At least now Baby X won’t have to spend his first month or two of life staring up at a patchwork quilt of peachbluegraypurple paint samples in the master bedroom, because that shit is DONE.

Sadly this is not our bedroom, but the color is a very similar medium purple gray. I took the advice of Anita and Christian and revisted my sample of Dior Gray. Sanders gave me his blessing (because Sanders is a saint and is totally allowed to bestow such things upon mere mortals), so we did the deed and it is good.

Climaxxx!

I also ordered some desperately needed new bedding… old bedding may or may not have gotten caught in the painting crossfire.

In a reversal of my usual hatred for contrast, I’m planning to go mostly light and bright against the moody painted walls. Like so:

Because a basic white quilt and shams can be dressed up in so many ways.

Pretty, simple pillows and ikat blanket.

I might have ordered some coral sheets…

And a giant faux fur blanket to cover up our new quilt, because kids and cats (and lazy parents) are murder on white.

Details and pictures to come when I can stand long enough to take them.

In the meantime, let us bask in the glory of my decisiveness…

because it won’t last for long.

[Images via my bedroom files on pinterest]

So I right now Erin is knee deep in boxes and furniture piles in her new home.  She did come up quickly for air with an email that mentioned nothing fitting in her new house and a trip to the doctor thanks to the flu I so graciously passed on to her.  Let’s all send Erin happy, relaxing thoughts and home that she finds sweet dreams somewhere like this soon

Ok, maybe not quite her style but I bet she’d nap in a cardboard box right now if she could so she should really be sending us all a big fat thank you for being so thoughtful.

Sweet Dreams Erin!

It is a sweltering 106 degrees here in Austin with zero zip zilch signs that summer will end any time soon (I have my sights set on you, November) but the interwebs tell me that the rest of the world is taking that last jump off the rope swing into the lake ‘cuza schools starting soon and, for the lucky majority of you, leaves will be (gasp) changing color.

Well, I want in.  I am ready for a seasonal change.  One so imminent that I hold tight to the last days of summer, sadly watching them zoom by.  Squeezing in one last summer vacation before I snuggle into my boots and jacket.  Yep, I’m shutting my eyes tight and pretending that summer is about to end.  I’m spending the last days here:

Oh, did I forget to mention that I own a fantasy summer home in Portugal.  So sorry, let me go on:

Back in the real world I do actually own a giant green lamp much like this one, as well as a handmade woven stool.  Maybe If I ask Erin real kind and nice like she will spend the next several weeks on craigslist finding me all the other goodies I need to bring it all together.  The lamp is, like, a huge start, right?

A quick reminder:  while Erin is shopping craigslist, I will be laying here.  poolside.  at this very real summer  house that i very much own.

I also own a hanging chair almost identical to the one shown, so I’m feeling like recreating this in austin really isn’t much of a stretch.  are you with me?

Look!  I’m not the meany you thought I was.  I’ve laid down a second towel for erin to come join me once she has found everything on my list.  I’m pretty much the image of altruism.

Ok dudes, I’m really not one to complain and in general do my best to keep it ‘tril but I have to level with you, this past week has been the hardest week of parenting thus far.  Without going into too much detail I’ll tell you it involved a stomach virus (baby), separation anxiety and a daddy that had to work all weekend.  Today is all about horizontal design.  No high ceilings or soaring beams.  It’s low, quiet, and, preferably, includes water.  Google, take me away

via

If I can dangle my feet out this window great.  If I can jump out and swim at the sound of a baby cry, even greater.  PS the baby is inside, I’m not swimming to him, I’ve hired help to handle that in this scenario.

via

I could also make myself available to relax in this location.

via

Ok, so no water here but I feel like I can curl up in this bed and sleep for at least a week.  I am also ready to gamble hard money that the world’s most insane pool is just outside the window.  The pool boy probably isn’t too rough on the eyes either.

via

I will substitute the fantasy pool in the above scenario for this Croatian lake, which is quite possibly the only lake in the world I would be willing to swim in.  Have you seen most lakes?  Gross.

And finally, what I really, truly want, more than anything else in the world is to stay somewhere like this.  My number one life goal is to spend some serious time at a resort with rooms off a dock over the water.  Tidal wave be damned, it’s really the only thing on my bucket list, which, as previously discussed, doesn’t really exist and if so would be called something different.

I have laryngitis. I don’t know if this has ever happened to you, but it’s really very annoying. Thank goodness I can still type (although watch me get fingeritis next, because that’s how the MF cookie has been crumbling around here). I do realize things could be much much worse (I got to eat pizza last night!), and so I hereby do solemnly swear that no talk of illness shall issue forth from my fingers next week. It will all be sunshine, rainbows and sparkle puppies licking bubblegum ice cream cones with unicorns on top.

But that’s next week. Today we are headed to the quiet box.

Tom Scheerer

Via Nero Chronicles

I think you can read.

Via Head Over Heels

Erin Martin Design

I’m not dead yet (imagine my best Monty Python impression), so I would like to spend my convalescence in a room that is quiet, yes — relaxing and soothing. But also interesting. There has to be a little something something going on to inspire me to fully recover and conquer truly urgent, earth shattering problems, like how am I going to wean Ike off all this horrible TV I’ve been letting him watch while we both lay on the couch like plague infested slugs?

I promise. No talk of sickness next week. Not one word.

Yesterday I made the grueling trek into the northern wilds, home of Ikea. Land of milk and honey. Or so I thought. See, I have long been incubating radical plans to radically update our completely unradical bedroom — our bedroom that is now headboardless, directionless, and a complete mess (if you don’t have kids, judge not lest you be immediately impregnated).

Before I headed to Ikea and was completely destroyed by the juggernaut that is ubiquitous Swedish decor, my plans to revolutionize sleeping through the power of psychedelic design were maybe somehow inspired by these rooms:

Minus the barfy dress.

Minus the funny face.

As I stood in front of the racks and racks and racks of duvet covers (while Ike melted down t-10 seconds to naptime), I thought about how I’m supposed to buy a blanket instead of a duvet cover, because duvet covers are so fall 2010. But all I saw were duvet covers. About 5237866 of them. And I know I probably should have gone home and bought a blanket off the interwebs, but I was under pressure from fluorescent lighting and toddler tantrums. Plus I’m tired of looking at the stupid mauge comforter (suspiciously close to this color) on our giant bed. So there I stood — endlessly, painfully pondering the duvet cover conundrum.

First I picked this up:

And then I put it down, because it had flowery flowers on it and I suspected it would not play well with the giant black panther picture hanging beside our bed. Or the Oriental nightstands. Or the chrome bench. Or pretty much anything in that room.

I bought a white duvet cover. It’s not even worth picturing. It’s white.

How did my technicolor dreams turn to dust in the wind? Damn you, Ikea, for overwhelming me with your conspicuous overstocking. Whatever. I’m moving on, and I think things are headed in this direction:

Just kidding. It’s pretty, but I have too much stuff to live in here.

I have a new plan. It has elements of crazy, but also supports the new white duvet cover theory formula corollary.

Alas, we’ll have to discuss it ad infinitum later because I have to go to a biggo photo job right now… someone has to pay for all that crap I bought at Ikea.

Have a good Monday. Do some psycho shopping for me.

[Desire to Inspire, Elle Decor, Magnus Marding]

Who doesn’t love gossip?  I had planned to bring you a hot and heavy gossip filled post today but I quickly realized that I only have two very small tidbits to share and I was quickly reminded of my sad, decidedly un-gossip filled life.  I cleaned out my fridge this weekend.  No that is not one of my news items, merely proof of my lameness.

So, call it gossip, whateves, here’s what I’ve got for you:

1.  I’m sure you all already know this but did you realize that Margaret Russell is now editor and chief of Architectural digest?

Conde Nast could have put a smurf in charge of that rag and it would have been an improvement, but I’m pretty giddy at the prospect of Mme. Russell taking over.  Mags, a small request:  no more “hi def” photos, no more tuscan anything, no more director’s homes just because they are director’s homes.  Also, steer clear of anything overly Amish.  You know the issue I’m referring to.  I know I don’t need to tell you these things, I trust you.  Also, sorry I chose this blurry photo of you, I just liked all those fabrics in the background.  Next time ask your pal to hold his iPhone a little more steady.

Look forward to seeing Margaret’s first AD issue in January.  And to think, I was going to let my subscription lapse.  Elle Decor promoted from within, hopefully it will stay groovy.

Talking Point #2:  Erin is taking a vacay

Erin and I both need a little break.  Don’t worry, it’s not you, it’s us.  Promise.  Just to prove it, we’ve concocted a sneaky plan to keep you dudes around:  For the next few weeks I’m going to be your design tour guide 3 days a week while erin goes sky diving and horse whispering and stuff.  Once my sweet little angel baby arrives, she will return to her post and you can cry a thousand tears in my absence.  Basically, you guys are going to have to live off 3 posts a week for a while and put up with my ass.  Did I tell you about the fridge cleaning?

Talking point #3:  There were terms to this vacation.  Erin says I have to give you longish posts sometimes.  UGH!!!  You know I’m the one pic-per-post wonder, but I guess I can suck it up for her.  Starting right now:  Look!  Beds!

If ever I have reason to buy a twin bed, I shall look no further than this brass four poster. And yes, I will totally toss a fur on the end just for good measure.

Who do you suppose sits in those chairs?  This picture is lovely, but when you really think of the logistics of it, it’s a bit of a head-scratcher.

Every single thing about this photo is awesome.  The end.

Ok, so this room doesn’t really fit, but I want to talk to you about the walls.  Right now I have one black wall in my bedroom, it looks great, but every time I see this room I think that maybe I need all black walls in my bedroom.  My floor is white, too.  Thoughts?

And just so the previous photo doesn’t feel alone in it’s dark-wallness, I tossed this one in for good measure.  You know, I have a chair a lot like that in my room, but no metal cross sculptures, surprisingly enough.

Now how’s that for some Hott Goss?

There are many things that keep me awake at night: wondering if Ike will grow up “right,” trying to decide whether we should move and how much to spend on a new house, fear that the world is about to erupt in a blazing ball of apocalyptic doom, oh — and raccoons. Raise your hand if you’ve ever awoken to a big bang crash in the middle of the night, only to find a pair of masked bandits grazing on catfood in the kitchen and pirouetting across the living room.

Jeff Andrews Design

They are cute little bastards, but they better watch it… or else. I’ve been wanting a fur blanket for a long time, and I’d planned to go faux, but I could be persuaded otherwise. Ha! Just kidding! Not really.

Elle Decor

But for seriously, the thing that’s really making me toss and turn all night long (all niiiight, yeah, all night) is our piece of shit mattress — the mattress that we spent boatloads of cash on. I hate it.

Kara Mann

It’s some latex pillowtop concoction by Sealy (who I will not be trading with again), and in the relatively wee span of three years (although the problem started much earlier) it looks like Mount Everest has cropped up between two valleys. I mean, the dents in this sucker are so low that if I roll any further downhill, I will be sleeping on the floor.

Elle Decor

So now we have to break out the benjamins for ANOTHER king sized mattress. And so, fine friends, my question to you is: what should we get? Karly and I have discussed the finer points of memory foam, and we both worry that it may start out the bee’s knees only to break your heart — and your back — a year later. And what about latex? It’s delightfully polyurethane free, but mine has certainly sucked. Did I just get a bum bed?

Commune Design

Or should we just get a plain old innerspring set and call it a day? I’m not getting another pillow top, but I suppose we could always add a topper for some extra squish. I like a soft bed.

Help, people! I need suggestions. What are you sleeping on? How long have you had it? Do you like it? Was it expensive? I am open to any and all suggestions regarding brands, types, etc.

I’m so tired, my mind is on the blink.

I just can’t get enough sleep these days.

I’m also thinking that maybe I want to redo my bedroom. You know, in all my spare time with this baby on the way.

I’ve been a design magazine whore for as long as I can remember, like a Pavlovian dog I instantly start to salivate as soon as a new issue of Living Etc hits the stands.  The pristinely styled spaces are so perfectly lovely and profoundly unattainable my head starts to spin.  But even the most lush interior landscape presents itself as a dream:  there are no electrical cords or family photos.  Stylists and photo editors work tirelessly to maintain the fantasy.

So after years of pining away for the unattainable glossy spaces, I’m a bit bored of it all.

Consider this post a pallet cleanser.

All rooms shot by amateurs.  All found in various corners of the interwebs.

Isn’t it nice to look at a bit of a mess for once?  I would love to see a magazine spread with similar honesty (and no, leaving a pair of shoes in the shot doesn’t count)

I would love to see the spaces you are living in.  Go ahead send me some pics, if enough people join the party I’ll do a post with your spaces.  Be sure to let me know if you would like for me to link to you along with the picture or if you should remain anonymous.

No sleep is happening at Casa Erin. In case you were wondering with baited breath WHY GOD WHY, it’s because we’re working through Sweet Baby Ike’s dastardly sleep issues. It’s an important mission that we have chosen to accept, but the consequence is that everyone in this house has become insanely delirious, and that I spend a lot of time staring into space trying to remember what my name is.

Sleep is a funny thing. If you sleep well, you never think twice about it. If you sleep poorly, it’s all you ever think about. Obsess about. Fantasize about. If you don’t sleep well, your skin gets wrinkly and your temper grows short and your IQ drops a minimum of 867 points. And you become very hungry for cookies. So I’m tired and old and mean and stupid and I have a raging sugar addiction.

Yeah, that sounds about right. Fuck.

Anyway, I can barely string together words and things, much less present you with a well researched, thoughtful post, so I’m resorting to Plan B:

Let’s take a nap together. Now, you can choose your own adventure, but I’m planning to float to dreamland right here. I suppose you could join me, as long as you don’t hog the covers or snore like a chinchilla. What do you think of those pillows sewn corner to corner, creating a fluffy resting place for one’s sweet angel head? How about those crazy architectural details, which I believe are actually some sort of WALLPAPER? Don’t forget the sleek mirrored surfaces — all the better to admire one’s luminous skin, which will surely be refreshed and restored by hours of glorious sleep.

Truly, there is no more beautiful word in all of the English language.

Nighty night. Sleep tight.

Photo by Nicolas Matheus

Ok, so I’m not sick, but I am pretty hungry and am choosing dinner out with my husband over blog party.  Sorry, dudes, but you do get me the other 364 days of the year.  I have decided to pack a lot of kapow zing into one enchanted picture though:

Huzzah!!!  Image via fullboom

If you’re left with a craving for full length awesomeness, might I suggest Erin’s post from yesterday?  It was kinda my favorite ever ever.  See you dudes tomorrow.

Wait, wait, wait, not done yet!  I’ve been so mesmerized by that bed that I just now noticed the flattened puppy rug.  This room is __________________________!!!!!! (I invite you to fill in the blank)