Cute Boys' Rooms

One of the most fun spaces to design (in my opinion) is a child's room.  You often get to infuse more color, pattern, and quirk than you do with an adult bedroom - and it's fun to tailor the room to the child's unique personality.  It can also be a creative challenge because it's important to make the room versatile enough to grow with the child and transition with them as they get older.  Today I wanted to share some of my favorite boy's rooms- and a few design pieces that I think are great staples:

{Kapito Muller}

The bedroom above, designed by Kapito Muller (now Alyssa Kapito Interiors), is neutral enough to carry a child through to college.  Obviously, a Hermes blanket is great if you can splurge on one- but what I love most in this bedroom is that the bedside table functions as a desk, too.  The sconces are strategically placed to provide additional reading light at night, either in bed or at the desk.    I also like the sconce style and placement in the twin bedroom below.   One kid's room element shown in this room that will never go out of style are bobbin beds:

{similar sconces here, bobbin trundle bed here}

The overhead light fixture above is a design classic as well- the Serge Mouille light.

More bobbin bed goodness below.  I love the simplistic bookshelves, the airy white walls, and the mid-century style nightstands.  Also, the antlers are a cool, creative touch for above the bed.  This Etsy shop makes similar styles.

Martyn Lawrence Bullard designed the graphic red and white bedroom below for Tommy Hilfiger's Miami house.  The best part is the banana scratch -n- sniff wallpaper (from Flavor Paper) in the adjoining bath.  Obviously, this is more of a statement-making bedroom than a versatile one- but the upholstered bed and monogrammed duvet could work in any room!

{Martyn Lawerence Bullard}

Another classic element for a boy's room is a daybed.  Often with the lack of space in a Manhattan apartment, a daybed is ideal for a kid's room.  They are often custom designed with either storage or a trundle underneath:

I love the cool mix in this bedroom, designed by Martha Angus and Phillip King for the Metropolitan Home Idea House in 2009.   The orange retro floor lamp and Brillo box are fun accessories in the space. The Saarinen desk chair and parsons-style desk are both classic elements perfect for boys (or girls, obviously!):

{Elle Decor}

Stephen Sills designed this Fifth Avenue boy's room with a cool striped wallpaper, a caramel leather bed, and a blue upholstered Saarinen womb chair:

{Stephen Sills}

Favorites for Boys:

Furniture: Design Within Reach, West Elm, Chairish

Bedding & Sheets: Serena & Lily

Artwork and Photography: Minted

Cool Lighting & Accessories:  TRNK

Quirky Touches: Uncommon Goods

Any good sources I'm missing?

Best of Black Friday Sales - 2018

What would Thanksgiving be without Black Friday?  Admittedly, I do this post for my mom- who is the QUEEN of finding the best discounts and deals on anything.  I'm not the best at cashing in when the moment is right - but I'm slowly learning from Lisa Penner.  Please find below an exhaustive list of my favorite Black Friday deals & steals.  With my birthday nearly a week away, it was also fun to compile a b-day wish list from all the insane sales:

Shop This Board:

1.) Camel Sweater with Tie

2.) Bold Evolution 40 mm Black Watch

3.) Chloe Nile Small Quilted-Leather Handbag

4.) Bernardo Leather Moto Jacket

5.) Rayban Aviators

6.)Stateside Mixed Media Hoodie

7.) Kinzey Booties

Best of Black Friday Sales:  My Favorites...

ANTHROPOLOGIE: Up to 30% off sale, and free shipping on orders of $150 or over (as usual)!  Great gift ideas for under $25 here.

ARIANNA BELLE: My favorite pillow source- Arianna Belle, is offering 20% off today and tomorrow with code HOLIDAY20 at checkout.  My favorite styles are this and this.

CARBON 38:  All my favorite workout gear, 30% off during Cyber Week (now through Nov 26th) with code INDULGE30.  Loving these tie-back tanks, can never have enough of these,  and I find this coat pretty chic. 

J. CREW FACTORY:  This is the biggest sale I could find.  80% off with code ADD2CART.

MATCHES FASHION: Up to 50% off sale happening now.  Now is the time to invest in the designer items you've been eyeing.... like this Valentino bag,  these slides, and the Golden Goose sneaks. 

NARS: 20% off with code TAKE20 now through 11/27.  Now is the time to stock up on our favorite blush, 

NORDSTROM: Up to 60% off for Black Friday.  Loving this, the color options for this, and DON'T MISS the best (and most economical) over-the-knee boots.

REVOLVE: Up to 15% off.

SHOPBOP: Save up to 25% with code MORE18 at checkout. Love these, these, and these are so chic. I plan to stock up on these because I wear them almost every day. 

Show Me Your Mumu: Up to 40% off using code SHOPBLKFRI. SMYM clothing encapsulates the Cali bohemian I always dreamed I could be- and this, this skirt, and this dress are calling my name. 

WEST ELM:  Up to 30% off everything with code SAVEMORE.

Happy Shopping!

XO,

Sam

Best Buys of 2018

Stepping in to 2018, I had made up my mind that I was going to curb my shopping habit tremendously.  I was tired of haphazardly buying things that I inevitably felt indifferent about 2 weeks later.  I wanted less stuff in general in my studio apartment, and I wanted everything "fun" I purchased this year to feel intentional.  I didn't succeed 100%- living in New York is expensive, and while I don't shop for "things" a lot, I did spend a lot of money on weekend getaways and eating out at restaurants- and I want to be better about this next year.   Nevertheless, I do feel that I was able to change my outlook on shopping this year- thanks in large part to this book, this podcast, instagram accounts like this one, and my own desire to feel more financially secure.  With that being said, there were a few select purchases I made this year that I am still pleased with- and wanted to share them.

1.) The Snowdrift Reversible Coat from Anthropologie.  I am officially obsessed with this coat.  It's comfortable, chic, very warm, and reversible. This one runs a little large- I purchased a size XS and it's still a bit roomy on me:

{also have had this black MZ Wallace handbag for 3 years now and can't say enough good things about it- it's my purse/gym bag in one and is just the most functional bag ever.}

2.)  Bandier lustrous leggings in black:  These are supposed to be just for working out (I think), but I keep wearing them under sweater dresses and skirts as regular leggings.  They are so comfortable and flattering.

The La Mer Moisturizing cream made the list last year, and it's here again- because even with it's price tag, it's pretty life-changing.  It has the best texture and just melts in to your skin.

Apple Ear buds:

Besides the fact that I lose them at the bottom of my purse on a fairly consistent basis (and forget to put them in their handy floss-like case), I love the Apple wireless ear buds.  It's so nice not to have to untangle headphone cords, or hold a phone up to your ear when walking and talking. 

Tortoise iPhone case - a simple, inexpensive purchase that I just love (this one is cool, too):

My general shopping tips for more mindful spending:

1.) Don't go just to "browse" somewhere.  It's too tempting and you'll likely end up spending money on something you don't need.

2.) If you really are tempted to buy something, never do it in that first moment.  Give yourself a few days to consider the purchase, and if you still want it in a week and can afford to buy it, then make the purchase.

3.) I actually prefer shopping places in person than online because you can try on.  95% of the time when I try to buy clothes on a website, I end up sending them back because the item doesn't fit perfectly and I don't want to spend $$ tailoring unless I REALLY love the piece. So, I do my best to avoid browsing retail websites. 

4.) Have a budget in place.  Admittedly, I didn't start keeping a budget until my late 20s and I'm not sure why I procrastinated for so long.  I do a simple Excel spreadsheet and log my expenses a few times a month to make sure I am staying on track.  I actually love the freedom a budget gives you- it feels empowering to know exactly where all of your money is going- how much you are saving, what categories you could improve upon next month, and how close you are to reaching goals.

XOXO,

Sam

An Ode to Bedhangings

Bedhangings are extravagant and luxurious and that is exactly why I love them so much.   Nowadays we use them in decorating purely for fun- but they were once utilitarian.  Canopy beds with curtains were created in European medieval times and used by noblemen for privacy, as they often slept in the same room as their attendants.  I first fell in love with the idea of a partial bedhanging (meaning, just behind/above the headboard or front part of the bed) when I worked for the queen of color, Amanda Nisbet.  This was her master bedroom:

Ah, that electric chartreuse!  The picture above doesn't pick it up well, but the inside back fabric of the bed hanging is a chartreuse Fortuny print.  Jeffrey Bilhuber also used a chartreuse inside the bedhanging below for an Upper East Side apartment.  The exterior floral fabric is a Muriel Brandolini print:

{Jeffrey Bilhuber}

And this sumptuous master bedroom might be one of my favorite color palettes ever- designer Alexa Hampton's master bedroom.  The walls are covered in a rich plum custom Gracie wallcovering, while the bed hanging fabric is Clarence House's Cesonia paisley (now sadly discontinued).  I always love Alexa's inclusion of Neoclassical pieces, like the bedside table here:

{Alexa Hampton}

A stunning bedroom photographed for Phoebe Howard's book, Mrs. Howard Room by Room, shows off a chic canopied bed sitting in a room of custom-made Gracie wallpaper and silk velvet curtains with glass bead trim.

{Phoebe Howard}

{Phoebe Howard}

Nicky Haslam took a stab at the canopy for this London attic, with a chintz linen upholstered on the dormer window and walls, and a Rococo frame above.

And I couldn't complete a post on bedhangings without admiring the more casual, beachy style- like the drapey linen hangings in this Greek isle home:

{Isabel López-Quesada}

Which bedroom is your favorite?

Etsy Finds Volume 4

I've long been a believer in Etsy.  I think it's one of the coolest marketplaces out there- the breadth of products available combined with the unique quality of each artisan makes it a fun site to scour.  Nowadays, you can even get your wedding (or bridesmaid) dress on Etsy!  Personally, my favorite shops include funny needlepoins, antique French furniture, and delicate jewelry.  Etsy is also a great place to refer to for stocking stuffers or unique holiday gifts.  Here are a few of my favorite items on the site right now:

Shop This Board:

1.) Cluster Ring in 14k Gold $285.30/
2.) Leather Bucket Bag, $115/
3.) Leather Card Cases, $28/each 
4.) Fashion Illustration by Leigh Viner $28/
5.) India Block-Printed Pillow Covers, 2 for $153/
6.) Herman Miller Eames Dining Chairs $2,450/set of 6/
7.) Books by Color, $43.75/
8.) Pink and Peach Tassel Earrings $15.29/
9.) Agate Slices Coaters- $9.90/each (also love these)

Favorite new Etsy shops:

Cotacoco (very inexpensive but chic jewelery) 

BlushFashion (wedding + bridesmaid dresses)

Northwind Supply (inexpensive leather goods + monogramming)

BoeTech LLC (literary and anatomical cookie cutters- and you can even make your own custom face cookie cutter)

MidCenTree (Mid-Century furniture)

FunkyDreamMosaics (interesting, unusual mosaic tiles)

Book Styles (buy books by color)

French furniture