dreaming of rooftops.

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with all of this dismal weather, i'm thinking of all of the warm, beautiful and unique places i'd honestly rather be at the moment. my mind wandered to the rooftops of some wonderful buildings, homes and hotels. join me as my mind escapes to warmer places, from the top of the world (or at least a building or two) to enjoy the view.

have you ever cooked out, or partied, swam or slept on a rooftop terrace? would you like to or would it scare you? as the wind and rain fly by my shop window literally sideways, i'll keep my mind on sunny, inviting rooftops instead. i'll imagine the sun, the sun setting, dinner being served, a glass of wine in my hand and listening to the sounds below me. maybe the sounds are of people walking on the street, bicycles passing by, cars, people singing, laughing, insects buzzing, music playing. yeah that's it. that's where i'd rather be at the moment :) where would you rather be at the moment? enjoy!

budget home.

budget home: "the owners of this house decorated their home with as little budget as possible. everything is either second-hand, inexpensive or homemade."











photos by diane hendrikx.

so could you do it? have everything be either inexpensive, second-hand or homemade? their choice is a minimalist approach, clutter-less spaces, stark walls, textural, mixing in color, accentuating the natural elements in the spaces.

i don't know if i could entirely commit to less being more. in these photos...i have the urge to run to a wall and hang a photo or painting. so i guess i wouldn't last long with these blank walls. what i do love is the ability to see, breathe and just be in this house. allowing for the lines of the house to speak and offering itself as the design, the decoration. the idea of bringing in handmade and second-hand i do love. those things warm a home, welcome you into a home to feel comfortable and happy. for this monday contemplate what you could add to your home that's inexpensive? vintage? handmade? you don't always have to shop retail, full price and new.

hoping everyone had a great weekend. we did get up to see the shepard fairey exhibit at the institute of contemporary art in boston. his exhibit grew on me as i observed the art and took it in, and in the end felt as if i understood what he was trying to portray and say. enjoy!

fashion friday...novoa, new york.

photos by marie litvinova.

i sort of forget where is stumbled upon novoa's designs but i was really drawn to their homemade-esque quality. their simple lines, materials, the way they sit or hang on the body, really easy and with a sort of innocence. oh, and all of the natural tones, their color palette is very earthy and raw.

"phillip novoa wanted to capture the soft colors of of white nights, during russia's short summer months for his debut collection."

besides that i really don't know much about the designer or history of his coming to new york only that which i found on line. what are your thoughts on the line? too simple? just perfect? elegant? i could easily see myself lounging around in bare feet or throwing on sensational heels which would contrast the easy going pieces. they have a fabulous flash slide show when you first enter their site and models are shown with great shoes as well! happy friday everyone. it's supposed to be a mixed bag weather wise in my part of the world, so we may head up to boston to the new museum of contemporary art. what are you up to? enjoy!

madsen bikes. a new love.

my son had a friend over to study for final exams and i took this opportunity to do something i adore, i took a bike ride. no not on these bikes (i wish) but i have an affinity for them, and for time on my bike. i'm more old fashioned, i love bikes with big baskets on them and with more of a vintage feel. i have a friend who would frequent the local landfill and put together bikes from throw away parts and made me a vintage schwinn that i had forever. it was worn looking, teal blue and fabulous. when i saw this line of bikes, thanks to la porte rouge's blog, my jaw dropped. the big bucket in the back, the robin's egg powdery blue color, the retro/european feel to them, i was instantly in love.

with a european model in mind, madsen bikes put the bucket on the back for a natural feel and balance, knowing your precious cargo is secure. madsen bikes motto suggests "a bicycle should do more." tested for up to 600 pounds, the madsen is burly as it is elegant. they list an array of retailers in case you're seriously interested. these bikes aren't cheap to buy, but think of them lasting a lifetime & more! what would you put in your bike bucket? mine would probably hold, a bottle of wine, bread, cheese, beach towels, magazines and a plastic bag to bring shells home from the beach. enjoy!

play all day book.

oh boy, if you have children, hold on to your hats for a wonderful new design book.







play all day...a new book out for parents and children, inspires both to design, build, construct, imagine and of course, to play.

"play all day documents a collection of the most vibrant, stimulating and engaging design products and concepts for children. this book sets a new standard of design for children with fascinating examples of innovative and well-designed toys, playgrounds and play environments, room decorations, wall coverings, furniture and kindergarten architecture. in addition to these products, it also presents illustration and photography as well as new and original ideas offering playful solutions that talented designers and creative parents are designing for and with their kids. it is an inspiring reference for design-savvy parents and other professionals."

i love this book. now if i could only shrink my son down and reverse his age to about 5 or 6 :) even though i was always consciously trying to inspire him creatively, this book would have definitely been a contributor for sure. hey, we all can't think of everything, that's why we blog, that's why we read wonderful design books. if you have children, or nieces or nephews or even grandchildren, what a wonderful resource play all day truly is! enjoy.

pretty beds & night stands.

i am in desperate need of a summer bed spread, so too is my son's bed. i have an older martha stewart bedspread that i love. it's white with little white pom poms all over it. like raised up polka dots. super summer-y and crisp. but getting worn from it being a few years old now.

so since i was wondering what martha has right now for bedding etc., i hopped over to her site and discovered an array of very pretty bed sets, nightstand ideas, decorating ideas for the stands etc. i love beautiful photographs. they inspire me to reinvent spaces, upgrade spaces, linens, books etc. night stands are sort of like coffee tables, where each person displays different items, personal or not. and if you looked at a large number of people's night stands, each one would be creative in it's own way.

what's on your bed? on your night stand? books? photos? alarm clock? natural items such as shells? and if so, which ones specifically. on my night stand right now is a clock, oyster shells, and a pretty lamp. it's tiny, my stand, which is a good thing. any bigger and i'd keep piling up the surface. enjoy :)