a New Desk

I stayed out in East Texas this weekend to work and get a lot of outstanding errands done; including, finding a desk for my East Texas "week-home." Cue the party because I found the Perfect desk. I'm not talking 80% of what I was looking for, I'm talking about EXACTLY what I was looking for.  A while back, I almost settled for this desk at west elm:

I liked the clean lines and the metal, but it looked too new for me, too much like I just went to an urban furniture store and picked something "cool" out; which, is exactly what it would have been.  So, I didn't spend the $400 and held out, hoping that something truly exciting, old, classy, and industrial would appear.  Lo, and behold, Ethel's Treasure Quest in Tyler, TX had EXACTLY what I wanted:

These pictures really aren't doing it justice. Actually, it may just be the room it's in- not my choice of paint color or hardwood color, BUT ignore these things, readers and focus on the desk. The AMAZING black iron base with clean lines and a bit of fancy shape and the PERFECTION of the slate top. It doesn't get more industrially perfect than this!

Isn't that slate amazing? 

AND, one of the best parts of the new desk is that I found it in Tyler, which means, city folk that it was ABSURDLY cheap. Seriously, I would have paid at least $500 for this piece in some Dallas and Houston stores, but out here in East Texas, I got this amazing piece (the WHOLE thing) for only $125.  And seriously, Ethel's is awesome. Check her out if you are ever out here!

Key-spiration

There's something about keys that I'm drawn to time and time again. I must clarify, though, that my obsession is not new. It is well documented in 'Alix's Baby Book' that my first word was, in fact, key. Although I have no memory of the momentous occasion when my mouth first formed the word key, the word and symbol clearly made an impression in my mind. My recent (newly-awakened) love affair started approximately 18 months ago when I first discovered these:

Tiffany's collection of keys knocked my socks off. It was the perfect combination of cool elegance, understated beauty and timeless design. The key on the far left was featured in 'Alix's Christmas List 2009' and (thankfully) was given to me by my parents that year. I wear it often and still LOVE LOVE LOVE it! Last spring I got my first tattoo. And while I had known since 2006 that I wanted the word 'trust' somewhere in my tattoo, the key was a (relatively) last-minute decision (But, nonetheless, a great decision).  

And so, the moral of this is, I Love Keys. Here's some more key-spiration.

Beautiful necklace from ghostlovejewelry

from Bohman, flickr

Tangles Antique Skeleton Key Necklace from DreamingSquid

Key Wall Hook Solid Black, Cast Iron by FourRDesigns

Keys by Stewart Leiwakabessy

Personalized Old Fashioned Key Dessert Set for Two by happiestdaysdesign

Vintage Keys, Set of 7: Pottery Barn 

Pass the Chalk

I'm in love with chalkboards (I admit, this may be because I just installed one in my bedroom). They are quintessentially perfect for note-writing, inspiration-drawing, and idea-sketching. These people below agree. Be Inspired!

romanlily

xtopalopaquetl

booizzy

Muy Yum

Smithsonian Institution

(all above images from flickr, credit given following photo)

www.design-milk.com

www.apartmenttherapy.com

potterybarn

ellenmedlocksblog.com

fleurishnews.blogspot.com

www.apartmenttherapy.com

www.apartmenttherapy.com

www.kitchenchalkboard.net

The Beauty of White

There is nothing more beautiful in nature than snow.  The way it covers everything in a pure blanket of white is truly magical and undoubtedly poetic.  The recent (but brief) snow in the Dallas area has given me a new thrill for the color white... on the wall, on pillows, on linens, on canvas, on accessories, on everything.  I'm very inspired by these:

image from greatinteriordesign.com

image from flikr: baliboro

image from all-doing.com

image from inhometrend.com

image from newhomedevelopers

image from fe57.com

image from dec0r.com

image from myhomeideas.com

image from here

image from bizbash.com

Susanne Schanz 

Tien Kdjeldsen

Tine Kdjelsen

Domino

Light Locations

above images from www.desiretoinspire.net

On the Bookshelf

Yesterday I mentioned that one of my continued goals for 2011 is to read more.  My new favorite unemployed hobby is to gather up what little money I have and go to Half Price Books ("HBP") and scour the shelves for great books I've "always been meaning to read."  Lately I've run across some recent first editions that are quickly climbing the list of my favored possessions.  In the past few months, I've found read some fabulous books that I encourage my readers to read.  They include:

Middlesex is the Pulitzer Prize winning novel I never made it around to reading until recently.  All hype about this book is deserved and maybe even falls short of how glorious and new and fascinating this story is.  If you've never read this, read it immediately. (buy here)

I hadn't read a Franzen until I picked up his 2006 memoir a few weeks ago.  With all the attention and praise surrounding 'Freedom' this past summer and 'The Corrections'/Oprah Book Club situation, I wanted to get my hands on something by this author.  I liked this memoir, but its brevity left me with wanting to read more... a Franzen novel.  Because my HPB did not have 'The Corrections' on the day I chose to visit, I picked up 'The Twenty-Seventh City,' which is Franzen's first novel.  It's currently in my "to read queue."  But, for now, read this memoir- it's like a little and delicious snack. (buy here)

While shopping at Urban Outfitters, Anthropologie, and various little boutiques and antique stores, I kept running across 'The Selby is in Your Place.'  Without fail, I would always pick it up, thumb through it and be wowed by the uniqueness of each person's home profiled in the book.  This is my hands-down favorite Design Book/Look Book of Other's Homes.  I'm inspired every-time I open it. (daily.)  (buy here).

On the Lookout.

I am dying for a French Bergère chair (or a french-inspired armchair).  I need a comfy desk/side chair for the room.  I am thoroughly convinced that a chair like this will infinitely help my bar exam score (or, at least that's what I tell myself as I endlessly peruse for one).  I am also absolutely up for my first re-upholstery project if need be.  I've been swooning over these and other variations on the chair.

Restoration Hardware's Marseillas Chair

I LOVE the bright and white of this one- maybe not orange, but pink

From Flickr- A little over the top- from a Paris Flea Market.  I loveth it

I'm loving these chairs upholstered in linen with bright colors

This and others found at www.frenchdressing.com 

antiqued "zebra chair" from Neiman Marcus

"Cottage Grove" Chair from Neiman Marcus

"Simone" Frame Chair- Neiman Marcus