Mirror mirror

Lots of beautiful things going on here.

from Elle Decor, via Aubrey Road

Fainting couch

That term gives me flashbacks to season 3 of Mad Men. And this picture seems to evoke hipster therapists. But whatever, it's hot.

from Remodelista

Gorge

This breathtaking Paris apartment was featured in the latest Elle Decoration UK. I spy black bookcases!

from Sisters Agency

Snow

We've been getting an awful lot of snow in New York this year. It's getting a little old. I'm going to imagine I'm here instead.

from Dominique Vorillon

Colorful Belgian apartment

Lots of Prouvé furniture. Yum.

from Marie Claire Maison

Black doors

Slick.

from Douglas Friedman

Bump

There are a lot of things I like about this picture, so I'm going to post it even though I can't stop imagining people bomping their heads on that overhanging lamp.

from Petra Bindel

Sweet studio

495-square-foot attic "studio" in Stockholm. This place doesn't have much in common with the studio apartment I live in. But there's some very stylish use of concrete. Pillows made from an Ikea rug (?).

Clever idea: A reclaimed wood shelf is covered with glass for extra sparkle (and probably a smoother surface).

Bonus points for having a desk with an actual computer on it.

Ok, this feels kind of studio-like.

from Dwell. Follow the link for lots more pics.

Hot stuff

A house in Sao Paulo. I kind of want a concrete ceiling now.

from Arch Daily

In the dark

Blue living room for a winter's day. I want to curl up with some tea.

from Design*Sponge

Natural beauty

The beauty of imperfection. Komon tiles from made a mano.

via the tile-loving Head Over Heels

Easygoing

from An Afternoon With. More at the link.

Get to work

Do you work better in a beautiful place? Or does it distract you? This was created by Olson Kundig Architects in Seattle.

from Remodelista

One black wall

Adds depth.

from Inspirational Spaces

Guest post at Remodelista

There's a post about my super-cheapo framing job at the ever-fabulous Remodelista today. Go check it out!

Green tile

Just a perfect shot of energy in an already beautiful kitchen.

via Emmas Designblogg

Books books books books

a la Karl Lagerfeld.

from The Selby

Copenhagen style

Black, white and brights.

My favorite bit of luxe: Josef Frank wallpaper in the kid's bookcase (!).

from Dos Family. Lots more at the link.

The subtle arts

from World of Interiors, via here

Flail

THIS IS HOW I WANT TO LIVE. Berlin housing stock, damn.

from Freunde von Freunden. See more at the link

Slanted ceilings

Quirky, wood-panelled ceilings, colorful modern furniture and a subtle circle motif make this home completely charming.

from OWI

Wood + black + windows

With a perfect shelf and a little stylized mess on the floor.

via you are the river

Bold blue

I love this blue. Plus, everything looks better in a crumbling Italian palace.

from Zanotta, via Solid Frog

Hanging out

from Graciela Cattarossi, via Aubrey Road

Pretty much perfect

The home of Børge Mogensen. There's wood... and blue... and battered leather... and a Bestlite...

via Door Sixteen. More lovely photos at the link

Random art notes

One of my big Christmas presents this year was getting this Nigel Peake print framed. I own a number of his prints, but this is by far the largest. I'm still looking for a framer that has better taste than me, however (and that's not, sadly, a comment on my great taste). Leaning up against it is this beautiful Beatrice Alemagna book I bought in Paris. I love the book, but it's too big to fit in my bookcase. So I'm going for "the layered look," I guess.

While professional framers are always a little disappointing, I maintain a fondness for this cheap-n-dirty frame job, which somehow speaks to the '70s New York hippie part of my aesthetic. This is: a cheap store-bought frame, a mat cut out of black construction paper, and a trimmed paper bag (that once had a book in it!). I kind of love it, and if I wanted to ditch it tomorrow, it would have cost me nothing.

Not costing me nothing, was my sole purchase from my recent trip to Prague. I bought this little Pavel Janák box at the gift shop to the Museum of Czech Cubism. I think it was a visceral response to all the hideous souvenirs on sale in Prague. It's completely unnecessary, but awful nice to look at.

Houseboat in Cairo

Rocking the exotic fabrics.

from The Times. More at the link