ouchy!

so i’ve been sitting in front of the computer for too long doing the usual, post processing, designing, blog snooping, shopping, blah blah blah… and now, my back, my back, MY BACK!!!  this is the not the first time my back went into crazy pain after sitting in front of the computer for too long.  i think it’s finally time for me to plunge down the money and get me self a CUTE, ergonomic chair.

let’s meet some of the contestants.

aeron chair $949 ~ $979 – the one, the original.  can’t help but feel well supported.  my back pain will be substituted with the new wallet pain.

chadwick chair $586 – from the same designer as the aeron, don chadwick.  simple and discrete, i actually like the look of chadwick more than the aeron.  the price also makes it more attractive.  however, it still screams OFFICE chair to me.

eames aluminum management chair $1,075 ~ $1,998 - this one is a looker.  it’s simple, it’s classic, and it doesn’t scream office.  the drawback is the obvious crazy price tag, and the support doesn’t even come close to a chair you would find at your local office depot.

mirra task chair $799 – this one might be my favorite so far.  it comes in a few variety of colors, and the support is actually even better than the aeron.  not to mention cheaper too (ok, not by much).  the chair really molds and contours to the shape of the human body.  i’m not too crazy with its aesthetic, but i guess it’s a bit quirky and unique.  a serious contender.

so far i’ve only checked out dwr.  if you know any other cute and comfy chairs, please share with me and my back.

all images by dwr

50% goth, 50% drama, 100% chic

it’s official, black is the new black.

 i have been obsessed with the color black for interior decor for the longest time.  i love colors, but when it comes to interior design, i am a simple girl.  it’s black + white all the way for me. 

b+w is such a great combo.  you can’t really go wrong and it goes with everthing!  the latest and hottest accent color is bright lime yellow.  my other favorite accent color is purple.  i am so inspired. . . i am painting this weekend!

image via Kenneth Brown Design

the ultimate black interior by the apartment . . . breath taking

image via the apartment

have a very tord holiday!

ever since the news of tord boontje collabrating with target broke out, i have been tirelessly stalking target.  by stalking, i mean visiting my local target store every other day.  today was no different.  i dragged david down to a neighbor target store, thinking that maybe this target will be more lucky.  i was right!  there they were, on the shelves was my dear tord boontje dinnerware collection.  people walked by must have thought those plates were free from the way i was piling them up in the cart.  we must have gotten there early because we were able to obtain most of the multi-color dinnerware collection.

now i know you probably think i’m crazy for buying a whole new set of dinnerware that is specifically made for the holidays.  i agree, how practical is that?  i can only use the damn thing for a couple of months at most!  but did i mention these were designed by the great TORD BOONTJE!!!??  i mean, i love the man so much i already have two of his famous garland lights (i had to combine two to make one big one because one was just way too small), and his new icarus light, even though i can’t find a place to put it!  also, the price is so good, i almost feel that i owe target my first born.  ok, that’s a little scary.

oh come on.  i know you’ve seen these plates on 791591324641648913212 other blogs, but let’s marvel at these beauties once more… 

tord multi-color dinnerware collection – these are my fav

tord gold dinnerware collection – these are simple, but still tord!

tord red dinnerware collection – these are very target-esque

decorate with the kid in you

my style when it comes to interior design is definitely modern, contemporary and MINIMAL.  minimalism although seems simple is actually quite difficult.  i am always struggling between the fine line of minimalist and looking unfinished.  in our house, our furnishings tend to have very clean lines and in the most basic colors of b/w, which can look quite boring, so it’s really up to the decoration we have to break this unison.  i love vases, but that seems to be the typical decoration. 

then a few weeks ago, when i visited my best friend in SF, i came upon this cute little shop in castro that sells toy collectibles.  the graphic and colors on these figurines are so adorable and fun that i knew it will definitely add that extra hint of oomph i was looking for to our house.  the silliness that these toys bring, broke the stiff and seriousness to the room.  there were many choices, but i was particularly drawn to the dunny collection.  each dunny is designed by different artists, so even though they are the same figurines, they all look so different.  unfortunately, since these are collectibles, each dunny is only released in limited quantity, so i have missed out a few good ones that are now marked up super high on ebay.

love dunny by tado

redrum dunny by frank kozik

not just another two dimensional actor

we saw paris hilton’s house a couple weeks ago, now let’s take a tour at the house of the highest member of the celebrity pyramid, a guy on the total opposite spectrum of paris hilton, mr. brad pitt.  i read somewhere that if he wasn’t an actor, he’d want to be an architect.  well, after seeing his house, which he helped to create, i think he might have possibly chosen the wrong career…  he might have made a even better architect than the incredible actor that he is right now.  brad’s house is heavily mid-century modern inspired, which automatically scores very high in my book.  every detail of the house, down to the spectacular furniture collection he has, is what mid-century modern is all about, clean and strong.  brad, i know you and angelina hear this a lot, but would you please adopt me into your beautiful home?  at least, invite me over and let me sit on your egg chairs…

not just a place for sleeping

our bedroom is very minimal, where we only have a low platform bed and 2 blocks of wood for side tables.  i guess the look we’re going for is the zen look b/c the bedroom is a place where we find peace, a place where we hide away from the chaotic world outside, and just relax with our own thoughts…  of course, i’m just saying that right now until we can afford a medium size flat screen tv (i’d opted for a small vintage tv to match the bed, but dave insisted on his bully techy way), a sussex cabinet, and a mid-century chair.

sussex four door high cabinet - i love the clean, yet unique details.

eames RAR rocker – this is my first choice, not sure if i should get the white or green or light blue…

eames plywood lounge chair – i love the rich red.  it would provide a much needed color to the room.  except red is not a very calming color

vitra tom vac chair – the smooth organic shape will make a great contrast to the straight, strong lines that are already in the room.

nothing comes between me and my calvins… sheets

calvin klein, the name is synonymous with minimalist design.  while calvin klein is known for his clean and classic (at times boring) lines on the runway, my favorite branch of the calvin klein enterprise is actually his home collection.  who hasn't drooled over the calvin klein bedding collections?  i drooled so much that back in high school, i actually used up a whole 2 months worth of paychecks just to buy a duvet cover.  although at around 200 count, it wasn't exactly the most comfortable thing to rub my face on, but the important thing was my room never looked more beautiful. 

to get your calvin klein home fix, look for the rare macy's sale.  they only happen 465413246841361131481 times a year.

meadown grass collection – this is one of my favorite collections.  i love the mature and unisex elegance.

bamboo flowers collection - a calvin klein bedding classic.  also as seen on carrie's bed on sex and the city.

nightblooms and mahgony dinnerware - even the dinnerware shares the same serene and simple personality

it’s not that bad… actually, it’s kind of cute

along with the 99.9% of americans, i too find paris hilton to be obnoxious and unbearable.  however, from time to time, i'd jump off the bandwagon, and admire her many worldly possessions.  after all, she has so many, i can't possibly hate them all.   case in point, paris' hollywood villa.  granted, there are many flaws and at times almost a little tacky, but i do give her some credit for the marilyn monroe-esque glamour she is trying to emulate.

can't go wrong with the classic color scheme of good old b&w.  not too crazy about the furry pillows though…

it wouldn't be miss hilton's house without paying homage to… herself.  while we're shaking our heads at the blatant narcissism showcased here, i must admit that she is decorating according to the reflection of her own personality, which is what i think interior design should be about.

this is my favorite room in the house.  the light and airy room is accentuated by the modern chandelier, and contrasted by the heavy vases and sexy hot pink flowers.

the mirror dresser and the chandelier gives the room an instant feminine glamour

i love dark kitchen cabinets.  this room probably doesn't get used very much.

a room that gets used too much.  i like pink, but this room just looks like one giant marshmellow.

i'm not super crazy about juicy couture, but these doggie accessories did have me going "awww…"

good usage of pink here.  just a hint of it for accent purpose.

images via teddy & moo's celebrity gossip

bare no more

wow!  my first question from a reader.  how flattering!  i didn't even know people are taking my blog seriously.

hi! i’ve been reading your blog since your xanga days and i look to your site for help with decorating. basically…i’m a newlywed who doesn’t know a thing about decorating. i’m trying to figure out what to put on our bare walls and am kind of stuck. i don’t know much about art either. do you think you could help?

here’s the situation. real high ceilings and huge, bare wall behind couch. our coach is a tan/cream large, modern sectional with steel legs from room and board. our coffee table is a round one with steel legs and glass top..also from room and board. the colors of the room in the furniture, accent chair, cushions/pillows, etc are dark brown, green, and tan/cream. i was thinking of some of the strech fabric prints from amenity or inhabit (2modern.com) but im not sure. help! if you have free time and you’re bored…

thank you!!!!!!!!!!!!

first of all, thank you for reading my blog!  i'm not a professional, so this is just my random rambling about my thoughts.  as for your home, through your description of the room, it sounds like all the colors seem very neutral and muted, which is the perfect blank canvas to dress up.  the amenity print is beautiful and organic, hence very subtle and calm, so i think to really bring the room to live, you should play with the colors.  something vibrant, but not necessarily loud, to contrast the neutral furnitures.  blessed with your vaulted ceiling (lucky bitch), i would hang something big to fully utilize the space.  the most important thing is to choose a piece that reflects your personality and that you are comfortable with staring at everyday.

amenity twig print – the turquoise is lively, but not overly dramatic

amenity leaf print - the yellow amber is more subtle and will match the green perfectly

vencka by laird studio - if you like the graphic look, here is a more abstract contemporary piece that brings great colors and beautiful movement to the room

urge to kill …

at the risk of sounding like i'm bragging, i must self-proclaim that our home decor is not too shabby, actually, it's pretty darn wonderful.  granted we don't have the biggest budget, but every piece of furniture and accessory is carefully selected through my countless sleepless nights of researching and digging.  and most of our furnishings are obtained by months of penny-pinching because to us, quality is always over quantity.  so what really brought on my urge to kill was when this guest came over, and said to me, "wow, your house is very ikea-ish!"  and then had the audacity of pointing at my le corbusier chair and ask me, "is this from ikea?"  bitch, get the hell out of my house before i slap the living shit out of you!  sure, the le corbusier in our living room is not an original, but it is an exact replica.  now, i know i can't expect everyone to be into interior design and know this kind of stuff, and i'm not saying there is anything wrong with ikea.  i think ikea is adorable, heck, i have a few very temporary pieces from that place, and i hope to one day redo my kitchen with ikea cabinets, but come on!  mistaking original mid century design with ikea is like eating a piece of filet mignon and say it taste like a hamburger.  not every modern piece of furniture is from ikea, honey!  ikea is not the only contemporary interior store in the world!  yes, i've decided to no longer speak to this person because THAT'S how seriously i am about my furnitures.

kids, today's lesson is don't ever confuse this:

ikea KRAMFORS loveseat – powder coated legs.  cute, but can't hold a candle to the lc2

with this:

lc2 – stainless steel legs and almost 80 years of history

educate yourself

a beautiful way to say welcome to my home

it wasn't until a couple days ago, when i walked by my foyer and realized that i went a little minimalist overboard.  there, in the entry to my home is one console table and one pink ikea vase, and considering the console table is clear acrylic, it really looks like the ikea vase is just flowing in air by itself.  what's wrong with the picture is that the pink does not match the color scheme of the living/dining room, and my foyer really isn't grand enough to make such a museum-like statement.

the typical pattern of dressing up a console table usually consist of a table lamp, vase (with flowers or without,) some sort of art pieces, then finish off with a framed artwork or a fancy mirror hung right above it. 

now, here comes the inspirations:

micheltrona by woodson and rummerfield – the white on white is very feminine.  the colorful painting and flowers make the look not boring.

hola y adios entry table – i love the cleaness of this table.  this is a good example of what minimalist decor should look like.

image via grant govier website – the curve on the chair gives a beautiful movement to the look, and relates to the curve in the corner of the table, the curves in the plant, and curves in the painting, and back to the curve in the miniture version of the chair.

a home in france by kate hume – ok, so this is actually an end table, but i am going ga-ga for the boldness in the color and shapes of this design!

sexy apartments and the city

from my xanga post on 9.15.05

since i am too cheap to order cable tv (cable is expensive!) and too lazy to go out and buy an atenna for my tv, i have been living tv-less for the last 6 months.  you know the theory where if you watch less tv, you will become more productive.  well, i am a living testament that…  it is not true.  i just sleep more, and watch sex and the city dvd repeatedly on a daily basis.

speaking of my beloved show, satc, i am absolutely in love with the set design by jeremy conway.  each characters' apartments are all so beautiful with great details.  even if the style is not what i typically would prefer, i can always find something i love about each room. 

charlotte's study – i love pink, so charlotte's pink apartment really satisfied my girlie side.  my favorite parts of her apartment are the pink sateen drapes that has the little mirror sprinkled all over and the pink petals on the wall paper of the dining room.

miranda's dining room - miranda's apartment is very straight forward and not "soft" (basically very opposite of charlotte's place.)  her apartment is more uni-sex and the style looks very similar to my house.  i love the clean lines they use for her space.  especially the modern chandeliers that match the dining chairs (west elm has something very similar.)

carrie's foyer – i think if i was living alone (translation: no one to clean after me) my place would look something like carrie's.  maybe a little more matchy with a little less color, but definitely messy, most likely, messier.  i think her foyer is very inspiring.  i totally dig the reading area with the bench in front of the big book shelf that is filled with hundreds of magazines.  probably something i will try in my house sometime because david is starting to threaten me with throwing away all my magazines, if i don't organize them soon.  and of course, you can't go wrong with the classic calvin klien bed set, like the purple ones she has.

samantha's loft – finally, my favorite apartment in the show is samantha's loft.  i love the bold colors they use and the sexy sheer drapes they have throughout her place.  it almost reminds me of a hip lounge or club.  maybe even a little "FAB-ish"?  (yes, i'm starting to really like the new FAB style.)  the design is very modern and sensual, which pretty much describes sam's character.  this is the type of style i would like to experiment with.

color me bad

the first time i noticed a colored chandelier was about a year ago in metropolitan home, where designer brian bockman, took a murano chandelier and painted it with bright red car paint. the result was dramatic and the room was, literally, brought to life.  fast forward to now, i have been seeing a lot of of colored chandeliers, and i'm seriously considering investing in one. however, since they are pretty hefty in price, i'm concerned with the question that if this is a new "trend" or if it's a style that is here to stay. anyone that's been following my interior decor posts, know that i have been forever trying to find the "perfect" lighting for my dining room. could this possibly be it? or should i play it safe and stick of the classics, like my beloved ingo mauer?

murano glass chandelier - a domesticated version from dwr

new york palace hotel (image via apartmenttherapy.com)

light up my life

from my xanga post on 1.25.06

I guess since I stopped posting for a while, I am now on a xanga rampage.For the longest time, I have been searching for the perfect, yet somewhat affordable pendent/chandelier for my dining room.  This light's purpose is not so much in providing better vision, but more as a sculpture for my dining room.  I came close once on the Random light by Monkey Boys from Moooi.  However, upon seeing it in person, it looked quite cheap, but I will not completely banish it from my dining room just yet.  It definitely makes a statement from a far.  It's been pushed back to Plan B.  Next, came Icarus by Tord Boontje.  At under a hundred dollar a pop, one cannot make much complaint on the price.  Unique, check.  Elegant, check.  Unfortunately, I find the horizontal sense of this piece is a little too weak for my long dining table.  I need something that can hold its own against my big, black table.  It must be wider. All this blabbering brings me to another favorite store of mine, Unica Home.  They carry top of the line designs by the industry's most prestigeous designers.  I am always in awe with their lighting section.  Of course, the price tags are staggering, but it's definitely a motivation for me to save my money for one amazing piece or at least one that is as unique as these beauties. Birdie by Ingo Maurer (I've been obsessed with this design as long as I can remember) Zettle'z by Ingo Maurer (Dave's favorite light of all time) Oh Mei Ma by Ingo Maurer (Can you tell we're big Ingo Maurer fans?) Dandelion lamps by Richard Hutten (Hello Mod!) 14 Series by Omer Arbel  (Ok, I think I found my new favorite) Bokka Lamps by Karim Rashid (Reminds me of the forest spirits from Princess Mononoke) Crystal Waters by Brand En Van Egmond (D-R-A-M-A-T-I-C!!!) Norm 69 by Simon Karkov (Affordable and a mod classic, but again, it looked cheap in person) So I guess the conclusion is I can list every single one of Unica Home's lights, or you can just go visit their website and save me the time.  You might not agree with some of them, but I'm sure you'll find at least one that will just blow your mind.  Just a warning, after seeing these masterpieces, it might be hard to come down to "regular" lights.  I know I will never be able to look at Home Depot Lighting section or LampPlus the same way again.

there’s no place like home… or an incredible hotel

since i'm not too tech-savy, i still have yet to figure out how to import my old xanga posts over to this wordpress blog.  so until then, from time to time, i will get a little lazy and post some of my favorite old posts from my xanga blog.

xanga post from 2.10.06

One thing that really gets me inspired are photos of hotels.  I can literally spent hours on the internet just looking and searching for hotels from all over the world.  Although most are so extravagant that it's quite difficult to achieve the same look with the limited budget and normal surburban houses, I still find referencing to their concepts of shapes and colors to be very insightful.  Hotel suites also provide great ideas for the bedroom, since most of the furnitures and layouts can be easily duplicated. 

The Ace Hotel (A practical, budget-friendly, yet modern hotel located in Seattle.  I can easily see these rooms as someone's apartment.)

The Standard (A true reflection of the LA style, FAB and glam!)

W Seoul Walkerhill (W hotels are known for their modern facilities, but I think this one tops them all.  Beautifully eccentric meets futuristic mod)

Hotel Sezz (A French hotel that is masculine, yet very sexy)

The Hempel (The Brits sure have some beatiful designs.  So clean, so simple, my ultimate inspiration)

If you see any cool hotels out there, send me the links!

do you deviantART?

if you're an artist or an art enthusiast or simply needs to be visually stimulated once in a while, then you should really join/visit deviantART.  this is the playground where photography meets anime meets digi-art meets drawings meets poetry meets flash movies meets….  well, you get the point.  and if you're sick of staring at the same old microsoft desktop or you're just in dire need of replacing the wallpaper you're currently displaying, which happens to be the photo of you and that asshole that dumped you, then this is the place to download some cool looking wallpapers.  and the best part is you can buy the prints in any sizes (even canvas print), which is a great way to decorate those empty walls and helping out starving artists.  i personally find deviantART to be one of my favorite sources of inspiration.

here are a few of my favorites:

liberated by misternow

singers by ciril

a day at the laundromat by imogene

jenny photoshoot 7 by roleychiu

eggplant by londownexpress

some names to pull out of your ass to fake like you know your mid-century designs

mid-century modern is the epiphany of both contemporary and classic.  although it has evolved through out the years, there are still a few names that will stick around forever.  here are a few iconic pieces designed by some names you should know because they pretty much defined the m-c modern genre.

eames la chaise by charles and ray eames

 

lc2 by le corbusier

barcelona chair by mies van der rohe

nelson bench by george nelson

panton chair by verner panton

today's homework:  go to the library or go on the internet and read about these designers.

shaken, not stirred

one of my favorite stores, west elm just a got a few new items in the sale section and they are looking very promising.  i usually don't drink at home, but i am just so in love with their entertaining/bar stuff, that i think i'm actually going to stock up on the wines just to match these cute accessories.

bar cabinet + hutch – clean and very roomy

platinum banded barware – you can monogram these for $5 extra

martini shaker + glasses – the glasses are a set of 4 for only $5.99!

overstocking is easy when there’s overstock.com

for a limited time, all furnitures on overstock is free shipping.  and even if you can't make up your mind by the end of tomorrow, shipping on ALL orders are only 3 bucks all the time.  the inventory is massive so it can get kind of mind-numbing trying to search through all the good deals, but boy, are the deals good.

asian dark mahogany accent table – clean lines with a dramatic shape.  this accent table brings enough ethic touches, yet still comes out fresh and minimal. $129.99

 

lexington avenue cream leather lounging chair - exuding the mid-century sex appeal, this baby looks like the love child of a barcelona and le corbusier, but at a fraction of the price $219.

green glass sink vanity set with mirror and faucet - this modern vanity is only $699.99 when originally $1,169!!

gnr8

i must introduce one of my favorite stores, gnr8. this store has 2 sections, one with light related products, and one is the home section.  their inventory is unique and reasonably priced and best of all, FREE SHIPPING! 

lit coffee table by sam & jude – i love these multi-function furnitures, it serves as a light AND a coffee table.  although this sleek table is at $2999, but when you think of it as a 2 for 1 deal, it's really not a bad deal.

moi wearable light by pixelpeppy – yes, it's a little rave-ish, but powered by a 3v led battery, this necklace/bracelet/hairpiece/etc. is a unique way to update any "ordinary" outfit. 

on/off switch by tobias wong – this wireless switch can control any lights within 100 ft.  it is true that there are cheaper versions of this out there, but with the lucite box, you are definitely paying for the beautiful aesthetic, and isn't that more important?

dna glowframe by dna 11 – literally personalize your art by lighting up your dna.  dave is going crazy over this light installation.