Multipurpose items: A vanity at a glance

Confession: the tabletop on which these items are pictured is not, technically, a vanity. It’s actually a writing desk that I’ve sort of reshaped into a general nesting area for jewelry, perfume, and small photos and things of that nature. As you can see, I've grouped similar items together. For instance, earrings delicately hang from the top of a silver jewelry tree (see top photo), while rings sit in the tray below; a mirror becomes an excellent hanger for larger, more dangly earrings(see below).

Watches and a gold-linked bracelet lay atop a Jonathan Adler soap dish (re-imagining different uses for items increases their functionality, so I've learned).

Long necklaces are laid out flat so as to prevent entanglement (unsnarling a knot of necklaces is not how I like to spend my free time...been there, done that).

Perfume bottles huddle together in solidarity (see first photo). Below, sample perfume vials--it's an obsession--are stored inside the packaging of an old perfume and is separated into two scent categories: spring/summer and fall/winter.

Making a home with books

To say I'm a bibliophile is something of an understatement. My devotion to books is no secret--I've extolled the virtues of reading many a time here on this blog--so it’s no surprise that I look to books to help make my living space more cozy and homey.

When it comes to organizing a bookshelf, it’s important to keep in mind its purpose. For a more stylized look, you can try organizing books by color (spines of pink, red, orange, for example) or flipping the books around so that the pages face the room,

which creates a more uniform effect. If you’re a serious reader like I am and are constantly reaching for books, a more functional approach would be to simply organize by author or topic. Personally, I like to group my books into genres (or by publisher if it’s a niche house) for easy retrieval and reference. For example, I've grouped my Jane Austens together, and then further organized by publisher (I might, ahem, have more than one copy of Pride and Prejudice...don’t judge me).

Books by UK publisher Persephone (which reprints forgotten classics by 20th century women writers) are tidily stacked in front of a row of books by or about author Virginia Woolf. It's also important to keep some space on the shelves for future acquisitions (something I grapple with, but am getting better at doing). Purging shelves of books you don't see yourself re-reading or that no longer speak to you removes the clutter, both physical and mental.

Incorporating beloved knickknacks—especially if they are of a bookish nature—adds a bit of personal flair (see first picture above). No other creature is so synonymous with books and learning quite like the owl. In this photo, a bespectacled owl perches comfortably with a book.

Extending beyond the bookshelf, these postcards by Penguin feature vintage 20th century book covers, and when framed, make a charming visual display.

These night-themed book covers below are particularly appropriate for a bedroom and certainly play a part in conjuring a restful night's sleep.

New Beginnings

Happy New Year! I hope whoever reads this has had a pleasant, restful holiday season (I think it's still possible in this day and age). After a season of Christmas caroling and gift opening and hot cocoa swilling and general holiday merriment, it's always disillusioning to get back to the day-to-day grind. Especially amid all this talk of resolutions and deprivation and reality setting in. January can be such a sobering (read: boring) time of year. Or is it? This year, I prefer to think of January as an opportunity to begin something entirely new and exciting, where opportunities are sought and changes for the better are made. Already, T and I have landed a brand-spanking new apartment that has drastically improved the quality of life for us. A little context: I've recently had THE most stressful, negative apartment hunting/negotiating experience of my life that has made my December a living hell. That horrendous apartment situation I speak of ended up not working out for us, and for that I am eternally grateful because it enabled us to find a much better place that is more suited to the two of us. Our new apartment already feels more like home than the previous one ever did (yep, we're already moved in!). So, things are already looking up in 2011.

And what is a new year without a new 'do? I got the chop and am now sporting a swingy and light-as-air bob that I'm still getting used to, but really love (pictures to come).

New year, new apartment, new hair, new decade (not until August...eeek!), and next up: new job. I can feel it! 2011 is going to be a superb year. Hope yours is getting off to fantastic start, as well. x

{Image of Janus, the two-faced Roman god of gates, doorways, and new beginnings, is shown looking both back at the past and into the future. The photo is from here}

Antica Farmacista: Old World Charm

I think it's important to surround yourself with beautiful things, and a lovely, cozy scent for the home, one that envelops you like a warm embrace as soon as you walk into the door, beckoning you into the quiet, peaceful refuge that is home, is no exception.

Inspired by the sea breeze of the Mediterranean and the lush gardens of Tuscany, Antica Farmacista creates gorgeously-designed scents ranging from super romantic florals to sharp green notes to warm, woodsy spices. I love Santorini (think crisp and green, with a spicy masculine edge) and Magnolia, Orchid & Mimosa (sweet and delicate white florals). In celebration of my new apartment, I went out on a limb and chose a scent I hadn't used before: the marine-and-citrus-infused Aria, which I find to be the perfect fresh scent to wake up to every morning. I imagine it's what sleeping next to an open bedroom window looking out onto the sparkling Mediterranean--otherwise, heaven--would be like. What I also like about this line, apart from the myriad havenly smells to choose from, is that the fragrances come in the form of reed diffusers, which I'm becoming increasingly more attached to, rather than, say, candles. With the former, you don't have to A. worry about your house burning down and B. can enjoy the lingering scent of your choice for several months at a time.

Antica Farmacista is also available on the Nordstrom website.

Movin' On Up

Good news: I am moving to a bigger and more charming apartment that I can actually invite people into (before I lived in a light-filled, but tiny, studio). And it's in the same leafy Santa Monica neighborhood that I love: I can walk to restaurants, coffee shops, yoga, and the Aero Theatre which shows fantastic classic films. Pictures to come!

Bad news: I am currently in the midst of moving hell. I keep telling myself that I am getting a workout moving all these boxes. It's my sole consolation at this point. Talk to me in a few days when I am more settled in.