apartment sneak peak

I've decided to share some sneak peaks of my new Chicago apartment today! 

I say sneak peaks because these are iPhone photos I took last night, so they are:

a. SUPER low quality

b. not artsy

c. a photographers nightmare

But hopefully you still like them anyways. I'm hoping to have someone with camera skillz come take better shots soon. 

In the meantime...

bottom of console table

one of my coffee table cubes - find them here.

sunburst (or mama monster as I call her) here.

Trina Turk Greek Key rug - here.

who says you can't style a radiator?

bookshelf styling 

my fave new Jonathan Adler pillows from Alex (perk of being friends with an interior designer).

Similar style here.

Hopefully your first reaction wasn't, "can someone please tell her how to take a photo?!" but if it was and you live in the Chicago area - I'll happily accept lessons. 

apartment help: something green/floral/alive?

While I was back home in Chicago, I was able to see the wonderful Danielle, and I fell in love with her apartment. Seriously. It is so cozy and welcoming, and her pup is beyond precious. She recently remodeled her entryway, and she had one item that had me drooling.

What you ask?

Tree branches.

Yes, tree branches. She had a tall cylinder glass with even taller brown tree branches in various sizes. Why was I drooling? Because I've desperately been trying to find something "living" to put in my apartment. I have a serious aversion to ugly office type green plants that look generic and unwelcoming. 

Gross.

I try and buy flowers at least once every two weeks, and put them in my bedroom, and on my coffee table. Like so...

However, I want something that is more low maintenance, like Danielle's branches. 

This is where I need your help. Any recommendations on how to add a living element to my NYC apartment? Here is some current inspiration. 

Branches Inspiration

Flower inspiration -- because they do look so pretty.

 

Fake flowers? Not completely sold on the idea yet. Any recommendations for how to use them?

I think for now I'm hung up on incorporating branches into my place...somewhere. 

Also, don't forget to enter my Heartfish Press giveaway -- winner will be announced Friday! 

apartment love: my new chair

Ever since Society Social launched, I've been in love. This love affair runs deep, and I have to hold back from buying everything. Seriously. 

I saw this picture in their Manifesto and nearly had to gasp for air. The rug? The chair? the PILLOW?! Omgee. I die.

As soon as Roxy, the genius behind this company, released the #livesparkly pillows - I had to have one. Right now it lives on my couch...but I couldn't help but feel that it was lonely and desperately missing the Marilyn Chair. 

When I moved into my NYC apartment, I knew I wanted to replace my Ikea armchair. It somehow surived, barely, three college years, and it is on its last leg. Since #livesparkly needed a friend, I knew it had to be Marilyn.

So, after much deliberation, and endless web searching for a chair that even started to live up to the Marilyn, I bought it. AH!

I got a phone call today that it will be arriving Monday and I cannot contain my excitement. It is going to be perfect. Since I don't have a picture of it in my apartment, yet, I thought I'd tease you all with a little image of the colors I chose...are you ready...? 

I know it's small, but I can't give ALL my secrets away. 

Check back next week for a full picture when Marilyn and #livesparkly are reunited. 

apartment help: wall art

If you live in NYC, there is a large chance that your walls are all white, and you have some super complicated lease that bans you from changing them.

Blah blah blah.

Okay, I'm over it. Sort of. I just moved here in May, and I'm still decorating my place. It's an on-going process, and thanks to Alex over at Things That Sparkle, my place is almost finished (she's a genius, seriously).

The one thing that I haven't finalized is a piece of art to go over my stark white TV wall. Below are some of my most recent pins, and I'm obsessed with them all - if not for my TV wall, then for somewhere else. I mean, can you look at these and not drool?! *Swoon*.

Which are your favorite?

Option 1.

Source: styleswoon.com via Julia on Pinterest

Option 2.

Source: plentyofcolour.com via Julia on Pinterest

Option 3.

Source: etsy.com via Julia on Pinterest

Option 4.

Source: arthound.net via Julia on Pinterest

Option 5. (unknown -- help me find it?!)

Source: Uploaded by user via Julia on Pinterest

Option 6.

Source: showandtellgallery.com via Julia on Pinterest