Scenes from the Weekend

Although San Francisco has a reputation for being notoriously foggy, I have been tremendously lucky in the sunshine department since moving to the city. I do live in an especially sunny part of town, but this weekend was exceptionally warm and amazing across the entire city, I even have a sunburn to prove it. I spent the weekend exploring neighborhood stores and flower shops for inspiration, enjoying the sunshine at a rooftop launch party and sharing good food and fun adventures with my mom who came to visit me this weekend. Of course there's never enough time to squeeze in every magazine and restaurant on my list, but there's nothing like a fun-filled weekend to feel refreshed and motived come Monday.

{springtime tulips that I picked up from Bloomers in Pacific Heights}

{fresh flowers are my favorite way to brighten up any space}

{Saturday morning sunshine accompanied by croissants from the newest addition to my neighborhood, b. patisserie}

{rooftop views at a company launch party}

{trying to catch up on some necessary reading materials}

Just a Few of My Favorite Things: Spring

Happy Wednesday! Just a quick post to say hello and share a few of the little things that are making me happy this week. 

1. Pastel denim is officially on repeat.

2. Petty flowers I picked up at the market to bring some color to my apartment.

3. A "love" necklace that I found at Urban Outfitters last week for just $12. 

Home Sweet Home

Our home doesn't have an official living room space, so my roommate and I got creative and worked with what we had to create a mini common area in our foyer. With a cozy bench and some handmade chevron print pillows that I found on Etsy, we turned our hallway into a space that can be used as a gathering place when we have guests come by. We added a tray to our coffee table which provides a stylish place to organize pretty books and candles. I look forward to adding to our growing collection of coffee table books. The garland (also from Etsy) is probably our favorite addition, it's the type of thing we can only get away with having in an all-girl household. The soft colors and the hint of sparkle add just the right amount of brightness to our neutrally colored space. I also added a few finishing touches to my bedroom, my favorite being the fuzzy white pillow on my bed.

On another note, I'm loving the extra hour of sunshine this week, it truly makes all the difference!

{bedding: Pottery Barn // sheets: Target // bench: Marshall's}

Currently Loving: Stylish Living

I love shopping for clothes, but lately the thing I'm most excited to shop for is home decor. Maybe this means I'm getting old, but anything design related just gets me excited. The thought of spending a day at a unique San Francisco design shop or the three-story Crate & Barrel on Union Square sounds like heaven to me. 

I always love browsing the pages of interior design magazines, and have been especially loving Rue—a local San Francisco-based digital magazine. I enjoy reading the magazine on my iPad, which allows me to click on products I might be interested in purchasing. Another recent discovery of mine is a small neighborhood boutique called Timeless Treasures. Only a few blocks from my apartment, this vintage shop has an amazing variety of one-of-a-kind pieces, most of which originated in France. It's a shabby chic Parisian heaven.

Here are a few small touches that when added to your space can make such a difference. 

Something sparkly: I'm loving these tissue paper tassel garlands. They make a fun DIY or can be purchased for a pretty penny here or for much less here. 

Chalk art: I just purchased a great chalkboard for my kitchen from Marshall's. I love the chalkboard trend, it's such a fun way to write down a grocery list or a note for someone else.

Something cozy: As last seen here, one of my favorite design trends at the moment is faux fur. I would just love to add this pillow to my bed. So cozy!

Coffee table organization: I've long admired pretty coffee tables stacked high with fashion books and silver trays filled with candles and other pretty details. I just purchased this West Elm tray for my mini coffee table. 

Inspirational pages: I love having stacks of Vogue (or other fashion + decor magazines) around for a good read or a quick fix of inspiration. 

Pop of color: There really is nothing better than fresh flowers. 

Minimal clutter: There's hardly anything I hate more than clutter. I love baskets such as this wire one, for storing rolled towels in the bathroom, cleaning supplies in the kitchen or magazines in the living room, for a clutter-free environment. 

Playing with pattern: I usually gravitate toward a solid color over patterns, but lately I've been loving stripes, especially in this chevron print. 

Happy decorating!

Simple Steps to Stylish Living

I love home decor and can spend hours pouring over design magazines or browsing shops for new inspiration. Some of my favorites include Restoration Hardware, Anthropologie, West Elm and thrift stores. Although they all have amazing home adornments, the price tag doesn't always match my budget. Craigslist, Marshall's and Home Goods are also great options for a more affordable price. But there are many touches here and there that you can add to a home that don't end up costing you your whole paycheck. Here are a few inexpensive ways I've added personal style to my home.

{Instagram prints hung from twine with clothespins} 

{rustic metal letters from Anthropologie, $4 thrift store shelf}

{my cork collection displayed in a large glass vase - a cork board is my next project}

{Anthropologie also has great hardware for door knobs and drawers that quickly add style to a simple design}

{colorful knobs that I added to a plain white kitchen cabinet}

{mirrors add depth to any space}

{I finally got a (faux) fur rug that I've been admiring for some time - it makes my place extra cozy}

Hello 2013!

{my view at the moment}

This year is all about the new, the unknown and endless possibilities. I had a wonderful holiday season with lots of time off spent with wonderful people. It's hard sometimes to get back into a daily rhythm after having time off. That's why making time for the things that make you really happy is essential to do, especially at the beginning of a new year. This year, instead of the usual "go to the gym everyday" resolutions, I'm focusing on things that are realistic and make me the happiest, like writing on my blog more often and trying new ways to decorate and be creative (like my simple space above). What're some of your resolutions?

Cheers to a new year!

Interior Details

I've been loving interior design ideas lately, and have been especially inspired by simple whites, soft grays, subtle silver and salvaged wood. I love the simplicity of all of these elements with the feminine touch of something silver, and perhaps a pink peony or two. It's so important for your living space to be a place of inspiration and happiness, and that's exactly what I feel when looking at these images. 

{one / two / three / four}

The Little Things

This week the littlest details are making me the happiest. I feel that a clean home, a fresh bouquet of flowers, a yummy candle and some sunshine, are the things that at the end of the day, make me feel at home. So I thought I'd share a few of the small details I've added here and there that make me happy. 

{a new center piece for our table that I found at Urban Outfitters}

{something sparkly that I picked up at Forever 21 while visiting my mom last week}

{lots of candles to make my room smell nice, Voluspa are some of my favorite}

{instead of using an artificial smelling bathroom freshener, I used a gardenia candle for a nice aroma}

{my flourishing succulent garden a.k.a. the only happy plants in my yard}

Rainy Day Delights

Since the weather this week doesn't plan on showing even one ray of sunshine, here are some things making my days a little brighter. 

I used to dread rainy days because there's nothing worse than wet feet when you have to run around all day, but ever since I've had my Hunter boots (thanks to a lovely Christmas gift I didn't know I needed from my boyfriend) I gleefully run through the puddles, and actually enjoy an occasional rainy day, just so I can wear red boots.

{bright colors on a dark day}

{a very cozy looking bed that I wish I could just stay in all day long}

{coconut white tea from Verve to stay warm}

images via Flickr and Anthropologie

{A few of my favorite things: candles, glassware, books & magazines.}

On a recent trip to Anthropologie with my mom, I couldn't help but to get so inspired by everything. I absolutely love the home decor items and inspirational books. I want to fill my living room coffee table with stacks of these books for endless ideas. While many items are on the expensive side, kitchen and other home items can be found at a totally reasonable price. I of course love the fun, unique clothing, especially the new spring items. Anthology Magazine, which can be found also at the store, is a wonderful new San Francisco-based publication, offering great home and lifestyle insights. These are a few of my top Anthro favorites:

1. Soda-Lime Tumbler - $8

2. Tucked Tiered Skirt - $68

3. Ranunculus Swirl Shade - $98

4. Capri Blue Mercury Glass Jar Candle - $28

5. Anthology Magazine - $12

6. Simpatico Hobnail Candle - $28

The Simple Life

{images via design love fest, this-is-glamorous, because i'm addicted and collaged by me}

Just after the New Year, I decided to put one of my long overdue goals into action: to simplify. To let go of the old, and allow more space for the new. Lately I've found that excess clutter, and nonessential "things" have been making my life feel unneccisarily chaotic. It's not that I have an exuberant amount of stuff to begin with, but it's amazing what you can accumulate so easily over the years.

My closet is now five bags of clothing lighter, and after much organization, might just maybe win Carrie Bradshaw's approval (of course size could never compare!). 

There's something so refreshing about saying goodbye to unused pieces of clothing, and de-cluttering your space. The space that you live in says so much about you. That's why I'm trying to make mine as simple and chic as possible. It's also wonderful to sell gently used clothing or donate it to someone who needs it more. 

Let There Be Light

There's something so magical about glowing lights. Especially at home. They just add so much warmth to any space. I have some lantern lights in my room that add a beachy glow that I love, but recently I've been wanting to experiment and get creative with white Christmas lights (but not actually for Christmas -- all year round!)

Through all my pinning and tumbling I realized I've accumulated quite a few inspirations for this project. These are a few lovely images I've stumbled across in the past few months. Time to get some fun, crafty projects in the works for these cold wintery days! 

{via apartment therapy - DIY instructions included!}

{via tumblr -- I think this is my favorite!}

{via poppy talk handmade}

{via wishes and memories}

{via my shabby dreamside studio}

xo,

Sera