If Loving Coral is Wrong…

I think I remember Mayer Rus a/k/a the “Testy Tastemaker” of the former House and Garden magazine declaring that putting big pieces of coral in rooms was officially ‘out’ back in 2005 (although he granted a temporary reprieve for that issue which was full of coral as I recall). But I just can’t stop loving it. And I still see it around everywhere, so maybe it is a classic after all. I came across these coral cross stitch pieces after the Etsy Shop Chez Sucre Chez was profiled on Decor8. I generally spend hours staring at Etsy until my eyeballs bleed without actually buying anything, but I might have to bite the bullet for these. I love the juxtaposition of the homespun cross stitch with the graphic image of the coral. Perfect for a room with traditional bones that could use something fun and modern. Or a stark contemporary room that could use something soft. These pieces kind of come and go at various prices (this is Etsy gang) but there is a little one available right now for $10.00.

Dining Tables that Work

For those of you city dwellers who find your condos to be a bit short on space, you know that its important for some rooms to pull double duty.  If you’re fortunate enough to have a formal dining room that space can also make a great office.  Seriously, how many formal dinners are you planning?  If you’re planning to have your dining room table do double duty as a desk you’ll want to consider the extra wear and tear that the table top will endure.  So, I’ve gone on a search for tables that I think are up to the task.

First up, and my personal favorite were I to live in a world where money grows on trees, if the Saarinen Dining Table from Design Within Reach available for the guaranteed to make you sick to your stomach price of $6,225.  I adore this table.  Everything about it (other than the price) is perfect for our new condo.  The marble top makes for a much more durable work surface than wood and the marble is coated to protect against wine spills.  Room and Board has a version of this table built to the same specs but not made in the same factory for the low low price of $3,499.  Modern Dose also has an unlicensed version of this table for $1,895. Continue reading »

A Bundle of Joy at Target

Dwell Studio’s line of nursery bedding, layette, and most importantly furniture, has finally arrived at Target! As a mom who appreciates the clean lines of the baby furniture in the oeuvre of Netto Collection and Oeuf but would never dream of paying anything close to $900 for something so transient as a crib, this is a welcome addition. It is a little too late for me, but if you are expecting you should definitely check this out because trust me you won’t find anything remotely similar for these prices.

This post is also to introduce our new grading system! You might be familiar with it, it ranges from F (failure) to A (excellent). Grades will be assigned only to landmark cheap chic/mass retailer-meets-designer retail lines, and Dwell Studio for Target definitely qualifies:

For grades from each of us, Continue reading »

Lipcolor that Lasts

I don’t typically buy my lipstick at the drugstore. Not that I buy fancy lipstick, I just typically find that I prefer the colors available from those department store makeup companies. However, I have recently been converted. Over the holidays, Santa put a tube of L’Oreal Infallible LipColour in my stocking. I remember the horrific stayput lipcolors of the 90s and so it was with much apprehension that I tried my new lipcolo(u)r. I am happy to report that since that day not a soul has seen me sans lipcolor. The folks over at L’oreal are not kidding, this stuff really stays put and also doesn’t have the terrible dry lip feeling of similar products from the 90s. It comes in a space age looking compact which almost everyone mistakes for a tiny cell phone. First, you apply the lipcolor. Then, after the color has had a few minutes to dry, there is a gloss you can put on top.

I’m also dying to try L’Oreal’s Endless Kissable Shinewear. Unfortunately, my drugstore doesn’t seem to be stocking it yet.

Bamboo Campaign Furniture

This table and stools set from Source Perrier may seem a little expensive at $785, but consider you get the table and FOUR folding stools. If that doesn’t convince you check out the bamboo carving! All five pieces fold for storage, although I think they look finished enough to leave out. Best of all the table top can be flipped over to be a rimmed tray! The folks at Source Perrier seem to think this set is for picnicing and tailgating, which makes me think I may be attending the wrong tailgates.

The table could be a foyer table with the tray side up. The stools can be used as extra occasional seating, or lined up as a bench at the foot of your bed.

Of course you could also set all the pieces up on your lawn for a pear picnic next to your covered wagon, as shown.

In Search of the Perfect Little Black Dress

Every girl has to have a few go to pieces for dressy occasions.  I have the perfect formal gown that I’ve owned for 8 years and have probably worn over 25 times.  I have a black sequin mini dress for festive but not quite formal occasions.  But what I seem to be missing is the perfect go to cocktail dress.  So I’ve started my quest for the perfect LBD.  I want something tht I can wear for years to come so I’m willing to spend a little bit more to get what I want.  Here are some options:

This dress is by Diane von Furstenberg and is available at Saks.  I love the cut and the fact that it has pockets.  I do wonder if a few years down the road my legs will be a bit too old for a skirt that short though.  The neckline may also be too plungy for certain functions.  Continue reading »

Good News and Bad News

We recently learned that Isaac Mizrahi is leaving Target to become the creative director of Liz Claiborne. His last collection for Target will be fall 2008, and the first Liz Claiborne line under his direction will be Spring 2009 (that means this spring and next winter to you and me). Very sad- I have always made time to poke through the Isaac section during all of my many, many trips to Target, despite the fact that it is always hopelessly picked over and understocked, which is a different issue. On the other hand I also have fond memories of parading around in my prized Liz Claiborne outfits circa 1991 and I would be happy to see that brand lose the frumpy mom image (love you mum!) it has acquired over the last several years. I hope the first thing Isaac does is get rid of items like “carefree elastic waist walking shorts,” which seem to be appropriate only for those who are free from care about the way they look.

Oh and the lovely dress above is on clearance at Target (of course) for $35!!

CityMouse and I have taken it upon ourselves to come up with a list of appropriate replacements for Isaac (what, is that weird?) Continue reading »

Low(er) Cost Lighting

The future Mr. CityMouse and I recently signed a purchase and sale agreement for a new condo downtown.  This new condo won’t be completed until 2009, which leaves me with loads of time to obsess over every element of the decor.  Our living room will have an 18 foot ceiling, so I’ve been putting a lot of thought into how one goes about lighting a room that size.  We want to make sure the ceiling area is lit so that it doesn’t have a cave-like feel but we also want to make sure that an adequate amount of light makes it down to us.   The way I see it we’re going to have to do some recessed lighting at the ceiling level and then we have two options for getting light down to ground level (i) buy a super expensive hanging light that will drop down 8 feet and light the part of the room we actually use or (ii) buy a lamp.  As a budget conscious girl I’m leaning towards the lamp option.  I have long been a huge fan of the Arco Floor Lamp available at Design Within Reach. 

At $2,448 it would certainly cost less than a hanging fixture and I haven’t even factored in the cost of having an electrician install the hanging fixture!  Best of all, if and when we decide to move again we could take it with us.  Unfortunately, the future Mr. CityMouse seems a little less wowed by this lamp than I am and so to convince him we “need” it I have gone in search of a more affordably priced version.  Modern Dose has a similar lamp for only $599. 

The Modern Dose version is SOOOO similar that it even has the same reflection coming off of the lamp shade.  Now if that isn’t close, I don’t know what is!  I think I’ll save the $2,000 and go with the Modern Dose version.  Let’s hope the future Mr. CityMouse agrees.

Olive Oil Swabs

These cotton swabs come individually wrapped and pre-saturated with DHC’s famous olive oil, which is organic, weirdly scent free and non-pore clogging. You can carry them in your purse and use them to remove makeup spots, moisturize cuticles, and clean almost anything, including your baby (I find they are a nice gentle way to clean little nostrils that are irritated from too many tissues). I have even swabbed them around my eyes when I am out of eye cream. They cost 4$ for a box of fifty. Oh and when you order anything from DHC you get to pick a bunch of free samples!

Baubles on a Budget

You don’t have to spend a lot on clothes if you have the right accessories.  A colorful necklace can make your all black winter wardobe look fresh year round.  So I went on a search for a few reasonably prices necklaces that I thought could really transform an outfit.  First up, is this one from J.Crew. 

This could really liven up a little black dress but would also look great with a white button down or t-shirt and jeans.  It’s $150, so some of you might feel that you’d actually be better off spending that amount on clothing.  After all, the point of this post was that accessories can be a low cost way to freshen up your wardrobe.  Here’s another great option from Banana Republic that’s only $58:

The BR version gives you all the drama at a fraction of the price.  For what its worth I have a slight preference for the J.Crew version because its a bit more orange than red (also available in several other colors) and has two different shades of baubles, but at the end of the day I think I’ll end up going with the BR necklace because its more budget friendly.