A Peek Inside Emma Cassi's Studio

I've written about my love of Emma Cassi's styling and jewelry before, so I'm so thrilled that Anthropologie has decided to carry some of her pieces in stores. Anthro was also kind enough to share a peek inside her studio with their Facebook fans. So gorgeous.

Inspiration 5.16

Via La Dolce Vita

Inspiration 7.15

Ok, I admit, not too many actionable takeaways from this photo. (Free-standing clothes rack? Ornate mirror on the floor?), but this is basically my idea of glamour.

From Manon Gignoux's super-secret studio.

Inspiration 6.17

via La Dolce Vita Blog

House Tour: 500 Square Feet of Breathing Space

A lot of you have probably heard me whine about how restricted I feel living in a 500 sq foot apartment. But then I see something like this gorgeous Swedish apartment (which is the exact same size) and realize that maybe the only thing limiting me is my imagination.

I love how the whitewashed walls and floors completely open the space and give each room a sense of continuity. The sleek papered dividing wall between the living room and bedroom is another master touch, and don't get me started on how much I adore the shiny pop from the black lacquered cabinets in the kitchen.

Personally, I love "stuff" way too much to ever live in such a disciplined little nest, but there are plenty ideas worth stealing here, no matter your taste or your square footage.

H/T Residents Understood Design via Desire to Inspire

Inspiration 4.27

Another fabulous artist's studio + that jewel-like, inky blue...love.

via Table Tonic

Life with Props

I have a feeling if you read this blog, you're the type of person whose future dreams include very specific architectural preferences and furniture purchases (build a sleeping porch, install herringbone floors, own a louis ghost chair) listed alongside "normal" people dreams like "live abroad for a year" or "learn French" or "write a novel.

I've noticed this about myself last week when I began writing a list of things I want to do in life (inspired by this post at Tulips and Tea). About a third of the things in my list were related to my future home, and I had an inkling this probably wasn't the intended result.

But the more I thought about it, I began to understand that I approach life visually. When I picture how I want things to be 20 years from now, I can't imagine it without the accompanying "props." So when I say I dream of having a home with a sleeping porch, it's not really the porch I want. It's a prop for the kind of family life that includes telling ghost stories to my future kids under a warm blanket with a flashlight while crickets chirp outside. That one list item (owning a home with a sleeping porch) captures more of what I want out of life than 30 less visual list items would.

Another item on my list was to have a studio where I could tackle all of my projects, but I think what I was really getting at was the need for time and a space where I could think creatively and freely. I think that is exactly what drew me to these images of painter's studios and supplies. Yes, they are colorful and chaotic, but the true beauty is the thinking that happens in the room when it's just one person and their paintbrushes, a blank canvas and an idea.

Images 1. and 2. Tim Evan Cook 3. and 6. Design Sponge 4. Unknown Source 5. and 7. Flickr 8. Gatekeeper