Painted Bookshelves

There are few things I love more than a great set of bookshelves... unless the interior of said bookshelves has been painted in some gorgeous color. Here's what I mean: 

I love how the blue of these shelves' interior (via domino, pinned here) is a few shades darker than the wall color (also seriously loving that hide rug). 

This red! I like how the rest of the room is pretty low key so the red insides can really make a statement (via Architectural Digest by Steven Volpe, pinned here), but other red accents throughout the room (pillows, dress in photograph) tie it all together. 

Here's a simple favorite (by Steven Gambrel and pinned here from this blog). Such a beautiful shade of blue for the shelves' backs, and the leather chest is a beautiful complement. And those antique horses! Amazing.

This post from Crane Concept (pinned here) walks through how to DIY these built-ins. The black paint here makes the shelves look like they go on to infinity (and beyond)--a great optical illusion. (The rug is killer, too... see this post for where to find an affordable option for yourself!)

This idea is also really effective and gorgeous in stand-alone shelves. Antony Todd, a wonderful space on 11th and University, has these amazing shelves that I drool over every time: 

This beautiful display cabinet was for sale on Viyet-- it has since sold, sadly, but inspirational all the same! DIY, anyone??

And then, of course, there's the wallpaper-backed route. I'm particularly obsessed with the island vibe in this image (via PS I Made This with a video outlining the process here):

This wallpaper is always a favorite, especially when it's tucked in somewhere unexpectedly, like here (via Apartment Therapy and pinned here):

Here's that tropical vibe again... loving it (via Cup of Jo and pinned here):

This can be a great DIY, too! In high school, my dear mother and I actually "wallpapered" the back of my built-in bookshelves with wrapping paper... but that's another story for another day :)

Have you ever  painted the backs of your shelves? Have you seen any especially beautiful examples of someone who has? Let me know in the comments below!

Going Dutch

If there were ever a "summer door," I think it's the Dutch door (as shown in a previous post here). These doors can open as a regular door does, or just the top half can swing open to let in fresh air and sunshine, keeping animals out and children in. I was daydreaming about this marvelous idea and came across this how-to from HGTV for making one of your own!

I don't have a suitable door in my little apartment to turn into a Dutch door... maybe one day, but until then I have plenty of time to find beautiful inspiration!

Jenny Komenda at Little Green Notebook first introduced me to Dutch doors with this post when she was living in Brussels. So dreamy!

How beautiful is this pair of double Dutch glossy blacks? (via the great Thomas O'Brien)

This sunshine yellow just screams happiness (via Brittany Ambridge): 

This white option proves simplicity never goes out of style (and neither does that hat stand!): 

On the opposite side of the spectrum, we have this terrific high gloss, multi-color number from Miles Redd (via AD):

I think this shot is just lovely:

And I will leave you with this. Mooooooo

Happy Friday!

How To: Host a Clothes Swap

I've been meaning to post this for ages! I hosted a clothing swap earlier this year and it was so great (if I must say so myself)--and so simple! In the middle of winter when all is bleak and drizzly, a little closet clean-out and friendly camaraderie fit the bill nicely--and now that summer is upon us, another closet purging might be in order again.

I sent the word out to my girls in the city:

I went to another clothing swap soon after I moved here, put on by a woman in the city who has been doing them for years. She lives in a big, beautiful Tribeca loft and had tables and racks set up for all of the piles of clothes, as well as a coat check (smart!). She converted her bedroom into a dressing room and all snacks stayed in the kitchen.

A (blurry) action shot

I modeled my clothing swap after that one: a few tweaks, but mostly the same. Here are some shots of the set up before people arrived...

I put all accessories together (with shopping bags to "shop"):

And organized clothes by category on my (cleared-off) dresser and bed:

(And I made a drinks and snacks station over in the back corner to keep the kitchen from bottlenecking!)

A few of the girls looking through the goods!

At the end, we bagged up the leftovers and donated them to charity. An easy way to force yourself to clean out the closets!

Have you ever thrown a clothes swap? Let me hear about it in the comments below!

Black and White Stripes

I must begin by saying that The Spoonful turned ONE over the weekend! Can you believe it?! Thank you, thank you, thank you to all of you who have read this page, given suggestions, shared posts on social media, and mentioned it in person--I'm so grateful and looking forward to many more years. Without further ado..

How wonderful is this photo (pinned here) of Audrey (my idol) on the most gorgeous settee?

Black and white stripes are the epitome of classic and I adore them. Here's a round up of some favorite moments where they particularly shone:

Liza Laserow via 1st Dibs (and pinned here):

August Black's big cushions are terrific (pinned here):

How about this pair of striped sofas (pinned here), face to face, from French blogger Flodeau?

Nick Olsen painted these stripes on roller shades in his NYC apartment (pinned here). Obviously I'm obsessed. (Also obsessed with the stacked books as bedsides and with the entire apartment in general.)

And for the win... these painted walls (pinned here) via Domino. So. Good.

Is there a topic you'd like covered on The Spoonful? Share it in the comments below!

Inspiration: Fresh White

I'm loving this fresh snapshot from Domino (where else):

Because the furniture is all pure white and the color comes from accessories, it's easy to create what looks to be a whole new space by just swapping out the books and pillows. 

To recreate the look, start with the white furniture. I like how slender the side table is above; here's a similar one from Wayfair (I would also spray paint--glossy pure white--a table if I found a good style in the wrong color!):

The sofa's straight lines keep the crazy pillows from getting too... crazy. Here's a goodie from abc home :

And here's a budget-friendly version from Ikea (with slipcover). A little white paint on those legs is all you need--or check out PrettyPegs for alternative furniture legs made for Ikea goods (why didn't I think of that??).

I've always loved this white coffee table from Hay (sold by abc home):

And the obligatory sheepskin OF COURSE:

A mounted wall light for reading (this one is from Restoration Hardware):

And now for the color! I think that huge Asian fan is a wonderful thing--and I think the black aspects of it (in the original photo above) really work to pull together the many black accents in the pillows, light, even from the books. Here's a vintage one I found on etsy:

The leopard pillow looks to be a classic Brunschwig et Fils pattern (here), but here's a less pricey option:

... cherry red pillow from Target:

... and a black throw pillow from Overstock:

... add one of these catch-alls from Michele Varian:

... grab a few succulents from Homecoming (the coolest coffee shop/florist in Brooklyn) or at the local hardware store:

... and, finally, load on the coffee table books. Need help deciding? MyDomaine, One Kings Lane, and Remodelista are here for you :)

Voila!

Do you have a room you'd like to see broken down on The Spoonful? Let me know in the comments below!

Tub Trays

How great is this bathtub setup (via Remodelista and pinned here)?!

That wood plank across the tub makes me so very happy. Here's another one (via Hearth; I blogged about this bathroom here!): 

These curved edges on this tray (via La Maison Douce) are especially beautiful (and perhaps more forgiving if bumped into!):

I was just in one of my favorite spots in Brooklyn Heights, Collyer's Mansion, and saw this great tub bar. I love its simplicity: 

Of course, I also think this would be a terrific DIY opportunity. My girl Martha writes about it here. 

Not too tough, right? And so totally chic. Now I just need a claw foot tub!

Have you tried this DIY? Do you have a DIY you'd like to see featured on The Spoonful? Let me know in the comments below!

Snuggle-y Bedroom

Schoolhouse Electric (amazing lighting--and more--shop in TriBeCa) posted this photo on instagram a while ago, and I came across it this weekend while going through old photos. How comfy?!

Want to recreate this cozy space for yourself? Read on...

Maps are one of my favorite things--probably because I was forever traveling as a child (I even covered my desk in maps! See that post here.) Etsy has a plethora of vintage pull-down maps like the one in the photo above:

Love this amazing pendant from Schoolhouse Electric:

Check out Schoolhouse Electric's bedding, too, because it's pretty great:

Here are similar lamps from Crate & Barrel:

And bedside tables from Ikea!!

Finish off the space with this big ole sheepskin rug:

And then you'll be ready to crawl right back in bed!

Have you seen a room you'd like to see recreated and featured on The Spoonful? Let me know in the comments below!

Things I Love: Canopy Beds

Wouldn't you feel like a modern day princess in this room, sleeping on this bed (via Elle Decor and pinned here)?

This shot from Lonny Mag is also magnificent (pinned here):

The great thing about a dark canopy like this is that it doesn't have to feel princess-y! Check out this gypsy-esque rendition (pinned here):

Dying for your own? Anthropologie has a gorgeous version here:

Do you have a piece you'd like to see on The Spoonful? Let me know in the comments below!

DIY I'd Like to Try: Dyeing Sheepskins

The one thing that might be better than a sheepskin is a dyed sheepskin. Justina Blakeney (pinned here):

Society of Wanderers (great name! pinned here):

Jenna Lyons's office via Little Green Notebook (pinned here):

Jenny Komenda's office (pinned here):

Jenny at Little Green Notebook wrote up a terrific step-by-step tutorial on how to dye sheepskins using Rit dye here, and it doesn't look too hard! (Jenny also makes everything look easy so...)

And then, of course, the options open up for other DIYs, like turning the sheepskin into pillows (via Elements of Style, pinned here):

Or even upholstering a chair! (pinned here)

I'm thinking this might be the makings of a great weekend project...

Have you tried this DIY? Do you have a DIY you'd like to see on The Spoonful? Let me know in the comments below!

In Honor of Spring...

... I share with you this gloriously springy and feminine bedside moment (pinned here) by Bailey Quin of Biscuit Home (written up here by Southern Living):

I think I've just found my new favorite bedding store! Loving these awesome Boone sheets:

Wallpaper brought to you by Scalamandre (other colorways available):

Mildly obsessed with this Border sham (also by Bailey Quin and 50% discount now with code SHAMROCK):

I'll be dreaming of that simple monogram all day...

The Spoonful Travels: Venice, CA

As a little escape from the craziness and frigidness that is NYC in the winter, I popped over to Venice, CA with my friend, Eda, last weekend. Consequently, I'm now utterly and completely obsessed with the Los Angeles area and the west coast in general. We went without too many plans and instead asked the locals for suggestions, and I had such a fabulous time that I thought I should put together a travel guide!

No. 1: Stay in an AirBnB. Ours was one block from the oceanfront--a terrific 2-bedroom with living area and full kitchen at a surprisingly reasonable rate--which made us feel like locals instead of tourists. And the furnishings were darling, in my book:

No. 2: Eat at Gjusta Bakery. Everyone we talked to recommended this place. It rocks and we went every day. Order the rotisserie chicken (thanks Marjorie for that suggestion!), a few salads to share, and the avocado chocolate mousse. Their outdoor seating is quintessentially beachy/LA and feels very local. Great spot to chat up the locals for suggestions, too.

No. 3: Shop on Abbot Kinney. Eda and I stayed in Heist for an entire hour--or more?!--having the best time trying on the most gorgeous clothes. Salt and Aust are also winners for fabulous clothes. Tortoise, a Japanese home goods store, is a terrific stop for the chic-est storage containers, desk supplies, kitchen accessories, etc.

No. 4: Go for drinks at Tasting Kitchen and dinner at Gjelina (or vice versa). Tasting Kitchen has a lovely, laid back yet swanky vibe with really great cocktails, and Gjelina is Gjusta's upscale sister restaurant. Order the king oyster mushrooms and the grilled spot prawn... yum. (Reservations are a little tough but we put our name on the wait list at Gjelina and waited at Tasting Kitchen just down the block.)

No. 5: We also went into West Hollywood with a few friends who made the trek down from San Fran (hi guys!) for cocktails at Chateau Marmont--so swanky and fun--and dinner at Katsuya where we ate allllll of the sushi. Highly recommend both and also highly recommend making reservations prior!

Next time: It was such a quick trip that we didn't get the chance to visit the great museums, though I've heard rave reviews for the Broad, LACMA, and Getty.

Domino's latest issue also has a beautiful spread on Lily Ashwell's home in Venice! Check it out here, and these are her suggestions:

A few shots from the trip:

Now go! Travel! Explore! Live!

Do you have a favorite spot in Venice to suggest? Is there a location you'd like to see featured on The Spoonful Travels? Let me know here or in the comments below!