Sass and Circumstance

admittedly i am a brat when it comes to traveling. call it manifest destiny, call it snobbery, i just hate traveling to the same place twice. 

i feel the constant need to explore, uncover, and investigate. 

that being said, when people bring up italy as a vacation spot i tend to shy away. i’ve done florence, i’ve done rome, i’ve done milan, and i’ve done venice (insert digital face slap here). and yes i recognize that italy is big country, but when it comes to europe there is so much more i rather see. 

until now…

take a gander at villa laura. reinstating my italian desire one drawing room at a time. 

near the annual tuscan sun summer festival, the space boasts sprawling grounds replete with rosebuds, a pool the practically begs to be swum in, ping pong, and a billiards room.

i mean…if this isn’t amore, i just don’t know what is. villa laura be still my heart. 

i decided many months ago that i want to be a quirky collector of coffee table books. small ones, big ones, books about africa, books about art, books about fashion, books about books. i want them all. 

and once i amass said tremendous collection i will make a monument to them: a coffee book table. yes, a coffee table, made entirely out of coffee table books. i know, genius. 

however whilst my future collection may be vast, my current bank account is modest and one (read: i) must curate a carefully selected wishlist of said books in order to reach their goal. 

therefore…

1. avedon fashion  1944 - 2000, by avedon - it’s avedon, it’s fashion. really i need not say more. 

2. maxim’s: mirror of parisian life, by jean pascal hesse for assouline - and by mirror of parisian life they mean all the delightful debauchery, excessive drinking, and general extravagance that was the 1920’s paris. 

3. halston, by phaidon - a image-centric ride through the richly fabulous life that was halston. (and yes, this is some shamless self-promotion, but hey a girl’s gotta love halston.)

4. photographers a-z, by taschen - because photographs speak volumes, and until i actually have volumes, i need photographs. 

and the list goes on, but those four are ample starting books. 

only a couple dozen more to go…

yeah, these are pretty much amazing. 

i really can’t even say anything else.

(they’re his and hers if you didn’t notice. and no i can’t decide which i like more. 

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so although i may not have talked about it much (let’s face it, i am in denial) i am still on the apartment decorating binge. 

i have successfully found an entry way table (no i don’t think 2 months to find one is excessive), and now comes part two…what do on my walls. 

lucky for me, the boyfriend also has a keen eye and a penchant for etsy browsing (you’re welcome) and found these charming shelves. 

they come in a multitude of shapes and sizes, and really add the perfect nostalgic touch to any shabby chic-inspired apartment. aka mine. (ok, so really it’s what mine hopes to be…but ya know, you need to start somewhere). 

suitcase me please. 

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so this is pretty much my future home. 

rustic meets color meets floral. well helloooo dolly. 

welcome to my dream apartment. rotund couch and all. 

(Source: steff-wyn)

these are candle holders.

cute, eccentric, mildly cheesy, puppy-shaped candleholders. 

tacky? yes. slightly obsessive? maybe. do i need them immediately? you betcha. 

“ a single idea provides the opportunity to develop others’ ideas,” - piero fornasetti 

his self-described theme and variation plates (above) just might make the perfect decor statement piece. 

that, or it will simultaneously amuse and bewilder my apartment guests. 

only problem is that at $200 a plate, bewilderment might be a tad out of my price range. 

(Source: collierwest.com)

the perfect finger dish for my new abode.

definitely not too much. 

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believe. do. change.