Tag: home decor

Week Links [7 March]

Chelsea HarperLeave a comment

Good day, sunshines! I’ve been deep into an all-consuming work project all week, so I don’t have a ton to share. Did anything catastrophic happen in the world? I’m completely tuned out (and I have to admit that ignorance is, as they say, bliss).

Where I live it’s still freezing cold, but it’s just now starting to show signs of the early spring thaw, which can’t come soon enough. I’ve been excessively cautious about the virus and haven’t done anything or seen anyone since the fall, so I’m looking forward to an outdoor brunch on a warm day in the not-so-distant future.

Did I really just start this blog post with small talk about work and the weather? Send me to the guillotine. Anyway, have a good night and a pleasant tomorrow and stay safe!

source: society6
  1. Currently knitting a baby blanket out of this yarn. I got three skeins–I’m planning to do the middle section in a slightly darker blush pink. God forbid I ever have a boy…
  2. I’m re-re-reorganizing my kitchen counters (mostly to accommodate my Always Pans, if I’m being honest) with this shelving unit and this toaster. I also got this electric kettle and I’m obsessed! Being able to control the exact temperature is a game-changer. Temp is a really important factor in coffee quality, but in addition to that, I’ve used it to make perfectly lukewarm water for yeast and non-scalding water for tea.
  3. Speaking of yeast—this is bar none the best and easiest pizza crust recipe. If you don’t have a KitchenAid stand mixer, I highly recommend saving up for one. Alternately, you could simply get married and put one on your wedding registry. 100% worth making a lifelong commitment to another human being.
  4. One of my myriad terrible qualities is that I can’t seem to walk out of a Target without buying a cute mug. But in my defense, the only two left were the C (for Chelsea) and M (for my husband, Michael), so I think that legally obligates me to get them. The colors also coordinate with my entire house, so, you do the math.
  5. Is the terrazzo trend over? I love the look, but I’m hesitant to leap into anything trendy. Except, of course, “millennial pink,” since pink is a neutral in my book. Maybe I could start small, with a phone case? I’m gutting and redoing our second bedroom in a pastel rainbow theme, and these colors are perfect for an accent wall.
  6. Redid my entryway/mudroom with these hook racks. I’ve never been able to resist a brass accent.
  7. You absolutely have to be kidding me with these toy instruments. I need to be physically restrained from buying this piano. Maisonette has the cutest stuff. Can I go back and time and redo my childhood with cuter toys?
  8. 100% buying this rug.
  9. Listened to this song for the first time in a while and I forgot how much it f*cks.
  10. I told y’all. We were never meant to exercise.
  11. Jen Kirkman “influenced” me to buy this necklace and I have no regrets.

Week Links [22 February]

Chelsea HarperLeave a comment

Good morning, America! I can’t tell if COVID Mondays are worse (because the proverbial weekend will never come) or easier because they’re hardly different from any other day. I wish I had anything interesting to report, but I sat around knitting and bingeing Gossip Girl all weekend so I’m even boring myself. The weather where I live is going to inch into the 40s and 50s this week, which may sound horrible to people in most climates, but in New England? It’s a mitzvah after a cold and snowy winter.

Stay warm, stay safe, and as King Diamond would say, stay heavy!

megan on the season premiere of snl
  1. SNL may never top this sketch. She’s got a healthy belt! Rick Beato’s reaction to “drivers license” made me feel extremely justified in my opinion that this song is perfect.
  2. My favorite sweater is on sale. I have it in 2 colors.
  3. Megan Thee Stallion showed her nighttime skincare routine on Instagram and I didn’t think it was possible for me to love her more than I already do.
  4. I just found out that Jenna Lyons has a show and I may need to reconsider my disdain for all reality-based television series.
  5. I bought this bag bundle during their 25% off Valentine’s Day sale because I’m obsessed with jinxing myself. I am truly like two purchases away from becoming a Victorian ghost, haunting the moors while my soul is trapped between earth and the afterworld.
  6. You do have to laugh.
  7. Excited to try these non-alcoholic cocktails.
  8. I caved. In my defense, it took almost a year to get me to crack. And yes, I had a coupon code.
  9. There is no one I stan harder than Deb from Smitten Kitchen, so when I was on a cooking tear on Saturday, I made this macaroni & cheese and these brownies. I slightly burned the brownies because I got distracted after turning the timer off (never do this if you have ADHD!), but overall my kitchen was the place to be this weekend. Don’t worry—I served roasted broccoli to balance out the utter lack of nutritional value.
  10. I just started using this toothbrush. I’ve been using their flat body scrubber for ages, having received it in a subscription box. Loving this anti-microbial eco option! I’m a really vigorous brusher, so I’m skeptical of any toothbrush that boasts a replacement head (quip utterly failed me), but these are actually up to the task! And the best part is that they only need to be replaced twice a year and are recyclable.
  11. I might get a few of these to brighten up a room I’m redecorating. Definitely a different style for me! This one isn’t as much my taste, but goes perfectly with the color scheme.

Week Links [21 January]

Chelsea HarperLeave a comment

We did it, Joe. We have a new President. Yesterday was emotional, I’m not going to lie. Even though I am absolutely a dirtbag leftist who did nothing but hate on Biden and Harris during the primaries, I feel renewed by this change. Biden’s been in office for 5 minutes and he has already rejoined the Paris Climate Accord, reversed the Muslim ban, and halted deportations, so things are in motion. Now if we could just implement Medicare for All, cancel student debt, and 1000x more importantly, reunite the families separated at the border…

Regardless of the ultimate outcomes achieved by this administration, I’m proud to have cast a vote for Biden in a free and fair election that toppled a wannabe autocrat. And now for a blog post that has nothing to do with any of that.

  1. Amanda Gorman floored me at the inauguration. I immediately pre-ordered her upcoming children’s book.
  2. My guilty pleasure show, The Resident, is finally back for a new season (Fox/Hulu). I knew intellectually that a show that takes place in a hospital was going to have to do a COVID plot, but I still hated it! We watch television to escape, people! The first episode is honestly triggering. What’s worse is that they cover my boyfriend, actor Matt Czuchry, in PPE the whole time, so you barely get to gaze upon him. A damn shame. Luckily, they decided to do the rest of the season in a post-COVID flash-forward, so I can continue to be ride-or-die for this questionable show.
  3. Just bought this wall hanging for my office after a long search for “the one.” Can’t wait to share pics when the refresh is complete!
  4. I also got this love seat and this lamp, which are the official finishing touches on my office.
  5. A friend recommended The Roommate by Rosie Danan to me and…a good time was had by all.
  6. I’m never not on a quest to refresh my bedding, and I am feeling this duvet. I ultimately went with this set, since I’m not Anthro-rich. I added this blanket, which may be the softest thing I’ve ever touched.
  7. All of the nail polishes at Target were on clearance for $3 for some unknown reason, so I stocked up on a bunch of tenoverten. Also, on the subject of non-toxic nails, ella + mila has amazing lavender-scented non-acetone remover.
  8. Dyed my hair with Overtone’s Rose Gold for Brown Hair and it is…vibrant. I kind of wish I’d gone with the subtler version, since my hair is pre-lightened, but I’m sure it’ll fade. It’s a coloring conditioner, so it’s non-damaging. My hair feels really healthy!
  9. Snagged these adorable flats at Nordstrom Rack. It doesn’t count as crossing the picket line if I get them off-price…right?
  10. January 19th was Dolly Parton’s birthday, and I’m genuinely incensed that we haven’t declared it a federal holiday yet. We don’t deserve her.
can we briefly discuss miche’s fit?

Week Links [23 August]

Chelsea HarperLeave a comment

So, I knew it was going to happen eventually, but WordPress finally forced their ugly block editor on us, so I may have to move this blog to a new host. Although, when I considered Squarespace a couple of years ago, it seemed equally, if not more daunting. Maybe I’m just dumb…don’t let the Renaissance Literature tattoos fool you. Oh, on that note, I got another tattoo last Saturday! And I’m getting another one this coming Friday! I cannot stress enough—if you’re in MA/RI/CT, please consider getting your tattoos from Ryan at Famous Tattoos. He’s an absolute pro. The shop is immaculate and I’ve never had a better tattoo experience. Things are different because of COVID, but no lie: during my first session in Dec. 2019, his literal mom came by and hung out while I was on the table. ‘Twas truly a family affair.

Anyway, here’s what I got up to this week. At this rate, I’ll be an expert mindful meditator by September.

i got indian food on my birthday (8/19) and witnessed a double rainbow!
  1. My friend told me about Project Evo and their customized planners. I took the test and got “Architect.” I’m thinking about getting one, but I am the worst at keeping up with planners. The amount of trees I’ve killed just trying to stay organized…
  2. I’m finally replacing the horrible “boob light” in my office with this absolute beauty.
  3. I really want this phone case. I know that my colleagues/”customers” couldn’t see it, but I do want to send this energy out into the universe.
  4. I’m officially the dumbest person on earth. I think I was in denial about how long quarantine would last, so I *did* wait until mid-August to order a patio set, umbrella, and outdoor rug so I could work outside. I guess it didn’t occur to me that when you buy a patio umbrella, it doesn’t come with a base. It’s just a free-floating umbrella! Totally unusable. No stores have bases in stock, and they’re estimated to arrive in friggin’ October if you order them online. Also? They cost 9 million dollars. Thankfully, shortly after writing this, my father-in-law came through with an extra one he happened to have!
  5. As of writing I JUST made these, and oh my goodness gracious are they fucking delicious.
  6. Cannot get enough of audiobooks lately. I “read” 10% Happier and Dear Girls this week and they were sublime experiences. The last chapter that Ali’s husband narrates??? Also, hate to be this person, but meditation does work. Sorry.
  7. On the recommendation of my therapist, I’m finally reading The Body Keeps the Score. I’m only 2 chapters in, but it’s incredible. I didn’t know the author had trained in Boston/Cambridge! A hometown hero.
  8. I mentioned planners earlier, and I cannot recommend customized May Books enough. I use the diet/exercise one to track my food (I’m working with a nutritionist, this isn’t an obsessive thing).
  9. Chris Fleming is my single favorite human being on this planet and I can’t get enough of “Sick Jan.” My Twitter bio is literally “Enough turquoise to get into Stevie Nicks’s house no questions asked.” Also, I may or may not have bought 4.4 lbs of boba pearls…
  10. Happy 10th anniversary to Teenage Dream! This was THE album of 2010, and 19-year-old Chels was forever changed by it. Please enjoy my favorite song on the album, a little classic known as “Peacock.”
i got this “thirty-ish” necklace from jen kirkman’s capsule collection @ baublebar years ago. my body is so, so ready to not be in my twenties anymore.

“It’s the little things.”

Chelsea HarperLeave a comment

…is something that my mother-in-law-to-be uses so frequently, that it’s a staple phrase in any impression of her. Normally, we roll our eyes at her clichés (i.e. “don’t sweat the small stuff” and “cherish the moments”) but today, I find myself really appreciative of one tiny, little thing.

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My kitchen pegboard, you guys. I finally did it. (Disclaimer: I was 22 when I picked out those curtains, and was going for colorful country décor instead of my current vision of a neutral, modern space.)

I don’t know who officially “invented” this method of storage, but Julia Child (a.k.a. the life inspiration of us all) famously used it, and it’s no surprise why. It turns an otherwise empty, boring wall, into a functional work of art!

The cabinet/drawer situation in my kitchen is less than ideal, considering my love for cookware. I had been dying to do this for ages, so one day I just drove over to Home Depot and got my supplies! My father-in-law-to-be (I must really like these people, huh?) built a frame on which to mount the pegboard, and hung it up today. Now I have an entire cupboard for dry/paper goods! So much less counter-clutter!

Room by room, this former bachelor-pad is turning into a home. An inspiring space is so important to me—it allows me to feel refreshed and productive, a major plus considering this is my last year of college (FINALLY)  and I have to knock it out of the park. I recently transitioned from using a wall-facing desk in my foyer/office/mudroom/misery pit, to making the kitchen table my home base. The kitchen is my happy place—cooking and eating are my favorite things to do—so working in a comfortable, familiar atmosphere has been so inspiring! My new view while I work is a piece of my art, brightly-painted tchotchke shelves, and our stereo—everything from writing papers to paying bills has been 100 times more interesting.

The kitchen is nowhere near finished. I’d still like an island and a new fridge, both of which are in progress projects, and to whitewash or paint our cabinets white, but in its current state, our kitchen is functional and aesthetically-pleasing. Like Pinterest Junior.

image via Google
image via Google

I don’t know if Ms. Child would be horrified that I made my version of (vegan) “Warm the Fuck Up” Minestrone from Thug Kitchen’s cookbook tonight, but I’m sure she’d be glad that women of my generation are still cooking, and relishing the process.

–DellaBites

Stylin’ On ‘Em

Chelsea HarperLeave a comment

Good evening, all! Lately, I’ve been in complete get-shit-done mode. We’re streamlining our department at work in preparation for the busy fall season, my home is starting to come together inch by inch, and my financial aid picture for returning to college is looking considerably less grim. And, as a person who is about to graduate and get married (ew, so traditional), I’ve been thinking a lot about the personal style I want to carry with me into this new frontier of adulthood.

I consigned clothing both Monday and Friday. The first place I went to paid me $19 up front for 6 items of my clothes, which is insane, because I brought two baskets of well-maintained garments. We all know how much of a brand ho I can be, so I was discouraged that they accepted a sundress from Target, but not myriad garments from places like J.Crew and Urban Outfitters. The second consignment store follows a different buying model, and I’ve had a lot of success over the years selling to them. They donate unaccepted garments to charity, so either way, I win.

There are two reasons for the wardrobe pare-down. One is that my 24th birthday is fast-approaching, and the urge to cultivate a more professional and adult wardrobe is real. With each day that I age, neutrals become more appealing. Neutrals are everything—essential to creating an all-seasons wardrobe. I feel like my personal aesthetic has been completely schizophrenic over the years. From October to April I live in Banana Republic sweaters, skinny jeans, and boots (i.e. Webster’s definition of “basic”). The rest of the year, I exist in this space between bohemian, retro, and preppy that lacks cohesion. I still don’t feel like I fully know who I am as a dresser—just part of the process of growing up.

The second reason is minimalism in my home, which has been admittedly less than successful. You see, the only way to declutter is to NOT immediately replace clothes that you just got rid of with new, higher-end clothes. I was actually able to reduce the number of drawers I was using for clothing. They are now anal-retentively reorganized by category, and I’m making tiny signs to hang on the drawer pulls because my life is a sad parody of a Pinterest board.

Styling/redecorating my house has been such a challenge, but it seems like Michael is finally coming around about it. He is very open to any and all changes I make to communal areas, but his office and studio are sanctuaries that I barely feel allowed to enter, much less rework entirely. In the past week, I feel we’ve made a lot of progress.

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This is the “after” picture of our entryway (or at least the :to be continued”). On the left is the door to our bedroom, on the right is the hallway to the front door. I don’t have a “before” picture, and be grateful—it was truly horrible. There was a tall cabinet whose top was not only broken off and balanced on top, but was covered in random clutter (including, but not limited to, 5 year old Christmas cards and coffee cup sleeves). There was also an (ugly) table lamp up there, which has been moved to the bedroom and awaits a new shade. The 4 ft or so of wall above was bare with an old nail sticking out. I replaced the cabinet with a small vintage bureau that my dad thrifted for me, a standing lamp with an updated shade, a wall calendar of vintage advertisements, and record covers as hanging art. The records I found used 2 for $1 at Newbury Comics, and I couldn’t be more excited to represent Linda Ronstadt and Elton John in my living room. I painted the clothespins turquoise as a fun pop of color against the hideous wall, which has to remain this tortured beige for the time being. Boo.

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Chelsea, Michael, and Della, for those wondering about the letters.

The entry-way joins this cozy reading corner, which I created earlier in the summer…

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top: Whitney Houston’s debut album, center: naughty vintage “pulp fiction” literary postcards right: a painting we received as a gift from New Orleans

…this budding gallery wall, hung this week…

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..and this area, which I “finished” last week by finally hanging my Sherri’s Ink art print, my Man Ray photo (cut from a calendar!) and our “engagement photo”, which will be replaced once we have a real one taken.

My living room is about 70% finished (and by finished, I mean in a state that I can live with until I afford to do a proper overhaul) and it’s super encouraging. I’ve been spending a lot of  time in this room because it feels so much more put-together than the rest of the house that it’s became a calming oasis.

As always, thank you for letting me share my progress. It’s no Happy Handmade Home yet, but it’s getting there.

-DellaBites