“Chloey and Paulette, Wednesday night” by Chloey Accardi (2010)

Editors Note: Someone—no need to mention any names!—started this post on July 5 and is now just publishing it which means that many of the things listed may already be sold out. But who doesn’t like a little window shopping, right? Sigh . . .  

Oooh, sparkly! Why yes, that was my exact reaction on peeping these Madewell chandelier earrings. While I have a heart-on for sparkle, I tend to stay away from most chandelier earrings cause they’re somehow just a little too much. Lately, it seems, I like my maximalism leavened with a strong dose of minimalism. What I love about these earrings is that the heaviness of the stones is perfectly balanced by the lightness of the chain. In other words, color me Goldilocks—they’re just right! (via Creature Comforts)

Je t’aime. This is just a little reminder of the complete heart-on I have for all things French (including Colette, Chanel, and Johnny Depp.) I’m especially in love with the tea cosies. So buy me one. ‘K? ‘K! (via Creature Comforts)

Lovely Stuff. I love this vintage-ish print, which IMHO is cheeky-sweet rather than treacly. And this is also a singular take on my current love for all things cloudy (well, except days and moods. . . . )  (viaAlli Coate)

Just ask for directions. A map based on Springsteen lyrics. Genius! Finally, you can find out where that friend of yours from back in high school who used to turn all the boys heads lives.

Simply wow. These nocturnal shots by New Jersey photographer Emma Wilcox are thoughtfully haunting. We forget how much stillness there can actually be in an urban environment, an absence Wilcox captures beautifully. Make sure to browse both Eminent Domain and Forensic Landscapes. (via @doallas)

Somewhere in Silver Spring, Spring 2010

Lite Brite. The old saying is that the most important thing is location, location, location but I disagree. I’m going to go with light, light, light like the wonderful light pouring through the windows in this Scandinavian home. The reflective surfaces scattered througout the space—mirrors, chandeliers, glossy floors, candlesticks—make the muted palette luminous rather than chilly. And for cloudy days, there are the woody touches—lived in armchair, tiles around the fireplace, wooden coffee table. (via Greige)

A Study in Contrast. This place is a bit too stark for my tastes, but there are some lovely moments, most notably the painting that is repeated as a backsplash motif and the black wall. Those white chairs also look luverly but I fear my take-out habit would grungify them in no time, sigh. (via emmas designblogg)

That’s New to Me! I really love the philosophy behind this Venice, CA abode: “I believe just about every piece of furniture I need or want already exists.” Despite the fact that almost all of the furniture, artwork, etc. in this home is “new-to-the-homeowner” rather than downright new, not one inch of this home has that post-college hand-me-down mishmash look. I think the secret is the judicious DIY-ing of keep pieces, like the boldly gorgeous fabric on the vintage chairs. Yep, add these folks to the list of people I need to befriend and how! (via apartment therapy)

Photo by Tim Walker.

Bag Me with a Spoon. Well, yes, my wardrobe would be complete if only I had this. Clearly this girl needs her a gorgeous-girlie-yet-edgy-leather-handbag fairy godmother and how! Sigh . . . swoon . . . sigh . . . (via White Lightning)

Bead It! Here are my thoughts on this simple yet striking necklace by Kristina Clarin. Swoon. Sigh. Is it May 18th yet? Sigh some more. (via shiny squirrel)

Bead It #2! I’ve been a fan of Hannah Blount’s jewelry ever since I interviewed her for Oligoville.com. Her work is simple yet absolutely stunning. Like adding one perfect silver bead to this perfect string of turquoise beads. I’m going to go ahead and “Genius” this one. (And yes, you should consider this a plea for you to get me one.) (via Hannah Blount’s blog)

Ship Shape! I’m absolutely enchanted by this wallpaper, designed by eight-year-old Otto Dunker (whose mother is the ubertalented Swedish designer Elisabeth Dunker). I can picture Ohoy! in a powder room, or on one wall of a master bedroom, perhaps even instead of a headboard. Come to think of it, I’d also love it on the inside back of a bookcase for just a hint of nautical whimsy. In other words, the possibiities are kinda endless. p.s. If you haven’t checked it out already, give a looksie at Elisabeth’s site and blog One Fine Day. (via One Fine Day)

Land ho! I’m really loving these landscape paintings by Katherine Sandoz, full of bold strokes and broad swathes of color, kinda like actually being in the great outdoors. (via aesthetic outburst)

Eye, eye, eye. Dennis Hopper passed away a few days ago, leaving behind not just a long line of memorable characters, and a strong will that survived the excesses of the 70s and 80s, but an amazing eye, which resulted in sometimes gritty, always stunning images of the famous, the infamous, and everyone in between. (via Chasing Light)

P.S. Looking for something to read this summer? Check out Flashlight Worthy, which gives lists of book recommendations up the wazoo! I’m quite taken with their list of “Paris” books. . . and not just cause I contributed a title or two.  You can also follow them on Twitter: @flwbooks

“Self Portrait in Favorite Outfit #1″ Black Eileen Fisher pants, black/white bracelet-sleeved, collared jersey from Land’s End under short-sleeved black jersey from Macy’s, black/white/gray striped scarf from H&M, vintage cerulean blue plastic bracelet. Not pictured: beloved, much used and abused, rubber-soled red booties from a shop on the Boulevard St. Germain in Paris. Can’t remember what earrings I was wearing.

So my friend Kathleen Kirk—ace poet, ace actress, aces all around—sweetly gave The Home Beete! a Blogdiggity Award the other day. Here are the rules, such as they are . . .

1. Thank the person who gave you the award.
2. Share 7 things about yourself.
3. Pass along the award to 15 bloggers you think are hella awesome.
4. Contact said hella awesome bloggers & let them know you think they are the blogdiggity.

So, first, a huge THANK YOU to Miss Kathleen, whose own lovely blog Wait! I Have a Blog?! (Musings on What We Read and Why) can be found right here. (She also has a new chapbook out from Finishing Line Press, so go order it already, okay?)

As for the seven things about moi:

1. My favorite romance authors are Susan Elizabeth Phillips, Susan Wiggs, and Elizabeth Lowell.

2. I’m somewhat obsessed with biographies, autobiographies, and memoirs by and/or about literary women, such as Virginia Woolf, Edith Wharton, May Sarton, and Joan Didion.

3. I can’t walk in high heels. Don’t think I’ve ever been able to walk in high heels except for a very brief period in high school when I wore wedges, which—at the time—were neither fashionable nor actual high heels.

4. My favorite place to write/work/live is in my bed. And yes, if I had room, I’d upgrade to a California King so I could pile even more books, magazines, etc. into bed with me.

5. I love Zoolander. There, I said it.

6. Most people think sunny days are great for getting out and about. I think they’re great for lying in bed, dozing in a big patch of sunlight. Clearly, I’m part cat.

7. I drink way too much coffee, yet I’m hopeless when it comes to operating any type of espresso machine. Well, except for Doug and Cara’s. I’m really good at operating Doug and Cara’s lugged-home-from-Sweden espresso machine.

Here are 15 bloggers who I think are hella awesome, and who I will someday—when I’m not napping in a patch of sunlight—finally add to my blogroll.

1. A Cup of Jo: I love her personality, her sense of style, her sense of humor, and I want to be her best friend. For realz! (Oh, she also does great giveaways.)

2. White Lightning: Ditto. The poet in me just delights in the way she fractures and flings around language—talking about applying pressure to the page, as Henry Taylor used to say. (The downside is that I’m now craving a pair of yellow hasbeens (which are coincidentally Swedish!)—anyone have an extra hundy I can borrow?)

3.  Aesthetic Outburst: I love how her nicknamed family—PRH (her hubby) and EZ-E and Kicky (her kids)—show up in her posts about home, crafts, etc. I’m pretty sure I could spend an entire pot of coffee chatting with her.

4. Black Eiffel: Okay, the word “Eiffel” is in the title of this blog. Do I really need to go on? In case you’re still not getting it, I also adore the mix of recipes, home style, art, and fashion that shows up on this blog. A blog right after my own heart.

5. Camilla Engman: It’s thanks to blogs like Camilla’s that I’ve become a huge Swede-o-phile. Nuf said.

6. Chasing Light: Doug Kim is a NYC photographer. I think his work is gorgeous, and I also love that he features work by classic and contemporary photographers. It’s a great way to get an education by looking at some amazing visual work.

7. Creature Comforts: Again, this is another blog I love because I love the writer’s personality. My heart broke for her when she went thru a rough patch lately and absolutely cheered when she came out the other side. Again, she mostly blogs about a good mix of art and home and fashion.

8. Decor8 Daily Updates: Ask anyone who loves home design blogs who to read, and Decor8 will be on their  list. Again, she has an amazing personality, and I’ve discovered a lot of other great blogs and stores to look into thanks to this blog.

9.Door 16: I want to be the couple behind Door 16. I’m just saying . . .

10. emmasdesignblog: Another Swedish blog that I absolutely love, and one that you’ll definitely see referenced on a lot of other blogs. One of the things I love about the Swedes I follow is that they are able to create stylish, livable interiors, with the emphasis on livable. They get how to use IKEA (natch!), and they prove you don’t have to spend oodles and oodles of cash to have a beautiful home, you just have to keep an open mind and train your eye.

11. Every Person in New York: This is the companion blog to Jason Polan’s drawing project, which is—literally—to draw every person in New York. I have a huge crush on Jason. Partly it’s that wonder and amazement at people who can whip out a pen and just start drawing, and partly it’s because, for me, his projects provoke a lot of questions about “well, is this art?”—a very useful and necessary dialogue to engage in, especially as an artist, I think.

12. greige: This is a new favorite. I’m officially in love with the color grey, particularly that moody, bluish grey I associate with Paris in the rain (not that it actually rained when I was in Paris, I don’t think, but I digress . . . ). This blog showcases muted interiors that are still spellbindingly evocative and provocative. It turns out that a muted palette doesn’t have to equal bland, but instead can provide a near-luminous backdrops for textures and objects.

13. Lena Corwin blog: Lena’s blog was one of the first ever to populate my Google reader, and she continues to be a favorite. I love the beautiful books and artwork she produces for her own shop as well as the many beautiful shops and fellow artists and artisans she showcases. I never fail to get a whopping dose of inspiration from reading Lena’s blog. (I also never fail to want to move to Brooklyn after reading Lena’s blog . . . sigh . . . )

14. Shiny Squirrel: This blog is one of my faves for seeing what’s out there in the world of fashion. I love that her faves cover everything from three-paycheck looks to Etsy. It’s been a great way to learn more about the field, to find designers to fall in love with, and basically to figure out what look is most authentically me.

15.  The Decorated Cookie: This blog is by Meaghan Mountford, who I’m so blessed to call a friend. She’s an expert when it comes to edible craft projects which are both eminently achievable and eminently delicious. My secret wish is that she’ll have her very own edibles store someday where she’ll give me unlimited credit, or at the very least, she’ll start dropping off little baggies of gorgeously decorated mini-cookies at my apartment each week some time in the near future. (Hint, hint, Meaghan!)

This is by no means an exhaustive list, and—quite honestly—I’ve left off at least another 15 of my favorites,  such as one fine day, The Selby, The Sartorialist, Oh Joy, and Unhappy Hipsters, just to name a few. Sooooo, I have a litte vaca time coming my way, and I’ll try to get busy with ye olde blogroll. In the meantime, hope you’ll check out at least a few of those I’ve mentioned.

And thanks again to Miss Kathleen for making me feel all Blogdiggity inside!

I saw this pic over on Emma’s DesignBlogg (Photo by Ancci Gustavsson). Even though design rules say that the rug should be large enough that the whole bed fits on it, I actually love how the smaller rug is used to create a sort of “lawn” around the footboard end. Somehow it makes the simple elegance of the room pop just that bit more.

My new best friends? Let’s just cut to the chase shall we and admit that I would totally stalk the people who live here to get an invite. Totally. Favorite moments? The instant gorgeous kitchen window view thanks to the woolly pockets garden, the Paris grey subway tile in the bathroom, and—of course—the art. (via Apartment Therapy)

DIY OMG! I have two words for you about this amazing home: tin headboard. Okay, here’s a few more words along the lines of I seriously need DIY Kara to be my new home genius bestie. Like seriously. (via Young House Love)

A Little Light Music. The sherbety palette in Malene Barnett’s home is absolutely stunning, as if somehow she’s figured out how to infuse a smidge of light into every paintdrop so you get this overall effect of luminescence. I also love how the elongated figure repeats throughout the house—starting with the handles on the front door. I’d buy one of this woman’s carpets in a heartbeat even if it mean cleaning out your bank account. I’m just saying . . . (via The Selby)

Bonjour Phillippe. This is less of a place I like and more of a “This is the closest most of us will ever get to Phillippe Starck so heck yeah, I’m posting it on the blog.” Overall, it’s a little too taxidermy, primitivish arty for me, but there are some lovely moments such as the casual clusters of necklaces, the tub, and the sleek Starck fixtures amidst the cacophony of stuff. (via The Selby, who has a great new book out by the by . . . )

I call do over! It’s amazing to me how bad design choices can absolutely ruin a gorgeous house. Love this remodel that brought this 1916 loveliness back to life. (via Greige)

I’ve been working on converting my “junk” closet into a walk-in clothes closet. Surprisngly simply changing which closet I hang my clothes in has made a huge difference in me actually hanging them up (as opposed to piling them on the bed for weeks and weeks as the sleeping space grows smaller and smaller. . . but I digress).

I bought this poster years ago on EBay—before I’d even been to Au Bon Marche for real—and had it mounted “billboard-style.” I almost gave it away as it’s been in storage for a few years, but I’m glad I never got around to it.  The letterpress print is by Dylan Fareed courtesy of 20×200.com in a giltwod thrifted frame. I’m also rebuilding my milk glass collection, which sorta disappeared somewhere between Takoma Park and Silver Spring.

This was my weekend project. This is one side of a triptych of framed screen that was made for hanging jewelry. I think it works better as a one-sie myself. (The ceramic tile is also thrifted—I bought it because it reminded me of how much I loved visiting New Mexico.)

The screen on this panel was ripped, so I just tore it all off and jerry-rigged something from strips of fancy yarn and hookeye screws.  I had actually seen something similar on one of the blogs I follow—an empty photo frame with the earrings hung from wire stretched across the back.—and I’d been dying to try it. (BTW, the middle section, which also has five pegs for necklaces, is currently under the coffee table awaiting its final upcycling.)

As you can tell I sorta buy green earrings obsessively. Seeing them all hanging in a row every time I walk by the closet (both earring frames are on the outside walls of the closet) is making me very happy indeed.

Purple. Sligo Avenue, Silver Spring, May 2010

(Way) Down South! I love this beautiful, breezy house in South Africa. Fave moments? Necklaces hung from a lightbulb in the bathroom, the outdoor shower, and the stacks and stacks and stacks of magazines. (via Apartment Therapy)

Time in a Bottle. What I love about this riotous home is that all of the treasures have clearly been collected and curated over time. I bet Sean MacPherson has a story for every single painting, lamp, curio, etc., and—quite honestly—I’m pretty sure I’d like to hear all of them. (via The Selby)

Wall-to-Wall. So I couldn’t for the life of me actually live like this, but I still admire the creativity behind it.

“Self Portrait with Strong Brows and Red Lips,” 4/25/10, Silver Spring

Hola peeps!

So you may have noticed a suspicious number of  not-really-home posts popping up on the blog. Like that crazy pair of heels I was drooling over last week, or my latest musing on why I like taking self-portraits. The more I write The Home Beete and the more I explore the web in search of  items to feature, the more apparent it becomes that the range of things I want to evangelize about are way broader than I ever imagined. I considered for a while starting a separate style blog and another blog for “musings,” but in reality—that’s not the way my brain works. I’ll happily jump from raving about a great dress to ranting about a wonderful piece of art to running on about my “uniform” all in the same conversation . . . and, sometimes, even the same sentence. Soooo, the new expanded definition of The Home Beete is that it’s a place to find me at home — where, usually from my magazine strewn bed, I’m looking, learning, shaking my head, and making long long wish lists that I then share with you. Hopefully even with this more diverse focus, you’ll still have as much fun reading along as I do putting together The Home Beete!

That being said . . . I think I need to bid adieu to William Carlos Williams as a tag line. Any ideas for a replacement?

Shoe down. If I had a boudoir (uhm, and a spare $250), this print would be mine and hanging in the aforementioned boudoir where I would practice, practice, practice walking in heels until I could purchase a beautiful pair of gold shoes for myself and prance the night away. Or something like that . . .

Wall to wall? Who needs a 3-d headboard when you have a sturdy wall to lean against? ‘Specially if you snag one of these amazingly cool Blik headboard decals.  I’m partial to the Nico and Wrought Iron versions my self . . .

Superstar! Why didn’t you tell me? So it turns out that 20×200 photographer-blogger-extraordinary gal overall  Youngna Park also takes pix of interiors. I’m loving this photostream, which features homeowners that have incorporated “green” features into their design schemes. Every little bit counts and the greening runs the gamut from using low-VOC paint to being fully LEED certified. Yay Youngna! (via 20×200.com blog)

Take a load off. I. Must. Have. This. Pretty please.(via Nonsense & Sensibility)

Cuff”em Danno. Well, if you’re going to develop a thing for elephants, you might as well go all in. Sigh, swoon, and sigh s’more . . .  (via Nonsense & Sensibility)

p.s. I was a little sleep-deprived when I found some of these and I forgot to note where I found ‘em. I apologize to anyone who should be getting credit and isn’t.

I would make a self-portrait every day if I could. No. I would make a self-portrait every day if I dared. In terror of narcissist, self involved, navel gazer. I inevitably lean toward the confessional. To be seen is to exist? If I dared: To be seen is to exist.