Secondhand Collections

What is a collection? The dictionary defines it as something that is collected; a group of objects or an amount of material accumulated in one location, especially for some purpose or as a result of some process.


Ok lets break that definition down... a group of objects? Correct. Accumulated in one location? Sometimes. Especially for some purpose? Not always. Result of a process? Perhaps. Personally, I believe that a collection, especially one that you include in your decor, should be one that you're passionate about for a specific reason. I also believe that any collection you have should be shown off to all who enter your home and not wrapped in newspapers and packed away somewhere in your attic.


Some of my favorite collections include things that you can only find one of. I don't need a set of 4 or 6 or 8. And it doesn't matter what it is. For example, I love vintage plates, tea cups, candle holders, milk glass, home town paraphernalia, old maps, handkerchiefs, pharmaceutical glass canisters, doilies, frames. You can decorate with them or use them in your everyday life. Nobody ever said your dinner plates needed to match! (Except maybe for your OCD friends who have to have everything 'just so.') Oh - and there is hope yet for my OCD friends that appreciate this syle! Collect something like dishware that is all clear glass... or all white. You can keep a sense of unity while mixing up with sizing and texture. Also consider collecting something with the same theme, only different colors. For example, toile.


The best part? This kind of collecting doesn't need to be expensive! You can find these items at secondhand stores, yard sales, flea markets, junk shops, craigslist, eBay and other spots for antiquing.

  

 

 

 

Lifestyle Adjustments

...This post is dedicated to anyone who has ever found themselves in a less than ideal living situation...

How do I define a 'less than ideal living situation?" A less than ideal living situation could mean a variety of things. You could be in college in a small shared room with one or more people who are polar opposites when it comes to lifestyle and personality. It could be that you used to live in a spacious home but have had to downsize to make your payments. Maybe you are a young professional who can't hack rent on your own so you've succumbed to craigslist roommates. Oh - and - how about my favorite - you've recently moved in with your significant other and you have to figure out the whole "How do i get what i want but keep my partner in mind?" thing goes. What ever the case, I'd like to take some time to look into how important it is to brand your own space where you feel comforted and happy with yourself and your environment... even if it is not so ideal.

My freshman year of college at Wentworth Institute of Technology in Boston, MA was something I was anxiously awaiting. I was going to be free from home. Free from small town Verona, NJ where I was brought up. I could expand my mind and my view of the world. And for the first time in my life I was out of my comfort zone. The day I got my roommate assignment I was thrilled. I was paired up with two other young ladies in a 'forced triple' in the Evans Way dormitory. They both had bubbly personalities and I was looking forward to moving in even though we would be a little cramped. Well, I was excited until I got a letter saying they had availability for me in a regular double room in Baker Hall. Ohhhh boy. I was NOT prepared for the hilariously scary outcome of this new living adventure. I called my roommate to figure out things like who was going to bring the microwave? Do you like bunked beds or separate? Do we have similar tastes? I can tell you that I don't remember who brought what.  I can however vividly remember her telling me in a scary monotone vampire-ish voice  that she was going to bring her 75 gallon fish tank with her and her (insert name and species here) CARNIVOROUS FREAKING FISH to school with her. Oh hell no. OH HELL NO. This was only the beginning.

I played volleyball in college and all the athletes arrived on campus early to start double sessions. One afternoon I returned to "my" room to find Ms. Robin (don't be fooled my the innocent sounding name.) She had re-bunked our beds, putting me on the bottom with her smelly wool army blanket cascading over the sides. The single light source (besides the one window) was a fluorescent light fixture on the side wall. It was now covered with green plastic wrap. There was an eerie glow that highlighted so nicely the goth poster of a naked woman on the wall with bullet holes through several spots in her chest. The sprinkler head was no longer just something that had to be in the room for safety's sake. It was now a hook... from which she had hung a voodoo doll. She gushed about how excited she was that "this year is scheduled to be the second coming of the anti-Christ." She explained that she didn't have female friends anymore because she had been stabbed in the back before. I wondered to myself, "Was she actually stabbed in the back? Or is that a figure of speech?" Oh - and don't get me started on the ferret she had come stay with her on the weekends or her friend that had leopard spotted hair that I was so sure had tuberculosis.

After being turned down for a boarding re-assignment I knew I was going to have to adjust the way I thought of my space. If I didn't adjust, if I didn't make MY space somewhat comfortable I was for sure going to lose my mind and there was always the chance of contracting TB. (Just to be clear, I don't think he actually had tuberculosis. He just had this faint cough all the time and it wouldn't stop.)

Ok - sorry - back to adjusting...

The first step I took was communicating to Ms. Robin that I "couldn't sleep at night" when she had people over until 3 AM. "Would you mind if I rearranged things to make it a little more comfortable?" She agreed it was okay and I got to work right away. Below is a horrible "paint" version of the before and after. Before, we shared all open space. If she had friends over I was forced to be a part of their time together. When I rearranged the room I separated our spaces with our tall wardrobes. We set them up like yin-yang. I laid the bed rail that was used for bunk beds over the top of the wardrobes and went out in Chinatown to get inexpensive fabric to drape over them which allowed me (and her) a little more visual privacy. I now had all the natural sunlight, my own tiny space and there was a clear line of what space was "hers" and what space was "mine." I could sit with my headphones and watch movies. I could have a friend come stay with me from out of town on the small floor space that was available. I could have soft ambient lighting and get changed without her catching a glimpse of my then smaller more firm ass.



Adjusting to a new space when someone else is involved is tricky. It's incredibly important to have a space to yourself. Men drool over the idea of a man cave so they can retreat to awful leather couches from Bob's, a dormitory fridge filled with booze and the flat screen tv that they're free to watch sports on 24/7.  That is my nightmare. Probably because I have a vagina and sense of style. Now, a woman's retreat is different. It could be as simple as having full reign over designing the bedroom with soft neutral ruffles and pink sheets.( Hey, in my opinion  it's okay to make your sleeping space romantic and feminine if it makes you feel good.) It could be that you have an extra room that you make into an office or crafting room. You could have a front entry space that is designed and decorated in such a way that immediately calms you as you enter your house. Or maybe it's your kitchen... where you spend time making loving meals for the ones you love (or can't stand!) If you're spending alot of time in one place I suggest you take charge of it. Play with color, texture and layout. But remember one important thing - in order for the space to be successful it needs to be functional! Don't just design a pretty space that you can walk into, look around and turn around to walk out of. If you're going to spend time there, the room needs to have a purpose.

Do you have a personal space query? Post a comment and I'll reply with my suggestions!

Happy branding.

The Bed Post

New England is incredibly gray and rainy today. The humidity is up. My hair is a mess. And quite frankly, I'd much rather be at home in bed. Perfect inspiration for a bed post. (C'mon, pun intended!)

Top 5 favorite bed trends: vintage wrought iron or brass beds. Cotton sheets, matelasse, vintage quilts. Pillows, lots of them. (Think two king, two standard, bolsters, etc.) Four poster beds. Tiny milking stools next to beds. Elevated beds. Upholstered headboards. Chandeliers hung over beds. Mismatched night stands.

I'd like to be in these beds cranking the AC with a mug of mint tea with honey and a good flick.

 

  

 

The Inception of Me... The Cottage Queen

Alas, the blog is born. My identity as the Cottage Queen is official. You're wondering how I got here? Probably not. But as usual, I'm going to tell you anyways! (Don't try to shut me up when I have something on my mind. If I don't say it, I could regret it. Rule #1.)


As an interior design professional I have always wondered what my "style" is. Much like my personality, it consists of both ends of the spectrum. I love bright bold color with busy patterns and clean lines. I also love intricate antique lines and monochromatic color schemes. I find though, that when it comes to personal style it has always been a mix of it all. I call it Cottage BohoChic.


Cottage BohoChic is eclectic. It's unassuming and inviting. There are simple guidelines but no hard rules. It's about what makes YOU feel at ease and happy. It's personal. It's timeless. It's no fuss. It can be minimalistic or it can be a beautiful concoction of heirlooms and vintage knick knacks.


So why do I call myself the Cottage Queen? It can be summed up in a memory. Have you ever been the guest in a home, hotel or vacation property that was designed & decorated in such a way that when your host said, "Make yourself at home" you actually felt like you could? That feeling is what I strive to deliver for clients and their guests. I feel that way most often when I'm in a beach cottage with summer breezes, touchable linens and thoughtful decor. Viola! Cottage Queen, the instigator of sought after memories.