OK, I've been coveting this huge crystal spherical chandelier from Horchow for a while now. Why does it have to be $2500 though??? So sad for me. I'm figuring that since Horchow always has amazing sales that someday the price will go way down and I will have saved up enough money to snatch it up.....


......In the meantime, I think I could settle for this round chandelier from ebay. Equally gorgeous, but in a very different way, and at $150, quite appealing. I just love how the spherical chandelier shape is kind of unique.



XO Athena

Porcelain Monkeys

I am so obsessed with these white porcelain monkey bookends that I found on ebay!!! The back story is that I have been coveting these monkeys by Mottahedeh for a couple of years now, since I spied them in an issue of Domino way back.


At $189 a pair though, they were on my "someday" wish list... Until I scored mine on ebay for $30, slightly different from the originals but the same size and just as awesome (in my opinion)!


XO Athena

Berkus-Designed Apartment

Nate Berkus is known for some amazing work (hello, Katie Lee's apartment in Domino!), so I would imagine that being his sister and getting a full apartment makeover wouldn't be too shabby. Glamour magazine had an article a while back featuring 29-year-old Marni Golden who had her bro Berkus do her place up. He used lots of pieces from his line for HSN and the place is awesome!


I adore that chevron stripe throw blanket from his line, as well as the modern sideboard and the tree branch table. So cute!!




Also, I LOVE the striped walls and pleated bedding!!! Where can I get this duvet? I must know! Plus, I have that black and gray throw blanket that's draped over the headboard (yup, the one that you can barely see). I love love love it, it's super soft!


Isn't this studio apartment so pretty??? I love all the shades of gray and gold, two of my very favorite colors!

XO Athena

The Cross in Vancouver BC

Have you been to Vancouver, BC? Have you been to The Cross? If not, you will have to take a look on your next visit there! My first visit to The Cross was last summer and I was blown away by how gorgeous the store was. Not to mention everyone there was so friendly, unlike the treatment you sometimes get at other high-end boutiques. They have some familiar brands, like Oly studio and Jamie Young, but they also had some unusual things that I had not seen at other stores. I saw while I was there that they offer interior design services, but on a visit just now to their website I noticed that they also have a blog! Check them out immediately!










XO Athena

My First Home Goods Visit

OK, I know I'm late getting on the Home Goods bandwagon. Every corner I turn in the shelter blog world, people are talking about all the great stuff they've found at Home Goods. We don't have the store in Seattle, so on my trip to Portland this weekend I took my first look at the store. I went in a little pessimistic because I know how it usually goes.... Everyone you talk to finds great stuff at a store, but when you go none of the gems are there. Luckily, I was dead wrong. I mean, there's tacky knick-knacks aplenty there, but I also had a hard time not spending a lot of money. The one incredible find that I could not resist was this huge 15 inch pierced ceramic lantern for $29. The identical Two's Company Carthage lantern in this size is well over $100. Score for me!!! I'm not into the odd purple hue though, so I'm going to have to paint it. I'm gonna be raiding Home Goods on every trip to Portland from now on.




XO Athena

Cool Home Tours on Apartment Therapy

Apartment Therapy is one of my daily stops, being the mecca of house tours of "real-people" homes. Here are a few cool homes that I've found on there lately...one is actually in Seattle, my home town!




















XO Athena

Faux Bamboo Chandeliers

I'm moving soon, so I have many thoughts swimming through my head about how I'm going to decorate the new place. I have lots of lamps but have never bought any actual light fixtures such as chandeliers or sconces, since I've always been a renter. Luckily my current apartment has gorgeous ceiling fixtures.... Yet unfortunately I can't take them with me .... Thus my hunt for chandeliers begins. I've really been into the faux bamboo chandliers lately, especially the pagoda-shaped ones. Anything faux-bamboo and Chinoiserie-esque is good in my book! Ebay always has gorgeous ones, very similar to the ones on 1st Dibs that they charge an arm and a leg for.

Bamboo Tower Chandelier from Shades of Light, $298

Bijoux Transitional Chandelier from Arcadian Lighting, $340

via Turquoise LA

via ebay

via ebay

via ebay

via ebay

via ebay

via ebay

via Lonny Magazine

XO Athena