This story starts with a humbling reality: I will be living in my studio rental apartment for the foreseeable future. I’m pretty sure that my childhood self would have been (at least mildly) horrified to learn that at thirty-two I would not yet own a dreamy home. But that girl also didn’t understand start-up salaries or hot real estate markets in tech booms. Don’t get me wrong, I love my little piece of earth, and it suits my needs just fine. Most importantly, I can entertain (a small group) and watch the sun set over the Golden Gate Bridge and bay from bed (i.e. any window in the space since it’s all one room). All that to say, since I’m not moving on, I decided to really settle in here and make some minor investments to improve my little jewel box. I’ve learned that hunting and collecting unique pieces can transform any space, but the most powerful change I made was wallpapering my bedroom nook. Today, I’m opening the kimono to give you a peek into my newly updated boudoir.
Oh, to be a fly on the wall. The entire environment of this cozy alcove changed when the walls were wrapped in our new Indigo Arrows Wallpaper. The motif of the dyed textile takes on an animal print interpretation in the large scale paper application – a little soft, a little wild. This room gets a lot of light, so the dark and cool hues shine. The art above my bed is from Exhibition A, a friend’s art company offering limited edition prints from the coolest contemporary artists. I love this piece because it reminds me to relax and enjoy my place as queen of a mini castle.
It’s all about pillow talk. As a girl, I can never have too many pillows. The best thing about a bachelorette pad is that I don’t have to hold back on my love of fluff. As always, I’m mixing patterns here. The simple, scalloped beauties in the back are from Matouk (and match my duvet); next come the grayish brown shibori stunners from my dear friend, talented textile designer Rebecca Atwood (purchased from our local Anyon Atelier); then, the Modern Indigo from Mali ties back in the blue; the cherry on top of this cupcake is an antique piece from our Guatemalan Huipil collection.
Resting by my [bed]side. My bedside table holds many things near to my heart. Photographs of my parents and my grandmother (looking très glam) sit with my Mad et Len Sprituelle candle (our St. Frank store scent) and Hudson Grace apothecary matchstick jar. I am beyond obsessed with Cuba (and, yes, this pre-dated the Kardashian’s visit). I’ve consumed many a Havana-set historical memoir and even visited (can I admit this online via my place of work?) in 2011 before it was… above ground. I have a couple of coffee table books with beautiful photos of the island to make sure I’m having a sweet dream set in Latin America. Confession: this usually serves as the base of a pile of other books. I have reading commitment issues, which I hid in this photoshoot; PERFECT example of why you can never judge a book by its cover.
Burning the midnight oil. On to my desk! Let’s be honest, I’m always thinking about work. Even in bed. When I work away from the office, I love to be inspired (and, yes, sometimes distracted) by my amazing views of the bay, flanked by my St. Frank Organic Indigo curtains (custom made by our friends at SWAYSTUDIO). My hand-me-down antique desk holds treasures from my travels, including an antique West African bangle and our Ashanti Fertility Doll, which I’m hoping will come in handy later on in life. Some other noteworthy St. Frank finds include my mini Kilim pillow and this vintage textile label from India.
C’est tout for now! Hope you enjoyed the tour of this corner chez moi.
Christina
