My Little Known Hobby

Did any of you know that I am obsessed with interior design?

It all started a little over a year ago – when Tal and I decided to move to a new apartment, I went a little nuts. For some reason, the idea of moving into a huge, beautiful, all-white shiny new apartment that was completely ready for us to fill with gorgeous stuff just triggered something within me – I started buying countless shelter magazines (Metropolian Home, Elle Décor, Domino – REST IN PEACE) and subscribing to all these design catalogs.

Ever since then, I can’t stop – I still read the magazines, the blogs, and have amassed such a collection of things I’ve torn or printed out that I had to start a scrapbook. Call me lame, but my idea of a ridiculously relaxing evening involves my George Foreman, my design scrapbook, and a reality show on the TV.

If reading these kinds of magazines/blogs is something you’re interested in, I would definitely recommend starting a scrapbook. When I started tearing pages out, I had no clue what kind of decorating style appealed to me. However, once I started flipping through my book, I noticed a very clear pattern – almost everything I like is either modern or Asian/Indian-influenced. It was never a surprise to me that I liked bright colors, but now I have a better sense of the patterns and fabrics that I like – for example, my absolute FAVORITE is ikat. Anything ikat or ikat-inspired, I rip out immediately!

Have you heard of Madeline Weinrib? She’s a famous textile designer whose stuff I absolutely die over. Each year on my birthday, I go to a fancy store and treat myself to something fabulous. Last year’s purchase was a Vince leather blazer – unreal purchase, but I digress. This year, since the fam was in New York, I dragged them all to ABC Carpet & Home and bought myself an INSANE Madeline Weinrib rug that I’d been drooling over. Isn't it gorgeous? I got it in turquoise!

Here are some of my favorite interior design blogs. Definitely check them out if this is one of your hobbies, too!

http://www.designspongeonline.com/
http://www.apartmenttherapy.com/
http://www.absolutelybeautifulthings.blogspot.com/
http://www.cococozy.com/
http://www.thelovelist.net/

I hope you have a wonderful weekend. I'm off to Vegas with the Yenta's - more on that when I return!