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New I HE(ART) DESIGN up over at The Decorista … click on over to see how I styled a bedroom around these gorgeous nude sketches.

Well, it took me a day to go through every hanger, every shelf, every drawer and every item stuffed in a random place … and then one more day to get my bootie over to Home Depot and Bed Bath & Beyond (I can’t say this without thinking “biiiig Saturday”) to get the things I needed, paint reorganize and re-put everything away. BUT, I did it and I can honestly say I went to sleep last night with the door to my closet open because I wanted to lay there and admire it. Yes, even in the dark.

Here is how my closet looked when I started. I kinda wish I was a messier person because the before and after would be more impressive. My problem here wasn’t messiness, it was more just an overwhelming amount of stuff. Like drawers whose bottoms were popping out and having to use my full weight to push hangers to one side to get out what I need. I already had my clothes sorted by color and had matching hangers and let me tell you – if you need to start small, this is the first thing you should do. Costco has a great deal on those felted low-profile hangers, although it’s in-store only, not online.

Before the Makeover
Crammed clothes, crammed shelves, crammed shoes … poor use of space.

I pulled out 4 bags + one box full of clothes, shoes, purses and other things to go to Goodwill.

After the Makeover!
I painted the walls, floor and pole and bright fresh aqua blue (Behr’s Cool Jazz) and left the trim pieces white. I bought some seagrass baskets for the upper shelf to organize purses, scarves and belts. I purchased 3 Melamine boards at Home Depot and had them cut them to size for me there, these are great because they come already coated with white, and I installed them at levels customized to the height of my highest platform heels and a narrow one for my ballet flats.

On the other side of my closet (a little harder to see) is a hanging shelf for sweaters (by RealSimple at Bed Bath & Beyond) and full length hanging area for dresses and suits. I bought boot trees (a MUST!) for all my boots so they stand up nice below and the leather won’t get cracked and creased.

I’m telling you, painting the closet is the BEST!. It makes it look so nice and makes such a huge difference. Some other options are to wallpaper the inside or if you need a more temporary solution because you are renting, try buying a length of a great fabric and use a staple gun to “wallpaper” it to the walls of your closet. The great thing is, it doesn’t have to be perfect because it’s just creating a backdrop for your clothes. I’m in love … sitting on my bed just staring at my open closet.

I’ve been very obsessed with orange for a little over a year now – not tangerine orange, but deep deep red orange. It’s as classic as red, but with a little twist in it’s orange undertone. You may recall the old IGP design featuring this poppy shade in the background. So as I’ve been decorating my new apartment and trying to make decisions on what I want to do with various spaces, this color has been springing up here and there … in a Moroccan patterned box I found at HomeGoods, in some coral knob pulls (which I grouped together and use as a little sculpture), and in a box of of classic Penguin book covers I have plans for making an art piece out of … some day.

One of the places I’ve been needing to find a solution for are my bed linens – the duvet I’ve been using is extremely old, has some holes torn in it at this point AND is so dingy, even bleach can’t make it white again. I’ve got a cheapy Ikea duvet I just swapped it out for because I was so disgusted I couldn’t sleep with the old one anymore, but I’ve been on the hunt. I’ve spied these awesome orange border linens in some beautiful rooms lately and have had my eye on them.

Janna Lyons’ Bedroom on the cover of Domino way back when …

Bedrooms from Lonny …

And red-orange in more spaces and rooms …

So I finally pulled the trigger. After much ado over considering the Dwell Studio Batavia duvet and then biting my nails over the West Elm Ikat Chevron duvet, I finally decided on these and am SO excited, I can’t wait for them to arrive!

Land’s End Shelby Linen Border Duvet

Seriously, can’t wait. They were on sale AND I found a free shipping code online (NEWYEAR with PIN: 5878)!!! Score! I’m so excited to have a good deal, to finally have made a decision and to get these beautiful babies in my hands. I’m tempted to already check my stoop for delivery, but I think it will take longer than one hour And while I’m at it, may I mention how awesome Land’s End has gotten? Quality goods and great sale prices. Their new Canvas line is really cute too, very much heading in the direction of j.crew. So, I got myself two winter sweaters (also on sale) since I have been freezing my buns off and I have NO sweaters. Here are the beauties I picked out:

This one involves chocolate … yes, that’s right chocolate. Click on over to The Decorista to check out the Kitchen nook/dining space I designed around this adorable print called “Me Gusta el Chocolate” – it’s from Mandarina‘s Etsy store and is only $5!!!!

Click here to pop over to The Decorista and see my room design!

1. My new Crosley iSolo iPod Speaker and Radio with awesome sound
and crazy good vintage styling. It has found a very happy home on
my evolving bookshelf/TV/Entertainment wall …

2. This recipe for the best, most addictive cookies EVER from Momofulu milk bar,
the new cookbook just out is definitely on my wishlist, get it here.
All I have to say is … Crack Pie.
TIP: Simplify the process by using crushed Kellogg’s Special K instead of bothering with
the whole cornflake crunch nonsense. Too many steps … I’m literally on my 3rd round of these.

3. My flannel cheetah PJ’s from Target – now on sale for only $20!
So cozy and stylish too!

4. The holiday episode from Secrets From A Stylist – re-aired today, but you can now watch online here!

5. Cuddling up with my puppy, Izzy, in my pajamas, while eating crazy good cookies,
listening to my tunes and enjoying my own Christmas décor … I love this time of year.
Except for that my pilot light on my heater is out and it’s flippin’ cold!
It was 43 here this morning wile it was 54 in NYC!