Trōv

Villa Champignon Pearl: Good living on the water

Alex — Thu, 04 Apr 2013 20:39:22 +0000

Next stop is Copenhagen. The Villa Champignon Pearl Houseboat is a quirky and unique place to stay if you’re making your way through Denmark (which I hope to do in July). Heidi made great use of the space, fitting the beds underneath the low, sloped ceilings and building an outdoor living area on the deck. The living room is fun for children and big kids alike. I love the hopscotch on the floor and the numbered wall paper, which make the boathouse more playful, and my favorite design element is the silver textured wall.

I like that Heidi used contrasting colors throughout the boat (i.e. the orange drawers next to the blue pots). She hung a delicate chandelier above the rustic wooden table and next to the metal spiral staircase leading upstairs. She personalized the room with movie posters above the couch and made it comfortable and inviting with a sheep skin on the chair. I have a few sheep skins in my house – they’re fluffy and conveniently warm in the winter and cool in the summer.

Airbnb

Alex — Tue, 02 Apr 2013 01:05:14 +0000

I’ve always found airbnb to be a useful service when traveling to new places. Recently, I discovered it as a tool for interior design ideas, which is fitting given that many of my treasures come from my travels. My next few posts will be about spaces that stood out to me on airbnb. Maybe they’ll inspire design; maybe they’ll inspire travel – either way, I’ve done my job.

If you are visiting Tel Aviv, Israel, consider renting Odelia’s Trieste luxuries suite neve tzedek. I think I would love this apartment even before she added anything. The worn stone finish on the interior walls gave her a beautiful canvas to start her design. Israeli architecture dates back as far as the 4th millenium BCE (in Jerusalem, at least). Arguably, the most historical country in the world, is home to a modern hub for amazing food, culture, beaches and nightlife. Odelia has done a great job juxtaposing the aged walls in her apartment with modern art and decor, which in my mind is symbolic of Israel itself.

Odelia’s chandeliers and silver serving trays are classy and feminine. She brought out some color with the rugs, floral throw pillows, and turquoise stool. The floor lamp adds a rustic look and the swing offers a playful seating option that doesn’t take up any floor space. The many mirrors reflect light and open up a small living space to make it appear bigger. The glass doors lead outdoors to a quaint patio that feels homey. I love everything about this space!

Let’s Get Scientific

Alex — Wed, 27 Mar 2013 04:40:56 +0000

Another childhood favorite was the Nature store. My sister and I spent hours selecting our next science kit, looking at the fossils behind the glass, and digging through the bins for our favorite crystals (in the end they all looked the same). i was reminded by this in the bathroom of Flour + Water recently. The lighting is dim but you can make out unique decorative items on display behind the glass, including animal skulls, petrified wood, preserved fish, coral, and fossils. It’s difficult to see in the pictures so I’d highly recommend stopping by (that is, if you can get a reservation). I love the look of scientific decor – it’s rare elements of nature that are always unique, making your space dynamic and interesting.

Light Bulbs – what a great idea!?

Alex — Fri, 22 Mar 2013 02:40:53 +0000

Lately I’ve noticed a lot of interesting light fixtures that are (ironically) made of broken lightbulbs. DIY opportunity – It seems pretty simple to take an old wooden box, crate, or wire cage and fill it with a collection of interestingly shaped lightbulbs. You can hook up a few working bulbs and throw them in to make it a functional light. If you can’t find the right container, a stained wooden wine crate will look nice when the light is on and shining through the cracks. At home depot you can find everything you need and the employees are fairly knowledgable and willing to help. Hide the wiring underneath the other bulbs and get creative with the shapes and caging. Here are a few examples from Club Monoco, J. Crew, and Bar Crudo in San Francisco.

Succulents

Alex — Tue, 19 Mar 2013 21:39:53 +0000

In floral arrangements, weddings bouquets, patios, bathrooms, or sidewalk gardens, I love succulents. They are inexpensive and even more importantly, easy to upkeep. They also multiply, so you can steel a leif from one plant and re-grow it in a new environment, but don’t steel it from your neighbors… I’ve been tempted . Planting succulent arrangements is a great DIY for the home. You can get creative with the containers, by using mason jars, glass bulbs, or wooden boxes/crates as your planters. I’d recommend checking out IKEA or CB2 for inexpensive containers. If you choose to plant them in anything glass, you can also do fun things with the soil. Remember sand art? Use sand instead of soil and layer different colors. I’d probably stick with different shades of brown or grey, but if you like color, go for it!

Specialty stores (like Paxton’s Gate) sell a great arrangement of succulents, but you can find them for significantly cheaper at drug stores or home depot – mix and match!

Rustic Wall Art

Alex — Thu, 14 Mar 2013 01:09:12 +0000

I love murals and wall art. They’re great for indoor decor but can also be used outside. Below are a few examples of outdoor items to hang on the wall. The old tools create a rustic feel, but wall art can be made up of anything. Tailor it to your interests; if you love cooking, use vintage kitchenware. The more stuff you get up there, the better it looks! If you’re in New York, The Meatball Shop has a wall covered in rusty items to check out – you can preview a corner of it in the picture below.

Wood To Eat Off Of

Alex — Tue, 12 Mar 2013 19:50:00 +0000

On Saturday I spent the day looking for a dining room table with my friend Hayley who is moving into her new home. She was looking for something unique that could seat more than 6 people for a big open space extending into the kitchen. Having know Hayley’s affinity for the mountains, I figured Urban Hardwoods would be up her alley. I got my coffee table came from them – every piece of wood that they sell is uniquely shaped and absolutely beautiful; the hardware follows suit. On the way to their Velencia store (they share space with Fine Arts Optical in the Mission), we realized that the block between 19th and 20th on Velencia is a hidden gem for furniture and home decor. We found an extendable walnut dining table at Acacia, a a mom-and-pop shop that sells handmade furniture imported from and amish curator in Pennsylvania. There we also saw an unfinished marble table that we really liked, but was less practical and too small for the space. We stopped in at Aldea where Hayley found a sleek metal bar cart, cool lighting fixtures, plant ideas, and a bunch of knick knacks for the home.

Excuse the photos – all we had was an iphone

Before and After Kitchen

Alex — Fri, 08 Mar 2013 19:49:48 +0000

Check out the before and after feature of Kyle’s kitchen remodel on Apartment Therapy. Kyle and I worked together at Google. We naturally continued our 1:1s after I left to talk about furniture, flea markets, and interior design, the topics we’d often end up on even when we were supposed to be talking about tech talks, engineers, and campus ambassadors – typical. When Lindsey from AT was looking for referrals, Kyle was the first person who came to mind.

Kyle shares the same genes as her handy man; alongside a structural engineer, her father worked magic to remodel her kitchen. They opened up the space, made it brighter and whiter, and embraced the shabby chic, Kyle’s signature look. My favorite, is the barn door she used to hide her pantry.

Keep an eye out for more from Kyle. Hopefully she’ll be posting on Trōv soon too!

Chevron – not the gas station.

Alex — Sun, 03 Mar 2013 07:49:41 +0000

My latest home improvement spiced up the stairwell. I covered the accent wall with gray and white chevron wall paper to bring some excitement to the commute upstairs. Use caution when buying wallpaper with a sticky back – while it may be easier to remove, it’s far more difficult to apply. If you can’t commit to an entire wall make your own wall art: she’s crafty.

Wallpaper: Urban Outfitters Online

Tuesdays and Thursdays

Alex — Thu, 28 Feb 2013 07:44:31 +0000

We’re keeping it consistent. Come back to Trōv on Tuesdays and Thursdays to find new posts!