dunkel

Some of my favorite dark rooms:

The black wall color of this study acts like an intense but clean backdrop for its furniture and accents. Botanical and wood - earth. Shit ton of natural light and fire - warmth and lurve.

This would be too much black for me, but I dig what looks like a black+white bathroom, the tufted canopy bed, and the fur throw. I don't like the black shag rug and the tufted bench. Too matchy-matchy isn't good unless it's fittingly ironic.

These Indian benches are so sexy and would be perfect in any dark space:

The above room is perfectly balanced out. The gilded benches are set against a gray wall on rough hardwood floors. All the taupe/beige in the room balances out the shine of the benches and the harshness of the black canopy bed's angles.

Here's another bench the all-black bedroom could have used instead of a mini version of the huge tufted bed:

Ooh you like that pop?! I feel like it's all a little off with the green (can't tell if that's marble or granite) floors, purple curtains, and yellow armless. Plus they're all patterned or textured in some way that you feel like they'd be highlighted more if in any other room. Ah, not sure what the think. Check out the high-gloss wall - really unexpected, I like!

The above-bed print is really old and out, but I love this peacock/teal wall color. Brass lighting casts a golden glow - like aurora borealis in your bedroom.

Yeah?!!

Quadrofoil will be big this year.

This room makes itself off of high-contrast colors. I like the rug and the rich blue wall color. If I remember correctly, the resident is a middle-aged bachelor dude and the space is a studio. The saarinen table acts as his dining/work/side table.

My parents would not be okay with this dusty arrangement, but I love how the open shelving looks here. It wouldn't be a problem at all if your kitchen is small enough and you don't allow yourself to collect so much shit bc nothing will be dusty as it's always in use.

And if you're planning on a dark bedroom, think about going pale gold or black silhouette with these two beds.

My dream bed from Graham and Green:

What I image as Belle de Jour's teenage bed:


What you've probably noticed about a lot of these dark rooms is how they have high ceilings and a great deal of natural light coming in from some angle. But ah, don't these things always help?

schokolade

My name is Emily, my roommate is Lauren - and we're addicts.

For oddly textured, questionably labelled, melting, LUSCIOUS chocolate THAT IS!!

Some highlights from a semester of wasting money and instant, fleeting gratification:

Labooko

Labooko chocolates are produced in Austria and have awesome packaging (PLUS it matches my blog colors). Lauren's had horse milk chocolate and says it's pretty damn good (makes me think of Horsetears, Goldfrapp). The above is the only type I've tried but I LOVE IT SO GOOD - made from sheep milk and meant to be a substitute for no-cows.

The 50% side is made of "cocoa from Nicaragua and Peru also a pinch of salt and walnuts also set accents." The 60% Hot Sheep side contains Birds Eye Chili "und ist selten, feurig und voller Aromen" - rare, fiery, and full of A-ROH-MAH!

Mmm thanks Anastasia for a delicious Christmas present.

Firecracker

Next to stinky tofu, this is one of the best "weird" things I've ever eaten. Firecracker is a 60% cocoa bar with salt, chipotle, and POP ROCKS. It feels so cool with the spice and salt and popping oh god. Get the sensation OH LORD! Pricier than the rest of the bars shown at about $6, but a bajillion times cooler.

We started buying these Dolfin bars because they're relatively cheap at about $2.69. Then we realized that they have an delightfully alarming number of variations.

The best of which is HOT MASALA!! It's made a little too sweet because it's milk chocolate, and it's also not spicey like you'd expect and how I like, but oh man. It's sweet but certainly not saccharine - at once melting, luscious, and you taste the cardamom, cinnamon, clove and ginger singly.

Within the other Dolfin varieties, earl grey is really fragrant, but only that. Pink peppercorn contains rose - also smells better than it tastes. What I really want to try is fresh ginger. I want me some zing!

Vat you like?

side tables

OH BOY - It's table surfaces part two!

If I were a little girl (and not, say, a twelve year-old boy), this side table in camel but especially elephant would be a dream addition to my bedroom.

Elephant Ceramic Side Table, Mermaid Hut - 199

Camel Ceramic Side Table, Mermaid Hut - 199

Round Ceramic Garden Stool, Pearl River - 155

Mermaid Hut offers it in other colors at two for 400 and the really ornate blue/white ones for 349, but you could really easily lacquer/spray paint this into any color you want. Nick Olsen featured an orange ceramic garden stool from the Well Appointed House for little Sasha's room.
$56 at Target!

Moroccan Drum Table, West Elm - 199

And for a bit o' GLAM:

Decal Square Drum Table, West Elm - 199

Bamboo Stool, Pearl River - 19.50

Ideal for a really small, super chill space. I like that the bamboo provides a rim - good for cups and earrings and bobby pins.

And because it's Lunar New Year:

Foldable Wooden Camp Stool, Pearl River - 19.50

Domino's current issue does a really awesome bit on entryways. One standout is an alternate take on the classic small cabinet, mirror, flowers and bowls, but with a Chinese cabinet. See how lamp complements cabinet? And blue opposes the reds, reinforced by pink adjacent room? The space is not overwhelmed with color though, the frames and doors are white, as are the lamp and vase.


Pearl River, once again, is AMAZING. They have an unbelievable range of Chinese and Tibetan cabinets and tables which vary in level of ornamentation. I would argue that these affordable examples of very traditional Asian furniture have silhouettes that are unmatched by any Western designs.

If like the Domino shot, you also have a narrow wall to use in your entryway, this little cabinet would be so striking:

Small Chinese Lacquered Cabinet, Pearl River - 275

Imagine any of the following three against a wall of supersaturated color. This first one should go against slate/black/dark jewel-toned blue or purple or red.

Chinese Antique Alter Table w Open-Work Carvings, Pearl River - 450

Tibetan Alter Cabinet, Pearl River - 295

Tibetan Alter Table w Three Drawers, Pearl River - 1500

And because this one is just pretty:

Chinese Lacquered Cabinet, Pearl River - 395

This is from a Domino gallery on bold color for which Tibet is famous.

best bars

Feel like every adult home needs a bar. Doesn't need to be a space intended especially for drinks or permanent, but a bar should make an appearance every so often.

Some stylin' styles:

A product of 1930s streamlining, the Parsons Table is credited to Jean-Michel Frank (related to Anne Frank!) and Parsons The New School of Design. Since then, the design characterized by four square legs that stand flush has been a favorite of modernism buffs and more traditional styles alike.

Crate+Barrel does a variation with travertine/glass tops.

Build your own of fiberboard/plywood or only order legs from Room+Board for a custom table top or see the Door Store for Parsons tables in any size/color.

With a drawer from West Elm, 200

Parisian Three Tier Table, 1407

This would be wonderful in Miles Redd's living room:

Concordia Cabinet, 795

Antiqued Mirrored Console, 1320

Baker Bamboo Server

Golden Bamboo Butler Table, two for 400!

Adjustable High-Low Coffee Table and Bar

Wood Serving Table, 698

Wasn't that DANDY! Although I didn't appreciate having to wake up early, but oy!

Some fashion highlights from the past week:

I don't like what she's wearing (Isabel Toledo), but nice olive gloves!

I thought this was excellent - Michelle Obama presenting Laura Bush with a gift as the Bushes greet the incoming family. Great American class. I like her!

Such a well dressed group. Hurray!

Michelle Obama wearing Narciso Rodriguez at the concert.

Girls' Marching Coat, Jcrew - $129 sale

Keith Olbermann informs us that the girls wore JCrew to the Inauguration. Makes sense then as to why the Jcrew website is so congratulatory and glad that they've been branded once again for all-American style.

Ginger

I'm still in ginger craze.

Epicurious suggests:

Ginger and Pink Grapefruit Cheesecake

Ginger Cake with Crystallized Ginger Frosting

GINGER DOUGHNUTS!!!

And this sums me up: Chai-Spiced Cheesecake with Ginger Crust

Others:
Ginger Cakes with Molten Chocolate Centers and Ginger Crème Anglaise
Mango Ginger Float

Lillian says to boil ginger, add honey. OHG mm!

Are you allowed to put large amounts of fresh produce, namely ginger, in checked-in luggage? Carry-on, maybe?