"AN ARMCHAIR CALLS TO YOU..."

I've invested quite a bit of money, time and thought into finding the perfect armchair (or plural, armchairs). I peruse Craigslist just for the fun of perhaps finding the missing armchair in my life that I will never be able to purchase because, well, it won't fit in my apartment. But how much fun is it to imagine all the different armchairs one could have in their imaginary perfect home where concerns over color coordination, practicality and finances cease to exist. Armchairs are without a doubt one of the key ingredients in any social room, and for that matter, private rooms as well. With the perfect complimentary pillow (or two, because obviously you can never have too many pillows) an armchair is one of the first statements you make about a room and in turn, your personality. Equally as important as your bedding, dresser and nightstand, chairs are the epitome of comfort, style, and timelessness. I've always been fond of an impeccable vintage chair, and how I would love to welcome the one up top into my home.

“STYROFOAM PLATES, CAFETERIA TABLES. CHARITY REEKS OF CHEAP WINE AND PITY.”

I stand by my claim that it's perfectly acceptable to eat spoonfuls (gobs)of Nutella. I'm spending the weekend at my parent's house because Matt is out of town and I've got a few refurbishing projects that I've been wanting to finish since Christmas. I'm also using my sisters junky, antique PC laptop to type this entry and am afraid that at any minute this will one way or another erase itself, as seems to be the case with anything I attempt to write on a PC. Oh, super swift Mac laptop, how I wish I hadn't accidentally left you at home. One of the reasons I'm most excited about being at home is my weekly Saturday trip to my favorite hole-in-the-wall thrift shop. I am a woman on a mission this weekend as a few weeks ago I found an abandoned plate tier, sans plates. My co-worker and I were making some tea upstairs in the kitchen and we looked over to find a beautiful, discarded plate tier standing next to the trash can. It seemed to be a remnant from a work event and I immediately claimed it as my own. As you can imagine, it was quite fun riding with it back home on the BART train but I didn't mind the inconvenience...I had a vision.

After taking some measurements, I am on the hunt for the perfect three vintage plates to complete this tier. The more colorful and ornate the better as I will be using this in the corner of my kitchen to display pastries, pies and even fruit in the summertime. I frequently find breathtaking antique plates in thrift stores however can't seem to nail down a concept for how to incorporate them into my decor. My mother has some beautiful pieces showcased in her breakfast room hutch and I'm tempted to do the same as soon as my hutch is finished. However, sometimes I find these plates almost too beautiful to hide behind glass, and wish there was a more functional purpose for them. I hope that the thrift store gods are on my side today and that I'll find the perfect new additions to my ever expanding platter collection.

"I AM A WRITER, WRITER OF FICTIONS. I AM THE HEART THAT YOU CALL HOME."

There is nothing that I like more than a bookcase beautifully coordinated by color. Although I've had to fight for this right after every move, I've managed to win Matt over by organizing our countless hardcovers and paperbacks in shades of turquoises and lavenders until he can't deny that it looks spectacular. This is a painstaking process of matching and grouping each book into its appropriate color group. At the very end, it's truly rewarding to stand back and take it all in. The varying shades of intensity breathe new life into the books, and all the sudden you take note again of all the books you devoured (voluntarily or forcefully) during your college years and the ones you have yet to read. The only color that never fails to look lonely is the long section of plain, white paperback spines that stare back at you blankly.

Collecting books is a habit that has been instilled in me from birth, thanks to my bookworm mother who never misses an opportunity to read just about anything. From serial killers to post-war literature, my mother has read more books than most scholars I know and its partly her fault that I am not unable to pass a bookshelf or bookstore by without at least taking a second glance. It's extremely difficult for me to give up books simply to gain more storage space, especially since I know they are so irreplaceable. I've been frequenting my favorite hole-in-the-wall thrift store in my home town for a few years now and just about always walk out with at least 3-8 books. For a whopping dollar you can buy 8 paperbacks, a bargain that one would have to be a fool to pass up. Now that my Ikea Expedit bookcase is full, it looks like I'll have to find either A) another bookcase or B) downsize. I'll let you guess which of the two it'll come down to.