It's Fri-yay! And my first Friday Favs with the new design :) Here we go!

1. Anthropology hits the Upper East Side in Wednesday Martin's upcoming book Primates of Park Avenue. This book has been making waves through the media this week for it's smart look into the real lives of some of the Upper East Side's most elite women. I've never pre-ordered a book before but after hearing about this one on the radio with talk of 'housewife bonuses' and blow-outs just to drop the kids off at school, I have to say I'm curious.
2.  Belmont Stakes is only a week away! I go every year but had to think long and hard if I wanted to go this year after last year's epic transportation issues on the way home. Alas, I'm sucking it up and praying that this year I won't have a 3 year commute back to the city... Anyways, Belmont is doing things a little differently this year to try and avoid a repeat and now you have to buy tickets ahead of time. They're capping attendance for the first time as well as including concerts post event to try and stagger when attendees leave. So if you want to go make sure to buy tickets ahead of time because they're planning that they will sell out before race day.
3. $30 for a hot dog? Forget about it! Hotdog vendors have been in the news lately because a vendor was caught charging $30 for hot dogs, yep you heard that right. Have no fear though the city is cracking down on sketchy food-carts so that you can enjoy your dirty dogs on a friendlier budget.
4. What really makes New York bagels, the 'best'? This video finally helps us get to the bottom of it, science and all. 
5. Manhattanhedge is backkkk. The event that happens twice a year is hitting the city for it's Spring appearance TONIGHT! So if you're looking for some perfectly aligned sunset photos, tonight is the night.

As you might have noticed... my blog got a little makeover! Which is why I've been lacking on some posts.. Transferring almost 5 years of posts and  categorizing and formatting to my liking took some time! I'm pretty excited about the outcome though and hope you are too. 

Here are some of the main changes you'll see

• New server: Have you seen or heard one of the many Squarespace ads over the last few months? Well they got me! Up until now I've been hosting my blog on Tumblr and I decided to take the dive and make the change so that I have a little bit more options. And if you subscribe through Tumblr, don't worry I'll still be posting so you won't miss out on anything!
• Categories: I've written a lot of posts over the last years and I wanted an easier way for you to find the category of posts that you like.  Now you can click on the categories on the sidebar to be directed to the posts of your liking.
• Search/Archive: I also have a search and full archive button on the sidebar in case you're looking for something super specific.

Another reason I made the switch over the Squarespace is because of some features I've been working on behind-the-scenes that will be live soon. Here's your peek at what is to come.

Coming soon features:

• Oh Sweet Lovely: One of the biggest reasons I switched over to Squarespace was the eccommerce options for my new print shop. Something I've become really passionate about is creating fun typography prints and I'm really excited to bring my print shop Oh Sweet Lovely to you this summer! 
• Freebies: Who doesn't love things that are free?! Yeah me too. I have so much fun with my design projects that I wanted to share some of the goods to make your life a little prettier. Think desktop wallpapers, Iphone wallpapers and the occasional printable. 
• Guides: This feature will be launching toward the end of the year, but I'm excited about it so of course I wanted to fill you guys in. My moving series was such a hit that I want to provide you with some more information through guides.

So lots of exciting stuff coming up and I'm so glad to have you along for the ride! Cheers to that!

Coming off of the end of my moving series it only seems appropriate that I shared a little decor inspiration, right?! That’s what I thought too! Which is why when the crew over at Chairish reached out to me with a design challenge, you know I couldn’t say no! 

Living in a rental can be a little challenging with design sometimes because you have more restrictions in terms of what you can do. Simple things like painting and fixtures are generally out of the picture so you have to get a little bit more creative with your furnishings to highlight your space. Not to mention you don’t always want to buy pieces that might not work in a future space. 

So what’s a renter to do? Focus on the things you can customize and have fun with your space! Whether you’re going to be there a year or 5+, I think it’s so important to make a space your own and make it really feel like home. There are so many awesome ways to get inspiration these days too! Whether it’s blogs, design magazines (like my favorite HGTV magazine), TV, Pinterest, there are so many great options to get ideas from for a starting point! Take a look around and get a good idea of what really is or isn’t your style.  

My advice is to find some key pieces that are versatile. I love color and pattern, but I’d prefer to buy a neutral couch that I can jazz up with different pillows than something too crazy that I might not like as much a few years down the road. By mixing neutrals in with statement pieces, you can really make a space your own.

My style tends to be bold and colorful. To me, there’s nothing better than walking into a fun and brightly decorated space. For this reason, I picked out some fun key pieces from Chairish’s Mid-Century collection for my inspiration board to bring out color as well as some texture. Something I really like about mid-century design is it’s pretty structured with clean lines, which makes it easy to work into your design no matter what your style is. 

Atomic Geometric Print | Tufted Sofa | Industrial Painted Bar Cart | Bar Stools | Mori Shizume- New York Skyline Silkscreens | Yellow Ceramic Pendant | Vintage Liquor Bottles | Lucite Barware Set 

I picked the neutral blue couch because I love the tufting on it along with the color. Pair it with some fun throw pillows and a faux fur along the back and the couch would be the perfect spot to get cozy on! Plus, it’s big enough to double as a bed if you’re living in a studio like I am in the city. Next up, I picked the awesome geometric chair. I love the coloring and pattern on this one and think it would be the perfect statement piece for a living room. With bold throw pillows and the chair, I’d probably suggest rounding out the space with simple coffee tables and a neutral rug.

Another trend I refuse to get over is bar carts. My bar cart continues to be one of my favorite pieces in my studio and I love the industrial flair that this one from Chairish has. Bar carts are so much fun because you can display fun glasses (which I totally have a glass buying addition – yes, that’s a real thing) along with all of your party essentials. I just think it’s such a fun way to display your things, no matter what they on such a timeless piece.

My last set of choices include the bar stools, which are perfect for city living. Space is tight and chances are you probably won’t have room for a full dining room table so bar stools can be perfect for your built in bar or if you have a pub table. Wrap it all together with some other fun mid-century accessories and your apartment is already on its way to looking colorful and fabulous! I hope this sparks a little home decor inspiration for you or gets you thinking about your style!