Home Sweet Home

Perhaps I've been reading too many design and apartment makeover blogs lately, or perhaps I assume others are as nosy about people's homes as I am (you know who you are), but I thought it might be fun to share some pictures of my humble abode - my (tiny!) SF studio apartment. When you have a small space, love design, and enjoy nesting, as I do, you tend to become meticulous about the things you place in and around your home. Here's how I've gone about it:

I wanted bedding that had natural, floral elements, but without being too girly. I got this beige and brown garden duvet at the mass-market home decor mecca, Anthropologie. The painting hanging over the bed is one I did while taking classes with Susan Miller (Susan Miller Gallery, Union St.). I wish I had a better bedside table (this one is a shoddy excuse for craftsmanship from Ikea).

I love my iHome alarm clock and ipod player (it is, however, a bit bulky, and I'm sure they now sell much sleeker ones). Above the stack of books is a postcard I picked up at a store in Santa Monica that says "Meditation is for Everyone". It reminds me to (try) and do a quick meditation on the day right before I go to sleep.

I think that the books you choose for your bedside table are supremely important. There should be a mix of "staple books" (things that you like to flip through frequently, or that provide inspiration and thought provocation), and of course your current reads. I am currently reading Zeitoun, by Dave Eggers (for a book club), and Against Interpretation, by Susan Sontag. The rest are all regulars:

• Unbearable Lightness of Being, by Kundera, and Either/Or, A Fragment of Life, by Kierkagaard (for intellectual foyers)
• Strike Sparks, by Sharon Olds (when a poetry mood strikes)
• Practical Idealists, by Wilson, Barham, and Hammock (trying to learn how to have it all)
• The Principles of Uncertainty, by Maira Kalman (beautiful, beautiful book)
• Change by Design, by Tim Brown (design thinking is EVERYWHERE)
• Collaborative Habit, by Twyla Tharp (her soothing tone calms me)

I'm a big believer in a big, clear desk. No cluttered paperwork, no filers. Just a few important objects, and your computer. Nothing is more inspiring and makes you feel more like a 'professional' writer (or whatever), than a good desk. This dark wood desk is from Ikea, but is surprisingly sturdy and of good quality. In the center I have a desk calendar, note-cards (to inspire me to write thank you notes often), an old photograph of my grandparents, and some candles.

This little love seat couch pulls out into a twin bed, and has been a godsend for my out of town guests. It's actually comfortable, I don't know how - good work Crate and Barrel. Throw pillow and blankets from Pier One, guitar is a Guild (shamefully out of tune).

Perhaps my favorite thing in the apartment is this black and gold lacquer Japanese cabinet. I got it about ten years ago in Los Angeles (Japantown), and really love the funkiness that it adds to my space. It is crammed full of books and art supplies. The house slippers are handmade from Jaipur, India. The pictures in the frame are snapshots from my 2009 trip to Argentina and Brazil.

And finally, the kitchen. This is my baker's rack where I keep my dishes and kitchen knick knacks. The colorful tumbler cups and small plates in the front are from Pottery Barn, a gift from mom. The elephant teapot and small blue and yellow cups at the top are from Anthropologie. The small unframed picture on the left hand side is a Jennie Smith print that I picked up at Little Otsu in the Mission; the larger framed poster in the back is a John Post photograph of my hometown, Manhattan Beach.

Hope you enjoyed the tour. Interior design is a veritable playground for design lovers, and I have a feeling I will constantly be reinventing and reinvigorating my home with new items and themes. I look forward to having more space (and more funds) to play with in the future.