Raving About the Brooklyn Flea on Brooklyn Exposed

Please head on over to Brooklyn Exposed to check out my article, "6 Top Reasons to Visit the Brooklyn Flea." If you're a flea market junkie like I am, you're going to love this one. I can't tell you how many items I've purchased at this particular market. It really is one of my favorites in Brooklyn, and so if you happen to be in the area and have yet to pay a visit, you must, must, must do so soon. Promise.

My 5 Favorite Moments from Blogfest

Blogfest, an annual conference held in NYC for design bloggers, was such a blast. I had the chance to think about ways to expand this beloved blog right here, as well as connect with some of the bloggers I've been following on Twitter for so long. My favorite moments from the conference are.....drumroll please:

1. Meeting Chuck Fischer at the Kips Bay Decorator Show House and enjoying his explanation of the room he designed. I loved his idea of using the space on the back of doors as bulletin boards. So clever.

2. I would have never thought to use an antique tripod as a TV stand, and that's just what was done in the Kips Bay Decorator Show House room designed by Charles Pavarini III.

3. Going on a tour of the Elle Decor Modern Life Concept House and taking in this fab room that Lee Kleinhelter of the Atlanta-based home furnishings shop, Pieces, designed. The yellow and gold accents were just perfect for the space.

4. Since a good portion of the events were held in the D&D Building, I took the opportunity to visit the Ralph Lauren Home showroom and fell in love with this arrangement. The mirror was my favorite piece here, and the use of black just made the space feel extra glam.

5. Blogfest ended with a fun party (with endless amounts of fried chicken and cornbread for guests...ha) at the New Traditonalists' showroom. And despite the crowd, this headboard caught my attention.

Inspiration from Hastens Beds, ABC Carpet & Home and Fishs Eddy

If you follow this blog, you know I love to check out home stores for decorating inspiration  from time to time. Today, I swung by Hästens, ABC Carpet & Home as well as Fishs Eddy. Check out the pics I snapped at each store. 

The new Lenoria bed from Hästens is so comfy. You know I had to test it out for myself. And the selling point for me is that it's adjustable. 

Here are some of the fabric options for the Hästens beds. 

I then visited ABC Carpet & Home and adored these super cute John Derian paperweights.  I especially like the weights with the heart and the "A Happy Home" message. 

I've been so drawn to yellow lately and this stool, which retails for about $900, was on display near ABC's entrance. Fun, right?

ABC does such an excellent job with the displays throughout the store, as you can see here. Their arrangements never fail to make you want to buy something.

My last stop was Fishs Eddy. I thought these porcelain glove molds were fun. I would use these to hold jewelry.

Fishs Eddy also had these vintage boxes on sale for a pretty good price. I've always liked the worn look of these kind of boxes, but usually go back and forth on how I'd use one in my own space. 

Who Knew Lara Spencer Loved a Good Flea Market Find?

The next book I have to read is I Brake for Yard Sales from Lara Spencer, an anchor of Good Morning America. I had absolutely no idea that she is a design enthusiast and loves a good flea market adventure. I'm excited about this book because it's been a while since a good title chock-full of flea market shopping pointers has grabbed my attention. I'm pretty comfortable with bargaining at flea markets and choosing the best items for my needs, but it's always helpful to get a different perspective from someone who loves it just as much as I do. (Check out my flea market shopping tips, by the way.)

Also be sure to visit her site because it has an entire section dedicated to her latest flea market finds, like a bar cart from the 50s that she scored for just $50, gorgeous leatherbound books and so many more goodies. Love!

Beauty Meets Decor: Stila's Smudge Crayon in Midnight Blue

On Sunday, I attended The Makeup Show blogger preview here in NYC and couldn't believe the amount of goodies we were all gifted. I'm talking amazing products from brands like Obsessive Compulsive Cosmetics to Make Up For Ever. Crazy, I know. I also had the chance to do some shopping at the show on Monday (at a 20 - 40% discount), and one of my best purchases was the Stila smudge crayon in midnight blue ($22).

I've been thinking of mixing up my traditional black/brown eyeliner routine for something with a pop of color. And I have to say this navy waterproof eye primer/shadow/liner is the perfect option. I like that it really is an understated, sophisticated kind of blue, without any shimmer and all that jazz. And to top it off, it goes on so smooth, which is key for me when it comes to liners. I just love it.

And in terms of decor, how much do you love the navy used for the accent wall, throw pillows and lampshade in this room? It gives the space a warm feel.

Photos: Stila; 4lovestore

A Little Housing Works Thrift Shopping

If you're an avid thrift shopper, you'd probably agree that Housing Works never disappoints. I swung by the Chelsea, Manhattan location yesterday and spotted these two gorgeous pieces.

Sadly, this armoire had been sold to one very, very lucky person already. Isn't this just amazing?

This accent table with a marble top was also perfect, but since it was new, it hadn't been priced for sale as yet.

Table Lamps at Northeast Kingdom Restaurant

For the first time, I had dinner at Northeast Kingdom restaurant in Brooklyn (the burger and chicken pot pie are both delicious). I thought the table lamps were so cute, so I just had to share a pic with you. Happy Friday, and enjoy the weekend.