My parents were fiendish antiques collectors, so I know where I get it from. Interior design is a new adventure for me. I'm living in my first "adult" apartment, which is a 600 sq-foot 1-bedroom that I share with my boyfriend and our two cats. Even after a year, we're still figuring out what we like and don't like when it comes to surrounding ourselves with things. That being said, I love our dresser, and I love the spooky fun stuff I have come to start my day looking at.
The Hands
It all started with one novelty porcelain ash tray in the shape of a cupped hand. I think I got it at a flea market when I was in high school. One ash tray turned into three, and now here I am with over fifteen! I love these things, and they have become a humorous staple of my bedroom decor, keeping everything from jewelry (obviously), to bits and bobs like old dice and devil figurines. Honestly, if I have learned anything, it's that ash trays make for excellent catch-all dishes; they come with personality and humor to say the least.
The Sardine Box
Another moment of crockery-as-vanity-staple is my porcelain sardine box, which is where I keep my hair ties and loose buttons. Why a sardine dish? Well, the trompe l'oeil factor is fabulous enough, but I find the shape and placement of the sardine as a sort of handle as too good. These were popular at Victorian tables and ensured that the salty cured fish would be kept moist. I just love anything that elevates something as humble as a sardine.
The Candles
You'll probably notice quite a few empty glasses that once held Diptyque scented candles. I have only really had the pleasure of burning about ~5 in my life. In fact, almost all of the glasses marked 'Santal' were found in a discarded box on the side of the road in Boerum Hill! I know one of these things can go for $30 on eBay, which makes that a score to say the least! My favorite candles and incense, which I replenish every year (if I can) are as follows:
• Le Labo Cade 26 - You can only get this in NYC Le Labo locations, and you have to ask for it. It's the official fragrance of the Gramercy Park Hotel, which is one of my favorite places in the city, and where I associate the beginning of my "blogging career". That's for another post.
• Catbird Ghost Rose - I actually have the full size of Neighbor's Fig Tree too, but this truly slaps at any point in the day.
• Diptyque Lys and/or Chêne - Chêne aka Oak Tree, is by far my favorite. I think it smells more like fire wood than Feu de Bois does, tbh
• Aritzia's Cendres Wilfred Candle - Well, looks like I can't get this one anymore! Aritzia used to produce genuinely great candles, each were atmospheric and made in France. I can't tell you how disappointed I was that they no longer make them- for the price and the quality they were unbeatable.
• St. Rita Parlor Incense cones - My boyfriend bought these on one of his outings and we burn them on special occasions. Spicy and moody, they remind me of him.
Cloches
Speaking of candles, and I don't have many on my dresser in these photos, but I have become a big, big fan of cloches as an accessory to preserve and keep fragrances fresh. Plus, they look like something out of a classic french apothecary or oddities museum.
"book" Box
The paper box in the shape of a book with Venetian decorative paper edges, was my stepmom's. I inherited it after she passed away. I always loved how she used it as a jewelry box, so it's where I keep my delicate and special pieces.
Dried Magnolia Tree Seed Pod
This came from Edward Gorey's tree. I love him and I love his house, which is in Cape Cod. My aunt lives about 20 minutes from there, so whenever I visit her, I make a pilgrimage to Gorey's house and do the Gashlycrumb Tinies scavenger hunt.
Necklace Holder (which I use for sunglasses)
My porcelain hands hold all the jewelry I want to have...erm...on hand. So instead of using a necklace holder for its intended purpose, I use the T-bar shape to hold 3-12 pairs of sunglasses, which I pile on with abandon when I'm feeling careless. Some opticians might suggest keeping your sunglasses in a case, you know, like an adult, but I opt for having them visible at all times. Plus, I like the idea of plucking sunglasses like fruit from a tree.
Toiletries Tray
One of these days I'll get around to waxing poetic about my favorite perfumes. In any case, I keep most of my collection available on my dresser, organized on top of a wooden tray to keep them all tidy, per Organized Home's suggestion. I also keep vials of sample perfumes in a delicate glass goblet, procured from a going-out-of-business sale in the Village three years ago.
My Pentax Auto 110 Camera
My ittiest, bittiest film SLR camera. You can read about these incredible and charming cameras here. They have a wonderful history, and this one was given to me by my dad for my 23rd birthday. I also have a small kit of lenses for it and a manual 12-second timer.
Added in my windowsill friends, Sanjay the bunny and some plant clippings I got from my aunt, as a bonus.
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