I'M MOVING IN

I'm sure that this isn't any type of revelatory statement, but sometimes I'm really split between the ideas of having a tiny minimal home (oh, ya know, just a little place in Manhattan. I can afford that, right?), and having a spacious, warm beautiful home. Not just a home, but a home home: cozy (ugh, I know, I know, you're tired of that word), big kitchen, formal dining, library and wood burning fireplace-type home. Thanks to one of my favorite websites, Remodelista, I can fantasize about having both. 

I'm going to be honest here and confess that I was not the one that found these spaces. No, my husband, who apparently is better at stumbling upon gems online than I am (I blame Tumblr. I now have no attention span other than flipping through pictures of puppies and gif sets). He occasionally sends me emails linking me to dream homes, which is both sweet and incredibly frustrating being that we won't be living in any of these places anytime soon. But it doesn't hurt to dream, now does it?

First stop, minimal perfection. This Studio Garneau apartment in Chelsea, is only 650 square feet, but it has all sorts of magical multi-functional nooks and crannies like moving walls, hidden drawers at every turn, and multi-purpose furnishings. It's clean and simple, and I'm in love.

Photos from Remodelista

On the larger, more grand end of the spectrum is Jamie Kidson's (co-owner of Atomic Garden) hacienda-style home in Oakland. The formal yet warm home has been lightly touched since it was built by Grace Bush in 1935. Though it has been updated (important things like new plumbing), the space retains its original fixtures and hardware. I'm dying to grab a blanket, and curl up on the sofa for a night of reading and wine drinking.

Photos from Remodelista