home decorating: linda rodin's nyc pad

They say the home is an extension of one's personal style. That is certainly the case for beauty entrepreneur and former stylist/model Linda Rodin, whose whimsical NYC apartment is currently featured on The Coveteur. Having grown up in her mother's antique shop, it's no surprise that Rodin has a penchant for vintage treasures. She is an avid collector of everything from art to seashells to costume jewelry and displays her findings in nearly every inch of her abode, creating a cluttered-chic atmosphere that makes for beautiful photos. This place, in all its girly glory, is essentially my dream bachelorette pad and I would love nothing more than to be invited over for a day to admire all of Rodin's bits and bobs!

Peace, Love and Neon,

Marisa

home decorating: my new uws apartment!

 [Pier 1 Imports, table $349.95, mirror $179.95]

Well hello there strangers! It seems that once again, my post-grad life has stolen me away from this lovely little blog o' mine. I've been quite the busy lady still interning full time at InStyle...and have I mentioned I finally got a home to call my own in NYC? Between getting the place to function like a real home and hunting for the perfect furnishings, setting up shop here on the Upper West Side with my roommate Joanna might as well be considered my second job.

Now, with the clock ticking on my time left at InStyle, my main efforts are turning towards finding my first job. And with that, I regret to inform, there will be more long gaps between blog posts. 

However, home decorating has invaded my creative imagination and I couldn't neglect to share my ultimate apartment wish list. Here are the things I can't stop drooling over, including the vanity set above--my numero uno dream bedroom piece!

[Urban Outfitters, $329]

Obsessed with ikat print. 

This chair would look stunning in my bedroom or living room.

[PB Teen, $229]

How I've managed to function over a month without a full length mirror 

is beyond me. I've got my eyes on this free standing version from 

PB Teen, or something similar.

[Urban Outfitters, $89]

The most exciting addition to our home will be my vintage record player.

This stand is perfect to nest it and my vinyl collection.

[CB2, $149]

Do we realllyyy need a bar cart? Eh, not so much.

But isn't the color amazing??

[Urban Outfitters, $49]

We might have to get handy and replace our ugly old light fixtures.

Loving glass lanterns and jeweled chandeliers.

[Society6.com, $41]

I was thrilled to find a selection of designs
from blog Paris vs New York now available as framed prints.

It's so hard to choose just one, but how can I turn down
Sonia Rykiel stripes and a cartoon Anna Wintour?

[West Elm, on sale $9.99]

Though Halloween is around the corner and
these are too appropriate, I generally adore glitter skulls.

One of these guys would live perfectly among my
collection of tchotchkes.

[West Elm, $29]
Cannot get these paper mache antlers from
West Elm off my mind. A vegan version of trendy taxidermy
and a perfect place to hang necklaces and scarves.

We're still searching for a faux mantle, a small round kitchen table, and a fun floor lamp. Have you come across any to-die-for home pieces lately that you can recommend? Leave suggestions in the comments!

Peace, Love and Neon,

Marisa

HAPPY 2ND BIRTHDAY, NEON TEA PARTY!

This week marks two years of neon enthusiasm on this here blog! I'm so proud to have made it this far, blogging for 24 months, and I don't plan on stopping anytime soon!

To celebrate, here's a list of some things I've been coveting recently: everything from kitschy banners to rings that perfectly balance fierceness and delicacy.

{fabric garland inspiration}

- - sewing instructions here and here - -

{free people's primal scream collection}

- - shop it here - -

{the perfect delicate statement rings}

- - tom binns and cc skye - -

{i'm a sucker for turquoise accents and swirly iron}

- - from anthropologie - -

{my dream house would obviously have a neon front door}

- - tips and more doors here - -

{a daily reminder to love life}

- - from catbird nyc - -

Peace, Love and 2 YEARS OF Neon,

Marisa

home decorating: the coveteur x britt aboutaleb

The Coveteur just does not stop inspiring, hence a second homage to the site that photographs fashion big-timers' most treasured possessions. (SHWING! MAJOR EYE CANDY ALERT!) Check out my first post here.

This time, the inspiration comes by way of former Fashionista-ista and current ELLE.com Style News Editor Britt Aboutaleb, who, like me, appears to have obsessions with striped shirts, leopard accents and chunky rhinestone jewelry, as well as the chutzpah to paint a wall hot pink.

Here are some inspiring home decorating clues from today's photo montage of Britt's New York space:

use a vintage suitcase as storage for magazine tear-outs and photographs.

extra points for leaving it open to display your favorite flats.

dare to splash your walls with hot pink.

(or fuchsia, orange, or yellow for that matter.)

display muted vintage photographs on said hot pink wall.

upholster a salvaged chair with an old striped tee.

take it a step further and paint the rest of chair your favorite color.

frame a collage of treasured invitations, shopping bags, etc.

strive to maintain a general color scheme, mood or theme.

Also, be sure to check out The Coveteur's tumblr for a behind-the-scenes look at their creative process and a more complete view of their subjects' homes.

Peace, Love and Neon,

Marisa

blog appreciation: the coveteur

Recently launched, The Coveteur (who last week renamed itself from The Coveted, after a legal battle with The-Coveted.com over the name) peeks inside the homes of fashion's greatest influencers, allowing us to see what exactly is inside these people's closets and get the stories behind some of their most beloved possessions. To my utter delight, three of the first fashionistas to offer up their spaces are Mary Kate Steinmiller, Joanna Hillman (now at Harper's Bazaar), and Jane Keltner de Valle--all editors at Teen Vogue during my internship there and with some of my favorite personal style.

It was tough choosing the photos to include in this post, so you'll just have to check it out for yourself to see the rest!

{mary kate}

{joanna}

{jane}

I just don't think you can top these shots. You just can't!

Peace, Love and Neon,

Marisa

home decorating: lsd's apt

Peeping inside an editor's apartment is certainly a special treat. These people live and breathe style, so their homes are a natural extension of their personal aesthetic and appreciation for all things interesting and beautiful. Here are a few of my favorite shots from Vogue's Lauren Santo Domingo's apartment, now on view on Vogue.com.

{nbd. you just have warhols in your apt.

not to mention a dalí in the room with the hippo bar.}

{i love to see fashion people's personal work spaces and closets.

this room combines the two. even better!}

{quite easily my favorite photo: lsd's jewelry drawer. swoooon...}

{it's fun to see how people put together their bookshelves,

combining books with other odds and ends.}

{check out that vinyl collection! i'd kill to check that out.

apparently lsd and her husband only listen to albums in their apt.

they don't own any cds nor an ipod dock.}

Peace, Love and Neon,

Marisa

what i'm up to: bedroom photo shoot

This semester, I took an intro to digital photography class where I finally learned to use a big girl camera and shot pictures of my friends engaging in various poses, Comm. Ave. at night, and even award-winning actor Louis Gossett Jr. (Check out all my pictures here!)

My final project was a photo essay and I chose to feature my bedroom as the subject in hopes of documenting what is the most decorated space I've lived in in years. In addition to shooting a minimum five frames, we were asked to lay out the images to better tell the story. Here's my final product, showcasing all of my things: jewelry, books, perfume, postcards, my inspiration board, the tchotchkes on my windowsill and my bed. I think the pictures give a pretty spot-on representation of my bedroom. What do you think?

Peace, Love and Neon,
Marisa