New shop alert

It’s always frustrating when one of your favourite brands doesn’t have its own bricks-and-mortar shop (Bec & Bridge, we’re looking at you). Sometimes you just need to see something in a store, not on a screen, to know if it’s right for you, and even if the brand is stocked in a bevy of boutiques, there’s no guarantee they’ll stock the piece you’re lusting after. It’s a hard life sometimes.

Of-course, it’s the same with homewares and particularly, furniture. Which is why we were thrilled to discover that this very week one of our favourites from across the ditch, New Zealand’s oh-so chic Citta Design, has opened their very first Australian store on Bourke Street in Surry Hills.

Citta is your go-to for on-trend, Scandi-inspired furniture and accessories. They’re also outlandishly affordable - $33 for a gorgeous velvet cushion cover, or $40 for a copper-gilt vase, anyone? While you can buy smaller items online, it’s the bigger items that until now we could only covet on our computers that we’re excited about.

Here’s what we have our eye on:

High brown wash slatted crates, $149.70/set of 3.

 Jester cereal bowl with gold foil, $99.60/ set of four

 Glyph copper leather tablet sleeve, $69.90

Blonde Elm wood antique stools, $169 each.

Rasmus & Mia tea towel, $14.95.

For more, check out their online store or head straight to: Citta Design Surry Hills, 493 Bourke Street, Surry Hills, NSW. Opening hours: Mon-Fri 9.30am-5pm; Sat 10am-5pm; Sun 11am-5pm. 

Happy shopping! 

Wardrobe wonders

Sex & The City taught us two things - that a girl should never settle for a man, and that a girl should never settle for a closet. When Mr Big built Carrie that sigh-inducing walk-in wardrobe, a fashion fairy tale was born (watch it it here). Women all over the world swooned over the glossy white drawers, glass-fronted doors and shoe racks that went on for days. Here at The Apartment, we're dreaming big too, and one day, our clothes will live here...

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Or maybe here...

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Perhaps here?

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Wardrobe eye-candy aside, squeezing a luxurious robe into a small inner-city apartment can seem about as likely as getting one's hands on an illustrious Birkin bag. But that's no reason not to store and display your threads in style. To create the feel of an opulent dressing room in a modest space (ie. shoebox), adorn open shelving with chic accessories and fashion photography, or dress the walls in striking wallpaper.

Image courtesy of stylizimoblog.com

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A clothing rack is a smart addition - sure it's not going to hold your entire wardrobe, but it can help take the load off an overflowing closet (damn those stingy built-ins). Plus, your favourite clothes can make fabulous decorating tools - think a flowing lace gown or wallpaper-worthy graphic dress. We also like the idea of hanging a week's worth of perfectly planned outfits on a wall-hung rack - anything to minimise the morning rush. Check out these Scandi-chic looks, each a lesson in orderly fashion.

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Of course, it's tempting to take a cue from our style crush Olivia Palermo and transform a spare bedroom into a glamorous dressing room, complete with chandelier, fireplace and endless sartorial storage. Who needs a study anyway?

Olivia Palermo's dressing room, image courtesy of stylecaster.com

Green with envy

Move over orchids: there's a new kid in the low-maintenance, high-style category for indoor greenery. We call them succulents, and we are in love.

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Thanks to these waxy-leaved beauties, you don't have to sport a green thumb - or even have a garden - to introduce a pop of fresh green into your apartment. Simply position them in a sunny spot, water them when you remember (i.e. very rarely) and leave them sitting pretty all year long. We love the idea of placing them beneath a glass cloche with other treasures. They're a perfect housewarming present, and make the sweetest little take-home gift if you're planning a bridal shower or wedding - just fasten a rustic gift tag around the pot with twine. 

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Image courtesy of McLaughlin Designs

Since they're beginning to steal the spotlight, you can find succulents at most markets, florists and, if you're feeling brave, Bunnings (shudder). Pot them in vintage teacups, old candle glasses or jam jars for a gorgeous vintage look, or keep an eye out for pots in pastels, metals or patterned porcelain. We love the selection at Leif... 

Pastel mini planters, Leif.

Copper patina planter, Leif.

Brass hexagon planter, Leif.

A trio of these brass hexagon planters is on our wish list to position along the table for an on-trend (and far longer lasting) alternative to flowers. 

If you're lucky enough to have a courtyard, balcony or ground floor apartment, then this is the ultimate scene-stealer: the Jamie Duries of the world know them as "vertical gardens", but living artwork is more appropriate, don't you think?

Image courtesy of Country Living 

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Gold rush

I have a confession. I've been cheating on silver. Since receiving my first proper piece of jewellery in my teens (the obligatory Tiffany heart bracelet, of course), silver has been my precious metal of choice. Although these days, mixing metals is far from a fashion faux pas, I've often found gold a little bit brassy and blingy, and have stuck loyally to silver.

Our fashion and interior choices often go hand in hand, and when decorating my apartment, I naturally thought I'd turn to silver for a metallic accent. But lately, my eye's been drawn to gleaming gold, currently having a moment in the interiors world. It's a little more grown-up than silver, throughly modern and can instantly add a touch of luxe to the even the most humble of spaces.

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If these accessories were silver, the overall look might be a tad old-fashioned, but in gold, 

the industrial lamp and retro phone bring plenty of contemporary cool.

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Feeling uninspired at work? Gold accents are sure to spark creativity. 

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A sleek pendant and a couple of candlesticks make this plain white dining space shine. The feel is understated and minimal, yet warm and inviting, too.

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Who knew that lustrous gold and blush pink was such a winning combination? These pots have hit first place on my wish list.

From top left: Tom Dixon candle, Aura By Tracie Ellis cushion, MenschMade vase,
Lear Gaukur print, Coco Republic side table, Leif spoons.