Currently Obsessed with… PLAID

How many patterns can be quirky or classic… hipster or hippie… and are suitable for all ages? Enter plaid.

1. BuzzFeed, 2. WalnutStudiolo, 3. House of Hawthornes, 4. Clarence House, 5. rainysundaysandcoffee

I have been in love with plaid for a looo-ong time. My infatuation started as a young child way before it was trendy. For me, plaid has always been a symbol of warmth, family and wholesome fun. My dad and my grandfather always wore plaid flannel shirts on the weekends. Dad may have been in a dress shirt and tie all week, but come Saturday morning he’d be sitting down at the breakfast table in a plaid shirt and I knew that the weekend fun was about to begin. When we would load up the car for a sporting event or camping trip there were always a handful of plaid wool blankets thrown into the trunk. Throughout my childhood I consumed many a cup of cocoa on those wool blankets strewn over the grass. Then of course there is the relationship between plaid and the holidays…. I would be lying if I didn’t admit that my plaid obsession wanes slightly in the summer just to be rekindled each fall as we gear up for the holidays. As if plaid hadn’t already done enough, it gives a nod to the sweet years of academia that I recall fondly, it’s multi-color glory unites hues that I would never otherwise pair in one outfit, and it basically screams “make a cup of coffee, wrap up in me and be happy dang it!” So bring on those tempting tartans, and while we are at lets lump in those chic checks because plaid season has begun! And guess who is on team tartan this fall? Target!

via Target

via honetslywtf, Mad for Plaid

via Target

via honetslywtf, Mad for Plaid

via Target, Adam Lippes for Target Shearling bags

via Target– Threshold Dip Bowl, Threshold Slim Blue Mug,  and Threshold Plaid Thow Pillow

via Target

via Target

via honetslywtf, Mad for Plaid

via Target

Hiding in Plain Sight – Open Kitchen Storage

My husband and I have always lived in reasonably small homes. We moved out to Silicon Valley after graduating from college and we couldn’t afford more than a 1100 square foot apartment. Eventually, what started out as a necessity became a preference. Each purge felt empowering, and we took pride in being able to live with less. We downsized from 1100 square feet to 750 square feet. When we moved to Chicago we downsized again, living in a 570 square foot studio for three months while we hunted for a condo. Finally, we purchased our current condo, a 1200 square foot urban loft. When purchasing this property we knew that we planned to have our first child here, so we splurged and purchased a 2 bedroom unit. This is the largest home that we have ever lived in together and it comes with many “firsts” for us: Double vanity…. In-unit laundry… Separate tub & shower… and great city views, BUT it does have the smallest kitchen of any property in which we have lived. (Perhaps with the exception of our stint in the studio apartment)…

At any rate, upon moving, I knew that I would be faced with two major storage challenges:
1) Where to hide Kyle’s vintage surf board… (In the furnace closet wedged behind the A/C filter)
2) Kitchen storage.
The latter required a bit more creativity.

I scoured the internet for inspiration and found that I wasn’t the only one trying to think outside the box- (or should I say cabinet… ba dum cha!) Hiding kitchen equipment in plain sight not only saves cabinet space but it can be downright beautiful!

via Nico Alary

via celiacchronicles.com