#2 For the Love of…
woven leather, African jewelry, glassware that'll make your water taste better, tile (!), and a little on life lately
Keeping this one short and sweet because spring has SPRUNG and we should all live by the cartoon channeled commercials of my childhood demanding we “Get out and play, an hour a day!”. Who needs fashion and homeware links when Spring offers free serotonin??
…Beautiful coverup for my post procrastination, no?
Honestly y'all, April put me in a jam project wise with WPI. Which we LOVE, no complaints here, but I’m determined to stay consistent on Substack. Plus, I have lots of finds I’m excited to share! Advantageously, no matter the workload I'll never not be shopping on the side - whether it’s for clients or a little Etsy rabbit hole I’ve fallen into with deep self interest.
So, links at the ready, I’ve crammed my laptop and all not-so-necessary cords into my Longchamp (a proud thrift moment) and am currently curled up in the corner of my go to coffee shop. It’s giving the grind of a particular Gilmore girl. Life is good. Let’s go.
For the Closet:
RIVE GAUCHE Model sandal. 90 T60 Braid for € 159.00
If I were a Sims character, these would be my everyday for all of eternity shoes. I bought them at Rive Gauche, a little leather shoe shop in Florence Italy, and they were a big purchase for me at the time but they’ve paid for themselves ten times over since then.
Hear me out - one, they’re leather so they’ll form to your feet and slip on like butter. Two, aesthetically, I promise they’re even better in person. The perfect shade of rich red-brown with a woven detail that gets endless compliments. Three, The heel is the perfect height. Just enough to pop that calf, accentuating your legs, and chunky enough to walk for miles in. I’m not kidding. I wore these brand new all over Italy and then New York (after paying a cobbler to extend their life and add rubber soles). Not one blister, ever.
A little on the pricier side skirt wise IMO, but I’d argue worth it because of the drawstring waist, 100% cotton, and quality of eyelet detail. Still torn between whether to get the white or black one… normally I’d go for black but I’m trying to get in the habit of lighter and brighter now that we’re Florida residents. Hmmm…
Ooo, also - pretty sure the white skirt and tank is a trending look for European summers. kk, checking out now.
SAFESLEEVE Detachable iPhone Case for $69.95
It’s official! Bryan and I have joined the same phone plan - first comes love, then comes family phone plans. Unfortunately, the iPhone 15 EMF levels are off the charts, so we’ve invested in these Safe Sleeve phone cases to block as much radiation as possible. I was hesitant with the granny wallet look, but we’re obsessed. The phone attaches magnetically to the case so it’s easy to detach when you want less bulk (like in the gym) and this will sound weird but my hand used to hurt when I held my phone scrolling for more than 10 minutes… and now, nada.
ETSY/ANGELNUMBERVINTAGE Vintage Long Sleeve Men’s Button Up for $54
I’ve worn my AYR white button-up for the longest till the inevitable tomato sauce stain ruined everything last week. Shame. It was a staple and received so many compliments… I know the obvious answer is to reorder, but there’s a part of me longing to be the girl with the crisp oversized can’t-believe-it’s-thrifted men’s white collared shirt… such a good deal on this one too. #GetItBeforeIDo
ETSY/AFROBEADIA Tuareg Brass Bracelet for $12
Okay, see the brass bracelet pictured in the middle? I have one almost identical that I bought from a Nigerian vendor at the Brimfield antiques fair in Massachusetts last year. Should’ve bought the whole lot. I have baby wrists that most bracelets fall off of, but these are adjustable (simply bend them) and the black inlay hasn’t worn off at all. I wear it everyday and love love love. So much so that I dug through the internet till I came across an Etsy seller (of course) selling the same ones I saw back in MA. And the price!! You can’t beat it. I’m throwing her Afro glass bead bracelets in the cart as well. I can’t believe such special pieces are priced so low (probably not for long).
M&S Pure Cotton Slim Fit Top for $16.99
Cotton, a classic boat neck collar, and mid-length sleeves offering the perfect percentage of cover up for my abnormally long arms. One in every color, please.
Y’all. One of my projects is the renovation of a kitchen and three baths… carrying the hard material options around town and to client presentations is doing wonders for my biceps, but not so much my back. This Hulken bag with wheels isn’t a want, it’s a need ! Man’s greatest invention strikes again.
L.L. BEAN Boat and Tote for $34.95
And the L.L. Bean tote? How good would that be with Wendie Power Interiors or simply WPI embroidered on the side? It’s already made with the perfect shade of green. What do we think?
For the Home:
COYUCHI Topanga Organic Matelasse Throw for $148
My go to brand for clients wanting quality cotton bedding that’s not an outrageous price point.
Mies Van Der Rohe Book for $21
A good tip I received was to build your library one book at a time with each paycheck. I’d start with classics and study greats like Ludwig Mies van der Rohe and his way with “less is more”.
ETSY / RETROLIGHTSTORE Plug-in Wall Sconce for $95
FERM LIVING Arum Swivel Wall Lamp - Black for $405
I’m hunting for the perfect plug-in wall sconce. Have you seen her? Love the color and directional lighting of the first (above)... but the silhouette of the second one, oof. I might keep looking for an option closer to the second with a more accessible cord to switch on and off by our bed. But thought I’d share these two great options in case they work better in your space :)
HAWKINS NEW YORK Essential Glassware Set of 4 for $40
HAWKINS NEW YORK Confetti Tumblers for $7/each
Bryan claims water somehow tastes better from these glasses (left) and I stand with him. The colorful balefire glasses (right) seem to be sold out now… sad, but this set from Hawkins NY (linked) is similar.
Bookworm Shelf by Ron Arad for Kartell for $1,139
Function slightly following form on this one… but how cool?
ETSY / MOROCCANHOMELIVING Retro Lounge Chair for $1,417.50
Can’t quit staring at this Etsy find. Doesn’t quite fit my home, but it’s fun, the green is on trend and really just makes me happy. I’m routinely checking in on her in hopes she finds a good home soon.
ZARA (by Vincent Van Duyson) Lounge Chair 01 for $2,200
ZARA Wood and Woven Leather Chair for $619
LEFT: Okay, Zara, go off. You know it’s good when Vincent Van Duyson’s name is behind it.
RIGHT: This is a more affordable option of Zara’s in a similar style vein that looks of decent quality and honest materials.
&TRADITION Cruise Rug for $3,040
We love a good rug find and you can’t go wrong with wool. Decent price point for 6’5” x 9’8”. I like that it’d fit well with most home styles… I could see this in a contemporary space with vintage pieces or in a home beneath mid century furniture. Tres chic.
Long Live Tile!
I’m blessed with a client right now who wants their bathrooms tiled top to bottom and the inspiration is endless (like the image above. Gorgeous). I know the current trend is zellige tile and I think it’s timeless, but wanna know what’s sure to never go out of style? Mosaics. You need good tradespeople with the skill and patience to properly install a mosaic tile design, but worth it. Ask the Romans! Even when buildings fell and columns lay in ruin, buried by centuries of dirt, their tile mosaics stay intact. Definition of ROIC.
Lately…
I’m terrible at finding wedding guest worthy dresses. I know exactly what I’m looking for but no clue where to look… send help. After scouring the internet with no luck for a Chicago wedding dress with an asymmetrical neckline, rich jewel tone color… even open to black, preferably long length with a slit and detail around the hips to give the illusion I have hips… I panicked and ran to RTR. This dress was complimented from ceremony to reception by all ages, I kid you not. 10/10 recommend.
Did Carrie Bradshaw really lie?? Fine. I’ll say it! I’m missing NYC. May write another love letter as my next post.
Then again, the sunset walks down here - stunnin’
I have bolts of fabric buried beneath our bed that I’m itching to use. Upholsterers usually have mountains of fabric from old orders in back of house, and I died and went to heaven when our upholsterer in NYC said I could have at it. I’ve scavenged and stashed leather, suede, and fabrics from Fortuny, Lauren Hwang, and Dedar. I’m thinking I can wrap this white woven leather from Dedar on our headboard for a bit of lux texture. Mockup:
We have white cotton window treatments with bamboo romans in between, so the space feels oasis like. I think this will do the trick of tying our bed into the scheme.
Exciting !! At least for me. I debate whether or not to post more of our own home design process or wait for a more professionally shot final reveal. Thoughts?
xoxo,
Wendie
P.S. Thank you for reading… feel free to smash that ❤️ button if you liked this post : )
thank you! love you! till next time!!
