Now I am putting that experience to good use and sharing my two favorites resources for all things bedding…John Robshaw Textiles and Dwell Studio. Both of these linen emporiums offer high-quality duvets, quilts, sheet sets, shams, throw blankets and pillows, baby bedding, and more textiles for your bath and table. John Robshaw’s designs have a bohemian feel, as they are sourced and produced in Asia and India. Dwell Studio is somewhat more modern and polished but still very unique.

I don’t use throw pillows on my bed because I think they are essentially a waste of time but I do have two sets of king pillows and two euro shams. I like to mix and match my sheets, pillow covers and shams so every time I switch out my duvet cover I don’t accessorize it exactly the same way. This may sound ridiculous and like a lot of work but I think most women can relate. Your bedroom is your sanctuary and so it must be aesthetically pleasing. I know that if my bedroom looks and feels “off” I can wake up cranky and feel less inspired. And nobody wants that!

xoxo Melina

I love, love, love vintage shops and antique markets. Not a fan of mass-produced anything, I like finding unique pieces to add to my home or wardrobe that allow me to tell a greater story about my own aesthetic and sense of style. I also like the guarantee of originality, as there is normally a limited supply of any one vintage item. 1stdibs.com is the virtual equivalent of one of the worlds best and largest antique markets, offering furniture, art, home accessories, and now jewelry and vintage fashion and couture. Prices range from $50 to $150,000, depending on whether you want a glass vase from the 1950’s or an emerald ring from a 1920’s estate collection.

The depth and variety of 1stdibs offerings are what makes the site so exciting. You can search by category and subcategory, which are both comprehensive and specific. And within each search you can sort by price – low to high or vice versa. All of this makes finding what you’re looking for, within your price range, super easy. If you just want to browse try the “All New Listings” search or the “Special Searches”, where they have broken down listings into categories like “Art Nouveau”, “Americana”, and “Folk Art”.

I’ve chosen a few of the pieces that are available today but, as I mentioned, there are one or two of each of these items available so don’t be shocked if you click-through and it’s already gone. These are just examples of the breath and scope of what you can find on 1stdibs.com.

1. American Mid Century Opaque Aqua Glass Vases: $70

2. French 19^th Century Vintage Side Chair: $495

3. 1972 Liza Minelli Cabaret Poster: $ 225

4. 1970 Vintage Signed Pucci Silk Scarf: $150

5. American 21^st Century Owl Umbrella Stand: $165

6. 1960’s American Mastercraft Brass Greek Key Dining Table: $1600

Good luck hunting for your own vintage treasures!

xoxo Melina

If you dream of shopping the famous antique markets of Paris, you will love the selection at Wisteria.com. Their vast collection includes furniture, accessories, tableware, lighting, wall art and more. You won’t find antiques but their reproductions are impeccable as are their creatively crafted vintage pieces. They source materials from all over the globe, from raffia cloth in the Congo to mirrored wall sconces made in India. Furnish your family’s country home or just pick a few pieces to make your urban abode a little more eclectic. Here are a few of our favorites:

1. Glass Coffee Table: $279 – One of the more modern pieces on the site, this table looks great mixed with more traditional and antique styles. And it’s a great price.  I would not recommend it if you have young children running around though.

2. Black and White Dhurrie Upholstered Settee: $1599 – I am in love with this sofa. It’s like a work of art you can sit on. I’d use this in a reading/sitting room or in a large master bedroom.

3. Kuba Cloth Pillow: $229 – These gorgeous pillows were created from vintage raffia cloths made by the Kuba people of the Democratic Republic of the Congo. No two are alike!

4. Personalized Hand Print Wall Art (Small Set): $49 – Kids can use their own hands and feet to create a cool piece of art. A great gift for a young family (or for your own), this kit comes with mounted burlap canvas and a set of non-toxic, vibrantly colored paints.

5. Keep Calm Hand Towels: $29 – Sometimes we need a bright, colorful, in-your-face reminder to just relax and what better place to have it but in the kitchen on the towels you use everyday?  These would also make great guest bathroom or powder room hand towels.

6. Delightful Doormat – Crown: $34 – Adding some charm to an otherwise unattended home necessity, this mat will no doubt make you feel regal every time you cross it.

7. Inlaid Bone Flower Tray: $199 – A gorgeous Moroccan-inspired tray that works as a display piece or for serving. This would make a great wedding or engagement gift.

8. Chinese Garden Stool: $129 – The quintessential garden stool, Wisteria offers it in 6 colors! I love the silver and gold options as a cool indoor side table.

9. French Floral Trumeau Mirror: $449 – I fell in love with this mirror in the catalog. It looks like it was plucked from a chateau in the south of France. A statement piece, this lovely looking- glass belongs in a grand entryway or at the end of a hallway.

We think Wisteria is worth a visit even if you are not looking for home furnishings. It’s fun just to peruse their collection and admire the rooms they put together. Either way, it’s a great resource to keep in mind when you want to spruce up your nest.

xoxo Melina

The MKIAs are big fans of original artwork and want you to know that it is not only accessible but can be quite affordable. So if the only art you own is from West Elm, Pottery Barn, or Crate and Barrel, we beg you to give Ugallery.com a try. A virtual art gallery dedicated to showcasing emerging artists (and students) and offering their pieces at reasonable prices, this site is as unique as it is efficient.

You can search artwork by price (from under $100 to over $2000), medium, genre, size, color and artist. Picturing how a piece of art will look in your home can be daunting so the founders of Ugallery came up with an ingenious solution – the virtual wall. Here you can simulate the color of both your floors and wall, enter the dimensions of the wall, and place the piece inside your virtual space to get a realistic feel for how it will look.

This kind of functionality is unprecedented in the online art world and can help anyone, even a complete novice, feel comfortable buying art. Best of all, Ugallery allows you to try out a piece for a week to see how you like it in your home with no penalty and free return shipping. With all this help and a risk-free guarantee, you should feel empowered to search, appreciate and maybe even buy some art of your very own.

I use their African Market Baskets to organize my dogs’ toys and ALL the magazines we have laying around the house. The Bamboo Box Knife Holders are an artful twist to a functional kitchen tool – The different colors and shapes will create a cool, modern display on your counter. On a warm day, use their Clear Recycled Glass Wine Decanter and Glasses to drink some great Rose and imagine you are in a garden in the south of France. The Linen Papillon Pillows‘ iridescent butterflies painted on off-white linen are the perfect accent to take your home from spring to summer.

These are just a few highlights…go to VivaTerra.com to see all the fun, clever and beautifully designed items they offer. You can be sure you will find something special that won’t damage our “living earth”.

By now we assume that West Elm is a staple store in your never-ending quest to create the perfect nest. We too are consistently impressed with their one of a kind products and felt their latest collaboration with the local NYC design team, Patch NYC, deserved a shout-out.

Together they created a wonderfully witty collection of pillows, ceramic tableware, and prints that have a homemade charm and sophistication you don’t normally associate with big box retail. I personally love the metallic letterpress renderings and pure white ceramic plates adorned with flowers, birds, butterflies and turtles! Hang the prints where your guests will see them and then give them a feast for their eyes as well as their bellies on the ceramic service-ware.

We also recommend checking out the designers own website patchnyc.com for a cool collection of scarves, pillows, and jewelry.  We had never heard of them until now but we are so glad to add them to our collection of resources for all things fabulous and fun!

The first site of its kind (think gilt group but for home decor), OKL is the only place on the web selling discounted luxury home goods. Their sales begin daily and last 72 hours.  I’ve bought several things from them in the last three months and the service and quality has been impeccable. Not to mention the prices!

Check out the “Get Inspired” section where you can browse by interior designer and their featured masterpieces to inspire one of your own.  Onekingslane.com

While out shopping with Melina in Soho one weekend we stopped in Rachel Ashwell’s Shabby Chic where we actually had the pleasure of meeting the gracious Rachel Ashwell herself!  I love her whimsical, romantic style and could buy everything in her store (even the antique ballet shoes that aren’t for sale).  Every time I’m there I load up on more of my favorite candle votives and glassware made by Barreveld International.

I use their signature small votives on my nightstand to hold earrings and misc jewelry and have a few more around my room with tiny tea candles that cast a lovely glow. I use their larger glasses to hold pens and pencils and my myriad assortment of make-up brushes.  I honestly can’t have enough of these and was so happy to finally find them available online at the home furnishing site ElizabethsEmbellishments.com.  And because you can’t buy anything on Rachel Ashwell’s site (Rachel, if you are listening, we ask:  why not?) this is clearly an amazing find!

With a variety of different metallic colors, these precious pieces can turn any room into a beautiful boudoir.  Maybe it’s just the fleur-de-lis symbol but there is something très chic about this collection, which is right up this Francophile’s alley!

One of our favorite sites for affordable pillows that has a broad selection is Pillowsandthrows.com. They have everything from bright, Moroccan style prints to peaceful and sophisticated solid neutrals. It’s definitely a one-stop-online-shop for anyone craving a pillow-fix.

Minor adjustments to your home’s decor can make a major impact so knock yourself out (while getting more bang for your buck!) and try something new!

The website alone is worth the visit, with creative transitional graphics that look more like a Tim Burton cartoon. Works are available at three price points (including tax): $20 alone, $40 matted, $80 framed. At these prices you can afford to create a fantasy land in your own home!

charmingwall.com