And we'll never be royals...

A couple of weeks ago it hit me--I'm not a fancy person. Even though I deal with luxury and custom style at Ye Olde Dayjobbe I came the realization (again) that those types of interiors don't necessarily speak to me. They often seem to speak more of status, wealth, and bragging rights rather than home, family, friends, and casual entertaining. It comes down to this: Do you feel comfortable coming in and sitting down?

I guess that's why I've been reading Apartamento so much recently--it's an international/Spanish quarterly (printed in English) that profiles everyday life around the world. The interiors featured in this magazine remind me of the unpretentious, "unfinished", dynamic studio-like spaces of my friends in the Mission and Bernal Heights. I'd take one of these homes over anything I see in Wallpaper, Elle Decor, or Architectural Digest (which I also have to read...for Ye Olde Dayjobbe.)

Here's a little peek:

 

When I go to my friends' homes, I'm so much more inspired than if I went to the Decorator Showcase House. Why? It's because I can see myself living and thriving in my friends' spaces (truly living, without a cleaning lady, housekeeper, personal assistant, or cook) instead of some "designed" home where I'm afraid to set down my drink.

This is a rant, but it's because I'm trying to reconcile these sides of my life. At Ye Olde Dayjobbe, I'm getting really good at being the practical one in the office ("Can this be cleaned with soap and water?" "Is this allergy free?" "Will it withstand their teenage kids??") And with Retrograde, I'm encouraging folks to step it up a bit ("You can't keep living with disposable furniture forever.")

So that's that.

I guess one thing we can all agree on is unique vintage treasure. One of my colleagues turned me onto Schatzi in San Francisco. It's small, but they have some affordable pieces that are in great condition. Check it out:

 

Until next time...