I’m totally from the school of thought that believes in having a really clean, minimal living space with just a few interesting pieces scattered throughout that are guaranteed to spark conversation. I love it when someone asks me questions about an object or piece of art that I have. I currently have a vinyl wall shade made by Miranda July (a musician/performance artist/writer/actress) in my apartment that people ALWAYS ask about. It came from one of my art professor’s projects called The Thing Quarterly. If you subscribe, you receive 4 issues (each from a different artist) in a year and they are basically a mystery. The only thing that you know is that you will receive 4 household objects in a year. This is what the Miranda July piece* looks like:

Along with wall art, I’m also am a huge fan of sculpture and interesting household objects; especially ceramics. I’ve found some really unique ceramic pieces that are usually handmade. My favorite is the Carlos Ceramic Nightlight. Not sure where he would live in my house, but I want to own him. The Thornbud Vases by Kathleen Walsh and Ceramic Shopping Bag Vases by Michael Harvey are great alternatives to a plain cylindrical vase. The Bull’s Eye Vase is handmade in Peru and the glaze on it is made by burning mango leaves and firewood.  And who needs a still-life-with-fruit painting when you can have the Still Life Bowl by Barnaby Barford and Andre Klauser that you can change out with a new fruit as you please. Check out some other Interesting Ceramic Pieces in my complete list.

*photo used is not my bathroom!

I’ve been amassing a list of truly wacky things that I’ve found online for the past few months: cool inventions, interesting wearables, unique art pieces and gadgets. Basically things that would force a conversation. I’ve been increasingly finding cool websites that specialize in this stuff. One of them that I adore is The A + R Store based out of Los Angeles. They carry all kinds of things for cooking, playing, reading, sleeping and everything in between. I especially love the Eco-Plastic Necklace, made from recycled materials, the Folding Picnic Set (always be prepared for an impromptu picnic), and the Rollerskate Paperweight/Door Stop/Bookend is a clever idea that totally takes me back to Skate City.

As far as some interesting inventions that I’ve found, Clocky is one of the smartest things that I’ve yet to see. It’s an alarm clock that, when prompted to wake you up, rolls off of your nightstand table and finds a hiding place while making obnoxious noises until you get your butt out of bed to find it and turn it off.  it gets you out of bed, right??  Another genius invention is the Anti-Theft Lunch Bags, designed to deter those obnoxious co-workers and bullies at school from stealing your sandwich. There’s also the USB Powered Heated Gloves for those freezing offices.

Some cool decorative things that I’ve found are: The Dandelion Urban Gnome-for your mantel or your garden,  the Ghost Clock, a modern interpretation of a classic style, and The Carlos Night Light (who wouldn’t want a little chihuahua to help you feel safe in the night).

Check my giant list of other interesting finds: Conversation Pieces.

Ikea’s selling point on its products is functionality. Everyone turns to Ikea to find affordable items that will save on storage space, right? Tubs for under the bed, organizers for the closet, boxes, bags, bookcases, the list goes on. Having a small bedroom full of lots of junk, I can appreciate a good space-saver in my life. Ikea’s products, however, lack character and appeal to me. Everything is just so sterile and plastic-y.

Just for fun, I decided to put myself to the test to see if I could find household items and decor that I would use in my own room that weren’t so darn “Ikea”-ish. I ended up with a buyer’s guide on Kazowie that showcases Stuff from Ikea I’d Actually Buy. Check it out and let me know your thoughts. Ikea has some pretty cute stuff. Who knew?