My home decorating urges come in fits and spells. I can be happily living in my apartment for weeks and then — BAM — I suddenly want to refresh the pillows, and update the coffee table books, and rethink the pantry organization, etc., etc. We use a lot of blue and white in our home, so I often find I gravitate towards decor accents featuring that timeless combination. One of my favorite finds, incidentally, is a vintage Parisian street number that reads “18” (similar to the “80” shown below) — Mr. Magpie’s number when he played ball. He’s superstitious about it, in the way all ballplayers tend to be, and so he was delighted when I added it to our gallery wall. (Etsy FTW.)
One of my other favorite blue-and-white pieces is this shockingly affordable chinoiserie print umbrella stand — it’s currently on sale for under $60, and I’ve owned it not once but twice, and Tilly broke it both times. This now permanently sits in my Amazon cart until I’ve decided Tilly is mature enough not to break it. But — by all means, my friends, snap it up now if you don’t have a wild banshee of an airedale terrier.
My bar is also RARELY without a pack of these chinoiserie print Caspari napkins; I highly recommend you stock up as well. Nothing looks prettier than a cocktail in vintage glassware atop one of these.
Below, I’m sharing a couple of new obsessions I’ve been lingering over and contemplating adding to my home. Many of them are from Etsy or Amazon and therefore surprisingly affordable. Bonne shopping!
My Favorite Blue + White Finds for Home.
You can click on the images or see details below — I’ve also added a number of other finds/alternatives in the narrative below, FYI!
01. Set of 2 Audubon Bird Prints. Mr. Magpie have four of these we framed and have up in our dining room, and I adore them. I also love this one, which comes framed in a fantastic reclaimed wood frame.
02. My new go-to gift for hostesses in the summer. How beautiful is the jar? And lovely to spoon over Jeni’s ice cream or pound cake! Tie with a bright red ribbon — or a crisp white one.
03. Mr. Magpie are often stuffing our dry cleaning into reusable grocery bags. I’d like to buy this oversized laundry bag as a durable, roomy upgrade.
04. Lee Jofa bunny pillow covers! Mon dieu, I love this print. I’ve had my eye on them for at least a year.
05. I can’t believe the price on this chic saturated blue runner. Would make such a cheery statement on entry!
06. These slim, clear hangers are supposed to be the bees knees. They make your entire closet look roomier, airier, and apparently you can fit a ton more clothes thanks to their slender proportions.
07. What a genius hack for drawer organization — and one that will fit any drawer’s dimensions! I have a set of these in my cart and can imagine using a few in drawers throughout the house: my desk, the bathroom, my bedside table, etc. I also love these for my medicine cabinets.
08. Food storage never looked so chic. I love the idea of using these when toting a potato salad or pasta side to a picnic/potluck dinner. Or — hey! — even just making my fridge a little happier. I almost always dice up melon or pineapple or berries at the beginning of the week; these would make the fruit bowl so inviting. As an aside, I am still obsessed with our glass snapware for leftovers. They are oven-, microwave-, and dishwasher-safe, they don’t warp or bend, and they’re super sturdy.
09. These rolls of tearable linen napkins are such a clever idea if you’re trying to gussy up an outdoor tailgate/picnic situation. They come in all different colors!
10. I love these French parfait jars for storing things like brown sugar, dried herbs (think bay leaves and chili peppers — things that are bulky but need to be stored in an airtight solutions), and mini’s cheerios.
11. The aforementioned umbrella stand. So chic! And, honestly, borderline necessary in a Manhattan apartment, as the alternative is storing them in a closet, and let me tell you — closet real estate is PRECIOUS. I’d much rather have our umbrellas out on display in a pretty stand and conserve closet space for unsightly things like mops and bags of dog food!
12. Are you tired of hearing me drag on about Hill House Home’s Waverly collection? I want a set so badly!
13. This screeprint of lily of the valley flowers takes my breath away. Love.
14. I love this funky Jonathan Adler condiment bowl. I could imagine using it for a single peony, or for bobby pins and hair elastics, or for snacks — versatile!
15. I recently bought a bouquet of dried French lavender, and I keep it in a small vase at my bedside. I love when I roll over and catch a little waft of its delicate, calming scent. I think I’ll order a couple of these lavender sachets for my clothing drawers! (Incidentally, another great hostess gift idea!)
Other random home decor discoveries…
+This is such a sleek way to earn a little extra counter space where you might otherwise clutter your salt pig, pepper grinder, and olive oil by the stovetop.
+If only I could convince Mr. Magpie we needed more appetizer plates…
+All-white-errything for your desktop.
+Mackenzie taught me about the genius of this cord cover set — a great way to hide unsightly cables/cords! Also, check out her chic blue and white living room!
+I would legit die to own this in the ice blue. Too bad it would compromise 1/3 of our remaining available counter space.
P.S. What’s in your refrigerator?
P.P.S. In case you’re on the hunt for decorative storage baskets!
P.P.P.S. I still wanna be India Hicks.