I recently came across the Constellation Mirror, and although I told myself I wouldn’t buy anything else to decorate my apartment, I’m having a hard time resisting.  This impressive piece is 30 inches in diameter, and the mirror itself is 8 inches in diameter.  It’s the perfect piece to hang in your entryway, but it would also look amazing over a buffet table, a dresser, or a couch.

It’s sparkly and amazing, but it’s also neutral enough that it would look good in almost any home.  To me, it evokes images of old movie elegance - Audrey Hepburn, Doris Day…I can totally envision a constellation mirror hanging in their swanky movie abodes.

So that’s my constellation mirror dilemma.  I can only think of reasons to get it - and none to avoid buying.   What do you think?  Do you like the constellation mirror? Would it work in your house?

Constellation Mirror
The wow factor you’ve been looking for in your contemporary entry, dining area or living room, this golden starburst constellation mirror is a brilliant choice for function, too, reflecting overhead, natural and candle light and serving as a checkpoint on the modern social scene. With a frame made of aluminum and zinc, the constellation mirror is easy to hang as well.

The holidays are supposed to be a time of good things, right?  Even if you’re not a religious person, the season is one for celebrating peace, love, forgiveness, and close relationships, whether with family, friends, or both.  So, what better way to emphasize that than to have a Peace Sign Wreath on your front door?  It pretty much screams, “Peace on Earth, good will to men…”

The only downside is that I’m not the only one who is totally in love with the Peace Wreath.  Last year, I wanted to get one but every store I checked was sold out.  I’m starting early this year, though, so I don’t anticipate any trouble getting my paws on one.

Peace Wreath
Price: $28.0
A modern symbol that says to all who see it: let there be peace on Earth, and let it begin with me. What better message to send to people of all faiths and denominations? Creatively constructed of bent faux pine branches (made of plastic and wire) with a green metal support frame. You can even add your own white mini-lights for a contemporary touch - and extra illumination on your door or in your window. Mounting hardware not included.

If you’re anything like me, you probably love modern style but hate the fact that so much of it is uncomfortable when it’s translated into furniture.  For a long time, this was such a problem that I swore off modern furniture entirely.  Lately, though, there’s been a rise in manufacturers who know how to make furniture that looks good and still manages to be comfortable.

As I was browsing for some kind of a modern leather office chair, I found this selection - all of which look like they’d be both comfortable and cute (though the Muse may not be for anyone who sits for LONG periods of time).  What do you think?  Click here to view the entire selection.

Also, on an unrelated note (ignore this if you don’t know what I’m talking about) - The throat sighs!

Hmm….Nero Wall Mounted Chrome Hair Dryer Caddy.   That’s a mouthful.  It’s also an incredibly useful item that I could really use right about now.  I usually tuck my hair dryer into a towel rack that’s next to the sink.  That’s okay except for the fact that I’ve already broken one very nice hair dryer and one cheap hair dryer because it’s always getting knocked out of place.  A lesson - towel racks are not hair dryer holders.

I like this particular hair dryer holder because  it’s simple and understated.   The chrome gives it a nice look that doesn’t scream “As Seen on TV!”.  You can get it for $32 by clicking here.  That may seem a little high, but given the great neutral look and the insurance against future hair dryer loss, it might be worth it :)

Have you ever seen a piece of furniture and immediately imagined exactly how it would change your life?  That’s how I feel about this gorgeous white italian leather sofa from Chiasso.

When I see this sofa, I think of a gorgeously-appointed living space where my nights are spent entertaining fascinating guests and handsome men.  I think of designer shoes and expensive olives and stiff drinks.  I think of being the kind of person who jets off to Rio at a moment’s notice.  And I am in love.

The Soho Contemporary White Leather Sofa can be purchased at Chiasso by clicking the image above.

I absolutely love these Super Mario Wall Decals.  When I was younger, my parents used to paint murals on my walls and I thought those were cool - but these Mario Brothers stickers are much more realistic than anything they would have painted.  What I wouldn’t have given to have these as a kid, back around 1987 when there was nothing cooler than Super Mario Brothers and knowing where all the secret mushrooms and warp zones were located.

What do you think?  Would you put the Super Mario Wall Stickers up in your house?  Not necessarily the master bedroom, of course, but they’d be awfully cute in a den/video game room or maybe even an office or garage.

I first saw shag carpeting when I was about 14.  I was visiting a friend’s house and they had the thickest, most exotic carpeting I’ve ever seen.  We laid down on the floor to watch television and I was in love.

Although I’m not going to cover my entire house in shag carpeting, I WOULD like to have a nice, fluffy shag rug to enjoy when I step out of bed onto the otherwise cold wooden floor.  Or maybe to keep under my reading chair to make things especially homey.

This gray shug rug is totally gorgeous - a little pricey, perhaps, but very nice.   What do you think?  I like that it’s more of a charcoal color than plain old gray, too.

I’ve never thought of coat racks as being sexy. In fact, I always thought of them as decidedly unsexy, what with them standing around all covered in coats that definitely don’t match the decor.

That’s why I was pleasantly surprised by these modern coat racks and coat hooks over at Chiasso. Take a look and leave a comment to let me know which is your favorite if you get a chance. Mine is the Jaxx Coat Rack.

Jaxx Coat Rack - All of these are gorgeous, contemporary coat racks, but I love the Jaxx coat rack because it reminds me of being a little kid and playing jacks.

The Metro Modern Coat Rack is a cute alternative to the Jaxx coat rack, and I love the umbrella holder.

The Lakota Coat Rack - I’m not sure why this isn’t called the “Teepee Coat Rack”, but regardless of what they call it, it’s kind of cool. One of my biggest pet peeves about coat racks is that they fall over easily if you don’t balance the weight (or if you have kids around), so this looks like a much sturdier alternative to some of the others.

And finally,if you’re more of a coat hook person than a coat rack person, either of these would be awesome:

The Flip Coat Hook - Simple, understated, and super cute.

The J Flex Coat Hooks - Incredibly simple, understated, and easy to forget. Use it for bulky enough coats and I bet they’ll look like they’re floating independently on the wall.

Coming from a small and traditional town, I always thought of fireplaces as these enormous, built into the wall features that have to either be constructed along with the house or added at a cost of many thousands of dollars.

Apparently, that’s no longer the case.  In fact, you don’t even need a chimney anymore.  These modern wall “ambient fireplaces” give you the ambience and warmth of a traditional fireplace without the need for smoke ventilation, gas lines, chimneys, or dirty logs.  They run on bio-ethanol fuel, so it’s safe for use indoors.

My personal favorite is probably the “Wave Ambient Fireplace“, but I like them all.  Which one would you buy?  Note: you can click the pictures to go the original retailer and view more images.

Wave Ambient Fireplace (Above)

Moda Ambient Fireplace

Flame Ambient Fireplace

I’ve seen a lot of tiny, cheap versions of British Phone Booth Cabinets, but this one is actually very nice.  At $750, it’s a little pricy, but it would look really neat in a lot of different rooms.

The interior shelves are adjustable, and it’s also lit from the inside so you can highlight the contents if you so desire.   You can get it here at SkyMall if you like it.

British Phone Booth Cabinet
Price: $750
British Phone Booth Media Cabinet