Shop 'til You Drop

I know many people who hate shopping. I am not one of those people. In fact, quite the contrary. I love to shop - always have, always will. However, the reasons I love shopping are not what you may think! I don't have to have the latest and greatest Cloe bag, or the most current electronic gadget. It's really not about acquiring material things just to have them. I love shopping for the inspiration I get when someone else pulls together a display, especially when it's presented in a way I wouldn't have thought of. I also love shopping for the hunt. You know, when you are searching for that perfect thing and finally find it? It's like magic. Or even better - that amazing bargain. My friends still can't believe I bought this amazing $700 purse at Nordstrom Rack for $150! Many people find "the hunt" simply too exhausting and settle for second best because they just simply can't go on! If there was a marathon race in shopping, I'm sure I would win. (mind you, I can barely run a mile!)

Perhaps that's why I love what I do so much....I get to shop for other people. Need to purchase a new house? I can help you shop for one (yes, I'm a licensed real estate agent, too!). Need new curtains? Check. Need a new couch? Check. I'm your gal. But more importantly, I do it and have lots of fun doing it. Sure, a good interior designer needs to understand the balance between scale and proportions and how to put chocolate brown and chartreuse together in a way that looks amazing. But, they also need to be able to find unique pieces that will set your space apart from all of the others; and not get frustrated because you want them to look a little longer for that right piece.

Now, I must digress for just a moment. There is a bad side to shopping that I was once I victim of. It's shopping without purpose and buying just to buy. This leads to bad credit and a cluttered house. (I'll speak more about home organization at a later date.) But, suffice-it-to-say, too much shopping for the wrong reasons (or without reason!) isn't good. I've been there, trust me, it's not worth it. And, when you shop like that too long, shopping isn't really fun anymore.

So, in the spirit of shopping with purpose (which is why I love doing what I do every day!), here are just a few small things I'm enjoying shopping for:

FURNITURE - This Salon chair is from Baker. (yes, blue and chocolate are still very much in!)

CLOTHES: I love Anthropologie! I wish I could afford to buy everything I need there! I generally make one major purchase a season there - their clothes are unique, well-made and come from a wide variety of designers.

HOME ACCESSORIES: Have I mentioned I love lamps? This one is from Pottery Barn (see previous blog for reference). I also like Ballard Designs for their French style of accessories.