Black Vase – West Elm.

What I’m doing in this flat is quite possibly in violation of some renters’ law: the comprehensive yet unspoken/unwritten set of rules that is policed by no one but adhered to by everyone who is under a tenancy agreement of sorts. You homeowners can go outside and play, this post does not apply to you… superior humans.
Picture frames all aligned at the same base-line (the floor), make-shift storage space under the stairs/behind the IKEA EKBY, free-standing clothes-hangers that buckle under sale purchases… yeah, you know exactly what I’m talking about. We do not invest in big furniture, and when we do it’s made of cardboard (or breadcrumbs?), comes flat-packed and you probably transported it home in a bus yourself. Built-in storage is literally my wet dream. Maybe not literally.

Also, what is a drill, pray tell?

If it helps to further understand, these laws are accompanied by an Amazon recommended-product list full of sticker-back wall hooks and cheap draught prevention kits BECAUSE YOUR LANDLADY DOESN’T BELIEVE IN CURTAINS, so you spend the balls-cold weekend sealing off the windows with a combination of bargain-store fabric and clear plastic, and hope for the best. Doesn’t hide the fact that now your overpriced London flat looks like a blanket fort that Troy & Abed would approve of.

Ladder-shelf – Dwell. Blowfish – Boulesse. Coral decorative object – West Elm.

Perfume – Dolce & Gabbana ‘The One’. Watch – Larsson & Jennings. Bracelets – CARAT* London

Glass vase – Muji. Hourglass – Bitossi via The Conran Shop. Candle holder – Trouva

So me taking a measuring tape to the walls, is in clear violation of the above. A MEASURING TAPE, you guys. Then proceeding to ordering furniture that perfectly slide into the little indent in the wall next to the fireplace. We’ve even bought a drill, and have plans of making fist-sized holes into the walls come weekend; you know, for fun. My logic is this: Live a little. Why pay such a ridiculous amount to live in a relatively attractive, albeit ill-heated space and then further offend it by not making it a home? Because stupid, that’s what. Rant over. Here are some corners I’ve been refreshing in the last couple of weeks between the bliss that was my horizontal-and-TV adventures.

Marble vase – Dwell. ‘Hello’ sign – West Elm.

Aroma diffuser – Muji

Chair – Eames. Desk – IKEA

Rose-gold sunnies – RayBan

Three jobs I’d kill a million girls for: 1) Chipotle menu taster, 2) GARLIC/PASTA (yes, just being one. Because hellooOoo SEXY) and 3) ambassador for Muji. I am naturally, none of those – although sometimes I do come close to 2) given how much both get shovelled into my system around deadlines. (I may also be a can of Red Bull, come to think of it) Muji – you’ll agree that walking into one of the stores is walking into a version of your life where the grip is definitely gotten, organised expertly into no-brand, tranquil textures and colours. And you decide you need a solar cooking scale, because Muji. It’s one of the few places I frequented as a student (with a bank balance of -£45.02), and still visit to this day and let out the same Urgghhehrh want EVERYTHING* ** noise.

I’ve saved this guide for my fellow last-minute gifters, as a consolation that there is still amazing, thoughtful gifts to be found out there, and also to slap you away from buying your sister a pack of jumbo tampons because her preferred gift sold out a week ago at Net-a-Porter (and let’s be honest, you’re broke). See, if someone got me a box full of Muji stationery for Christmas I’d be Dobby with a sock, and I’m pretty sure it works with others too, so roll with that. They’ve also just launched their minimal (no artificial colours, mineral oils and weakly acidic) skincare line based on fine natural water extracted from a cave, and after testing it for two weeks I can testify that it is what it says it is on the box.

* synchronised noises with my assistant that had at least one staff member permanently linger around the corner.
** with accompanying body movement when in Muji HK/Tokyo. Get ready to moan: they have food and bigger appliances (microwave, rice cooker…etc)

Muji Skincare

Tray, jars, whisk – all Muji Kitchen & Dining

Muji Kitchen & Dining. Book – Nanban: Japanese Soul Food

This is me, and I love the juxtaposition of East (by East we mean ‘Japanese minimal design aesthetics’ and not novelty soy sauce containers or a fist-shaking golden cat) and West of my Georgian-era flat. I picked up that aroma diffuser a while back and it’s been greatly popular with my team – it’s a perfect gift for a client or the office.

Fragrance oil

Uniqlooks March: One item, three looks – White denim jacket

Look 1: White denim jacket – Uniqlo. Polo-neck sweater – American Apparel. Boyfriend Jeans – ASOS. White pumps – Kurt Geiger ‘ELLA’. White bag – MCM ‘Nuovo L‘.

Look 2: White denim jacket – Uniqlo. Raincoat – Muji. Dress – Issa London via MyWardrobe.com. Shoes – Reiss. Bag – JHYoo.

Look 3: White denim jacket – Uniqlo. Leather skirt – Vintage. Khaki stilettos – Primark. Furry bumbag – ASOS.

I have this thing every few weeks when I brew myself some redbull-coffee-crushed skittles concoction, sit myself at the computer, crack some knuckles, buckle my seatbelt (yes I have a seatbelt, it’s called duvet) and delve into the internet, determined I’d finally catch up on all the unread blogposts and saved bookmarks. Umpteen hours later I’d emerge with two PS11 worthy bags under my eyes and mystery gas emitting out of my ears, decidedly ‘cleverer’, after catching up on every single streetstyle blog in the universe, five or ten Michelle Phan wisdom tutorials, a whole gaggle of recipes where the only ingredient familiar is ‘salt’, and well, basically the entire internet. Sometimes I’d hit something like this and know I’ve come too deep. But lately, thanks to the previously advertised calamity known as eczema (aka f*kingbastard), I’ve been on house-arrest and therefore have been forced to take ORDINARY doses of said internet. And I don’t know what to do with myself, because you bloggers don’t post enough (!!!), my ‘friends & family’ don’t share enough on Facebook, and that Natalie Tran seems to have gotten a life? I refresh Bloglovin’, Youtube, Facebook every five minutes and confess to have screamed WELL IT’S ABOUT TIME at new updates. Sometimes when I feel extra desperate I read comments under some mega-instagrammer’s account and feel bad for all the stupid people in this world. Problem with this is, being under certain physical discomfort, doing anything productive (i.e emails & posts) is difficult, but balancing a bowl of popcorn on my chest while parkouring all over the internet is a piece of banana cake… apologies once again if you’ve sent an email and I’ve been quite an asshole about not replying it. Anyhoo, here’s my three ways to wear a Uniqlo white denim jacket, still sadly inappropriate for this weather.

1 – sheep & hare egg holder – Liberty London, 5 – Gosia Guzy ceramics, 6- Polish traditional Boleslawiec Pottery, Coasters – Muji

I think 2 years ago I did this one post how to cut a sweatshirt, which basically showed how to use a pair of scissors… but I promise this isn’t another instalment of the occasional My Readers are Kindergarteners posts (always unintentional!). I was starving in the bus home and googled ‘Sandwich Fillers’ – yes, of all things, wish I’d googled how to cook Pho. A trip to the Turkish store for a loaf of fresh-basked Corek bread and several failed attempt at boiling the eggs later here we are with the most random recipe post. Well, considering that my biggest feat in the kitchen of late was not burning water when making coffee, I guess we can say this was a eyebrow lifting experience. For me at least, hey don’t tease :(

4 Eggs, 3 tablespoon mayonnaise, 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard, small handful chopped fresh dill, 2 pinches paprika powder, ¼ red onion diced, salt and ground

pepper to taste

Boil eggs; when cooled, peel and chop. Combine the egg, mayonnaise, mustard, dill, paprika, onion and salt and pepper in a large bowl, mash with a fork.

Easier than peeing in your pants.

Jacket Gmarket.co.kr | Shirt Muji | Bag DIY Studded Vintage |
Leggings Zara | Shoes Chloé | Scarf Vintage

Air hostess colours today, not sure which airline. A bit of pre-2005 Korean Air with a hint of Lufthansa maybe…

Beautiful Evening dress by Christian Lacroix 1996

Fashion room, outside the Tsars exhibition

The V&A is so inspiring, it’s a crime that I live in London and don’t visit the place more often.

The Tsars collection is fantastic – did you know most royal coronation suits and uniforms were designed by the Tsars themselves? Jeez they have good taste, they should’ve done fashion design instead of country design. We all saw how that was a failure. kidding. Well you must agree at least Nicholas II in the end…

Pity they don’t allow photography in the paid exhibitions.
(It ends on the 29th March, so anyone in London, I recommend a visit!)