Table for Two

Today I stumbled upon this room on Apartment Therapy and fell in love. The rich color, laid back table cloth and wishbone chairs come together effortlessly. A cup of coffee at this table would be a great start to any day.

Image courtesy of Domino

Rooftop Yoga

Every Wednesday Lululemon sponsors free yoga in the park. Tonight they changed up the atmosphere and Allison English taught the class on the rooftop at Whole Foods. The skyline was amazing and there was a huge turnout. I even got Nate to go to his first yoga class. If I'm lucky, I'll get him to go back!

Thank you Lululemon and Allison for a great night. I hope to be back next week. Namaste!

Lululemon Halsted - Events Calendar

A Taste of Paris

With all of the hype around Eat, Pray, Love, I am reminded of my own European trip last Spring. My mom and I met up with Regan when she was studying abroad in Rome and spent an amazing holiday week (complete with Easter Mass at the Vatican) in the historic city. Then the three of us ventured off to Florence and Venice and concluded our trip with a week in Paris. While I enjoyed my time in Italy, I absolutely fell in love with the city of Paris and the Parisian lifestyle. Here are just some of my favorite pictures from our time in Paris - some of which are sure to make it onto the walls of the new place.

The colors of the flowers are fabulous. These will absolutely be hanging in the apartment - just not sure where yet.

Perfect for the new kitchen. The pictures of pastries are enough to give anyone a sweet tooth.

Food is one of the best ways to experience local culture; I love all of the cafes and restaurants. If you are in Paris, you must go to Allard and order the duck smothered in green olives. Must. You'll thank me.

Market Days

Yesterday presented another fun-filled day of treasure hunting at the Randolph Street Market Festival. Although there were not near as many vendors as last month (probably due to our morning rain), I still found several items that I loved and some that made their way home with me.

I've seen these old ceiling tiles at several antique markets and have almost purchased them numerous times. Nate and I may end up with two white square tiles over our couch but it is still up in the air. The mirrored ones are amazing. However, I've ruled these out of the picture as I do not want to reflect our TV that is mounted on the opposite wall.

Earlier this summer, I scoured Craigslist to find the perfect set of Mid-Century Modern dining chairs. I would have loved to have purchased these beauties at the time!

These frosted mugs are adorable and came as a set of four for $16. I regret not buying them.

Who can resist these pin-up girls? The vintage posters are so light-hearted and humorous. There were tons of options to choose from, some a little more risque than others, and the vendor knew the names of all of them! After mixing and matching for almost an hour, Nate and I walked out with four - I've Got Your Number, Going Up, Lucky Dog and Hard to Handle. I'm still trying to decide whether or not I will keep them in their original frames. 

At last month's market, I picked up this vintage ring and an aqua colored floral pitcher. I love that the ring is asymmetrical. The pitcher has made its way into our living room as a vase.

If you missed the market, no worries as it is open one weekend a month. I can't get enough and am sure to be there in August as well.

Passing the Torch

Before I begin to post about all of the projects I am undertaking in my new apartment, I thought it would be a good time to say goodbye to the studio I occupied for more than three years. Although it was small and lacked a lot of character, the apartment served me well as I started my life in the great City of Chicago. Now I am ready to pass the torch. Just last week, I moved out and my younger sister moved in. I hope Regan enjoys it just as much as I did and I can't wait to see what she does with the place!  Below is how I had the studio decorated when I lived there.

Nate and I moved just two blocks away from Regan into a one bedroom right in the heart of Old Town. We are excited to begin our new life on Wells St. Here is a sneak peak of our new place ... our empty new place! I need to make sure I have better lighting when I take pictures next time!

And We're Off ...

Welcome to An Urban Cottage! After gaining inspiration from many bloggers (and a nudge from my best friend Ashley), I've decided to write a blog dedicated to design, food, style and anything else that crosses my path. In efforts to keep myself on track, I'm beginning with my journey to transform my new apartment into a home for my boyfriend Nate and me (and of course our dog Phoebe)!

This summer, Nate and I searched for a vintage apartment complete with all of our must-haves (balcony, hardwood floors, dog-friendly and the list goes on...and on). After visiting many unpromising apartments, we ended up settling for a modern place that had everything BUT the charm and detail I so desired. I'm now challenged with creating a cozy, city escape out of a large, streamlined apartment and I clearly have my work cut out for me! My quest to marry vintage and modern in our new home in Old Town is sure to provide a wealth of material to draw from as inspiration for my blog. Stay tuned as this is certainly going to be a work in progress!