Persephone's Profile

I'm tempted to do a whole room in the Cabinet of Curiosities or an old book of Audebon prints.

I am dying a slow death of envy - a great apartment in a great neighborhood with a garden! It's too much! I am so impressed by the built-in cabinets and would love advice on where to go to learn how to do something similar in my apartment.

I also love the red over the fireplace - what color is it?

Maryam at My Marrakesh might know where to get it... http://www.moroccanmaryam.typepad.com/

Try saddle soap and a slightly damp sponge - it does a nice job cleaning and conditioning the leather and is very gentle.

Clean it with something gentle (like Murphy's Oil Soap) and then polish it with Butcher's Wax, which will really bring out the beauty of the grain.

I think the overall effect is stunning, though I agree with others about the black toilet (there is something about black toilets that slightly skeeves me out). I love the dark brown walls - I wonder if you had considered using heavy clear fishing wire (or whatever it's called) to hang your mirror and pictures instead of the regular wire?

My dad just taught me a good tip if you're blackout roller shade won't snap back up. Pull it two-thirds of the down the window, remove the shade from the brackets, and roll it back up manually. Place it back in the brackets, pull it all the way down, and let it snap back up. Works like a charm.