We are happy to welcome Toshiko Shek to the blog today to share a bit of her Santa Cruz home with us! “I currently live in a small, rented apartment in Santa Cruz, California. Santa Cruz is a small beach town about an hour and a half south of San Francisco. Think of it as the Malibu of LA but not as upscale and way more hippie. I live just 10 minutes walking distance from the Pacific Coast which is quite amazing. Since my apartment is a rental, I can’t paint the walls or make any drastic changes so I have to be creative with what I do to make my home as personal as I can. I like my home decor just like my clothes, chic and modern with a vintage flair.” “I upcycled most of my furniture. Everything is either thrifted or bought off of craigslist. It’s the best way to go! I love my coffee table, we bought it off craigslist for 10 bucks! We sanded it and painted it a nice cream color. It is the perfect size and I love the three glass panels which give it a modern look. I also absolutely love my antique Victorian dresser and nightstand. I found this matching set for less than a hundred dollars and it was in great shape too! Definitely felt like I hit the jackpot! Last but not least, the unicorn lamp! The lamp base is a revamped vintage piece and the shade is new. I love how big it is and the gold accent is simply amazing. Its mint color doesn’t exactly go with my overall color theme but I still love it.”“I have lived here for 4 years with my fiancé and two cats. I change up the decor once in awhile to freshen up the space. I used to have a mint color theme going on but I recently changed it to this black, cream/off white, and mustard combo. I also love changing up the feel of the bedroom according to the season. During the summer it was light and airy but about two months ago I got a new bedding and added a bunch of decorative pillows in rich autumnal colors to make it more cozy for fall and winter!” “We actually moved into a 2-bedroom from a 1-bedroom in this same apartment complex a couple of years ago so I can use one of the bedrooms as a closet. What you see (in the photo of the closet-room) isn’t even all of my stuff. I have tons of shoes under the bed and boxes of clothes in my fiancé’s closet. Also, there are actually more than 20 hats on the wall, they are just stacked together! Let’s just say, as a stylist, my closet is my library. I admit, it is a bit out of control and I still don’t have enough space!
At Home With Toshiko Shek
The rest of the apartment though, I try to keep it easy and spacious. We spend most of our time in the sun-filled living room. This is actually where I do all my photo editing and blogging for my personal style blog, on the couch while cuddling with my cats of course! Oh, and I love buying fresh flowers from the farmers market to freshen up my apartment.”Thank you so much for sharing your home with us, Toshiko! You can find more of Toshiko over on her blog It’s Not Her, It’s Me and on Instagram! xo.
71 Comments
This cat looks like mine 😀
Your style is really gorgeous Toshiko, stylish with a-vintage-and-fun flair! Love the pineapple pillows and the unicorn lamp – amazing thrift find indeed! http://fragilityofbeauty.com/
love your style toshiko!
and that closet…oh my goodness 🙂
Molly {Dreams in HD}
http://dreamsinhd.blogspot.com
Your closet is out of control in a good way! I love your home toshiko, nice decor
Oh goodess Toshiko has such a whimsical home!!
xo, Juliette Laura
http://juliettelaura.blogspot.com
http://www.etsy.com/shop/InfiniteStyleShop
I absolutely adore that unicorn lamp.
Thanks for sharing your home, Toshiko! Love your closet space, it inspires me to get my closet in order!
-Josephina
http://www.josephinacollection.com
pineapple pillows. PINEAPPLE PILLOWS! Hello!?
Love it, love it, love it!! So cosy, yet quirky…and I love the pineapples!!!
It is amazing how mixing all these different materials and furniture works!
x
Nina
http://trendsurvivor.com
I LOVE this girls style. Thrifted, modern, with a natural hippie vibe incorporated. Awesome! I also feel a little better knowing that I’m not the only one with a room devoted as a closet!! haha <3 xoxo Annejelina
http://www.etsy.com/shop/CrownofCreationShop
Love how your decor matches your adorable cat!
That closet room is EVERYTHING. I mean, EVERYTHING. Dang! Love it!
http://cuddlyasacactus.wordpress.com/
That closet is amazing and I love the blankets on the couch and the pineapple pillows!
-Miranda
http://www.missmirandawritesblog.blogspot.com
Such a beautiful home! Loving it so much! :)Very inspirational!
ANDREA
What a beautiful home! Love all of the gold pieces! Thanks for sharing!
http://sometimesgracefully.com
Wow what a great space! Love that she used the spare room as a closet. Wish i was in Santa Cruz right now!
Thanks for sharing!
Dani e
That mirror/frame wall is DREAMY!
Wow…that closet is unreal!!! So much eye candy!
my word.. that closet!!
xx
Can you tell me where you go the shelves for your shoes, etc.? Thanks!
Wow-ee! What a closet! Love it!
Such a lovely apartment.. what a great way to keep one’s house fresh, hip, but home-y too. Very, very nice.
http://theitalianbunnyreport.wordpress.com/
I love the wall of frames, and that all of your furniture was found so cheaply! It’s a beautiful collection of things. Thanks for sharing!
Oh wow! I think I’m in love, what a beautiful home! x
holljc.blogspot.co.uk
what a fun, quirky home! that gallery wall is one of the best i’ve ever seen, and the things i would do for my own huge closet room…!
xo, http://www.lilyonfillmore.com
I just fell in love and need to pin that chevron blanket on the back of the sofa, it’s stunning. I need me one of those!
Sam
http://mamfamakesblog.co.uk
LOVE all the details of the place.
Really love this! Beautiful home.
x
http://thewearwithal.typepad.com/
Oh my goodness, this place is perfection! I love every single detail, especially the cat that matches the living room decor =^..^=
SANTA CRUZ OH YEAHHHHH
This is a beautiful and very inspiring place! 🙂
Thanks for sharing.
I love her wall!I want to do a collage like that, but I just have not got up and done it. This may be my weekend inspiration! http://lifeinblane.blogspot.com/
Such an amazing home. Wish I have a place like that one day 🙂
X Willemijn Sofie
I love all the pictures and the dressing is wonderful.
http://blog.kathlou.com/
Yes, yes! More home style features for rentals. This is fabulous and inspiring.
This is so gorgeous and simple- I love it! Thanks for sharing!
http://chelseypatti.blogspot.com
That closet is fabulous! I have a teensy-little closet and I am constantly trying to down-size because I don’t have any room! Love it!
I love the wall of frames. Every time I try to attempt it myself I fail. And the closet is my dream!
WOW what a wardrobe..!
Love all the mismatched cat knick knacks!
That closet room is a dream! Amazing!
I second Molly’s comment. I would die for that closet:)
Your detailing is beautiful… uplifting, bright, welcoming, lovely. Congratulations on the feature!
Love the wall full of photo frames and mirrors and how cute are those pineapple pillows. The closet is just too good to be true! xx
http://www.creativityandchocolate.com
Those are the Billy bookshelves from Ikea!
That closet…I am absolutely in love! And it’s so nice to see an apartment-dweller’s home and how they decorated it being an apartment lady myself now. I can’t wait to starting getting knee-deep in decorating my home & these posts are such an inspiration!
xoxo
Taylor
http://www.welcomehometaylor.com
I absolutely love everything about this space!
grace
http://herumbrella.com
http://outsidetheboxpapers.com/blog
The pineapple pillows are awesome
Love your style! And, your closet…
Those are basically the coolest thing on the planet, i need them in my life.
DROOLING over that closet. Can I just live there?
xo Ashley
thetiniestfirecracker.com
omg that closet is ridiculous.
What a beautifully organized closet- having a spare bedroom as a closet is my dream!
I love the pineapples and the cat statues, how cute!
think i died when i saw her closet. Completely in love w/her house.
So personal and femenin!
Love the details
By the way, The bedside table lamps are like mines!
Those pineapple cushions and the wall with frames and amazing!
love this so much!!!!
Lovely home.
http://www.comedomenica.blogspot.com
Amazing house and closet!! O_O
http://www.modaonlinegelolasvintage.com
Those pineapple pillows are the cutest thing that ever existed!
Kate
http://www.thrillofthechaise.com
Oh my, such a beautiful living room! I’ll swap houses if you’re interested…
http://howtomakehome.blogspot.com
Your home is adorable, beautiful decoration, neat taste 🙂
I’ve been in Santa Cruz while in my road trip thru the highway 1 and yes you are lucky to live in such amazing place <3
Wow, small world! I was born and raised in Santa Cruz. I live in Portland now, but you’ve created a beautiful space in such a small town. 🙂
Best closet room ever!
That is really something else, this closet! The closet of my dreams!
OMG! SO beautiful!! 😀
Love those pineapple pillows!!
Scrolling through the pics I was thinking..so cute, love the cats, then BAM! That closet is crazy. I love the photo editing solution to show all the swag. SO cool… We’re going to switch it up over here with a “lady suite” soon. This tour was very inspiring!
Please tell me where to get those adorable pineapple pillows!!