I needed a pick-me-up/distraction today as I am trying desperately not to cough up a lung as I have been inflicted with the raging back-to-school cold that everyone in town seems to have caught. And I don’t even have kids! This super bright, relaxing and just really fun home designed by Regan Baker in Hayes Valley, San Francisco is really lifting my spirits. I really love the chill, modern vibe going on here. (Photos: Suzanna Scott)

For more of Regan’s work, here is my last feature

The Vendome Press is one of the best publishers for interior design books (IMHO), and they have come out with a whole pile of awesome reads lately that I got my hands on and want to share with you. This one is possibly my all-time favourite book. I kid you not. American Originals is by esteemed photographer William Abranowicz so you know already this is going to be good!

In William’s book he shares some beautiful and unique homes he’s photographed, the likes of Ellen & Portia, John Mellencamp, Robert Couturier, Jeffrey Bilhuber, Bette Midler and Martha Stewart to name a few. The homes are to die for, his photographs are perfectly composed and if that wasn’t enough, I love that he discusses his personal interactions with the homeowners which was fun to read about. If you’re going to buy one book this year, I’m telling you it must be American Originals. It took me 5 minutes to get beyond the first 5 pages I was so smitten. (Bonus: This book comes with a slipcase so it can stand upright)

Next up is Cabana Anthology byMartina Mondadori Sartogo. This book celebrates the first 10 issues of Cabana magazine, which I unfortunately have never seen nor read.

It shares some of the most extraordinary personal statements in interior design, architecture and lifestyle, and this book showcases some of the best from these first 5 years of Cabana through an extraordinary mix of topics, interiors, objects, and visual essays from contributors ranging from Justine Picardie, Patrick Kinmonth, and Christian Louboutin to Lauren Santo Domingo and Gianluca Longo. Photos are by talents such as Miguel Flores-Vianna, François Halard and Tim Beddow. A bonus with this book – the cover is fabric! The ultimate coffee table book.

Another book I received was The Gardens of Bunny Mellon by Linda Jane Holden with photos by Roger Foley. If you have any interest at all in landscape design, you need to get your hands on this book.

Rachel “Bunny” Mellon and her very wealthy husband had many homes – in New York, Cape Cod, Nantucket, Virginia and Antigua and the gardens she designed for each were exquisite. Despite not being formally trained, she ended up with such a talent for garden design that she created outdoor spaces for President Kennedy, including his grave site and photos and details of each are included in this book. Also included are garden plans, sketches, watercolours and archival photos. The author’s text is based on extensive interviews with Bunny before her death in 2014 at age 103.

Last book for this round is Nora Murphy’s Country House Style.

Nora lives in Newtown, Connecticut and has turned her historic saltbox house into the epitome of a stylish country home. Her blog, website, e-magazine, strong presence on social media, and increasing visibility in print media and on TV are dedicated to this style and she brings it home in this book. Now country style isn’t really my thing but this book is really beautiful and many of the spaces I really love. I can’t help but crave a cottage so I can delve into this easy and comfortable aesthetic.

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Some eclectic, mid-century and style-packed vibes going on in this 3 story home in Barcelona I stumbled upon via Nuevo Estilo. This home was formerly uninhabited, and needed many walls knocked down in order to make it open and bright. Interior designer Bruno Reymond added some drama with a mostly black and white colour palette with some sculptural furniture and bold artwork. Sweet rooftop views are a welcome bonus.

As you know I have many cats who share my home with me. And as you also know, I have a thing for interior design. One of my problems is I need cat paraphernalia basically all over my house to keep the herd happy, which in turn keeps me happy. Readily available cat furniture out there is absolutely hideous I’m constantly moving it out of the way when I take photos. When I come across cat furniture that isn’t embarrassing, I get pretty excited. And California-based company Tuft + Paw has broken the mold when it comes to modern cat furniture. After they flipped me an email I went to have a look at their website and was literally squealing in delight. Their products are soooooo not what you’re going to find at your local pet store. And that is why I love them so much. And why I think my cats now love them too.

I was asked to select a product to try out and I had a really hard time deciding but ended up going with the Indigo cat bed. Of course with any cat furniture, you immediately wonder if the cats will be more interested in the box it came in than the item itself.

I was a bit nervous by all the attention the box got at first, as you can see above, but you’ll see later that my nervousness was short-lived. 🙂

So this is it out of the box. It was simple to put together (thankfully because I suck at following diagram instructions). I went with the sea salt gray cover. They also have purple and white. It comes with 2 cushions – yellow and dark grey. It only took me a few minutes to put it together, and I was so stoked with the quality and how awesome it looks in my living room (its current location).

Before I share more photos let me warn you that no cats were forced into any of these positions. They all eagerly tried it out and have loved it since it arrived. I have found just about every one of my cats snoozing on this bed at one time or another. This winter I may add something furry over the cushion to make it even more snuggly.

This grey is perfect because it hides cat fur really well. 🙂 The cover is 100% wool felt and cats LOVE felt. The base is made of solid beech wood.

The photo above was taken about 10 seconds after I had put it together. Mimin hopped right in.

As you can see, I had nothing to worry about. LOL!

They sell all kinds of items aside from beds – cat trees and perches, scratching posts, litter box hideaways and toys. Here are some of my favourites.

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This post is in partnership with Tuft + Paw. All opinions are my own.

Baptiste Bohu took a client’s impressive art collection and married it with some art deco elegance to create this stunning home in Shanghai. The tile floor in the foyer is GORG!

See more of Baptiste Bohu’s work here