dreaming of order

I spent a frustrating weekend trying to force the elements of various IKEA storage units into the space I have in the playroom.  It can't be done.  I am a frustrating 20cm short.  The lovely Chinese cabinet with the TV has to move, I have no idea where, and the storage will need to be custom.  The storage we have is already bulging at the seams and Christmas is just around the corner.  I will have to take a leaf out of Melanie of You are My Fave's book, she said this week If you come to a point where the toys are greater than the amount of storage its time for a game of keep, donate, or trash.
So now all I need to know is how to persuade Miss E to divest herself of countless small treasures that each seem terribly important

Perhaps thats why this week I was drawn to these wonderfully styled adult spaces.  Clearly there are no toddlers to play with the arrangements of books and pebbles, play hide and seek with the neatly folded blanket, or take the flowers out of the vase to smell them better.  

But I am not swapping, give me the toy tripping, decor defying, mess making mish mash of motherhood any day.  A few years ago the family went away without me for a few days while I was working on a deadline.  The house was spotless and I came home to the same tidy space that I left, but it was quiet and lonely and I couldn't wait for them to come home, joyful messes and all.  How lucky I am to share my life with them.
From left: study in Michael Deperno's home via Elle Decor, simple bedroom, bedroom by Tricia Folie, butterflies 

This room in a Paris apartment reminds me of our living space.  Long space with white walls and black framed floor to ceiling windows, oak floors and a black wall at the back.  I love the black bookshelves on the black wall.  Need something like that at our place, imagine how much stuff it would both hide and display.  You can just never have to much storage!