Budget busters

Last weekend, we had the fortunate opportunity to attend a family wedding in Jacksonville, Florida. Before we left, I found Nest Living's website and arranged for a visit to see the Amenity Home line. We had placed a previous order for the Willow flat print (below), but it was oddly canceled without notice by an Amazon vendor. Hopefully we could purchase it from a bricks and mortar store without trouble.


Nest Living is run by an Australian by the name of Shaan and it literally glows from the road. The minute we drove up, Mr. Big knew we were in big trouble. Shaan has a great philosophy and he's executed it flawlessly:

First things first, I wanted to create a retail environment that I’d want to shop in. A place that has a definite style but one that could be tailored to suit a variety of personal tastes. I surrounded myself with what I think are some of the greatest products on the market at the moment. With so many brand stores showing off their “one” look, I wanted to “marry” my favorite manufacturers and display them, together in a design studio that feels modern, relaxed and inspiring.

Our eyes wandered over item after item, some of which we didn't notice at first because their neighbors were such a pleasure. So how did we do? Lots of fun, different pieces made it home with us. My mom was whispering something about a budget in my ear, but like a typical daughter, I paused only for a moment. And then handed over my card...

This beautiful set of canisters from Tonfisk now have a home in the Caribbean. I loved the modern ceramic shape with the rustic tops. I'm not huge for countertop clutter, but these might just find their way out on a more permanent basis.


These two appetizer/dip trays by Skagerak were too much for us to pass up. The teak bases are beautiful and the dish inserts work perfectly.

And just as we were finalizing everything, these stunning Heath Ceramics casserole dishes caught Mr. Big's eye. They are so substantial, but elegant at the same time. We can't wait to serve Mr. Big's mom's delicious perogies in them.

So yes, we busted our budget. No more unnecessary purchases for the next 3 months (don't ask me to define necessary though). In the meantime, Mr. Big has already arranged for a few fun dinners to put the new goods to use. And I've got a great resource in Jacksonville that I know that I can go to if I'm looking for something in the future...well in the future that is.

If you're interested, check out nest-living.com as he's expanded his store to have an online presence.