Well, I feel like kind of an idiot.

Two days ago, I openly proclaimed which specific desk I was getting, narrowed down to two colors. And I wasn't screwing around or anything. Like, I really believed and intended to buy that desk. But of course - the best-laid schemes o' mice an' men/Gang aft agley...

While wandering around Crate and Barrel testing sofas, I spotted this big honking desk hidden by a pillar and the sales associate station. It was a floor model of this discontinued desk that was on sale. I've always tended wildly towards unorganization and sprawl, so the giant size (I didn't write down the dimensions since I assumed they could be found online. Wrong!!) and the built-in storage are great for me.

Also, deals are awesome. It's probably entirely nonsensical, but I believe furniture that retails for significantly more is necessarily superior to furniture that retails for less, and this, I am more willing to spend for furniture whose MSRP is higher. Also, HOW VERY DON DRAPER. I have nothing more to say.

Crate and Barrel Preston Desk
$449, marked down from $999

The cherry finish is actually this lovely, rich, medium brown, and so I'm hoping that it matches the walnut finish on my Expedit coffee table. Not gonna lie, there's a couple scratches in the finish (since it's a floor model), but I don't really care. Given something that comes pre-crapped, I feel that much less remorse for the inevitable spills.

So awesome, I have a sofa and a desk to add to the acquired category. Now all I need are two barstools, several lamps, and food receptacles.

Expensive sidetables I want

Parsons End Table, $199

Angled-Leg Side Table, $169

Quick picks

Uncommon Goods - They've got fantastic stuff under home decor, dining, and desktop. Didn't check out the other categories.

Some favorites:

• Dancing the Moose Away Clock
• Remote On/Off Switch - This I absolutely must get. I HATE getting out of bed to turn off the lights.
  
• Glass Water Faucet Sculpture
• Wine Barrel Side Table
• Mowbot - mowing robot statue
• Birds on Wire Prints - set of 3
  
• Reading Man Lamp
• Airswitch Beaker Lamp - you switch it on/off by passing your hand overhead
• Mona Lisa Clock - Mona Lisa smiles only at noon and midnight
• Airplane Lamp
• Chikuno Cube - Reusable airfreshener made of graphite
• Light Table

New-Old Stuff

One of my favorite parts about working at JS, other than the free soda/yogurt/meals/access to childhood heroes, was their collection of WWII posters. They (supposedly) possess a first edition of each US WWII poster ever printed (!!), and these posters were hung all around the office. The ones I saw the most were hung in the game room and had ominous captions like "Somebody Talked."

If drowning soldiers were staring at you accusingly from the walls, you'd suck at ping pong too.

These reproduction WPA posters are both less forboding and wildly less expensive (from Hickoree's).

What's he doing? I can't really tell.

The only thing I love more than the idea of commercial flying is possibly New York.
This combines the best of both worlds.

Boats! And tariffs! Yeah!!

Czech playwrights are simply the coolest.
(Apparently some people consider Tom Stoppard to be one. Um, no.)

Niche products

You know when you've arranged something, and it looks ... ok, but it's not perfect? Happens to me all the time. PicturePerfect solves that for all the OCD people who are just too lazy to get out a ruler or a bubble level bar.

But wait, even I'm not that lazy. And regardless of how small my apartment is, I'm going to keep a mini-fridge in my bedroom for yogurt and Mountain Dew because the kitchen is just too far. This is possibly useful if you're hanging 40 pictures together (like in the second photo), but on a smaller scale, a bubble level bar is way too cool to stop using. Also, I like the composition and arrangement of the first picture.

This cannot come as a surprise to anyone

But I love Thomas Paul. Especially the nautical/sealife-inspired stuff. I want an octopus tea towl and Thomas Paul wants me to have one too!

I must admit; a naming genius, the man is not, but it's nice to know exactly what to search for based only off an image.

Also, BurkeDecor is really, really expensive. The only things I can afford from there are small textiles like bathrobes, towels, pillows, and pillowcases.

Turtle Pillow

Sand Dollar Charcoal Pillow

Pufferfish Pillow in Corn

Moby Pillow in Jute and Ink
And I know that a whale pillow, in addition to a whale print and a whale ashtray, might just be overkill, but I do love it so.

Lazy ambient lighting, expensive version

As I understand it, ambient lighting is largely determined by not only window placement, but also the number and strength of wall sconces and perhaps also ceiling lighting. I personally prefer rooms to be on the brighter side of things, but lack both the will and the know-how to futz with a room's wiring. Electricians remain employed for a reason, you know.

Clearly, the situation calls for some shopping.

Rex Table Lamp $158 (for the white and natural linen)
It's a box that emits light! Something about this is very exciting to me.
Sadly, this only works for tabletops.

Pablo Elise $108 for 12" and $370 for the 5'
Suitable for both tabletops and the floor.
How freaking gorgeous would the 5' one be?

Pablo Cortina $350-500

Mombo table lamp $116-242 (white and natural linen)

Meridian Floor Lamp $265
Very similar to the Pablo Elise, but clunkier looking.

Glo-Ball Table Lamp $500+
(No, seriously, you don't want to know.)

Devo Round Lamp $68
This would not be ugly with the soy base.
And this is not nearly in the same range of expensive as the other lamps.