A Love Letter to My Extremely Well-Decorated Home

 

By our Studio Manager, Flo

 

There’s something you should know about me: my house is essentially a living, breathing Etc.Store showroom. Every room, every shelf, every surface has at least one piece I’ve “tested” (for professional reasons, obviously) and then quietly adopted forever. Some people collect stamps. I collect candleholders, sculptural mugs, and ceramic objects that serve no purpose beyond “looking great next to the lamp.”

 

On my table right now: Haines Butter Dish, Vintage salad servers, and Tarta Gelatina's placemats in every colour.

 

 

We get new brands in constantly, and while no one has explicitly asked me to take them home and “experience them thoroughly”, I’ve generously taken on that responsibility. For research. For the business. For the greater good.

 

So yes - this is a Self-Gifting Guide, otherwise known as “things I absolutely do not need but deeply believe I deserve.” I’m trying to pace myself, but honestly, the wishlist grows faster than my self-control.

 

Here are the pieces currently calling my name with the gentle-but-firm tone of a friend who knows I’m easily persuaded:

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1. Butter Puzzle

 

This is technically a puzzle, but spiritually a lifestyle. It’s bright, buttery, and makes me feel like the kind of person who does wholesome activities in the evening instead of doom-scrolling. I've completed the Tomato one already and have grand plans to frame it (eventually).

 

2. Merienda Coaster Set (to match my placemats, obviously)

 

Is matching necessary? No. Does it bring me deep, unexplainable joy? Absolutely. These coasters complete the tablescape in a very “I host casual dinners that somehow look editorial” way. Next I just need to learn to cook...

 

 

3. Gentle Habits Perfume Oil

 

Don't ask me which scent yet, I'm trying them on every day til I make my mind up. All I know is that whichever scent I pick will become my entire identity for at least two weeks. Roll-on oils are also the easiest way to pretend I’m calm, balanced, and “in touch with my senses,” even when I’m spiralling about what to buy next.

 

4. Maison Deux Blanket (honestly any design they're all perfect)

 

This isn’t a purchase, it’s an investment. If I have a blanket for cold nights and don’t have to put the heating on, that’s technically a net saving. Financial literacy is alive and well in this household (wrapped in a very chic blanket).

 

 

5. Blackmarket Bottle + Refills

 

I’m genuinely trying to say goodbye to plastic as much as I can, and this makes me feel like an eco-conscious adult while also looking very good on my sink. It’s one of the few “sensible” items on this list, but still cute enough to justify immediately.

 

6. Not Today Socks (in cobalt, because everything I own is cobalt)

 

Some people have signature scents. I have a signature colour. These socks are basically part of my personal branding at this point. Practical? Yes. Perfect? Also yes.

 

 

7. Marina Hand Towel (because my rental bathroom demanded it)

 

I would like it on record that matching your hand towel to your bathroom colour palette is not indulgent - it’s interior harmony. My green bathroom needed this. I’m just doing what the space told me.

 

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So here it is: my fully unqualified, entirely biased, highly enthusiastic Self-Gifting Guide, written in the name of interior joy, gentle indulgence, and the eternal hunt for the perfect home detail.

 

If you too enjoy curating a home that feels part gallery, part sanctuary, and part “I swear I didn’t buy this just because it looked cute”… welcome. You’re among friends.