cb2.

i found a copy of cb2's (crate & barrel, you guys are geniuses!) catalog in my mailbox, courtesy of my thoughtful grandmother and mother, who realized that pretty much everything in there is practically must-have material. i suppose i could narrow it down, but seriously... after looking through nothing but urban outfitters catalogs and the ikea website (and a lot of target lately) while decorating my humble apartment -- not to count out of the thrift shops, which have proven MOST beneficial! -- this was a breath of fresh air! there are two chicago locations, and it seems now that the next time i'm in the city, i will be at a cb2 store at some point during my stay. it's necessary.

cb2 affordable in a good-design sense of the term. you can't really have quality AND good design for pennies... that's always kind of where ikea and target and such fall short. their brand is built on affordability with style, but the cheapness of the material and the whole diy assembly is kind of exhausting after a while. i sure don't need another particle-board shelf. nope. the very thought makes me feel as though my whole house will come crashing down if my books get too heavy.

therefore, though i have no purchased anything yet, i can maybe say preemptively that i indeed love cb2. :) i shall provide a further review once i actually find something to own. haha.