10 Favorite Home Treasures and DIYs

10 of My Favorite Things at Home ✨🏠

1. Paintings by My Grandmother's Brother
   Alexander Khomko was an artist who worked at the Circus on Tsvetnoy Boulevard alongside Nikulin and was one of the last calligraphers at the Grand Hall of the Conservatory, which he affectionately referred to as the "tin can." A member of the Moscow Union of Artists, he exhibited in Italy and received an international award in Melbourne.

2. Disco Table
   I transformed this black wooden “coffin” into a disco table during the first weeks of our move. It’s my largest and favorite DIY project. I used about 26,000 cm² of disco foil!

3. Salt Shakers
   I bought the green ones from Oliver Bonas, and a friend gifted me the mushroom-shaped ones from Berlin. Now we have a whole little picnic!

4. School Bell
   This is the very bell that once hung in my husband's and my school! As true fans of the quiz show "What? Where? When?", we used it at our wedding in Yerevan—coming up with a question involving a black box.

5. Light Fixture Made from Actual Moulding
   It radiates a special warmth. I have to give a shout-out to the Moscow-based company XLEB light for this gem!

6. Posters
   I waited until our move was complete to finally frame these. Our living room now displays posters from London, Yerevan, and Moscow, courtesy of Partisan Press. A friend sent me the last one for my birthday!

7. Mini Fridge with Soda
   A dream come true for my inner fifth grader! When we moved in, this was the only fridge in the apartment. We quickly realized we couldn’t live like that for long.

8. Cat Tree
   Buying this was a bold move! Fellow cat lovers will understand. But our gamble paid off; I love watching them lounge around on it.

9. Big Mouth Billy Bass
   This legendary vintage fish hails from 1999. I gifted it to my husband, a fan of "The Sopranos," for his birthday. Even Queen Elizabeth II had one—there’s an episode in "The Crown" where little Prince Andrew gifts it to the queen.

10. Water Filter and Air Fryer
    Pouring 95°C water for my coffee funnel at the touch of a button is such a delight. The Air Fryer cooks incredibly well and combines the functions of an oven, toaster, and microwave.

Our cat already knows the sound of it switching on and runs to warm her fluffy behind!