Let's face it, a brand new home and a brand new office will only stay fresh if it is clean. We have never been more obsessed with cleanliness and housekeeping in our lives until we started operating from a home studio.

A question that has been bugging us is how often and how long should we be cleaning certain things such as the bathroom, the fan, and our rugs? We turned to ze internetz for answers and here are seven links that we found really helpful.  

1. You can always trust Martha Stewart to have the right answers!

2. Wait a minute, do you even know how often you should be cleaning everything?

3. It is time to get and stay motivated to start cleaning your home.

4. Everyone gets overwhelmed sometimes but it is totally possible to get through it.

5. Do you know how to keep a cleaner house for a longer time?

6. Clean smarter and faster with these useful and simple hacks!
 
7. Now, on the flip side, are you over-cleaning your home?

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Here's to healthy bodies with clean homes and offices! 

Taupe is an easy and versatile hue that can be used everywhere and anywhere. Its softness pairs well with various colours and can help to tone down or perk up any matching shade.

Do you know that taupe is actually used to describe a range of colours that sit between dark brown and grey? We absolutely love neutral tones for their timeless and classic appeal, and have been using taupe-coloured products for a really long time! Here are some items that have recently caught our eyes and are seriously on our wish list: 

1 // Taupe Textured Stoneware from World Market
Gorgeous crockery is one of our ultimate weaknesses and this collection of taupe stoneware is most certainly gorgeous. We love the intricate details of the pattern-work and the shade of taupe lends it an effortless chill vibe. 

2 // Sailor Knot Headband in Taupe Dot by Baby Bling
This is adorable! This stretchy knotted headband will get hair off your kiddo's face in style. We would totally buy this for a friend's daughter.

3 // Crate and Barrel Marin Taupe Baking Dish
Check out the uneven freeform hand-antiqued rim of this baking dish! We think it looks pretty amazing against the smooth glazed finish of this stoneware. 

4 // Anthropologie Baroque Reflections Wallpaper in Taupe
Inspired by the gracefully weathered mirrors found in King William III's chambers, this wallpaper exudes an old world charm that is delicate and refined. The wall covering would look fantastic against a bar counter or a vanity area! 

5 // Crate and Barrel Haze III Panel
This abstract painting is actually part of a series of wall art pieces entitled 'Haze'. We love the texture and the atmospheric composition of the painting; it would look so good in a calming reading room!

6 // Framed Art Print by Joke Vermeer
This vintage bouquet in taupe and burgundy stole our hearts and never gave them back! It has an Elizabethan vibe and would certainly be a standout piece in a home setting.

7 // IKEA Puderviva Quilt Cover and 2 Pillowcases in Natural
IKEA sheets are a firm favourite as they are so soft and lasting. Use these linen sheets in your bedroom to create a soothing and comforting ambience that is perfect for sleeping and lounging around!

8 // Pottery Barn Nolan Persian-Style Rug in Neutral
We love how mellow and lush this wool rug looks with its flowery motifs that are reminiscent of vintage 17th century Persian carpets. This would be a fantastic complementary piece to add some cosy luxury vibes in the living room.  

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What are your thoughts on taupe? 

(All images taken from the product sources. Links provided in the description.)

We have a weakness for home decorative items and plants. This weakness is especially crippling whenever we chance upon any planters, pots, and vases that catches our eyes. There are so many choices out there but it always feels special when you find one (or two, or ten) that immediately draws you in!

With the completion dates of our individual homes and studio space approaching, our focus on planters and vases have been laser-sharp. We need them urgently to house our many plants and floral arrangements! Here are eight planters, pots, and vases that we found extremely attractive.  

1 // West Elm Ceramic Llama Planter
Add some fun and quirkiness to any small plant collection with this series of animal planters. Our favourite is the Llama! 

2 // Botanicals by Hip Van Victoria Vase
This sleek and elegant vase will complement any floral arrangement and sit in any styled room effortlessly! 

3 // Anthropologie Chrysanthemum Large Pot
The delicate and refined details of each chrysanthemum petal blew us away when we saw this hand-crafted cement pot. Best suited for lush greens! 

4 // Karma Living Millifiori Vase
Keep your floral arrangement simple when using a vase like this showstopper. The colourful flower accents will keep your mood uplifted and happy every time you see it! 

5 // Crate and Barrel Grey Planter with Leather Hanger
This handcrafted earthenware is uncomplicated and gorgeously cool with its brown leather straps and brass hardware. Perfect for a neutral-toned home! 

6 // Roseline Pottery Mountain Rose Planter
We love scouring Etsy for unique planters and pots. This planter is a work of art and would look absolutely perfect housing a juicy succulent!  

7 // Anthropologie Bismark Garden Pot
We absolutely love the colours, irregularties and cracks in this collection of hand-painted terracotta planters! 

8 // Urban Outfitters Henry Googly Eye Planters
Well... things tend to look cuter with a pair of googly eyes on it, and this collection of natural clay earthenware is no different! 

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Have you seen any unique planters, pots, or vases recently? Share them with us!

(All images taken from the product sources. Links provided in the description.)

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Here's wishing you happy days ahead!

<3 Jia.

honey&gazelle Design Studio was set up with the intention of sharing messages of love and happiness through design and it has always been a mission to bring paper and good old-fashioned letter writing back into our increasingly digital world. 

Do you remember writing to a friend years ago and waiting eagerly for a reply? Long gone are the days when we would excitedly open our letterboxes at the end of the day. In recent years, our letterboxes are usually just filled with bills, bills, advertising mailers from random companies, and more bills. 

We wholeheartedly miss exchanging cards, letters, and postcards filled with random rantings, silly anecdotes and heartfelt words with our friends and pen pals. Pen pals! When was the last time you heard that word? It is our belief that the best mail is handwritten, and handwritten mail is happy mail! 

And therefore, we are thrilled to introduce Write Away Week where we will give away one free random postcard or greeting card with every online purchase. We hope that this would encourage more letter writing and happy mail, as customers are strongly encouraged to write to their friends, family, or long-lost pen pals with the freebie to share the love and happiness! 

Write Away Week is a monthly movement and would last for one full week per month. For the month of March, Write Away Week is from 19 March to 25 March. No coupon code is needed to receive the freebie postcard or greeting card. In the months to come, we will also be creating limited edition postcards and greeting cards just for this movement! It's really time to write away, right away to someone you are missing dearly. 

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Let's start writing!

With Love, Min+Jia.