To say that I’m inclined to “theme out,” is a bit of an understatement: I can really embrace a design concept in a way that ceases to be moderate and reasonable. Case in point: I made one of my apartments in New York look like the cabin of a boat, complete with a mermaid figurehead. (Rob refused her admission to the apartment we went on to share, so she now lives with my friend Liz.)

I’m still attached to all things maritime (and all things equestrian, if we’re going to be fair), and since Rob is kind of from Maine and all, I’ve looked for every opportunity to introduce buoys to our new house here in California. (I had buoys in that aforementioned apartment too, but Rob made me get rid of them since I bought them at a flea market…in his mind, if you don’t find them on the coast yourself, they’re ill-gained). I bought 20-odd buoys as wedding decor (don’t ask) from Lobstah Lou on eBay (acceptable, since Lou and his buoy-collected grandkids are from the same neck of the woods as Rob’s mom), which are now living in my parent’s barn in Montana. I asked my mom to ship them to me since I want to use them to tile a bathroom wall (Rob doesn’t yet know of this brilliant plan), but in the interim, I’m kind of tempted to buy this lamp—and one of these awesome jute ottomans. But maybe Rob is right and all, and I should move on to a more minimalist theme…thoughts anyone?

l-r: BUOY LAMP, $110.46, BELLACOR; TWO’S COMPANY HARBORSIDE BUOY OTTOMAN, $179.99, AMAZON.