Noticing a pattern? The weather on Tuesday was such a tease. Maybe if I double down continuing on the floral theme, Mother Nature will be beneficent. So! Using florals indoors via wallpaper. Floral patterns are great because they can run the gamut from chintz, to vintage, to modern and feel so different. They mix well with stripes, checks, ethnic patterns, and obviously solids. Some florals, like Oh Joy's pattern for Hygge & West, you've probably seen in lots of online magazines and blogger's houses. You may remember this lovely vintage paper from a previous post. Here are a bunch of really fun florals, mostly on the more graphic, medium-to-large scale side. The scale of course also plays a big part in how traditional or modern a pattern can read. How do you like your florals? images via designers guild, flavor paper, twenty2, schumacher, hygge & west, osborne & little, graham & brown, farrow & ball, anthropologie Xx a
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As I was perusing gardens, backyard and otherwise, yesterday, I came across TerraTrellis products. I really don't have a green thumb, but I like the idea of adding some geometric shapes to the more freeform flowers and plants. It always interested me how plants adapt to a trellis and take it over, winding their way in and around it. The colors these trellises come in seem to complement the hues of the flowers really well, too (see the image below with the artichoke).
The powder-coated frames are built and painted by hand and come in seven colors. I'm more of a fan of the general trellis pieces but if you're also a bird lover, a selection of the pieces are topped with a birdhouse. A bee nest (for the brave, I think), is also available, which encourages pollination throughout your garden. The pieces are functional art and bring a different, modern, element to a garden in addition to the practical application of adding support and structure. When you're adding global or ethnic touches to your decor, as many are wont to do, it's always nice if the pieces have an air of authenticity. Antique pieces often have a lot of personality, but new pieces can also bring great style to a space. Noted interior designer Sara Bengur recently debuted her newest products, which are inspired by her Turkish background and upbringing, as well as her extensive travels. Sara has been in business nearly 20 years; her eponymous firm is located in New York. After hearing her name and seeing some of her work in publications for years, I finally had a chance to meet her at the gift show last month and she couldn't have been lovelier. A lot of times when you ask designers what prompted them to create their own product line, the answer is that they couldn't find something they were looking for to use in their projects. "I often design custom pieces for my clients that have been inspired by either my Turkish roots or the location of the house I am working on at the time," she says. After increasing demand that she create her own line of products, she finally has. Sara has spent a great deal of time studying and immersing herself in Ottoman designs. "The patterns have an organic quality and I love the idea of giving a new life to them in a different scale, form, and texture." Most of the products are made in Turkey, though the stoneware comes from nearby Malta. The collection features plenty of color because Sara believes rooms don't have to be neutral to be serene and cozy and she tries to encourage clients to follow suit. Check out more of the new products: Sara's favorite products are the peshtamals, more commonly known as hammam towels. "I call it my favorite travel accessory. You can use it as a shawl, scarf, towel, pareo, or blanket on the beach!" The peshtamals are woven by an all-women's cooperative in Southern Turkey.
My personal favorites are the covered bonbon dishes—love the scalloped edges—and the kilim runners shown at the top. A larger area rug incorporating the runners' designs is coming soon. Sara and I both share the opinion that the details and the layering of accessories are crucial to making a home more personal. "My passion has always been to create the unexpected in interiors, something nobody has seen before. My hope is that through this line, people feel they own something unique and made just for them," Sara says. Life's been a little crazy lately and I feel the blog has gotten the short end of the stick for sure, so thanks for hanging in with me even though there've been a lot of days without posts. I decided to do another throwback-style post today and share something I worked on three years ago.
Trad Home, Traditional Home's digital magazine was still under wraps and being produced during the early months of 2011. There was a lot of industry buzz around the issue and it was a very exciting time. We were really trying to turn people's notion of "traditional" on its head. At the time, I was also producing my first major trend feature story completely on my own (plus a bunch of other stories) for the print mag, so I actually didn't have a lot to do with the digital version, but this was my contribution. Each editor had to select a color and source several products for the premier issue. The thing I like about this story—aside from the sorely-needed shot of sunshine it's providing—is that I would absolutely choose all of these products again. None of them seem dated; they're all as classic and relevant as they were three years ago. And not only would I choose them all again for the editorial, I would actually choose each of them in my own life. Sadly, DVF Home no longer exists. I really liked a lot of their tabletop and bedding pieces, so that's a shame. Another thing this does is illustrate that even if you're afraid of a lot of bold color, there are small-scale ways to bring in some brights in order to add interest without overwhelming yourself. I'm a bold color girl, but I can appreciate that some might like to keep their house toned down. (A little surprise here and there never hurt anyone, though.) A bright yellow business card holder, aside from being chic, is practical, too, for finding-it-in-the-abyss-of-your-purse purposes. In addition, you get to see what I look like with a blow-out and my head tipped at an angle, so there's that, too. photo: my own Xx a Hope everyone is staying warm and lifting with their knees when they shovel, it's crazy out there lately. I drove down to New York last Friday to attend NYNOW, formerly NYIGF, the gift show at the Javits Center. In two and a half days—and 2700+ pictures later—I walked every single aisle of the show and saw some great products. Mostly, I was really excited to be back in New York and to see a lot of the vendors I haven't seen in a while, since I missed the last three shows (not sure how that time flew so quickly). It was great to catch up with people and this was my first time experiencing the show since they changed the format and rebranded. I think it worked out well to have all the home companies under one roof, though as I walked the show, I realized there were several brands that I didn't see. I'm hoping they'll be there in August. At any rate, I'm looking forward to sharing the things that I saw over the next weeks and months. In addition to new and interesting products, the booths themselves are often styled creatively. Here are just a few fun things I noticed: Xx a My husband and I don't really do Valentine's Day. We used to, when we were young and first dating. In fact, I recall a few gifts that I certainly hope my daughters' boyfriends do not buy them when they are 16. But while we do write each other cards, we stopped exchanging gifts for minor holidays, although he does often buy me an orchid plant (my favorite flower to try to keep long-term), which I'm generally able to keep alive for about six months. Who doesn't love fresh flowers, especially in the winter? (Of course, with two little kids, we'll be lucky if we can sneak off to dinner alone together. Calling all babysitters.) It might be snobby, but I'm not really a fan of red rose bouquets or carnations; they just feel very predictable. I'm attracted to more lush, interesting flowers like ranunculus, anemone, peonies, and of course, orchids. I love this low, tight arrangement (above) from Olive and Cocoa. The vessel is simple but lovely, and more interesting to me than any theme-y Valentine's Day vase, and something I'd definitely use again. Red's my favorite color so of course I like the shades of the blooms, especially the dark ones. What I really love are the little red mokara orchids at the top, which are the same kind as were tied onto curly willow branches that trailed down from my wedding bouquet. I like the idea of giving an arrangement rather than a bouquet, but that's my personal preference. Also, I'm not saying that you necessarily have to go this fancy, but before defaulting to red roses, think about your partner's true favorite flower. Taking note of that and offering even a few stems is more meaningful than a big bouquet just for the sake of Valentine's Day, in my opinion. If your loved one isn't a fan of flowers, there are always edible treats. Chocolate is ubiquitous, but again, think of what your partner really loves. Cheryl's makes really delicious cutout cookies, as good as homemade. My dad was given an assorted box of their cookies for Christmas 2012 and we devoured that sucker. They have several gift options at a variety of price points. The "long-stemmed" cookie arrangement is kind of funny, and the best part about giving an edible treat is you'll probably get to have some, too.
Do you go all out or keep it small to celebrate Valentine's Day? Or do you think it's a ridiculous holiday perpetuated by the industrial greeting card complex? Last night, someone whom I've been working with on a story sent me the link to this Elle Decor piece about interior designer Lindsey Coral Harper's malachite collection. We've bonded over our love of interior decorating, and she had previously told me about her malachite/Tony Duquette-inspired Christmas tablescapes, which were really great. As a thank-you for the story, she gifted me a small L'Objet malachite dish, which I adore. I've been crushing on these malachite roman shades (from the Belgian home of the Casamidy founders) for years: But, back to Lindsay Coral Harper. So, malachite is one of her favorite things and she collects new and mostly vintage pieces. The article/slideshow refers to it as her trend obsession, but I think it's reached an emotional level that surpasses being a trend, and has become a beloved collection. Using the word trend makes it seem a little more fleeting, though malachite has been big for a couple years now; Harper's pieces are classic enough to stand the test of time. Trends are certainly an excellent way to become familiar with different patterns, looks, and styles. It's hard to deny the hotness of her Monique Lhuillier gown: She mixes the malachite pieces throughout her house, as seen here on her bar cart and boxes of various sizes in different vignettes (top image). Having favorite pieces sprinkled throughout and used often is a nice alternative to a collection that is for display only. Also, I can't believe she found the flatware on Etsy… I need to spend more time on there and find some treasures like these. I met Lindsey several years ago at the NY gift show when her company Lamshop was brand new. Lamshop offers this lovely piece, so you know her love for the deep green stone pattern runs deep.
The beginning of a new year is a time for review, introspection, and setting new goals, especially during the month of January when everyone still has their eyes on the prize and hasn't yet hit any roadblocks. So if you're going to do some reflection, why not do it with these humorous mirrors by French artist and designer Nathalie Lété.
Made of acrylic and measuring 9x18 inches, these mirrors could go in a small powder room, or provide a smile (and a final check of your hair) as you head out the front door. The bearded gentleman and the Downton Abbey-styled lady are very on trend. I always like pieces with a sense of humor, and at the very least, you and your friends could get some amusing selfies out of them. images via fab Xx a Now that we're just under a week away from Christmas (what?!), the holiday cards are starting to roll in. I'm grateful I got the bulk of mine out a few days ago, but I still have a few I want to send. I enjoy receiving holiday cards, seeing the pictures of everyone and hearing how people from our past and present are doing. I like to keep the cards out during the holidays so we can enjoy them and think of the people who thought of us, but sometimes it's hard to find a nice way to display them.
Of course, I've seen them placed along the mantel and I've seen them tied with string or ribbon and hung on a stairway bannister, or randomly pinned up everywhere, but I like something a little more put together. So, in a throwback of sorts--for Thursday, naturally--I wanted to share this idea I've always liked from David Stark. He, being the genius event planner/producer, put this together for O at Home magazine (may it rest in peace) back in 2007 when I worked there; though much to my dismay, I did not get to work on this story. Anyway, he took a piece of solid insulation material, which seems to be available for relatively cheap at the hardware store, and covered it in a beautiful pink dupioni silk. Then he pinned holiday cards to the board in the shape of a tree, adding ornaments, garland, and other fun elements creating something really special and festive. I love this and it's quite customizable because you can choose a fabric that coordinates with a certain room, or if your holiday decor has a specific theme or color scheme, you can match that, as David did here with the palette shown in this part of the story. Here, coordinating packages and ornaments on the bannister and chandelier also speak to the overall theme. I also love this scheme because it uses black, which most people don't think to use at Christmas, but I always endorse a little drama, contrast, and sophistication. My husband didn't understand when I bought black ornaments last year, but ha! If it's good enough for David Stark, it's good enough for me. You can copy the tree design or try a star or any other sort of pattern to hang the cards. And during the off-season, you could select a different fabric and display your children's art or other personal ephemera on it. Do you display your holiday cards in a special way? Whenever I am putting up the ornaments on our tree, I vacillate between loving a crazy mix of ornaments collected over the years (what we have) and wanting some sort of theme or specific color scheme like the gorgeous and sophisticated ones you see in magazines. I'm fairly certain, though, that if I went all in on a theme or specific color, that would last for one year or two and then I'd want something new and have to start over. Anyway, I've mentioned I'm pretty nostalgic and I like the memories or feelings the ornaments we have conjure up. Much like with wrapping paper, I tend to stay away from super Christmas-specific ornaments like Santas, reindeer, gifts, and the like. I like quirky, I like a mix of materials. We have wood, metal, glass, porcelain, fabric, and paper ornaments. I'm pretty sure growing up in a half-Jewish household where we didn't make a huge deal of Christmas has a lot to do with it. With my own children, we do a little more than I grew up with, and we're building our own traditions. We try not to go overboard and we purchase the "big gift" and let Santa take care of the fun extras, so that the girls will always know the real point of the holiday. They're both really into the tree and Cupcake was able to help decorate again. I'm really looking forward to next year when Sunshine can help put up the unbreakable ornaments and hang the candy canes with us. I know they look the least Christmassy of all, but I really love these totem ornaments. And a tree full of the white pine cones and white and gold mini ornaments would be stunning. The feathers and botanicals in jars are interesting (and something that you could probably DIY) and matched with the clip on butterflies and maybe some deep green and blue ornaments could make for an enchanted forest kind of tree. Also - cat ladies (and gentlemen): paper poinsettias not poisonous to felines! ;) How do you decorate your tree? all images via retailers listed Xx a |
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