The $99 Store
I love our local Dollar Store as the gift go-to for all the birthday parties my kids get invited to. But when it comes to buying for adults, well, we need something a little more sophisticated.
So why not go to the $99 store?
My friend, Los Angeles home stylist Tara Riceberg (who has many DC clients) is the queen of gift giving (see my post about previous gift endeavors here and here), and she just came up with this brilliant idea for her economy-challenged customers in Beverly Hills. Lucky for us on the east coast that she ships the gifts anywhere, and they come beautifully wrapped.
The $99 Store offers a myriad selection of attractive – and always witty – gifts.
The Dream Bank ($29.99), for instance, lets you insert a picture of what you’re saving for.
These totem cups ($67.99) look great in an open cupboard, and they double as adorable ice cream dishes.
For the man in your life – a dragon remover ($54.99). It’s functional, but it also makes for “sexy desk art,” Tara says.
How cute is this? Lockets ($77.99) for your door knob or cupboard.
And for a lady’s vanity – this gorgeous Bell fragrance bottle ($46.99). Beautiful and sculptural.
Besides the prices on these gifts, I love Tara’s taste in choosing unique items for men and women alike. She’s like your own personal shopper. And she’s so sweet, that I’m sure you can call her if you don’t see something you like on her site, and she can get you the perfect gift. Happy shopping.
NY Gift Show: Pretty. Cool. Electronics
I love high-quality electronics as much as the next person, but is it too much to ask that they be pretty at the same time?
That’s why it was good news pour moi last week that pretty electronics were in abundance. (Oh, and they sound great, too, but again – I was more interested in the aesthetics.)
George Emerson of Geneva Sound reminded me that the earliest radios in the age of FDR’s fireside chats were designed as furniture – and elegant furniture at that. So, no, he said, it’s not too much to ask for pretty radios. We just need to go back to our roots, he said – in a more contemporary way, of course.
The walnut-clad Model L has built-in amplifier and speakers, including an iPod dock, CD player, and radio, with an additional plug-in for an MP3 player.
The slightly larger Model XL
Loving the shiny lacquer on this one –
The smallest Model M, fit for the bedside or a skinny bookshelf
And speaking of small, elegant radio and stereo systems…
The Cubo by Sonoro Audio is a CD/MP3 clock/radio. The newest version has Internet radio.
The Cubo will match any color in your bedroom.
Joey Roth has created retro-looking speakers out of “acoustically dead” porcelain and cork, which serves as an undiluted pathway for the music to come out.
Don’t you love the old-timey fabric-clad pink cables?
The speakers are controlled by a simple, unassuming metal box with a lever that’s an equally simple block of wood.
No, this isn’t a travel umbrella. It’s the wireless Magnum speaker from YUBZ. It will play all the music in your iPhone – no docking required.
If you’re anything like me, holding a cell phone to your shoulder for hands-free talking is nearly impossible. YUBZ’s retro solution is this handset that connects to your mobile, for “low-radiation comfort calling.”
Lots of colors to choose from.
NY Gift Show: The Industrial Craze
The industrial-chic trend has landed. Hard.
I blogged that the look was becoming prevalent in January, and it persists in the new fall catalogs for Crate & Barrel…
Turner bar stools
Lyle metal chairs
…and, of course, Pottery Barn:
Bryce adjustable barstool
Tolix chair
This style is being put to use in today’s Washington Post Home section.
And in case there remains any doubt that the industrial trend is here for a while, wholesalers erased it last week in New York, where the factory-turned-home-decor look was on display in every possible iteration. That means it will be showing up even more at retail stores this fall. Keep reading to see what I mean.
A striking light from Groundwork, which handcrafts its furniture in Pennsylvania using reclaimed wood and industrial zinc, among other things.
Industrial lighting from Peddler’s Home Design
A dramatic floor light from Design Workshop.
Design Workshop makes all of its products at its shop in Warsaw, NC.
Desk and double-component frame
Screw-top table and stools
Rolling tray cart
GoHome Ltd. had these offerings from its “Hip Vintage” collection:
The rolling cart would be great for a kitchen island, and check out swiveling candy-shop jar on top.
Locker storage
Finally, Blue Ocean traders offers many industrial-themed antiques and reproductions.
So, how long do you give this trend? Is it the new shabby chic?
NY Gift Show: Colonial Chic
Maybe it’s because I’ve just been watching the “John Adams” miniseries on DVD, or because Washington is steeped in the colonial style of its founding fathers, but a number of items caught my eye at the gift show last week that hearken back to the elegance of old. (Remember, these are wholesale companies. Check the Web sites or call for local retailers.)
Lunares, a tabletop manufacturer, rolled out its new Chantilly collection under the heading, “Everything Old is New Again.”
Madison Bay Company, which started in 1976 as a collection of historic photographs, has evolved into an entire home-décor line of historic American reproductions.
A few booths down, HomArt was featuring a similar style among its new products, through art and picture frames.
Roost, one of my favorite companies, offered this modern take on the classic silhouette, which was popular in our early days of independence.
I was surprised to see Julian Chichester, which normally has a very contemporary look, offer this bedside table:
And I was enchanted by its lamps, with bases crafted from antique wallpaper-print rollers – complete with a book about 18th-century writer Samuel Johnson in the display.
I also came across a company that recycles used books to make bookshelf displays look much more substantial, inspired by centuries-old bookbinding craftsmanship. It’s called Middleton’s Old World Library. They don’t have a Web site, but they are in Kentucky: 859.816.2110.
So, now that I’m back home, thinking about these wonderful old styles, I started looking to the shops at George Washington’s Mount Vernon and Thomas Jefferson’s Monticello, both an easy day trip from DC.
This mirror from Mount Vernon would look great in a foyer.
The Monticello tableware is stunning – I’ve always loved those old knife cases.
I am coveting the stemware in particular.
Jefferson’s Campeachy chair is of course reproduced from the early 19th century, but there’s something quite contemporary in the feel as well.
It’s heartening to see these days that things that are quite old can still be fresh and inspiring. I wonder if these styles could be making a comeback, or have they been “In” all along?
NY Gift Show: It's Easy Being Green, Part II
So many green products, so little time…
There were several items at the gift show this week that attempt to limit waste from our endless paper cups of coffee and plastic water bottles.
EarthLust bottles eliminate your need for disposable plastic water bottles, and they are so much prettier. They are made with food-grade stainless steel, safe and unlined, painted with non-toxic paints, and have BPA-free caps.
The title says it all. It looks like any cup from the coffee shop, but I Am Not A Paper Cup is made from thermal porcelain with a silicone top.
And if you’re looking for a reusable sleeve for that hot coffee cup…
Kwilty has these lovely embroidered fabric sleeves.
The Cozy Cuff doubles as a bracelet when you’re not drinking coffee.
Have you ever given a gift packaged all pretty, only to think that all that packaging is going to end up in a landfill? Vanishing Creatures has the answer for that: Buy chocolates molded from endangered creatures, where part of the proceeds goes to support their conservation, and the packaging for the chocolates converts into either a candle holder or bird feeder. How green is that?
Next, Urban General recycles old silver into funky new colorful items:
Urban General also converts old doilies into pockets for aprons.
Want to be a friend to the environment? Check out the Friend Boxes from Shine Labs. The tops are bamboo, certified by the Forest Stewardship Council, and the bottoms are 100-percent wool felt. They are fabricated with no-VOC adhesives.
And speaking of bamboo, I would think that a bamboo dry-erase board in your kitchen is much more attractive than the typical white variety. From Three By Three.
I also found some wonderful objects crafted from recycled paint cans and oil cans – they look much better in a living room than in a landfill.
These sculptures, which can take up a huge portion of your wall, come from The Roberta Schilling Collection.
These pieces were crafted in the same style as Iman Deco’s regular collection, only they come from oil drums recovered from Africa.
Stay Tuned
I just got back from the New York International Gift Fair after two days of walking acres of booths across two convention halls. Starting tomorrow, I’ll be posting on my favorite new products for home decor, so y’all come on back now, y’hear?
Baby's First Design Items
You know how good luck seems to come in waves? In my circle, it’s a boom year for babies. I’ve been Web-surfing for good-looking, affordable, durable, eco-friendly baby gifts that will transition easily to toddler stage.
Here’s Sunny, the criminally cute daughter of Washington Spaces’ Associate Art Director Susan Chong. She’s clearly a born shopper.
I’m happy to discover that baby décor has improved since I last shopped for such things – I notice less festoonery, softer textures and colors, and funkier patterns than I remember from a couple years ago. Gender-neutrality also seems to be a theme – think buttons over ribbons; bugs over blossoms; elephants over trains; citrus and primary colors over pink and blue. I’m guessing this strategy proves especially wise when it’s time to hand the goods down.
Organic Elephant Parade pillows, soft blocks, and Galileo sheets, each $65, available at Petit Trésor.
As cute as the hooded-flannel-sleeper-in-the-shape-of-a-frog may be, it won’t age as gently or gracefully as a well-made baby quilt. (I still remember carrying mine around until about kindergarten.) Some quality picks:
The Ruched quilt, starting at $229… or Citrine Diamond quilt, starting at $169, both from Serena and Lily.
Local design star David Mitchell enters the nursery-design fray with some surprisingly affordable products from his company. These stuffed animal pillows are just $18.
“Misfit” rabbit, cat, or whale pillow in wool felt available through Beautiful Pillows and Home.
Larger, more intricate, but still kid-perfect pillows from the same company average from $100 to $150.
Land Shark pillow in wool and Farm Life pillow in quilted cotton
Bugs and Butterflies pillow in cotton knit; Oklahoma pillow in quilted cotton
For keeping down nursery clutter, stackable storage cubes or fabric-lined baskets are a hit.
Stella Stackable Storage Cubes, $348 at Petit Trésor; Sausalito basket, $239 at Serena and Lily
And tasteful doesn’t mean less fun – wall stickers, funky seating, and artsy mobiles abound.
notNeutral Count wall decals, $64, and Marshmellow M2 stools, $195, and Confetti mobile, $77, all available through Spunky Sprout.
Think Outside the Rose
I have flowers on the mind today for two reasons. One, that gorgeous sunny weather over the weekend has me craving spring, and two, Valentine’s Day will be here in T-minus five days. Suitors, spouses, and significant others, be advised: the dozen reds is a classic move. But it is a bit of an obvious move (and the design snob in me finds it necessary to mention that rose red does not work with every interior). For your consideration:
Renowned local florist Conklyn’s offers up an arrangement of miniature bronze calla lilies (order here), a gorgeous array of purple dendrobium orchids and tropical grasses (buy here), and a bold birds of paradise arrangement that brings warmth with of-the-moment citrus colors (here). More ideas after the jump.
If you’re going to go uber-feminine, go with Vera. Vera Wang’s collection for FTD is all sculptural elegance, with blooms in soft lavender, rich fuchsia, and breathy pink.
Sweet pea blossoms, fuchsia lilies, and the “Cherish” bouquet of green roses and pink hydrangeas
Browse the entire collection here.
If pink isn’t your pleasure, peruse the green end of the spectrum (literally and figuratively). How better to show that your affinity for your sweetheart is formidable than to plant a tree in his/her honor? Try the Mighty Oak by Todd Oldham for FTD, available here.
Christmas in Middleburg, Part I
I went Christmas shopping in Middleburg, VA, this weekend with my mother and sister, but at times we felt like we were in Provence. A longtime local shop owner remarked that the steady upscaling of Middleburg’s Washington Street has made it “so French.”
But I don’t mind, especially at a shop like Crème de la Crème. I felt like I had died and gone to French heaven.
You’ll find all manner of French linens, pottery, and other home goods there – even my favorite kind of French sea salt from that country’s south coast.
There’s no Web site – proprietor Manuel Simpson says he doesn’t use computers – so you’ll just have to take a drive out into Virginia’s countryside to see all of it yourself.
And once you’re there, you won’t get out in a hurry. The store is stacked top to bottom with beautiful things, including tables, artwork, glassware…
The store also has the biggest collection I’ve seen yet of John Derian’s decoupage.
And if you want to stuff a stocking with a pretty soap or lotion, the selection here is tantalizing.
And wouldn’t you love to curl up in a toile quilt??
Crème de la Crème
23 E. Washington St.
Middleburg, VA 20118
540.687.4796
Shop Peacefully
I have a serious handicap when it comes to gift-giving – I always want the gift to be an “experience” for the recipient, just the thing his or her life happened to be missing. (Usually, this amounts to a lot of stress and indecision until finally it’s too late and I just find something that will do.) This season, even though there are great deals to be found at some of the big-name retailers, I’ve made a commitment to avoid the mall situation and support smaller shops and not-for-profit ventures.
Luckily for me, two of my most beloved pastimes – shopping and learning – converge at the 19 Smithsonian museums in town. The Arthur M. Sackler and Freer Galleries (on the mall, near the L’Enfant Plaza Metro) are personal favorites – it’s hard to find a more serene atmosphere in the city, and when you’re done with the exhibits you can peruse the nuanced, East-inspired textiles, prints, and note cards at the museum shops.
Note cards available at the Sackler and Freer Galleries, $9-14.
See more at the gallery’s online shop, including furniture, rugs, ceramics and pillows here.
Vista Alegre Imari flask, $190, and Blue Bird pillow, $175.
Down the street at the National Building Museum (at 4th and F streets, Northwest) you’ll find iconic, architectural home-décor items to suit several design-savvy personalities. There’s the fluid, playful Aalto vase for $55:
… or the sleek, chic Russel Wright spun-metal stepped vase (available in copper or aluminum; it also works as a planter) for $145:
… or for design-obsessed new parents, the Bauhaus mobile from Flensted for $84.
More options abound at the NBM, including architecture-themed ties, excellent books on building and design in the area, and limited edition prints.
Limited edition print of a drawing of the Great Hall in the National Building Museum by Architect Antoine Predock, $300.
And there’s plenty more, from Calder mobiles and designer building blocks at the Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden to Gene Davis note cards and framed Hans Hofmann prints at the National Portrait Gallery and American Art Museum. If you’ve grown wary of the crowds and glitter at the mall, take my cue and head for The Mall instead.
Habitat for Humanity
Most of the time we concern ourselves with high style for the home. But sometimes it’s nice to give thanks that we have a home, period. Habitat for Humanity of Northern Virginia had its annual breakfast benefit today, and the stories were both heartbreaking and inspiring.
Sosina, right, stands with husband Yohannes and their children in their new home built by Habitat for Humanity.
Executive Director Karen Cleveland spoke of helping a family who had lived in an unfinished basement for three years, hanging sheets to separate the space into “rooms.” She described another family that was able to escape an area where gunfire was common to live in a new Habitat community that was safe. And Sosina, an Ethiopian immigrant, took the stage to describe her family’s tough times while both she and her husband Yohannes struggled through school to start careers. The two-bedroom apartment they lived in with their three children was infested with roaches, one of which crawled in her young daughter’s ear one night and had to be extracted in the emergency room.
Those are the kinds of families for whom Habitat builds homes. You can see more from the video shown at the benefit this morning, and you can donate right here.
And if you want great deals on home supplies, consider shopping at Habitat’s ReStore in Alexandria, VA, where all the proceeds go back to the charity.
Let’s be thankful that we can worry about things like window treatments and fine china rather than wondering whether our sleeping children are safe from cockroaches.
Men – and the Economy
This storefront says it all, right? My friend Tara Riceberg of Tweak in Beverly Hills, CA, has a knack for making people smile. And you should shop with her, too, because she has great taste. She took me around the New York Gift Show in August to all the best purveyors of home goods, so I got a sneak peek of what her delicious shop would be offering for the holiday season. She just sent out her catalog this week, and I noticed in particular how well she identifies gifts for men, who are notoriously hard to shop for. Keep reading to see them all.
This bowl sits in front of Tara’s shop, always filled with peanuts. Never fails to draw rave reviews.
These shot glasses are perfect for a guy – decorative and useful in all the right ways.
Wouldn’t those shot glasses look great displayed on this Madison tray?
This Post-It-style notepad would improve the look of any desk.
Men aren’t into picking out individual serving bowls for cocktail parties, but this sleek, all-in-one organic lazy Susan does the job with its sleek, masculine styling.
The perfect salt and pepper shakers for a stylish bachelor pad. Awesome.
The Tom box and Phillipe tray by Italian artisan Oscar Maschera are each crafted from one piece of leather and tanned with vegetable extracts and no chemicals. A stunningly handsome alternative to a typical hard-edged box or tray.
Go to Tara’s site right here or her blog to see more holiday suggestions. Each gift comes beautifully pre-wrapped, so you don’t have to do anything other than order – and save the economy while you’re at it.
Happy, Snappy Designs
Maybe it’s the gloom and doom of the financial news these days, but lately I’ve been gravitating toward looks with bold patterns and bright colors that instantly put a smile on my face. And these home and office accessories I’m loving right now are inexpensive – so you don’t have to worry about any credit crunches to get them. Here’s to a little sunshine …
Dabney Lee
Dabney Lee Woglom, the stationer known for her “happy, snappy, preppy” motto, is out with a new home collection, which includes notes, clipboards, wall art, coasters, and a cocktail tray. You can choose from a bevy of patterns, colors, and monogram styles.
Dabney Lee is just one of several product lines in this smile-inducing genre. Keep reading for more.
The MacBeth Collection
Margaret Josephs, the woman behind The MacBeth Collection, follows the mantra of “Decorate your Life.” Her collection offers every kind of storage container in eye-popping colors and patterns. She even offers 101 ideas for what to store in them.
Iomoi
This company started with two partners, Irene Chen and Matthew Grenby, who could communicate only by e-mail because they are separated by half a world and several time zones. They created Iomoi so people could send stylish e-mails that look like custom stationery on the screen, complete with colors, monograms, and icons. You can even use a font that looks like handwriting with an e-stationery subscription. But Iomoi also sells the real thing, in addition to the cutest paperweights, trays, and even match boxes and business cards.
Thomas Paul
It’s no surprise that Thomas Paul has a degree in textile design, and used to design neckwear for Bill Blass, DKNY, and Calvin Klein. He now has his own line of home accessories (including a funky pencil holder that sits on my desk), which will instantly brighten your mood.
An Artful 2009
Ever since I first bought Anna Cote’s delightful botanical calendar last year, her art has provided me with a burst of color and design every day. And now she’s just reminded me that her 2009 calendar is out – equally gorgeous.
Anna is among a proliferation of talented letterpress designers who are producing dramatic, eye-catching work, and many of them have 2009 calendars. Most sell out by the time you might actually start thinking about a calendar for next year, so act early if you can, and the reward is something much more inspiring than you would ever find at the local office supply or stationery store. Keep reading to see more.
You can get it here on Etsy, an online “shopping mall” for independent designers.
Snow & Graham also has two other 2009 calendars of smaller sizes, as shown in the lower photos. Get them here.
I love the small sayings that go with each month, quaint and insightful. Get it here.
What I love about this calendar is that each month has a front and back.
There’s also a wall calendar that is pleasantly minimal.
You can get both calendars here.
For those who don’t want a lot of fuss, this calendar is subtle and sprightly. Get it right here.
Fall Trends
I’m lovin’ this change in weather, the excitement of kids going back to school, and the refreshing sense of emerging from the languid summer. And so are a lot of people who call the shots in home and design, for the Web is abuzz with new trends to expect, and most of the predictions are on the same page (or in the same living room?).
Here’s what I found:
The Washington Post just issued its predictions last week, which includes bold yellows and purples and gray-toned wood, in addition to intense pattern, nailhead trim, and the use of text in art and on furniture.
Mitchell Gold + Bob Williams Colton cocktail table
The big colors this season are yellow, gray, blues, berry tones and deep fuchsia, as recalled in Pantone’s Fall forecast…
…And also in this report from this year’s Maison et Objet show in Paris, which many call the ultimate arbiter of home trends.
Italesse
Anthropologie features new items this season with trend themes in yellow and floral patterns (and both together, as you see here).
Calico Corners also picks up the floral theme with these new patterns (does this mean we are finally moving on from the ubiquitous damask theme?).
Summerlin and Rosalina
And finally, to go with fall’s natural earthiness, mushrooms seem to be popping up, as we see in this report.
Arhaus just announced its fall collections, which they are calling “Forest Chic.” Included in that group are groupings of wooden and glass mushrooms.
Napa Home & Garden just introduced these Hermes-style mushrooms in a group of 14.
And for another year, the bird theme continues strong, according to a variety of trend reports out there – and also what I saw last month at the New York International Gift Show. I wrote about owls in particular at that show, and then saw a few more today at Anthropologie:
So, in addition to all your apple picking, enjoy the fall’s rich harvest in home and design.
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