meg mateo ilasco of designer's library (she shared her apartment with us on monday) sent over a call for submissions today and i thought some of you might be interested. meg's putting together an interior decor book which focuses on how people are bringing their family history, heritage, or culture into the styling of their home. she's collecting submissions for the book until april 10, 2007. sounds like fun! if anyone is interested or has any questions, they can email meg right here. good luck! [photo above is from paula smail's house and the photo below is from meg's home]
[speaking of books, thanks to lotta jansdotter and co. for including my review on her new book's back cover. it was such a nice surprise]
i'm working on our kitchen later today and some of the components just arrived: the gold chain knobs from anthropologie (i'm loving chains right now- i feel a mini trend coming on) and my citron colored flor tiles from interface. will post pictures when i'm done...
just a reminder, today is the last day for the feb d*s shop. after this month i'm taking a month off to make some changes in the shop and prepare the next collection. so if you'd like to place an order click here to do so today- there are affordable prints, photographs and even some handmade linen journals. and as always, 100% of the profits go directly to the designers. [thanks to dooce for the sweet d*s shop shoutout yesterday]
we talked about restlessthings' blue fawn print a few weeks ago but i wanted to add one of her newest designs- a new floral gocco print on vintage book pages. it's only $10 and there are 20 left so if you're interested just click here to get more info and place your order.
alyson fox passed along a fantastic link to artist doris salcedo this morning. ms. salcedo is a colombian sculptor who often uses furniture in her work. the installation above was created for the international istanbul biennale in 2003 and included over 1550 chairs stacked between two city buildings. you can see more of ms. salcedo's work right here...[thanks, alyson!]
i've mentioned domestic before but recently i delved deeper into their collection and found a patterns tucked away that i hadn't seen before. the ceiling collections by studio job are always my favorite so it was great to see that they come in colors other than black, like a light grey/blue, gold and flat white. in addition to studio job's collection i really loved some pieces by inga sempe- her black and white flower piece was so subtle and modern. you can click here to browse domestic's most recent wall vinyl collections- you'll notice some fun prints and color variations that haven't been promoted (or seen) as heavily yet. it's always fun to stumble on new color choices...
this piece made the rounds this week but i had to share it here- the bloomframe is a dual balcony and window designed by hofman dujardin architecten in amsterdam. even if it was installed well something about folding out your balcony would always make me a bit uneasy- but it's a fun idea to think about. compact living ideas are always a good reminder to try to invest in objects that serve dual functions and let us downsize on the "stuff" in our lives. [via notcot]
this beautiful piece was printed over a piece of original vintage book paper. i love the combination of a soft, vintage book page with an assortment of lively modern colors. you can pick up this print right here for $13.50. [via poppytalk]
sara jensen and her husband thor of lost bird found have a beatiful home in astoria, ny. i wanted to end today on a colorful note so i thought their beautiful green bedroom (with touches of bright orange) would be perfect. sara was the designer behind the popular pomegranite pouches at dec's d*s shop and she continues to produce through her studio, lost bird found. you can click here for larger (and many extra) photos of sara and thor's lovely home in astoria.
"First I have to say that we are struggling with the fact that we have wood paneling, I almost didnt move in to this apartment when my husband was just my boyfriend because of the wood paneling! Thor's favorite color is bright green, he painted the bedroom before I moved in. He says it stays. I say okay. Its grown on me. The orange dresser was originally a white dresser that had been up at my lakehouse. I brought it back while I was still living in Boston and painted it orange. I guess we dont buy into the mellow bedroom colors."
artist jill dryer recently contacted me about a new series of paintings she's created. my favorites feature iconic chair designs (i love the wegner) or home accessories like pendant lamps and mobiles. it's always fun to see elements of interior design approached from a fine art standpoint. you can view jill's full collection of paintings for sale right here.
lena corwin picked up this vintage dresser the other day at brooklyn's repop warehouse. i was so inspired by her find (it's such a beautiful piece) that i'm zipcar-ing myself over there later this week. i'm still on a credenza hunt and i'm hoping to nab something along these lines that fits our small wall...
my obsession with facets (thanks to hannah allijn) hasn't wayned over the years and these pieces by designer klaus bürgel aren't helping. i'll take a lovely facet or geodesic shape anywhere i can get it. i love the contrast of smooth facets next to softer, rounded materials. a facet in pink (see "porcelain")? i'm in heaven. this drawing (and the ring below) are part of klaus' full collection which you can view right here. [via hoping for happy accidents via new jewellery]
arounna and john at bookhou sent over some of their new work and i'm smitten with this tray. you can find more information on their work right here and some of their latest pieces from the ids toronto over at bloesem this morning. [thanks arounna]
designer ken gangbar just sent over these shots from the interior design show in toronto. he showcased an installation and sculptural work- the textures are beautiful so i couldn't pass it up. click here for more information on ken's work.
today's sneak peek belongs to kevin mccarthy and david sokol of beacon, ny. i knew david when he was an editor at id magazine and now he and kevin share a beautiful house right around the corner from the dia: beacon. you can click here to see full sized (and extra) photos of their home. [also, kevin designed the string-shade lamps in the photos, more info on them right here]
"This is our dining room: A lot of the furniture in the house was my grandmother’s, which my father packed up and drove here from Seattle after she passed away. Many of the table lamps had old shades that needed to be replaced and I started experimenting with restringing them with twine from a hardware store—and there you have the early rumblings of my new business. The vintage wallpaper is from Secondhand Rose and hung by yours truly. The Supernova pendant was a present from David. The cats, Gus and Eugenia, are a new addition circa 2006."
"The exterior: What you can see is taken on a snowy day after our spending the morning clearing sidewalks and the driveway of “heart attack” snow. The house flies an Italian “Pace” flag. What you cannot see is the beautiful bell purchased from Arcosanti. The shade and portrait: I made this two-color shade from linen string and the moiré affect it creates is gorgeous. The portrait is of an unknown man and is from Hudson Supermarket."
"Cat portrait: This was a housewarming gift from our friend Leigh, better known as jezebel The portrait is hung on my favorite wall, because it’s one of the few elements to have survived from the original 1860s-era house."
our last sneak peek for the day (there are boys coming tomorrow in case anyone is worried) belongs to brooklyn ceramicist sarah cihat. i love the wood grain wallpaper on her walls and had to share this overview and close up shot. the pattern acts as a nice neutral background but gives just the slightest hint of pattern.
[update: the walls are a finish that sarah did herself! it's taupe grey
over gloss white paint with the help of a special wood grain squeegee she found "ages ago"]
i'm loving this yellow metropolitan bed at AT. yellow and green keep popping up everywhere, it's such a nice dose of springy colors. i just bit the bullet and bought fabric to have our couch reupholstered so i'll post the pictures next week when it's through...i went back and forth between a bright yellow and kelly green pattern and chose the kelly green. should be springy and perfect for the warmer months ahead...
[speaking of the apt, i'll be posting d*s apt update pictures over the next few weeks. we're finally in a place where we can fill in our space a bit more...]
last thursday i did a little window shopping in anthropologie's rockefeller center shop and caught the beginning of a small exhibition taking place within the shop. "musical chairs" is a group exhibition of works by emerging designers based in the united kingdom and netherlands. the artists produced works inspired by the humble chair form and came up with some really beautiful pieces. my favorite was a small series done by pieke bergmans who melted glass vessels into chairs and benches...they have to be seen to be full enjoyed. the melting shape was so soft and glassy- i spent at least 10 minutes with this one chair just looking at the glass. the pieces below are by pottinger & cole and peter woollin & kate staddon. you can stop by anthropologie at 50 rockefeller center to see them in person...enjoy! [click here for more photos of pieke bergmans melted glass work]
the lovely karen combs of nama rococo let us sneak a little peek into her home in western massachusetts. i'm crazy about the bright white walls and floor and the amount of light her home seems to get. not to mention the adorable orange lamp. [click here for full sized (and extra!) photos of karen's home]
"This photos is of my little sofa with Tang on the floor (pretty bare bones for a wallpaper designer, no?)"
"This is my favorite bookshelf with a strip of "birch" wallpaper my friend martha flood made (i'm trying to get her to market it!)"
ok one non-sneak peek post quickly: these beautiful pieces were just sent over from wonderwall in sweden. wonderwall sells limited edition artwork and they recently added 11 new designs ot their collection. had to share....click here for more information.
i'm working on a special project today (i'll let you know the details if it works out) so i've decided to devote today to the new sneak peek column. i'll showcase 3-4 artist's homes with descriptions in their own words. i'll be back tomorrow with regular posts bu i wanted to make today all about inspiration rather than shopping. it's always wonderful to be inspired by real people's homes and see how people living in less than perfect apartments and houses make things work on their own terms (without the help of professional architects, designers and contractors). our first peek today belongs to writer and designer meg mateo ilasco. [click here for full sized pictures of her home]
"I live in a hybrid Eichler style home built in 1959. Over the past couple years I've been trying to synthesize my decorating style. I've discovered that, for me, rooms work best when they have these four elements: 1. new, contemporary pieces, 2. vintage, thrift store finds, 3. nostaglia, and 4. my heritage and culture. Items I consider nostaglic are decor from our (my husband and I) parents' homes. I enjoy that they help instill a sense of continuity. Finding a good balance is key. The above image is from my living room. It has my favorite vintage find: Danish shelving by Poul Cadovius (Royal System) which I bought six years ago on ebay for a ridiculously low price. (Seriously, I miss those days!) In the beginning, I was very fixated on Scandinavian stuff. But later I felt a little disconnected with my collection. So I began introducing things from my Philippine culture and blending them in with the existing decor (some examples are the capiz lamp, rattan chairs, and wood artwork in the dining room)"
"This is the other side of the living room. The stereo cabinet is from my childhood, except now it's been outfitted with new speakers and plays songs from an iPod. The hanging capiz lamp and shell decor are also nostaglic. We hung one inside and another outside to create a dialogue between the two--to bring the inside out."
"Just to show other parts of my home, here's the entry way with framed pieces from Kesuke Serizawa's 2006 calendar (bought from Salvor Kiosk) and a step table with a vintage lamp and hanging melamine plates by Thomas Paul and Lena Corwin."
"This is my dining room. It's funny, when I was growing up I used to be embarrassed that our home was stuck in a 1970s time warp. I regarded my mom's handmade goods with equal disdain: her macrame plant holders, handpainted porcelain elephant statues, and crocheted pillows. As a child, I'd think, "Couldn't we just buy things?" She said that one day I'd grow to appreciate her stuff. Mom was right! In addition to the living room I also have a photo of Sara Paloma bottles juxtaposed with a Philippine tribal pot."
angela schwab at inv/alt design just send over some fun recycled dishware products from her etsy shop. they remind me of hrafnkell birgisson's hoch die tassen but use the same concept for plates and platters. you can browse angela's collection right here and shop online ($20 each).
i fell in love with designer hannah allijn's faceted curtain in 2005 and was thrilled to hear from her today. her beautiful curtain is finally going into production and will be available for purchase soon (i'll have the update here when they're ready). i've been secretly saving for these for two years now and can't express how excited i am to finally know they're hitting the market. i love how the pattern comes to life when you draw open the curtains- they're so soft but structured. of the thousands of posts i've written at d*s over the past three years they're probably the design that has stuck with me the most. (well, that and nama rococo's debut). you can view hannah's site right here and stay tuned for purchasing information. [all photos by egwin heins] have a great weekend everyone! below are some highlights from this week's new features:
bold pattern is everywhere these days and anthropologie is doing a great job of delivering it in wallpaper form. these two new designs are printed on surestrip which promises "wrinkle-free installation and easy peel-off removal" (anyone have an experience otherwise?). the beautiful floral is called dotswold is available for $88 per roll right here. the vintage-style sunburst print is available right here for $88. happy wallpapering!
nothing like a bright yellow print to wake you up on a cold friday morning. dombra by marimekko is a beautiful deep goldenrod pattern with accents of magenta and pink. perfect for using in small spots or a bright white room that needs a pop of color. click here for more information and to buy ($38 per yard).
artist diana fayt has a show opening this friday at xen gallery in st. louis, missouri. the show is all new work done in black and white, inspired by the scrimshaw tradition that diana learned about while visiting the caribbean island of bequia last winter. if you're in the area be sure to check it out. you can see more of diana's new work right here.
i'm a little sluggish this morning (i had dinner at top chef alum harold dieterle's old restaurant, the harrison) so i thought i'd start with a sneak peek into the home of k studio designer, shelly klein. i heard from several readers that she had a beautiful home and well, they were right. here are photos of shelly's home and a description in her own words below. click here for additional, full sized (with extra commentary) photos of shelly's home.
The photo above is my sewing studio: I made a quilty slipcover for an Eames Sofa Compact. My girl “Lillian” is hanging out in her favorite spot. K studio bird pillow with a pillow I made from Girard fabric. Cool lamp from CB2.
This is the kitchen: I put a comfy chair where a little breakfast table should be. I like to drink my coffee here every morning.
The bedroom: This is my beloved cat “Ben” in his favorite spot. My collection of very small art pieces hangs above the nightstand. K studio “everyday people” pillow in white is behind Ben.
The living room: The Eames Surfboard table was my very first major furniture purchase, I still love it and never get sick of it. The lovely painting is by a local artist Beth Fowler, I bought it recently and am in love with it. My sofa is just an old sofa that I fashioned a quilty slipcover for (I’m really into quilted things!). Mobile by Jan at Moonlilly. And of course a potted geranium, my favorite flower.
This is from my dining room: On the buffet- 2 prints by local artist Aron Lowe, bird sculpture by Stephanie Adams of Madison, WI, floral line drawing by me, and pitchers by Amy Adams at Perch.
today is molly symmonds last day at the guest blog and i just want to thank her for all her hard work. she created a phenomenal roundup of finds from both ebay and etsy and i just wanted to direct you to her posts if you missed any of them. yesterday she highlighted porridge papers and i had to share it over here. their letterpress work is really lovely (they also sell beautiful handmade papers). click here to read molly's guest blog posts and here if you need a little more letterpress in your life...
i've been keeping an eye on venice beach's surfing cowboys. they have a fantastic collection of vintage furniture it and seems to rotate often. they just picked up this beautiful ib koford larsen chair (i nabbed the rocking chair version last month) and a whole slew of new seating, storage and accessories. they ship across the us so click here to view the entire collection. happy shopping!
so sorry for the rush this morning- i have to do some work at hg today so i'm out for the rest of the afternoon. i'll be back with much more tomorrow but i wanted to get as much as possible up today. our sneak peek for this afternoon belongs to the home of hoping for happy accidents' k. cooper. simplicity is the name of the game and these photos are sure to inspire some spring cleaning and simple styling. click here for full sized photos of k's home.
molly found some stunning art and jewelry finds at etsy. her guest blog is bursting with affordable artwork and accessories this week so click here to check out her latest posts (the collages are a must-see).
i'm happy to announce another installment in the women to watch column. today i'm featuring british designer erika wakerly. erika's wallpaper made a splash at last summer's icff and she's certainly not resting on her laurels with a recent collection of fabrics and illustrations. erika's sense of line and space is truly unique and gives her work an almost surreal sense of propotion sometimes. it's fun to see someone work with line in such a painterly, illustration-style rather than using it to create purely geometric patterns. erika's work shows endless potential and i'm sure that we'll be seeing more from her at this spring's design shows. the buzz on the editorial scene is that erika is going to be one of the summer's biggest designers so i'm excited to see what comes next. i hear there are new wallpaper designs on the way and i'll be sure to post them here when they hit the streets. until then you can view her collection and find more information right here.
quick quick- hedgehog coasters at etsy for $10. i metioned papered together yesterday but i love these orange hedgehogs and must have missed them. click here to buy.
it's been great to discover new letterpress studios while building the guide. my favorite of today? louella press. these colorful cards are part of their collection. you can view the entire line right here (they offer custom work as well). enjoy!
last night's second biz ladies meet up was more fun that i could have even hoped for. i counted at least 160 women around 7:45 so it looks like everyone (and then some!) that rsvp-ed joined us. things got so crowded that we used both floors of dwr brooklyn heights to set up separate stations in which to discuss: marketing/pricing, wholesaling/manufacturing, public relations and legal issues. thank you to dwr for hosting our raucous bunch again, thank you to all of our experts (the lovely ladies of etsy, ryan and audrey of elsewares, alissiaMT, karen of clothes-pin and joi and marci- our legal tipsters). and most importantly thank you to all of the women who came from all over the area (even some from boston!) to attend the meet up. i hope you all went home with some great advice and some new friends.
for those of you who weren't able to attend we've uploaded tip sheets and summaries from each expert onto the d*s server. so, you can
and benefit from the expert advice of last night's event (each sheet includes tips, resources and links). thank you again from the bottom of my heart to everyone who came and to the experts for all of their wonderful advice.
i love the whole layout of this shot- the beautiful gold horses, the metal artwork, the vintage credenza- it's perfect. this credenza is available on ebay right now (current bid: $850) for the "buy it now" price of $980. click here for more info...
i can't get enough color today. something about all these bold greens, yellows and reds really wakes me out of the winter fog. these andalucia cards by jennifer hill are perfect for a little sunny reminder that spring isn't too far away. available right here for $18 (includes a set of 6 cards).
blogger has finally determined that the letterpress guide isn't a spam blog (hooray!) so additions are coming fast and furious...if you have any suggestions feel free to send them along. the beautiful stationery above is from molly's etsy stationery roundup yesterday...click here for the full post.
yellow fever over at the style-files to go along with the kelly green madness from monday. looks like there's kelly wearstler madness going on too- her beautiful trellis pattern has been all over the web this week. i'd love to upholster an armchair in bright green trellis...so crisp and fresh.
carly margolis is designer behind the beautiful wallpaper designs at cavern home. it was no surprise her home would be just as colorful and pattern-filled as her company's collection. carly used cavern home's navajo print in her kitchen and tigerlace in her hallway. [click here for full sized photos of carly's home]
wayne pate of good shape design just sent over his latest prints- i was so thrilled to see artwork this lovely at such an affordable price. wayne's new bird prints (done in a bold black and white or a lovely tomato soup red and white) are handmade right here in brooklyn for only $30 a piece. he's in the process of printing the batch but they're available for pre-order right now by emailing wayne right here. i think these are going to be a big, big hit. thanks to wayne for the tip and for keeping great artwork affordable. [click here to shop the rest of wayne's collection]
toronto's vest collective will be debuting a new collection at the interior design show, feb 22-25. the event will be held at the direct energy centre and will feature new works from artists like jonathan sabine (the brass knuckle wine openers) and marta pietrzyk (coasters and coaster placemat). click here for more information...
[the letterpress guide is being updated this morning so tune in around noon for at least 30 more studios. also, stay tuned for a biz lady update and helpful downloads for all independent designers]
i'm leaving early today to prepare for the biz lady at dwr tonight (details here). but before i leave i'm thrilled to post the first look at nama rococo's newest designs! karen sent the latest color updates over last night and you can see them above and below. my personal favorite? sixty-eight (above) in a new pale orange color. serious bokay is also available in two new colorways: a soft lavender and a bright orange- perfect for a small space that needs some pattern (i'd love to do a small bathroom in the lavender). and the best news of all- nama rococo has made their site e-commerce ready. you can now order sheets of hand-painted nama rococo paper directly through the site (avg price: $126 per sheet). so, whether you're an interior designer working on a large project or a renter like me looking to frame small sheets for projects, you can pick up your desired pattern online right here. enjoy! [thanks karen!]
i apologize for the delay in getting this out- after weeks of collecting information the d*s letterpress guide is up! the guide is meant to be searched by the following categories: city, state, custom work, pre-made work and e-commerce. so, just click on the drop down menu on the top left and you can find a letterpress studio near you for all your letterpress needs [you can read the site from top to bottom but it's most helpful if you arrange the entries by category]. the following information is provided for each studio:
website
location (city and state)
services offered (custom or pre-made work)
average pricing for custom or pre-made work
e-commerce availability
any notable extras like poster production or use of eco-friendly materials
i say the list is a working list because blogger is being finicky this morning and wouldn't let me upload my last 30 studios. i'm working on it and will of course add to the list as we go along. some of the biggies are missing so don't fret, they'll be there soon. don't see a studio you think should be there? shoot me an email and i'll review their site for the guide. also, there's a link to a short piece on the history of letterpress if you're curious about the process and its origins. every week i'll feature a different studio on the left hand side of the site- this week it's pancake and franks from san francisco, ca. hope you enjoy!
i love this exhibition at the wurst gallery inspired by man's best friend. the wurstminster dog show features over 100 artists representing over 100 dog breeds in their own unique style (illustration, sculpture, painting, etc.). some of my favorites like camilla engman and jill bliss are included but you can click here to see the full collection.
it's a week of lisas as sneak peek continues with artist lisa solomon. lisa's home was every bit as beautiful as i thought it would be- what follows is a description of her space in her own words. [click here for full sized photos of lisa's home]
"First I feel like I should clarify that I have a split design sensibility [I’m a libra after-all]. Part of me would LOVE to live in a very clean modern perfectly stylized house. But in reality – we have pets [2 dogs and 2 cats] and we collect lots and lots of stuff.... And I also love peeling paint and things with history and character... So our house design sense has more of a lived in, vintage inspired, long hard collected look..... I dream of someone asking me to help them put a space together from scratch.... It’d be so fun to try out different sensibilities
I thought I should start with the living room. Two walls are chocolate brown.... On the right – funky found metal cart – clockwise the art around the cart: the baby is kimberly austin, then alex ambrose, genevieve walsh. Red painting : aurora robson, and some cool lou reed flexidisc that someone gave us. On the left– an old TV cabinet that we put our new TV in... Our treasured TV lamp kitties, old empty bowling pin booze bottle, vintage gun [not loaded] and a whole sheet of wacky packs [does anyone remember those?] framed.
Continuing in our living room: on right – found salvage mantle... And things that match in color/age/style....On left – great mission style chair from my father in-law, gorgeous pillow [with an L for me!] by lisa congdon, big painting by my friend and mentor katherine sherwood, small piece by chris johanson, repro vintage fan courtesy of restoration hardware, flea market find pedestal lamp, 2 small footstools [I have a thing for all items mini] and yes... The orange fringe pillow is an ikea special of course!
This is our dining room – I love our fake grass placemats [another gift]. I pretty much leave them out all the time to giggle. My husband collects and plays mostly vinyl and our record player is in the dining room [in an old pie case – the green piece on the edge of the photo above. There’s the current rotation [he stores over 2000 records upstairs]. Painting is an old one by me... Drawing of our dog is my husbands. There’s also my basket full of softies...From wendy crabb, hammer and daisy, and jess hutch, as well as my nara ashtry by cereal art - a recent and well loved gift! I also like to set up little still lives [or vignettes as lisa c so aptly put it] this sits in a nook in a hallway. So you are probably starting to notice – I like to match things by color. There are 2 adorable bird cups there by rori zendack- everything else is found, given, and/or painted to match.
And lastly our bedroom. yes – we watch that TV – and yes – it’s black and white – and yes – we listen to records in here too! can you tell I have a thing for old luggage? On the left of the wardrobe is a framed art quilt by amy karol, the cute green felt purse is by gwen/bugheart - she also supplied the fabulous green luggage. I don’t know why, but I just love the old window pane. Even that it’s broken.... Above the red chair is the newest edition to my art collection a piece by alyson fox, next to the bed the shoes are by kimberly austin again, and above the bed is the vintage czech bead headress I wore for my wedding.....In putting these pictures together I really realized how lucky I am to be surrounded by art and things that I love – made by people I love and admire. They all make me feel like I’m home. And that is a very lucky feeling. Hope you enjoyed the peek! Lisa"
these spring green letterpressed coasters by papered together are perfect for an early spring cocktail. as we tunnel out of last week's snow i can feel spring on the way so my thoughts are drifting towards cherry blossoms and drinks with fizz. rest your favorite spring drink (or a tiny bud vase) on these coasters for $10 (set of 8) right here. enjoy! [would almost fit in the kelly green roundup, too!]
i woke up early this morning to finish the letterpress guide (due to launch this afternoon around noon) and as i rummaged around in the sink for a spoon i noticed scores of tiny scratches on the sink. looks like i could use one of cercle et carre's old lace silicone sink mats. protects the surface from dings and scratches and manages to look cute at the same time. more information right here [via mocoloco]
designer aimee wilder contacted me last week about her beautiful pattern designs. she's currently looking to turn her designs into products so if you're looking for patterns with which to create fabric, tableware or wallcoverings, aimee's your gal. i picked my favorites above and below but you can browse aimee's entire collection right here. enjoy! [thanks aimee]
[i'm heading out early today for the holiday- hope you all enjoy the day off. don't forget, the biz lady meet up is tomorrow so i'll see you there at 7!]
this morning lisa congdon's house was too perfect to pass up. full of bold pattern and bright splashes of color, it's right in line with today's color theme- she even has some kelly green. lisa's description of her home follows. (and yes, we have some more boys on the way...) [click here for full sized photos of lisa's home]
The first one above is a little "vignette" (as I like to call them) on my kitchen table. I love to make arrangements of things together. My kitchen is filled with colorful Scandinavian and Japanese stuff, and this is a little collection of a few of my favorite things, most all vintage kitchen items.
This next photo is my sofa. I spend lots of time on this thing. It's very comfy. The painting overhead is by painted Mike Maxwell, whose work I love.
Next we have the bedroom, which I like to call the "kids" room, even though I do not have kids. I collect Japanese and vintage toys and all manner of well-designed but silly things and most are kept in my bedroom. On the bed you can see some cats and a bunny made by my sister Stephanie Barnes and a pirate bear made by Heather Louise. Up on the shelf there is a Chris Duncan bird, a Jill Bliss bird and a Joanna Mendicino bird. Can you spot them? The duvet cover is from Dwell Home. The silhouette over the bed is me when I was five. I made it last year for a show and no one bought it so now it hangs over my bed.
Finally we have my Kofod Larsen credenza, which was an impulse buy, purchased down the street from my house at a cool midcentury store several months ago. I will never tire of it. The We are So Good Together print is from I am Still Alive. The two prints to each side are Japanese postcards that I framed together. To the left is an original Eames dining chair that I got on eBay about 8 years ago for $40. More vignettes on the credenza, including my collection of small mid-century enameled plates. In the other vignette sits a Lisa Solomon wax bust, one of my favorite pieces ever.
i was inspired by a post at modern-roost the other day and decided to flesh out one of my favorite mini trends going around right now: kelly green. the kelly wearstler post, anthropologie furniture and pieces from our h&g color issue really got me thinking about this bold green hue. it's often paired with navy blue and written off as a preppy choice (think whale prints and izods) but designers are starting to bring kelly green back in a way that's thoroughly modern. i love it for summer because something about it is so crisp and clean. and, unlike some other bold colors, the preppy edge keeps things looking classy and rarely garish. what follows below (and above) are some of my favorite examples of kelly green in the market right now. some aren't precisely kelly green but have that same bold green color that i felt was in line with the trend. hope you enjoy! [photo above, clockwise from left to right: ivana helsinki fabric, modernica chair in grass green $239, judy ross pillow $190, nouveau knob $8, ditte sofa $3498]
today's posts will be all about color and pattern. the tundra-like weather here has me wishing for warmer days when interiors are all about bright bursts of color. up first is julie baker fine art- i heard from julie herself last week and was thrilled to find another source for beautiful artwork on the web. julie carries artists like jen garrido and waddy armstrong (pictured above and below) that have a wonderfully strong sense of color and texture. along with jen and waddy, julie represents over 35 emerging artists with a growing emphasis on artists from california. the collection is extremely strong so i highly suggest a quick click over to check things out. prices aren't available online but each work has a link to contact the gallery for more information and pricing. enjoy! [new mini-trend up next...]
molly has been plugging away at the guest blog for a week now and after scouring ebay for mid-century, glam and deco finds she's switching over to etsy today. for the next five days molly will bring you the best (affordable!) art finds (prints, photography, paintings, etc.) from etsy.com. click here for her first post of the week...
in honor of sunday brunch (which means eggs for me): this handmade eggflat was made from 100% industrial wool felt by oakland artist josh jakus. though it takes its name and likeness from an egg carton, the egg flat folds flat for storage and can hold a myriad of things like keys, fruit, loose change and jewelry. each piece is made from factory waste so color will vary a bit piece to piece but you can pick up your own egg flat right here at branch home for $52.
ac has hijacked the tv to watch ghost dog so i thought i'd add this quickly. velocity just added some beautiful new artwork to the site. heather amuny-dey’s works are paintings, cut-paper collages, screen prints, and a collection of hand-carved wooden birds. the collection is full of vivid color and nice smooth curves- there's something for everyone, even those of us on a budget. prints run around $40, prints on wood run around $500, original works are $400-$800 and the bird sculptures are $900. click here for more information and to shop.
just back from the city and i'm exhausted. i think i'm going to save the second sneak peek for monday unless there's a major revolt. don't want to over saturate you guys with artists' homes. until monday here is one of the latest pieces from artist jen garrido. on a cold day like this her work always cheers me up. have a wonderful weekend, i'll see you on monday with the letterpress guide and a fun new section for d*s! [jen's work is available through branch gallery in nc]
christopher silas neal is a new york based artist who creates illustrations for editorial and personal use. d*s reader kim tipped me off about his work and i was smitten. christopher sells his prints right here ($30 each)but his editorial work is my favorite. you can browse his full collection right here- be sure to check out the "printed matter" section. [thanks kim!]
[our next sneak peek will be up later tonight around 5:30 pm...i have to run to a meeting]
i agreed that we needed some gents on the sneak peek queue so today we're getting a glimpse into a lovely lady and a totally stylish gent's home. first it's bryan boyer, a student of architecture at harvard's graduate school of design. bryan has a beautiful modern apartment so here's a sneak peek into his beautiful home. click here for full-sized photos of bryan's apartment and read on for a description in bryan's words...
When I moved to Cambridge two years ago I found this 400sqf studio apt as one open room with nasty gray carpets and pink paint on the walls. It's on the 6th floor and one wall is almost entirely glazed so I get a lot of light, but it didn't penetrate very deep into the room. New pergo floors and some careful furniture choices help bring light deeper into the space and it's now quite livable. For the photo above: It took me four tries to find the right gray for the walls, but this is finally it: not too cool at night and not too warm during the day. I made the simple table which is great for breakfast or spreading out some books when working on a project. Instead of a headboard I covered the bedroom wall with hand printed paper by Esther Hong. My friends joke that my house can look like a group therapy session sometimes: just a bunch of chairs facing each other. An Eames Plywood Lounge chair in walnut sits at the table with two Grcic Chair Ones (my favorite!) and nearby there's a felt chair from Bludot and a Casestudy Daybed for watching TV and taking naps. All of the furniture in my house tends towards the gray, so I've been on the hunt for the perfect couch blanket for years now. Someday I will find a blanket made from the perfect felt and just the right color, but until then I'll have to make do with just a stacked-goat pillow.
Photo above: From the 'bedroom' looking out towards the main space. A plusminuszero hot carpet in the foreground makes it much easier for this Californian expat to get out of bed on winter mornings.
For photo above: These translucent bookcases from DWR transmit light towards the back of the room. Since I hate clutter and have very little space anyways, the cases also hold what few objects I have on display, including two pieces from Claire Sarembock. Since I work at home and spend a lot of time here, I wanted to break up the space a bit to create individual zones; a pair of free standing bookcases create an office nook for my computer but also give some privacy to the bed area and form a zone for my work/dinning table. The zones are further reinforced by their different lighting conditions at night: the table has three awesome LED lamps, my workstation is lit by an incandescent fixture, and the couch sits next to a Starck for Target light up table. It may sound finicky, but the various color temperatures of these lights really does help to give each part of the apartment its own identity.
good design for a good cause: ralph at printfetish sent over a link to these beautiful glass medallions by new orleans studio inferno. the medallions are sold through an e-shop called b-native that is, "dedicated to bringing together select items that are created in new orleans, by new orleanians, or items that bring awareness to our city." it's wonderful to have a place to support local artists all in one easy shopping experience. click here for more info and to support local artists from new orleans.
today molly is focusing on mid-century ebay finds at the d*s guest blog. she's got chairs, a gorgeous floor lamp, tomado holland shelves and much, much more. click here for the full post...
brit hammer sent over some of her glass paintings this week and i had to share this close-up shot. the texture is so beautiful. brit, an ex-new yorker now based in rotterdam, produces a wide variety of paintings on glass; you can view her entire collection right here. enjoy!
for all her hair crimping and crazy socks/heels wearing, kelly wearstler is one of my favorite interior designers. her talent off camera is part of the reason the show has been so off-putting for me lately. her work with the viceroy hotel inspired most of the decor inside my last apartment so i thought i'd highlight some of her best work to date. perhaps my memory of the crazy hair can be dulled by visions of stunning interiors. she certainly has a way with color and pattern- i wish we could see HER take on these challenges. now THAT would be a fun show. like iron chef, but iron interior decorator...maybe someone could make that show? please? face-offs i'd like to see:
today's installation of sneak peek belongs to the beautiful home of artist lisa de john. lisa's sense of color and pattern shine through from her work to her home and it was a thrill to see such a whimsical mural on her living room wall. here is a description in lisa's own words:
"Here are shots of our living room and the dining room. The living room was really dead feeling when we first moved in and we slowly added color and teak furniture to brighten and warm it up. I live with my fiancee Scott Patt, who is also an artist and the Creative Director of footwear for Converse. He had the idea to do the vinyl squirrel by the fireplace. Most of his art work is large
scale and he thought one of his colorful creations would be really fun there. I love it! We found the Jens Quistgaard nesting tables, coffee table and credenza at Reside Modern in Cambridge. They have amazing new pieces every time we visit, it is by far my favorite place to shop for furniture. The sofa is from DWR and I made the curtains from a wool felt IKEA fabric, they make the most beautiful pattern of light when the sun shines through them. I also made the throw pillows for the sofa. The moose head was a gift but it came from Urban Outfitters. All of the art work in our home is made by us or our wonderful friends. From Reside we've also been collecting random dining chairs for our make shift dining/school table. We got the cherry Dot pendant light from Lampa and we love its warm glow at dinner time. The flower painting in the dining room will be available in a card set through teNeues very soon so I will keep you posted! The portrait of Scott is a photograph I took and then our friend Mark Smith created the art work. If you know anything about the clock, that would be wonderful. I think it might be a Nelson, but we aren't sure, both the clock and the butterfly chairs were original from Scott's grandparents. Oh! And the painting on the mantle is by AmyRuppel.
i've become obsessed with this bench. it's way too long for our home but if i had a nice long wall that needed occasional seating i'd whip this up in a heartbeat. and i actually like the vintage teal fabric. i wish the print next to it was for sale as well. click here to bid on the bench (current bid: $152.50).
a little bit of pattern therapy via karin eriksson. her coverage of the 2007 stockholm furniture fair continues to inspire me. click here for the full slideshow...
mav posted a great link to etsy seller oh my cavalier the other day. i love their collection of prints that feel like pen and ink drawings. there's something about intricate little patterns and lines that makes me want to frame an entire wall of these. they have such a nice antique feel to them. this print and many more available right here for $26.
i always love checking in with french design studio atypyk. they recently added this python print tape and snapshot mirror to their collection. they always have such a nice sense of whimsy to their work. not always the most practical pieces but always the most fun. click here for more from atypyk and here to shop online. [i have to leave early today so posts will be fast and furious this morning...]
no one mixes pattern and color quite like lisa de john. i was feeling really inspired by this piece today and thought i'd share (i love that little bit of bright blue at the bottom). stay tuned for a sneak peek into lisa's house later this afternoon (around 12)....
i love when artists print on found objects. etsy seller restlessthings prints these beautiful fawn images on top of book pages. each print is different (due to differing text amounts) and is part of a limited edition signed and dated run (only 15 were made). you can pick up one of these lovely gocco prints right here for only $17. enjoy!
well, i think it's "see you later decorator" time for me and top design. after last night's episode (socks and strappy heels kelly? really?) i think i'm officially done with the show. it just misses the mark for me and after three strikes, well, you know the rest. feel free to share any last thoughts below. if you still need top design dishing i think most other design sites are on the case...
[psst: having a little issue with with .net hosting my logo, should be fixed soon. we're on it]
now that we're out of the realm of valentine's day cards it's back to regular cards (speaking of cards, the letterpress guide is coming- i'm still adding in last minute companies that have emailed). this american dreamland series by hammerpress is available at the curiosity shoppe for $6 each- they even come with a cute brown craft envelope. click here for more info.
thanks to jan at poppytalk who just sent over these lovely pencil boxes from vancouver's the regional assembly of text (quite a name). each hand-made cedar box uses fabric with silk-screened patterns and bright colors. such a fun way to store your pens and pencils. click here for more info. you can buy the bird box for appx $24 right here...[thanks jan!]
i'm having such fun with these sneak peeks that i thought i'd make it a regular column. i've emailed out to my favorites (see the comment section below for a short list) but if you know someone who should be featured or just someone you'd like to see on here drop me a line and i'll see if we can catch a glimpse into their home. today i'm continuing with the home of artist alyson fox. alyson's home seriously made me reevaluate my entire living room. she's got blasts of bright color on white walls as well as some interesting installations (see the plates in the walls). we even share a love of framed nama rococo paper. here are more details in alison's words...
"The silhouette images I made one afternoon and framed them in found thrift store frames. It's going to be an on-going project that as I make them I add to the story. We have really high ceilings and I love that small wall space up there. The framed bed piece is by Lisa Soloman. The desk I found at a thrift store for 12 dollars. It's the best red orange metal with a wood top. That's where I do my work. And of course the piece of Nama Rococo paper. Our house was built in the 40's, but looks really modern. Also, the plates coming out of the wall was one of my thesis pieces that I installed when we first moved in. Most things change, but that one is pretty permanent."
we're in the process of trying to find new dining chairs for our docksta table so i've been on the prowl lately...i love the soft grey/brown fabric on these gus 'oliver' chairs. the have such a nice sturdy look with clean modern lines. you can pick up a pair of chairs right here at 2modern for $590.
print+pattern's book series has been fantastic this week. the most recent posts have been about fabulousu wallpaper books and i've been tempted to pick them all up. wallpaper ($26) and the cutting edge of wallpaper ($27) cover the best and brightest in contemporary wallpaper and if the pictures p+p shares are any indication, they are a must-read. click here for the full posts at print + pattern.
hoping for happy accidents featured the most beautiful products from primrose hill shop maiden this morning. i'm so inspired by the little glass droplets hanging from the door handle above. it's such an unexpected touch and would be the sort of thing i'd love to look at every day. they might clank around too much if it's a door you use often, but it's a fun idea to run with. hfha also featured a lovely line of ceramics by brickett davda. along with brickett davda, maiden carries a wonderful selection of accessories like the ceramic mug and vintage gold leaf below. click here for more info.
i was a printmaking major in college so linocut, woodblock and itaglio prints will always have a place in my heart. this linocut by etsy seller littlestflower is only $20 and would make a lovely last minute (well, sort of belated) valentine's day gift. click here for more information and to buy. [via poppytalk]
over at the d*s guest blog molly is searching ebay for pieces that are characteristic of certain design styles and eras. in honor of today's holiday she's going glam- click here for molly's hollywood regency finds and a glimpse into the home of vanessa de vargas. [more sneak peeks to come today...]
something sweet in honor of today's holiday- love birds tree print by nottoopink. $12 right here at etsy. i hope you all have a wonderful valentine's day...
maybe it's the little owls but this lake side table is too cute to pass up. available as part of an entire collection of "lake" furniture, this side table is available at nyc's bddw right here. [it goes nicely with the lake wall shelf, too]
wire hangers might be a bad thing but for me wire chairs are a good thing. they usually need a comfy cushion but i love the lines and shadows they produce. this version is available at ebay right now, current bid: $99.99.
rick santorum aside, anthropologie has to be one of my favorite stores around. every season they knock me off my feet with fantastic products and store displays. after the painting project i checked out what was new with them and it looks like they've been turning all of my dream projects into reality. this season they've released an entire series of furniture upholstered in my favorite josef frank fabrics. they're certainly not items i can afford on a whim, but the fabric alone costs a fortune so the prices were to be expected. i'm just so thrilled to see frank's work in a shop with such mainstream appeal. you can view the full collection right here and shop online, too. i'm terrified to see what comes next- if they release a collection of nadine nakanishi prints in textile form i'll know for sure they're in my head.
lately i've been most inspired by photos of real people's homes. nothing reminds me to put more effort into the house than seeing what fellow design fans have done. wayne at good shape design sent over a photo from his house and i had to share. you may be familiar with wayne's wife, fashion designer rebecca taylor- it's so fun to peek inside their home. here is a description of the items within the photo from wayne:
"The stereo is by Tivoli Audio from the Conran Shop, The ceramic Blue Bird is by Bitossi from Luna, "Arm" painted metal tray is by Fornasetti from ebay, The piece of Cyprus Wood is from a little sidewalk market on Houston and Thompson; framed picture of birds is one of my drawings that will be available soon as a print to buy. The Piccaso book is from that great used bookstore by you (D*S) on 7th ave (in park slope). The coffee table is from City Foundry on Atlantic Ave. "
this spinning disk audio system by joseph graceffa is "displayed as a table saw blade slicing through a rich piece of walnut". such a cool idea. click here and here for more information [via mocoloco]
just a reminder- brooklyn artist amanda kavanagh's longwave print is available in the d*s shop through the end of the month. inspired by summers spent at fire island, longwave is part of a limited-edition run, signed and numbered on acid-free hahnemuhlep photo rag satin paper using ultrachrome archival inks. prints are availble right here for $54.50.
i was thrilled to receive an email from hana shimizu yesterday announcing a new line of pillows. pillow pillow pillow is a nyc based studio run by artist aaron stewart. hana and aaron hand-make a line of silkscreened pillows using canvas and corduroy. the new line is carried at shops in brooklyn, san francisco, portland and tokyo but you can click here to find a retailer near you (rare device in brooklyn currently carries them,). my personal favorite is the cha cha the chihuaha but there's an animal for everyone in the collection. click here to view the full series and find out more about nyc's pillow pillow pillow. enjoy! [thanks hana]
jen causey just sent over some of her lovely new prints available through her etsy shop. each 5x7 photograph is printed with a small white border on hahnemuhle fine art archival paper with epson inks. they're available for around $12 each right here at jen's etsy shop. enjoy!
jim at j schatz design was kind enough to send over the latest product from his studio's colorful collection. these beautiful ceramic bird houses have a 1 1/8" diameter entry hole that attracts chickadees, wrens and smaller birds. the egg bird house is available in eight glossy colors for $125 each. they'd be such a nice house warming present or just a nice way to welcome the birds back this spring. click here to see the full collection and order online. [thanks jim!]
speaking of ebay...this petite credenza would make a perfect bedside table. two drawers for odds and ends and just enough room for a book, table lamp and glass of water. click here to bid (current bid: $31).
i love catching glimpses into people's homes...especially artists. amy ruppel sent over a little snapshot of her home and i had to share it here. she has such a way of styling objects in her house. some of the pieces are: rachel sumpter's owl and guitar painting, a fabulous painting from evan b. harris and lena corwin's blocks from the oct 06' d*s shop. just thought it might inspire some fun re-arranging...
area home just launched a beautiful new collection of linens designed for children and babies. i'm loving this pink "globes" design above- the stitching is so soft and the pink is faint and delicate. perfect for a baby's room...click here for the full post and shopping information.
british designer selina rose just introduced a new wallpaper design to her existing collection. 'flutterby' is an intricately cut wallpaper design that features circling butterflies that can be lifted and folded as desired, creating a three dimensional surface for walls. the press release states that rose describes raised wings as, "reminiscent of opening the little doors on an advent calendar as a child". lovely. click here for more information.
this has been all over the web but i had to share it here- the folding couch at glumbert.com. just click play and you'll see why it was worth the repeat. if only all my furniture folded up and away this easily...[via swissmiss]
i love a bright shock of hot pink against most neutrals. there's something about the color that feels so modern but reminds me of being thirteen and collecting fluorescent colored slap wraps. this particular piece was created by artist liz harris and is available for $350 at motel gallery in portland. [via spiralbound_]
the other day my friend mindy sent over a link to the artist francesca gabbiani. i wasn't familiar with her work but was really taken by her paintings of interiors. francesca has a wonderful way with color and pattern and the pieces have such a nice warm feeling to them. you click here to see more of her work and find links to galleries that sell her paintings. [thanks min!]
i always love seeing letterpress used for prints and larger scale works so i was thrilled to have jon setzen's gatto print in the shop this month. i've been a big fan of jon's work for a few years now and this print is a nice example of the range in his collection. i have one of his more graphic prints at home but if you're looking for something with a more hand-drawn feel, jon's gatto dreams print is available at the d*s shop for $28 right here.
i love that gosia at blue bell bazaar shares her flea market finds on her etsy shop. for those of us who don't have time to browse great local flea markets it's a great resource. she just sent over these new pieces and i thought i'd share: a great vintage owl cup ($16) and italian owl sculpture ($38). there's plenty more to see so click here for more information and to shop [thanks, gosia]
i'm thrilled to welcome writer molly symmonds to the d*s guest blog today. molly originated the ebay and etsy scavenger columns for apartment therapy and is going to be creating a targeted version of the columns over at the guest blog for the next two weeks. she'll be doing one week of ebay finds and one week of etsy finds so click here to check out her first posts for this week. [thanks molly!] and speaking of ebay, the gorgeous credenza above is available on ebay right here...
sometimes a beautiful picture is all i need for inspiration. browsing through etsy i spotted these beautiful photographs by an artist named jes and they took my breath away. the simplicity of the photo combined with the richness of color make me want to clean out a space in my home just to display this photo. i think it's always important to have a few pieces in your home that make you stop and smile and for me this might be one of them. linda lee (the hen) looks so proud and so beautiful. you can view jes's full collection right here, each print is around $15. enjoy...
dezeen had a beautiful collection of photographs on display today of erick van egeraat associated architects’ newly-opened metzo college in the netherlands. the photographs were courtesy of photographer mirjam madiol and showcase the stunning architecture of the school. the pictures speak for themselves so i think i'll let them do the talking...more information and the full source post right here. [all photos by mirjam madiol via dezeen]
yesterday's art project seemed like such a fun idea that i was thrilled to add a project from reader, chris kerrigan. we spoke after my eames chair post and he mentioned that he and his wife had taken on a project of refinishing and repainting a series of eames armchairs. they decided to create unique patterns for each piece and i thought they might be of interest. what follows is the project in chris' words- we'll have more images and chair designs here at d*s as they finish them. [thanks, chris!]
"This chair is one result of our design collaboration called c&c projects. We're big on new crafts, DIY design, and PROCESS (our work tends to be labor intensive). In just about anything we do, we try to find a way to reference a combination Cynthia's design heritage (Indonesian) and my own (american). A while ago we found a pile of dilapidated Eames chairs that were saved from a auditorium fire and knew we had to do something more than just recondition them. In this case we decided to re-work a traditional indonesian Batik pattern and apply it to the chair.
we started by pulling off the fabric and foam and got it down to the to the glue
we used acetone, a rag, and LOTS of elbow grease to get the glue off and
get it down to the bare fiberglass
most upholstered eames shells have metal threaded hardware embedded in the fiberglass. this is where the legs screw into the chair. the problem is that it leaves holes in the seat
we chose to take out the metal pieces and replace them with shock mounts (used on the non-upholstered chairs). *readers can contact me about this process and where to get mounts*
we used an oil based metallic copper enamel to paint the pattern
last step is to spray the chair with several coats of high gloss
indoor/ outdoor clear enamel. (don't use varnish because it yellows
over time)
I'd say 3-4 days will work with dry time. If anyone wants more info, they can get a hold us through our website: candcprojects.com
jamie posted this gorgeous bike by swedish designer jenny nordberg and i couldn't resist. antlers and an embellished seat? so lovely. not the most practical bike for riding the city streets but it's beautiful to look at. click here for more info.
when i was in college i wanted to be one of those art students who was constantly doing something thought-provoking and cutting-edge. you know, the kids that would wrap the campus mascot in some sort of woven creation overnight and cause a campus-wide stir. instead i ended up being the type who lived in the print studio and constantly smelled of turpentine. but it looks like some students at risd have decided to make a statement of their own through a project called urban curators.
risd students took to the streets of providence with gold frames to draw attention to areas they felt were worthy of artistic celebration. their mission statement explains: "the goal of the urban curators project is to engage the public in the celebration of the decaying urban environment, recognizing its inherent aesthetic qualities as well as the important role that it plays within our cultural habitat. the project achieves its goal by elevating common, overlooked objects and spaces within the city of providence, rhode island to the level of high art." the project brings to mind an ongoing dialogue about the subjectivity of art and allows people to think about becoming their own urban curator. the idea of urban decay as art isn't exactly a new concept but i love the idea of students taking the time to explore their surroundings and embrace the beauty in their own town. it's inspired me to look more closely at my surroundings today and i think it's a fun idea as we all head home from work...click here for more information. [thanks, sarah]
jaime kopke at designklub sent over a great post that i had to share. a former employee of flavor paper, jaime interviewed jon sherman, head of flavor paper, and gave a sneak peek into two of the new designs set to debut this spring from the wildly popular wallpaper company. you can read the interview right here and see one of the new designs, nouveau riche, above. click here to see the other design, laced.
marisa just sent over some info on a one-night all-woman art show taking place in LA tomorrow night. if you're in the area check out the girly show: "6 women artists from northern california, la and south carolina - we have come together through the internet to put on a art show for one night only in los ngeles." featured will be: penelope dullaghan, christine mason miller, mati rose, marisa haedike, outi harma, kelly rae roberts. click here for more info.
tiny showcase has been one of the most influential sites for me as i've grown d*s throughout the years. i'm constantly impressed by their dedication to independent artists and creating works that are unique and part of a limited-edition run. today they released a new collection of letterpress prints called 10 beasts! as a companion to jacob covey's illustrated beasts! book. from tiny showcase: "limited to a run of one hundred, each image in the letterpress box set was created by a beasts! contributor spefically for the set and pressed by letterpress artist dan wood. the print collection is housed in a hand-crafted portfolio box created by if'n Books + marks with a two-color glow-in-the-dark jacket design by beasts! designer jacob covey." you can order the full set right here for $300 but if you're just interested in checking things out, they'll release an image of each print every day for the next ten days. click here for more info [thanks to tiny showcase and meg for the link]
the letterpress guide is almost ready to go but i'm going to have to post it on monday because i got a last minute assignment dumped on my lap last night that's due today. i've got family in town this afternoon so rather than post it with holes i'm going to post it in full form on monday. sorry for the weekend delay. in the meantime here is a sneak peek at new letterpress notepads from boston's black pearl press that you'll see on the d*s shop soon...
i got a nice email from etsy artist megan carty this morning about her line of letterpress cards. i'm up to my ears in letterpress trying to finish the guide for tomorrow but i wanted to add these quickly- megan's letterpressed penguin cards. you can pick up a set of 5 for $15 right here. they're adorable and i love the way that the soft turquoise ink settles into the white of the page.
it was so nice to see the response to our bathroom project yesterday, thanks so much for all the nice comments. i quite simply can't paint another bean today so it's not 100% done but i figured 90% was close enough to share the details. so, here are the paints i used to create the anthropologie wall in my bathroom (i'll share tips from the team who made the actual mural below, too). all paints are by benjamin moore :
base wall color: homestead green (ac-19)
dark blue bean: blu spa (2052-40)
green bean: prescott green (hc-140)
light blue bean: quiet moments (1563)
pale white/blue bean: yarmouth blue (hc-150)
green blue bean: covington blue (hc-138)
brushes used: thin artist brushes from the hardware store no larger than 1/3 inch thick
before you take on the project let me say: this thing is taking me for-ever. it's taken easily 3-4 hours a day for 3 days and it sorta kills your wrist to do all these beans. but the basic technique is outlined right here in a flickr slideshow. i took advantage of benjamin moore's super cheap color test pots and just picked a handful that were in the same color family. i watered each tiny pot down with maybe 2-4 drops of water and then just went for it. what i learned: don't add more than a few drops of water or you'll have drips all over the wall, it's ok to have beans that aren't perectly shaped, do all of one color at once rather than doing it by row- this was the fastest method for me.
i actually heard from the artist behind the actual anthropologie mural and she said she and her team:
"We did a rough base then made a stencil for the bean shapes. Drew the shapes in and then painted it in with a three or four color variation. We paint everything on the floor, so it is easier not to worry about the dripping. If you don't like the major variation you can always water down another darker coat and do a wash over some of them, so you have the memory of more color."
it takes a lot of time but if you have a small space that needs a punch of color i really recommend it. this was one of the best projects i've done in a while.
jean posted the coolest little drinkware accessories the other day. designed by tineke beunders of zodesign these little "fresh leafes" are made of silicone rubber and wood and provide bottle stopping capability with style. such a cute little idea. click here for more info [via notcot]
finally- something from room and board foot through our door! my christmas present arrived today in the form of a beautiful grey grace chair from room and board. ms. jackson has claimed it as her own but i plan to re-claim it tonight and watch my tivo'd veronica mars episodes. if you have a narrow door way but need a comfy chair i highly suggest the grace.
i'm loving this new series of dressers from not neutral. each piece has colorful details like a bright green door or orange drawer- it's a great way to inject some color into a room without going overboard. the collection is available right here at sparkability for $1800-$3200. not exactly a budget buy but they're really lovely pieces.
i love these swedish textiles over at imedagoze- designed in the 1940's by peer jobs and his sisters, gocken and lisbet jobs, the jobs handtryck collection is overflowing with florals and bright colors that bring to mind that classic designs of josef frank. click here for the full collection and their online boutique. prices and text are in swedish but their email is available if you'd like to email them about purchases. [via imedagoze]
penelope green had a great find in today's ny times currents section. she mentioned the new series of sari-upholstered furniture at abc home (which is generally pretty sari-happy), which includes this gorgeous chair. in addition, 5% of the sari-furniture sales will go to the william j. clinton foundation. you can visit the ny times piece right here and click here for more information on abc home. [photograph by the ny times]
alright, the second show is over and it's time to dish. will anyone be giving it a third shot? for me the show just doesn't fit the bravo format and it seems sort of lost in the pattern of host, judges, drama and deadlines. maybe it just hasn't hit its stride but i'm not sure if i can do another episode. i love that goil's architectural style reminds me of an even hipper vern yip and i actually really liked carissa's room, but i just feel like the show is missing the mark. does anyone else feel like it was a bad idea to have them only shop at the pacific design center? where's all the cool hip (young?) furniture? it just feels a little limited and stuffy. oh, and did anyone catch kelly's fingerless gloves? her sleepy "thank yous" reminded me of a mix of paris hilton and padma. anyway, feel free to dish below...
so today we're painting our apartment and for some reason i decided it would be a good idea to replicate this wall from an anthropologie catalog in the bathroom. i'm still mixed on it but i'm going to do the whole thing before i flip out too much. so, while our lovely painter angel is here painting the rest i'm going to cut out early to finish the anthropologie mural. see you tomorrow! xo, d*s
just in time- for those of you who were psyched to see a little bit of baby content on d*s the other day...apartment therapy has launched a baby site! plenty of baby goods, design and advice for all to see. click here for the first day or at: the nursery. [chair above at sparkability]
looks like top design has a new rival on the way...if you're a designer and have your sights set on hollywood read on...
"Do you know your David Hicks from your Dorothy Draper? Do you know who launched the Hollywood Regency look in recent years? Could you make a 200 sq ft studio look like a Classic Six? Could you decorate a whole house from a weekend shopping at Brimfield? Do your friends call you for all their decorating secret sources? If so then we're looking for you! City Lights television is looking for a NEW YORK based female interior designer/host, 27 to 35 years old, any ethnicity, for a new cable network series(no matter what your aesthetic). Design skills are a MUST but you must also know how to shop and be able to stretch a dollar to give even the most basic room big style for very little money. We are looking for interior designers, set decorators, art directors, prop stylists, design and market editors etc. Please email a bio/resume/credits, a photo of yourself (very important) and photos of your work to Designers@citylightsmedia.com immediately."
this may be the safest way to eat breakfast in bed- this woven breakfast spread at mahar dry goods was designed by needle noodles for $38. using acylic yarn, embroidered fruit and appliqued felt seeds, it's the neatest breakfast you'll ever have.
rebecca at moontree press just posted these adorable hen and chick cards. i love how subtle the print and yellow ink are. so fresh and sweet. packs of six are available right here for $15. enjoy!
i work with ben at house & garden and we shot our first video together last week. i was looking through his personal photography portfolio and was so thrilled to see these shots. i remember seeing them in 34 a while ago but totally forgot about them- i love each room, they look so clean and fresh. i always love a nice walnut table with rich orange accents. click here for more of ben's photography.
red stamp cards has a great collection of valentine's day cards if you're still looking for one. in a pinch? they'll even hand write your message and mail it for you. click here to browse and order online...
i love these blue and yellow letterpress cards at lettresauvage's etsy shop. the yellow bamboo cards run from $3.80-$10 each and the beautiful blue moorish card is $3.80 right here. enjoy!
thanks to kate the february d*s shop is now open for business! this month we did a smaller edited collection designed to fit your affordable artwork needs. i called on some of my favorite artists to produce pieces that would satisfy your design needs but remain under $100. in fact, each product in the shop this month is $60 or under. so, click here to see the new february designers and shop. in addition, we have a new print by jacinta of allymoon in the d*s scholarship section- all proceeds will go to the scholarship to benefit up and coming student designers. thanks to everyone who participated in this month's shop! [turkish steps photograph prints by geoff wood, $60 each]
[squirrel print by foxy & winston, $33 each or set of three designs for $78]
["gatto dreams" letterpress print by jon setzen of standard motion, $28]
designer erin flett of maine's studioepaper makes these beautiful valentine's day cards at etsy. they're sold in sets of 3 for $8.50 and would be perfect for that special someone. click here for more info and to shop erin's etsy shop.
the name says it all- these sweet little tapas dishes by rotterdam based artist susanne of suuskeramiek on etsy look cute enough to eat. each dish is $5.30 and comes in a variety of colors. pop in some olives, cheese, nuts and maybe a little prosciutto and you're ready to go. or, just use them as jewelry holders like i do. click here for more info and to order.
[victoria posted these in august so you can click here for her post, too]
kelly at hoping for happy accidents had a great link to our show home the other day. located in london, our show home is an actual home that doubles as a shop. all of the products are placed in location, which is a great way to see what they'd actually look like in use. you can browse products and shop online so click here for more info. [via hfha]
i'm so thrilled to have this post here because it was created by the wonderful frida of husmusen (she now blogs for cult design). frida sent over her coverage of the recent formland scandinavian design show in denmark and offered to share it with us here in d*s in english. she did a roundup over at cult design but i'm guessing most of us can't read the swedish text. so, here is frida's coverage of what looks like a fantastic showing at the formland scandinavian design fair [thanks, frida!]
Formland spring 07: Formland is Scandinavia’s largest and most international home accessory and gift fair. Up to 20,000 professional buyers from over 40 countries gather ideas and inspiration for the coming season twice every year. More than 7,000 businesses meet at Formland at a spell-binding Mecca for trade and inspiration to see the latest trends and make purchases. The "key store" is a modern store designed to contain a themed environment that can change from one season to the next. This spring the theme was “green at heart” and four higly tropical trends were on display: Botanical Boheme, Punk scout, Gold digger and Urban Gipsy. Formland also presented keywords for colours, materials, designs and styling for each trend theme. What follows are photos and products from each themed "key store".
ac is a big sake drinker so i'm always drawn to beautiful sets and cups. this set was designed by finnish artist tomi pelkonen and takes its name from the japanese word for "little bird". i love the heavy oak serving tray, it really grounds the delicate porcelain set nicely. available exclusively at the sf moma right here for $195.
there's a bird at your door. well, there's a bird doorbell at least. i'm loving this little copper doorbell ($45) from flopping fish today. click here for the full post and other styles at d*s on h&g.
if you have 3k just burning a hole in your pocket this chandelier might be a nice investment. according to lost city arts, the lamp is "a rare and unusual example of deco inspired design from scandinavia, dated to the late 1930's...the central fixture in heavily patinated brass, featuring 5 branches each with an 8 sided molded shade in rose colored glass...includes original matching canopy." it's definitely a statement piece. available right here at lost city arts.
when we moved into our apt the previous tenant left behind a pretty ragged looking eames eiffel chair. it's got a little stamp of authenticity so i couldn't bear to throw it away but it needs to be reholstered or refinished- does anyone know how much it would cost to reupholster one of these guys? it's currently got black leather with the bikini-style stitching but it's filthy and ripped. i'm wondering if it's pricier than buying a new one. also, had to share this cute rug i got from urban outfitters for christmas. i'm loving teal and yellow these days so this little feather number is right up my alley. it's not the softest rug but it will do for the kitchen...available right here for $68.
just a quick update: the long awaited letterpress guide will be up on friday, we'll have a new guest blogger on monday who's focusing on etsy and ebay and tomorrow we'll have the new february d*s shop with a focus on affordable artwork....[sunburst clock above, $198 at anthropologie]
ac and i are trying to finish up our lighting projects around the house and we've finally nailed down most of the rooms (so far we have a niche pendant, nelson pendant and a simple white chandelier) but still have one left. for our kitchen i want one of those simple round diner-style lamps like the ones above (fado from ikea), but i don't have the time to run out to ikea this week. i was wondering if anyone knew where you could find lights like this in nyc or brooklyn? they're a pretty classic look but i haven't found any yet...any ideas are appreciated. xo, d*s
i'm loving this love chair over at shelterrific- the classic starck design gets a little valentine's day update from fashion house moschino. more info right here at shelterrific.
i don't normally post baby things but these were too fun to pass up. the market for indie baby goods is slowly growing and i thought these were a fun addition. crib sets by san francisco's super natural baby ($320 each)- a new company that specializes in "big design, small sizes". click here for more info.
kristina at three layer cake has some great trend coverage from maison et objet. what does she see on the horizon? florals, marble, crystals, more tree coat racks and a color palette that swings to two spectrums: bright magentas, yellows and oranges or the black/white/metallic look. click here for the full post.
i'm always drawn to rose and radish because of their spectactular photos. they always put such time and effort into displaying products in the best way possible. they have a few great new items i wanted to point out in honor of valentine's day: camilla engman's adorable "my friends" print ($36), a wallpaper style deer coat hanger ($53) and cards from egg press ($21.50 for 3). click here to shop their full collection.
when it comes to bookends i like to keep mine fun and playful. i love these faceted bear bookends from viga massi ($195) and jonathan adler's playful ceramic bulls ($110). nothing perks up a desk like an animal keeping your books in order. click here for the full post.
alright, i bit the bullet and bought my rocking chair from modhaus. i've been secretly pining for this chair since october and have finally saved up enough money to make it my own. it's a vintage 1950's kofod larsen rocker with a bent ply back, steel frame and cherry rockers. i'm going to upholster it in something bright and scandinavian. i'm thinking maybe a joseph frank pattern...anyway, just wanted to share. big smiles over here.
naomi from hau hauz finland was kind enough to send over some photographs of their brand new collection. i've been a fan since day one and the new collection is just as beautiful as the previous- full of beautiful pattern and rich linens but this time a bit more subdued in color. there are bags, pillows and clothing to choose from so click here to check things out. you can place your orders through houseandwear.com, the official us rep for hau hauz. enjoy!
[i have to leave early today for a lunch meeting so i hope you all have a great weekend. sorry i had post everything before 11. be sure to check out joy's last day at the guest blog- it's been an honor having her on the site]
thanks to at:chicago i've finally figured out what to do with our living room. this room has been the toughest nut to crack and i've been stimied by the fact that the only couch that would fit in our house is a brown one (it was a 3-4 month wait for a different color). and well, i'm not a big brown couch fan. i like my couches to be grey or white, i know, totally boring but for some reason it's been tough to find a good paint color that works with it and still feels vibrant enough. enter: orla kiely's flower blossom wallpaper. i have a cup in this pattern and had never even thought about its wallpaper kin. i can't wallpaper our rental but i can find super thin foam core to attach the wallpaper to so i can "wallpaper" a portion of the room. i'm so excited i could pop. i'll post the progress as we get started- i'm calling to order the paper now. anyone have any good sources for foam core in nyc?
we've talked about this fabric before but i couldn't resist it's newest colorway- a bold hot pink. nothing pulls you out of the winter blues like a bright pink fabric. $8.95 per yard right here at repro depot.
artist matte stephens just sent over some of his newest works available for sale at velocity. i'm a big fan of matte's style and the playful retro feel his works have. the new pieces range from $200- $2600 and are available right here. [thanks, matte!]
these little yellow tulip napkins by etsy seller margotbianca are so lovely. there's only one set (but hopefully she'll make more) so order them quickly if you're interested. this set of 4 napkins is only $15 and features a sweet double tulip motif in the lower right hand corner. the deep goldenrod color is so pretty. click here for more info and to order (margotbianca has several ot
meg mateo ilasco of designer's library (she shared her apartment with us on monday) sent over a call for submissions today and i thought some of you might be interested. meg's putting together an interior decor book which focuses on how people are bringing their family history, heritage, or culture into the styling of their home. she's collecting submissions for the book until april 10, 2007. sounds like fun! if anyone is interested or has any questions, they can email meg right here. good luck! [photo above is from paula smail's house and the photo below is from meg's home]
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