Our May catalog with a new summer look will be in mailboxes starting next week, but we wanted to give you a chance to preview the collection early. Here are some of the new items that you will find. Shop and see them all here!
Apr 172012
Apr 122012
A great way to update a room is to add a tactile or visual interest by adding a patterned rug. Our favorite is our Handwoven Rustic Rug which adds texture with the hand sewn cotton and wool. Along with its staggered design makes it a unique piece in any room.
In regards to size, I don’t know if there is a perfect size. I think a lot of it depends on personal preference. If you are unsure of what would look right, just make sure that there is an even border of flooring around all four sides, or at least that borders of flooring opposite each other are even. Don’t get a rug so large that it touches the baseboard around the room.
If you have a large room that doesn’t have a definable space, I suggest putting the front legs of furniture pieces on the rug and the back legs off. However, more importantly, you might want to make sure the rug is placed in a balanced fashion in the room.
Mar 292012
Image Courtesy of Southern Living.
One of the easiest ways to update a piece of furniture is to change out the hardware. New knobs can change the look of your dresser or cabinets instantly. I recently added knobs to my plain dresser to update the look and add a little personality to it. This is one of the easiest DIY that I have ever done!
If your piece of furniture has knobs already then the only thing you need to do is remove the old knobs and screw in the ones. My dresser did not have existing knobs. So, I just measured on the drawers where I wanted to place them and drilled a hole (I did make sure that my drill bit was similar size to the screw attached to the knob). Once the hole was drilled, I just screwed in the knobs and within 5 minutes had an updated dresser!
Mar 222012
I’ve never considered myself a minimalist. In fact, I have to practice a lot of restraint in junk stores. So, I’ve always admired those with more modern aesthetics, who can garner just a few things and make a house still feel like a home, specifically those who can incorporate mid-century modern design. When I see items from this style, they strike me as so distinct from other styles. I thought it would be interesting to find out how it came to be.
During the Industrial Revolution, people were continually looking for ways to streamline processes. Mass production was evolving and replacing the furniture artisan and designer. With this, design aesthetics became less important. Among other shifts at the end of the 19th century, Art Nouveau arose, a separatist movement focusing on new thinking in art, which paved the way for more thoughtful designers. Scandinavian design and the Bauhaus movement also became popular. They emphasized simplicity and organic shapes ands bringing modern design into America’s post-war homes. The result was mid-century modern design, a time period (1933-1965) of well-known designs and designers (think Charles Eames, Mies van der Rohe, and Eero Saarinen).
Below, we’ve compiled some our products that remind us of this design style. Enjoy!
1. White Coffee Table 2. Wishbone Chair 3. Turned Round Mango Wood Lamp
4. Natural Wood and Chrome Coffee Table 5. Copper Colored Glass Vases
Mar 212012
Today’s inspiring home comes all the way from Marrakesh. It is the home and guesthouse of designer, author, and blogger Maryam Montague and her husband architect Chris Redecke. He designed their home from the ground up, and she decorated it with finds from the local souk and her travels around the world. The home has such a great contrast between the grand architecture and the cozy feeling of the living spaces and also between the stark white interior walls and the colorful and vibrant decor. This home inspired me when I was designing my own home. I love the global influences and accessible design.
all images via Peacock Pavilions
Mar 192012
Maybe it was the title being so familiar and a play on words of my name, but whatever the reason, I am happy that I picked up Ali in Wonderland. Written by Ali Wentworth, wife of George Stephanopoulos and daughter of President Reagan’s White House social secretary she is anything but political or pretentious as some might assume. She is actually the very opposite. From her hilarious tales of childhood, boarding school (or psych ward), college, and living in Los Angeles as a sketch artist for In Living Color her book had me laughing out loud!
The book reminded me somewhat of Chelsea Handler’s books, but the one constant in Ali’s is her mother, Muffie, who offers up some of the best lines. We should all be so lucky to have a straightforward mom such as Muffie who thinks that checking into the Four Seasons Hotel will solve all problems (I agree)!
As summer approaches and you are looking for a quick read, be sure to pick up Ali in Wonderland…you will be happy you did!
About the Author:
Ali Wentworth made a name for herself on the comedy series In Living Color, and has appeared on such television shows as The Tonight Show with Jay Leno; Seinfeld (playing Schmoopie in “The Soup Nazi” episode); Head Case (which she created, wrote, and executive-produced); and The Oprah Winfrey Show, for which she was a correspondent. Her film credits include Jerry Maguire,The Real Blonde, Office Space, The Love Bug, and It’s Complicated with Meryl Streep, Steve Martin, and Alec Baldwin.
A native of Washington, D.C., Wentworth lives in New York City with her husband, George Stephanopoulos, and their two girls. Follow Ali on Twitter: @AliEWentworth.
I recently attended a great event, sponsored by D Home Magazine, honoring their picks for the Best Designers in Dallas. I always get so inspired being around creative people. I come home and immediately start dreaming of redecorating my home with the help of all of my new designer friends. Then reality steps in as I realize my champagne dreams are on a beer budget!
Thankfully, D Home wrote a great article on 101 Things You Need Now, compiled by Dallas designers.
For the full list and links to the products visit http://www.dmagazine.com/Home/D_Home/2012/March_April/The_Ultimate_Home_Shopping_List_01.aspx
Mar 072012
Springtime is in the air, which means that Easter is near! We have updated the store with new March products like our Ikat drum shade, blue and white porcelain eggs and much more for you to get ready for your Easter celebration!
