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Exotic Decor at Our Dallas store

Exotic Decor at Our Dallas store

We are fortunate enough to go on several trips a year to such exotic locations as India, China, and South America. During our journeys we stumble across unique items that might be vintage, antiques, or even the last one left. So, every trip, we're sure to bring our empty suitcases to fill with these rare finds so we can carry them back home.

Our Employee’s Home: Paige’s House

Decorative table accent

What is your role at Wisteria? I am the Senior Creative Manager, I manage all the photography for the catalog and web. I direct and edit the photography at the photo shoots and the styling on set.

Handmade Books in Jaipur, India

Making Books by Hand

This company was started when three young friends rented a booth at a trade fair 14 years ago to sell books and bags made of handmade paper. This Indian artisan has grown great lengths since then and now specializes in handmade paper, bags, books, and leather products. They are located in Jaipur, India and also have a small group of designers and workers from a small village outside of Jaipur.

Design Glossary – Mercury Glass

 From Our Design Glossary
Oct 042011
 

Mercury, or silvered, glass, is a decorative element that is produced by placing metallic liquid between two plates of blown glass. It began in Germany as an inexpensive alternative to creating attractive candlesticks, vases, bowls, and other decorative items.

Antiqued Glass

In the image above, featured antiqued glass items include Ribbed Antiqued Glass Trophy Cup, Antiqued Glass Pedestal Bowl, Vintage Style Green Baubles, and Victorian Wire-Wrapped Ornaments.

Though called mercury glass, it actually does not contain mercury but is usually created with a silver nitrate solution. In the beginning, people attempted using mercury but stopped due to its toxic nature and high cost.

Similar to mercury glass, Wisteria carries many products that use a method of creating antiqued glass, which differs from mercury glass only in the process it is made. Antiqued glass only uses one sheet of glass with a painted silvered finish on the inside. It is a great way to get that antiqued look in your home and looks great all year round.

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 Posted by Mister Ry on October 4, 2011  No Responses »

Decanter Or Carafe? That Is The Question!

 From Our Design Glossary
Sep 162011
 
Decanter Or Carafe? That Is The Question

Shown are our Glass Half Full Carafes in Small and Medium (w6290 and w6291)

It wasn’t until I really started learning about wines that I realized there are so many accessories to deal with. You have a glass for reds, a different glass for whites, decanters, carafes, wine charms, chillers, and the list goes on and on…

Most of the time I don’t mind what I’m drinking from, but when I’m entertaining I figure drinking directly from the bottle isn’t the most appropriate! I decided to do some shopping and see what types of accoutrements I would absolutely need to entertain in style. I got the most tripped-up with carafes and decanters. Here is what I learned:

Decanters are used for two purposes. One is to separate the sediment from the drinking wine. Second, it is used to aerate the wine, allowing oxygen to approach the surface of the fluid to release different aspects of it. Most of the time, they come with a stopper in order to control the amount of oxygen that goes in. They should have a wide body to them so that air can reach the most amount of surface area.

There are two major differences between a decanter and carafe, First, there is no stopper. Second, the body doesn’t need to be as wide. Because of their lack of uniform shape, carafes can be used for more than just wine (juice, ice-water, mimosas, etc.).

Two other handy tips I learned in my research:

  1. Make sure you buy a vessel that doesn’t contain lead. Because wine and juice are highly acidic, if the fluid is in there for too long it could absorb the lead and become a hazard.
  2. Strong red wines should aerate well before being served, but whites do not need to be. So, if you’re in a rush serve whites first and let the red do some breathing!
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 Posted by Mister Ry on September 16, 2011  No Responses »

Design Term – British Colonial Style

 From Our Design Glossary
Aug 082011
 

 

Photo taken from http://decortoadore.blogspot.com/2008/07/british-colonial-design.html

British Colonial décor began when British colonists settled in India after the Crown took power in 1857. Generally, the colonists enjoyed living amongst the lush and tropical landscape, but often desired to bring the comforts of their homeland with them. Unfortunately, the humidity warped and cracked the soft woods of their imported furniture, so native craftsmen began to recreate the British designs using local materials such as ebony, teak, and mahogany. These artisans would often add their own flourishes, such as a carved pineapple or palm leaves, and lightened the dark pieces with materials like rattan or wicker. Since dyes were difficult to obtain, especially in high quantity, most homes and furniture used only natural colors, and they brightened spaces with white paint and local flora.

In order to combat the hot and humid weather, people used certain architectural features to keep cool. Wide verandas allowed them to stay out in the breeze without being in the sun, high ceilings kept the warmer air above seating height, and the wicker and rattan details in their seating provided ventilation.

This summer, we’ve featured several items that recall this wonderful blend of English and Indian design.

Our Curule-Style Rattan Stool uses native Indian mango wood, curved British Colonial styling, and rattan details, and the Stacked-Column Rattan Side Table has bamboo-inspired carving and is painted in a light and bright distressed white finish. Can you tell what other items on our website are inspired by this style?

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 Posted by Mister Ry on August 8, 2011  No Responses »

Design Term – Étagère

 From Our Design Glossary
Jul 112011
 

It’s a bookshelf! It’s a cabinet! No, it’s an étagère!

Sometimes it can be confusing to know exactly what type of shelving you are looking for and what it is called. Hopefully, we can help eliminate some confusion for you.

There are several different types of shelving units. Each is named depending on design elements such as size, structure, function, and by its embellishments. One type shelf is called an étagère. First called a “whatnot,” it was originally used as a type of display case for trinkets, doo-dads and “whatnots” due to its open design. The practice of collecting baubles and knickknacks was especially common in the mid-seventeenth century when excessive ornamentation was popular in interior design.

When they were first constructed, étagères were also known to be very ornate in comparison to other types of shelves, so they ended up getting a more stylish classification in order to highlight their impressive features.

For an example of what a modern étagère looks like, check out our Sommelier’s Étagère. For more design terms, check out our design glossary!

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 Posted by Mister Ry on July 11, 2011  No Responses »