Today’s budget buy features Parlor Textiles from the home goods sample sale site, One Kings Lane. The eco-friendly prints are a combo of modern geometrics fused with ethnic-inspired repeats. The palettes are muted, highly commercial and truly timeless. The brand was founded by Angela Clinton from North Carolina. Check out her accessories before they’re gone!
The last time I made kid-friendly patterns was at the beginning of my career when I was a shoe designer in midtown, Manhattan. The palettes were seasonless and the graphics were a constant cycle of hearts and stars. So it sometimes goes when you work with highly commercial brands. Today’s budget buy from Argington Furniture comes from Gilt Home and is a complete departure from those mass market demands. The delicate stones, dinosaur footprints and wispy florals are refreshing, sophisticated and a stylish alternative for your baby’s crib. Check them out before they’re gone!
Everyone has dead space on one wall of their home that needs extra attention. Mine happens to be in the living room above the TV. In an attempt to get out from behind the computer and make a creative solution above the all-powering black box, I bought twenty four 6″ x 6″ canvases and started mixing colors. These days, gridded boxes are a safe bet for stores like CB2, Room and Board and West Elm, as the clean, unisex lines are both modern and sleek. If you attempt to make a DIY set for yourself, beware, as hanging the perfect grid will be just as time consuming as the actual painting. Though, once you get it right, it’s an economical and satisfying solution that can accommodate any space!
For the past few weeks I’ve been on the hunt for something I figured didn’t exist: patterned-upholstered ironrod chairs. I was convinced I’d have to refurbish an old set and take a trip north to Mood fabrics. Low and behold, two chairs surfaced last week, setting a new standard for diningroom seating. This children’s chair from Yoya on Hudson St. in the West Village presents an adorable option for patch-worked prints. Taking it up a few notches, Eva Presenhuber, a Zurich-based gallery owner reveals her Franz West diningroom set for the New York Times Home section. Whether you’re decoupaging or reupholstering, this look is fresh for any season. Hopefully the homewear houses will take note!
The last time we saw handwork like this was from Arpana Rayamajhi of Nepal. This time around it’s from Stephanie Webb of England, thanks to Amy Borrell of the wildly popular blog, All the Mountains. Webb’s latest roll of wallpaper is part of Anthropologie’s Fall ’10 collection and is beautiful, busy tribute to owls.
While most have tied a neat bow around the gift fair and called it a day, our wrap up wouldn’t be complete without including the Paddywax booth. Granted it’s two weeks later, the creative stories, themes and art direction behind the product make it worth sharing. Just as fashion designers make mood boards, Gretchen Hollingsworth, the creative force behind this candle brand, applies a similar process when kicking off each new collection. After choosing a theme, be it the Journey of the Bee, Woodland or Library, the ingredients are combined, stories completed and graphics made to make a cohesive commercial package.
Our favorite collection follows the Journey of the Bee. Inspired by stops along a bee’s path to pollinate, the six fragrances – Clover, Rose, Orange Blossom, Wild Blackberry, Freesia and Raw Honey are poured into black matte glass bearing a gold bee emblem and packaged in a honeycomb patterned gift box complete with ‘b’ facts.