Showing posts with label pottery barn. Show all posts
Showing posts with label pottery barn. Show all posts

7/24/2013

Online Basket Sources

The basket is the one functional accessory that can probably be found in most homes across the globe. There are countless iterations of the concept, but the idea is the same...contain and look good while doin' it. As you probably know, baskets are perfect for stashing towels, toilet paper, shoes, toys, magazines, blankets, laundry, and wrapping paper and keeping all of those things from making your house look messy. The key is to find the right style for the setting and that isn't always easy.

Two-Tone Hamper - Zara Home


Baskets are totally one of those things that you see all of the time but can't find the perfect one when you're actually on the hunt. So, in case you're looking for one of these handy vessels, here's a quick list of good online sources:



And here are a few of my favorite styles from some of those sources...


Jillian Totes - World Market | Turq Rope Storage Bushel - Hable Construction
Aster Silver Foil Basket - Pier 1 | Graphic Printed Baskets - West Elm
Palm Rectangular Towel Basket - Waterworks
Tala Basket - Crate & Barrel | Colorblock Wicker Basket - Terrain

Hyacinth Rectangular Basket - Waterworks | Strapped for Storage Bins - Land of Nod
Sweep Baskets - CB2 | Heavy-Guage Wire Basket - Rejuvenation
Tala Basket - Crate & Barrel | Juice Mercado Baskets - Serena & Lily


Am I missing any good basket sources?

5/01/2012

Random Rug Resource - PB Teen

Would you ever think to buy a rug at PB Teen? Well, if you're on the hunt for inexpensive rug options, you should check them out. I spotted a couple of good-looking options and they are all well under $1k for an 8'x10' size. Here are my favs:











They have some good options, don't you think? I REALLY like the Dhurrie at the top of the list and I think the Leaf Medallion is super cute too. And I can picture the hot pink kilim layered over a larger Plain Jane sisal to add some excitement.

I have no way to accurately judge the quality but based on the price, these are probably not forever rugs. They are fun and trendy and would be ideal for low traffic zones like guest bedrooms or in spaces where the decor is somewhat temporary (i.e. apartments, nurseries, or kids rooms).

9/26/2011

Affordable Animal Art from Etsy

I recently ran across two fun sources for wall decor on Etsy. Sellers Coco de Paris and Crowbiz offer whimsical illustrations of animals painted or printed on "upcycled" pages of vintage books and antique maps. I used one with giraffes from Coco de Paris in a mood board last week. Coco's are actually originals because the images are painted on the pages with acrylics. The ones from Crowbiz are prints, although the maps and book pages are authentic...just the animal images are printed.

Each piece costs around $10 so they are an ideal price for buying and framing multiples. I'd consider using the prints in rooms for kids or teenagers or spaces like bathrooms and hallways where more significant artwork can be overlooked or damaged. Since the prints themselves are so affordable, stick with a reasonably-priced frame. CB2, Pottery Barn, West Elm, and Z Gallerie have cool frames that aren't expensive.

Here some of the prints housed in  CB2's Float Frames, which cost between $20-35. These don't have mats which makes them super flexible and easy to setup:
Moose - Clever Chihuahua - Turtle



Here is the Gelato frame from Z Gallerie, you could use the 5x7" or the 8x10" which cost between $15-20:
Giraffe on antique map

From Pottery Barn, here are the Lee Gallery Frame and the Wood Gallery Oversized Mat Frame, for large sizes like the ones shown here, prices range between $56-130:
Two Elephants with Red Birds - Giraffe Eating Grass 

Here are more of my favorite prints from Crowbiz and Coco de Paris...







Aren't these fun? I think they have lots of personality and are great for people who are on a tight budget and have too much empty wall space. Do you have a favorite animal? I love all of the Coco de Paris animals...you can't help but smile when you look at those! I also prefer the Coco ones because they are original.

8/03/2011

Simple Sofa

I'm not Pottery Barn's biggest fan - mainly due to my lack of satisfaction with our PB outdoor furniture but also due to the fact that most of their merch just isn't my style. However, they send their catalogs to my house and I will flip through pretty much ANY catalog while I pedal the elliptical at the gym so I keep up with their stock.

Among their new releases is the Stewart Sofa and I wanted to share it with you because I think it's a great basic sofa. Starting at $1,400 the price isn't bad and it's made in the USA so I'm going to assume that the quality is pretty good (unlike the aforementioned outdoor furniture).  Anyhow, I like the clean lines, the tufted back cushions, and the solid seat cushion. It's a rather modern style for PB:

On the Pottery Barn site you can see the sofa in a traditional decor setting, so here I wanted to provide a different context to give you an idea of what it could look like in a more modern space...
Cool Breeze Hex Pillow - Shop Ten 25
Tyne Round Cocktail Table - Room & Board
Oil on paper by Aaron Collier - Cole Pratt Gallery

Pottery Barn also has some pretty good looking fabrics now, including these favorite swatches of mine:
Linen, Ivory 
Linen, Oatmeal 
Washed Linen/Cotton, Metal 
Textured Basketweave Metal 
Textured Basketweave Flax 
Washed Linen/Cotton, Stone

Anyhow, if you're in the market for a basic, inexpensive sofa be sure to check out PB's Stewart Sofa because it's very transitional, which is a great attribute for a sofa!

8/01/2011

The Island Company

I got back from a family vacation to Grand Cayman last week and wow, I'm playing (and losing) a serious game of catch-up right now! Despite the fallout from being away, I'm glad we went. For the most part, my husband fished and I lounged around, ate, drank, and read Lunch in Paris (and loved it). I also got to do a tiny bit of shopping while I was there.

My favorite discovery was a store called the Island Company. They have a fabulous line of clothing and swimwear along with other miscellaneous merch. I bought a shirtdress in an aqua color that I'm pretty obsessed with. Besides being instantly attracted to their simple, classic clothes, I also loved how their store looked and felt. They captured the spirit of the island lifestyle without getting theme-y and hokey. Here's a shot of one of their stores...

Via IslandVintage.com


Their look is is cool, casual, and a bit colonial. The colonial aspects balance with the beachy ones and the tone is rich and sophisticated. You can achieve this look by working with some signature elements that include:
  • Dark wood floors
  • Crisp white walls (try Ben Moore's Decorators White)
  • Glossy beadboard ceilings
  • Natural fiber rugs (jute, sisal, etc.)
  • White or ivory upholstery
  • Rich wood furniture (should look handmade and a bit exotic)
  • Tropical plants (I saw Fiddle-Leaf Figs all over Cayman, but there are lots of other options)
  • Hand-woven baskets
  • Bold cabana striped pillows

Nesting Baskets - Wisteria
Painterly Blackfin Triggerfish - Williams-Sonoma Home
Architect Table Lamp - Lauren Home by Ralph Lauren
Painted Ceramic Parrot - Williams-Sonoma Home
Samar Rattan Chair - World Market

Here are more photos of their stores:
Via IslandVintage.com
Via IslandVintage.com

Via IslandVintage.com

Via IslandVintage.com

Via IslandVintage.com

My husband and I...and my new dress!

What are your thoughts on the Island Company's decor style? I typically hate beach-themed decor but I really do love their look. It reminds me of India Hicks and her Bahamian properties as seen here:
Via Hibiscus Hill

Although I wouldn't ever go super "island colonial" in my home in Dallas, I would certainly use some of  the elements that go into creating the look...especially the glossy white beadboard ceilings!

10/07/2010

Do You Know about ARZU?

Normally Pottery Barn's rugs aren't really my style, so I was pleasantly surprised to find a few that I really liked while browsing their new arrivals. The one below is my favorite and it is an Arzu Studio Hope artisan rug.


According to the PB site, these rugs are hand-knotted by Afghan women and Arzu Studio Hope is the non-profit that sources and sells their creations so they can earn income. 

They get paid for their work and we get access to their beautiful textiles...sounds like a win-win to me! Wanting to see more of what they offer, I went to the Arzo site and clicked the Collections tab. There are so many wonderful styles...I tried to narrow it down to a few favorites here:



It was also nice to see that interior designer Thomas Schoos partnered with Arzu and designed a series of more contemporary rugs. As you'll see below, one was featured in House Beautiful's September issue!

I'm so glad to know about Arzu and hope to support them by buying a rug one day. Thanks a bunch to Pottery Barn for partnering with them and spreading the word about their cause!

Any thoughts on the matter? I'm also curious to know...what rug style do you like best? Traditional, contemporary, natural (i.e. sisal, sea grass, jute), or a mix of all?

8/11/2010

Unbridled Bathroom Design

A reader recently emailed me about creating a design for her future bathroom. Since her fiance is in medical school and will be beginning his residency soon, she actually doesn't know where this bathroom will be...so there aren't nitty gritty details to take into account yet. As far as color goes, she mentioned blues and grey, and noted that there are touches of yellow and green around their current apartment. Other than those broad parameters, I had a blank slate and it was fun creating the following bathroom look for the soon-to-be-wed couple:


Keeping her fiance in mind, I tried not to go too girly...the use of navy and the industrial accents help in that regard. What do you think?

Countertop
Lucia Soap - Burke Decor
Marvis Toothpaste - Waterworks
Monogram Tray - Jill Rosenwald on Etsy
Mayfair Glass Jar - Urban Outfitters

Other Accents
Suction Cup Shower Clock - Urban Outfitters
Interlaced Garden Stool - Clayton Gray

Under Foot
Outdoor Rug - Pottery Barn (to go in front of sink)

Storage
Hamper - Pottery Barn
Covington Train Rack - Pottery Barn

On the Wall
Hayes Quatrefoil Mirror - Clayton Gray

Linens
Lacoste Robe - Macy's
Zigzag Floral Shower Curtain - Urban Outfitters
Maxwell Towels - Leontine Linens*
Diamond Bath Mat - Somewhere in cyberspace! For the life of me, I can't find the source for this thanks to my browser crashing during recon. If I figure it out, I'll add it to the post.

*The Leontine Linens towels are super expensive, and since she's getting married and can register for towels, these embroidered ones from Pottery Barn would be a great alternative...

6/28/2010

Mood Board Monday - Rainy Day Bedroom

Pewter & Sage is hosting another Mood Board Monday...this time, the theme is "beautiful bedding." Specifically, we were given a few different bedding options to choose from, then we were to create a bedroom around our choice.

I LOVE bed linens so I was pumped about this one! I even did two moodboards...the first was for Nate Berkus day :) They are so different from each other...one is super colorful and this one is much more neutral. Do you have a favorite between the two?

Wall color, P32 Canon De Fusil - Flammant
Inspiration Bedding - Barbara Barry from Macy's
Chandelier - Horchow
Headboard - Pottery Barn (I don't think the one currently available has the cute black cording)
Lamp - Restoration Hardware
Genie Bottles - Jill Rosenwald
Bookshelf/Nightstand - Ballard Designs
Full-Length Mirror - IKEA
Bench - Layla Grayce
Rug - Burke Decor
Painting - Ugallery
Chest of Drawers - Ballard Designs
Silver Floor Lamp - Layla Grayce
Monogram Pillow - Jonathan Adler
Bud Vase - CB2
Penguin Classic Books* - Anthropologie
Cane Chair - Layla Grayce

* I would also fill the nightstand bookshelf with these gorgeous books :)

6/22/2010

Outdoor Curtains

Finally, the plan to hang curtains around our covered patio has been executed! I've always loved striped awnings, but the roof line on this house won't allow for those so this is the next best thing.

The drapes have grommet-tops and are made from Sunbrella fabric, so hopefully they will hold up well. I ordered them from Pottery Barn and unfortunately they don't show them on their site anymore, so I can't provide a link.

I used the Modern Balance Rods from West Elm.

The curtains coordinate with the black and white cushions on the dining chairs.

This is the Resort Outdoor Sectional from CB2. Our dogs love to lounge here, so I'm probably going to make some black Sunbrella cushion covers with white cording so they'll show dirt less easily. The orange and blue trellis pillows were purchased last summer from Williams-Sonoma Home.

I'm still playing around with accessories. A little outdoor rug might be a nice accent here. I like the Greek Key one in our study and a smaller version would work. A tall plant for the corner is going on the shopping list too.

Of course, there's a whole laundry list of other improvements I'd like to make to the space. For one, the ugly fan will be changed to a fun light fixture...just haven't found the right one yet. I also would like to put beadboard on the ceiling and paint it turquoise/robin's egg blue (kind of like the one from the porch at the Hotel Saint Cecilia). The door leading into the garage could be a lot more snazzy too. I hope to get a paneled one at the architectural salvage warehouse...which would be painted a glossy black. Further, the blank wall above the sofa looks bland so I'd love to find something to hang there. Maybe an old blackboard...any other ideas?