Stripe Happy

Besides the change in weather, I love the fall because there are so many lines and collections making their debuts. I went to High Point Market in April and saw tons o' new and upcoming things and I'm ready for another dose of freshness, especially in the home accessories realm. I couldn't be more tired of the patterns and motifs that have been repeatedly recycled over the past four years (think ikat, quatrefoil, chevron, etc.) and I'm hoping that there will be some new ideas this season. I haven't seen anything too groundbreaking yet, however, I do find myself pinning lots of fun striped tidbits. I'm a lifelong superfan of stripes so this isn't unusual behavior, but it does seem like there are plenty of stripe-adorned goodies out there right now...

Striped Trinket Boxes, C. Wonder - Diagonal Stripes Picture Frame, Zara Home - Ish #00 Blanket, Leif - Cirque Curved Decorative Vase design by F. DeLuca for Tozai - Bolivian Frazada Rug/Blanket, Leif - Stripe Tin Boxes, Ferm Living -  Edward Nightstand, Made Goods - Indigo Inlay Picture Frame - Zinc Door

And this book actually came out last fall, but I thought it was worth mentioning given the subject matter...

 Stripes: Design Between the Lines by Linda O'Keeffe

Are you stripe-crazy too? And favorite things from the roundup above?

And do any of you have the aforementioned Stripes book? I'm intrigued. The one review on Amazon is good, but I haven't had the chance to flip through the book in person and I'm always leery to buy a design book without a preview.

Lacquer Tray Source

One of the random little items that I get tons of questions about is this mint/aqua hexagonal lacquer tray that currently resides in my master bathroom...

I snagged the piece a few years ago at Homegoods and therefore can't provide a current source for where it can be purchased. I've been pointing people to the Jonathan Adler Lacquer Hexagon Trays and Plantation's Lacquer Trays as the closest known matches, but both of those are pretty pricy.  Well, I'm happy to report that C. Wonder is stocking a product that looks similar to mine (aside from the shape) and has a better price tag at $78. Behold the Lacquer White Trim Serving Tray:

The tray also comes in a super cute navy colorway. Plus, C. Wonder is also peddling matching lacquered boxes if you're into a coordinated look...

Besides the Pistachio color shown above, the Lacquer White Trim Box is available in the navy and this awesome coral color, which is called Grapefruit...

So, if you've been hunting for a tray that looks like my one-off HG find, I hope this helps a bit. Happy shopping!

Desk Decorating

I got a couple of questions about the things on my desk after Friday's post. Most of what I have isn't anything that is available for purchase online (except the Graphic Image Crocodile Leather Small Post Flip Pad and Kaweco Fountain Pen shown below) but I thought could at least share a bit on the assortment in general.

I'm a neat freak and get flustered by clutter so I've tried to streamline my set of tools and accessories as much as possible. I firmly believe in creating a workspace that functions well and looks pretty.  To achieve this form/function balance I abide by two basic rules:

1. Only keep tools that are used everyday out. Everything else can be put away.
2. The tools that are kept out need to be aesthetically pleasing.

So with those guidelines in mind, I keep the following ten items on my desktop:

• Cup full of pens/markers
• Lamp
• Box for business cards
• Notepad
• Paperweight
• Box for paper clips, rubber bands, and flash drives
• Kleneex
• Candle
• Letter tray
• Monitor + wireless keyboard and mouse

The useful tools that aren't so pretty are put in less conspicuous places. For instance, on the trestle shelf of my desk, I keep a tea tin for storing USB cords and a huge tape measure sits on top of that. Just behind the desk there is a bookcase that holds a desktop file box (with neat looking file folders), a printer, and lots of storage boxes that contain and hide everything from paint fan decks to samples and fabric remnants. This area is about to change though...will keep you posted on that plan. Anyhow, the idea is that I try to keep it simple, edit out anything I don't use often, and hide the stuff that isn't nice to look at.

Anyhow, if you're dying to make your workspace more snazzy (and bright), I've put together some different iterations of my essentials...plus a huge magnetic dry erase board that is on my wish list:

Reactive Glass Lamp Ensemble - Anthro

Lacquer Tissue Box - Jonathan Adler

Acrylic Desktop Sorter - Container Store

Lineation File Folders - Anthro
Metallic Lacquer Box - C. Wonder

Dragon Rice Bowl Candle - Market Street Candles

(for pens and pencils) Plimpton Peony Vase - Jill Rosenwald

Russell+Hazel People+Places Tab Set-Color - Amazon

Poppin Signature Ballpoint Pens

Crocodile Leather Small Post Flip Pad - Graphic Image 

Bright Stockholm Stacking Letter Tray - Container Store

5 Days Knock Knock Doodle Mousepads - Paper Source

Color Dot Magnets - Paper Source

Glass Magnetic Dry Erase Board - Poppin

Obviously I like a little color for a workspace! I think it's fun and cheerful and can make working more of a pleasure...it's the little things, right? So, what are your workspace essentials? What do you keep on your desk? Are you particular about how everything looks?

Shopping C. Wonder

A while back, I posted about the opening of C. Wonder, a store (now there are multiple stores) in New York that carries private label clothing, jewelry and accessories, shoes, bags, and last but not least, items for the home.

Like most modern retailers, C. Wonder sells their wares online and I've been doing some browsing. I like their vibe...the brand has a lot of personality. Most of the items for sale are fun, trendy, and a bit sassy. It's an awesome place to buy gifts and also keep it in mind when you are hunting for basics like solid colored pillows or silver photo frames. The prices are super low...in fact, the super low prices have me wondering about the quality of the merch and whether or not it's all made in China. I suppose I'll have to hold judgement on those aspects until I order something or make my way to NYC!

Here are some of the items I liked best from the Home & Decor section of the site:

Small Lacquer Jewelry Box - $78

Ginger Jars - $38-78

Wave Lacquer Tray - $68

Tortoise Glass Nut Bowl - $24

Faux Shagreen Frame - $38

Beveled Horn Resin Frame - $44

Dot Glass Votive - $4

Diamond Pillow - $23

Multi Stripe Ceramic Dinnerware - $8-58

What do you think of C. Wonder's style? Have any of you shopped there yet? Any feedback on the quality? I'm dying to go check it out!

Pillows for the New Year

The dawn of the new year spurs people to change things in their lives. If you're one of the many who is looking to improve your home's appearance, then consider getting some new pillows...especially if your budget is tight and the goal is to make minor changes and just freshen things up.

Textiles can make a huge impact and in living areas and bedrooms, pillows are usually a major player in the textile lineup. Changing pillows is undoubtedly one of the easiest, least binding ways to update those rooms. So, if you're considering a pillow makeover, take a look at the following relatively fresh ones...

Purple Stardust Silk and Cotton Pillow - be still homewares.
Pasha 18" Pillow - Queen of Cashmere
Leopard Pillow - Jayson Home

Geo Links Pillow - Shop Ten 25
Frizzle 16" Pillow - CB2
Rose Stripe Pure Lightweight Linen Pillow - Hable Construction

Map Pillow - My Bearded Pigeon

Sahara Ikat Hemp Pillow Cover - West Elm

Cotton Collection Birdcage Toile - COCOCOZY

Trellis Fretwork Throw Pillow - Tonic Home

Ikat Pillow - C. Wonder

Lasso 23" x 11" Pillow - CB2

Vintage Scarf Pillow - Etsy
Indigo Kyoto Pillow - Serena & LilySchumacher Nanjing 20" Pillow - Etsy seller House of Pemberley

See any that you liked? Do you ever change up your pillow assortment? I'm ready to switch a few of mine out and I have my eye on the Kyoto Pillow from Serena & Lily!

C. Wonder's Dashing Design Ethos

I keep a running list of stores that I want to shop when in New York and a new one has just been added to the list. C. Wonder is opening this weekend in Soho and I can't wait to check it out! The merch looks really fun (and affordable) and the store design looks impeccable. If great design wasn't enough, thoughtful, innovative touches like customizable dressing rooms and a mobile checkout system (like the Apple store) will surely make the shopping experience pretty darned awesome.

Kevin Sharkey's comprehensive sneak peek of the store was where I saw photos of the interior. Based on those, I'm pretty sure that I could live in the C. Wonder world. The design scheme is really fresh and hip, but there are plenty of classic elements that keep it looking high-end and tasteful. The bathroom stopped me dead in my tracks...I'm lovin' the tile design, the Audubon prints, and the Dorothy Draper-esque accents:

Photo via Kevin Sharkey's blog on MarthaStewart.com

Photo via Kevin Sharkey's blog on MarthaStewart.com

This lacquer tray is one of the items that they sell

Photo via Kevin Sharkey's blog on MarthaStewart.com

Here are some shots of the merchandise...

Photo via Kevin Sharkey's blog on MarthaStewart.com

Photo via Kevin Sharkey's blog on MarthaStewart.com

LOVE these enamel napkin rings!!

Photo via Kevin Sharkey's blog on MarthaStewart.com

This is the panel upon which you can change the lighting and music in your dressing room...

Photo via Kevin Sharkey's blog on MarthaStewart.com

Dog stuff!

Photo via Kevin Sharkey's blog on MarthaStewart.com

Looks pretty cool, huh? From a design standpoint, I love the white lacquer mixed with bold colors and brass accents. It's polished, but fun. There are more photos Kevin Sharkey's blog on MarthaStewart.com, so take a look at those if you want more! I'm really looking forward to seeing it all in person...now I just need to get a trip planned.