I ran across this lamp and just thought it so appropriate to hang in a kitchen... as it is an enameled steel colander. The pendant is made by Maura Daniel, a husband and wife team that started in 1999 after a failed attempt to find the perfect lamp for their daughter's room. Not a bad price at $179 either. It also comes in black, navy, white or silver.
I admit I am a huge Ikea fan but it does bother me a little that my Ikea purchase isn't very unique. Some kid's dorm room might have the same armchair that I have in my living room. That sucks. Unless of course, you customize your Ikea furniture with slipcovers from Bemz.com. Bemz is a company out of Sweden who came up with the ingenious idea of offering custom slipcovers (which are removeable and washable) to fit models of sofa, chairs and cushions from Ikea. The fabric options are pretty original. So you can go from your plain old white Ikea chair to a lovely textured cotton brown mini check or a urban tapestry in real red.
Della Robbia is one of the premiere textile manufacturers in America and the Bon Bon Ottoman is a testament to that. The ottoman costs quite at bit (just under $1,000) but it will certainly spark more conversation than your Ikea floor cushion. Made from 100% New Zealand wool, the ottoman comes in a whole slew of hunger inducing colors like; tangerine, wheat, water, caramel, almond, sage, pomegranate and of course chocolate.
Here's a dilemma.... you have a pretty blah bathroom or kitchen but not enough cash to do a complete renovation. Hmmm.... what to do.... if you have some standard size square tiles in your abode, spruce them up with some stickers from Allrum. No, I'm not talking Mrs. Grossman's type stickers but Scandinavian designed decor stickers with a hint of nostalgia. Choose between a red cross hatch, pink circular, turquoise diagonal or the green bird on a branch pattern. Instantly bring your kitchen or bath into the 21st century. From my all time favorite site Huset of course. Best part... they are only $25 for a set of eight.
Brocade Home, a Restoration Hardware brand, is a bit of a mystery to me. I typically don't find a ton on here that I like, to be honest, BUT I did find these laser cut rugs! The rugs come in 3' x 5', a 2.5' x 9' runner or 5' x 8' and they are a wool blend felt. A little bit of a departure from their normal color palette (which is why I LOVE it). Any color called truffle = instant success in my book.
I was hard pressed to pick which image to use from the Xenia Taler collection of ceramic tiles. Everyone is superb. I mean E V E R Y one! The tiles are truly pieces or art as each design is created by Xenia Taler herself and then her partner, Steven Koblinsky crafts the clay and glazes. All from their studio in Toronto. The tiles can be used as installation tiles (in kitchen or bathrooms) while some tiles are meant only for wall hangings, coasters or trivets. The birds are my absolute favorite. Their goal is to have your children "fight mercilessly" over who gets the tiles when you are gone. Lofty goal? I think not.
Finnish designers, like WooDoo Designs, create beauty with simple form. Take for example these 2 candle holders in either walnut or elm... simply elegant. These would look stunning on a mantle or set in the middle of a dining table with a crisp white linen cloth. Puts my cookie dough Yankee candle to shame.
Oops! So tired I missed the coffee pot and now I have coffee grounds all over the floor. I'll just grab my handy dandy Norman Copenhagen designed dustpan from RetroModern and sweep that right up. Thank goodness it was only $25. Such a bargain for such a beautifully designed housekeeping staple.
Bring the outdoors into your home with these wood hooks from Live Wire Farm. Made from Maple, Birch or Beech, the wood is cut and dried for 24 months before being crafted to it's final shape. No two hooks are alike and they will work with you to meet your custom needs. Wood rings, napkin rings, and beautiful spoons are also available. Support this local Vermont farm. Oh, and if you do contact them for information, they note that they will get back to you within "farm time".... which means about a week. Makes the products that much more endearing.
