Opaline

Wine Glass Lamp Shades

2010-03-10T21:29:00.002-07:00

These clever shades let you create an impromptu lighting on the fly. They are made from vellum and just add a tealight and wine glass, and voila! I think they'd look especially festive lined up down a dining table.
@ MoMA, $15/set of 3

Bye Bye Birdie Hooks

2010-03-09T02:35:00.001-07:00

This little hook -- especially used as a letter holder -- is so adorable that I might have to add one or two to my entryway ASAP. They are magnetic, and designed so the beaks have a little clip for letters and what not. Love it.
@ Delight, $14

Made Good Mirrors

2010-03-08T04:00:00.000-07:00

Made Goods has a pretty amazing range of mirrors in different styles -- from graphic shapes to gilded edges to shells and mother-of-pearl overlay. Clearly designed to be show-stoppers, Made Goods has obviously decided that mirrors might as well double as works of art.
@ Made Goods

[via Material Girls]

Dwell Studio for Target

2010-03-07T14:17:00.002-07:00

Dwell Studio for Target has already created lot of great bedding designs, and I'm loving their spring collection. The colors and prints for these quilted-style coverlets are perfect for warmer weather. The Bird in a Vine and the Mandela (below) are my favorite designs, but there are dozens of others. Best of all, the affordable price tag makes it feasible think about updating the bedroom, even if you're on a tight budget.

@ Target, $70-$80 for quilts, $25 for shams

VIntage Mirrored Doors

2010-03-02T11:32:00.002-07:00

Antique doors have an incredible presence and instantly define a room. They are pricey, but lean one vintage French door against a wall, and most of your design decision-making is done.

@ The Paris Apartment, around $3,400.

French Shop Keepers' Shelves

2010-02-26T11:05:00.002-07:00

Seriously loving these spacious display shelves. They're rustic, with a bit of detailing on the iron rods to keep things interesting. They look like they once held hats, bolts of lace or equally fanciful things, and then were discovered at a dusty French flea market.

@ Wisteria, $399

Ceramic Stools

2010-02-26T06:20:00.000-07:00

Perfect in a bedroom, a sunroom, a bathroom, a family room and maybe just about any other room in the house. The ceramic stools come in several styles and colors, to add a pop of color, a bit of character or a flash of metal. Oh, and of course, they're perfect in a garden too.

@ Belongings, from $195

Galvanized Nichos

2010-02-25T04:24:00.000-07:00

Adobe homes almost always come nichos, the wall pockets that are perfect to display treasured goodies or collections. These galvanized metal nichos -- with a lovely, copper patina -- are a perfect way to show off your own treasures, without carving holes in the wall.

@ Aero Home, $156/set of 3

Moody Blues

2010-02-24T05:00:00.000-07:00

Using subdued, antique blues gives a room a sense of tranquility and composure, but it also promises some excitement. Unlike most blues, these colors don't try as hard to please. They harbor secrets and mystery, evoking overcast days, deep waters and uncharted territories.

These pix are from House Beautiful slideshow on decorating with moody blues. It doesn't take much -- silky drapes, a wash of paint -- to do the trick in an otherwise neutral space.

Maiolica Hand-Painted Ceramics

2010-02-23T13:16:00.003-07:00

These hand-painted ceramics are the work of an Etsy artist who learned classic techniques from the Italian Renaissance style and studied her craft in Holland, Belgium and Germany. It's a find for anyone who loves She specializes in tiles, platters and bowls done with an Old World flourish.

@ Etsy, $35-$115

Vintage Colletions at Barn House Marketplace

2010-02-18T12:12:00.002-07:00

Give us your spattered and dusty, your blemished and bumpy. That way, we can group the most underwhelming of household objects together and create great looking collections. These are from Barn House Marketplace, and honestly, I'll never see my paintbrushes the same way again.

@Barnhouse Marketplace, from $40

Benoa Daybed

2010-02-16T04:43:00.001-07:00

Don't you hate it when you fall hard for a piece of furniture, only to discover that it's too cost-prohibitive to actually ever own. That's the case with this daybed, which was hand-carved from mango wood. It features two love birds, amid jungle fronds and foliage. The cushion, a leaf print in kiwi and marine blue, adds to the rainforest effect. Ah well, I suppose I can dream about this daybed, even if I can't actually dream on it.

@ Anthropologie, $3298

Whitney Smith Pottery

2010-02-15T16:28:00.005-07:00

I'm just completely smitten with the ceramics pieces created by Whitney Smith. Apart from the gorgeous colors and lovely shapes, I love her creativity. She draws inspiration from organic shapes, including poppies, lotuses, seed pods and birds. And how adorable are the bird-bath cake platter and cupcuke stand? Love!
@ Etsy, from $38

Violin Forms

2010-02-14T11:20:00.002-07:00

I never realized how curvy and graceful violin forms are until now. Seeing them in a frame, evoke classic music, fine art, orchestras, the female silhouette, and (if you're hungry) even butternut squash. These vintage forms are one-of-a-kind pieces made in Argentina, and mounted on linen in a walnut frame.

@ Jayson Home & Garden, $685

FJS 2010 Pillow Collection

2010-02-07T12:59:00.007-07:00

How fab and fun are these pillows? And this is just a small taste of the many designs from the new FJS pillow 2010 collection. The prints include themes from the natural and nautical worlds, cartography, folk designs, geometrics, ikat and portraits.

The prints are from by Francis Jens Spitta, who has designed fabric for Calvin Klein, Ralph Lauren, Marc Jacobs and many others.... which explains why this collection was love at first sight.
@ FJS Shop, $120
[via The Bedlam of Beefy]

2010-02-04T15:07:00.002-07:00

The bird trend seems to be peaking right about now, and these simple, but pretty bamboo birdcages have a lot of visual interest, while keeping clean modern lines.
@ West Elm, $39

Kaveri Chest

2010-02-04T15:01:00.002-07:00

This chest has an almost-mirrored gleam that I just love. It's not too shiny, not too boring but lovely and luminous. It's the result of white metal leaf on mango wood, and the faceted drawer pulls just add to the effect. Tres romantic.
@ The Conran Shop, $1,295

Gianna Rose Atelier Monkeys

2010-02-02T11:17:00.005-07:00

Here's one of the best hostess gifts I've come across in a while. And these little guys -- which are gift soaps masquerading as mini-sculptures -- promise to see nothing, hear nothing and speak nothing if you happen to snoop through your hostess' medicine cabinet.
@ Smallflower, $20

Gustavian Chic

2010-02-01T10:19:00.018-07:00

Quirky historical fact: Gustavian furniture -- typically painted in whites, creams and grays -- was partly inspired by the ash-filled rooms in Pompeii. The classic Scandinavian style originated in the late 1700s, around the same time that archaeologists began excavating the Italian city that had been covered in ash after Mt. Vesuvius erupted about a thousand years earlier. Experts believe that the Greco-Roman furniture (and color choices) unearthed from layers of volcanic ash influenced this expansive, welcoming style.

Gustavian style is known for curving, arched silhouettes, simple flourishes and natural woods. Along with the ruins of Pompeii, it borrowed from overblown French rococo. King Gustav III visited Versailles and became enamored with the style, but his stoic woodworkers knew overkill when they saw it. They wisely pared down the neoclassical and ornate, and played up the natural woods and clean lines. The result is Gustavian style, and it's easy to see why it remains a favorite.

Gustavian console and tub chair @ Wisteria, $1250 and $800

Images from Country Living, except the Gustavian grandfather clock @ Dooleys, £370.

Gustavian vintage bed @ Viva Terra, from $1,675

Images: Swedish Interior Design, Remodelista and Marie Claire Maison

Birthday Candle Cake

2010-01-29T11:36:00.002-07:00

At last, a calorie-free way to enjoy yummy-looking cake. This stands about 10-inches tall, and the top tier is replaceable, making it possible to enjoy birthday cake for a very long time.
@ Moss, $175

Amy Butler Rugs

2010-01-28T14:08:00.002-07:00

I've been lusting after a handcrafted rug from Amy Butler's new collection for Chandra since I saw them last summer. These giant carved flowers in gorgeous colors would make the most boring room look amazing. These pics are from a slideshow on her site, and each one is a total knockout.
@ Velocity, $108-$1466

Corkscrew Prints by Barbara Cosgrove

2010-01-28T13:42:00.002-07:00

Multiples can make such a dramatic impact. These corkscrew prints, designed by Barbara Cosgrove, are pretty cool on their own. But they become downright exceptional displayed in a group. Plus, who knew there was so much variety among vintage corkscrews.
@ Decor Interiors, $253

Industrial + Girlie Chic

2010-01-27T16:44:00.002-07:00

Convention dictates that industrial chic is the antithesis of all thing girlie.

Industrial style is synonymous with rough, unpolished finishes, salvaged scraps, bare-bones utility and edgy looks. It does not involve chandeliers or ruffles or bursts of pink. And yet -- as this lovely Laurel Canyon home that was recently featured in House Beautiful proves -- it's a killer combination. And one that convinces me that galvanized steel should never be without an explosion of flowers or white, rumpled bed linens.

India Ink Bedding at Anthropologie

2010-01-26T13:22:00.003-07:00

I've been loving the drama that happens with high-contrast black-and-white designs lately, and it looks especially amazing when paired with a lot of color. The inky, ornate brushstrokes make this black-and-white bedding set is quite impressive. Not only that, but the 400-thread count cotton its printed on promises some serious luxury.
@ Anthropologie, $48-$208

Ideas for a Romantic Bedroom

2010-01-22T12:39:00.003-07:00

House Beautiful has a nice slide-show, featuring some romantic bedrooms from past issues. Some basics ideas (which could be worth translating at home) in all the rooms are: the pale color schemes, dramatic headboards and the emphasis on curvy, sculptural shapes.

Personally, I love the muted colors used in these rooms. It's tough to make pastels like peach and lavender look good... too often, you get Easter egg instead of elegant. But using heavy neutral gray/taupe undertones keep ensure these bedrooms look quiet and sophisticated.