A while back I was shopping the organic bedding section at ABC Carpet and Home and I stumbled upon the most beautifully dressed bed covered in Indian paisley printed bedsheets by Raksha Bella–a new brand that I was thrilled to discover. Raksha Bella is an eco-friendly line of 100% certified organic cotton bedding that is hand block printed using non-toxic, low impact dyes. The line is produced by a group of fair trade women workers in India who are recovering from poverty. Raksha Bella was founded by Carrie Peters who is truly passionate about sustainable design and what I …
A couple of weeks ago I embarked on a little DIY drapery project. The windows in my apartment only had solar shades covering them for the longest time and I’d been wanting to soften them up with some fabulous draperies. If I could have things my way I would have had custom draperies made using Suzanne Rheinstein for Lee Jofa’s Ikat De Lin, but given how many yards I would have needed that would have far exceeded my budget so I decided to make my own!
My friend Robert gave me this sewing machine as a gift a while …
Just spotted these very cool Louis XV style caned canopy chairs on Craigslist. Wish I had a place for these in my home or a fun decorating project to use them for…or an extra $3500 and a storage unit! I’d keep the frame as is and reupholster the cushions in a bright, rusty orange colored velvet. Maybe they can be yours? View the listing here.…
Robert Abbey Genie Lamp from Lamps Plus So after contemplating table lamps for my living room I landed on this one. A single gourd style lamp with brass accents in a fun, pinkish plum color from Robert Abbey. As I’ve been redecorating my living room, I’ve been buying lots of pieces that are very traditional and feel a bit “mature.” So I thought these lamps would add jolt of color and a youthful flair to help balance out some of the more traditional pieces and make the space feel more age appropriate. I’m definitely going to change the shades…
Christopher Spitzmiller
I’ve been eying a number of gourd lamps like the ones above for my living room. I love this style of lamp not just for the beauty of its shape but for the symbolism that the gourd represents. The gourd is most commonly recognized as a symbol of longevity and good fortune, stemming from ancient eastern traditions where the gourd was once used as a drinking vessel. These bottle gourds were carved from a gourd fruit which is thick-skinned, oddly shaped and similar in nature to a squash or a pumpkin.
A gourd fruit via J.D. Fielding’s Flickr …CASA Carlos Mota Hydrangea Flower Bouquet, $49.95
Carlos Mota, interior stylist and Special Projects editor for Elle Decor is a man of impeccable taste. His shoots for Elle Decor are always perfectly styled and I espcially love all of the beautiful floral arrangements he uses to dress up each of his projects. Starting this month, you can bring a bit of Carlos Mota style into your home with his new collection of silk flower arrangements exclusively for HSN. These artificial arrangements offer the look of fresh flowers without the fuss and at a great price. Who knew artificial fowers could …
