case in (needle)point

 

loving these retro, homey needlepoint accents. 

 

 

 

the pillows are from jonathan adler and the printed wall art in true needlepoint style are from urban outfitters.

 

high/low...x-benches

one of these x-benches is $595 from jonathan adler while the other is $179 from ballard designs. can you tell which is which?

well i won't torture you...the top one is adler, bottom is ballard. now i love me some jonathan adler, but in this case, i have to go with ballard...and i might, with a pair of these benches in my next bedroom. though i have to say, they have such an array of patterns and fabrics available, it would be hard to choose. 

the ballard options range from $179 to $369, while jonathan adler's much smaller set of options range from $495 to $695. i don't know, this one seems like a no-brainer.

under some circumstances, i'd say it depends how each feels, but unless money is not a concern, i think this is a decorative item for the most part and not one where the luxury of the fabric entirely matters. and if money is no concern, could you buy me a pair of the coral ikat ones above?

what do you think? could you see a reason to go for the adler ones?

strike it up

i've long been a proponent of beautiful matches because they elevate the experience of lighting a candle or a fire to a different place. i love when each step of a process is a source of beauty and enjoyment, and lovely matches over mundane ones is just such an easy upgrade. of course there are candle-lighters too, but there's something so timelessly romantic about the sound and smell of a match. so imagine my excitement upon seeing this chestnut, the jonathan adler pipe match strike. the texture of the base ignites light-anywhere matches, so of course the first question that comes to mind is "where do you get light-anywhere matches?" the answer is, you buy them here, or in hardware stores.

i imagine wearing one of these, listening to great music like this and lighting amazingly scented candles like the capri blue aloha all day long.

on a similar note, i love JA's fabulously packaged fireplace matches, which would make a lovely gift for almost anyone, or would perk up a drab bookshelf next to a candle in two seconds flat.

chip(pendale) off the old block

no discussion of cane and rattan style furniture is complete without talking about the chippendale-style chair, which i love with the passion of a thousand suns. (that was a nod to the part-chinese style inspiration behind the chippendale chair.)

though they've been around for many, many years (like hundreds), the their updated grandchildren bring modern, graphic charm to many homes of today.

first to understand the roots, here are some older ones (which i'd love to get my hands on and update).

the green one is trying, but it's a little off, still.

i love the modern reproductions and i love that they're often done in vibrant colors (jonathan adler sells them in black, dove and lime green). this use of them almost always finds them in a glossy finish which just elevates the whole look.

they're also especially lovely in white.

then there are some versions that are more regency style, which is always welcome, to my mind.

so many choices, so much gorgeousness! can't you just see one at a desk or vanity, a few around a table with some other chair styles thrown in, even one in a living room as an occasional chair?
chairs in this style are available through jonathan adler and ballard (armchair version here), even west elm has a supermodern version, but none of these options are cheap and i also sort of feel like i'd rather discover this kind of chair...possibly an older one, updated by me for my home. that seems a respectful nod to a chair with such history, for it to have some provenance.

and look how seamlessly they transition from old to new, as demonstrated on the daily uptown country.

watch out estate sales, here i come...

photos from wikimedia, kohl interiors, decorpad (photos 3 and 11), efi costa rica, number four eleven, more ways to waste time, house beautiful, simplified bee (photos 8 and 10), elle decor (photos 9 and 16), the regency furniture, coco cozy, jonathan adler, the dining room chairs (photos 14 and 17), jayson home and garden, pierce martin, uptown country home

honey gift files...so in love

here are ideas for perfect gifts for perfect pairs. aren't these jonathan adler mugs so quirky and whimsical?

i love the newlyweds' cookbook, because it underscores the idea of beginning a life together sure to be full of traditions and memories.

and beat this for a cozy couple. they're smittens from restoration hardware (smittens!!) and include 2 single mittens and one double. could you just pass out from the sweetness? note on this: this is for someone you're seeing after christmas, like for new years, or valentine's day...they're web only, but i suggest jumping at it now if you like them - they're already marked down so sure to be gone soon.


all photos from linked sites