saying yes to holes

for some reason, i find things that are perforated so particularly nice. one of my favorite little home objects is a perforated metal votive holder, which creates a spotted effect as it splays light on the walls. for that reason, creating tin can luminaries seems a fine idea (maybe this could be a use for the coffee cans mitchell insists on saving...don't ask).

along similar but less amish lines, i love this awesome pendant light from crate and barrel:

it's now discontinued which makes me very sad since i've had it bookmarked for my new apartment, whenever that happens.

and my heart bursts for this pierced wood train station bench. i think if i could choose one item to possess today, this would be it. how lovely would it be in an entryway, a mudroom, a shaded front porch...it would even transform a lonely hallway.

in the accessory space, i love the recent-ish rash of perforated leather bags all over. i wasn't sure at first, but now i'm very, very sure indeed.

there's the gorgeous pink one above and this one...

this one...

and this one...

oh, and a big YES on the perforated leather shoes too.

i love when a certain concept like "perforation" can come into your life in so many ways in the form of light, furniture, personal style and more. such a yes.

a few thoughts for a monday

 

how cute is the image of a dog licking an ice pop?!? i die.

this method of bracelet storage might need to happen in my life.

thanks to apartment therapy's sneak peek at the ikea fall catalog (and to kelly for sending that link to me), we are introduced to the fab idea of hanging pendants together to create a one-of-a-kind chandelier. LOVE.THIS.IDEA. i might not have chosen those exact three to hang in that exact way, but there's no denying it's a killer idea.

it kind of reminds me of this idea, but less expected.

workshop cage lights...bestill my heart.

this handkerchief is cute.

half artist's palette, half egg plate...all gorgeous.

what are you thinking about this monday morn?

woven light

there's something really lovely about light coming through woven materials. i love the burlap/linen types as well as the wider, woodier thatched styles and i've been contemplating their use a lot recently. i think they're a really earthy alternative to a chandelier, but the earthiness itself can be a certain kind of elegance.

 

i especially enjoy when the woven material is juxtaposed with a luxe one, like this high-shine silver base or this mercury glass one. similarly, i'd love to see a woven piece like this in an otherwise modern space...it would ground it and soften the edges, don't you think?

this one is my favorite one of all, though. wouldn't a nicely-spaced row of them look amazing in so many settings?

images from here, here, here, and linked sites

don't nod off, part 2

this lamp is such a yes. it's from land of nod (the childrens' crate and barrel outpost) and i'm telling you, these kids' stores are where the deals are (remember this awesome wall art, also from LON?) 

much in the same way "wedding" items cost more than their identical non-wedding counterparts, the same is true for "adult" versions of things...we've discussed that in regards to pb teen here and here. i seriously love this lamp in either color, and for under $60, it's a no-brainer.

you like?

capiz me

if you're like me, you don't soon forget when you see something you love...that's how i feel about the gorgeous long hanging capiz pendant lamp i've long-coveted at west elm. it's not cheap, at $259, so i've been keeping my eyes open for other options and thought i'd share.

of course, i should add that in addition to the long hanging option, west elm also has a rectangular version, in the same two colors as the long hanging one, and for the same price.

on the much cheaper side, i love these smaller natural capiz pendants which they sell individually (on sale for $79), or in double ($179) and triple ($269) packs. they look like they came straight from the sea, don't they?

although these pieces lack the cascade and size of the others, for about the same price, you could get a set of three, and in certain spaces, multiples would work even better in terms of overall space and impact.

also much less expensive, pottery barn teen (yes, teen) has a pretty version in three different colorways - i think the pink/orange and blue choices would be great at a beach house or in a punchy space, but overall i think i like the white best -- it looks the least like it came from pb teen. at only $129, it measures 22 inches long, and i think achieves a really nice impact.

i think these are all such pretty choices for an easy living kind of space - a bedroom, a covered porch, particularly a white-on-white bathroom. ooooh, i love that idea!

blue pb teen pendant picture from house of turquoise, all other images from linked sites

stretch it out

how great is this weathered wood floor lamp from west elm? i love its scale, how its like a table lamp style but stretched out extra long. it's so simple in its design, really, but has such a huge impact. it reminds me of the floor lamps below i saw in a local shop.

i love the earthiness of the wood on both styles and could see them easily fitting well in several different kinds of spaces - they would of course be a natural fit in a cozy, woodsy home, but would also have a great softening effect in a home much sleeker and more modern.

it makes me wonder about several styles of table lamps that would probably be really great stretched into floor lamps. like what? funny you should ask...THESE:

top and bottom photos from west elm, white lamp photo from cb2, other photos from crate and barrel

morning by candlelight

you might remember a while ago i told you about a friend who showers and dresses by candlelight. i think she's on to something.

this morning was one of those mornings where you just feel like you CAN NOT. you know the feeling? and sort of by default, i didn't turn on the bathroom light right away. i opened the blinds to see the icy gray sky and snow-topped trees, and after turning the shower on, i decided to try the candlelight route. it was really, really nice.

i had the distinct feeling that although i could not control anything that happened on the outside of that bathroom door, i was in small, temporary, but complete control of that very moment.

i highly recommend you try it one morning soon.

smitten with suki and with fall

a little before dusk tonight, fall will be upon us. officially.

i might have to pick up a few of these perfectly simple suki candleholders from crate and barrel to autumnify my balcony - i love the idea of the candlelight dancing around the gold walls. (thanks to happy mundane and his fab blog for the heads up).

there is no greater feeling, to my mind, than the brisk cool of a fall night, rediscovering a non-summer outdoor world. it is my favorite time of year, hands-down, full of new possibilities and feelings. at the same time, it's a return to feelings i've had all my life, and a history of things that have come with fall...reconnecting with friends (used to be in school, now just because social calendars open up), lots of family gatherings (for the jewish holidays and thanksgiving). also, mitchell and i started our relationship in the fall, got engaged the next fall, and married two falls after that. so there's that.

of course, bad things have happened in the fall too - 9/11 was of course in the fall, and last fall mitchell lost his job just as we were celebrating our first anniversary, last week my grandmother passed away (more on that later), and george w. bush was elected as president in TWO different falls.

but i digress...part of the loveliness of any season is that it always comes again, bringing new feelings of happiness and expectancy with it. no matter what happens in the world, the seasons pass and bring with them all the unique joys and gifts that each season holds. each time it comes, there is potential, and a chance to deepen one's connection to and appreciation of that season. and it's a worthy endeavor - it is always one season or another, and joy can be taken from just the simple fact of the season. it's a bounty that nature offers us and it is something for which i am incredible grateful, because in every season, i have that "favorite season" feeling. but really, fall is my favoritest favorite.

i think particularly as we change over the years, we discover more about each season we value. someone who never really cared much for pumpkin picking might find new delight when doing it with a special child they love. and someone who never much cared for planting mums might take new pleasure when it's for an elderly loved one who smiles because the color is outside her window. to keep giving ourselves those chances to evolve, we're taking part in the cyclical nature of the seasons themselves.

but alas, the realities of a dire economy and a reduction in consumerism work against the idea of being present in the current season, and by that i mean that target has christmas merchandise out already. yeah.

but i will not let them take fall from me. LET GO OF MY FALL.

i WILL get my fill of browns, reds, golds and oranges. i WILL go apple picking and enjoy hot cider. i WILL buy mums, possibly even the ones with the cattails planted in the center. i WILL wear a jean jacket and some of my favorite ponchos. and hear me, target, i WILL buy and display in my home something in the gourd or squash family. i'm thinking of going with the cream ones this year.

okay i'm done. happy fall.

suki photo from www.crateandbarrel.com