getting ziggy with it

i'm having a zigzag moment, majorly. since i'm dreaming of moving to a new place, it opens up all kinds of thoughts about new things...new colors, new patterns, new ways of mixing said colors and patterns...here are some of my favorite chevron/ziggy items right now.

there's the zig zag printed rug in so many fun colors, and it's so reasonably priced. i love the idea of the black and white one in a kitchen or entryway, and the serene light blue one would be perfect in a bedroom that dabbles in grays, whites and blues.

and then the zigzag duvet ... i love the gray version to be mixed with lots of white pillows and textiles, or the idea of the amazing saffron color in pillowcases against an otherwise solid or monochromatic bed.

and how about the ziggy chair? i love the thought of the navy one used in an otherwise preppy, nautical style room.

and then i die for this amazing print for a pair of x-benches or an awesome chair. does ballard designs not kill it?

obsessional over these gorg bangles...

 and of course there can't be a complete conversation of zigzag without talking about missoni...have you seen the missoni for bugaboo stroller? check it.

are you getting ziggy with me?

favorite

do you own an item that you just love so much you irrationally want another one? that's how i feel about the ikat scarf i got from h&m last year. i just DIE for it, over and over again, every time i look at it. when i'm not wearing it, i have it draped on my desk chair or over the side of the couch in my living room. the color story in it - blues, orange, pink, mustard...oh my god. i just can't. 

what good would having a second one do me? none. it doesn't even make sense. i just love it that much. although....now that i'm giving it some thought, if i had an extra one, i could use it to reupholster the antique bench i rescued from a junk pile...

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laundry in french is so much better

i so love all these textiles from french laundry home...gorgeously spun linen that sings with that vintage, timeless look. they're made in plain, in pitch-perfect stripes and then also in coordinating prints - i really love the whole grain sack look, and the numbers too. do you not just want to crawl into a bed dressed with these beauties? i think with too much of it, it could easily be overly sweet (like this), but with one or two thrown in unexpectedly to an otherwise eclectic or modern mix, i'm in love.

and how about these chairs? would love one at a mixed-and-matched table of chairs, no two alike. it's this concept, though i've started to like the idea of leaving each chair in its own color too.

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.

 

the scented letter

i spent a lot of time this weekend cleaning out closets and drawers with so much more to add to my seemingly endless clothing donations. i sorted sunglasses and found a new, larger home for all my beloved bracelets, since the collection has grown like it has. 

as i went through drawers and cleared out garbage and things i'd been clinging to just because, my spirits were lifted by the lovely scent of my lavender drawer sachets, which is all the more reason i know i'd love a beautifully scented sachet with my initial on it like this one. in the category of little extras, who wouldn't want one or a few? would also be a lovely hostess gift for a beach visit to come or a darling token for a bride-to-be with the initial of her new last name.

need more ideas for hostess gifts or bridal shower gifts?

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?

high/low...suzani pillows

do you remember my obsession with suzani? well it's still alive and well. i LOVE it. i totally want a few suzani pillows to mix in with my already eclectic throw pillow collection and there's something endlessly lovely about having a piece made from a vintage fabric that bears so much historical and ornamental significance...but i don't have $350 to spend on a pillow this decade. if you do, peruse here and email me every gorgeous, saturated, luxe detail you find. in the meantime...

here are some vintage suzani pillows from the fab jayson home and garden. they're $195 - $350 and each is unique. 

and then here are some pillows i found at land of nod, in keeping with my love for childrens' store for cheaper versions of grown-up decor concepts. these range from $29 to $39, and while they're certainly not the same, in combination with each other and with other throw pillows, for me they achieve a similar impact.

what do you think? you see it, or do you think i'm nuts?

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projecting

to me, one of the best things about being a blog reader (and blog writer for that matter) is the constant exposure to interesting and beautiful ideas. specifically, i love all the projects that are out there, especially because so many of them are so doable, even if you're not that great at projects. yesterday, i shared the crumply goodness that is tissue paper, and today i have two more to share.

the chrome pig above is by an artist named harry allen, and has been featured in elle decor and other places of note. it's $190 which isn't outrageous for a special flourish in a room, but it's an investment.

so the lovely blogger at hello gorgeous came up with her own version and it looks amazing. feast your eyes.

home goods pig: $6

krylon chrome spraypaint: about $6

finished chrome pig for $12: priceless

and then decorno came out of blogger retirement to update her faithful readers on this little chestnut:


LOVE doesn't begin to capture it. i don't think it's exactly the same as the fabric eddie ross and i love (yeah, i like to make it sounds like we love it together), but it's very close.

on another note, remember this project? LOVE.

things like this inspire me to look at all things old and new with fresh eyes, not seeing only what's there, but what could be there. you too?

all images from linked sites

if you knew suzani

for whatever combination of reasons, i've found myself gravitating towards suzani and ikat prints in a way i never was before (more on ikat later this week, and here. and here.) suzani means needlework, and are defined as "decorative tribal textiles made in tajikistan, uzbekistan, kazakhstan and other central asian countries." and i love them. a lot.

generally, suzanis carry meaning in regards to fertility, household stability, protection and health, so they make a perfect decor item in any home. i love the idea of mixing these patterns in with other patterns and pieces of furniture and art that don't directly correlate.

to me, textiles like these add such warmth and grounding to a space, and contribute to the feeling of a home that has come together over time. of course, there is a great appeal to the real deal, visiting these countries themselves and sourcing your one perfect piece from a local market, but there is also a wealth of access out there to collections of these pieces, including great sources on ebay. here are some of the pieces i love that i found there:






how gorgeous are these? and what's really lovely is that most of the sellers of pieces like these know a great deal about each one, so you have a sense of the provenance of what you're buying, which is so authentic, and really a nice connection to the craftsmanship and culture of the suzani.

a large piece like these is perfect as a wall hanging, a bed cover (on top of a comforter) or a topper over a tablecloth. they even look amazing just draped casually over a great chair or ottoman. wisteria sells some pretty ones which are "inspired" by vintage suzani fabrics, shown here.


for other real-deal suzani pieces, i love jayson home and garden (let's be serious, love them for everything) and i particularly adore these pillows:


and etsy shop material recovery is a mind-blowing sea of vibrant colors and textiles. it's a project put together to "unite antique embroidered textiles.....with furniture salvaged from second hand stores." YES PLEASE. look at this bench and chair:


I DIE. sort of reminds me of this anthro chair i was coveting. and then the pillows:



for some other beautiful "suzani-inspired" pieces, wisteria has a few pillows i love, and an ottoman that's pretty close to perfect. i love the image of it in front of a broken-in leather couch and an oriental rug underneath.



etsy seller eleganttouch makes pillow covers inspired by suzani designs which are a less expensive (around $50 each) step into the suzani world. these are my favorites - i love how they're sort of washed out looking, and think they'd look great in a more subdued, spa-like space, even though they are still vibrant.





even dwell by target has taken on suzani, though i would stick with the throw pillow since it has an embroidered texture which the comforter and shams do not -- so much of the look is about the embroidery, and i'd hate to have it all flattened out and mass-produced looking.



to me, even buying the reproduction versions of suanis supports the tradition of the embroidered art and keeps the place of the important heritage in today's design.

top two images from elle decor and soul pretty; all other images from linked sites