Taste the Rainbow: Colorful Kitchens
It’s no secret that we love color. Oh, there’s a lot to be said for a room filled with soothing neutral shades, but – let’s be honest – sometimes “neutral” just means “boring.” Color, on the other hand, is anything but boring. Whether it’s peaceful blues or raging-party-red, we’re all about the color.
We also happen to think that there’s no better space for color than the kitchen. After all, it’s the heart of the home, the space where all parties migrate. It deserves some color!
What we can’t decide, though, is which color is best in the kitchen. We love them all – and that’s why we’ve put together this collection of kitchens that spans all the color of the rainbow:
This kitchen is oh-so-glamorous, thanks to the sparkly chandelier and the glossy lipstick red of the cabinets:
Looks like a great place for lobster and champagne, right?
The bright orange walls – perfectly complemented by cool blue chairs – in the kitchen below call out for a casual party:
It’s perfectly fun and laid back – a great room for kids, too.
Speaking of fun, we love this yellow Arne Jacobson Egg chair:
It’s a great reminder, too, that color in the kitchen doesn’t have to be splashed on the walls or on the cabinets – it can be added. The addition doesn’t even have to be a fantastic (and expensive) vintage chair, either. We love injecting color in the kitchen via flowers, towels, or even a big bowl of fruit. Never underestimate the power of a bowl full of lemons, or perfect Granny Smith apples!
But if you are interested in splashing some paint on the walls, you could certainly do worse than this incredible shade of green:
That kitchen, from the late, great Domino magazine, is like a dream to us. It’s so clean and fun, but also absolutely realistic. It looks like a kitchen that sees some use – it’s definitely not a pristine space that never sees action.
Moving on down the rainbow, we’re in love with the bright ocean blue of this island:
The combination of blue with clear accessories is pure Atlantis, and the addition of a few orange pieces balances out the palette to create a space that’s beachy and refreshing, but also very modern.
Indigo is sometimes forgotten as a part of the rainbow, but it has really potential in the kitchen:
That space is fun and funky, but the color adds some sophistication, too.
Finally, for the end of the rainbow, we love this lavender space:
The white island and backsplash, stainless appliances, and wood floors keep the from looking oddly little girly. And we have to admit: We love that color.
So, which is your favorite? What don’t you like? And what color is your kitchen? (Ours is green with orange accents!)
[Photo Credits: Red and green kitchens from Houzz.com. Orange and purple kitchens from The Kitchn. Yellow, blue, and indigo kitchens from Elle Decor.]
Turquoise & Natural: Earthy, Cool, Perfect
Turquoise – it’s the color of 2010, but that’s not the only reason why we love it. In fact, we’ve been fans of the color for most of our lives. We fell first fell in love with turquoise on a trip to Santa Fe many years ago – the city is crawling with amazing jewelry. Not long after, we realized that the qualities that make the jewelry so fantastic also make the color a great addition to interior spaces .
This necklace (only $10 from Etsy seller Beautiful Bead!) showcases what we think is so great about the color as a whole. Turquoise is rarely smooth and simply blue. Instead, it’s shot through with tan, brown and green. It’s no surprise, then, that turquoise is a perfect fit for nature-inspired shades. Right now, we’re especially loving the mix of turquoise and sandy naturals.
Turquoise and natural are, well, a natural combination for outdoor spaces – especially those near the beach. When we look at this space, we can’t help but dream of outdoor parties and lounging with a drink after a few hours on the sand:
We love teh emphasis on blue and it’s pairing with nubby natural pillows, faded rattan, and just a little white. It’s summery and breezy, but the formal organization of the furniture into a sharp square keeps the arrangement from looking sloppy.
Then again, a little bit of “casual” organization never hurt anyone, especially outdoors. We love the way this space incorporates a few shades of turquoise with natural woods and lots of texture:
Unusual and unexpected, but fantastic, right? While we might not drag our bathtub out into the garden, we are inspired to create some little sitting areas that capture the artsy and interesting vibe of that space, and we love the way the color combination reminds us of sea glass that’s washed up on shore.
Since the background of so many rooms is natural, turquoise is a perfect addition as an accent color. Take this space, for example:
We love how the bright shock of color on the stool contrasts with the neutrals in the room behind it.
We often think of turquoise and natural as a casual, beachy pairing, but it works in more formal settings, too:
We’re almost surprised that the formal setting, and those fabulous windows and drapes, work with the cleaner, more modern lines of the furniture, but we think that’s the beauty of the turquoise and natural color combination. It helps blur the lines between formal and everyday.
Of course, we can’t ever resist our own products, and so many of them work in turquoise in tan. We picked just one favorite for this post - the Fairchild table lamp with a Pale Turquoise base and the Bird Bloom shade in Pale Turquoise, Robin’s Egg Blue, and Croissant:
We think this lamp could work in a formal or very casual space, which is what we love about this pattern and these colors. It has a traditional vibe, but also evokes the striations of color that give turquoise, the gem, an earthy, outdoorsy vibe. We can imagine this lamp in the formal space above, but also in the crazy and casual outdoor bath at the top of the post. Like the turquoise and natural color combo, it’s versatile and cool.
[Photo credit: Necklace from Etsy. Outdoor rooms from Coastal Living. Interiors from Houzz.com. Lamp from Alluminare.]
Sex and the City 2: The Spaces Are Fabulous
Sex and the City – it’s an institution. And, we have to be honest, one we have some complicated feelings toward. We loved the show, but thought it overstayed its welcome by a few seasons, and while we’ve enjoyed the publicity around both movies, we’re just not sure they’re necessary.
That said, without the movies, the world would be short a lot of crazy outfits and some very beautiful interiors. The recently released stills for Sex and the City 2 reminded us that, if nothing else, the movies set designers know how to put together an enviable space.
We’re drooling over the individual pieces shown in the stills, like the floral sofa Charlotte sits on in the photo at the left.
Carrie’s bedroom is equally lust-worthy, with its dramatic lighting, sexy lamp, golden wallpaper (which has the same vibe as our own Moroccan Medallion in Cream, Ginger and Dark Goldenrod):
We especially love the way the room’s golden glow is complemented by the blue vase and hat box (and how glamorous are hat boxes?). In fact, that’s the same shade of blue that’s on the wall in the Charlotte photo at the top, and the fabric of this ottoman:
Oh, Carrie and Big. We cared about your relationship so much more ten years ago! However, we still care about your living room. That ottoman is absolutely fabulous and we think the ribbon-like embellishments might even by DIY-able. It’s a fantastic piece, and its feminity is especially perfect paired with the austere lines and minimal look of the sofa, artwork, and table.
Carrie and Big’s NYC apartment is a study in masculine restraint peppered with feminine touches. The released photos suggest, though, that most of the movie is exactly the opposite. The plot takes the ladies to Dubai, where opulence is just the start. Check out this chandelier:
So over the top that it’s even shocking Samantha? That’s how you know it’s extravagant. While this look isn’t exactly practical at home, we do love a glittering chandelier, even in less glamorous spots like the kitchen or bathroom. We also love this color combination. The cool blue, lime green, and hot orange and yellow are exotic, but workable in less foreign environs, too (like our living rooms).
Speaking of exotic, this image has been getting a lot of exposure:
Not exactly an interiors shot, but it does remind us that sometime it’s fun to turn something rugged into a fancy experience. A bottle of champagne + a few elegant snacks + a dressed up tent makes for an unexpected and entertaining recipe for cocktails.
Thoughts on the four famous ladies of NYC (or their surroundings)? Are you looking forward to the movie?
7 Great Dog Beds That Won’t Break the Bank
Earlier this week, we did a little doggie-inspired dreaming, finding eight dog beds that we’d love to buy, if only money were no object. While a custom-made bed sounds great, the reality for most of is that if we want to keep Fido in Frosty Paws, we need to stick with a budget when it comes to doggie accoutrements – including the bed.
Fortunately, we’ve discovered that there are tons of great dog beds that aren’t crazy expensive. We’ve picked seven of our favorites under $100 to share here:
1. The Fire Hydrant (small for dogs under 35 lbs., large for dogs 35+ lbs., $77.95-85.95)
It’s a little cheeky, but subtle, and comes in great colors – what’s not to like? We think this simple and artsy dog bed is a great option for homes filled with lots of fun and laughter.
2. The L.L. Bean (20×25 up to 40×52, $49-99, plus monogramming)
As far as we’re concerned, L.L. Bean beds are classics – the gold standard of dog beds. They’re durable and last forever, plus they come in all different sizes and colors, so they work for a variety of dog types and interiors. And of course, we love the personalized versions. Wouldn’t Spot like to snuggle up on his own name?
3. The Atmosphere (19×19.5×8, $99)
Maybe it’s because it reminds us of the Papasan chair that graced our teenage bedroom, but we are a little bit in love with this circular doggie bed. It’s more appropriate for smaller dogs, who will look adorable curled up in its cushion.
4. Molly Mutt’s Bird Bed (22×27 to 36×35, $23-48)
This bed is both seriously inexpensive and seriously cute. We love the red fabric and the sweet little bird – and we really love the price. Only $23 for the smallest size? We’ll take ten!
5. Fatboy’s Doggie Lounge (32×24 or 32×48, $99)
Fatboy is known for its comfortable, bright, casual products – so it’s no surprise that they make a great dog bed! The bed is squishy and soft and comes in just about every color imaginable.
6. The Camp Cot (22×22 up to 34×34, $39-59)
Everybody loves a hammock, right? So why would your puppy be any exception? We love this simple little bed for beach trips and lazy days spent outside in the summer. It’s perfect for warmer climates, where dogs can get as overheated as people, and has a cool stripe that simply screams “summer.”
8. Tropical Island Bamboo Bed (22.5×18.5×11, $75.95)
Speaking of warmer climates, we love the island elegance of this bamboo bed. In fact, it’s pretty enough that we were surprised it fit in our “under $100″ category! It’s got a lot of what we love – simple lines but a bit of detail, and a great deep stain on the wood. Plus, again – under $100!
Finally, even though it’s not a “dog bed,” when we saw these adorable cushions (16×16, $49.95 for the set of two), we couldn’t resist sharing them?
Too cute, aren’t they? We’re not just dog-lovers, we’re suckers for dog-related decor, too. Pillows like these? They make us want to sit up and beg.
8 Dog Beds Fancy Enough for Man’s VERY Best Friend
Here at Alluminare, we are dog people. There is just something about coming home after a long, hard day to an excited pup that will always make us smile. Dogs are loving, generous, loyal and even if they do occasionally chew the wrong shoe, it’s impossible to stay mad at them.
All of that means that we want to treat them well, right? To us, that means that Spot deserves a bed that’s not only super comfortable, but is also super stylish. After all, if we deserve great design, why don’t our dogs?
We went hunting for the best and brightest of the dog beds out there and found nine that we absolutely adore. Of course, that’s easy to say when the sky’s the limit, budget-wise – and in this case, we let money be no object. Even if you can’t afford to pamper your pup quite this much, it’s always fun to dream, right?
1. The Dog Pod (smaller dogs only, $598-698 depending on wood)
It’s like “an Eames chair for your dog” – amazing design combined with comfort. We love the swoopy curves of the pod (and the fluffy cushion).
2. The (Faux) Vintage Mink Sleigh Bed (35×24x18, $600)
For the puppy with more traditional tastes (and a penchant for fur), the sleigh bed is the ultimate luxury. It’s all drama, isn’t it? We can just imagine the Joan Collins of dogs reclining on the bed.
3. The Philipp Plein Sofa (about $1500)
For the dog who’s a dedicated modernist. We see a lot of Mies van der Rohe in this dog bed – and the price tag reflects that. It really is perfect, though, in a minimal and modern interior. The leather is faux, so it’s easier to clean, but the angles are all mid-century. Unfortunately, it’s no longer available via regular retailers, so if you fall in love with it, tracking one down on eBay might be your best bet.
4. The Pet Euro Couch (30×25 to 48×37, $149.95)
Simple, sleek, comfortable. The lines of this little doggie sofa will fit with any subtley designed interior – and it looks like one of the more comfortable of the high design dog beds.
5. The Kittypod (28×20, $320)
We admit it – this bed is actually designed for cats. But we promise your pooch won’t know (as long as he’s pretty small). We just love the design so much and think it would make a great aesthetic addition to so many rooms.
6. Holden Designs’ Walnut Bed (22×27, $199.95)
Gorgeous, sculptural, Eames-influenced. What more could a design-obsessed doggie want?
7. The Cosmopolitan (41×24x6, $245)
We like the Cosmopolitan because it’s big enough to accommodate larger dogs, while many of the more style-conscious dog beds cater to the little guys. Plus, it’s streamlined and available in a couple of sunny colors, so it’ll do more than blend in.
8. The Custom Design (sky’s the limit)
When interior designer Todd Romano wanted to add a bed for his own dog, he turned to furniture designer John Rosselli for help. The result? A tiny Louis XV-inspired bed of brocade. Is this a budget-conscious route? Not at all. But is it fabulous? Absolutely.
Are these a little pricey for your pooch? Stay tuned for next week’s post: amazing dog beds under $100! Don’t worry – there are a lot of great ones out there!
5 Creative Uses for Stretched Canvas Wall Art
Last week, we wrote a little about what we love about stretched canvas wall art – namely that it’s not very expensive and it looks cool. Some discussion got us thinking, though – stretched canvases are good for so many different things. It’s great in different spaces and has uses that expand well beyond your standard over-the-sofa-painting (though it’s good for that, too).
Some of our favorite uses:
1. Room Divider
We love wide open spaces, but also acknowledge that sometimes, you just need a little division. We love room dividers in all shapes and sizes – bookshelves, screens, you name it. And while we haven’t personally seen an example of this, we think it would be pretty cool to hang a few canvases from the ceiling in a vertical pattern to divide two spaces. We like the graphic pattern on the right from Modern Digital Canvas ($199 for 34″ x 25″) and would stack a few to create a look like the divider on the left:
Kind of mod and cool, right?
2. Headboard
We love this DIY look:
While using stretched canvases as an official headboard would require some shoring up to make the canvases themselves a little more durable, we definitely like the idea of placing one or two large canvases directly over a headboard-less bed to create a simple, funky faux headboard look. Plus, a safe one. The canvases are typically pretty light, so even if they fall (in an earthquake, for example), they won’t cause too much damage.
Design-wise, we’d stick with something simple like Dwell’s dot canvases ($84 for 22″ x 26″):
Wouldn’t that look great on a wall in deep blue or green?
3. Nursery
The same features that make stretched canvases attractive over grownup beds – their relatively light weight and the ease of anchoring them to the wall – make them doubly attractive in kids’ rooms. Every baby deserves some great art, but no parent wants to risk a heavy frame falling on their little angel’s head. And, if we’re being honest here, art lovers probably want to keep the fine, expensive stuff away from grubby little baby fingers and spit-up used as finger paint.
There’s lots of kid-themed art available, but why not encourage a little art appreciation? Mark Rothko is one of our favorite artists and we especially love his kid-friendly color field paintings (like the one below, which is $114.99 for 24″ x 18″ at Overstock.com). Both Overstock and Art.com also have extensive collections of established artists’ works printed on stretched canvas.
4. Hide Stuff
Most houses aren’t perfect and most apartments are even worse – which means that there are all sorts of bumps and cracks and bruises that can’t be completely disguised even with the best paint job. That’s where stretched canvas can come in. Since it’s available relatively inexpensively, even when it’s huge, it’s a great way to cover all sorts of nicks and bruises.
Imagine how messy this wall could be just behind that print:
This de Stael print is $299, but at 54 inches by 36 inches, it will cover a whole lot of imperfections:
Plus, it’s great-looking!
5. In the Bathroom
Bathrooms are, literally, hot boxes. And little rooms filled with steam and heat are absolute murder on artwork. While stretched canvases are not usually waterproof, they can be quite inexpensive, which makes them a good choice for extra-steamy bathrooms:
We’re fans of cheeky art in the bathroom and we think there’s something weirdly funny about bathing under the watchful gaze of Bill Murray or John Candy, from Etsy seller Lake Illustration ($19 for 11″ x 16.5″):
Plus, at under $20, a little humidity-triggered warping won’t be the end of the world.
Where else would you use stretched canvases?
[Photo Credits: Sotto Retrochic room divider from Target. Dots from Modern Digital Canvas. Headboard and bathroom from Houzz.com. Nursery from Apartment Therapy. Rothko from Overstock.com.
Design Inspiration: More Sex and the Single Girl (This Time She Cooks)
Are we obsessed?
We’re still having so much fun thinking about Sex and the Single Girl – especially since we got our hands on a copy of Helen Gurley Brown’s follow up cookbook, Single Girl’s Cookbook. It includes some real gems, like Rhett Butler’s Casserole You Can Feed Any Man, which involves pork chops, canned sweet potatoes, and thinly sliced oranges (and yes, given that recipe, it does seem like Ms. Brown, like Rhett, just doesn’t give a damn, doesn’t it?). We love the prose, of course, but we’re really more taken with some of the great illustrations, like these:
Love that jumpsuit. Not to wear, maybe, but perfect for pillows. And check out the busy working woman, moving seamlessly from boardroom to kitchen:
Pretty fab, isn’t she? The cookbook was published in 1969, five years after the movie came out, which explains some of the aesthetic differences. It’s not hard, though, to imagine those women working in this office (we can’t resist posting this picture again):
The cooking girls, though, might be just a little more modern. Chances are they’d be stuck with a tiny apartment kitchen (and chances are it would not be as amazing as Mario Batali’s tiny apartment kitchen). But when a single girl is hosting guests, a big kitchen isn’t necessary – it’s really all about the dining space.
We think Brown’s movie character would simply die for this Miami Beach dining room:
We love the black and white and dark would palette and the sharp lines of the furniture. Plus, who can resist an enormous mirror? The room is sophisticated and sexy and modern, all at once.
Or maybe she’d serve fondue neuchateloise (page 90) around a coffee table in the living room (very late ’60s of her, right?):
We love how this space combines the clean lines and angles of the movie’s furniture with the brighter colors of the cookbook’s cover (without getting too bright). We’d add a big, low coffee table in a dark stain (you need someplace for the fondue!) and some additional pattern – a little of that jumpsuit flair – in the form of throw pillows that could go on the sofa or the floor:
We think the Alluminare pillow in Moroccan Medallion in Rust, Chocolate Milk, and Chocolate would do just the trick – adding some excitment and exotic mystery for our Single Girl without overpowering the rest of the room.
We’re still not sold on Brown’s recipes, but we certainly do like her look!
[Photo credits: Office from Sweet Sunday Mornings. Dining room and family room from Houzz.com. Pillow from Alluminare.]
Cheap and Chic: 5 Things We Love about Stretched Canvas Wall Art
Last week, Friday regaled us with her tale of creating wall art for her living room. Her pieces, made with Linoak on Second fabric stretched over wooden frames, ended up looking fabulous and were a) easy to make and b) seriously inexpensive. What more could you ask for?
Reading her story inspired us to look for some other uses – and sources – for stretched canvas wall art and we realized that there’s much to love about it. It was tough, but we narrowed it down to the top five reasons we love stretched canvases – and we included a few great sources in our list, too:
1. It’s versatile.
Stretched wall art is at home all over the house – we especially like it in open kitchens that flow into living areas. Wouldn’t this Eames rocking chair print from Inhabit be perfect in a casual modern house?
2. It’s easy to hang.
We admit it – we sometimes find it a little annoying to hang framed art, especially when the frames are ornate. It’s much easier to hang something that’s a basic shape, defined by clean, straight lines.
3. It’s modern and can be quite sophisticated.
Wall art comes in all sizes and colors and patterns, but we found that bright, childlike prints get the most press. They’re great – but it’s sort of a shame that some of the more grown-up designs don’t get more publicity. We love the idea of a modern, formal dining room outfitted in cream and deep brown, with walls adorned with this mossy print from Design Public:
4. Kids love them.
OK, now we’re backtracking. Yes, they can be sophisticated and perfectly at home in a fancy dining room. But then again…maybe it’s the simplicity of an unframed canvas, or maybe it’s that the visibility of the shapes makes it easy to imagine a little one saying, “Look, Mommy, it’s a square!” but we think stretched canvas art makes for absolutely fantastic nursery and playroom decor.
DwellStudio has a variety of prints available at Design Public, including these adorable cars and shapes:
We also love the idea of monogramming a child’s wall, or even spelling out a whole word, with these simple letter prints from Avalisa:
5. You don’t have to feel guilty not using them forever.
Don’t want to spend a million dollars on paintings that will hang in your child’s nursery for four or five years, max? Or in your kitchen, where it might get hit by an errand splat of ketchup? That’s completely understandable and that’s our last reason for loving stretched canvas art – most of it rings in under $100. Way under, sometimes: this adorable little squirrel print, by Amenity, is only $25 at Design Public!
Where else around the house would you use stretched canvases? In the bath? The garage? Maybe on a screened in porch? Please share your ideas – and your sources, if you’re willing to give them up – in the comments.
[Photo credits: Eames rocker from Inhabit. Green and white Amenity print and Amenity nursery print (on shelf) from Design Public. Dwell nursery from Houzz.com. Letter print from Avalisa.]
Design Inspiration: Sex and the Single Girl
We’ve been talking a lot lately about Sex and the Single Girl – Helen Gurley Brown’s famously naughty book (naughty for the early ’60s, that is) and the 1964 movie adaptation, starring Natalie Wood as a young, beautiful pyschologist who’s written a book about, well, sex and the single girl, and Tony Curtis as the sleazy reporter angling for an interview (and who becomes her love interest).
Mostly, we can’t stop talking about the amazing interiors in the movie. We’re so inspired by the early ’60s aesthetic. The main character, named Dr. Brown, has an office and apartment that are both fantastic studies in mid-century design that combine modern and traditional elements, and a cool black and white palette, with sophisticated results.
We’re positively salivating over Dr. Brown’s amazing desk, which combines dark wood with an almost beachy screen. It’s great-looking and we haven’t seen anything similar – we’re daydreaming now about having one custom built (or getting lucky and finding one in an out of the way consignment shop).
Dr. Brown’s apartment is equally fabulous – we’re especially enamored with her side tables:
All that black and white! The clean, graceful legs on the furniture! The symmetry! The room was designed 45 years ago, but feels pretty fresh today. It reminded us of this modern take on the symmetrical space:
At Dr. Brown’s apartment, her bedroom is just as grown-up and great as her living room (as it should be – after all, she is all about “sex and the single girl”!). Again, we love the legs on her furniture. Plus, in this case, we think her dressing table looks great topped with a bunch of bottles and trinkets:
We’d adapt those lines – and the bottle-topped look – in an airy entryway:
Back in Dr. Brown’s office, we’re totally taken with the striped lounge she provides for her psychology patients:
From the square shape to the austere stripe, we think it’s fantastic. Both the shape and the color combination would be great in a bedroom – we love this one:
And we’re wondering if decorator Miles Redd had the movie in the back (or front) of his mind when he decked out his kitchen in black and white stripes:
Whenever we see a movie like “Sex and the Single Girl,” we’re just in awe of all of the great design. Of course, design inspiration doesn’t always have to be so literal, either – we’re often inspired by characters’ outfits or by the overall look and feel of a film. What movies inspire you?
[Photo credits: Color movie stills from Sweet Sunday Mornings. Black & white movie still from IMDB. Symmetrical living room from Apartment Therapy. Entryway with blue bottles from My Favorite and My Best. Black and white bedroom from The World According to Jessica Claire. Miles Redd kitchen from Casa Sugar.]
10 Throw Pillows that Make Us Smile
We confess: we love, love, love a nice throw pillow. The best throw pillows can change the look of a whole room – and they’re inexpensive to boot. Decorating with an ever-evolving collection of throw pillows is one of our favorite ways to keep our home looking fresh and ready for each approaching season.
We’re in a springtime mood these days (obviously! It’s April!), so we went in search of some great pillows that will add some fresh air to our stale, just-out-of-winter interiors. We found more lovely pillows than we could count, but here are our 10 favorites:
Anthropologie is absolutely brilliant at creating unique, fun home accessories, like this pillow, which asks the age old question, “which came first”"
We love the cheeky subject, not to mention the edgy lime-and-tomato color combo.
Etsy is one amazing place to find truly one-of-a-kind home finds – especially pillows. It can be overwhelming, actually! We love all the pillows by Etsy seller VeeDubz, but this “tree of life” graphic is our favorite:
Great color and neat, simple design. We think this pillow would work perfectly in a kid’s room, a family room, or even the kitchen.
Pigtown Design is another Etsy favorite of ours (and favorite blogger). She’s recently started frequenting a warehouse that sells leftover stock of very fancy fabrics, and she’s begun making fantastic pillows with her finds. For spring, we’re all about toile and we love this Charlestown town toile fabric she found:
We love Wendy and her “shabby nest” (that’s shabby in the chic way, of course). We also can’t get enough of her pillows, which she makes herself. They’re sweet and very, very pretty:
Nina van der Goor’s blog is one of our favorite places to get design information – her combination of bright color and Scandinavian minimalism is right up our alley. So are these fun pillows in her living room:
They’d be a cinch to make yourself, too – just find the right fabric and make a simple pattern and you’re in business!
6. The Carioca
Summer begs for bright colors and big patterns, doesn’t it? That’s why we love our very own Carioca pillow in cantaloupe, aurora red, orange and pale buttercup:
It doesn’t get much more energetic than red and orange…though we also love that the pattern itself has some traditional elements, so it can help brighten up even conservative spaces.
7. The Lilly Pulitzer Treasure Chest
This spring, Lilly Pulitzer and Garnet Hill announced they were partnering on a new line of bed linens and preppy girls all over the world went wild. The resulting patterns are – no surprise – a lot of fun. So much fun, in fact, that we think they could move from bed to sofa. We especially love the island bright patterns of the Treasure Chest collection:
A little bit India Hicks, right?
8. The Brunschwig & Fils Fabriano
Some of our favorite Very Fancy Fabrics come from the textile designers at Brunschwig & Fils (even the name sounds fancy). For spring, we love the idea of lightening up a traditional living room with pillows made of a delicate, but fun, pattern, like the B&F Fabriano in butter:
9. The Alvine Floral from IKEA
Ah, IKEA. Our home for all things Swedish and really, really cheap. It’s the perfect place to lay your hands on some super fun accessories that don’t need to last more than one season. This year, we love the Alvine Floral, which has fun flowers on one side and great stripes on the other. A perfect combination!
10. The Knitted Pouf
Who says pillow have to be, well, pillow-shaped? CB2, the more modern, less expensive spinoff of Crate & Barrel, is full of fun home accessories, including this adorable pouf:
Its color is great for spring – we love lime! – but it’s knitted texture makes it a fantastic year-round addition to the home.
What are your favorite places to find great pillows? Any secrets to share?
