Friday, June 27, 2014

Featured Designer: Tord Boontje

Happy Friday! I'm so excited for the weekend, first of all it's a three day weekend for me which means more time for projects. Lately I have been fascinated by unique light fixtures, particularly pendant lights. As I was browsing Houzz (one of my absolute favorite resources for local designers, inspiration, products, and more!) and I came across this gorgeous brass garland pendant by Tord Boontje (don't ask me how to pronounce THAT one!). Take a look:




It was love at first sight, and I got even more excited when I discovered that you actually form it yourself so each one is unique. I will definitely be investing in one of these puppies as soon as my wallet allows. The best part is, they aren't that expensive! I found the one pictured above on Amazon for only $72 with free shipping!

Tord is a designer from the Netherlands who has worked with a range of international companies such as Shiseido, Yamaha, Hewlett Packard, Bisazza, Target, Philips, Kvadrat, Alexander McQueen, Perrier-Jouët, Nanimarquina, Artecnica, Authentics, Meta and has continued his work with Swarovski, Moroso, and Habitat. In addition to his beautiful lighting designs, he also has an array of tableware, jewelry, fashion, accessories, stationary, and books. Check out his online store here

All of his work is very whimsical and enchanting. Here are a few of my other favorite things by him:



Transglass, made from recycled bottles:


Table Stories: a collection of porcelain and glass tableware filled with drawings of flowers, deer, squirrel, birds, bear, butterflies, horses, bunnies and a peacock:


Have a fantastic weekend, until next time!!

xo












Wednesday, June 25, 2014

Design Dish with Michaela Warner

Happy hump day my friends! Today I will be sharing my interview with the beautiful and talented interior designer Michaela Warner of Michaela Noelle Designs. As I develop as a designer, I find that learning from others is imperative--whether they are decades ahead of me in their career or just a few years, there is always something to learn and I get to have fun in the process!





Like me, Michaela was born and raised in the beautiful San Francisco bay area. How lucky we are to live in a place that is so diverse and inspiring! After discovering her blog and falling in love with her aesthetic and approach, I reached out to see if she would be willing to answer a few questions for my blog and she very kindly accepted! Yay! Since she is now living in Michigan, she agreed to a virtual interview. Take a peek:



When did your passion for interiors begin?

 I've always loved decorating, being creative, and crafting things for my room or house (or my parent's house!) It wasn't until freshman year of high school when I realized I could ACTUALLY do this for a living and go to school to become a designer. The passion for interiors and homes has always been there, though. I used to draw floor plans on scratch paper and then come home and build the floor plans out of block all across my bedroom floor!

follow the jump to read more!

Wednesday, June 18, 2014

Etsy Stores Worth Visiting

Etsy is one of my favorite sites to scour for treasures. It is jam-packed with talented DIY-ers selling their products. It can be so exciting to find something you love for your home as well as support independent business owners. You are also more likely to get unique pieces that few others will have, which is always a plus in my book! Here are some of my latest discoveries from this amazing online marketplace...

DendroCo

If you are a fan of reclaimed wood and wrought iron hairpin legs (which I LOVE), then this is the store for you. Based out of Chicago, Il, they make everything from reclaimed wood dining tables, to benches, bar stools, coffee tables, wine racks, media stands, chairs, kitchen counters, and much more! And their prices aren't bad either, the console table pictured below is only $180.



I'm crazy into tribal patterns/kilim rugs right now and this store has some incredible throw pillows I've been drooling over... With over 70 pages of inventory, you are bound to find something you'll love!


mahzerandvee


"Home accessories in Color" is how this husband and wife team describSes their store. They are obsessed with 
color and you can tell by looking at their pieces! Usually you see busts in white or grey, natural stone tones. 
But mahzerandvee takes it to a whole new level...take a look:




You may recall that I'm a big fan of textiles from India from this post. Kantha quilts are so beautiful and are made from old sari scraps so each one is unique. They are fantastic to fold up at the end of your bed to add a punch of color, or to throw on the couch for a cozy evening in. I selected this Etsy shop in particular due to their amazingly low prices!



This shop based out of Thessaloniki, Greece boasts beautiful geometric light fixtures and organically shaped paper mache bowls in beautiful pastels and metallic shades:

Next week I will be interviewing a special guest, so stay tuned!!!!