House Things

The breadth of the wonders of Etsy is clear from this first post of this wonderful ampersand pillow from Diffraction Fiber’s shop. This version is peacock blue — which you can certainly buy — but you can also literally pick from dozens of colors and then she’ll make it exactly how you want — for $28! Her pillows are all made from eco-felt, which is 100 percent recycled plastic bottles. The back is an envelope enclosure so you can remove the cover for easy washing.

If you’re into vintage furniture, you’ll love KL Upholstery’s shop, which features a number of vintage pieces meticulously restored and reupholstered. These club chairs from the ’60s are just one sample of the goodies she has there. Covered in an aqua and brown-striped light chenille, the chairs can be purchased individually for $425 each or $800 for the pair.

And for those who like a more modern twist, this unusual coffee table from Michael Arrars‘ shop might be just the thing. Talk about going in circles. This one-of-a-kind table is made from pieces of high-grade birch plywood. Each segment is connected to the others with mortise-and-tenon joints, making it virtually indestructible. It’s top coated with a durable, water-based, semi-gloss finish. Assembly only takes five minutes. Size is about 24″ at its larges spots, and it is 15″ tall. Price is $249.

Looking for some unusual candlesticks? These Florentine carved wood ones from Restoration Hardware certainly got my attention. Inspired by the Italian Renaissance, the come in a variety of sizes, each of which features its own design. The mix-and-match here would make an eclectic grouping on a mantel or in a corner. They are sized for pillar candles up to 3″ and range in height from 14″ to 48″. Prices range from $39-$199. No available in stores. And while you’re on the site, check out the sale. There are some real bargains in the mix.

You will never regard cement in the same way after seeing the amazing cement bowls and platters in Impure Vessels‘ shop on Etsy. Etsy, for those who may not be familiar with it, is an online department store of all things handmade. I post each Thursday on my favorite picks, but I couldn’t hold off on this one.

See what I mean? The colors are stunning and the shapes just lovely. They can be used indoors or out, although she recommends bringing them inside if you live somewhere that’s cold in the winter. All have been sealed to resist staining and to hold water. Just stunning. This one, which is 12.5″ wide and 4.5″ high, is $90.

World to Home is a website dedicated to bringing unique home decor from around the world to your computer screen and then, hopefully, to your doorstep. A reader of this blog hooked me up to this site so I thought I would share some of its goodies with you. Take this personal fireplace from the Mediterranean. The very manageable 11.5″ X 10″ X 10″ means you can create a fireplace just about anywhere. The base is concrete and a hurricane glass is the “fireplace.” It comes in other sizes as well and burns a real flame. Price is $119.

These lighted branches, which come in everything from pussy willows to plum trees to orchids, also caught my eye. What a wonderful way to accent a dark corner or bring a little pop to a mantel in the right vase. You can choose from 96 lights on three stems to 60 lights on two stems to 20 lights on 2 stems. Prices vary depending on size.

Regular readers know I’m a fan of polka dots. It’s something I inherited from my mother, who had wonderful style in general. Whenever I see polka dots, I think of her. Anyway, given my dot weakness, it’s no surprise I was drawn to the dotted ceramics of Chutney Baker Design on Etsy.

This hand-painted 9″ X 9″ plate is just one of her many polka dot options, from bowls and picture frames to plates. If you’re a dot fan, you’ll want to click on her shop link for sure. Price is a very reasonable $24.50.

Next up is an unusual candle cover from Warpe Design’s shop.

The paper cover is approximately 3.5″ in diameter and 4.25″ high. It ships as a flat 12″ strip with simple tab & slot assembly that keeps shipping costs low and storage very easy! Obviously since it’s made of paper, you would need to use either a glass tea light container or electric LED tea light, but what a clever way to make something big out of something so little. I love the delicate design here of the punctured paper. It’s one of those projects I think I could do my self, but I know I wouldn’t. Plus I suspect it’s harder than I realize. Price is $18.

Finally a stunning Flame Box Elder turned bowl from Sticks and Pics. I am always amazed by wood-turned objects. I just have no idea how anyone can turn something that seems so intractable into something so dramatically different. The The “flame” comes from the delicate, watercolor like brush strokes of various shades of beautiful reds suffused throughout the wood. This medium sized bowl is 7 5/8″ wide and 3 1/2″ deep and costs $65.

I’m not a huge fan of Lilly Pulitzer — a little too bright for me — but her vibrant Palm Beach style might be just the thing to update your bathroom for spring and summer. Her new home collection at Garnet Hill features everything from comforters to the shower curtains featured here. If you like bold, you’ll like these. Prices start at $88.

Here’s a great idea for updating your worn candlestick holders: colorful sleeves. Made from art paper and cardboard by Kaarskoker, these are suggested to work best on the company’s own candlestick holders of course, but it seems as if you can retrofit them to other sizes as well. They also provide them for chandeliers and sconces. I think they’re a clever inexpensive way to quickly update a room for a special event or seasonally. What do you think? Prices range from $12-23. Kaarskoker, by the way, is a combination of the Dutch words, kaars for candle and koker for sleeve.

I first saw hanging lamps like this on Apartment Therapy when Max cleverly created one for his young daughter using inexpensive paper bulbs (see post here). I had serious lamp envy and immediately wondered if I had a room where I could recreate the same thing. (short answer: no). Not surprisingly, I was drawn to these pendant George Nelson Bubble lamps at Modernica. This ball, which is 15.5″H x 19″D, is $359. They have a ton of other sizes and shapes too. Which one do you like?