House Things

I’ve posted about Uncommon Goods before, but thought I’d pick something that caught my eye and got me thinking about spring. I KNOW it’s early for those of us who live in the Northeast, but seeing these brightly colored garden bulbs just made me feel so hopeful and optimistic. I could just picture them swaying in the summer breeze, the sun filtering through their globes by day and the light sparkling off them in the trees or bushes by night. The hand-blown balls are powered by the sun to light up at night. The panel can be staked, hung or mounted. Price is $50 for a set of six.

Or maybe this solo colorful orb as an accent in one of your gardens? This hand-blown globe is also powered by a solar LED light. It sits atop a brushed steel stake and is about 35″ high. Price is $45. Spring will be here before we know it!

It’s Thursday, the day to officially celebrate all things Etsy. What wonders will I find today?

This one isn’t particularly practical, but since when does that have to be a reason to fall in love with something? These white porcelain mini-vases are part of Rou Design’s shop. Each is about 2″ high and 2″ in diameter. They are high fired porcelain with a clear glaze. I think they’re just perfect for single buds as she has done here. What a lovely way to brighten a dark corner of a desk or in a windowsill. Price is $30 for the trio.

After being inspired by Rou, I decided to stick with ceramics and pottery, and the small is better theme. This bud vase from Incidental Potter’s shop seemed an apt choice. I am a big fan of all things green so I loved its use as an accent here. This bud vase was thrown on a potter’s wheel and glazed with a lead-free/food safe glaze. Height is 5.25″. Price is a reasonable $17.

And finally, this little text bowl from Paloma’s Nest. It is handmade and hand-stamped, and was designed to be a place to hold a wedding ring, but I just think it’s a perfect receptacle for anything that’s special to you. Each bowl is about 3 1/2″ in size, just the size of the palm of your hand. If this one doesn’t grab you, check out her site. She has plenty of others with different messages. Could be just the personalized Valentine’s Day gift you’re looking for. Price is $22.

Want to update your room and give yourself something cozy for these cold winter nights at the same time? Consider adding a throw to your pillow collection on the sofa. These Shanghai throws over at Company C, a design company started by a husband and wife duo. caught my eye. I love the muted colors and the weave. Each is $78. I particularly liked the wisteria, although the mandarin would look better in my family room.

Today’s post is for Kim, who asked me, via our new Facebook page (click here to become a fan) to help find her some iron candle holders. She’s a new condo owner and all psyched about decorating her new space. I’m a little jealous over this completely blank canvas she’s got to do whatever she wants with. Anyway, I’m not sure this is the style she’s interested in, but there are a ton of other options at Wrought Iron Decor Store. Just click  and start surfing. Finished in Rustic Montana Rust, the Costa Trio pillar holders are designed with a unique scroll base. Each pillar holds a 3″ candle. The large measures 13″x4″x4″, medium 11″x4″x4″, small measures 8″x4″x4″. Price is $49.99 for the trio. The store has a ton of other cool wrought iron goodies too, so I’ll be checking back closer to spring to let you know about outdoor and garden items.

George Balock of Balock Woodworking says in his shop at 1000 Markets that every bowl has a story. The story of this silver maple burl hollow form with spirals must be about beauty because this piece is absolutely stunning. The five spirals, he writes in his shop description, were carved to enhance the overall form. He added an oil varnish finish to enhance the sheen. The result is a showstopper. It is about 9 inches wide and 7 inches tall. Price is $475. If you want to drool over other bowls and hand-turned goodies by Balock, there’s plenty to choose from. Once you’re at 1000 Markets, either look under woodworking or type in Balock Woodturning.

Stopped by Anthropologie and found, oh I don’t know, about a dozen things I could have purchased instantly if money were no object, which it sadly is. Always. Anyway this mechanics beacon light would add a certain industrial flair to the right space. It takes a 60 watt bulb and comes in brown only, with a 120″ cord. Price is $148.

It’s Etsy time and for my new readers on Facebook, that’s the day of the week when I pick three things from Etsy, the amazing virtual department store of all things handmade. It’s a place where you can easily get lost for a long time, and I do each week as I “work.” (Yes, you can hate me, and if you want to become a fan of life@home magazine on Facebook, the monthly glossy magazine I edit about home and lifestyle, click here.)

Anyway up first on today’s Etsy celebration is this fabulous pendant/drum lampshade from Dot and Line’s shop. I am in the market for some new lampshades and this one might just do the trick. Lampshades are a fairly inexpensive way to update a lamp and suddenly add a bit of pop to a room. This one features Amy Butler fabric and is best suited for a medium/large lamp or floor lamp. It would also look very cool as a hanging pendant lamp in the right space. Price is $64.95. If this one doesn’t do it for you, check out the multitude of other shades in her shop. The owner, who hails from Twins Falls, says lighting and design are her passions and she’s not kidding!

Unusual mirrors always turn a wall from drab to fab. This one that’s inspired by Navajo is kind of cool, don’t you think? It’s 35″ X 44″ and comes complete with heavy hooks for hanging. Price is $750. The owner of Ledgan1 comes from Palm Springs, California, and offers other hand=painted mirror frames and marquetry frames as well if mirrors are not your thing.

And finally, if you’ve got a wall or a corner you just don’t know how to handle, you might consider wall decals. Basically art for the commitmentphobic, wall decals are temporary stickers that you can put on your wall…until you don’t want to anymore. Then you just take them off. I became a fan about two years ago and have used them to great effect in different spots. PopWall is a shop I haven’t visited until today but I thought their work was quite stylish. Here are a few to whet your appetite. They’ve got a ton more here. Prices seem to start at around $65 and go up from there, depending on size etc.

While I have very little wallpaper in my home, I have a thing for beautiful wallpaper and have visions, in my fantasy home — you all have one of these don’t you, where you don’t have to think about anybody’s taste but your own and you do EXACTLY what you want in each and every room and it’s all fabulous? — anyway I dream of creating interesting accent walls or rooms of lovely lovely wallpaper. So when I saw a posting about Graham and Brown, a venerable British wallpaper company that now has a US website, on Apartment Therapy, I immediately clicked…and fell in love. Look over these images and I dare you not to as well.