House Things

A lot of bird feeders are more function than form. This one from Joe Papendick‘s shop on Etsy, though, is a stunner that would add a bit of art to your backyard. Hand crafted and welded from steel and copper, it is about 6 feet tall.  The design allows for the roots of surface vegetation to reach through and firmly anchor the piece into the ground. The top ‘feeder’ portion is designed to allow for enough gentle movement to replicate the subtle natural motion of tree branches. Price is $325.

Clearly I’ve got a metal thing going this week on Tope Three Thursdays, our weekly celebration of all things Etsy. Just take a gander at this fabulous holiday display from West Vintage Trading Co.

Each electric star fixture is made out of wood and metal. There is a in-line switch that turns the lights on and off and you can get them in colored lights if you prefer. Size is 24 X 24″. Price is $150. Meets UL specifications. LOVE THIS!

And finally, something decidedly not metallic. As regular readers know, one of my fantasies is about starting a reupholstery business in which I find sad furniture, re-paint/sand/reupholster, and sell it to adoring fans on places like Etsy. Delusional I know but in the meantime, I also stop when I see someone like the mother-daughter team behind  Found Design Miami who is doing it.

This ottoman started out as a small table with a marble top circa 1960. They removed the outdated marble and built a cushion upholstered with a hand silkscreened Dia de los Muertos fabric. Just perfect I think. Price is $75.

A lot of bird feeders are more function than form. This one from Joe Papendick‘s shop on Etsy, though, is a stunner that would add a bit of art to your backyard. Hand crafted and welded from steel and copper, it is about 6 feet tall.  The design allows for the roots of surface vegetation to reach through and firmly anchor the piece into the ground. The top ‘feeder’ portion is designed to allow for enough gentle movement to replicate the subtle natural motion of tree branches. Price is $325.

Clearly I’ve got a metal thing going this week on Tope Three Thursdays, our weekly celebration of all things Etsy. Just take a gander at this fabulous holiday display from West Vintage Trading Co.

Each electric star fixture is made out of wood and metal. There is a in-line switch that turns the lights on and off and you can get them in colored lights if you prefer. Size is 24 X 24″. Price is $150. Meets UL specifications. LOVE THIS!

And finally, something decidedly not metallic. As regular readers know, one of my fantasies is about starting a reupholstery business in which I find sad furniture, re-paint/sand/reupholster, and sell it to adoring fans on places like Etsy. Delusional I know but in the meantime, I also stop when I see someone like the mother-daughter team behind  Found Design Miami who is doing it.

This ottoman started out as a small table with a marble top circa 1960. They removed the outdated marble and built a cushion upholstered with a hand silkscreened Dia de los Muertos fabric. Just perfect I think. Price is $75.

This unique chandelier from Typewriter Boneyard caught my eye on Etsy to kick off Top Three Thursdays. Made from reclaimed wood from an old Coca-Cola pallet, features12 vintage trouble lights hung at various lengths. I think it would look great in a loft or office, maybe even a kitchen over an island? It’s a splurge at $3200, but what a conversation piece.

I know this next item is for your yard and here in the Northeast, outdoor time is shrinking. But this fabulous firepit made me stop in my tracks. It’s such a step up from the typical circular moveable firepit. (It would also look good in your yard sitting in the snow as a sculpture of sorts.) Called the FireBowl, it’s made by Modern Metal Work. Each one is individually hand-crafted in New Jersey from mostly reclaimed resources. Price is $925 and each is guaranteed for life.

And finally this funky table lamp made from, yes, old cassette tapes. (Cassette tapes for those of you from the digital age pre-date CDs and were used for movies, etc. Very old school.) These are specially chosen white opaque tapes so the light will diffuse through. Not likely good for reading but how terrific for ambiance. Creator is Raw Dezign, who has a ton other interesting lights in his shop. Price is about $41 since it comes from the UK.

This unique chandelier from Typewriter Boneyard caught my eye on Etsy to kick off Top Three Thursdays. Made from reclaimed wood from an old Coca-Cola pallet, features12 vintage trouble lights hung at various lengths. I think it would look great in a loft or office, maybe even a kitchen over an island? It’s a splurge at $3200, but what a conversation piece.

I know this next item is for your yard and here in the Northeast, outdoor time is shrinking. But this fabulous firepit made me stop in my tracks. It’s such a step up from the typical circular moveable firepit. (It would also look good in your yard sitting in the snow as a sculpture of sorts.) Called the FireBowl, it’s made by Modern Metal Work. Each one is individually hand-crafted in New Jersey from mostly reclaimed resources. Price is $925 and each is guaranteed for life.

And finally this funky table lamp made from, yes, old cassette tapes. (Cassette tapes for those of you from the digital age pre-date CDs and were used for movies, etc. Very old school.) These are specially chosen white opaque tapes so the light will diffuse through. Not likely good for reading but how terrific for ambiance. Creator is Raw Dezign, who has a ton other interesting lights in his shop. Price is about $41 since it comes from the UK.

Back in the day, I was a flamingo fan. I just thought they were kitschy and funny. My husband didn’t — still doesn’t — and it was not uncommon for my flamingos to suddenly be discovered legless and therefore unusable. My husband would feign shock and surprise, but I think we all know where those legs went.  Anyway, he might have liked this funny garden decoration called, aptly, Gnomes Be Gone. Just instead of gnomes, he would have placed flamingo. You can get this at Uncommon Goods for $125.

Object Mythology is a mixed bag website that features everyting form bags, scarves and vintage jewelry to room and wall furnishings. These vintage seltzer bottles would be perfect for a patio or garden party, now that summer has officially kicked off. The bottles, which are from Argentina, are about 12 inches high and 4 inches in diameter and come in a variety of colors, depending on the maker. Prices range from $95 to $125.

Memorial Day is this coming weekend, marking the unofficial start of summer and summer living. If you like to eat outdoors, having trays to haul the food outside is important, and having cute trays like these from Huset just make the schlepping more fun, don’t you think? Here is a sample of what’s available.

Lotta Kulhorn Martas Tray, $24

Rice dk Melamine Tray, $15

Isak Blossom and Bill Tray, $45

Marla Dahlgren Form Futura Tray, $28

Haven’t stopped by Anthropologie in a while so did today and fell in love with these chairs. I set up our patio and porch furniture last weekend, ever hopeful actual heat would start here in the Northeast, only to be followed by a week of rain and 55-degree weather. Anyway, I love the fabric on these chairs and while it wouldn’t be particularly practical to have them, i.e. you’d need to remember to bring them in each night, they are so bright and colorful. They are folding chairs so moving them around would be easy. The fabric is hand-screened by Rebekah Maysles and inspired by her travels in India. This chair, which is only available online, is $198. I know, I know, it’s expensive. I can’t help it though.