House Things

Kicking off Top Three Thursdays on Etsy is a little animal magnetism with this fab vintage chair that’s been given new life with a touch of zebra … print that is. The chair, which is about 38″ high, has been lovingly restored by in the shop of Inged Design and Decoration. Shipping is free via Greyhound. Price is $460.

I’ve been a little obsessed with terrariums recently. I just love the idea of a mini gardenscape someplace in your house or say on a desk at work where you can daydream about being somewhere else. I do not, however, have much of a green thumb. (As I type this, I am not sure that two of the five plants currently in  my office will be alive when I arrive there on Monday.) Anyway, this terrarium with an air plant that requires no soil at all — and virtually no water! — caught my eye on Etsy. The glass globe, which has a flat bottom so it can sit on a desk or be hung, is about 5″ in diameter and high. Each kit includes a tillandsias, or air plant, dried poppy pods, cream colored reindeer moss and neutral stones. Just soak the plant in a bowl or faucet once a week, allow it to fully dry before putting it back in the container, add a little light, and you’re good to go. Price is $25 and it’s available in Sea & Asters’ shop.

And finally because while  I don’t own one, I find it virtually impossible to pass an Eames chair of any kind without clicking. This classic Eames wire chair is from the early 1950s and apparently in great condition. It’s available in Cathode Blue‘s shop for $275 with free shipping in the continental U.S.

And if you’re still wavering, here it is with its original bikini covering!

Looking for a cool way to hang the thousands of hats, gloves, mittens and scarves everyone has on this time of year? Well how about these cool functional and attractive sculptural hangers from Toma? Made in Montreal — hipster central for the Northeast I think — the hangers are wooden and come in a variety of shapes. What kid would argue about hanging up their woolens on something like this? The come in two or three loops long or three loops wide and are made from birch. Each is $20.

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.

Allow me to indulge my love of Halloween this week by pointing out a couple of my favorite items on Etsy for this week’s Top Three Thursday. My Halloween decor has definitely fallen off as our children have aged and left the house. My husband has always found my love of pumpkins and jack-o-lanterns an odd quirk that he thankfully only has to put up with once a year. For my 40th birthday, which is October, I insisted on 40 jack-o-lanterns lit in the yard. It was awesome!

Even a Halloween naysayer, though, would like these cute little pumpkins, don’t you think? Featured in Urban Paisley‘s shop, the larger of the two is made from a neutral unbleached woven cotton fabric and measures approximately 2 inches wide and 1 1/2 inches high. The smaller pumpkin is made from wool felt and is approximately 1 1/2 inches wide and 1 1/4 inches high. Both are finished with felt and wrapped wire details, and would be perfect in an entryway tablescape or as part of a centerpiece. Price is $15. The shop also features some cute acorns to go along with these, as well as pumpkins in other styles.

You could probably make these yourself … or be honest and realize you don’t have the time so why not just buy these? Featured in Ta Da!’s Workshop, each is made from repurposed/upcycled glass baby food jars. For $8, you will receive one pumpkin & one ghost (one tall & one small jar), unless you specify otherwise. They are happy to send two ghosts or two pumpkins. Just let them know. Each luminary/candle holder comes with one battery-operated tea light. But feel free to use your own candles, if you prefer.

And finally, yes, you can just put your Halloween candy in any old bowl, or even a nice basket, but how about these sweet felt bowls dedicated to Halloween? I’m a sucker for felt (and remain determined to figure out how to felt in my front-load washer so if anyone has any tips please email me!). While three are pictured here, the price is for one felted bowl that was handknit with 100% black wool and then wet-felted, shaped, and dried. The word “boo” is embroidered with orange 100% cotton embroidery floss. Each bowl is  2.5 inches high, 3.5 inches in diameter and costs $18. It’s available in The Fuzzy Monkey’s shop, which also has a ton of other felted bowls if you’re not into the Halloween decor idea.

I know poufs aren’t “new” as a fad, but I’m still loving them and just wish I had the right place for one in my home. I also am intensely jealous that these little numbers are all hand-knit since I am a knitter and clearly (in theory) could make one of these — except I’m not that clever. So instead, I may just buy one from La Casa Decoto‘s Etsy shop. These are cotton and are perfect for floor pillows in a family room, bedroom or even a dorm. You can buy it stuffed or just the covering with a case inside for stuffing yourself. (Which might be easier for shipping.) Please specify in your order which color you would like. $63.65 for one.

Interested in grouping some art on your wall but not sure how to pull together the various frames? Mountain Cove Antiques can help. The sets in this Etsy shop are varying sizes, colors and shapes. All are sold as empty frames; no glass or backings folks. The upcycled frames here are painted in lovely autumn hues to get your redo of a wall going fast. All come with hangers. All you have to do is fill them and hang. Sizes in this set include 2 8X10, 1 6X8, 3 5X7, 1 4X5, 1 5″ square and 1 2.5X3.5. Price is $54.

And finally a pillow to freshen up your family room or wherever, and add a little autumnal flavor. This 18″ pillow cover top in Warm ‘n’ Fuzzies’ shop is sewn completely by hand and features 100 percent cotton batik fabrics. The fabrics were pre-washed, although she advises hand washing in cold water just to be safe. Price is $47.50.

I know poufs aren’t “new” as a fad, but I’m still loving them and just wish I had the right place for one in my home. I also am intensely jealous that these little numbers are all hand-knit since I am a knitter and clearly (in theory) could make one of these — except I’m not that clever. So instead, I may just buy one from La Casa Decoto‘s Etsy shop. These are cotton and are perfect for floor pillows in a family room, bedroom or even a dorm. You can buy it stuffed or just the covering with a case inside for stuffing yourself. (Which might be easier for shipping.) Please specify in your order which color you would like. $63.65 for one.

Interested in grouping some art on your wall but not sure how to pull together the various frames? Mountain Cove Antiques can help. The sets in this Etsy shop are varying sizes, colors and shapes. All are sold as empty frames; no glass or backings folks. The upcycled frames here are painted in lovely autumn hues to get your redo of a wall going fast. All come with hangers. All you have to do is fill them and hang. Sizes in this set include 2 8X10, 1 6X8, 3 5X7, 1 4X5, 1 5″ square and 1 2.5X3.5. Price is $54.

And finally a pillow to freshen up your family room or wherever, and add a little autumnal flavor. This 18″ pillow cover top in Warm ‘n’ Fuzzies’ shop is sewn completely by hand and features 100 percent cotton batik fabrics. The fabrics were pre-washed, although she advises hand washing in cold water just to be safe. Price is $47.50.

I know, I know it’s not officially fall yet, but the allure of pumpkin and autumn decor is a pretty strong pull for me post-Labor Day so I offer up one teeny visual to get you inspired. I mean, who wouldn’t want to be at a dinner gathering or party that featured even just a couple  of these heirloom pumpkin-inspired plates/serving dishes from Williams Sonoma?

More importantly, though, I found these treasures at a terrific new (to me) website called Dot Coms for Moms. It’s basically a site that trolls the web for you, finding the best (in their minds obviously) stuff in the ethernet for everything from fashion and home decor to parenting and food. Definitely worth a look if you find the internet a tad overwhelming or want a community of moms. In the meantime, think pumpkin.  Prices for the various plates and tureens range from $19.95 to $83.95 for sets.