House Things

I know it’s early but I have already heard Christmas music in more than one store (and Starbucks is already serving up its peppermint lattes and eggnog lattes!) and the catalogs have started showing up. So I’m going to post one holiday decor idea to kick the week off just because I think these mini-trees are sweet and I love the idea of having some fragrance with your home holiday decor. Plus they’re not too Christmasy. Take away any the baubles and balls and you could simply have a little fragrant greenery to get through the cold. How nice would that be? You can find these rosemary topiaries at Viva Terra. Each is about 18″ high and costs $49.

life@home Design Defined columnist Lucianna Samu is a wonder. (Here’s her most recent column for life@home and she also writes her own blog, Really at Home, here). But now she’s made a national hit by scoring a much coveted spot on Design*Sponge, a very popular home decor and design blog hosted by the talented Grace Bonney. Just take a gander at what Lu did with horse barn stall doors! I. Want. One. NOW! For the full post on how Lu worked her wonder, go here.

life@home Design Defined columnist Lucianna Samu is a wonder. (Here’s her most recent column for life@home and she also writes her own blog, Really at Home, here). But now she’s made a national hit by scoring a much coveted spot on Design*Sponge, a very popular home decor and design blog hosted by the talented Grace Bonney. Just take a gander at what Lu did with horse barn stall doors! I. Want. One. NOW! For the full post on how Lu worked her wonder, go here.

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.

Farmhouse Wares is a favorite stop of ours on the web. Today’s goody are these cute candles for the music lover/musician in your life. Covered in faux sheet music, the candles are flameless and use LED candles that flicker just like real candles — minus the fire concern. They are sold as a set,  and are 3.75″H, 5.75″H, and 7.75″H. Each requires three AAA batteries. Price for the set is $42.95

This lamp isn’t my style but I certainly think it’s a showstopper available at Modernica. This Half-Nelson Table Lamp is from  George Nelson Office, circa 1950. Stripped down into the most essential shapes, Nelson playfully transforms a cylinder, rod and discus into an enduring work of art. The shade pivots — love that idea! — and is adjustable up and down. Talk about versatile! The cylinder base is made of aluminum with a black line-grained anodized finish. The shade is made from spun aluminum, with the top having a line-grained anodized finish and the underside having a power-coated, glossy satin finish. The stem connecting the two is made of chromed-aluminum and the on/off switch is built of machined-anodized aluminum.

According to Modernica, Nelson originally designed the lamp for Holiday House, a commissioned design vacation home for the magazine of the same name. (Boy how times have changed for magazine!)  The house was built in 1950 in Long Island and was intended to showcase the magazine and to promote the post-war idea of owning a vacation home. Nelson designed the home and most of its furnishings. The Half-Nelson was designed specifically for the living room.

At a later date, Nelson re-introduced his Half-Nelson design to Koch & Lowy, which began producing it in 1977. At the time it was available in three finishes: polished brass, chromed-aluminum, and white or black enamel. The lamp was in production until the mid-’80s. Now Modernica has bought back this iconic piece, with each lamp built to Nelson’s original specifications. Price is $475.

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.