TRENDY MONDAY

To celebrate the new year (a month late..), but certainly to celebrate the new month of February,

we are starting a new series for you:

“Trendy Monday”

What IS Trendy Monday? It is a presentation of the many and varied trends from the world of home fashion and accessories; things that I'm seeing either in print, at trade shows, or at retail. Maybe all three venues will converge; maybe not. There are new products to see and each trend sheet will have a definite color story with tabs included. The two trend stories below appear a little small.... sit tight: we are working on this! Next Monday will be even better..

To start this series we have : Birds and Branches

We are seeing birds all over the place! They are silhouettes, which can be graphic, and they are part of a collage with multi-layers. They are tossed, all overs, and they are botanicals. They are realistic and they are fun and whimsical. The greens here have been a story for quite a while, and combined with the chartreuse, and then a touch or purple, they become even newer. Purple/plum/mauve, if you will remember, was seen at Maison et Objet last September and just last week it was one of the dominant colors at the show , once again.

Here they tend to be a little more serious, as seen in black and white. They are on branches, in trees, holding your jewelry, and anchoring curtains. Black and white, of course, is an on-going story...but here also we see the touch of mauve, and then the light pink. Very feminine and light!

From bedding to wall art, to pillows: the birds are here to rest for a while!

So tell me, have you seen birds around? Where? What colors? Do you like them? I'm off to the New York Gift Show tomorrow and will let you know what I see!

EN PROVENCE

I had received this Christmas card from Giselle, one of the owners of a truly lovely hotel in St. Remy, France. I've been meaning to post this for ages, and now, in the depth of winter when some of us (you know who you are....) are thinking ahead to perhaps spending some time in the South of France this summer, I thought you might enjoy it!

Hotel Sous les Figuiers is in the heart of St. Remy: everything is within easy walking distance. The picture above, in the header of my blog, was taken at breakfast on the terrace!

Here are some scenes of the hotel, taken on our last trip there in 2008:

Huge fig trees everywhere, and if you're really lucky and there in the right season, the figs are yours for the picking just outside your door! Giselle and Co. also make their own fig jam for sale and it is superb!

And on the streets of St. Remy:

3-D PILLOWS

Some fun ideas for throw pillows!

< marks & spencer>

How fun are these: The "Hit It" collection from Kai Linke. Totally safe and made of foam!

These aren't 3-D, but aren't they gorgeous? From Fabricadabra, they are Dutch Wax Prints. Read about them on the site: they are actually made in Africa and imported to the Netherlands. The colors are so vibrant and the designs so contemporary; love them....Fabricadabra is owned by Donna Halloran who, a few years ago, decided to turn away from the "corporate habitrail" and go out on her own.

What's your choice? I will definitely be doing more stories on pillows ... and even show you some before and after stories from my own house. Throw pillows are SUCH a good way to change the color story in a room, or just on a sofa or chair. They can make or break a "vignette" in your house. I think all too often we become immune to these small details: you know, you've had that pillow for five, ten...years and YOU don't see it anymore. But someone coming into your house surely DOES! Maybe it's time for a change!

COLOR DETAILS: VINTAGE JEWELRY

Join the party at Paula Grace Designs!

Who doesn't love jewelry? here are some really fun, yet very classic pieces of jewelry. These are all from Carole Tanenbaum Vintage Collection. I've followed her collections, the Bakelite, Plastic and Lucite in particular, for years. Someday.... I will buy one!

These timeless looks are classic, and yet so refreshing and SO new! Take a look at her site and explore.

Painted plastic from 1970:

Love these Bakelite Daisy earrings from 1940's: I don't wear pierced earrings and it's very difficult to find new, clip earrings. But in the 40's they were all clip, and large...and fun!

Painted Celluloid bracelet, 1940: For anyone with small wrists, these vintage pieces will fit you! Wrists were smaller back then!

From 1930, a twisted brooch:

Lucite and black earrings from 1960:

And now, in time for Mother's Day, Carole's new book; and you can buy it here.

I'm going to Brimfield in May and there are always a few really quality dealers for Bakelite: I'll show you pictures, and maybe even a new purchase!

COLOR IN JANUARY: and lots of it!

       It's January: it's winter, it's dark and there is no color, right?  Wrong!
Here is what I found yesterday at my local farm/garden market. Moral of this story: always carry your camera!

These below were my absolute favorites: from Italy. The colors, the graphics and even the SIZE of the package is fabulous. As designers, we are always told to remember the color on the shelf: that is a large part of what sells a product. And here it couldn't be truer. Now, also, take a look at the contemporary graphics: the veggie icons are, quite literally, outside the box. In each case, they extend outside an inner box, and also bleed off an edge or two. Scroll down to see some seed packets from the 1930's: we've come a long way, baby!

     

 

I had bought a huge collection of these at Brimfield 

And they became a set of dessert plates! (combined with crate labels)

   

How about these gourds? I had never seen anything like this! Great idea for some craft projects....

 

Moving right along down the aisles: even the accoutrements of gardening are colorful!

     

 

And finally, for a totally different take on color: some neutral cachepots. 

 

 
 
 
 
  
 

 

PLANTS THAT GROW!

This post is for PillowMint! You will have to go to her blog and read the comment section, and her post, on "Do You" to follow this entire story!

Here you go: THIS is my wonderful indoor palm plant, after receiving tender loving care for almost twenty years! Naturally, I did not have a picture of it in its early, pathetic stages; and in fact, I had trouble even finding a picture of any palm that looked as scraggly and pathetic as the one we bought and that was kept in captivity in my husband's office!

I searched for an image of the original, and this is the closest I could come:(it looks much too healthy!)

But plants are essential in our house...I now have the 7 ft. palm in the top image, and I bring in a few geraniums for the winter. They thrive in an east facing bay window. Here they were this morning:

Last, but not least, are three little bulbs in a row. These are Paperwhite Narcissus Bulbs. I want to direct you to a wonderful gardening blog
from Margaret Roach. Her advice is great and always with a bit of
humor, her photographs are extraordinary, and the entire blog just well
done!

Do YOU have plant stories? Things that grew, unexpectedly? Or didn't make it, much to your amazement and chagrin? What works for you?