There are a number of gnarled, natural looking furniture pieces popping up everywhere from the most luxurious depots to mass market stores. Though I encourage you to place these pieces sparingly, it is exciting that the serpentine artistry of an entwined root is no longer relegated to the outdoors and that nothing has to be chopped down to indulge an al fresco aesthetic. I have a particular penchant for the Vivaterra multi-tiered receptacle. Vivaterra salvages the roots, trunks and limbs from fallen trees (actually, they vow that they never cut trees down for any of their wooden pieces) and that their select artisans hand-construct these stands to receive  jackets, purses, scarfs and hats. Applying an all-natural, burnt finish, the twists and turns are rich and imaginative and, surely, they will spruce up just about any foyer. And if you fancy some driftwood  elsewhere in your home, Vivaterra also offers a corresponding bookcase, table, stool, and framed mirror (keep in mind the "sparingly" comment above).

Since reading Simon Doonan compare la couture to hippies in Big Sur making tooled leather belts I've been stuck on this idea, but I'm not sure it qualifies as a trend.  Points to any reader who can produce an image of Kate Moss in the recent French Vogue wearing all kinds of leather jackets and cutoffs in a mangrove ... similar feeling but is it 'Big Sur'?  Crate & Barrel has offered this table for years, and these tooled leather journals sold out on Etsy in a matter of weeks:
But the makers are from Argentina.  Hmm.  See other items here.  In any case this is my style inspiration for Summer '08: biker gangs clashing with hippie craftspeople on rock jetties in northern California. I'm off to burn my name into this belt I just bought from J. Crew!

One of the things that nearly always sends me into total confusion and a muddle on a decorating job is the hardware. One doesn't always want to have the recognisable hardware in bathrooms that comes from some of our favourite bathroom supply shops. Try The Hook Lady, she runs from all sorts of swirly designs to a hook as simple and smart as this one. I have just ordered some shelf brackets from her too for $20 a pair.

So I'm ready for summer.  If hits 80 degrees tomorrow it should stay that way until after Labor Day.  One cruel April during college a Nor'easter hit New York City ... I still have no idea what that means but I remember kids made a frickin' ski jump on the library steps!  I'll have none of that in 2K8.  Give me this tie-dyed beach towel for $17.50 (which looks like a psychedelic nautilus shell) from Land's End:

Why not buy a couple of these and have your upholsterer make trippy-dippy, washable outdoor furniture cushion covers?  Solid beige with contrast piping can get so booooring.

Aren't these new fabrics pure, spring heaven. This is Carolina Irving's new Collection, which she is selling at Hollywood at Home, Peter Dunham's glorious shop in LA. If you live, at all, nearby head over there, the store shows all the fabrics (as well as a ton of other treats, furniture, antiques and more fabric) and they are happy to see the general public! See below for directions.

Carolina's house is in the latest issue of domino, the one with Julianne Moore on the cover. She has so much taste, check it out, it is very inspiring to see how she uses fabric and mixes pattern. For interior designers the collection is going to be available at John Rosselli.

Waiting for your shower water to heat up is both annoying and a serious contributor to wasting water. My house has a d'mand system, so in the morning and evening I have instant hot water, but at around $500 and needing professional installation it is definitely an investment (one that renters might not be up for). Yet water heating is the 3rd largest energy expense in a typical American household (14% of the average utility bill) and it is tough to know when your optimum temperature has been achieved. The ShowerStart feature from Evolve alerts you when the water is hot enough and then patiently waits for you in trickle mode. There are a few different models to choose from and low flow is available, if you are a super saver. At around $40 and the ability to take them with you, this is something I would expect our deal hunter to write about!

Who wants to explain The Company Store to me?  Like Linda Richman might've kvetched, it's neither a company nor a store. Discuss.  Now discuss these recycled plastic boxes:

"De-clutter your life and be kind to the Earth" they say.  As if it were that easy!  But these white woven thingees with hunter green cotton (not acrylic) handles are more stylish than ten pairs of Birkenstocks, and stacked on a book shelf or under a console they could be very chic. They're marked down a whopping seven dollars --such a deal! -- to $62 for a set of three. They also make me wonder why nobody's successfully knocked off T. Anthony luggage?  It wouldn't be that hard!

I went into Porthault the other day looking for blue floral prints. Rose (the appropriately named lady who sees over this herbaceous store) sent me pictures from the stock books in Paris.  I just about slid off my chair as I looked over what she sent.  Firstly aren't these books heaven? New York is just about bursting with spring, so I can't get enough of a floral print.  After these charming flowers that I have never seen before came a page of the more familiar hearts...

How about those pale grey ones?  DIVINE, I have never seen a grey and white Porthault heart bed before, but am trying to work out how I can sleep in my very own, quite soon.

D. Porthault
470 Park Avenue, NYC
212 688 1660

Pottery Barn continues is foray into sustainable and natural products with it's 'Botanica' collection. Pottery Barn has endeavored to make every inch of this classically-styled line eco-friendly and built to last. The  sofa, chair and ottoman  feature  kiln-dried hardwood frames from forests certified by the Forest Stewardship Council (fsc), recycled steel springs, foam cores made from 20-30% soy-based materials, cushions stuffed with recycled plastic fibers, organic cotton upholstery and more. Easy on the eyes  and the pocketbook, 'Botanica' is a comfortable entree to  eco-furniture.

How long have I been waiting to use that one?  Pretty much since compadres bppi and Decorno made me reconsider my stance on the material here, and since I saw this dining table for $685:


Eat your heart out, Marcel Breuer!  What do you think?  Is it too 9 1/2 Weeks?  I really love the giant tubes in a tripod and I might experiment by tying some stainless steel twine around where they meet -- the late, great Babe Paley had a dining table with two faux bamboo tripod bases tied this way (though hers was bronze and Jansen!).   If the marble top is too cool (or too cheap-lookng) you could make a new one in cerused oak.  I think I'd like the marble better if paired with some Louis XVI chairs or anything more trad. 

I was up at Bergdorf's 7th floor (the website does not reflect the department one bit by the way) over the weekend.  They have transformed the place into a burst of bright colors.  They have a series of cheerful ceramics--these plates are about $35 each and come in yellow, red, green or blue.  They also have these cranberry pink glasses which are blown in Scotland.  Porthault has opened a concession and they have a huge room filled with more muted ceramics and glass.  There are also wonderful trays with a cut out trellis design in a bunch of colors.  It is really inspiring and gets one feeling ready for a cocktail on a terrace somewhere.

I want to live in a world designed by Kate Spade and Wes Anderson (whom I'm told lives above a Popeye's Chicken, amazing).  I stumbled onto Kate's "Things We Love" page and it's a frickin' goldmine -- like the ultimate cool friend you look to for guidance on music and stuff and blogs (or shamelessly steal these from and claim as your own).  Kate led me to another goldmine, Kiosk, which sources chic junk from around the world.  I swear Wes Anderson could fire his art director and use only their site for his next movie -- where else could one buy old-school airmail envelopes ($6):

or this red and white striped mesh tote I desperately need for the beach this summer ($21):

They're doing treasure from Hong Kong now -- wonder what's up next? Hope it's India!!

Grana and Mau is a most charming website, only just gone live this week, which sells clothes and bed linens for little girls and boys.  There are the most adorable little embroidered pajamas, nightdresses and bed linen.  I am sending a friend of mine a white baby pillow embroidered with beige hearts. I love the beige and white option for newborns--one doesn't always want to color code a baby.  The pajamas are totally adorable offered in 'Mau' or European styles and embroidered with dragon flies or boats for example.

Flying may not be the most eco-friendly of endeavors (to put it mildly), but it is one of those necessary evils. I live in San Francisco but I have to be in New York (at Domino) and in Los Angeles far too frequently. Ever since Virgin America launched I have been unable to fly anything else. The service, chic design and awesome entertainment make it irresistible. Now I can assuage my eco-guilt a little because two San Francisco based companies have come together to make Earth Day travel a little bit lighter. The trailblazing "people against dirty" over at Method Home will be providing their cool "Plastic Bag Rehab" tote filled with their easy-on-the-planet, easy-on-the-eyes cleaning products to every passenger on Virgin America's flights this Earth Day, April 22nd. And for every flyer, Virgin and Method will donate $3 to the California Parks Foundation. All the while, sit back and relax in front of a seatback touch-screen that will include viewings of Al Gore's new "Climate in Crisis" TED talk (a must see!) among other green broadcasts. Don't forget to offset your flight, though. I use SavingSpecies.org or Terrapass.com to minimize my footprint. Now, kick back and enjoy the illuminated ride.

This Marimekko wall hanging makes me wish I still had an oregano green apartment:

Sigh.  Cute though, right?  $39.95 at CB2 and it's 57" x 36" - a nice scale.  I'm not sure I'd pay $24.95 for hanging hardware though.  I'd rather buy two and hang them on the vertical with canvas stretchers or just part of one to weigh it down.  And while we're on the subject of fruits (ahem), who went and changed the Juicy Fruit logo?  Hmm?? I thought bubble letters went out with the first Bush administration. 

Unveiling contemporary, custom furnishings, the Moe Design Studio in New Mexico has taken what was once probably slated for landfill and turned it into timeless possessions for the home. Talk about extending the life! From such obscure places as a tobacco barn in Tennessee and an old textile mill in Massachusetts, discarded architectural elements are reshaped with non-toxic, eco-friendly adhesives and finishing materials mostly sourced through a local company, BioShield. I've got my eye on the Olathe Table; available with a variety of insertable tops (glass, stone or wood) and reclaimed hickory or oak; it's a table that's amenable to your personal tastes, available from Vivavi.

Today at New York Central Art Supply (home to the world's largest selection of decorative papers!) I saw these adorable printed papers from a company called Brookfield Letterpress:

From top:  Gingko, Red Diamond, and Indigo Blossom. NY Central will take phone orders (1-800-950-6111) for 20" x 26" sheets at 5 bucks apiece -- see their selection here. Wholesaler OrangeArt showcases all the designs plus Brookfield's line of stationery and miniature books -- WANT -- but you have to use their 'find a retailer' function.  Kate's Paperie turns up bupkis.  Anybody seen the note cards in a store in the tri-state area?  I think my fave is the new 'Atlantis':

Looks like Wisteria is having a blue period along with West Elm and Ms. Jane Carolyne Smith Roehm Kravis -- I'm a green guy myself but love those cobalt garden seats.  And I'm really stuck on this bookcase from their new collection:
I guess the giant casters make it industrial and maybe more functional, for scooting around huge lofts like those in my pal Diana Lind's gorgeous new book Brooklyn Modern (check out the bookcase on the cover!!).  But here in my mousetrap across the river I'd ditch the wheels and paint the shelf edges black or a bright color. Not exactly Mugatu's level of polish but still charming. $599 for the single and $799 for the double-wide.

Palm Woven is a recent (and my favorite) addition to Smith & Fong's Durapalm repertoire. This un-wood comes from plantation grown coconut palms which grow abundantly throughout the world. After a palm's useful life (about 100 years for nut production), they are replaced by younguns. Smith & Fong utilizes these felled oldies but goodies (otherwise generally discarded) while also providing  supplemental income to the farmers. With non-toxic adhesives and formaldehyde-free finishes, Durapalm also meets LEED criteria for low-emissions. Palm Woven comes in easily interlocking panels for a unique textural surface that makes a serious statement. I can see this as an accent wall or a back splash, but I would love to hear your ideas for use!

I got sent this email today from Marc Jancou Contemporary for Thomas Zipp's exhibition. Just as I was about to delete it in a fury of grrrrrrrrrrr, I wish people would stop sending me junk and how do I get on all these databases, I noticed that the picture was actually kind of great. So I clicked further, and I love it. Is it a crazy string tree tied with a bow? If someone looked inside my head right now I think it might look a little like this, and I love the textured black background. I find it a strangely cheerful and perky image. I might even go and check out the rest of the paintings.

Exhibition opens tonight at Marc Jancou Contemporary on Great Jones Alley, and runs until May 24th
212.473.2100.

Plastic, right?  Bakelite, resin -- more fancy names for plastic?  I'm still guilt-ridden over that giant floating island of polymers out in the Pacific but can't resist these orange and red bowls from Tarzhay:

They're re-usable, they're reduced (on clearance at $11.99 for a set of EIGHT) and they'd make my Grape Nuts n' Probiotic Kefir so much more appetizing.  While we're walking the virtual aisles let me ask where the Isaac Mizrahi for Target furniture line went?  My Platonic Life Partner Kay scored the best white lacquer chest of his, like, two years ago for pennies and now I'm SOL.  Nothing gold (or white lacquer) can stay apparently...

Organic sheets have been around for a long time, but kids want bold colors and patterns, and finding that in an organic option has been next to impossible, until now, that is.  I like Pixel Organics because they meet my stringent environmental demands while quenching my children's thirst for fun. Made in the US, the organic cotton, sustainable and regenerated fibers are spun into pajamas and sheets. Dyes are solely water-based, and the company relies on eco-friendly materials like REFILL - regenerated PET (PolyEthylene Terephthalate) fibers from processing discarded bottles, recycled into the fill for their pillows and mattresses - and Pure Grow Wool. A member of 1% for the Planet, Pixel Organics also produces pillows and mattress pads for the younger crowd.  If you live in LA, you can pick up Pixel Organics at my super stylish sister's new store on Abbot Kinney - Eden's Green Closet (named after my adorable niece). I will post about it in the next few days, so stay tuned!

When I was setting up my first baby's room I scoured all of the the stores in my area and the web to find furniture that didn't compromise my aesthetics nor the health of my child. It was a futile experiment. Thankfully for any ecofabulous new moms, there are now a number of excellent options. Lullaboo line from Celery is firmly committed to providing nursery digs that are good for parents (think easy assembly with NO hardware needed), good for baby (healthy and safe) and good for the environment (no deforestation or nasty emissions here). Selecting bamboo with non-toxic adhesives and 100% recycled formaldehyde-free medium density fiberboard with zero to low-VOC finishes, you won't have to worry about damaging the Indoor Air Quality of perhaps the most important room in the house - the nursery. And it converts into an adorable bed for toddlers, extending its useful life! The Lullaboo Crib comes in quite a few color configurations and has complimenting accessories, such as the chic changing table, a kid-sized rocking chair and a modern take on the classic rocking horse. For an even earlier start, check out Celery's cool cradle. Celery focused on creating great furniture but the website definitely leaves something to be improved, however, Lullaboo is easy to find on the web so I encourage you to buy from a dealer you trust and one that promises to deliver in time for your special delivery!