It's too easy to type in West Elm and snap up a little knockoff piece o' happy. Finding something stylish at perennial punch line Jennifer Convertibles, however, is next to impossible. But where else can you get a sofabed for $299? Craigslist? That's a good deal, and while not adorable, this Softee (dying inside) has potential:

I like the thin little arms (eat your heart out, Mischa Barton!) and would paint the legs black. Or maybe you have a granny or a neighbor who's handy with a sewing machine and wants to make you a slipcover in exchange for mowing the lawn or correctly filling up her MTWTFSS pill organizer? The Softee needs less bulbous seat cushions boxed out with contrast piping, and square throw pillows instead of dumpy side cushions. Good start or lost cause? Discuss.

I bought a Rigaud of Paris travel candle (or a 'Bougie de Voyage' as its called by Rigaud) the other day. I love its little zebra printed tin and its scent is so happy-making--the perfect antidote to a dreary hotel room. Diana Vreeland loved them and used to use the signature zebra printed boxes the candles come in for pencil pots for her desk. I noticed when I was researching online where to find Rigaud candles that The Peak Of Chic lists them as a classic on her post of August 23, 2007 titled 'The Classics'. Rigaud candles really are classic, I couldn’t agree more, especially the Cypres scent, which is the original.

Home Decorators Collection is like the Ikea of Middle American Design. So much merch to choose from! The following occasional tables are made from cheap materials and you have to assemble some yourself, but they're like blank canvases. Get out the spray paint and stencils and make 'em your own:

Their Slick Cube for $99 each. I actually like this as-is, but wouldn't it look cool splatter-painted in different colors?

The Yield End Table for 89 bucks. I'd stencil white chevrons on the black top.

Campaign Style Accent Table: this is a ton of style for 99 bucks! I'm sure the brass edge looks hideous so I'd paint that part black to match the rest, and maybe paint the tray top Chinese red.

As a recovering compulsive hoarder I now take serious pleasure in throwing stuff away/donating/recycling.  Especially little bits of paper and packaging.  Sean once had to write me a note on a paper towel: "Nick, there isn't one sheet of paper in your entire apartment."  I like it that way!!  So I'm a bit of a hippo (let's all start calling hypocrites "hippos") for recommending these little notebooks from Kiosk for $12, but they're just so friggin' adorable:

I know they'd bring out the compulsive listmaker in me.  I also think the colors would make a pretty room: mustard is THE color for Fall 2008!  Pale blue wall, mustard linen curtain trimmed with teal, butter yellow headboard piped in mustard?  Anyone? ANYONE?? 

I popped into Osborne & Little the other day to check out Suzy Hoodless' new line of wallpaper. Hoodless is the hot young decorator that all of London are talking about. I love this over scale tulip paper, it reminds me of some of those wacky prints from the late Seventies. There are others, a kelly green tropical leaf which is pretty fantastic, these are so good for any small space you may be wondering what to do with.

I'm on a lighting tear right now and realized I never post on floor lamps. Why? I'm a little ambivalent about the full-size variety. I like a reading level floor lamp next to a sofa but would also have a side table to set a drink on with a lamp as well. A pair of floors flanking a sofa without tables looks awkward. A single floor lamp in a dim corner looks forced. The domino site (now searchable!!) says to try a big 'un next to a dining table in lieu of a chandelier -- I like. Next to a small desk to save workspace seems right too. In any case, here are my top five floor lamps under $200:

CB2's photography floor lamp ($99.95).

PBteen's "Lighten Up Torchere" (groaning on the name, loving the navy blue) for $129

The classic pharmacy tent lamp for $169.99

This cool adjustable lamp for $149.91 from Lamps Plus

And finally this EL CHEAPO GRANDE Arc Paper Lantern from Target. $34.99! But I'd definitely get a 30-inch paper lantern from Pearl River to replace their dinky cream one.

In terms of overall style for the money Williams-Sonoma Home is probably my favorite chain, but their prices are always just a smidgem on the high side. That's why God invented sales, you say? Agreed. They're having one right now and I think this polished steel lamp looks mucho chic-o for $179.99 (originally $295):

I love everything about it except that little conical piece at the top. Seems like the hardware should begin there or else it needs another _______ (whatever you call that washer thingee between the sphere and the rectangular prism).
UPDATE: Savvy commenter fleurdesel correctly identified this lamp as a riff on Philippe Barbier's 1960s design, available for $2400 at Gallery 33 in Westport:

Learn something new everyday -- thanks fleurdesel!!

I am just writing my copy for Boston, one of the next shopping cities to come out.  It is lovely to be reminded of trips and places while I write this up and I wanted to post one of my Bostonian highlights - Plum Produce.  Their shop is filled with delicious fruits and vegetables but more practical for the remote shopper they have these test tubes of powdered produce: herbs, fruits and vegetables.  They look incredibly pretty and are used by cooks in soups, sauces and well, I suppose anything that needs some flavour.  The shop is interesting because there is someone in there slicing for pickles and preparing for powders all the time, so it is really like shopping in a kitchen and purchasing your produce straight from the chef.

So I love Anthropologie but they've got some nerve charging $128 for a pair of these bamboo folding chairs:

Target tags these speckled brown ones at $69.99 for two:

Different color, EXACT SAME CHAIR. And I know I bought two of these a few years ago at Linens N Things for twenty bucks each but can't find them on their site. Anybody spot 'em at World Market or elsewhere?

WHO KNEW? If you put 50 to 60 grams of bamboo charcoal in one litre of water, you will increase the mineral content and soften the water, making it excellent for drinking. When cooking with rice, bamboo charcoal will emit infrared rays and release minerals which will provide extra sustenance and additional flavour.
While I was in Seattle I went to visit Matt Dillon's (the well know Seattle Chef, rather than the actor) new restaurant The Corson Building. While we were having lunch Matt brought out a jug of water with these sticks of bamboo charcoal in the bottom. First of all it looks fantastic and even better it is this brilliant form of natural filtration. You can buy them on ebay for $5 a packet.

I think this might be the nicest, simplest bed frame for the money:

The Matchbox from CB2, $599 for a queen.  Available in lobster orange or white lacquer (actually prefer the white but it disappears on their backdrop) with little black block feet that I might paint white. I like how they point out the mitered corner detail because the alternative tops my list of Chain Store Pet Peeves.  By that I mean the Stonehenge effect of Ikea and West Elm and CB2's Parsons tables and such.  Is it that much more expensive to miter a corner?  I guess so.  Caveat: the drop-in mattress.  Does anyone have a trick for making up these beds?  I used to bust my fingers trying to achieve hospital corners on my old Malm.

Not exactly a decorating deal today, but I've been on the receiving end of enough free publicity that I'm overdue to pay it forward.  Karma's a boomerang, people!  A friend has started Jack + Bill, a pop-up public relations agency within Porter Novelli, who will be doing FREE PR for fashion up-and-comers this summer, leading up to Fashion Week. They're actually holding a "casting call" to choose a women's apparel designer, jewelry designer, model and fashion stylist to be their clients next Tuesday, July 15 and Wednesday, July 16 from 3-9 p.m at Sandbox Studios (250 Hudson Street, at Broome Street. 11th Floor). 

So all you beautiful, creative, and design-y folks in the NY area and beyond better head over to Hudson Street tomorrow to try out for some Free Pimpin' !!

Somehow I managed to get a reputation in the office for liking 'muddy' colors, meaning those with a lot of brown or grey or general dreariness thrown into the mix. 

I show Miles a wallpaper I just got at the D&D: "Maybe for your Bruce Weber mud hut."
I show Miles a floral print I like: "Your eyes just light up when they see mud, don't they?"

But they don't! Really!  At least not anymore.  Pure, fresh colors are most often the way to go ... even Urban Outfitters has ditched many of their orange-brown-olive Brady Bunch tapestries for poppy colors on a white background:




$36 each so for a 108" x 90" panel that's about $7/yard.  I love how Urban's site shows on walls, which is where I think they work best -- throw in a matching headboard and curtains, why not?  Since I'm having a blue moment this one may be my favorite though it's definitely more 70s:

Brunschwig & Fils carries an old, bold chintz in these colors that I'm DYING to bring back. 

I think these stools/side tables from Pottery Barn are really great looking, and have many uses.  The best part.... they are reclaimed from fallen trees. I think I'm going to do a grouping of them at the Dundee house.

I often find it easier to speak in free association pop culture references and movie quotes than carry on an actual conversation.  For instance when I saw this garden stool on sale at Pier 1

I immediately launch into Kay's spirited monologue in 9th grade drama, from The Late Christopher Bean by Sidney Howard:

"That's cobalt blue! That's a painting term, cobalt blue! (She continues.) ... And he taught me that old chairs may be more than just old chairs to be thrown away.  That some of 'em may be real beautiful."

Don't I know it, Abby/Kay!!  While we're at it, there has been a Stool Boom of sorts lately, no?  I'm sure Sears will be selling 'em before long.  But I still think they're chic and useful as drinks tables (seating, not so much), and this blue beauty is quite a steal at $69.

Forgive me, loyal readers, for my delinquent deal-hunting.  I've been baking under the Florida sun and apart from a $20 blender, cassette deck iPod adapter for my old jambox, and a new hair product called Texture Dirt, the deals have been a bit few and far between.  That was until yesterday -- after prime sun hours, of course -- when we dropped into Subterranean Books in Warrington.  A sweet lady stood charge while a leathery little man played an acoustic classic rock medley in the middle of the store. My question: why are old paperbacks so much prettier?  I mean, I know the text is the same (by the way I've read three novels this year! THREE!) but cover art seems like a dying art to me.  I snapped up The Plague by Albert Camus and Return to Peyton Place for a little high-low action:


5 bucks for both.  Also loved this psychedelic old cover for The Crying of Lot 49:

So why not visit your local used bookstore (or Amazon or Abebooks.com) for your beach read?  You recycle, save $$ and get some style for your bookcase or coffee table.

Do you remember Sharyn Storrier Lyneham? She was the editress of Australian Vogue Living and Vogue Entertaining and Travel when I first came across them. Her editions remain some of my favourite magazines and I was so sad when she left. Well, not any longer she is back with a new hat on. Sharyn and her business partner Belinda Seper have opened a shop in Sydney called EDIT. They do some crazy old things, 'reimagining' vintage pieces, upholstering furniture in old fabrics, quirky lamps, and the shop as you see it online is a riot of colour and joy in a very cecil beaton, my fair lady sort of a way. Take a look at the website and if you are lucky enough to be in Sydney get down there and please report back.

As much as I love a deal I draw the line at sleeping outside the new Red Hook IKEA for a free sofa. Some folks did just that! Though I still haven't been I'm super pumped about having a Big Blue Box nearby as there are some in-store only items I covet, like their selection of fabrics:

Max price on these above is only $7.99/yard, compared to Marimekko, which can cost over a hundred dollars per repeat (never fails to confuse me). IKEA's bolts are 59" wide.