Daily Dose

Flowery Blog

dominomag — Sat, 17 May 2008 06:14:00 -0400

I just love pinks. They have suffered the wrath of the style snob, but I have always rather loved them. These ones are especially pretty, I think they look like porcelain frankly and they are so incredibly well priced. I paid a pound per bunch for these (this photo shows 4 bunches), and the little vase cost £6. Even with a weak dollar and an expensive London (where I am at the moment), this is such a good deal. I also love this new florist, Scarlett and Violet at 76 Chamberlayne Road - right at the top of Ladbroke Grove. If you ever need to send flowers in London, contact them, the bunches are so loose and gloriously natural - as though they have been picked from a meadow. I really love what they are doing at Scarlett and Violet.

Wire Peacocks

Nick Olsen — Fri, 16 May 2008 18:26:51 -0400

So the Pottery Barn Outdoor Spaces catalog just arrived and inside are these CHICENSTEIN candy apple red wire mesh storage cubbies labeled 'Catalog/Internet Only.' Au contraire, PB!! I don't know about you but this kind of thing drives me bonkers. Is the item so new it's just not on the website yet? Or did it never exist? Reminds me of when the A&F Quarterly would show up with some Chad wearing the perfect pair of floral pants (this is back when I had a collection of floral pants). I'd call customer service and they'd be all "oh that item never went into production." See my pending lawsuit against them and Bruce Weber for the incurred anxiety/body dysmorphia ... BTW the Pottery Barn on Houston St. in New York has closed and will reopen as a Hollister and the giant DKNY mural will be replaced by their tween Lolitas.

Okay. My whole point is a that a search for "wire" yielded these metal peacocks:

Now, I think the votive holder is the height of cheesiness (not a fan of votives/votive holders at all), but when the cheese stands alone I think it's pretty cool. Thoughts on this big bird? Sitting atop a tall bookcase? Spray-painted peacock blue? Tut tut. On sale for 99 bucks, Internet/Catalog Only. Right.

PBteen Panels

Nick Olsen — Tue, 13 May 2008 08:00:00 -0400

I'm all for applique-ing trims on plain curtain panels but PBteen has gone and done it for us:

These Suite Ribbon ~~Drapes~~ Curtains come with pink, green or chocolate brown grosgrain ribbon sewn onto three edges of the 52-inch wide canvas panel. I could've done with just hem and leading edge (closest to center) but you could fold and pin the the outside ribbon to hide it. Sounds silly but I think the boxed-out effect looks best on Roman shades! But I love that these come in 9ft lengths for $99.

Be The Essence

dominomag — Mon, 12 May 2008 17:39:22 -0400

I love filling my beautiful antique lanterns with candles, but melting petroleum isn't exactly inviting. In reaction to that realization many soy solutions are heating up the scene. Not to be outshined, the celebrity community is rapidly entering the eco-space. Sandra Bullock has just launched her Bessence candle collection, using a soy-based wax to replace the customary petroleum-derived paraffin, utilizing lead-free wicks and combining plant and flower essential oils to create four luxurious scents - that way you get 50 hours of clean burning pleasure. The packaging, besides being beautiful, is made from recycled materials with non-toxic inks

JC Penney Kiddie Bed

Nick Olsen — Sun, 11 May 2008 23:20:16 -0400

One of my fave clients (we call her "Kiki") showed me these kiddie beds from JC Penney last week:

Pretty amazing that you can get a twin size upholstered headboard WITH A MONOGRAM, foot and side rails for less than 300 bucks, right? The stripe and polka dot options look hideola, but a solid cotton duck with a three-letter contrast monogram could be downright adorable for little Wingspan or Banjo. P.S. Go see Baby Mama!!

Keeping One's Heartstring

dominomag — Sat, 10 May 2008 05:16:30 -0400

I don't mind telling you that I have never been terribly organized when it comes to keeping my Heart Strings safe. While I was in Tobias and The Angel this week (a delightful shop that you will read more about in my Shopping London story - in the August issue) I came across this nifty way to keep them under control. Thought is was worth sharing.

Take The Bite Out Of Summer

dominomag — Thu, 08 May 2008 15:44:14 -0400

I LOVE summer but I HATE mosquitoes. What is a nature loving, blood-protecting girl supposed to do? Bug Off! has come up with a multitude of ways to arm yourself naturally against pests. Using ingredients such as blends of citronella, rosemary, lemongrass and geranium essential oils (all of which are Mother Nature’s insect repellents), Bug Off! makes it easy to put down the deet. They have wipes, soy candles, spritzers, soaps, oils, shampoos and a bug rub that contains shea butter. And for that tiny spot you may have missed (and there’s always one), Bug Off! makes a Bug Bite Soother. If you are visiting a tropical locale (take me please), you really must stock up. When I’m covered in bumps, the tan just doesn’t seem worth it!

Mini Lotus Vase

Nick Olsen — Thu, 08 May 2008 08:00:00 -0400

I saw these cute little vases sitting on new lacquer trays in Pearl River's store window:

Upstairs in the 'Pearl River Home' store-within-a-store the trays were marked an unreasonable $49 but the little lotuses were $13.50. It's hard to tell from the pic but they're much more delicate than anything you'd find at West Elm or Target, with a thin lip and pleasingly opaque glaze (no crackle/luster ugliness). Would look great with a single peony or chrysanthemum.

Louisa Guinness Fine Jewelry

dominomag — Wed, 07 May 2008 03:27:28 -0400

I sat opposite a girl at dinner last night called Louisa Guinness. She and two of the other girls at the table were wearing these beautiful rings that looked like Anish Kapoor voids, round rings with concave centers. So of course we start chatting about them. It turns out Louisa is a jewelry designer who has started a collection of pieces with big name British artists. These cuff links are designed by Tim Noble and Sue Webster and are called The Bastards Got Me. Marc Quinn has made a frozen strawberry pendant in white or yellow gold with 54 diamonds for seeds, and there are pieces by Sam Taylor Wood, Gavin Turk and Antony Gormley.

The jewelry is not that easy to get hold of--everything is made by hand either in the artists' studios or at Hatton Garden so the productions are small. However, it is not impossible. Louisa's website shows all the artists that she works with and includes the jewelry that inspired her collection, pieces by Max Ernst and Calder for example. The jewelry is available to order at Ben Brown Fine Art on Cork Street in London but take a look at Louisa Guinness' website where you can also contact her directly.

What's The Re-Purpose of It All

dominomag — Tue, 06 May 2008 15:35:40 -0400

Had he not already had a side table, I would have gotten this for my son's nautically inspired room. It would also be chic in my tasting room...if I had a tasting room. I feel like writing about the reuse of wine barrels could be a little cliche, but if you like slightly rustic wood, this could be just the table you are searching for. After a couple years doing its job of imparting complexities unto fermenting grapes, these barrels generally find themselves tossed in landfills. This side table, handmade in Georgia, is a great example of finding a creative way to get the most out of something valuable - oak. What results is a well-crafted, salvage piece that honors the curvature of its predecessor.