A Touch of Nautical

About this time of year, the stripes start to send signals...

...that spring is coming!

I love a touch of nautical in my wardrobe, but I've always been a bit of sucker for it in my home too.  Remember this post?

Last fall, I went to the Brimfield Antique Show with my friend Cheri, and I fell in love with this guy...

Cheri didn't get my crush on him, and frankly, I couldn't explain it.  I just knew I had to have him.  It's not like I come from a family of sea captains, or grew up in Gloucester, or particularly like Salty Dogs, but I loved the idea of looking at his grumpy eyes every day.  So now he lives in my downstairs bathroom, freaking the crap out of people when they walk down the hall.

A touch of nautical?  It makes my captain feel right at home.

Image credits: J.Crew; EmersonMade.; Tea Accessories; Oh Captain, My Captain and his close up taken by Paige Lewin's iPhone; Dash & Albert; Uncommon Goods; L.L. Bean; Wisteria; Anthropologie

Currently Coveting

I know it's a sin, but I'm just not that religious.  Here's what I'm coveting for my home this month...how about you?

Casually elegant stemware that can serve up milk or mimosas equally well,

fishy rugs,

simply beautiful turned wood lamps,

the Hans Wegner classic,

Michael A. Palmer's view of the world,

and perfect flatware for parties, picnics or pasta.

Image credits: Hartland Stemware, Simon Pearce; Fish Design Rug, Landry & Arcari, White Turned Table Lamp, Hudson; ch24 Wishbone Chair, Hive Modern; Boat House by Michael A. Palmer, Van Ward Gallery; Seaborne Flatware, Anthropologie

DIY Paint Can Lights

And while we're on the subject of new lighting...

This image, from the Style At Home booth at the Interior Design Show in Toronto, has been floating around the web for the past couple of days.  The painted floor is amazing, as is the fabulous bright springy styling -- a sign of things to come for those of us being socked by winter weather right now.  But what's really terrific is the use of paint cans as lighting fixtures.

It reminded me that I had recently snapped an equally cool use of paint cans as light fixtures...except this one was a little less sleek. 

Just as inventive though, don't you think?

These fixtures -- using brand new paint cans or well-worn ones or any other vessel entirely -- are super-easy to make on your own.  All you need is the object of your choice and one of these:

And if you want to hardwire it rather than plugging it in and hanging it from a hook, pick up one of these:

Have you ever created your own lighting?  Pendant?  Chandelier?  Lamp?  Please share!

Image credits: Re-nest (originally from Poppytalk, similar image can also be seen on Aubrey+Lindsay's Blog); Paige Lewin; West Elm Pendant Cord Set; West Elm Industrial Pendant Conversion Kit

Trashing the Tragic Lighting

It's been about six months since we moved in and I think it's about time we begin to address the lighting situation. Don't you?

Let's deal with the kitchen today.

Um, just the eat-in area.

So here we are (and yes, I know we have to do something about the windows and the walls too, but *focus*, people), the pub-tastic pendant that lights our breakfast and dinner everyday.

I've been gathering suitable replacement options from my favorite lighting sources across the web-o-sphere.  I happen to love vintage lighting fixtures as well, but let's stick with these for now. 

 

What's particularly interesting about light fixtures is the huge range of pricing.  In previous homes, we've bought the cheapest-of-the-cheap fixtures, and laid down some decent cash for others.  There's definitely a difference when it comes to ease of installation, quality of materials, and quality of lighting brightness, tone, etc., but in my experience, not as much as the price might cue.  So, can you name the most expensive and least expensive fixture in this lineup?

No cheating.

Photo credits, from top to bottom: Paige Lewin (just in case you're looking for some stock shots of seriously bad lighting); Shades of Light; West Elm; IKEA; Ballard Designs; Circa Lighting; Room & Board; Z Gallerie

Catalog Living

Logic quiz: Poor self-image is to fashion magazines as WHAT is to home decor catalogs?

I don't know either, but sometimes I feel like I have it, whatever IT is.  Occasionally I get sort of taken over by staging my house...rolling up the throw blankets and storing them just-so in a gorgeous basket (you're cold? grab one of these!), propping the white ceramic fish platter in a plate holder on my kitchen counter (look, it's art!), stacking up a pretty set of books by my bedside (who has time to read?).  Maybe it's some form of OCD, or maybe it comes from buying and selling multiple houses in the past five years (never know when you're gonna have to put it on the market!), but I suspect that some of the obsession comes from looking through too many home design catalogs and shelter pubs.

Luckily, my little brother pointed me to a hilarious site that reminds me how idiotic some of those scenes from Pottery Barn (and others) are.  Catalog Living follows the fictional life of Gary and Elaine, the passive-aggressive, accessory-obsessed couple who live in your catalogs.  Created by actor and Tufts graduate Molly Erdman, Catalog Living now serves as my daily reminder that I shouldn't worry if my throws aren't just-so.

{But really, a little staging never hurt anyone.}

Image credit: Catalog Living, January 20, 2011