11/14/12
Salvage stop
Do you have any places that you pass every single day, are always curious to stop in, but somehow, never do? Well for me, that place was WELLS ANTIQUES AND ERIC RAMOS’S ARCHITECTURAL SALVAGE –right there on Sunset blvd on the way to the Jungalow. Well, finally last weekend I found a parking spot right out front and decided to finally check it out.
As you can tell by the photos, it was Wells worth stopping for. The shop provided days and days of when I own my own home one day…dreaming–not to mention color and pattern inspiration for miles.
I love architectural salvage yards–looking at old doors and door knobs, ornate windows and quirky old springs and pipes, fixtures and thingymabobbers. I like to imagine what the home looked like that the doors used to be attached to–then I like to imagine these old things in an entirely new context. What would these old tiles look like on the floor of a modern bathroom, or as a backsplash in a rustic kitchen? Visiting these types of stores for me is similar to going to a museum–I only wish I could afford a few items in the gift shop. 
08/9/12
Floral Kilim
When I think of Kilim rugs, I usually think of Turkish rugs–but Kilim rugs can be found from the Balkans to Pakistan, and each culture has their own style of making these flat-weave rugs. Right now, I’m especially in love with floral motif kilim, which are typical of Romanian and Bulgarian kilim. The bright colors and the almost pixelated look of the flowers look both folksy and hyper modern. I’m into it!
I’m increasingly obsessed with the vintage textiles from the tribal people of Thailand, Laos and Vietnam all via the Etsy shop KulshiMumkin–and all surprisingly affordable.
07/30/12
Brights out Back
I am very much in love with these outdoor cushions from Doug&Gene Meyer –can you blame me? Cheery, bold, bright and in palates for every color scheme imaginable, I want a stack for my backyard for the next soiree. So fancy and fun. I think I’d pick the coral/turquoise stack– you?
07/25/12
Eye Dazzlers
Being multi-racial (I’m of Black, Native American and Eastern European decent) it’s no wonder that I’m especially drawn to art and objects that are the direct result of a convergence of cultures. These ‘Eye Dazzlers’ are a perfect (and stunning!) example.
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For those interested in some history:
After years of warfare, the Navajo people were defeated by the United States in 1864 and force-marched into exile at Bosque Redondo in eastern New Mexico, where they remained until 1868…Blankets and rugs from the late transitional period were woven in a wide variety of brilliant-colored yarns from commercial mills in Germantown, Pennsylvania. Because Germantown yarns were more uniform in diameter than handspun yarns, their use made possible a more evenly battened weft and thus a style of finely woven textiles with complex arrangements of small serrated zigzag patterns. The blankets made from these yarns became known as “eye-dazzlers” because of the visually stunning combinations of bright colors and explosive patterns. This innovation is considered uniquely Navajo, an example of experimentation with newly introduced materials. ~Lowe Art Museum
05/30/12
Otomi–not just embroidery
I’ve talked about my love affair with Otomi embroidery before…but lately I’ve been seeing Otomi-inspired pieces that are painted, printed, monochromatic and even subdued in color. I love this exploration of the iconic Mexican folk art and can’t get enough of the print on bikinis, dresses, crib bedding and even dressers. Bring it on!
Mara Hoffman Bikini
Land of Nod pillow Sham
Lena Corwin DIY dresser
Organic Cotton T shirt
Crib Bumper
Mara Hoffman Dress
Liz Caan Interiors (painting)
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