Saturday, January 31, 2009
Friday, January 30, 2009
Over and Out
I'm so looking forward to the Alameda flea market Sunday morning -- we haven't been in months and months.
Here's to undiscovered treasures, and discovering them. Have a lovely weekend!
Thursday, January 29, 2009
Cool Stuff: Irana Douer's Path to World Domination
Speaking of Irana Douer ...
If original art is out of your price range, young Ms. Douer has also created a variety of budget-friendly prints, housewares, and other items bearing her strange and beautiful artwork. Top: Untitled limited-edition Giclee print, $40 at Poketo
Wallet 2, $20 at Poketo
Untitled 6 ($20), Todo Pelo ($20), and Angel ($25) archival prints, all at Thumbtack Press
Hair Pillow, $30 Australian (about $20 US) at Third Drawer Down
Portraits of Broken Hearted Women limited-edition 'zine, $7 at Islands Fold
Maria, Christina, and Nadia, teacups, $46 each at LAMA
Safiya Cup, $48 at Makool Loves You
Check out more of Douer's artwork and other creations right here.
Mark Your Calendar: Irana Douer at Rare Device
Opening Saturday, January 31: Argentinian illustrator and painter Irana Douer's first-ever U.S. solo show, Hidden Treasures, at San Francisco's Rare Device.
Douer, who hails from Buenos Aires and is only 25, creates vibrantly colorful portraits of women that are at once innocent and sinister. The artist "is interested in how relationships, particular situations, or even ordinary things can affect a woman's life. Hidden Treasures ... explore(s) what's hidden, different and mysterious."
The opening reception (with Douer in attendance) is Saturday from 7 to 9 p.m., and the show will be up at Rare Device through March 3. If you're not in the area, check the Rare Device website to purchase Douer's original works online.
See more of Douer's artwork right here -- and click here to check out prints and household items bearing her illustrations.
Wednesday, January 28, 2009
Good Reads (Gone): Domino Magazine is No More
Domino magazine is ceasing publication, it was announced today. The March issue will be Domino's last.
There have been rumblings that the magazine was in trouble for awhile -- and plenty of other home-design titles have been shuttered recently due to this piss-poor economy -- so it's not like the news is coming completely out of the blue.
But still, I'm speechless. And sad. I guess I'll have no choice but to console myself with $9 imported copies of Living, Etc.
Where will you be getting your shelter porn now?
Etsy Find of the Day: Maxwell Loren Holyoke-Hirsch
Add this to the "Everyone has an Etsy shop now" file ...
Maxwell Loren Holyoke-Hirsch is well known on the San Francisco art scene, and he regularly shows his strange and mesmerizing original paintings, illustrations, and woodcuts at some of the city's hippest galleries. He's one of the growing list of artists whose work (like Holy Artisans, above, $400) I covet, but never thought I'd have the pleasure of owning.
So imagine my surprise and delight when I discovered that Holyoke-Hirsch also sells budget-friendly prints as well as originals on good old Etsy under the name The Small Factory. (In case I haven't said it lately: I love you, Etsy.)
My faves:
Star Mapper limited-edition signed and numbered print, $20
Force Field limited-edition signed and numbered letterpress print, $40
Untitled Portrait wood-mounted, resin-coated paper original, $80
Painter original illustration, $150
Megarealms7 original illustration, $200
Check out Holyoke-Hirsch's Etsy shop right here -- and see more of his work here.
(P.S. If you're in the area, stop in to see Holyoke-Hirsch's group show, Strange Ways, with Matt Furie, Mark Todd, and Matthew Lock at San Francisco's Double Punch starting February 7.)
Tuesday, January 27, 2009
The Artful Home: Lisa DeJohn
I really like these prints from West Newbury, Massachusetts artist Lisa DeJohn -- they're sweet, simple, and ever-so-slightly retro. Clockwise from top left: Blue Flower, Green Vines, Yellow Lupine, and Jade. Each 8.5-by-11-inch print is $35, or $60 for a 13-by-19 right here. (The originals are available, too.)
DeJohn is quite the busy, successful bee right now: She has a canvas available at Urban Outfitters (above, $15), a set of charming prints at children's decor retailer Land of Nod (also above, $69 each), journals and calendars from Chronicle Books, notebooks from Pinball Publishing ($9 each), and a variety of other colorful and affordably priced items bearing her artwork. Plus, she recently painted a 175-foot water tower (below) in Albuquerque, New Mexico -- whew!
Check out more of DeJohn's work here.
Inspiration: Making the Bed
Face it: We could all stand to have a little more fun in bed. (And, yes, feel free to read that any way you want.)
I spotted this great Flickr set called "Making the Bed" by jek in the box (aka the L.A. craft blogger behind Scrumdillydilly) on Shelterrific awhile back and have been meaning to share it here ever since.
Especially on these cold, dreary, mid-winter mornings, who wouldn't want to wake up to such bright and cheerful bedding?
Admittedly, I've always been a white sheets and nothing-but-white sheets kind of gal. But these delightful jolts of color are inspiring me to be a bit ... wilder in the bedroom.
How about you?
Monday, January 26, 2009
Etsy Find of the Day: Summerland Salvaged Furniture
Even in a modern space, I love a few vintage pieces mixed in -- it imparts much-needed character and personality, and lends an element of the unexpected. I also appreciate timeworn furnishings that have been given a new lease on life with updated upholstery, a surprising paint color, or clever alteration. And that's exactly what Etsy seller Summerland does. Above: Acid Green Dresser (which reveals a flash of hot pink when you open the drawers), $300
Wall-Mounted Demilune Table, $135
Teardrop Vase Pendant Lamp, $80
Sweet and Cheeky Chair, $225
Robin's Egg Blue Wool Sofa, $1,200
See all of Summerland's Etsy offerings right here.
Sunday, January 25, 2009
Friday, January 23, 2009
Cool Stuff: West Elm Bridge Tables
I'm kind of over West Elm -- all that wenge-colored wood, all those boxy upholstered pieces, the whole "modern/rustic/ethnic" thing ... But there are occasional exceptions to my growing apathy about the store's trademark look.
Like these Bridge Side ($179) and Coffee ($299) tables, especially together. I really like the contrast of smooth white lacquer with a silkscreened jacaranda-leaf motif and the earthy, striated sungkai wood. Yes, please.
Thursday, January 22, 2009
Cool Stuff: Oras Clocks
I blogged Oras's (aka Northern California designer Vilija Marshall) modern mobiles awhile back, and am really liking her brand-new clock designs as well. Reminiscent of midcentury sunburst clocks, each 18-inch timekeeper is handmade from lasercut walnut and is available with one of four different hand colors: Orange, green, pink, and turquoise.
Pukas Clock, $160
Gele Clock, $165
Check out the entire Oras collection right here.
Wednesday, January 21, 2009
The Artful Home: We = Trouble
Last fall, the print-release site Tiny Showcase put together a group show at Brooklyn's Secret Project Robot gallery. Called We = Trouble, the show featured collaborative works (as well as several solo pieces) by a international group of 32 artists. (Above: Three Cranes and a Deer by Nigel Peake and Holly Rice.)
The exhibit "was designed to showcase communities of artists that do not subscribe to traditional art world values of egocentricity and competition, but rather foster communities of trust and encouragement. Sixteen artists were given complete freedom to invite a partner that they would most enjoy collaborating with. Responding with an avalanche of marathon drawing jams, long-distance parcel post, fake feuds, spying, empty threats, pseudo sabotage, and curiosity, the participants spent the last six months oscillating between forgetting about the show altogether to pulling all-nighters just trying to out-trouble one another, or simply trying to trouble to their maximum extent."
A few of the artists are familiar names -- there's a significant Bay Area contribution, for instance -- but many of them are new to me (and several of those were love at first sight). Now these original artworks are available through the Tiny Showcase website. Some of my favorite pieces:
Slutty Plan by Riikka Sormunen
Pony by Riikka Sormunen
Sex Grill by Jaakko Pallasvuo and Riikka Sormunen
Caves, Telescopes, and Slides by Nigel Peake and Holly Rice
Acclimation Blast by Maxwell Loren Holyoke-Hirsch
North by Caroline Gaedechens
Secrets by Caroline Gaedechens and 1911 (aka The Good Machinery)
Bird Series V by Matt Furie and Aiyana Udesen
Ghost in the Graveyard by Jen Corace
We Were There by Catia Chen and Danni Meyerson
Boglight by Michelle Blade and Marci Washington
The Wanderer by Michelle Blade and Marci Washington
Moon Mouth by Michelle Blade and Marci Washington
Moon Bathing by Michelle Blade, Jay Howell, and Ferris Plock
Bones by Jay Howell, Deth P. Sun, and Ferris Plock
Lost Marbles by Ferris Plock and Kelly Tunstall
Untitled by Erin Althea and Drew Beckmeyer
Purple Panties by Mike Bertino and Daniel Gibson
Check out all of the featured pieces here, and contact Tiny Showcase for info and pricing on available works.
House in Progress: My Grandmother's Dresser
After my grandmother passed away last year, this petite chest of drawers was the only piece of furniture I took from her house (my mom, aunts, and cousins, of course, divvied up the rest). It had sat in her entryway for as long as I can remember, and of everything she had, it somehow symbolized her home -- where I'd always felt loved and welcomed -- the most for me.
The little dresser dates from 1939, not long after my grandma and my long-deceased grandfather were married, and it followed her through their many turbulent years together and their many cross-country moves -- from Chicago to New Jersey to Boston to Pittsburgh, back to Chicago, then to sunny post-war Los Angeles, and finally, to the Bay Area. It's not a particularly fine piece, but it's solid and useful, has a bit of 1930s-'40s flair with its chunky Asian-style brass pulls, and just reminds me of my grandmother in a fond way.
Its olive-green paint job had seen better days, though, and I wanted to update the chest with a splashy new color. I totally could have stripped, sanded, and repainted the thing myself, but I knew it would take me five years to get around to it and, truth be told, I'm just not all that meticulous about these sorts of projects. This is a special piece for me, and I didn't want to mess it up. So when I heard that Johnelle Mancha, the proprietress of Old Oakland's Mignonne, was offering a new furniture-refinishing service, I was all over it.
After consulting with me about the look I was after, Johnelle carefully stripped and refinished the dresser in a happy, glossy apple green that's a nod to the original hue but that gives the piece a more modern and surprising feel. (We literally matched the paint to a Granny Smith apple I'd brought from home.) I couldn't be more pleased with the results.
The cheerful chest now sits in my own entryway, where I've topped it was some of my favorite little treasures (like a vintage globe and wooden spool from eBay, a porcelain skeleton key from the Curiosity Shoppe, a ceramic-and-wooden apple from Relish at Home, and an Aida Dirse candy bowl from Rare Device), and where it reminds me of my beloved and dearly missed grandma every time I pass by. Thanks so much, Johnelle!
Tuesday, January 20, 2009
The Artful Home: Eric Rewitzer's Obama Linocuts
Today is all about our country's new President, so I'm just gonna go with it ...
This election seems to have inspired more great art than any I can remember. And while I admit that it seems weird to cynical, government-distrusting, Gen-X me to have the illustrated mug (no matter how handsome) of any elected official (no matter how cool) plastered on one's wall, that doesn't seem to be stopping anyone else. (In fact, the Los Angeles Times just ran an interesting photo essay and article on Obama art in people's homes.)
Among the hundreds -- perhaps even thousands -- of pieces of Obama-inspired art out there are San Francisco painter and printmaker Eric Rewitzer's (aka The Lonely Robot, aka Mr. Annie Galvin) linocut renderings. Above: Limited-edition Inaugural "Prez" Linocut Print, signed and numbered by the artist, $25
For classicists, there's the limited-edition "Yes We Can" Linocut Print, also signed and numbered by the artist and also $25
Check out more of Rewitzer's work right here.
P.S. In San Francisco tonight and feel like celebrating the change of administrations? (And really, no matter how you feel about the election outcome, is there anyone out there who isn't thrilled to see the back of the last one?) If so, stop by Electric Works on Eighth Street at Minna from 6 to 10 p.m. for the gallery's Inaugural Ball, featuring live music, a DJ, dancing, and other merrymaking. The shindig benefits the San Francisco Food Bank, and a $10 donation is suggested.
Friday, January 16, 2009
Over and Out
Have a lovely long weekend! (Monday is, of course, a national holiday and day of service here, so I'll see you bright and early on Tuesday -- aka Inauguration Day!)
Objects of Lust: Ladak Recycled Blankets
Another fave from our recent visit to Los Angeles's ReForm School: Ladak blankets. I literally could not keep my hands off of them.
Crafted in the Netherlands, each 78-by-55-inch throw is handmade from recycled moving blankets (which themselves consist of material from recycled sweaters, jeans, blankets, and mattresses). They are then embellished with scraps of colorful fabric, trim, ribbon, and lace.
The blankets cost 189 euros (about $247) apiece directly from Ladak, or you can buy one for $285 from the ReForm School e-shop. (That's not cheap, of course, but you can always rationalize the purchase by reminding yourself that 15 percent of the profits are donated to an Amsterdam homeless shelter.)
If you're crafty, you might also be inspired to create your own throw blanket on the cheap from salvaged materials. You can find simple wool blankets at most army surplus stores and on eBay, and then go to town with ric-rac, ribbon, fabric trim, lace, printed binding tape, and that collection of fabric remnants you've been meaning to do something with. (Consider writing a check to your local homeless shelter with the money you save.)
Mark Your Calendar: "Collective Compulsions" at Johansson Projects
Opening at Oakland's Johansson Projects this weekend: Collective Compulsions, a kind of "greatest hits" of the gallery's featured artists over the past 18 months. All share an obsession with "intricate visual detail ... Stepping back from the image, the meticulously built forms disappear into the context of the whole. Delicate, dense, panoramic memory maps stretch before us in one piece, only to collapse into spiraling abstractions in the next."
Among the featured artists:
Amanda Hughen (previously blogged here)
Val Britton (previously blogged here)
Anna Fidler
Nathan Cordero
Tadashi Moriyama
Kristina Lewis
Jill Gallenstein
Jen Stark
Misa Inaoka
Andrew Benson
An artists' reception will be held Saturday, January 17, from 4 to 7 p.m., and Collective Compulsions will be up at Johansson Projects through February 21.
Thursday, January 15, 2009
Etsy Find of the Day: Devon Kelley-Yurdin
I'm utterly taken with these prints from Etsy seller, Pratt grad, and brand-new East Bay resident Devon Kelley-Yurdin. I especially love the combination of soft watercolor and pen-and-ink illustration in her pieces. Above: October 12-by-16-inch print, $30
Storm Clouds 11-by-14-inch print, $30
Just Balloons hand-bound book, $35
Recycle 11-by-14-inch print, $30
Two Hundred and Ninety Miles 11-by-14-inch print, $30
Check out all of Devon's Etsy offerings right here -- and see more of her work here.
P.S. Fingers crossed, I'll soon be the owner of this lovely original illustration/papercut from Ms. Kelley-Yurdin. Squeee!
Wednesday, January 14, 2009
Objects of Lust: More to Love from Adam and Viktoria
Dreamy new textiles and upholstered furniture from Sweden's Adam and Viktoria. The pair take inspiration from "the secret gardens of children's fairy tales" -- as well as the colors and motifs of classic artwork, vintage wallpapers, and Oriental rugs -- and turns them into objects that are at once modern and timeless. Above: Priscilla Chair
Andromeda Chair
Ombre Tischka Glass Green Pillow
Ombre Cherry Branch Coral Pillow
Ombre Small Antiguo Pea Green Pillow
See more of Adam and Viktoria's textile creations here -- and contact the duo's U.S. rep, Lisa Fontanarosa, for pricing and additional info.
Etsy Find of the Day: Whitney Smith Lichen Bowls
I'm crushing hard on this new collection from Oakland ceramist Whitney Smith. These delicate bowls' organic, modern form is a real departure from Smith's (also gorgeous) signature Art Nouveau-inspired pieces -- and one that I wholeheartedly approve. Above: Lichen Nesting Bowls, $240 for the set
Lichen Bowl, $44
See all of the offerings in Smith's Etsy shop right here -- and check out more of her work here.
Cool Stuff: Floral Cut Hurricane and Tea Lights
Loving the lasercut design of these pretty tea lights and hurricane from the U.K.'s Graham & Green. The tea lights are £2.64 (about $4) apiece, while the hurricane is £26.18 ($38).
Take a look right here.
Tuesday, January 13, 2009
Etsy Find of the Day: Under the Apple Tree Bed
Made from lasercut ash by Finnish designer Tiina Anttila, the king-size Under the Apple Tree Bed is a mere $9,225, including international shipping.
Check out all of Anttila's Etsy offerings right here, and see more of her work here.
Monday, January 12, 2009
The Artful Home: Alexis Mackenzie Prints
Gorgeous new prints from San Francisco collage artist Alexis Mackenzie. Above: Butterflies Up the Spine
Excursion
Each 9.5-by-11-inch archival print comes in a limited edition of 20 and is signed by the artist. They're $40 each from the Beholder.
Check out more of Mackenzie's breathtaking work here and here.
House Voyeur: Rustic and Retro in Silverlake
Sheharazad Pezeshkpour and Ron Fleming's Silverlake home is, to me, the quintessential arty Los Angeles abode: set into a leafy hillside and filled with quirky vintage treasures.
I love how the couple has fused rustic, retro, and modern elements. This is no cookie-cutter midcentury modern showhouse, outfitted with the requisite iconic pieces but somehow lacking soul. Rather, it's a warm, inviting space that feels very personal and reflective of its owners' personalities. I'd love to come to a party here, sipping glass after glass of red wine out on the patio and having heady conversations late into the balmy L.A. night.
Here, Sheharazad gives us a virtual tour of the designing duo's (she works for a business-design firm called Studio Deluxe, while Ron co-owns YYES) 1,980-square-foot urban oasis:
"Built in 1952, our home is a California rancher with midcentury, clean-lined touches.
Our style is eclectic and considered. We like to mix pieces from different decades and have an appreciation for objects that showcase excellence in design and craftsmanship. We’ve designed the house as a whole to have a relaxed, atmospheric vibe. And within that, each room in our home is designed to have a purpose.
We’re inspired by so many designers: Tony Duquette, David Hicks, Kelly Wearstler, Jonathan Adler, Ralph Lauren, John Lautner, Edward Durrell Stone, LaGardo Tackett, Yves St. Laurent … all have such an incredible sense of style. We also find inspiration through reading old issues of Sunset magazine and Architectural Digest from the ’60s, ’70s, and even the ’80s. You really get to see a variety of design solutions that worked in the past — and, of course, some that should stay in the past. But the most inspiring ones are always the things that were so ahead of their time that they still look futuristic, even now when they’re considered vintage.
A couple of our favorite things about this house are the exposed beams and high ceilings in the main room, which adds a lot of depth to the space, making it feel larger than it is.
We tend to gravitate toward midcentury modern and 1960s design, so we often buy secondhand. Most of our décor is pieced together from trips to local flea markets, secondhand stores, and yard sales, and from perusing craigslist. We’re definitely bargain-hunters. We see our house as a work in progress. We’re constantly changing the décor, adding and taking away. It evolves with each new find.
When it came time to think about furniture, we opted to keep our vintage pieces and have them reupholstered. For our couch, we chose brown Italian theater velvet and for our chairs, we chose remnants from the Holly Hunt collection that our upholsterer had left over from a previous commission.
We also splurged on the shelving in our main room. Ron's a vinyl junkie and we both love books. We needed quality pieces that were modern and functional to house our favorite books and Ron's record collection. Our good friend Amy Devers is an amazing furniture designer and carpenter. She and Ron worked together to come up with a design that fit the room, and Amy built all the custom hardwood casework herself.
Over the years we've collected a group of paintings, serigraphs, lithographs, etchings, drawing, prints, pottery, and glass that suit our taste. Many of the midcentury pieces are from artists associated with the Chouinard School in California, but they're peppered with an original Chagall (thanks, St. Vincent de Paul!), an early Araya Rasdjarmrearnsook, various works by talented friends, and the occasional anonymous trash-heap find.
Our house is surrounded by bamboo, which grows incessantly and Ron trims regularly. We have so much of it, in fact, that we’ve begun to display some of the taller trimmings as vertical elements throughout the house. As they dry and age, the bamboo changes from green to a neutral color. It’s a nice homage to the living bamboo you see through the windows.
We tend to display the things we collect — pottery, ceramics, cast iron kitchenware — in larger groups to add visual interest.
Our biggest challenge is keeping our love of 'things' from taking over the house. To control our ever-growing collections, we recently started an Etsy store called the White Mole, where we sell some of our finds so we don’t have to start charging them rent.
We used Ralph Lauren paints throughout our home — specifically the Vintage Masters Collection. Our bedroom is painted in the Olive Tree shade.
We got a great deal on a set of black leather Le Corbusier-style couches that we use in our movie room. The paint color is Ralph Lauren's New Castle Brown.
Ron built the table in our 'Japanese tea room' from an antique head- and footboard that our neighbors were getting rid of. He designed custom fasteners to bring the two pieces together and had glass fitted for the tabletop. I’m so proud of how he was able to creatively repurpose something old and give it a new life. It’s a great conversation piece.
We love our home’s original wood windows. We don’t use window treatments, except in our bedroom and in the movie room (where we need the option of keeping light out), so it really brings in a nice sense of the immediate outdoors.
In our backyard, which is built on a hillside so that it has tiers, we’ve tried to create separate spaces, each evoking an emotional response. For example, a space you’d want to meditate in versus a space you’d want to entertain in versus a space you’d want to read in.
Our advice: Don’t be afraid to mix things up. Add your own touch by playing with different textures and shapes that speak to you. Put something old next to something new, and both items will have an added sense of character."
Thanks so much for sharing your enchanting home and garden with us, Sheharazad and Ron! (Pssst — you can check out even more of it on their flickr set.)
P.S. Want to see more? Click here for a look inside other readers' homes.
Friday, January 9, 2009
Mark Your Calendar: Laura Ball at Swarm Gallery
With the the holiday whirlwind and other commitments, I haven't had a chance to get out to many galleries lately. But I'm ready to see some fresh art, and am super-excited about Laura Ball's new show, Choose Your Own Adventure, which opens at Oakland's Swarm Gallery tonight. (Apparently, I'm not alone in my admiration. Celebrities snapping up Ball's pieces include Beck, Naomi Watts, Michelle Williams, Parker Posey, and Mark and Sunrise Ruffalo.)
Ball's work "has always addressed real-world battles, play, and competition. The characters in [her] watercolors and oil paintings are represented by her sisters, her mother, and herself, often engaged in play-fighting, struggling against a torrent of water, or battling swords." Choose Your Own Adventure "explores fantastical characters of our minds, examining the journeys and struggles we undertake both as mythological characters and as ourselves. The heroic journey of world myths and the events of the subconscious provide sources for conflict and struggle that move from the world into the depths of the psyche."
The opening reception is tonight -- Friday, January 9 -- from 6 to 8 p.m., and the show will be up through February 14. Swarm is located at 560 Second St. in Oakland's Ironworks District, and is open Tuesdays through Saturdays from noon to 6 p.m. Check out more of Ball's work right here.
Thursday, January 8, 2009
Etsy Find of the Day: Jon Carling Illustrations
Oakland artist Jon Carling's pen-and-ink drawings are straight out of a strange dream -- or a dark, twisted fairy tale. Above: Holy Balloons, $15
The Vision, $10
Heather and Worried, $15
Scout Niblett, $15
The Bird Admirer, $15
Wolf and Rabbit, $15
Two, $10
See all of Carling's Etsy offerings right here -- and check out more of his work here.
Cool Stuff: Dexter-Style Dining
From Metropolitan Home's Showtime House, designer Amy Lau's Dexter Dining Room pieces bring new meaning to the phrase "bloody good meal."
Bloody Comfortable Armchair, $4,500
Hematolagnia Dinnerware, $60 to $135 per piece
Dismembered Flatware, $400 per setting
Vertebrae Candlesticks, $125 to $375 each
Umm ... yeah. I think I'm having salad for lunch today.
All available from Brooklyn's Spring Design & Art.
Wednesday, January 7, 2009
Objects of Lust: Feinedinge Stella Lights
Yet more porcelain loveliness from Feinedinge (aka Austria's Sandra Haischberger) to covet.
Each 16-inch, handcrafted lamp is $485 from Olio United. Sigh.
Cool Stuff: Wood-and-Ceramic Apple Container
Speaking of Relish at Home, I stopped in yesterday to scope out the deals and wound up picking up this sweet, petite ceramic-and-wood apple vessel. (Sadly, I think I got the last one, but they're also available online from Three Potato Four.)
It has a small hole in the top to hold a tiny flower bud, or can be used to hide a small trinket inside. You can pick up one yourself for $18 right here.
Retail Therapy: Relish at Home
Update: This post originally ran in May, but I just learned that owner Kelly Sperbeck is closing Berkeley's Relish at Home to focus on her own product design business and to relaunch the shop online. Relish at Home's last day as a brick and mortar is Friday, January 16, and until then everything in the store is 30 to 75 percent off, with progressive markdowns as the last day approaches.
A bit off the beaten track in West Berkeley is a tiny gem of a shop called Relish at Home. Despite its modest size, the store is chock full of absolutely lovely little things that are perfect when you need a gift that will surprise and delight its recipient, or when you simply want to treat yourself to something really special.
Opened three years ago by Kelly Sperbeck, an indie artisan in her own right who creates sweet accessories under the name k.autumn, Relish focuses on handmade wares from independent designers -- many of them local.
Though housewares form the bulk of her inventory, Sperbeck stocks jewelry, papergoods, handbags and other personal accessories as well. (And in case you're wondering, this dreamy wall color is Behr's Aqua Bay -- which is now a serious contender for our about-to-be-repainted dining room.)
The shop also functions as an art gallery of sorts, featuring pieces from artists such as Jane Buck of Foxy & Winston, whose "Mammalia" show hung there last spring. Buck's collection of small, vibrantly colored silkscreen prints depicting woodland creatures ranges from $55 to $475 apiece.
Prices for many items are exceedingly reasonable. But be warned: A visit to Relish could be perilous to your pocketbook. I popped in planning to simply take a few snapshots and be on my way, but wound up dropping a fair amount of cash on a bag bursting with treasures that I just had to have. (Oh well, I love them all ... )
Here, a tour of the wee shop and a peek at its current inventory:
Bags from k studio ($139), Hable Construction ($168), and Lotta Jansdotter ($49); Papaver Vert felt trees ($60 to $79); and wall tiles by Xenia Taler ($35 to $108).
Tanpopo plates ($28), graphic Dovetail vases, and ceramic pieces from Perch! and j.mendicino ($35 to $60).
Papergoods from Sukie UK, Jill Bliss, Foxy & Winston, Nantaka Joy, Chewing the Cud, Satsuma Press, and others.
Origami PJ Pocket Pillows from Modern-Twist ($85), and harlequin-patterned bowls from Anna Elzer Oscarson ($12).
Ceramics by Dovetail ($28) and j.mendicino ($35 to 55); tiny handblown glass bud vases from Sugahara ($20).
Clockwise: "Jelly Bean Rocks," river stones coated with 12 layers of colorful lacquer ($12); bunny pens and tape measures ($14 to $16); Log Bowls from Loyal Loot, $79 to $99; burrow owl from Roost, $26.
Airplants ($6 to $65) in vessels from Roost ($36) and Perch! ($29 to $89).
j.mendicino vases ($30 to $60), one of Jill Bliss' fabric Autumn birds ($32), and a Satsuma letterpress print ($39).
Birds by Jill Bliss and k.autumn ($24).
Lampshades from Mibo ($82 to $110) and small Hide Boxes from Modern-Twist ($25).
Felted vessels from Papaver Vert ($20 to $82), and harlequin cups from Anna Elzer Oscarson ($10).
Clockwise: Print from Jill Bliss ($16); pillows from Joom ($50 to $70), Ciuccio ($29), and k studio ($375 a pair).
Relish at Home is located at 2703 7th St. #112 at Pardee in Berkeley, and is open Wednesdays through Saturdays from noon to 6 p.m.
(Need some more Retail Rx? See other great shops I've featured right here.)
Tuesday, January 6, 2009
eBay Find of the Day: Vintage Typewriter
When we visited L.A.'s ReForm School last week, my daughter was fascinated with the vintage school- and office supplies there. She and I both couldn't resist tapping a few keys on a beautifully timeworn typewriter the shop had on display, and it occurred to me that in this age of computers and tiny, magical handheld devices, my kids had probably never seen an actual typewriter in person before.
Since we got home, I've been on the hunt for vintage model of our own. (The great irony here, of course, is that my late father-in-law had an awesome antique typewriter that we let go in an estate sale a few years ago.) I was thinking that maybe we could keep it on the table in the hallway, feed a fresh piece of paper into it every once in awhile, and tap out random phrases and notes to each other when we passed by and inspiration happened to strike. Wouldn't that be fun?
Right now, I'm digging this vintage Underwood, complete with the original carrying case.
Current bid: $10. (The auction ends Saturday evening, January 10.)
Etsy Find of the Day: Yokomono Studio Pillows
I saw these at a craft fair here in Oakland not too long ago, and couldn't wait to share them here. Created by the Japanese-born, Berkeley-based Yoko, of Yokomono Studio, each pillow cover is made from heavy cotton twill handstitched with contrasting sashiko thread. Above Blue Chikuchiku Pillowcase, $40
Yellow Chikuchiku Pillowcase, $40
Coffee Brown Chikuchiku Pillowcase, $40
These are even more beautiful in person, and the craftsmanship is exquisite.
See more of Yoko's creations right here (she has some gorgeous bags, too).
Monday, January 5, 2009
Wanderlust: Holiday in the Sun
Ah, January -- back to reality. I hope you all had a lovely holiday. Before we get back into the regular swing of things, I wanted to share some snaps of our winter break. We hit the road heading south in search of sunshine and swanky retro fabulousness, and for the most part, that's what we got.
So this is the house we rented in Palm Springs. I meant to take a few snaps inside, but then forgot. Dwell on Design did a video tour of the place a few years ago (click on "Wexler Harrison House"). The furnishings are all different now, but you'll get the idea.
This house is really all about the backyard, anyway.
I think I took these pictures of the kids frolicking in the pool on Christmas Eve. It's just wrong, I know.
Elvis and Priscilla spent their wedding night here.
Trina Turk Residential was fun in an over-the-top, Palm Beach kind of way. (I was too shy to snap pics there; the ones above were borrowed from The Contemporist.) And there was the 111 Antique Mall, a great jumble of a secondhand store in a random strip mall north of downtown. (Thanks to the always-chic Maison 21 for the tip on that one!) I lusted after a pristine and decently priced set of teak dining chairs and a bunch of midcentury pottery there, but didn't get a chance to return for them after my initial hurried run through the shop. Just as well, because we're totally broke.
All told, though, I have to say that I wasn't too impressed with the shopping in Palm Springs. The other stores I visited were mostly obscenely overpriced midcentury boutiques (trust me -- you can do way better on eBay and craigslist) or equally overpriced trend emporiums that looked like a Z Gallerie exploded inside. Asylum, pictured above, was probably the least offensive of them. Elsewhere, I saw a lot of things that I'm positive the shop owners picked up at Pier 1, the Z, and even IKEA and tripled the price on before putting them out on their floors.
Besides shopping and driving around random neighborhoods, my favorite thing to do on vacation is hang out at hotels we can't actually afford to stay in. And, of course, you simply can't go to Palm Springs without checking out the Jonathan Adler-designed Parker.
I'm finding myself less and less of a fan of Adler's pottery and product design (most of which seems to be shamelessly ripped off from original midcentury pieces). But I still love his interiors, which have a great sense of exuberance, wit, and fun.
The Parker's lounge almost makes me miss my parents' circa-1974 living room. Almost.
Plus, the grounds are gorgeous.
Brunch on the patio at Norma's. There were a lot of hungover, sunglasses-sporting Hollywood hipster types sucking down Bloody Marys when we visited.
The gift shop is a bit Legally Blonde, no?
Here's Nick hamming it up at Mister Parker's. If you're in the area and want to drink old-school cocktails and spend $400 on dinner (thanks, Mom!), this is the place for you.
We also stopped by Kelly Wearstler's Viceroy Hotel, which was super-glam and swanky. I'm pretty sure this is the yellow-and-white tile wall featured on the cover of Modern Glamour. Can't you just picture Kelly striking a pose here in some insane couture ball gown?
One of the cleaning ladies saw us wandering around drooling, took pity on us, and invited us to poke our heads inside a Viceroy suite. Sweet!
One of the property's three pools. If I ever win the lottery, I'm moving here.
The pool cabana, darlings.
The recently refurbished Riviera Resort is more Vegas than Palm Springs, but is definitely worth a gander.
These portraits of local legends (this one is Bob Hope, of course) were made entirely of sparkly bits of metal. Sadly, the shot I took of the pre-surgery Cher in all her glory didn't turn out.
My 13-year-old says he want to be a cabana boy here when he grows up. That's right -- aim high, my love.
In a future life, I think I'll need an enormous, patent-leather wing chair.
Something about this place makes me want to drink whiskey and eat steak.
One day, we actually got out of town to explore the desert. (Sara Bethell, I hope you're happy.) I am so not a nature person, but I'll admit that Joshua Tree is pretty amazing. Strangely, though, I still haven't found what I'm looking for ...
OK, on to L.A.: I would love to tell you that we did fabulously cool things there -- but the fact is, we mostly drove around kind of aimlessly, tried to visit a bunch of stores that were closed for the holidays (of the ones we managed to get in, ReForm School was my favorite), did some dorky touristy stuff the kids begged to do, and sat around at my sister- and brother-in-law's little Silverlake bungalow, noshing on vegan treats and watching DVR'ed episodes of Whatever, Martha. (I'm now completely addicted -- and think I may be even more terrified of Alexis Stewart than I am of her mother. Thanks, guys!) It was lovely, if not terribly exciting.
Dinner at the Farmer's Market with Nick's beautiful sister and her hilarious husband.
My husband makes a pilgrimage to the Hollywood Forever Cemetery and Sunset Strip Guitar Center.
The weather was insane -- mid 70s and sunshine the whole time we were there.
There's no questionable taste quite as awesome as L.A. questionable taste; don't miss the naked statues of David in the background. (Photo courtesy of my BIL.)
All in all, it was great fun -- although we're going to be eating rice, beans, and Top Ramen and Netflixing it on date night for months while our wallets recover.
How were your holidays?
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