Objects of Lust: New Florence Broadhurst Rugs

Thirty two years after a still-unsolved murder brutally ended her flamboyant and controversial life, Florence Broadhurst's dramatic designs are still as heart-stopping as the day she dreamt them up.

Broadhurst's intensely colorful, geometric and nature-inspired patterns are available as indulgent fabrics and luxe wallpapers, and British firm Knots Interiors came out with a line of Broadhurst rugs in 2007. Now, several more of the Australian icon's timeless designs have been reproduced as handknotted wool-and-silk rugs by the U.S.-based, high-end carpet company Woven Accents.

A few of my faves from this new collection:

Honeycomb in cornflour

Floral 300 in scarlet and ivory

Kabuki in olive and brunette

Solar in saffron and navy

Japanese Floral in tangerine

Horses Stampede in noir and steel

Siam in cream and aqua

The rugs are available for order through L.A's Woodson & Rummerfield's. (The cost: Most likely more than many of us can afford. But let's all just indulge in a collective swoon anyway, OK?)

P.S. For more on Broadhurst, pick up a copy of the gorgeous book, Florence Broadhurst: Her Secret & Extraordinary Lives.

eBay Find of the Day: Florence Broadhurst Fabric

Definitely a splurge -- but considering that this linen Kabuki fabric from legendary Australian designer Florence Broadhurst normally sells for upwards of $169 a yard from chi-chi stores like Woodson & Rummerfield, it's still a pretty good deal (especially when you factor in that the meter offered here is actually a bit more than a yard).

Plus, wouldn't it make a gorgeous throw pillow or wall hanging? I think so.

Current bid: $70.

Objects of Lust: Florence Broadhurst Rugs

I just saw, via the always inspiring Desire to Inspire, that the U.K.'s Knots Interiors has introduced a line of rugs based on murdered design legend Florence Broadhurst's wallpaper patterns.

How incredible are these?

Japanese Floral

Aubrey

Japanese Bamboo

Floral

Egrets

Curly Swirls

Each bespoke rug is hand-loomed in Nepal, and buyers can customize the size, color, and pattern of their floor covering. No prices are listed (which likely means, "If you have to ask ... "), but feel free to inquire.

See the entire Florence Broadhurst rug collection right here.

Color Obsession: Tantalizing Turquoise

I’ve always been utterly immune to blue’s charms. As I’ve said before, the shade simply left me cold, and I failed to see why anyone liked it. At best, I was neutral on some of the prettier French and robin’s egg blues. Even turquoise didn’t do it for me.

But suddenly, I can’t seem to get enough of the happy hue -- whether it’s called turquoise or some variation like “pool,” “azure,” “aqua,” or "Caribbean blue." I’m even trying to figure out which room in our house I can paint the exact color of a Tiffany’s box (and to prove it, I have an actual Tiffany’s box filled with paint chips that are a pretty close match).

For this, I blame my 9-year-old daughter. She has an abiding obsession with anything -- and just about everything -- sporting the beloved color she calls “aquamarine.” Half of her wardrobe falls under this category, as does a good amount of the items in her room. Even the rubber bands on her braces are turquoise.

So at our house, it’s all aqua, all the time. I guess I couldn’t help but be won over.

(And happily, I’ve discovered that turquoise mixes really well with a whole host of other colors, from light neutrals like white, beige, and gray to deep neutrals such as brown, taupe, and charcoal to other poppy brights like yellow, green, and orange, and even deep, dramatic colors like red. Which means that it’s super-easy to migrate in and out of your décor as the mood strikes you.)

Apparently, I’m not alone in my growing appreciation for this summery shade. Textiles, accessories, and even furniture featuring the hue abound these days. Here, a collection of my favorites:

Left to right: West Elm Baton Vases, $4 to $6 each; Jonathan Adler Chroma Small Bottle, $95; Lotus Bleu Lacquer Bamboo Vase, $62

Top left: Urban Outfitters Spindle Lamp Base, $36, and Flocked Mum Lampshade, $28; top center: Pier 1 Teal Drum Table Lamp, $50; top right: Oscar de la Renta Turquoise Lamp, $300, from Horchow; bottom: 1940s French Turquoise Ceramic Lamps, $1,250, from 1stDibs

Left: Shine Citrine Pendant, $490, and Palisades Pendant, $640, from Cottage & Bungalow

Top left to right: Flocked Flower Pillow, $15, from Pier 1; Jonathan Adler Big Sur Pillow, $68; Avis Pillow, $98, from Anthropologie; bottom left to right: Flocked Floor Cushion, $100, from Urban Outfitters; Designers Guild Tatami Turquoise Pillow, $145; Judy Ross Trellis Pillow, $190, from WeegoHome

Left to right: Urban Outfitters Danish Dot Bedspread, $32; Designers Guild Esperanza Bedding, $45 to $280; Mod Coverlet Set, $100, from Pier 1

Left to right: Hollywood Turquoise Fabric, $8.50 per yard, from Contemporary Cloth; Dandy Damask Turquoise Fabric, $9 per yard, from Tonic Living; Denyse Schmidt Katie Jump Robe “Allure Bows” Fabric, $9 per yard, from Purl Soho

Left to right: Florence Broadhurst Dusty Turquoise Shadow Wallpaper and Turquoise Yvans Geometric Reversed Wallpaper, both $448 per roll, from Wandrlust

Left to right: Urban Outfitters Paisley Flower Rug, $28; Jonathan Adler Lacquer Wastebasket, $45; Rainbow Wall Shelves, $49 for three, from the Company Store

Top left: Urban Outfitters Brocade Slipper Chair, $100; top right: ModernDose Trellis Table, $175; bottom left: ModernDose Pop Pedestal Table, $399; bottom right: Eames Molded Plastic Armchair, $329, from Room & Board

Top left to right: Cayman Dinnerware, $1.50 to $7, and Comma Plate, $1, from CB2; Pier 1 Hibiscus Dinnerware, $5 to $6; bottom left to right: Acrylic Diamond Goblet, $6, and Ethereal Decorative Plate, $8, from Urban Outfitters; Le Creuset Caribbean Cookware, $60 to $160, from Sur La Table