eBay Find of the Day: Moroccan Table

I love the incredible carved detailing on this vintage Moroccan Tabouret table -- and the fact that it's painted, so its appearance isn't as dark and heavy as these tables often are.

Whether you use this as a side table, a plant stand, a compact coffee table, extra seating, or simply as an exotic accent piece, it's a showstopper.

Current bid: $284. (Hurry -- the auction ends Sunday afternoon.)

Retail Therapy: Form Vintage Modern

Tucked amidst the cozy traditionalism of College Avenue in Oakland’s Rockridge neighborhood is a store with a decidedly more modern bent: Form Vintage Modern.

Classic teak, walnut, and rosewood furniture by Eames, Knoll, Wegner, and other design luminaries (as well as less-celebrated makers) comfortably rubs shoulders with newer items from the likes of Modernica, Flos, and Vitra in the showroom, owned by husband-and-wife team Joe and Lindsay Kunis.

Judiciously mixed in with the clean-lined Danish modern furnishings is a smattering of pieces with more elaborate Hollywood Regency styling: A pair of red lacquered nightstands (which may or may not be by James Mont) as well as Asian modern consoles and sideboards, a faux bamboo occasional table, and a pair of brass wheat-sheaf side tables. The combination works because the items all have a simple elegance and sophistication. Though midcentury is the store’s unifying theme, it’s more eclectic than you might expect. “We specialize in things that are unusual and relatively accessible,” Joe Kunis says.

Rounding out Form’s offerings are reissues of George Nelson’s iconic Bubble Lamps, new midcentury-style sofas and chairs from Bombast, and Alessi tableware. Delicate pottery by Emeryville ceramicist Sara Paloma as well as colorful blown glass and vintage ceramics grace many of the tables and shelves. Seventies Op-Art serigraphs share a bright exuberance with contemporary work by local artists such as Bethany Ayres and Justin O’Neill.

Although roughly 90 percent of Form’s wares are vintage, everything in the store is in pristine condition. If it’s not mint (and most of it is), then the Kunises have it refinished and reupholstered so that it shines like new. And unlike a lot of high-end showrooms with similarly pedigreed stock, the vibe at Form is laid-back and friendly, and Joe is happy to chat and to fill in his customers about each piece and its maker.

Prices for signed sideboards, chairs, tables, and dinette sets are not for budget shoppers -- they run several hundred to a few thousand dollars apiece -- but still compare favorably to similar stores in San Francisco and other large cities, making an excursion worth your while if you’re on the hunt for classic, collectible furnishings. (Plus, Kunis says that prices for many vintage items are negotiable.)

Most of the store’s accessories cost under $100, and many can be had for less than $50. You can also snag relative bargains by keeping an eye out for the shop’s occasional eBay auctions (they have a few up now, so be sure to check them out).

Form Vintage Modern is located at 5330 College Avenue in Oakland, six blocks south of the Rockridge BART station, and is open Wednesdays through Sundays from noon until 6 p.m.

(Note: This post -- written by me -- originally appeared on another site.)

eBay Find of the Day: Bertoia Chair

A modern classic.

Designed by Harry Bertoia for Knoll in 1952, the iconic Bertoia Side Chair is constructed of powder-coated wire formed into a metal filigree that sits atop a steel frame. Today, the proliferation of licensed reproductions from companies like Design Within Reach (which run hundreds of dollars) and knockoffs (like West Elm's Wire Mesh Chair) prove that the appeal of this simple but striking seating endures.

Want the real thing without spending a bundle? Check out this original up for auction on eBay.

Current bid: $10.

Cool Stuff: Not Neutral Pierced Lanterns

We still have a month or so of summer (actually, here in the Bay Area, our best weather starts in September) -- and what better way to enjoy it than out on the porch or patio on a balmy evening?

If a warm breeze isn't enough to draw you outside at night, then these gorgeous pierced metal lanterns from Not Neutral surely will. (Not Neutral is the retail arm of Rios Clementi Hale Studios, a Los Angeles-based architectural, interior, and product design firm.)

I love their Morocco-by-way-of-Mexico vibe and the intricate shadows they cast. Ranging from 14 to a dramatic 26 inches tall (and from $50 to $180, including candles), they make quite a statement.

And when an Autumn chill starts to creep into the air? Simply bring them inside, where a group of the lanterns clustered in a fireplace or on an entry table will look incredible, too.

Also available in persimmon and white right here.

Cool Stuff: Evo Noche Designs

Oakland’s Evo Noche makes screenprinted products that manage to combine a spare winsomeness with a hint of punk attitude.

Founded by artist Erin Brookey and husband Jason Roeder, who operates the press and moonlights as the drummer in legendary epic-metal band Neurosis, Evo Noche handprints “cute but strange drawings of things you aren't used to seeing on fabric.”

The subjects of Brookey’s simple, almost childlike illustrations include wrenches, utility knives, screwdrivers, and weeds. Somehow, though, the designs come off more sweetly melancholy than menacing -- especially when they’re reproduced on such symbols of domesticity as tea towels, aprons, napkins, and pillowcases (the company has a line of screenprinted clothing designs as well).

Among my favorites:

Wheels towel

Satellite pillow

Adjust pillow

Cage pillow

Prices run $7 for flour-sack towels and $16 for 300-thread-count cotton pillowcases -- which means that you can afford to grab several.

Evo Noche’s goods are available here.

(Note: This post -- written by me -- originally appeared on another site.)

Color Obsession: Painted Houses Update

My painted houses post has been getting great response, and several readers emailed links as well as their own shots of colorful streets. So I've updated the post with new pix from Nova Scotia, Mexico, another London shot, and one from South Africa.

If you have a minute, pay the painted houses post another visit here.

Thanks so much, everyone!

(Photo above, of Washington, D.C., by New York Muhtari -- thanks, NYM!)

Etsy Find of the Day: Ruth's Crafts Pillow Covers

Based in Chorley, England, Ruth's Crafts uses gloriously colorful, retro-style fabrics to create bright, bold, cheerful pops for your couch, chairs, or bed.

And, at just $10 apiece (plus $4 shipping and a few extra bucks for a pillow insert from, say, IKEA), these 16-by-16-inch pillows are gloriously affordable, too.

So if you're on the hunt for fun, graphic pillows that don't cost a fortune, be sure to check out Ruth's Crafts' Etsy shop right here.

Shameless Plug: My eBay Finds on Shelterrific

Just a quick note to let you know that Angela at shelterrific will be featuring some of my eBay Finds over on her fabulous site. You can see the first one here.

And if you're not familiar with shelterrific, do click on over right away to check it out. Angela and company always have a great mix of home design, shopping, food, and practical advice.

Thanks, Angela!

Mark Your Calendar: Modern Economy Sample Sale

If you're in the Bay Area, don't miss the Modern Economy Sample Sale this Saturday, July 28, at San Francisco's Fort Mason Center. (Modern Economy organizes regular West Coast events where indie designers and shops sell samples, post-season items, and overstock at up to 70 percent off retail prices.)

A sampling of the incredible designers who'll be hawking their wares at this Saturday's sale:

Balanced Design

Deadly Squire

Dwell

Emma Gardner

Henry Road

Inhabit

Perch Ceramics

Plush Living

Rae Dunn Ceramics

Relish at Home

Thomas Paul

Tikoli

Variegated

I am so there. (Thanks to Anh-Minh for the heads' up!)

That’s Random: 8 Random Facts About Me

So I’ve been tagged by A 10,000 Wedding, and have to share eight facts about myself.

Here goes:

1. I am deathly afraid of snails. Slugs are even worse, as far as I’m concerned. I would honestly rather ram a red-hot poker through my own eye socket than even think about the slimy gastropods.

2. I met my husband, Nick, at a record store -- the late, great Tower Records at Bay and Columbus in San Francisco, where we both worked at the time. I thought it was a summer fling. And here we are, 18 years (gulp) and two kids later.

3. Our pretend family band is named Colostomy Bag Lunch.

4. I’ve lived in three of the world’s greatest cities -- San Francisco, London, and New York -- but love my current home, Oakland, best of all.

5. I got my nose pierced once, but took it out after a few days because I felt like a poseur.

6. I win things -- I’ve won free round-trip flights to Europe (more than once), a computer, and even a car (a 1961 Ford Galaxie). Sadly, my luck dried up about 10 years ago and I haven’t won a thing since.

7. My daughter was born at home -- by accident.

8. I like mayonnaise on French fries. There, I said it.

I am now tagging:

* Anh-Minh
* BeachBungalow8
* Casacaudill
* Catherine Newman
* Girl Meets Glamour
* Katiedid
* Printer & Piemaker
* Ramona Gonzales

eBay Find of the Day: Turquoise Ceramic Lamps

I know, I know -- I blog about lighting with obscene frequency. But really, can you ever have enough great lamps? I think not.

Take these beauties, for instance: Look at that mouth-watering color. Consider their stately proportions and classic form. Feel yourself get just a little bit giddy about how awesome they'll look on a pair of end tables, an entry console, or your bedside nightstands.

See what I'm saying? Now, grab these before some other lucky soul nabs 'em. (But hurry -- the auction ends at 6:45 p.m. Pacific Time on Monday.)

Current bid: $99 for the pair.

Trendspotting: Are Horns the New Antlers?

Remember how, a couple of years ago, deer antlers started popping up all over design magazines -- usually striking a surprisingly rustic, primitive note in an otherwise sleek and sophisticated interior? I’m starting to notice the same thing happening with animal horns.

Often culled from Vietnamese water buffalo (though African antelope and domestic cow horns make occasional appearances as well), these products tend to be labeled “cruelty-free” and “eco-friendly” because the animals aren’t killed for their horns. Rather, the horns are harvested after the animal dies (or is slaughtered for meat or other byproducts), as part of a “nothing is wasted” philosophy. I guess whether that’s truly cruelty-free is a bit subjective -- as is the lure of having a bunch of dead bovine bits laying around your home.

Still, there’s no denying that the material itself is beautiful and lends a dramatic, earthy touch to a super-luxe, sleek minimalist, or “organic modern” space.

A look at some of the “horn décor” on the market now:

Tyrol Horn Centerpiece, $125, from Plantation Home

Mombasa Pencil Cup, $23, from See Jane Work

Mombasa Desk Tray, $70

Horn Bath Accessories, $25 to $45, from Williams Sonoma Home

Horn Tray, $34, from the Well Dressed Home

Plantation Organic Horn Bowl Set, $95

Roost Horn Bowl Set, $125

Plantation Brushed Horn Bowl, $95

Horn Boxes, $75 to $165, from Vivre

Vivre Horn Frames, $30 and $45

Horn Frames, $16 and $29, from West Elm

Plantation Italian Horn Candleholder, $195

Plantation Set of Three Italian Horn Candleholders, $1,695

Plantation Horn Sconce, $995

Roost Horn Lamp, $429, from Velocity

Vintage Horn Lamp, $980, from 1stdibs

Horn Lamp, $425, from Semplice

Plantation Italian Horn Desk Lamp, $1,195

Plantation Italian Single Horn Lamp, $1,695

Plantation Framed Italian Horn Lamp, $1,995

Well Dressed Home Horn Objet, $165

Plantation Long Horn Statue, $395

Plantation Kudu Antelope Horn Statues, $995 each

Plantation Italian Horn Table, $1,400

Plantation Italian Horn Nesting Tables, $5,995 for a set of three

What do you think -- elegant “safari chic,” or just kind of icky? I can't quite decide -- but I do sincerely hope that "hoof decor" isn't next.

(Photos at top: Kim Christie for Canadian House & Home, May 2007; Jan Cevcik, NaturePhoto-CZ; Rick Brazil for Amy Levine Interior Design)