I love coffee table books. Albertus Seba’s “Cabinet of Natural Curiosities” has been on my wish list for some time now. I kicked myself for not buying a copy for $200 at Anthropologie a few years ago. Now, in minimal production, I am hardly in the market to buy a copy at a $500-$700 pricetag.
A few weeks ago, after seeing this post on Armonia Decors via House of Turquoise I bit the bullet and scored a copy (at $200) here. Literally two days later I received my InStyle Magazine to see this.
Last week while I was in Austin, I ate at the preppy seafood restaurant Perla’s on South Congress. Upon entering the ladies room, I fell in love… with the wallpaper. The walls were donned in a beautiful Butterfly Jubilee. (Sidebar: As many of you know I have a love for butterflies, and it demands that this wallpaper go in my powder room.) The hostess kindly put me in touch with the owners of Perla’s who told me that the wallpaper was from an Austin-based company called Mod Green Pod.
Here is a little taste of some more of their goodies:
Mod Green Pod is a member of the Organic Trade Association. All wallpapers are vinyl-free and made from water-based inks.
If you saw last month’s premiere issue of SavorNC Magazine (a new guide to the good life for North Carolinians) you were able to read my interview with Jamie Meares of Furbish. For those of you who don’t live in North Carolina, you can check out my interview with Jamie below. Thanks again to Jamie for giving us a Peak Into Her World.
I first heard about Jamie Meares and her store Furbish in one of my many adventures in the blogosphere. Jamie is also the author of I Suwannee, the blog that was the gateway to her booming business. Jamie started blogging in 2007. Through various e-design projects for her clients, she saw a need for a more unique offering of furniture and home accessories. So, on November 21, 2009, Furbish opened its doors. Jamie followed her instincts and took this leap of faith and has not looked back since.
K: What was your career before you opened Furbish?
J: Ugggh. it was in marketing. I sat at a desk all day passing hours of my life – that’s how the blog was born.
K: I could imagine that you wear lot of different hats between the store, online, custom design, etc. Tell me about it.
J: Oh man the hats I wear. and none of them are fancy hats. Right now I have lots of balls in the air – the brick and mortar store, an online store that’s shipping about 50 orders a day, my big design projects, my one hour consultations, people bringing things to the store for us to paint, for us to upholster or to sew and the blog. Also my husband and dogson, Rowdy! We’re also battling a mouse at the store (who sneaks in a night and eats soap!)
K: Describe your personal style.
J: My personal style is bright – and bold. I’m a lot southern, a little bit modern.
K: What is your favorite piece in the store?
J: I love the soap rocks we just got in — I know that’s not an amazing huge vintage piece that I just reupholstered, but these little rocks are just so glamorous and chic. I saw them at a trade show in New York months ago, and have wanted to order them since, and just got around to doing it. I visit them every morning — they smell so good and pack so much of a decor punch in a tiny item
K: Favorite room in your house? Why?
J: I really like our bedroom — it’s on the third floor and we have a very slanted slot — there’s lots and trees and a greenway behind our house, so it’s sort of like being in a tree house. We’ve got a nice big room with a few old Turkish carpets on the floor. I can lay in bed and watch the Real Housewives of Beverly Hills and Rowdy sleeps on the sofa at the end of the bed. I also have a big bookcase filled with books in case I finish one and need another quickly at night.
K: Tell me your thoughts on how to make a house into a home.
J: I think you make a house a home by slowly bringing pieces you absolutely love into it. Cheaping out to get something b/c it’s inexpensive or because you have to have it right now makes it look exactly what it is: cheap. Things can be a good deal, but they need to have a story. I’m all for maximizing a budget, and making smart design decisions, but it’s important to know when to compromise and when not to. I also think bringing animals into a house makes it a home… A dirty home, but a home at that… and plants, books and art! I can’t say how important it is to have these things in your home!!
K:Best Part of your job? Worst?
J: Best: being my own boss.
Worst: right now, the mouse.
K: What are some of the fabrics, textures that you are loving right now?
J: I’m loving tribal prints, and Navajo inspired items right now. I love a good peach and gray color combo, and I’d love for you to paint your ceiling not white. I’m also very into spots; not necessarily an animal print, or a polka dot, but the hybrid of the two.
K: Color combos for the new year?
J: Well honeysuckle pink was just projected as the color of the year 2011. I can support that. I also love a bright orange, and an almost drab olive green.
K: Describe your perfect day.
J: Maybe a Saturday at the beach. Get up, go eat a big breakfast, do some shopping at my favorite consignment boutique Hallaju, then check out the home boutiques in Lumina Station – I am so inspired every time I go into Paysage – it’s just such a lovely store, and I don’t go too often to get tired of it. Then headed out to the beach. Read a Diana Galbadon book, let Rowdy dog around in the water, and drink 2.4 beers. I love coming in from the beach for lunch and eating a real white bread sandwich with Doritos and French onion dip.
Staying outside until the sun starts to go down, and then eating again – maybe fried shrimp!
Furbish offers a fresh, edgy and eclectic twist to the average home furnishings.Located in Raleigh, Jamie not only has a store filled with lavish eye candy, she also offers design services at $75 an hour.
Here are the Furbish items that made it onto Kikis List:
For those of you who know me personally know that I am not into sports. I know, it’s pitiful. I was the girl in gym class who literally walked the mile. Opposites attract, they say, and I happened to marry the Sports Guy. Because I never really played any serious sports, Mike likes to call shopping my sport. And nothing truly gets me more in the competitive spirit more than a good HomeGoods or TJ Maxx run. Seriously, I imagine it’s much like Tom Brady feels like before the big game. My blood pressure rises, I start sweating and I begin sizing up the competition. I would even block or tackle if I had to.
So, last weekend after perusing through HomeGoods, here are some goodies that I spotted….
Gold dresser- $149.99
Green Klismos Chairs- $249.99 each.
Leather Studded Console Tables- $249.99 and $129.99
Upholstered Nailhead Headboard- $499.99
And…..
I found this on clearance for $35.
And here she is at Casa De Salmon. Now I actually don’t mind the clickers being visible.
This thing is huge- about 19″ square. The bigger the better- and I am so in love with the horns. It’s such a great compliment to my family room.
So, being the giver that I am, I was able to find something similar for all of you!
Remember this post on Leighelena last Summer? Everyone I know who bought a Leighelena cuff (or two) is loving them.
Leigh’s designs most recently graced the pages of Lonny Magazine’s January/February issue.
All Leighlena pieces are hand made in Austin, Texas.
Leigh has been gracious enough to giveaway one of their newest designs, the Whipsnake cuff.
…And here are the rules for the contest:
1.) You must be a Follower of Kiki’s List.
2.) To enter the giveaway, simply leave a comment on this post between today, Wednesday, February 23, 2011 and Friday, February 25 telling me why you should win. A winner will be selected at random and will be announced next Monday, February 28.
3.) To receive an additional entry, you can link to this post on your own blog (include the url to your blog post in your comment). It is up to you to return to this post to enter your second entry after blogging about the giveaway.
4.)Post about this giveaway on Facebook for another additional entry. You must enter the link to this post in you status update. It is up to you to return to this post to enter your second entry after FB’ing about the giveaway.
5.) Tweet about this giveaway for an additional entry. It is up to you to return to this post to enter your second entry after tweeting about the giveaway.
6.) Lastly, like Leighelena on Facebookfor an additional entry. It is up to you to return to this post to enter your second entry after becoming a fan.
Whether you love it or hate it, everyone seems to have an opinion of Lilly Pulitzer’s Palm Beach prints. After receiving their new spring catalog, I am seeing Lily in a whole new light. Not that the label has given up on the bright colors and bold patterns that have made them famous– just added some more sophisticated textures and lines that quite frankly, I am loving.. particularly their “Lilly Whites.”
Check out some of these digs from the Spring catalog:
