Last minute trip to the Vegas Market

Just when I thought I didn't need to go to the Las Vegas Market, I buy a last minute flight to attend. WTF? Turns out there is some new stuff I just need to see......Like Patagonia - they are showing for the first time in Las Vegas after having been missing from the High Point Market for the last two years. I am excited to see what they are up to.....

(Las Vegas World Market)

I also need to see Hi-Lite and Robert Abbey Lighting. I love lighting and these are two of my faves.... Hi-Lite is absolutely the best in industrial type fixtures and Robert Abbey is rolling out the new Mary McDonald line.... (Sorry, the Robert Abbey website is to the trade only).

(Hi Lite warehouse light....)

(Hi Lite-vapor lite)

(designer Mary McDonald)

(Mary McDonald Ondine lamp by Robert Abbey)

(Patagonia showroom from the High Point Market)

My friend, Miss Susan, is letting me stay with her for one night - since I am going down there on Monday and coming home on Tuesday - so we are going to head out to our favorite little restaurant in LV - Firefly - a killer tapas rest. with amazing Sangria - by the pitcher....the location on Paradise, not the downtown one.......

(The sangria at Firefly)

(Firefly on Paradise.....I've never seen it emtpy. Weird!)

I wonder how hot it is going to be down there.......... The last time I was in there in July it was 122 degrees! YIKES!!!!

Off I go...stay tuned for new product upates.........

DIGS' SUPER POP-UP SALE FURNITURE SHOP!

GET IN HERE! I HAVE SO MUCH STUFF.............

West Elm and Pratt Collaborate on Green Collection

I received my Weekly Design Wire from Interior Design Magazine and found this article to be quite interesting........

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Posted By Staff On Monday, July 26, 2010 (12:00 pm)

A furniture line is growing in Brooklyn. Two of the Brooklyn borough’s biggest names, contemporary furniture retailer West Elm and art and design school Pratt Institute, have come together to create a new eco-friendly line of office furniture.

Debuting this month, the Pratt Home Office Collection features a chair, file, unit, wall shelf and accessories set, table lamp, and its pièce de résistance, a clean-lined desk made of Forest Stewardship Council-certified wood.

The collaboration came about when students in the Pratt Design Incubator for Sustainable Innovation, including Alex Binsted, Gregory Buntain, Sally Ann Corn, Evan Dublin, Sara Ebert, Rachel Feeser, Zachary Feltoon, Joseph Kent, Brian Persico, Jason Pfaeffle, Vanessa Robinson, Grace Souky, and David Wright, were tasked with creating furniture using sustainably grown, harvested, and/or recycled materials. They would also need to incorporate FSC-certified woods, steel that was powder-coated rather than painted (making it less toxic), non-toxic glues, water-based stains, and energy-efficient LED lighting rather than traditional bulbs for a light.

“The students had literally just taken off their caps and gowns,” said Debera Johnson, director of the incubator. “We brought them together to work on the West Elm project as they were making the transition from student to professional. It was a remarkable collaboration and the results really show how Pratt has prepared them for their careers.”

“We couldn’t be more thrilled to introduce the Pratt Home Office collection as our latest west elm collaboration,” adds Paulo Kos, director of furniture design at West Elm and lead designer for the Pratt collaboration. “As a Pratt graduate myself, I am especially exited to see that the Pratt designers were innovative in their process and design, and the final result truly embodies our brand principles. The collection is well-designed, affordable, and sustainable.”

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Article taken from dailyfix. - http://dailyfix.interiordesign.netURL to article: http://dailyfix.interiordesign.net/products/furniture/1760/west-elm-and-pratt-collaborate-on-green-collection

Great new lighting at the shop!

My mind is drifting towards fall as it always does this time of year. I would not really call myself a hot weather fan (BLECH!). I love wearing sweaters an boots and berets....and it just happens to be 95 degrees in Portland today and I hate it. 72, OK. 95 sucks. sorry...a little bitter.

Anyhoo...when fall comes around I always think about lighting (one of my favorite design elements!) and I just got a few new pieces that we will be putting our next month...I just had to share.

Anyone who knows me knows I have a very public love-affair with all things Chinoiserie and all styles of Chalkware lighting...especially if it is in a Chinoiserie style.....so you can see why I had to get these little lovelies.......

A gorgeous reproduction blackamoor lamp with a patent leather shade. 23" overall height. Price: $208 each. We have a pair of these in stock...

A totally killer Chinoiserie chandelier...so drippy and beautiful.... 33" overall height....price: $322 each...and we have a pair of them....

However, I am not sure I can part with these.....I think they would look killer in my office. I am thinking of painting my office Kelly Green....adding new draperies and roman blinds and these! YUMMY!

OK then........there you have it! Enjoy the rest of your weekend, I know I will...time for a cocktail in the garden with Frenchy!!!!

Look what I found......

I was looking for a vintage gate latch the other day and thought I would stop by Rejuvination. They have TOTALLY changed their look and offerings of late...now more towards mid-century, farmhouse, vintage-y - and much less Mission and Craftsman. Usually, I can't afford much of their vintage stuff, but I found this little beauty stuck back in a corner....marked down by more than half and with my trade discount, it went from $425 to $180. YIPPEE!!!! So damn cool!

SOLD to me! YIPPEE!!



A cool old gurney base...what cool wheels! I might just use it for display at the shop...but then, it might just find its way home with me....

I loved this old shop sign - it looks like it used to have covers and lights inside.....who wouldn't want this for their shop????

I thought this table arrangement was lovely - beautiful milky plates and bowls on a REALLY long zinc topped table and lovely metal Perry Mason chairs.

Lastly, a few weeks ago I posted an image of a cartoon character on a latte, and now I have an elephant. I swear, Matt at Petite Provence on Alberta St is incredibly talented at latte drawings.... head on down there, pick up a pastry and a coffee and have Matt make one for you...this happened to be a salted caramel latte...yum!

OK then....have a great weekend! It is going to be a scorcher here in PDX = 95 degrees, at least! Guess it is time for a bbq and a few cocktails!!!

Vibrant colors in durable outdoor fabrics hot for 2011

Here is an article I found on a trade website this morning about the use of vibrant colors in the outdoor fabric world. YIPPEE! Lots of color - it's about time.

I just can't get enough of great bright colored fabrics in outdoor spaces - and there is no shortage of choices lately. My favorites are the Trina Turk outdoor fabrics by Shumacher... fabulous!

So many great choices.......

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The Casual Furniture Market

Although trends come and go -- and come again -- the best thing about them is that there is generally something to appeal to everyone. Helping your customers coordinate the latest trends with their existing pieces is a strategy that should really resonate with them in today’s challenging economy.

Reinventing your fabric offerings is a simple and effective way to accomplish this. Casual Living magazine reports three outdoor fabric trends to dominate throughout 2010 and into 2011: durable fabrics that can be used inside and out, splashes of saturated color and amped up pattern play.

A blessed union

Today, consumers are demanding outdoor fabrics with as many styles and choices as there are for indoors. The dual indoor/outdoor use of fabrics is, in fact, cited as a factor in the growth of the durability category.

The main goal is to find textiles that retain their visual appeal and withstand wear in spite of the elements. Real Simple magazine suggests that the best fabrics for outdoor use are solution-dyed acrylic, UV-protected polyester and woven mesh because of their mildew- and fade-resistance. Indoor furniture buyers are actually becoming interested in outdoor fabrics for the same reasons, as homes with small children demand stain-resistant pieces and rooms with ample sunlight require fabrics that won’t fade. More and more manufacturers are attempting to unite indoor and outdoor living by offering beautiful, durable and cleanable fabrics for any environment.

Color me vibrant

Designers are also welcoming bold new color choices for 2011, in opposition to a lingering case of the economic blahs. The dynamic color palette on the horizon will surely incite feelings of positivity and inject vibrancy into any living space.

Ellen Gefen, trend forecaster and author of thehome.com, says a known decorating technique of experts is to pair foundational pieces in neutrals with accents in pops of color. Taking her cues from the fashion realm, she relays current "it" colors to include orange, peacock blue, purple, indigo, pink and black and white. Michelle Lamb, editor of The Trend Curve, forecasts accents playing out in color-infused jewel tones such as turquoise, citrine and pink tourmaline. Pantone has likewise declared turquoise to be the color of 2010.

Go global

On hgtv.com, writer and interior design consult Holly Becker proposes "going global without ever leaving your home" by incorporating ethnic prints and patterns. According to Casual Living, fabric patterns right now are trending toward transitional and modern designs with Southwest, ethnic and travel influences showing up everywhere. Animal prints are also being resurrected in new ways and colors. Gefen believes butterfly and insect motifs will become popular again. As she says, "There is not just one trend. There is a trend for everyone."

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Weird plant of the day!

Here's a plant to add to your weird plant collection......

Pachypodium lamerei is a weird succulent with a thick, spiny gray trunk that can reach 15 feet in nature. As a houseplant, they are much smaller. They are scarcely branched and the base is spindle-shaped. The trunk is covered with 2½ inch spines and the foliage is arranged spirally at the top. It is a native of Southern Madagascar. These plants do extremely well in pots and can easily be moved outside during the summer months. I have one in my east facing kitchen window - so sharp and point and so beautiful at the same time. I love it!

Blooming Time: Late spring to early summer.

Culture: Pachypodium lamerei needs full sun to light shade with warm temperatures. Be sure the soil has great drainage - you can add a handful of gravel to help with the drainage if putting it in a larger pot or in the ground. Water sparingly and do not fertilize. Do not water at all in the winter months if there is no foliage. Repot the plant every 3 years - which can be quite tricky given all the spines. The best way is to wrap several layers of newspaper around the trunk where it is to be handled - be careful!

We have four plants at the shop right now - 3 smaller pieces at about 7 inches tall each and 1 larger piece at about 16-18 inches......

Come on by and check these lovelies out!

Ikea's new fabric program.....

Here is a post from a online textiles trade magazine about a new sustainable cotton/fabric program at IKEA. Smart. Very smart.

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HTT Staff -- Home Textiles Today, 7/16/2010 2:36:05 PM

New York - Ikea is putting a push on sustainability with a program that will impact its home textiles collection.

The multi-national retailer is among the companies participating in the World Wildlife Federation's Cotton Initiative. WWF is working with farmers, government agencies, buyers and investors in the market chain to impart methods that will reduce that amount of water and chemicals used to grow cotton.

Lisa Davis, responsible for sustainability for Ikea US, said the program acknowledges that while organic cotton is important, most cotton goods are made from non-organic cotton.

"This is looking at how to produce cotton in a better way," she said last week during an Ikea press event to introduce the 2011 catalog.

The first product using cotton from the WWF program will be the Dvala line of sheets. The goal is to eventually use Cotton Initiative fibers in a wider range of products.

Ikea is also working with Lyocell to reduce the overall amount of cotton in its goods, according to Patti Crawford, who handles textiles sales at Ikea US. The project is generating comforters, pillows and some duvets covers with Lyocell blends as well as a pure Lycocell sheet.

In terms of the Ikea customer's attitude toward textiles, Crawford said there is improvement.

"What we saw last year was very utilitarian. We we're seeing now is people coming back for fashion items," she said.

At the Kravet showroom this afternoon. They have just put out the new Thom Filicia collection of fabrics. I quite like it. The citrine and gray is a great combination!!!

Crazy seed heads!!!!

Paeonia mlokosewitschii. Molly the witch. So cool in my garden. Even
if it is pink.

A colorful client project.....

I love this project! I have been doing a basement remodel for a client and while we were working through it, they decided they needed to spruce up their back deck with some new outdoor furniture and fabric. YIPPEE!!!!!!! We are having cushions made for some existing vintage pieces and adding some new and colorful pieces with some seriously cool fabrics.

I love to take cushions and have them made 2-sided. One fabric on one side and one fabric on the other. Usually we then welt and box (if the cushion is a box cushion and not a knife edge) with a third fabric. It gives such great versatility to the piece...and if you can't decide between two killer fabrics.... I have done this at my own house and it worked so well, I am suggesting it for my clients!

OK then...The existing chairs are black mesh wrought-iron and we are adding this great Luxembourg Bench from Fermob in Carrot. The fabric for all of the pieces will be the will be out of Trina Turk's outdoor Orange Peacock and Pindler's outdoor ebony trellis - we will use Pindler's solid black outdoor for both the boxing and the welting to tie it together......

Luxembourg Bench by Fermob in carrot

Trina Turk by Schumacher - outdoor collection - Orange Peacock

Pindler and Pindler - outdoor - Ebony Trellis

I Can't wait to see this finished - it's gonna look like a million bucks!!!!

only one left.......

So we had this big outdoor furniture sale last week and we have this one item that I would love to find a good home for. Original price $1100 - new price $500. Please make it go away!

It is a Bavarian bier stube table and benches. VINTAGE! the table is 72" long - 24" wide and has two benches that go with. I love this piece - I did have to keep one for myself! The best part...they are all folding. Check this out.......

The Dutch win!!!!!

Yippee!!!!! Goed Zo!!!!!

Happy 4th!!!!

We are all down at Clark Lewis for an outdoor dinner and fireworks
from the blues fest!!!! Yippee!!!! Thank god I brought a blanket.
Getting a bit nippy.

Here comes the sun sale at Digs!!!

30% off all outdoor stuff. 50% off all scratch and dent. Through
tomorrow. Come on down!!!!!

Fill 'er up!!!

Made a stop at a grower this morning to load up on plants for the
shop. Lots of succulents!! Yippee!!!!! The Bletilla are mine!!!