This delicate pattern is engraved along the outer edge of the table top...
Yesterday I attended the High Point Furniture Market and I had a blast! It was so much fun seeing the latest and greatest designs on the market. Here were some of my favorite finds....
Wow - I've never before seen a Le Corbusier chair that wasn't covered in leather. I am loving this fresh fabric look from I.D. Chicago. It's light, fluffy, and soft; reminiscent of a cloud. It also has a more relaxed and casual vibe than the popular boxy leather ones. This room is lovely in every way. That tribal rug, the earthy tones, those huge windows...swoon.
This morning I was lost over what to blog about next. Then, it hit me, it had to be about Morocco; a place that has recently captured my imagination.
I guess it all started with the blog My Marrakesh, which I've been following for a few months. It's written by Maryam, an American woman living in Morocco. Maryam is charming, her writing is gritty and good, and her blog is beautiful. You can watch a podcast of of her being interviewed by some fellow bloggers here. Maryam's blog is very personal and in it she talks about the guest house (inn) that she's building (along with her architect husband) amidst an olive grove, local shopping(she's a personal shopper among other things), and all kinds of art and design from Morocco. Here are some examples of the beautiful imagery you will find on her blog...
Then, last week, I was messing around on VRBO and stumbled upon this amazing little suite (pics below) in Fez, Morocco which is just $125-$150/night! It's a two story antique royal suite from 1880. The suite is encrusted with museum-quality carved plaster, original mosaic, and decorative painting. There's a rooftop terrace and one room even has an intimate domed hammam bath. They describe the space as quirky, authentic, and romantic.
I love this quote from the VRBO write-up "We will not repair the lovely webbed plaster where it has broken. We will not remove the tiny abandoned mud wasp’s nest from the sharp carved starburst of the Menzeh’s antique plaster. All of this is part of the baraka, or fortuitous blessing, of the Menzeh, which we have preserved as it was found, a jeweled secret place at the crown of the Fez Medina." How poetic. And, this is a perspective I've embraced with many of the vintage furnishings I've bought....the imperfections are part of the beauty.
There are many beautiful places to stay in Morocco on VRBO and you can find good travel information on Lonely Planet.
But, look no farther than your mailbox for Moroccan influenced modern design. It's evident everywhere...
From West Elm, Lanterns(on sale for $29.99) and headboard ($299-$399):
Morocco Rug from CB2 ($299.00 - $499.00):
Moroccan Wedding Cape from Viva Terra ($395):
Marrakech bedding from Crate and Barrel ($495-$149.00)
From RianRae , Moroccan Metal Side Tables ($890) and gorgeous Mother of Pearl Inlaid Mirror ($1,980)
And, good finds are always on eBay for those that like to dig. I like what this eBay store, Click2Egypt has...frames, lanterns, metalwork, and more.
If you keep up with design blogs, then you probably know about the popularity of wall decals by now. Blik makes a lot of great ones: chandeliers, flowers, faux bookshelves, birds, bamboo, fantasy scenes. However, I did not know that you can have the words of your choice, be it a poem, book excerpt, or lyrics, created into a custom wall graphic to the exact size, and color, that you need. I really like this idea and this would be much easier than stenciling. Apparently it is where Blik got their start. Check it out on the Prose section of Blik's site.
These pictures are from their site...
(love the Jack Kerouac quote!)
And, this is something I tore out of a magazine a long time ago (not sure which one, maybe the UK version of Elle Decor)....
Hudson Furniture Inc. makes the most beautiful wood furniture that accentuates the natural forms of trees and the natural grain of wood. Their wood is domestically sourced from either salvaged trees or wind/storm damaged trees. None of the woods they use are harvested from old growth forest.
While everything that they make is gorgeous, my favorites are the...
KNIGHT BASE TABLE
ENGLISH WINDSOR
WHITE COFFEE TABLE
BIRCH COFFEE TABLE
PLEXI CONSOLE
and, the CLARO WALNUT BED #1
Per their website, "They're also New York's only repository for legally harvested petrified wood. Petrified wood, having the visual characteristics of wood but the feel of stone, represents a contemporary fusion of the two original materials into a new compelling organic interior accessory. " These stools/tables they make from petrified wood are quite amazing and have a fantasy forest feel...
They also make some interesting chandeliers, like this super sexy one called the LOLA
and this free form one adorned with swarovski crystals
Unfortunately, as my grandmother once told me, I have champagne tastes and a beer budget, so I won't be swinging for one of these anytime soon. However, I am trying to find out what it would take to make something similar to the dining tables using my local resources. From the people I've asked about it thus far, in theory, I would need to find a sawmill, see if they have any large trees that are the right types, and then have them cut it for me. I'd then need to have a furniture maker sand, finish, assemble, etc., and hope for the best. If I give it a go, I'll let you know. Or, if you have any experience with this type of thing, please share. Thanks!
Disclaimer: I am totally against using real animal fur that harms animals. I believe the spirit of these designs can be reproduced using faux fur or sheared wool from happy living sheep (like a flokati).
Now that I've covered that, I've been seeing a lot of furry chairs lately and I'm really loving them! I'd like to try this on some Sequel finds that need reupholstering. Don't these chairs have a magical fairytale quality? I envision Alice in Wonderland sitting atop the french one. I bet they are very comfy too.
French and Square chairs by Sue Rohrer
Teddy Bear chair by Joe Kish
Fur chair with metal frame by Antonio Citterio
I just found out about ABC Carpet & Home in NYC after it was mentioned yesterday on the Apartment Therapy NYC blog. This store not only has style, it is also very focused on environmentally and socially responsible products and programs. It's a great role model for Sequel. Hope I can visit NYC soon and see it in person! These pics are from their website...
I just discovered these scandinavian wool rugs and love them! I purchased two small ones last weekend and put them in my kitchen. They really have added a lot of coziness and bohemian flair to the room.
I did a bit of research on them and found out they were very popular back in the 60s and 70s. A lot of people used them as wall hangings. And, their roots date back as far as the 15th century, when scandinavian fisherman and hunters wore them rather than furs (that was nice of them). They've even been used as ceremonial wedding rugs! They come in a lot of different colors, sizes, and patterns.
These images are from Classic Modern in the UK.
