I Saw the Light

Hicks Pendant in Domino magazine*

Saw some great things today at our local Rejuvenation (here in Seattle, it's called Rejuve, which really only serves to confuse me and everyone with whom I discuss the store, but that's a topic for another day). One item I spotted gave me particular pause, and it left me wondering -- could this

be the new this?

Heaven knows we have all seen our share of the now-classic Hicks Pendant from Visual Comfort:

High Gloss magazine

via decor*pad

Jeff Herr Photography

And who am I to judge? I have a pair of them in my own kitchen:

And although I do still love my pendants, there is always a small part of me that likes things sliiiiightly less when I see them everywhere. (It's not just me, right?)

Today, when looking at the Hood pendant line displayed in Rejuve, I found myself momentarily contemplating a switch. Probably not going to happen, but you can be sure I'll suggest the Hood pendants to future clients. With all the finish and globe options, it can work in so many styles and locations... I am partial to the largest size (but of course).

Underside of the wire net cover option, originally designed to catch the glass of a broken light. Now it just looks cool.

I love the clear glass globe and brass finish.

* Where I first spotted the Hicks pendants years ago, inspiring an immediate purchase of my own pair.

Design Ramblings

Whew! Craziness abounds here between project deadlines, ill children, and wrapping up the final loose ends for the impending store re-d0. BUT, in an attempt to avoid addressing the mountain of paperwork next to me, I thought I'd share a few fleeting design-related thoughts on this dreary mid-week day.

First, did you hear the news? Stephen Drucker (aka my personal BFF, as discussed here) is leaving the helm of House Beautiful, where he has worked wonders over the last few years, to head up sister Hearst publication Town & Country. Sad for HB (although it will now be under the capable leadership of current Creative Director Newell Turner, so potentially few stylistic changes forthcoming -- a good thing in my world) but excited for Town & Country, heretofore mostly an eye-candy-filled snooze-fest on the interiors front; I expect great things from Master Drucker, based on prior results.

Even more surprising? Domino (cue sound of angels singing) founding editor Dara Caponigro is taking the reigns at Veranda! Now *that* is going to be interesting. How long before we spot our first lacquered Parsons table or vintage Moroccan rug inside a Veranda issue? Shall we start a pool?

Thanks to Jackie Blue Home for breaking the news to me this morning.

Second, I have set a minor life goal for myself today: to evaluate the new listings on 1stDibs without having to sort by lowest to greatest price. Who out there knows what I'm talking about?

Take a look at one of today's beauties. You shall be mine. Oh, yes. You shall be mine.

Third, reminded again this morning of the insane beauty that is Jonathan Adler's Bond Collection. Did you know you can purchase these pieces--or any of our beloved Adler items--through us?

I drool a little every time I look at this.

Now back to my stack of accounting...or perhaps I should reorganize my fabric library. That sounds MUCH more important. As you were.

Goodson and Yummerfield

Okay, those aren't really their names...but they should be. Los Angeles-based design duo Ron Woodson & Jaime Rummerfield have been style icons of mine for a number of years, but surprisingly they were never embraced by our late love Domino magazine in the manner of Ruthie Sommers, Windsor Smith, and others. Perhaps a correlation to the mag's recent folding? Just a thought.

A vignette at their (rumored to be--haven't yet been) fabulous L.A. showroom

What I like most about Woodson & Rummerfield? They go big. They take risks. But sometimes they don't. Based on the diversity of their portfolio, and their showroom vignettes, they have a definitive style of their own, but they seem to know when to reign it in and allow their clients' styles to dominate. Often times a designer's "signature style" is all you see, and it feels as if perhaps the client was buried under fabric samples somewhere along the way.

Not so with these two, perhaps just one of the reasons they were recently named among Traditional Homes' "Top 20" young designers to watch.... They've been our list for years! Just look at them, for crying out loud:

Here are some shots of less "Woodson & Rummerfield"-style interiors, no less lovely:




Did I mention that we also sell their wonderful book, High Style? Read more about it HERE.

And speaking of Traditional Home (a few paragraphs back--trust me), I would like to now go on record as saying that it is sort of filling my Domino void...when I throw in House Beautiful and a dose of Elle Decor, I'm kind of good.

As part of our ongoing in-store design center creation, I have been going through all my back issues of Domino (yes, I have each and every one of them ever printed), and I have slowly realized how much better it used to be. I feel like I'm betraying an old friend, putting that thought in print, but every other page in each of my old issues is dog-eared for an amazing find or a truly ingenious idea....the last few issues, not so much. In fact, I haven't heard too many other people say it, but the last issue? Something of a snoozefest.

In a way I was glad it didn't bowl me over, as my boredom did help to dull the pain of knowing it was the last new issue I'd ever hold, but I was inevitably more sorry to turn the last page with a feeling of disappointment rather than loss.

Lots of heavy talk for a magazine. But still. I know you understand.

Dearly Departed

I have given myself time to read all the blogs and posts, flip through past issues, and reflect on the future of shelter magazines, and I have reached a conclusion: Domino, you can't go. I am going to keep texting you, finding excuses to drop by your house with a sweater or book you left behind, drunk-dialing you, and frequenting all your old haunts.... That's right: I am a lover spurned, and I am not going to go quietly.

For others sharing my sentiments, check out this great new blog/support group.

Turkish Delight

I have long loved Trina Turk for her fabulous clothes, eclectic style, bold use of color, and her good sense to pair with Jonathan Adler on numerous design projects. (Anyone who appreciates JA's style is aces in my book.)

So I was beyond excited to learn, thanks to our latest and most lovely Domino magazine, that she has a new line of outdoor fabrics through one of our favorite fabric houses, F. Schumacher.

I have long been a fan of using outdoor fabrics indoors on everything from throw pillows to seat cushions to sofas and chairs. As the person responsible for not killing two dogs (a Jack Russell and an Australian Cattle Dog, both of whom tempt me to kill them at least once a day) and two children (ditto), I learned long ago the dangers of mixing $200/yard fabrics with the reality that is my life.

In both my own home and in my design work work with clients who have small children and pets, I try to incorporate outdoor fabrics, vinyls, and washable fabrics whenever possible. These days the options are soooo much better than even five years ago, when seemingly all outdoor fabrics were either striped or emblazoned with hot-pink parasols or the like.

Take a look at the full fabric line from Trina, and let us know if anything catches your eye. We can get you pricing information and/or a sample, and order it for you when you're ready.

Here are a few of my favorites:

Peacock Print in Pool

Santorini in Persimmon

Arches in Bamboo


Trellis in Marine

P.S. Call me if you want one of those ceramic elephant side tables. Love!

Noooooooooooooo!

Did anyone see this post on Apartment Therapy last week?

I read it and thought it was jumping to conclusions a bit prematurely...what do you think?

First Blueprint, then House & Garden, now.... (gasp) Domino? What does that leave us--Veranda? Egads.

Post-Domino Post

We had such a great time at our recent soiree to celebrate all things Domino (well, mainly just two things: their new decorating book and our inclusion in the just-released November issue) that we wanted to share a few images that capture the evening beautifully. (Special thanks to our friend and photgrapher extraordinnaire Liz Ophoven for the fabulous pics.)

Thanks as well to the team at the Adventure School for their awesome balloons and "domino effect" window theme. Check out their incredible Web site...makes me want to jet off on safari.

The Good, the Bad, and the Web Site

First for the good news: we are featured in this month's issue of Domino; those of you who follow our comings and goings know how excited we've been about this....it's our favorite magazine and, well, it's just plain cool to be in a national magazine!

The bad news is only minor, but we needed some bad news to fit with our trying-to-be-clever post title. Back to the bad news: in the blurb about the store, the name is sort of...incomplete. But Domino, we still love you. Like my grandmother used to say, don't look a gift horse in the mouth.

That just leaves the last topic for this session: the Web site. It has been in development for some time, and we were hoping and praying it would be up by now, but it looks like we are still one to two weeks away from the launch of our e-commerce site. Please come back and check then to see more of what we carry, and perhaps even order something of your very own.

If you'd like to be alerted when our site goes live, sign up for our mailing list (see the top right corner of the blog) and we'll let you know. We'll even send you a discount code to use on your first purchase (once we figure out how to do such a thing, of course).

I'd be interested to hear what all you Seattleites think about Rita's selections and comments, should you be so moved to share.

(Rita Konig, by the way, is perfectly lovely, in case you ever wondered.)

Party Buzz

Thanks to our lovely friend and fellow decor lover Allison, creator and author of the indispenable NW Source blog called "Minding the Shop," for the recent piece on our upcoming Domino-themed bash.

While you are all most likely sick of me talking it up, and perhaps about Domino in general, we're in the home stretch.... And if you come to the party, I promise not to mention the "D" word for at least the amount of time it takes to receive the next issue. Scout's honor.

On a side note, how much do I want to live in that house? Thiiiiiiiiiiis much. Could I at least have the front door? (Image courtesy of, yes, Domino)

The Domino Book of Decorating...

...is currently in my hot little hands, and the rumors are true: it is indeed *fabulous*! Now I may be able to recycle the hundreds of tear sheets I've been hoarding since the magazine's inception, because--and I am not exaggerating here--almost all of them seem to be represented in this book.

Not only is the book itself wonderful, but you get a free one-year subscription with the purchase of the book...

AND it has a chinoiserie-esque cover!

What more could one ever want from a book? I can think of a few other things, but I don't know any books that could do them.

Come in and ask for a super-secret copy. The official publication date isn't until October, but I'm willing to make an exception, just for you.

Oh-h-h, Domino

Mark your calendars... Saturday, October 18, we are celebrating big-time. Firstly, we're marking the publication of the first-ever decorating book from our favorite magazine, "Domino." We'll have dozens of copies of the book on hand for purchase, and we're cooking up some sort of fabulous giveaway to commemorate the event.

Secondly, and--in our little world, more importantly--we are rejoicing in our inclusion in said favorite magazine's forthcoming Seattle shopping guide, penned by the lovely Rita Konig, whom we had the pleasure of spending a day with a few months ago. The guide will appear in the November issue, but we're working on getting a stack of advanced copies to distribute at the soiree.

Good food? Check. Good music? Check. Fawncy alcoholic beverages? Check. Amazing items for you and yours, for holiday or every day? Check.

Hold the date, and we'll keep you posted on all the details. Stay tuned...