The Cultivated Home

Nautical ropes are amazingly chic and are popping up as a popular design theme everywhere.  Great for a summer home or to add a bit of the seashore to an urban setting, here are our favorite rope pieces:

Forever Twined Lamp – This nautical inspired lamp from Anthropologie is made out of thin coils of rope braided to give just enough of a sea shore touch to any side table.

Dock Glow Chandelier – Coils of rope at different thicknesses wrap this whimsical chandelier to create both a nautical and natural feel.  Also from Anthrolopgie, you can hang it over a dining table or in an entrance way for a great eye-catching piece.

Rope Towel Rail – Bring the seashore to your bathroom with this great towel rail by Stock Knots.  While browsing their site, check out their other rope mats and light pulls that we love!

Rope Stair Rail – Both chic and functional, we can’t get enough of these amazing rope stair rails by StairRopes.com.  This bespoke company offers a number of different style rails with hardware to coordinate with any scheme.

Haus Rope – We are not the only ones who can’t get enough of the amazing rope mirror and door stop that are available at Haus Interior.  These two items are just a few of the pieces we are obsessing over.

It is always good to support a home player, and we are definitely in support of Workstead’s “exciting machinery”. Workstead is a design studio based out of Brooklyn and is run by a two man (and woman!) team of architects. They create mostly lighting (with a table thrown in there) with a vintage yet masculine edge. All of their pieces are unique, and we love them all! Specifically, their chandeliers are to die for but all can be admired because of their choice of joints and pieces. Check them out, and you will be most pleasantly surprised—we were!

To find our next new obsession, we had to skip across the globe to Japan!  What did we find?  A fabulous, freshly opened (as of December 2009) design store just waiting for us, Truck Furniture!  We may not be able to understand everything written on the website, but the only language we need to know to respond is the language of love, for their pieces!  With an influence from spare wood and metal works, and with a bit of a retro feel, Truckload reminds us of ever so classic pieces from the time of the inspirational Eames, and we cannot get enough.  They create pieces from everything—from chairs to sofas, dressers, home accessories, and more.  The best part is shipping to the US is a snap!  So if you see something you like, don’t hesitate to contact them, these unique pieces are needed NOW!

Most great things don’t happen overnight, and some of our favorite finds can’t be mass produced, which is why we love Pigeon Toe Ceramics!  Started in 2009 by the talented artist Lisa Jones, their philosophy is that “your purchase should be an heirloom, not a hassle, memories should be created, not collected, and stories should be handed down, not mass-produced.”  Pigeon Toe Ceramics creates each product they sell, starting at the time an order is placed, and takes about two weeks to produce.

With a range of delicate ceramic products, there is something for everyone.  We love their Mason Jar Pendant Lights and Pleated Pendant Light and can’t get enough of their beautiful set of Scribble Nesting Bowls that have pops of color in each bowl.  Check out their online store and Etsy page to see all the other fabulous things they have to offer and to purchase your own one of a kind piece.

Valentine’s Day is right around the corner, and this year your special someone isn’t the only one deserving some love—show your home some love too with great home accessories!  We have put together a few special V-Day inspirations from several of our favorite stores.

ABC Carpet & Home: You can find everything here: from furniture, to carpets, to home accessories, and there are some great ‘Valentine’ pieces to discover.  Check out the Cindy Lamp in Violet, Toss Pillow in White/Violet, Handle Stool in Red, Red Lacquer Boxes, and the Chunky Crochet Throw in Alpaca.

Cavern: This is one of our favorite places to snag some great wallpaper and, yet again, they did not disappoint.  We love Knit in Cashmere for some February 14^th inspiration.

Urban Outfitters: Always a great place for accessories on a budget, some of our suggestions for inspiration include the Glass Parlor Box in Pink and the New Highland Vase in Red.