Hate sweaty cans? Love chilly beverages? You can't go wrong with these adorable koozies from PDX Softgoods.
A set of six ($30) is a fine gift for you favorite beer connoisseur (or Diet Coke fiend). They're the perfect accessory for lounging outside on a sunny afternoon, which sometimes happens even in early December if you're reading this in California. (Elsewhere? Just envision your sunny afternoon. Make it warm and glowy in your mind.)
If you're purchasing for a beer lover — with a handy streak — we recommend pairing the Fix It With Tools set with a six-pack of Oskar Blues Ten Fidy imperial stout, a satisfyingly rich winter brew from Lyons, Colo., or 21st Amendment's Brew Free or Die IPA, brewed in San Francisco.
Info: Koozies, set of six, from PDX Softgoods ($30).
How adorable is this? A personalized pillow for the sofa of all your friends with expanding families, or your mom (who will certainly tear up with a flood of nostalgia), or your husband (who's not yet sure about the kiddos but who really wants a dog).
Pillows are made to order through our heroically sustainable friends at Branch, and customized to feature a cast of characters reflective of the giftee.
Info: Personalized family pillow by K Studio, from Branch. Shell of 100% organically grown hemp; filling of natural feathers (90%) and down (10%). Also available in brown. 14” square pillows start at $134.00. Ships within 10-14 days.
by Miranda Jones, Sunset style editor
In addition to launching a new e-commerce site, Publique Living added some seasonal versions to their wonderful & whimsical PopMat Placemat collection.
The new offerings include a plucky reindeer, a banquet table (looks like Thanksgiving to me!) and a hearth, complete with mantle. These 100% recycled paper placemats are the perfect antidote to typical, over wrought holiday decoration. Each pop up silhouette can double as a place card and they make cleaning up after dinner a total breeze. $25 - $27 for a 10 pack HERE.
*Insider tip: Look for more from Publique Living in our December issue gift guide!
by Miranda Jones, Sunset style editor
Last week, home writer Jess Chamberlain and I went Farmer John's in Half Moon Bay to stock pile pumpkins for upcoming fall stories. I was amazed how many varieties Farmer John and his wife, Eda grow. Have a look......
I am a little obsessed with the gray ones. They look like they came straight out of black and white photo. Aren't they amazing? If you are lucky enough to live in the Bay Area I highly suggest a visit to Farmer John's. If you are extra lucky & happen to have a plot of land you can buy some seeds of your own and see how they grow.
Slide show: See how to make a beautiful pumpkin display (with no carving)
By Miranda Jones, Sunset style editor
Just in time for Thanksgiving entertaining, Ferm Living is offering their 'falling leaves' wall stickers for $40 (they normally retail for $64). The wall stickers come in a packet of 12 and in a variety of sizes. You can attach the decals to walls, tables, mirrors, windows and vases for a simple (and non permanent) seasonal decoration. Don't they look beautiful applied to the white wall? It seems as though they just fell out of the tree!
The leaves come in black, silver or gold. It would be fun to mix gold and silver for a more dressed up feel.
Just type 'THANKS" in the notes section at check out between 11/4 and 11/21 - your discount will be processed as a refund within 48 hours of placing your order. Then sit back and wait for the compliments to roll in. Tres chic AND easy! How very Sunset.
By Jess Chamberlain, Sunset home & design writer
With the eco-boom of the last few years the ultimate kick-start motivator for consumers’ green marketplace decisions is a simple relationship: The choices we make to preserve the environment affect our personal health.
Case and point: Because we spend one-third of our day head nestled in a pillow, it’s in our best interest to choose the most natural bed products possible—ones whose materials and manufacturing processes are as light on the planet as they are on our skin.
Personally, I've never been as affected by research for an article as I was when reporting for our story about "the green bed" which appears in our December issue (on newsstands later this month).
Yes, bedding products can be pricey, but fortunately the marketplace has caught up with consumer interest in a greener lifestyle, so choosing bed linens, mattresses, pillows, and even bed frames made of organic, sustainable, and environmentally-friendly materials (good for you and good for the environment) doesn't have to cost more than your standard, conventional options.
Now, you may gawk at my suggestion of a $1300 mattress; but take a look at prices at major retailers (some super cheap; some upwards of $5000), consider the toxicity of things like flame retardants—bad for you and bad for the environment—which come standard in many conventional mattresses, and you're sure to be an eco-bedding convert.
You may say, "But I sleep great" or "My health is fine" or "Why would I change what works?" The thing is, if your bed has always been made up of conventional materials, you have no idea that you could be sleeping better than you do.
Your homework: Find an eco-home store near you, talk to their knowledgeable sales people, and take a little nap. Then, rave to me about it by clicking on the comments link below.
(Linens pictured in shot above: Raksha Bella (blue print pillow), Indika Organics (printed sheet), Loop (green sheet), Plover Organic (blue quilt and lilac pillow), Under the Canopy (blanket))
A special shout-out:
Amenity's gorgeous products (organic cotton linens and reclaimed douglass fir bedframe pictured) didn't fit into our printed article, but we love them!
And they just so happen to be offering 30% off their entire home collection for the month of November. Enter "season" at checkout.
And a list of some of our favorite shops. Email me to tell me about a favorite near you.
San Francisco area
Green Fusion Design Center
Earthsake
Reclaim
Branch (online only)
Eco Boutique
Spring
Seattle area
Greener Lifestyles
One Earth One Design
Los Angeles area
Green and Greener
Kelly Green
By Sarah Gaffney, Sunset Idea House program manager
One of the many joys of living in the Bay Area is being so close to the Heath Ceramics factory store in Sausalito. Their collections are beautifully modern and timeless. For fans in Southern California, the company just opened their first store in Los Angeles (as mentioned in our November issue). They also just debuted this fun new line of kid's dish sets that can be combined with colorful flatware by British designer David Mellor. All comes packaged in an adorable lunch-style box. A great gift idea for aspiring young modernists!
By Jennie Nunn, Sunset associate editor
I'm always on the lookout for a good, sturdy tote, which is exactly why I love West Elm's new reusable canvas bag. For $10, the "Give The Way You Live" tote is a steal. And, it's all for a good cause. ($5 of each sale goes to St. Jude Children's Research Hospital).
Now there's really no excuse not to go shopping. Available in stores only nationwide, westelm.com.
by Miranda Jones, Sunset style editor
We love Ork Posters City Neighborhood posters and are happy to report that some more west coast cities are being added to the collection.
Seattle recently joined LA and San Francisco and it looks like Portland is hot on their heels. Go west (rhymes with 'best') coast!
Designer Jenny Beorkrem, a Chicago based designer, made the first poster for the best reason I can think of: she wanted a cool map of Chicago and couldn't find one. A star was born.
The typographic posters are simple looking at first glance but the jumble of shapes and letters is a wonderfully complex cocktail that is very well thought out. The different sized letters seem to deliberately call attention to how diverse components go into making up a neighborhood. A map without roads somehow makes it easier to see how neighborhoods fit together to make up a city.
The (soon to be) iconic typographic posters (about $20) and screen prints (about $25) come in a variety of colors and they are all printed on eco friendly paper with soy based ink. Jenny uses local printers and donates part of her earnings to non profits! So cool.
These would look equally good in a living room, dining room or office. Buy one for each city you have lived in, or WANT to live in!
By Sarah Gaffney, Sunset Idea House program manager
The older I get, the harder it is for me to shop for the sake of shopping (a.k.a. the obligatory holiday season that is fast on our heels). The other day while shopping for the sake of shopping at Bellisima Jewelry Design (okay, jewelry shopping is still a serious addiction), I discovered Nest, a nonprofit online boutique that sells one-of-a-kind clothes, jewelry and housewares made by more than 80 emerging designers on the indie scene. Profits from Nest sales are used to create interest-free business loans for women artisans in developing countries. I love it! Here are some items that inspired me to holiday shop for this great cause.
This Sky Bowl from Swedish designer Karin Eriksson is so lovely. Great gift for your favorite co-worker!
I love this 8 1/2 x 11 Umbrella print from artist Dallas Shaw. Drawing of butterflies and umbrella is superimposed on a piece of vintage wallpaper. At only $20, it's a great find for your stylish friends!
Who can resist this great-looking canvas tote? What a hip gift bag, that you can use year-round.
by Jess Chamberlain, Sunset home & design writer
First off, let me just say that I adore Max and Linda Geiser, the husband/wife design duo behind Wallter and Fold Bedding products—they're off-the-charts talented, endlessly innovative, and two of the nicest people in the industry. Not to mention they're super young to have already launched such great companies! (Note: They merged the two companies under the "Wallter" name last year.)
Wallter products (wall decor, mobiles and bedding) are colorful, playful, and modern—three adjectives that don't often work together. Some of my favorites: the tree pillow, palm mobile, starburst wall decal, and this just-announced-today slat rack.
I'm envisioning a few white ones staggered in an entryway. Functional (and affordable) art—just what our busy lives demand.
PRODUCT INFO
Dimensions: 23 wide x 16 tall
Colors: white, orange, green, brown
Price: $145
Where to buy: www.wallter.com
Materials: powder coated steel, hardware included, made in the USA
Use: serves as a coat/bag/hat/umbrealla rack, and the little “shelf” can hold magazines, mail, and newspapers
by Allison Arieff, Sunset editor-at-large
When it comes to furniture I'm a pretty tough customer. It's hard to reinvent the chair or table; it's hard to improve on classics from Thonet to the Eames. But every once in awhile, a designer creates something that breaks out the mold.
I recently learned about Nightwood, a Brooklyn-based company specializing in its own reconstructed furniture and textiles on one of my favorite design sites Remodelista. Nightwood's work brings to mind the works of Droog, of George Nakashima. Pieces like this dining table made from poplar, pine, cedar, and plywood, feel incredibly fresh and new yet have the allure of treasured antiques.
I don't really need any new furniture but I want every piece on their website!
By Jennie Nunn, Sunset associate editor
Textile designer Sina Pearson created her new Cut And Paste viscose chenille fabric after recalling her own childhood artmaking experience using kiddie scissors, glue and colored construction paper in kindergarten, and seeing Henri Matisse's paper cut-outs (or gouaches découpés) at an exhibition in Paris. The fabric is available in rich, earthy hues including biscuit, chamois, garnet, cypress and amber. The best part? It's just in time for fall.
Available at Sina Pearson Textiles, 212/366-1146 or enidford.net.
by Miranda Jones, Sunset style editor
I just love chalk boards. There is something about them that is so reliable I can't resist. They are the perfect mix of nostalgic and old school and I have had one in every apartment I have lived in so far. This one from Suddenly It's Real! is pretty adorable. I mean, it's a whale. 
by Miranda Jones, Sunset style editor
I was so excited that John Derian put out a line at Target this fall (did anyone manage to snag a few pieces before they were all gone?!) and I am even more excited to find out that he is now designing furniture! His new line, available through John Derian or Bergdorf Goodman, includes five pieces.
I am wild about that bench! It is 9 feet long! How chic! I would love to have an enormous bathroom, large enough to accommodate a bench/fainting couch/catch all.
The pieces are available in only two colors each: oyster and flax, which made me laugh. I absolutely think those two colors are different but I can just hear someone exclaim, "Those are both WHITE!"
All of the furniture construction is done by a California based company called Cisco, a Sunset fav (and not just because they are eco!)
By Jennie Nunn, Sunset associate editor
On October 9, San Francisco-based interior designer Kendall Wilkinson will launch her new Home collection with stunning pieces including mid-century French chairs, scalloped lucite headboards, and x-frame benches.
This fabulous Morrocan lucite table (pictured above) is definitely on my wish list. 3419 Sacramento St., San Francisco, 415/409-1966.
by Miranda Jones, Sunset style editor
Have you been staring at that blank spot on your wall, wondering what to do with it? Never fear! The Poster List is here!
Adam at The Poster List designs and prints all of the pop art posters for sale on his site. They range from pure whimsy to political and there is something for absolutely everyone.
Adam started out doing posters for bands (can you say Feist?) but expanded his repertoire a few years ago. Which is lucky for us.
Many of the posters also can be purchased as postcard packs. I love this one. The font, the lips, wowza!
All of the posters are printed with 100% vegetable ink and the power for the printers are offset by wind power. How great is that? If this all weren't enough, Adam is going to start making tshirts this year, so stay tuned.
OH! I can't believe I forgot. The rest of this month you can get two posters for $20. What a deal!
By Sarah Gaffney, Sunset Idea House program manager
We're in the final stretch of staging the Monterey Idea House, soon-to-open on October 3rd! Inspired by my addiction to Project Runway, we are staging the home office as the work space for our faux mom of the house, a work-at-home fashion designer.
Well this week at New York Fashion Week, HP (one of our house sponsors) launched this super chic Vivienne Tam-designed digital clutch notebook at the designer's runway show.
What fashion designer or just plain old style lover like myself wouldn't want this for their home office?! So darn cute! Alas, it won't launch till January '09. Time to start saving.
By Jess Chamberlain, Sunset home & design writer
OMG. Check out this new browser-bookmark-must for daily design deals: undrgrnd.com. Offering home accents at 40-80(!)% off brands you already know and love, undrgrnd.com is a just-launched San Francisco-based website featuring one deal every day, seven days a week.
Today's steal: Dwell Studio crib sheets and sets at 40-50% off.
Love. Love. Love.
Now go. Go. GO!
By Sarah Gaffney, Sunset Idea House program manager
The Halloween mood has struck me early this year. I'm ready to start stacking hay bales and pumpkins on the front porch. That must be why I fell instantly in love with the spider designs of artist Sarah Cihat's Rehabilitated Dishware.
First of all, the concept is eco-fabulous. She scours thrift shops and clearance aisles for ceramic dinnerware that she takes to her Brooklyn studio and reglazes and refires into chic and cheeky designs.
Check out her site for other fun graphic motifs and online purchasing. Available at Rose and Radish in San Francisco.
By Jess Chamberlain, Sunset home & design writer
Renée Loux first introduced me to to Gypsystyle bags earlier this year when we included the shoulder bag design in a round-up of some of her favorite eco-friendly goods that don't sacrifice style for sustainability. I consider the shoulder bag (which Loux loves for grocery shopping) to be double-green. It's made from recycled materials AND it keeps us from using disposable products. Remember: The correct answer to "Paper or plastic?" is "Neither".
Gypsystyle designer (also a photographer and celebrity stylist) Noel Cianci recently debuted the "Gypsytote" (not actually yet on the website yet—it's that new). (Pictured above.) I'm smitten! What a great beach bag, farmer's market tote, or—who am I kidding—purse! Another must have is her cosmetic bag—perfect size for makeup collection, and ultra durable.
To order:
web: gypsystyle.com (soon)
phone: 323/445-5044
email: gypsystylebags@gmail.com
By Sarah Gaffney, Sunset Idea House program manager
I fell in love in Monterey last week. With Lula's Chocolates, a bit o' heaven in a box. Handmade in Monterey by chocolatier Scott Lund. Check out his blog here. His factory is located dangerously close to the Monterey Idea House! In the Bay Area, you can find Lula's at Whole Foods.
by Allison Arieff, Sunset editor-at-large
And so does this amazing product called "I Am Not a Paper Cup" from DCI. It looks like the disposable paper variety but is made from sturdy white porcelain. It's lightweight, keeps the coffee warm, but is cool to the touch (no java jackets required!). No spills thanks to the flexible silicone lid. It fits perfectly into my car's persnickety car cup holder.
To really enhance the experience, create your morning brew with beans from Ritual Coffee Roasters. The scent of their intense roasts like the Ethiopian Limu with its "flavors of honeydew, vanilla bean, and lime popsicle finish" are available at Ritual's San Francisco cafes or online.
by Miranda Jones, Sunset style editor
Long for a garden but don't have the space? Daniel Schipper, a young designer in Amsterdam, heard your plea and has created a prototype greenhouse that is lightweight, flexible and perfectly suited to small-space living. The collapsable container is small enough to fit on a balcony but large enough to have a little garden.
The greenhouse doesn't have a frame, which allows it to be folded flat when not in use. You could store it in your closet or even out on your balcony when you aren't busy cultivated your newest crop of cilantro. The greenhouse is made from polypropylene plastic and living hinges (which are used on high volume application containers like tackle boxes or CD cases) , and you don't need any extra hardware to make sure it keeps it shape.
The only things stopping me from running out and buying one is that Daniel doesn't have any way to put this puppy into production yet. He is still searching for a design firm or a partner. I hope someone steps up soon and makes this greenhouse available. It is perfectly poised to ride the Slow Food wave.....Good luck Daniel! Keep us posted. We think it is only a matter of thyme until we see these available in every city. Forgive me Daniel.....I have a weakness for silly puns.
By Jess Chamberlain, Sunset home & design writer
I might lose some status with certain friends for admitting this, but here it is: I'm totally guilty of repeat gifting. But shamelessly so. But the thing is, you can't go wrong with feel-good books people love. So, my go-to for housewarming party gifts is The Heathy Home Workbook: Easy Steps for Eco-Friendly Living, and my go-to for baby shower gifts is Organic Baby: Simple Steps for Healthy Living. Done and Done. They're both rich with timeless ideas for healthy living and have gorgeous photography to boot.
Every time I stop into Spring for a copy of one of these (and a speedy—and beautiful!—gift wrap) just before one of the above said events I tell myself I'll buy copies of these titles in bulk one day and keep them in the last-minute-gift box in my closet (yes, another truth).
Now, with this 30% off and free shipping deal from Chronicle (which they kindly said we could share with our friends) I have no excuse not to stock up! You too!
By Jennie Nunn, Sunset associate editor
Graphic designers Erik Olsen and Trina Hancock, of San Francisco–based Gryphon Stationers, are bringing back the art of letter writing, and more important, the invitation. With your choice of 28 ink colors, 7 typefaces, and 10 paper stocks, the possibilities for designing wedding invitations, baby announcements, and personalized stationery are endless.
Design, proof, and edit your own design online, or make an appointment. For more information and to see more designs, visit www.gryphonstationers.com or call 415/565-7125.
by Allison Arieff, Sunset, editor-at-large
Need a good excuse to buy jewelry? Here’s a great one. All of Kirsten Muenster's gorgeous custom-designed jewelry uses ethically sourced materials. One could craft exquisite short stories around the unique elements she uses in her one-of-a kind necklaces, bracelets, and rings: mesmerizing nuggets of Fordite (aka recycled auto paint), fragments from recycled bowling balls, romantic found objects like Victorian buttons, and even pieces of fossilized dinosaur bone.
Descended from a family of coppersmiths, sheet metal workers and artists, Meunster (below) “appreciates the beauty in imperfection and the discarding of the non-essential.”
You’ll appreciate all the compliments you get when you wear her beautiful things. I know--as I was lucky enough to get this one for my birthday.
By Jennie Nunn, Sunset Associate Editor
I'm always on the hunt for pretty decorative accessories. So, when I recently spotted Prairie Arts new Teco Art Pottery Collection, I couldn't wait to share the news. Available in seven styles and two new hues, including aqua and orange, the handmade pieces are exact reproductions of the Teco forms made more than a century ago, but with a lead-free and toxin-free glaze.
And, the best part is, they're just in time for summer.
Two Buttress vase, (pictured ) $50; Available at Room & Board, 685 Seventh St., SF, 415-252-9280, or South Coast Plaza Village, 1661 West Sunflower Ave., Santa Ana, 714-549-5995.
By Sarah Gaffney, Sunset Idea House program manager
After a couple of almost all-nighters, the Menlo Park Idea House opened to great success last weekend. It's fantastic to see, what for so long have been ideas percolating in our heads, finally come to fruition after a lot of hard work and determination (not to mention umpteen trips to Ikea, Target and Bed, Bath & Beyond!).
Here's a sneak peek at some of my favorite ideas and spaces in the house.
The living room beautifully epitomizes our vision for the house: combining old and affordable pieces with the new and luxurious to create a fresh, unique and elegant look. Sofa is from InformSeattle, side chairs and vintage file cabinet from Cisco Home, coffee table and curtains from Ikea, all paint from Benjamin Moore's low-VOC Aura collection.
There's a chorus of "wows" every time visitors enter the boy's room and see this vintage album cover headboard. It's a great way to show off that collection of album art sitting in your garage. The Plexiglass front is easy to remove, so when you're tired of the album covers, you could easily replace them with fabric, photos, or paint out the framed squares in different colors!
Here is another room that elicits a visceral response from visitors. This yellow paint, Benjamin Moore's Soleil AF-330, is like sunshine in a can. It practically glows with cheer! It's impossible to be in a bad mood when you're in this room. Alas, a good choice for a tweener's bedroom. The vinyl graphics, Ilan Dei's Anise from BLIK Surface Graphics, add instant art to the happy walls.
In the master bedroom, we created a mantle headboard from foam architectural trim from Fypon. Great way to save some $$$ and no woodworking experience required! Wallpaper is Lace Stripe from the Velluto Collection produced by Printers Guild Series. We found it at California Paint Company in Palo Alto, 650/326-9285.
Visit the house for many more cool ideas. It's open every Friday, Saturday and Sunday till August 31.
Continue reading "Idea House Menlo Park: now open for tours!" »
By Jennie Nunn, Sunset associate editor
There's nothing like a good, comfy sofa. That's why I absolutely love Los Angeles–based designer Michael Berman 's new Union tête-à-tête. Available at Kneedler-Fauchere showrooms, the 84-inch wide double ended chaise ($7,520) can be custom upholstered and is ideal for the living room or even the guest room.
With impeccable detail and plenty of leg room, it's definitely on my wish list. I can't think of a better excuse to grab a good book and hop right on.
By Jess Chamberlain, Sunset home & design writer
Browsing the new goods at Spring last week, I fell smitten with these water bottles by EarthLust, a new San Francisco-based company focused on one of my favorite topics: sustainability with style.
Upon return to the office, I immediately contacted EarthLust owner/designer Allison through her website to find out the back-story:
"I started the company after doing a lot of research on plastics. We were having a baby and I didn’t feel good about using plastic bottles for him. Some of the information I found was disturbing…So we got rid of our microwave, and stopped using plastic. I also wanted new bottles for Adam and I but couldn’t find any designs I liked…So that’s what sparked my interest in doing my own line.
Many of the designs are mine—the crow is a picture I took on Treasure Island during a family walk. Others are from independent graphic designers (work-from-home moms!)
We were able to find a great, quality product with food grade stainless steel. It's sourced through an ethical factory in China that pays fair wages and uses very high quality materials. It is very exciting to have a product that we feel so good about using! Our baby ADORES his owl bottle—maybe it’s because he sees us with ours?"
Love it! Organic-modern design with a good conscious. Allison also told us that an expanded EarthLust product line is scheduled to launch in August, so stay tuned.
Info: Double-walled food-grade stainless steal with non-toxic paints. Naturally safe unlined. Recyclable. Three sizes: 13 ounce, $16.00; 20 ounce, $18.00, 1 liter, $21.00. More info at www.earthlust.com.
By Allison Arieff, Sunset, editor-at-large
A variation on the theme of my earlier post on natural architecture is the work of this amazing sculptor Christopher Kurtz. The way Kurtz creates with woods like ash, pine, and red cedar, is mesmerizing to me.
I wasn't at all surprised to learn that he used to work as studio assistant for one of my favorite artists, Martin Puryear, the subject of a recent retrospective at the Museum of Modern Art in New York. They share a similar sensibility that manages to fuse strength and fragility, much like nature itself. Kurtz has a show opening at the wonderful art and design gallery Matin in Beverly Hills, California on July 1.
The show runs through August 2. Now, to clear a space in my living room...
by Miranda Jones, Sunset style editor
It has been a while since I have been to Target (when did they stop carrying the entire Method line?! that was such a hook!) and I had forgotten how many great things they stock. Check it.
Item one: A red retro cafeteria tray, perfect for outdoor dining AND making sure your food doesn't touch. How much? Glad you asked. $3.99!
Item two: A recycled canvas bag, of a very good weight, found in the make up aisle. Sometimes I get tired of things that advertise the fact that they are recycled but for some reason I thought this item was just fetching. Perhaps it was the rope pull. I do have an All Thing Nautical weakness. Price? $5.99
Item three: Zote Soap (pink). Before yesterday I had never seen Zote soap. It was the packaging that caught my eye (I love it, of course). A little online research revealed what many already know: that Zote soap is not just a laundry detergent (for everything from delicates to towels with stains) but it is also catfish bait, mosquito repellent, fabric softener, dish soap and a floor cleaner. And people love the smell. It has been and continues to be used extensively in Mexico. After reading all about it I cannot wait to go back and buy myself a bar. Or three. $1.12
Item four: Weleda! Target is expanding their natural beauty product selection and my favorite addition is Weleda. Weleda makes holistic body care products and has been biodynamic & organic since the 1920s. All of their formulas (shampoos to skin care to lotion) are free of synthetic preservatives, fragrances, colorants and parabens, and the ingredients and finished products are never tested on animals. And they manage to feel luxurious through their packaging and their fantastic smells! Their rose deodorant is my favorite. Prices vary.
by Miranda Jones, Sunset style editor
One of my favorite things to do, surprise surprise, is troll design blogs. Not only do they highlight worthy designers and stores but they are also treasure troves of links, portholes to even more cool things! One such nugget that I landed on was Trove Antiques out of Laguna Beach. Most of the beautiful antiques they offer are out of my league but what caught my eye was the beautiful organic hemp linens.
Don't you just want to touch those? I did too so I emailed Heather at Trove and she was kind enough to send a box of things for me to fawn over. The linens are elegantly rustic, more old world than new. That is because the textiles are made in a small village in Eastern Europe. The hemp is grown with out pesticides, hand-harvested, hand-spun, hand-loomed and the panels are hand-stitched together to make the larger pieces like table cloths. So special! They range in price from $5.00 for a small wash mitt up to $225.00 for a hemp table cloth (55-60" x 80").
Trove also has a collection of equally beautiful and hand made paper from Japan. Look how it arrived!
I don't want to take it apart. It is just too pretty. It has inspired me to write a few letters though. Wouldn't you love getting a letter on such special paper? You can. Paper comes in bundles of 20 (20 sheets and 20 envelopes) and ranges in price from $24 to $38. Here is another shot in case you can't tell how nice it is from my snap shot.
Beautiful!
Thanks to Heather and Bobby at Trove for being so generous and responsive! If I am ever in Laguna Beach I will definitely be coming by the shop.
By Miranda Jones, Sunset style editor
I had a few minutes to kill in San Francisco's hip Hayes Valley the other day so I wandered into Ver Unica, a little shop that has great vintage clothes and jewelry, along with fun new pieces with a vintage twist. Imagine my utter delight at discovering that they were selling issues of Sunset from the '60’s for $2 a pop! The covers were so groovy and I had to take a few photos.
Jonathan Adler would totally approve of this cover.
I LOVE the mariachi band.
I asked Ver Unica employee Tamara to model her favorite Sunset cover. Napa crudities feast! Fantastic.
Thanks Tamara!
By Miranda Jones, Sunset style editor
Last week, while propping for a photo shoot, my friend Christiana introduced me to Rachel from Eden & Eden.
Rachel stocks her North Beach shop with a winning combination of vintage wares (Bertoia chair anyone? yeees, please!) and unique pieces from up and coming designers not readily available in the states. One of the first goodies that caught my eye was Donna Wilson's knitted 'blah blah blah' pillow ($95). You just can't help but smile when you see it.
One of the items that was at an impulse-buy price point was an A6 notebook by British designer Madame of the House ($15). I can never resist a blank notebook and this one is printed with soy-based ink on recycled paper. It's a great present for almost anybody!
Rachel and her brother Chaz (the other Eden!) also have a well edited collection of vintage clothing mixed with pieces from designers like Ivana Helsinki, a Finnish style-maker who has a soft spot for cheerfully bright graphics (purse $140).
Thanks Christiana, for showing me your design corner store! I look forward to making it mine too.
By Jennie Nunn, Sunset associate editor
Reminiscent of lifesaver candies with bright eye-popping colors, Pennsylvania–based designer Richard Schultz’s new outdoor collection is on my radar. Designed as a nod to traditional Wing chairs, Schultz updated the aluminum shape with five new metallic powdercoat finishes and cushions made of foam and hefty Teflon thread. Compact side tables are available in four sizes with teak, bamboo, or porcelain tops.
Now, if only I had an outdoor patio.
Ever wished you could buy a Sunset project right off the page? This Saturday and Sunday at our annual Sunset Celebration Weekend we're hosting our first-ever flea-market-type space where you can buy just that. At the Secondhand Sunset booth (located in the Eco Lounge area), shop girl—and Sunset executive editor—Irene Edwards will have Sunset goods priced to go: editorial crafts, gems from our prop closet, as well as some vintage scores from staff's own armoires. All proceeds benefit a local environmental organization, Friends of the Urban Forest.
Come and get it!
By Jess Chamberlain, Sunset home & design writer
Love the idea of paper lanterns, but loose sleep over the challenging aesthetic of extension cords draped down the trunk of a tree (not to mention the electricity expended)—or the equally scary concept of candle flames within close proximity to paper?
Us too. That's why we love these solar powered lanterns by Allsop Garden (available through Gaiam; $29 each or 3 for $79). And we're thrilled to announce these Soji Solar Lanterns will be for sale at the Eco Lounge feature of this year's Sunset Celebration Weekend—our annual open house festival taking place this Saturday and Sunday, 10am-5pm.
Many of our favorite eco-minded businesses (quite a few who have been featured in the pages of Sunset) will be present giving presentations on sustainability, selling products, and showcasing new designs: ecofabulous.com, Eco Citizen, branchhome.com, Reclaim, Greenworks Gardens, Pangea Organics, Marin Outdoor Living, Loll Designs, Gypsystyle, Blue House Farm, Chronicle Books, Crate & Barrel, Futurenatural, Sustainable Spaces, Solar City, Green Makeup Artist, Green Girl Events, Organic Architect, Runner's High, Terrapass, and Demeter Biodynamic Trade Association.
More info here.