In one corner of my room, there is something sadly missing. I sit on my bed and stare into that one lonely corner every night before I go to bed. Right now my laundry basket lives there, and a solitary painting hangs on the wall, but still, something just doesn’t feel right.

The corner is next to the furnace, and the window that opens up onto the fire escape, so I figured putting something obstructive there — like a bookshelf or my desk — would probably be out of the question. I was at a loss, and so the corner has been left untouched for months now.

Then one day, while walking home, I happened to peer into the window of Pier 1 and see this beauty. The flame chair (what a name!). Of course! A reading chair all my own. Small, colorful, perfect to put near the window. And so my lonely corner will be turned into a sunlit reading nook. It doesn’t get much better than that!

‘Tis the season to … travel! It’s all about friends and family for the next few months and whether you’re making plans for a visit or booking flights for a fun getaway, you’ll want to travel in style. A chic, sturdy travel bag or luggage set will make the journey smoother and packing and repacking a cinch. Find an appropriate size that suits your needs, preferably with multiple compartments for easy organization. A cute carry-on and matching suitcase help pull together a slightly scrubby airport-at-the-crack-of-dawn ensemble. With all the different sizes, shapes and styles available, it’s easy to find luggage that is practical, convenient and reflective of your personal taste. So whether you’re jet-setting to a tropical destination for a sunny, poolside Christmas or jingling sleigh bells all the way to grandmother’s house.

From our friends at Stylehive

The matching bell-shaped linen lampshade compliments the round and casual-style durable plastic docking station.  The sleek desk lamp’s design has a 6-watt output speaker system with a hidden volume control dial.  The dock is universal for easy iPod connection and other auxillory audio devices and mp3 players will work with the Candy iPod lamp too.  It is perfect for a bedroom, dorm room, living room or any place where you want to combine style, sound and need to save some space.

The iHome Candy iPod Lamp is a great affordable ($60-100) gift idea for all ages and can be found at Lillian Vernon, Target, Walmart and other stores nationwide.

Telephone bench before (left) and after (right)

eBay having a Green Team almost seems redundant – what is more green than the reuse of hundreds of thousands of products? However, a new initiative from eBay and Zem Joaquin (DIY maven and founder of sustainable style blog ecofabulous), proves that there is always room to improve, and also provides eBay the chance to officially brand themselves as the green buying alternative.

The Green Team Creative Use Competition is part of a larger six week re-purpose initiative. This particular leg encourages eBay users to devise a creative, practical, and chic repurpose use for an item of their choosing. The contest, curated by Zem, boasts a $1,000 vintage shopping experience on eBay and a personal consultation from ecofabulous. Members and fans will be able to vote for their favorite repurposed item, which participants have until November 19 to submit.

Zem offers inspiration through her own experience, including a transformed telephone bench that she used in a guest room of her house. She even goes as far as to offer a step-by-step break down of how to do it, along with a few other DIY tutorials.

The initiative was birthed partially from a Brandweek survey that stated 91% of 1000 Americans polled said that they would consider buying secondhand and that in the past year, 29 percent of them said they have been buying more secondhand goods and fewer new items. eBay states, “The eBay Green Team – comprised of over 100,000 eBay consumers and employees from 25 countries – is committed to encouraging smarter, greener shopping choices, and promoting the fact that the greenest product is often the one that exists today.”

For more information check HERE. To see how Zem repurposed the telephone bench, a cabinet, and a couch, check HERE.

From our friends at Short and Sweet NYC

I’m adding these golden gnomes to my holiday wish list.

My design philosophy is all about shock and awe, obviously.

From our friends at Miso Souper ]]> http://blog.thefind.com/2009/11/there%e2%80%99s-no-place-like-gnome/feed/ 0 http://blog.thefind.com/2009/11/decors%e2%80%94ikat-teapots-brighten-any-day-at-distant/ http://blog.thefind.com/2009/11/decors%e2%80%94ikat-teapots-brighten-any-day-at-distant/#comments Wed, 18 Nov 2009 16:22:17 +0000 Stephanie http://blog.thefind.com/?p=9119

At some point I will have to do a full-fledged post on Distant at 4516 Hollywood Boulevard, steps away for the intersection of Sunset Bouelvard and Hillhurst Avenue. The decor shop carries exquisite home decor items from across the globe, as well as some of owner’s Arzu Benavides creations. Turkish bath towels, handwoven textiles, hand-blown glass lighting fixtures, one-of-a-kind leather handbags—pieces that lift your spirits with their craftsmanship and care.

I’m loving these vintage 1960’s Ikat teapots, bowls and plates with such bold, bright color and design shown above. Bowls are $18.99, plates (which would be great for serving and entertaining) are $64.99, and the teapots seem quite nicely prices at $49.99.

The shop is also having a clearance on pillows, now $19.99, and Thanksgiving sale on tablecloths, runners and placemats at 25%-40% off.

If you haven’t been, I highly recommend checking this place out, open Mon-Sat 11am-6pm, and down the way from Confederacy, American Apparel, Happy, and more.

From our friends at Blackburn and Sweetzer

Cardboard Safari is a tiny little company located in Charlottesville,Virginia. Drawing inspiration from nature and through the use of sustainable materials, Chris and Luis strive to design fun and fascinating products for your enjoyment. They are constantly coming up with new designs that include new animal figures, home accents and fun gifts.

We love this beautiful White Wreath, which also comes in a nice brown shade for a more natural look and perfect for fall and Thanksgiving decorating.  The white wreath will make any door or wall look outstanding during the Christmas, Hanukah and New Year’s holiday. Wreath is laser-cut for precision fit and easy assembly using slotted construction. They can be decorated with paint, glitter or other craft materials. Each wreath is made from recycled cardboard, a non-toxic, environmentally friendly product and packaged flat for shipping with detailed instructions. $30.

Lots of cardboard fun animals to put together, including dinosaurs, rocket ships and more.  At Cardboard Safari

From our friends at Ziggity Zoom

Then, one day, I happened upon the web site jewelrysupply.com after reading about it in a magazine, and saw this necklace board. Super simple, this little gem of a find gets the job done. I can pile one or two necklaces on the felt board and get in 30+ necklaces and bracelets, and know that nothing is getting scratched and that everyone can oooh and ahhhh at my collection.

And isn’t that really what you’re looking for, after all?

Cute curtains can bring an entire room together. Especially if you have a lot of windows in your abode, it’s important to get the right colors and the right fabric.

So much thought goes into the curtains themselves, I sometimes feel sorry for the sad little curtain tie backs that seem to get left in the dust. Most curtains come with plain ole’ boring ones, or hideous ones that probably would have been found back in ancient castles of yore. You’re too special for all those. Check out these adorable antique brooch curtain tie backs — they would be perfect with light colored, flowy fabrics in almost any room. If the whole brooch thing is too old-school for you, how about something more outdoorsy, like a branch curtain tie back? I envision a gorgeous den in a wooden cabin with a glowing fireplace, and these great branch tie backs holding open the curtains to the winter-ey wonderland view.

I can dream, can’t I?

Also lucky for me, I didn’t even need to purchase a ladder. My father had built one for me, along with the loft to hold my bed during my dorm living freshman and sophomore years. I kept that ladder, painted it, had my friends write and paint on it as well. That ladder traveled with me from apartment to apartment through the years, always reminding me of certain memories and certain people. Today it lives in my bedroom, with my own throw blanket strewn haphazardly through one of its rungs. Who would have known that after all these years, the one thing I would never be able to part with would have cost my dad about $5 to make, and almost nothing for me to decorate.