A new approach to wine barrel installation

Fontenay Wood has created a flooring made of reclaimed wine barrels. The head of the barrel is used to display the markings that are unique to the wine made inside. This is an interesting option for a winery or if your just a wine lover.

Beauty is in the eye of the beholder

Yes, I know this isn't everyone's cup of tea but it can make a statement in the most minimalistic environment. At only $75 how bad of an investment can it be really? I like it for a garage installation. Design and taste are subjective. There is no such thing as bad taste only taste.

Ahhhh, outdoors are for lounging!

I am in love with this intimate scene. It feels like you just stumble upon it in this lush surrounding. I want to curl up on the sofa and share a glass of wine with my husband.

Summer Bliss?

With summer here all I want to do is be outdoors. After three months of renovation to the yard and a baby born about 3 weeks into it I can now hold my head up when inviting friends over. Although there is much more work to be done I'm posting the progress photo for now. More to come later. BTW the upper image is the before so you can see the progress! The reason for the question mark is that my husband would argue that the summer has been blissful since it was his hard work that took us to this resting place. At least now we're both enjoying it!

LOOKING LOCAL- SALSA TRADING COMPANY

Salsa Trading Company’s tagline —its more than a look it’s a lifestyle, ring true as your wander through the spacious shop. The furniture, art and lighting collections are artfully arranged in room settings. The scale is intense and the style is defined, but each unique piece could also stand alone, accentuating a wide variety of home styles.

This metal table for example could be a beautiful artistic accent in a contemporary setting as well.

It is accentuated here with dried animal tusk from an creature you would not want roaming your local prairie but I could see a glass vessel with reed plants or a few great art books to bring it from south west to upper west side.

The selections have a simple beauty and timelessness, the natural materials allowed to speak for themselves.

The wood and leather have a natural patina and texture that has a rugged sexiness.

Some exhibits are so raw and real it’s a little dangerous.. art that excites the audience with a hint of fear.

Salsa offers an extensive selection of distressed leather upholstery, furniture incorporating reclaimed woods, antique doors, hand forged iron works.

They will also work with us to design a many custom pieces.

FELTING FRENZY

This pillow is a complete surprise! I don't know what it would be like as a lumbar pillow but as a conversation peice it's a fabulous and whimsical work of art! I want it! It's made of 100% wool and is handmade in South Africa. Viva Terra is a great Fair Trade resource. It's guilt free shopping.

LOOKING LOCAL - OLIVE LEAF

Olive Leaf in Healdsburg is the self described gathering place for the ecologically minded. A great space filled to the brim with collections upon collections of interesting stuff!
The wonderful finds in this store are difficult to categorize … ecologically minded and extremely eclectic!

The numerous items throughout Olive Leaf are artful organic forms arranged in creative collections. The beauty of multiples.

The American Clay display is almost as beautiful as the wall finish itself. This and many other eco friendly building supplies can be found here including the non toxic pet friendly Mythic Paint

The Keesta bed is an innovative recycled Bio-foam mattress without a box spring which can be compressed into a recyclable box for transport. Intriguing

Someone behind the creative direction of the Olive Leaf must have a flair for the French. If you look carefully amidst the collections you find a surprisingly high number of Eiffel tower memorabilia!

There are also numerous blankets and organic clothing items throughout the store. Oh and you can eat there too!

LUXURY REFINED AND TUFTED

The lines of this piece make it almost edible.. the swoooping chocolate curves of the base.. the soft luxury of the tufted top.. You almost don't want to sit on it.. just gaze upon it

SIT A SPELL

Ah, don't we all need a moment or two here.... a calming reminder to get out that summer funiture and plan to soak in the vitamin D. Bon Voyage.. to the back yard for most of us ;)

LOOKING LOCAL- LIMESTONE

Lime Stone—Live Well In Healdsburg As seen in C, Food & Wine, Elle Décor, Travel & Leisure, Sunset Magazine and more

And now Dwellingtown!

Lime Stone is beautiful collection of unique comfort items for the home. The focus is described a "around the table” and the tiny shop is full of sparkle and charm.

The warmth and glow in the photo above is not a filter– Lime Stone radiates warmth and feelings of home and hearth

Almost any style of home could find a 'can’t live without, never knew we needed it' accessory among the wide variety of texture and materials in Lime Stone’s collections.
The gorgeous artichoke tray is part of a fantastic series created by a local artist.

LOOKING LOCAL

Looking Local is a new feature for Dwellingtown where we will highlight local shops, artists and artisans to find the unique products and art forms for your projects and just for fun. Check out the links on the right hand side of the blog and keep an eye out for the latest Looking Local posts.

UPCOMING LOOKING LOCAL FEATURES

RESTORED AND RECLAIMED

Yes, it's all the rage and we're really into it. It has a place in our hearts and homes. We're doing it because it's the right thing to do and besides, it's beautiful. The textures, colors and warmth of reclaimed wood bring an element of grounding a space. I don't know if it's because it feels earthy or it just has depth of character we all gravitate towards like a great old friend.

Ancestral and adorable

We are always on the lookout for something fresh and unique. This is a wonderful chair form with a whimsical fabric. The question in my mind is always how to bring fresh ideas to the familiar and timeless looks. Fabric is one way and this example is precious! It's also a steal at $295 on ETSY!

SHOP TILL YOU DROP

My top pick for new and interesting brain drain t.v. is Man Shops Globe on the Sundance Channel! I get to spend 20 minutes traveling to rural and not so rural territory with Keith Johnson who is responsible for all the unique and sometimes bizarre housewares you see while shopping at my favorite store Anthropologie. Here he is in a London shop with a local artist who collects vintage British flags and other ephemera and morphs them into something new and usable. It's brilliant fluff!

TRADITIONAL SPIN

I am a designer that likes fresh ideas all the time. That doesn't mean I want to reinvent just to be different. I love classic peices that evolve, evoke and surprise! This chair from ABC Home is just what I look for to add that something perfect. It's whimsical, textural, delicate, functional and yes, timeless. Frankly, it makes me want to travel to Uzbekistan and see where this fabric is made.

http://www.abchome.com/nbsp/upholsteredchairs/tabid/617/productId/330/Default.aspx

OUT OF THE BOX WINERY

Blackbird Vineyards is not only sustainable but embodies cutting edge architecture that evokes warmth and thoughfulness. Textures pop in this intimate setting where privacy is valued and the experience is unique. To learn more go to the link "In Vino Veritas" to see more images.

LIGHTING A KITCHEN

It can be a challenge to light a kitchen that has a pitched ceiling. I want to accent what is great about the architecture and not have it overpower the other elements. In this space I ran the cable system above and perpendicular to the antique beams to be more subtle in constrast to the oversized pendants.

STYLE FOR EVERYONE

Restoration Hardware has come out with a line of reclaimed wood furniture that I love. They are pairing this rustic look with some really interesting industrial lighting circa 1920's and 30's Hollywood.

GREAT BUY

I believe that great pieces do not need to cost an arm and a leg. This is an example. Searching high and low on line and in shops I found pillows without a lot of personality. This pillow is not only whimsical it costs only $20 on Etsy!

ETSY FIND OF THE WEEK

I freaking love this chair! I want it for myself. For $445 you can have a killer vintage and fantastically upholstered chair with personality. You can't get that at Pottery Barn, no way!

http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=27880826&ref=cat2_gallery_3

DECORATOR TRICK

Painting the back of a bookshelf a few shades darker then the wall color accents a focal point.

SMALL DETAILS WITH BIG IMPACT

This sweet bathroom elevation at the vintage pedestal sink is an elegant and unexpected detail when mixing up materials shown here. I love the lime green modern twist which makes it fresh and exciting.

I NEVER GET TIRED OF SEEING THE BIZARRE AND COOL!

By now you all know I have a weird light fixture fetish. This little gem is like a collage of goodness. You have your industrial mix of materials in a delicate balance. It's ugly beautiful.

Think about what it is for you.

RETHINKING THE BATHROOM

In this contemporary minimalist home, a functional room is turned into a bold but quite space designed to relax the mind. I like the sunken tub which disappears and lets the eye rest into the space. Typically used in outdoor applications, waterproof dimmable halogen lights replace traditional sconces. These lights disappear into the ceiling and enhance the clean lines. I would love to spend time in a bathroom like this in a hotel or spa.

THERE'S A KITCHEN IN MY LIVINGROOM!

I'm seeing a trend in kitchens that aren't using upper cabinets. The boundaries between livingroom/family room space is becoming more blurred. When I designed our kitchen I made a choice to make it feel like the livingroom was inside the kitchen. This was driven by the simple fact that our home is small and there was no real separatation between livingroom and dining area. It had to be in the livingroom space. Upper cabinets would have made it feel more like a kitchen so I opted to eliminate almost all but the pantry and art took their place. It was the right choice for us and I feel I lost nothing by not having a traditional look. This kitchen is an example.

COFFEE IN BED PLEASE

Talk about romantic, geeze! This bed is so yummy and layered so beautifully with these dramatically expressive windows. Who needs window treatments?

DESIGNING AN UNTYPICAL POOL HOUSE

I'm working on a project where I'm mixing a formal & ancestral style with a casual bohemian feel. This is just the beginnings but you can see the layering of textures and forms blending together.