Natural Elements: Driftwood

I love bringing nature indoors. My favorite accessories are typically natural objects and driftwood is right at the top.

(image above from House Beautiful.) It's so sculptural and its dull gray finish is coveted by many... Furniture manufacturers work so hard to get the perfect dull-gray/ limewash finish of driftwood on their pieces today. It's not an easy finish to replicate because it comes from exposure to years & years of water & sun & often salt. Today I wanted to share with you a few resources & inspiration pics for driftwood furnishings & accessories. Check out http://www.nautilusdesign.co.uk/index.html for some beautiful & unique driftwood pieces like this mirror below and sculptures, lamps, etc. The creator of Nautilus, David Holmes, writes, "From an early age I have been fascinated with driftwood, combing the beaches of Pembrokeshire and Cornwall in my holidays.This interest has never wavered, I still collect driftwood; I love the fact that each piece has it's own inherent texture, shape and colour. The unique quality of each piece of wood inspires my handmade designs."

I love this piece of driftwood he has just casually leaning in a corner. There are so many beautfiul images on the Nautilus website so check it out if you have a minute.

The items below are by another artist, Carl Woodland Jr., also known as "Sonny" who learned the art from his father while growing up in the Florida Keys as a boy. He now continues the business with his wife and daughter. Their website is http://www.alldriftwoodfurniture.com/ and the prices are REALLY reasonable. I WANT this sunburst mirror: (how gorgeous?!!)

LOVE this too:They come in all shapes & sizes & they even do custom:

Their tables are so beautiful & they do dining tables, consoles, coffee tables, end tables, you name it. Just cannot get over this dining room table:

They also do lamps in all shapes & sizes & the prices even compare with mass-produced pieces.

Here is Pottery Barn's driftwood lamp (below) for $299 and while I think it's gorgeous, I'd rather have one handmade by an artist who makes his living doing it. (above)

Cote de Texas recently posted this photo below on her beloved linen post. I am gagga for this entire room. Notice the driftwood/ limewash finish on the coffee table. And I can't even handle that lamp.

My dad is a bass fisherman in Illinois (it's his lakehouse we're going to in a week!!) and has lots of fish mounted on driftwood. He always found his own driftwood from the lakes and some of them are HUGE!!! To be honest, I like the driftwood better than the fish.

We've been renovating the lake cottage so right now the entire unfinished basement is like a Grandma's attic: full of junk & treasures. As I was nosing around in there, I came across all of his old mounted fish, collecting serious dust. And I was naughty. hee hee hee hee heee... I'm seriously giggling right now thinking about it. hahahah Well, I ripped off some of the fish & hung the driftwood around the house & used it on tables & window sills. Check out the HUGE piece he found below... I snapped the pic before I even pried off the little thing that holds the fish on. I DOUBT this is still hanging now that I've left, or if it is, there's probably a fish on it.

Here's another little piece I love in the same room:

The only piece I have in my home in Virginia is the one in the shelf below. My dad mounted my first bass on it when I was 4 years old. The poor fish is really beaten up right now (I still have it somewhere) but the driftwood is still in perfect condition and I move it around all the time. Here is in the old basement:

And here it is now (below) in our dining room:

There are lots of websited that sell driftwood if you're not in a spot where you can find your own. Here's one of them: http://www.amazonmoosey.com/ (image below)

Also try this one: http://antlerflowers.com/bases.html (image below)

And one more last pretty pic from House Beautiful. LOVE the candelabra!!! (below)

Do you have any driftwood at home or any ideas what to do with it? Would love to hear!!

xoxo,

lauren

Eddie & Jaithan are coming to town!!

I KNOW everyone knows that Eddie Ross & Jaithan Kochar are touring around the US taking people on flea market tours, but I just wanted to remind any DC-area readers that they're coming here in September & to sign up fast before all the spots are taken!!

WASHINGTON, D.C.Big D.C. Flea

Saturday, September 19 — 11:00 am (I'm going to this one)

Sunday, September 20 — 11:00 am

Check out more details & also dates for other cities here.

We met Eddie & Jaithan last fall at their very first flea market tour in NY. There were only 7 of us & it was just so much fun!! Check out Eddie's post on the trip here. I had literally started blogging the month before & Eddie & Jaithan were so great at encouraging & inspiring me to stick with it. (That's at the point where pretty much only my grandmother & mother-in-law were reading it. haha) My take on the trip is here (found some AWESOME (cheap!!) things.)

We all had such a great time that we got together again in the city just before they moved to the country. I was so excited to see them again, and-not gonna lie- their apartment in person!! It really was amazing to see what they did with such limited space. The ceilings were high and they used the most gorgeous gray- Brompton Gray by RL- on the walls. Mirrors & tons of white made the place sparkle like a little jewel box. I really loved it. They made us this awesome antipasto (which is actually my FAVORITE) with prosecco & pomegranite juice- yum!! and then we went out to this great little local restaurant where they were so sweet & served amazing food.

Eddie & I are both pretty high-energy and Jaithan & Dave are both really laid-back so Dave was laughing later on about how Eddie & I were just going nutty switching from subject to subject... It does get a bit ADD when you have so much to talk about with other design-lovers. haha (same with meeting Camila!) Also, before I'd met them, I had no idea how much Jaithan knew about design. He went to school for itand has an amazing eye and his knowledge (like Eddie's) is insane. It's no wonder they've taken off!!! They're both so sweet- when we were considering buying the farm house, Jaithan gave me the lowdown on living in a farmhouse, they've been so great about encouraging me to get my work out there & helping along the way, and they've been great friends to just get excited with. Hahaha ok, before this sounds stalkerish, I'll go.

When we went to their place last time, I was just getting into blogging & forgot to take any pics, but I definitely will in September when they come to stay with us for a night at our new place!!! (Really gotta get my house, above, in shape before September ahh!!! haha ;) We can't wait, as they really are so much fun to hang with. It should be a busy fun-filled weekend!!! I'm planning on going to the Saturday flea market tour so sign up!!! If you're going to be there, send me an email!!! :)

xoxo,

lauren

My Favorites: Linen Florals & Toiles

I'm looking for the perfect fabric for a pair of chairs in my living room. I'm leaning towards a linen or linen-look fabric with a pattern. I want it to have a hint of old-fashioned in it... something that reminds me of my Grandma Maestranzi's antique flowery china. I plan to put it on clean-lined upholstered pieces for a fun mix of modern & vintage. I also might use one of these fabrics on the reverse since they're linen and can be just as beautiful when they're all muted & washed-looking...

***Unfortunately I haven't figured out MOST of the manufacturers for these fabrics but found most of them through Greenhouse Fabrics and P. Tree Textiles when I was browsing around for ideas. (SO if anyone knows any that I don't name, please let me know!! :) Most of these fabrics are fabrics I love but the ones with ***s above them are ones I'm considering.

The first batch of fabrics is green. Now, many of you know me by now... And you know how much i LOVE neutrals and being able to switch up my throw pillows & accessories. So the green sort of nixes that... BUT maybe when it became time for a change, I could slipcover the chairs and then have the option for green or neutral??? Anyway, since I was little, I always thought about that drapery fabric from the Sound of Music that Maria uses to make the kids' clothes out of. (below) I even found a dress in college (still have it, but preggers belly is keeping me out of it this year!! ha) that reminded me so much of it that I had to have it. I love that fabric. Remember it?? ps- green is my FAVORITE color ;)

Anyway, I'm not in the mood for a damask but some of these fabrics (below) remind me of it AND my Grandma's china.

This next one gets **** It's Braemore's "Chiara" in pistachio linen:

*** Definitely need to order a sample as this is the same fabric: ( i love both though)

Braemore also makes this cute cane fabric that I thought I'd share. I'm not into that much matching but it is really great:

***Another of my favorites, This one of by Richloom, "Confection" in umber, again linen:

*** oooohh love this one too!! Don't know the manufacturer (anyone please??!!) I actually love this in all it's colorways so I'll call it "PRETTY FERNY FABRIC" I found it at Greenhouse Fabrics and they call it '"moss"

Another Greenhouse fabric: i'm a paisley-lover too

Mirage in kiwi found at P. Tree Textiles:

Greenhouse floral:

"Jungle Vine" in green by Waverly:"Picture Perfect Petal" found at P.Tree Textiles:Black & white Greenhouse floral:

*** I have to say I really love this fabric in black too. Again, if anyone knows the name of it, please email me!!! :) ...

*** LOVE this... Although I have to say this isn't a flattering picture. ;) ;) But really, the repeat is huge in person and this was the fabric I love on the reverse too. It's Richloom's "Confection" in charcoal. Currently this is at the top or close to it. Would use it on the reverse for sure...

**** Another Greenhouse mystery. They call this one "spa" and it does actually have a very pale aqua background.... I'd rather it in more of a gray as it's showing up on my computer. SO mabe it comes in other colorways?? Does anyone know who makes this?? It's a linen..

Greenhouse, but I think the name might be "sunroom" because I found a yellow version from P. Tree Textiles:

Greenhouse: (love this one too-- anyone know the manufacturer??)

Oh Greenhouse again! Greenhouse: (shocker!)Here is Chiara by Braemore in robin's egg. Really pretty:Another pic:Another unnamed Greenhouse fabric:

*** love this one.. a Greenhouse mystery, sadly. They call it "porcelain"... anyone??

The pretty ferny fabric again:

*** Here's the yellow version of the one higher up. It's called "sunroom" in camel and I found it at P.Tree Textiles.. anyone know who makes it?

Greenhouse:

Greenhouse:

Ooooo a favorite of mine that I've used a time or 2... I found it at Greenhouse but it's by Richloom and it called "aviary" in surf. This fabric is STUNNING in person. Check out what I did with it here.

So pretty, and now we move into birds... I would love any of these for throw pillows if I did go neutral... (All found at P. Tree Textiles)

ok, so there's my list right now. I add to it all the time. If anyone knows any of these manufacturers, let me know!!! thank you soooo much!!!

xoxo,

lauren

ps- I also have to apologize because I am so insanely behind on emails. If anyone has sent me a question in a comment or email that I didn't answer, please send me an email with it again!! I'm really sorry about this!! thanks!!