Lotus & Fig: Palampour by Zara Home

pink + orange: one of the ones that got away at zara home

Of the many Zara Home items I couldn't get before they began shipping to the US, this lively palampour was one of my favorites. The lightness of the paisley allows you to see the complementing background orange so well. The pinks are searingly bright but not over used. The deeper shades of orange (sienna) and browns ground both feature colors, neutralizing their vibrancy. A perfect accent for a calming room. 

And they didn't limit this pattern just to a pillow, oh no...

Cozy Under Foot: Orissa Kilim at World Market

orissa kilim at world market

It's always fun to see wares in person, particularly things you've seen online. Sometimes the brightness doesn't come through in a photo, other times the act of photographing itself draws certain colors out making them seem far more vibrant than they really are. So, I was glad when the new mini Cost Plus World Market store - finally - opened in the Chelsea Bed Bath & Beyond. After all these years of shopping their fantastic wares online, I can finally see them firsthand. Well, some of them. It is a mini store, after all, with a very limited selection of goods. 

But this rug in particular was even more impressive in person. 

Color Story: Celiosa in Bloom

a closeup of celiosa plants with burgundy leaves

For about a dozen years now, I've been enjoying the cerise variety of this flower in pots and plots along my street. Downtown Brooklyn is pretty competitive about gardening and it's hard not to appreciate the efforts every summer. Of all the varieties on display, I get the biggest thrill from the Celiosa. It's eye-searing shade of deepest, deepest cerise is transfixing! One year I thought they'd been skipped, but the plants only came up late. Whew! 

So a few weeks ago I was strolling around upstate and found these potted in downtown Rochester (State Street, to be exact). There was not only cerise, but also orange, yellow and pink! Too much beauty to ignore...

Windows on the World: Lillian August

the view from west 20th street: why are my pics always slanted?

It's September in New York and global eclectic is on. The signs are all around us including this fabulous window at Lillian August's showroom in the Flatiron District. This staging stopped me in my tracks: it has glamour, exoticism, urban sophistication, rustic texture and many pops of bright color. Inviting, not overwhelming. 

A fabulous vignette. Of course, it's only in keeping with the general quality of their window displays...