Summery prints, outside influences, hot ideas
Global goods Interior designer Leo Parrella’s new line of handmade pillows combine graphic patterns and natural fabrics for a bold accent perfect for your summer décor. Parrella calls his style “California Global,” inspired by his Southern California home and his extensive travels around the world. E.H. $198-$498; leoparrella.com |
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Nautical is nice The Mizzen Mast lamp is adjustable and made of wood and antique solid brass. Made by Wildwood, it has the look of a classic sailing ship, resembling a ship’s top rope and spyglass. Chic ahoy! V.M. $988; Edman Fine Furniture, 110 Oakway Rd., Eugene; edmanfurniture.com |
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Sink or swim This European comp-any is new to the U.S. market and already making a splash. Devon & Devon, established in Italy in 1945, offers sky-high designs for the bathroom. The sleek Blue Console sink was inspired by the look of vintage luxury cars with their rounded hoods and shiny chrome grilles. V.M. $5,150; WMS Decorative Resource; wmsdr.com |
Hardware with a heart When Berenson Hardware employee Nancy discovered she had breast cancer in 2009, the company decided they wanted to raise money for Susan G. Komen for the Cure. So they went with what they knew best — decorative hardware. The result is five collections named after five breast cancer survivors. The hardware comes not only in Komen’s signature pink shade but also in oil-rubbed bronze, vintage nickel, chrome and more. Add the perfect finishing touch to your kitchen cabinets or that reclaimed dresser you just purchased. E.H. Pulls, $8-$13; knobs, $5-$8; berensonhardware.com |
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Technicolor tin Whether your personality leans more toward 2012’s color of the year, Tangerine Tango, or 2011’s Honeysuckle, these graphic Pantone tin boxes in six classic colors are a punchy way to add storage in your home. Fill the tins with art supplies, cookies or anything else you can imagine. E.H. $28.95; Moulé, 1225 NW Everett St., Portland; moulestores.com |
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Over a barrel Aged wood barrels add rich flavor to wine and look beautiful, but they have a short life span. Native Trails repurposes the cast-off barrels to create their line of Bordeaux Vanity pieces. The company is based in California, but some of the barrels bear the stamp of Oregon wineries. It seems the perfect sink for a home wine bar or cellar. V.M. Bordeaux Wall Mount, $1,298; Chown Hardware (chown.com) or Ferguson Bath, Kitchen & Lighting Gallery (ferguson.com) in Portland |
Cocktail cool In so many stylish ’50s movies, there’s a scene where a deliberately sophisticated woman sips her cocktail while seated on an odd little piece of furniture. It’s not a table because it’s upholstered. It’s not exactly a chair because there’s no back. It’s too big to be a footrest and not big enough to be a bed, though just the right size to be, ahem, suggestive. Blame the popularity of the feverishly fashionable Mad Men for the return of the cocktail ottoman. The tufted ottomans by Jessica Charles can be customized with different fabrics. The glamorous tiger-print Marilyn could just be a girl’s new best friend. V.M. $1,000-$1,340, ottomans by Jessica Charles; Parker Furniture in Beaverton, parker-furniture.com |
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Berry cute Screen printed by hand on recycled hemp and organic cotton, these berry napkins are perfect for summer picnics. Raspberry, strawberry, blueberry and blackberry all come cutely packaged in a repurposed berry container. E.H. $22; Alder & Co., 537 SW 12th Ave., Portland; alderandcoshop.com |
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Summer savings One of the most dramatic yet cost-effective ways to update your décor is to switch out your slipcovers. Apply that knowledge to your outdoor space this year. If you want to spruce up your patio but don’t want to put down a lot of cash for an entire remodel, consider refreshing your décor with new cushions in a bright, punchy color. Sure Fit’s outdoor cushions feature fade-resistant Sunbrella fabric, so you don’t have to worry about buying new cushions every year. They’re water-repellent as well to ward off Oregon’s random summer rains. E.H. About $30-$137; surefit.net |
Kitchen stoneware Crosby & Taylor has been making high-end kitchen goods in Eugene since 1985. Formerly known as Tin Woodsman, the company shifted focus from only making hand-cast pewter products to also producing stoneware goods for the kitchen. We especially like the garlic pots — both useful and beautiful, they provide a cool and dry ventilated place to keep up to three bulbs of garlic and delay their sprouting. E.H. $35; crosbyandtaylor.com |
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Tray chic A simple spread of bread and cheese thrown together for unexpected guests gets an instant upgrade when served upon these quirky iBride trays, available from Flora in Portland. The waterproof and heat-resistant laminate trays transition seamlessly to take-a-second-look art with the included wall hook. The subjects of the trays are various anthropomorphic animals in fancy fare, designed by a three-person French team. E.H. $88-$195; Flora, 917 SW Washington St., Portland; florapdx.com |
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Buckle up Seatbelt strapping is used to create these striking dining chairs (seen in the movie The Hunger Games). The slight sheen of the material further emphasizes the sculptural quality of the design from the Phillips Collection. It’s like art you can sit on. Or just put in a foyer to admire. V.M. $685; Furnish in Eugene; furnishdesign.com |
Modern profile The Dean Chair keeps a low profile to make a room feel larger. The polished stainless frame and slight curve of the seat back create a slight art deco feel in leather. Available in 300-plus fabric or leather choices. V.M. $1,495; Mitchell Gold & Bob Williams; mgbwhome.com |
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A little pluck A customer had a banjo on his knee and a chair in his heart. “It was something he got at a garage sale, and it was falling apart,” says Cassandra Jackson of The Joinery. The man wondered if the craftsmen at the 30-year-old Southeast Portland shop could duplicate the Banjo Chair. Parts of the old chair had been steam bent to create curves. They put their research and development team of designers, engineers and craftsmen on it, and used a vacuum-press technique to bend the wood. The banjo chair was reborn. V.M. $1,120; in maple or cherry wood; The Joinery, 4804 SE Woodstock Blvd., Portland; thejoinery.com |
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Concrete seat The craftsmen at Cement Elegance in Bend work cement the way artists work paint, with a product called NatureCast Concrete. They pour pathways, driveways and floors, form countertops and sinks, and now are experimenting with outdoor furniture. Despite the hard surface, the concrete chair’s angled back and smooth finish are designed for comfort. Think before you place it. Rearranging the furniture is not an easy option. V.M. $1,800-$2,000; Cement Elegance; cementelegance.com CORRECTION: This article was corrected from the print edition on May 7, 2012. |
Glass houses Where better to display tiny trinkets, favorite treasures or prized houseplants than in a decorative greenhouse? The Pierre Greenhouse at Flutter in Portland is sophisticated and timeless. E.H. $135; Flutter, 3948 N. Mississippi Ave., Portland; flutterclutter.com |
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Lend a hand Graceful either in the garden or on the mantel, this unique hand statuary is made by Seattle-based MUD. Get it at Stella’s on 21st, where you will find it tucked in amongst whimsical wall clocks, hand-painted glassware and fun seasonal items. E.H. $64.95; Stella’s on 21st, 1108 NW 21 St., Portland; stellason21st.com |
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Cute as a little button Shaped like a giant button, The Point wall sconce by Arter & Citton for FDV Collection is adorkable. The face comes in transparent red or blue while the button “shank” is a satin white glass. Best thing? You can politely tell people to button it. V.M. $295, white; $325, red or blue; Lumens Light & Living; lumens.com |
Hard rock Retired brick- and stonemason Ross Smith joined his skills with son Craig’s graphic design know-how to create Stone Creations Northwest, their stone-engraving company in Estacada. They make garden stones with the perfect natural look to mark your prized herbs and veggies. The classic stones are durable enough to last a lifetime. E.H. $36 for pack of 3; stonecreationsnw.net |
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Dynamic design Even the smallest rooms in your house need a little oomph, and these Pendleton spa towels are just the thing to give your bathrooms a pop of color and stylish design. The oversize towels with Native American-inspired jacquard designs are cozy and plush. Add a striking print to your otherwise toned-down bathroom, or mix and match for a bold impact. E.H. $48; pendleton-usa.com |
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Ranching out Housing is like slow-mo fashion. Styles change over decades rather than seasons, but when something is out, it’s way out until, inevitably, it’s in again.“We grew up in ranches in California and didn’t think anything of our parents’ houses,” says writer Michelle Gringeri-Brown. She and husband Jim Brown, a photographer, lived and loved craftsmen bungalows until 2004, when they “moved to Portland for the weather — cue the laughs,” and focused their aesthetic interests on postwar ranches. They established a quarterly magazine on the subject and recently released their second book, Atomic Ranch Midcentury Interiors. The book features detailed photographs and information on eight homes, including a 1969 daylight ranch in Portland. It reveals what was preserved, what was remodeled and how. “There’s the purist who wants to live in a preserved-in-amber mid-century house,” says Gringeri-Brown, “and somebody who wants to gut the whole thing and make it look like a loft. Everything becomes dated looking. Sometimes what your house comes with is really right. Sometimes keeping the footprint and modernizing the surfaces makes the most sense. It fits the home.”The book offers proof that it’s possible to remodel for modern life while maintaining the integrity of the original design. V.M. $40; at bookstores and online booksellers |