Affordable Art Part Deux

We have a confession to make. While we like to think we share our opinions and also our finds with the world oftentimes when we find something we really like we might sometimes have the tendency to keep it to ourselves. We've seen one too many great restaurants and hip hop lounges become overrun by recently moved to the city investment bankers or other Long Islanders. Call us smug, elitists if you will, we like to think of it as protective. Unsurprisingly, when we wrote about affordable art we sort of neglected to mention one of our longtime favorites: Antigirl. We love these prints by Tiphanie Brooke which are super affordable ($45) a great size for framing (18x24) and easy to mix and match and create a larger piece by hanging two (diptych) or three (triptych) together.


Check out a more expanded selection of works here.

We Love Wall Decals: v 2.0

We love wall decals, no matter what the backlash in the general design community may be, we think they are practical and fun. We've noticed that some new and improved options have popped up recently.

We saw mirrored wall decals at Apartment Therapy: Europe and thought they looked light and airy if a bit feminine. (We'd try these on a chocolate brown or other dark colored wall to create balance).




Then we noticed 3D wall decals by Wallter:



And finally, the uber-kitchy and seasonally appropriate christmas tree decals which, we're sure, will not impart the same level of appropriate holiday cheer as Phat Tony's genuine faux tree but are nonetheless available for purchase here:

Nixon - Less Watergate, More Watch

Purveyors of style and trends that we are, we are sometimes shocked, year to year, by the lack of variety in certain realms of fashion. While this has constantly been an issue in the area of men's winter coats (Peacoat? Check. Parka with removal insert? Check. Bomber jacket, whether down or other variety? Check. Same options, annually, for the past decade. Next?), we understood, as winter coats are a staple and tend to run on the expensive side of things... therefore, not necessarily an item one would want to throw out every spring.

That being said, we have always had higher hopes for accessories. Accessories, to state this in the most obvious way, are little touches by which one can assert his or her own style and point of view. Why then, we ask, is there so little variety in what current trends deem as the best men's watches out there? Having seen between 5 and 10 magazine spreads on men's watches, we're struck by how... monotonous they tend to be. This is why Nixon, a watch brand displayed off-runway by the stars of skate, surf and snow, is such a refreshing sight.

While formulating a new eccentricity when it comes to telling time, we find the innovation and simplicity of Nixon's styling a welcome change. We, of course, appreciate the ability to simultaneously figure out what time it is in 10 different time zones, operate a stopwatch, and handle some long-division, all from the comfort of our own respective wrists, but we'd rather save that space for something that has a little more form and a little less function.

Betsy Addendum:
Admittedly, I've been trying to copy Phat Tony's style since the early days at McDowell School of Dance where I deeply coveted his pas-de-bouree-petit-jete. The recent call out on the wonders of the nixon watch being hardly any exception, I was struck by a theme. It seems that lacquered wood in unexpected places is a surprisingly effective design element right now.

Take for example this Furni Gator alarm clock:


We have been obsessed with this item for a few years now having seen several similar designs on the market. We realize now that it is the wood element that lends the clean lines and brings us another modern take on a natural element for the home. Love it.

Wall Flats

We became obsessed with all things Inhabit Living a few years ago when we discovered their great selection of pillows and bedding which we find on trend but not over the top. Lately our fascination for texture has brought us back to the one element we have yet to try, wall flats.


These embossed square panels are made out of bamboo-pulp which has a growing reputation for being an environmentally sustainable material. Like wall decals, wall flats are removable but not reusable. We think adding a white on white textural element feels very modern and is a great option for hiding a poorly textured wall or just for adding surface interest for a minimal investment.

This product is available in 18'x18' squares and comes 10 panels per box at $86. We're waiting for a wider selection of patterns to open up before trying this out ourselves. But for anyone thinking about checking it out but wanting to try a little preview before committing, Inhabit sells 1 tile samples as well as a sample pack of all their designs. We think this overall concept is great. It reminds us of FLOR, but more on that later.

We Love Stina Persson

Having discussed affordable art, which we love, we felt remiss in not discussing our shall we say "aspirational" tastes in art. Lately, we have become obsessed with Swedish illustrator Stina Persson. We were turned on to her work at Oh Joy! and since cannot seem to stop looking at her gorgeous watercolors and illustrations.

We have found her works on sale here and an interview with the artist on the Immacolata and her Friends collection here. Though this particular series is not our favorite, we'd love to see any of her works in person. It would be a bit more of an investment to purchase one but we can't help hoping, perhaps someday...

Throw Pillow Throwdown

There aren't very many small, relatively inexpensive changes to make to one's space that can pack a lot of power. We've already covered wall decals, one of our favorites, and now we must discuss the rather more obvious, throw pillows.

As common as this decorating tool is, we find it often a frustratingly complex and agonizing choice. We tend to change throw pillows an average of once a year. Before reading on to some of our favorite resources, be sure to check out Design*Sponge's ugliest pillow contest finalists where much hilarity and many pony motifs ensue.

Color/Texture

After dabbling with a few unsuccessful prints, we recently found solace in an unassuming gray linen from West Elm. It's impossible to discuss solid colors without delving into texture because these two elements work in tandem. Bold or neutral, we feel texture is essential. We're picturing a bold color in a shiny smooth fabric and it's reminding us of the wardrobe room of Honeymoon in Vegas. For solid colors in appealing textures (read: comfortable to kick back on for an America's Next Top Model marathon) we like both West Elm and CB2. We stick to solids here because we've tried prints from these merchants and while they appeal at first, when lived with, they always end up feeling a bit pedestrian.

The one caution we offer has to do with something we like to call "ethno-texture," which usually involves some combination of sequins, mini-mirrors and/or cowrie shells. As well intentioned as they may be, they always end up feeling like a post-collegiate Urban Outfitters mess.


Prints

The panoply of prints can be overwhelming but one can find just the vibe for their space with a little effort. Even though as a design trend there's talk of "played out" we still enjoy a good nature motif and a hands down favorite resource is inhabit living.



If custom is more your speed, Repro Depot has an amazing selection of reasonably priced fabrics and it can be surprisingly cheap to have custom pillow covers made. In NYC, we have an amazing super-secret resource that we'll divulge if you email us. Check out a few examples of the changing selection below.

Weighing in: Ruffles

A recent photo of Kate Bosworth got us thinking.


You know how we feel about high waisted pants but what of the ruffle?

On the face of it, Ruffles appear fairly harmless.


We're seeing versions of the above at all the standard chains. Kept at a minimum, the embellishments don't scream frilly, girly, or Nana's apron. They don't scream but they do whisper and this, dear friends, is a problem.

Ruffles run counter to our aesthetic of clean, modern, simple and never overtly feminine. It's a quick hop skip and a jump from "this is such a fun cute girly top" to "I am a former homecoming queen from Central Ohio." This danger abounds in all facets of life. A ruffled bed skirt?


Indefensible. This is straight out of our Laura Ashley is coming to get us and she's really p*ssed off nightmares (yes, we have those). Ruffles are messy, extraneous, and unnecessary.

We admit, this trend may fall in the realm of borderline viable on none but the savviest among us, but when you wake up realizing you're outfitted as a tiered layer cake.

Don't say we didn't warn you.

We Love Waffle

We admit, we have a lot of opinions. We may even be a little quirky when we get obsessed with things. We repeat, quirky, yes... but inconsistent? Never. Our latest fetish addresses several themes; texture, comfort, and general yumminess. We've conveniently realized that this particular idea crosses into all three of our interests. Food, Fashion and Interior Design.

Let's start with the obvious. The classic waffle. While Phat Tony skews more towards the breakfast burrito, I have always been a carbs at breakfast kind of girl. Not that I don't enjoy eggs but they are usually reserved for those times when I'm being "good." Restaurant waffles perplex me though. I find they are usually a little thick and doughy for my taste (we warned you about the opinionated thing) and I prefer the homemade style. One does require a waffle maker and in counter space challenged NYC apartments, a homemade waffle becomes a definite luxury thus heightening the obsessive-compulsive nature by which I devour them (drowned in syrup and accompanied by veggie bacon, clearly) when given the opportunity. (Phat Tony: "I'm loving the Bets has approached this topic, if only because it's true, waffles, in their multitude of forms, tends to inspire. Along the lines of the breakfast waffle, I've recently been inspired by reruns of Top Chef, when Elia created her beachside breakfast waffle stacker. Sweet and savory, I'd be down for anyone to create a version for me to sample.)


This particular September has brought with it the perfect New York weather. We love fall, especially in the city as the stench of the trash subsides and the nights get crisp. Even now, years later, fall still reminds us of the beginning of school. There are also certain fabrics that one tends to associate with the fall season. I feel Phat Tony has a lot to say about flannel this year and I am obsessed with waffle-textured shirts. I'm not sure what it is about the funny texture that says comfort to me but perhaps part of the draw lies in the fact that these shirts are strictly weekend-wear and non work appropriate (never underestimate the power of the Pavlovian response mechanism). We're also strongly associating this fabric with altogether good things such as football, apple picking, pumpkins and sundays in general. (PH: "I'd also like to touch on the increasing value of layering. I know we're all pretty well versed on the wonders of layering, especially in the fall, but it's generally a failsafe tactic to layer a waffle-knit long sleeve along with other pieces of clothing... it adds an interesting texture, as well as fantastic comfort. A good move, either way.")

Finally, in the realm of home decor, I am obsessed with my new waffle-weave shower curtain. I tend to like the very plain in bathrooms. Super white with maybe a little washed out color here or there. Texture is paramount and the soft texture of this is so great. There's also sort of a chunkiness about it that makes it feel substantial and somehow also, comforting. I love the clean white but there are plenty of other colors here. (PH: "On a related, but non-waffle-oriented topic... I trust Bets's judgment because, well, it tends to be impeccable. I also like the idea of being simple in bathrooms. I just warn people who may not have Bets's eye for accents. When using a simple shower curtain, such as this one, or when using such large areas of pure whites in design, it's incredibly important to add a contrasting element in order to prevent the look from traversing from 'clean and simple' to 'oppressively sterile.' This can come in a variety of forms, from a simple use of a bold color, to adding an element that brings out the texture and/or graphic elements embedded in the pure white piece. Since white is a solid base for anything, the potential for accenting your space is virtually endless. Good luck!")

Affordable Art

Who can afford huge impressive pieces of art these days? Even just properly framing a piece can eat up a surprising amount of one's budget and especially considering the current trend of clustering MANY pieces together:

we thought we'd share a few of our favorite resources for more affordable art.

Binth -

We were tipped off to this website by Design*Sponge for their amazing one-of-a-kind prints (for $45) which we love.



In addition to the one-off's which sell out and refresh often, Binth offers limited edition prints, greeting cards, and one of the most adorable baby books we've ever seen.

pretty:darn:swell -

This company that grew from a brother/sister team features a constantly rotating collection of artists. The beauty of this website is that when you buy a print (for $20) a full $5 is donated to a charity of the artist's choosing. A quick peek at the gallery confirms that this month's selection is as original as ever.Aesthetic Apparatus -

In addition to art prints, this site also has some great, grown-up concert posters for the hipster inside us all.

We Love Wall Decals

We're sort of fascinated with the idea of wallpaper. It easily adds a definitive statement to a room. It's also the ultimate in decorating chutzpah is it not? I will permanently adhere this design on my walls such that the process of removing it will involve a heavy duty steamer and a LOT of my time. That sounds just about as appealing as sitting through back to back marathons of Are You Smarter than a Fifth Grader. So what if we're commitment-phobes, we can blame it on the fact that we rent our spaces. Imagine our delight when we heard of wall decals. Perfect for the person who can't make up his or her mind on design or who doesn't want to affect their walls in a permanent manner, wall decals are self adhesive and completely removable.

One of the most popular options on the market, and a major innovator in the product, is Blik. Blik offers the largest and most varied options such as the playful shadow of a phantom chandelier or the more graphic choices which oftentimes people mistake for actual paint:


More intricate options include a flock of birds and paisley. We've also been dying to order some custom letters to put up a favorite quote.

ferm LIVING is a second brand of wall decal that tends to offer slightly more sophisticated options. Ferm is great for those feeling the very popular nature motif trend right now. Here's a great modern way to bring in a branch element.

We also love this one called hydrangea:

Finally the most whimsical choices come from a Swedish website called Form and Function. We'd probably go crazy with these options:

if it weren't for the fact that the website is a tad difficult to navigate and the translation feature malfunctions to the extent that we're not entirely certain if they're actually for sale.

Candles and Sense

In a perfect world, our homes would alternate between the smells of fresh cut flowers and homemade chocolate chip cookies. We know as well as anyone else that once in a while, everyone could use a little shortcut. Since we live in the days of the $100+ scented candle and we’ve witnessed some fairly hideous scents, we thought it might be helpful to provide a guide of sorts to home fragrance options.

Room Sprays – Think of room sprays as perfume for your home. A few quick pumps of the atomizer and a lovely, if short-lived scent fills the air. We're loving West Elm's Seagrass. This is a perfect scent for anyone who is a sucker for the smell of fresh cut grass. We're also a bit sad that the Wasabi Green-Tea Room Freshener from Williams-Sonoma seems to no longer be available, as that was also a welcome addition to any room. The scent, while unexpected, was definitely a nice surprise. Finally, we’re dying to try this Verbena scent from L’Occitane. Granted, room sprays don’t last as long as some of the other options but we often view that as a positive.


Reed Diffusers – We’ve been in the company of this type of home fragrance without incident but we’ve never had the courage to try them ourselves. They remind us way too much of incense. Incense makes us think of superficially spiritual yoga classes, natural clothing boutiques and that god-awful smell outside the Union Square Whole Foods. Who buys that stuff? Anyway, we think this orchid scent might be ok but we're still frightened of the potential spillage of that weird liquid goo so instead, we're going to recommend...

Candles - The simplest and most common form of home fragrance is the scented candle. We have some strong favorites in this category. Diptyque makes some incredibly luxurious bougies (francais for candles) and we can't get enough of the Jasmine variety. We also love this incredible brand called Burn. Yes, they are expensive but these candles give off their fragrance even before they're lit, thus providing a lot of so-called "bang for the buck." Lest you think the Aesthetes are high end snobs (well, we sort of are) we'll let you in on a little secret. The savvy consumer can fulfill their home fragrance needs with very affordable products. Dare we say the words Yankee Candle Company? Well friends, here are the rules:

1. We’re sticklers for this one, no fruity scents, ever. For men or women, we don’t care, there’s just no excuse for this. It reminds us of the scent of our (well, Betsy's) My Little Ponies and its gross. Fruity scented candles are to actual fruit scents as Jolly Ranchers are to actual fruit tastes.

2. No Vanilla. Who doesn’t love the scent of fresh baked cookies? However, we think most vanilla candles come off as sickly sweet so in this case, you’re actually going to have to bake something. (Phat Tony: "Well, sure, you could be reminded of cookies. You could also be reminded of Playdoh.") Trust us, your party guests and/or neighbors will thank you.

3. If you like florals, no problem, just stay away from the roses. We're not saying a nice Diptyque Rose candle is out of the question, we're just saying the inexpensive kind will smell like old ladies. We promise.

4. We think the secret to a nice inexpensive candle is to explore the woody scents and the linen scents. As we move into the fall/winter season, we love a nice pine scent. Yankee Candle offers Balsam and Cedar, Mistletoe, and Christmas Wreath. On the lighter side we have the fragrances meant to approximate fresh laundry drying in the midday sun such as Clean Cotton, Sunwashed Linen, Country Linen.

5. No home fragrance option is a substitute for a clean environment. This probably goes without saying but any sort of attempts to mask bad odors is futile one must begin the process with a blank slate.

We Love Lucite

Sometimes Phat Tony and I get obsessed with things that may seem a bit random. Take for example the never ending wonders of the fried egg pizza and/or David Bromstad.

Certain things we obsess about are born out of our unique environment. For example, we live in studios, stylishly appointed of course, but studios nonetheless. We declutter constantly, we're avid watchers of Small Space Big Style, and consequently we LOVE lucite.

Lucite you ask? What could possibly be so special about acrylic glass? Its a durable inexpesive material that, we think, does wonders for a small space. As much as hanging a mirror in a small space to make it look bigger is a cliche, its a cliche that works. The trick with a smaller space lies in coaxing light to shift around the room (mirrors) and allowing it to pass through things (lucite).

Take for example these twin tables.


Not only do we love how they are visually unobtrusive, we're pro the two-tables-bunched-as-one coffee table agenda. From personal experience we can attest that it's not the easiest task to locate such tables of equal size. It is much easier to find nesting tables, which we've seen work just as well, or a full size lucite coffee table.

Our love for this concept stretches as far as to say we're loving the recent trend towards glass based table lamps.


This works on a solid nightstand or a chunky wood console NOT on top of something else clear. You heard it here first, in design as in life, there may just be too much of a good thing.

Phat Tony Addendum: Nicely phrased, Bets... This being said, I think the very idea of lucite can be inspiring... It's a relatively inexpensive (read: cheap), clear acrylic... But it is, for all intents and purposes, reinvented when paired with something else, becoming a subtle piece, creating a beautiful contrast as well as opening up a space. Reinvention is all too often the name of the game here, and we're thrilled that it has been actualized so successfully. Not being afraid to use what you already have (of course, within reason) can be the core of incredibly classy style decisions.

HGTV's David

Bets (hey grrl!) did us all a favor by reminding us of the wonders of HGTV's Design Star. I'd like to briefly expound on the wonders that are David Bromstad.



Other than the endless silly aspects of DB's persona (does anyone else think it's funny that he's always wearing something that either shows a lot of skin, or that can be zipped off quickly enough such that the world can see more of his tattoos?), this guy is talented. He has, quite adeptly I might add, opened our eyes to do-it-yourself home design. He creates an image with very little knowledge of what's possible, and if he doesn't find a color, piece or accessory that fits, he (or his plethora of assistants) just makes it. True, this comes far too often in the form of a chunky picture box, or an original Bromstad piece, or a chunky fireplace facade... but it also comes in the form of backlighting (in the good way), impeccable color choices (no matter how daring or ridiculous) and really doing some fantastic problem solving. He's also one of the only people I know of who can wear thick horizontal stripes and not look huge.

Design Star is Back!

We’re unabashedly on the reality TV bandwagon. We may however skew more towards the talent based contests such as, Pussy Cat Dolls Presents: Search for the Next Doll and America’s Next Top Model AKA Tyra Banks Likes to Make Pretty Girls Cry, rather than those we feel lack a raison d’etre such as the Survivors and Fear Factors of the world. We especially appreciate programs dedicated to the furthering of our three passions: fashion, food, and interior design otherwise known as the 9th 10th and 11th chakras respectively. Imagine our joy upon learning that Design Star is coming back for a second season on HGTV.


This underrated show brought us Color Splash with David Bromstad which we love equally for its cheesiness as its tendency to inspire thought-provoking debate and discussion. What are the implications of the “feature wall”? Is the chunky fireplace overused? Trust us on this one, Design Star blows its Bravo competitor Top Design out of the water. It has a nice low budget feel and the producers don’t get too hands on in promoting contestant histrionics.

We think you should watch it. We also think you should play the Design Star fantasy game online with us.

Auf Weidersehen

Get It Together: Window Treatments

What to do with the windows… I must admit, upon moving into a new space, there are 1,000,001 things you'd rather do before dealing with new window treatments. I mean, all that measuring can really get a girl down and there are Law & Order reruns to be watched thank you very much. However, I have seen some poor excuses for window treatments around town. Granted, I live in a lovably grungy New York neighborhood but there's just no excuse for this:


Or this:


Must we look like we're running a den of iniquity at best or a crack house at worst? This is one area of the home where one need not spend a fortune to look like one has a modicum of taste. Keep it clean, simple and functional and you won't go wrong.

A few options we do NOT recommend.

- The overly-technogeeky, motorized, remote control models. Hell no. Think it's a good idea to flip a button that turns on a fireplace, opens the blinds, or makes your bed spin around in vomit-inducing circles? Nice try buddy... we don't care how big of a technophile you feel you are, but those bachelor-pad cliché features make reasonable women run for the hills faster than a screening of the Dustin Diamond sex tape.

- Any sort of frilly Scarlet O'Hara, I-just-tore-down-my-curtains-to-make-this-debutante-gone-wrong-concoction-of-a-dress curtains. The word "poufy" should not be used to describe your window treatments, nor should the word "velveteen". Nasty.

- Anything resembling a shower curtain, unfurled hippie skirt, or random tapestry leftover from your college years (see above: den of iniquity).

Still at a loss? We like the following:
Roman Shades
Linen Panels
Venetian blinds