Mythology is getting a lot of play this season. Greek keys, Roman soldiers, Trojan horses and Pompeian drawings are a hot trend in home decor. Designers are putting these ancient motifs on everything from dishes and lamps to busts and chests. For examples, see my slideshow.
Author: <span>Anne Collins Howard</span>
The rug Over & Undulating Lines is like an obsessive-compulsive doodle that I cant get enough of. The knots of silk create endless figure eights intersecting over a solid wool background. It is from Christine and her son Jasper Van der Hurd’s new collection, Linework, and it is truly their best yet. Bold colors and geometrics were always two lovable characteristics of Van Der Hurd’s rugs. But teddy bears are lovable; their work has graduated to to-die-for-chic. The colors have softened, the patterns have freshened; this is the Christine I want to know and love.
(Above) 6×9 Over & Undulating Lines, $6,156: VanderhurdStudio.com.
Linework Collection, Dandelion; Hand-knotted New Zealand wool and silk.
Linework Collection, Stripe Moquet in Plum (left) and Twigs (right).
Parchment paper always seemed like such a useless purchase. What would do you do with paper you cant write on? I realize now that if it’s as gorgeous as Precious Pieces paper, it has infinite uses. Frame it, line a headboard, hang it as a room divider, lay it as a table runner, drape it like a canopy, use it as light diffuser once you see it, decorating genius will strike.
Washi Custom Japanese Parchment, $150 $300 for 2×3 ft. Precious-Piece.com
The view from my apartment is into my neighbor?s living room. Not quite the vista of Central Park I was hoping for, but it fits the budget. I am going to keep playing the lottery but until I strike it big, I think I have found the answer: Melissa Borrell Design?s Fantasy Shade. Pull down her digitally printed nylon mesh blinds and the Manhattan skyline, the Golden Gate Bridge, or the trees of Rome can be seen through your window. Any of her gorgeous landscape photography is available on a UV filtering shade, but send her a picture of your favorite scene and the dimensions of your window, and she?ll give you your dream view.
Fantasy Shade, $160 for the 32wide, ready-made shade. For custom quotes or for motor or remote-controlled shades: melissaborrell.com
