Bright colors, bold patterns, inventive reuse…decor in Brazil is anything but dreary. With five weeks and over 6,000 kilometers of travel, from the Amazon, down the coast to the big southern city of São Paulo, we soaked in our share of Brazilian style.
As much as I love a good design center, luxury design isn’t what Brazil is all about. Here is Brazilian decor and all its raw beauty, charms, quirks, and creativity.
(Above) Of all places, my favorite outdoor furniture of the trip was atop Rio’s Sugar Loaf Mountain.
A word on the coveted brazilwood, and foundation of early Brazilian design. It is not named after the country, the country is named after it. It grows all through the forests and with its ember-like color (or “brasa” in Portuguese) it inspired the nation's name. Today this hard wood is protected but found pieces are still used for accessories. With a little help from our Amazon guide, we carved this kitchen spoon out of a stick we found.I won't get to much into folksy souvenirs, but the bright colors and happy disposition of the typical painted wood carvings are indicative of the Brazilian look and spirit.In central and northern Brazil, hammocks are an integral part of the home. More than just a backyard accessory, woven hammocks are what many people use to sleep. I was a little nervous spending five nights this way in the Amazon but it was surprisingly comfy! Beautiful, portable, and incredibly inexpensive, it's kind of a brilliant bedding alternative.I fell in love with the flat-weave rugs and table linens that were sold all through the state of Ceara. They had the best stripes in the richest colors.In the coastal towns of Pernambuco, sculpture made out of old palm-tree trunks were everywhere. The spindly roots make for the greatest head of hair, right?With summer weather year-round, the outdoor fabric choices were fantastic! This one company Voga Ledervin had spunky prints with palm trees, sail boats and this chic splatter stripe.Lighting is made out of just about anything in Brazil. Gourds, sea shells, wine jugs, you name it. Spotted in a corner food stand, this pendant lamp is constructed from a cluster of plastic two soda bottoms and connected to another bottle slit into a modern shade. Resourceful to say the least.Adored these cheeky clay busts we saw at Cabral in Salvador. Vintage Brazilian design is fabulous when you can find it.Salvador's Afro-Brazilian roots give the decor its own distinct look. These tote bags celebrate their classic motifs of lacy headdresses and prayer bracelets of Señor Bonfim (the legend goes: tie them with three knots and make a wish for each. When the knots wear through, your wishes come true. I think mine has a few months to go.)Who says a fridge should be a plain Jane? A canvas can be any ol' thing in Brazil and everything could always use a bit more color.
For more on luxury design, check out these chic Brazilian brands:
For those of you who participated in the Bookshelf Runoff over the summer, thank you for your vote! With your fine taste and discerning eye, you picked the Left Bank by Vivaterra and it couldn’t be more perfect for our living room. The gray-washed wood shelves and exposed rivets give the room a little edge but the classic shape lets me know we’ll love it for a very long time.
With the bookshelf built and in place, the fun part begins: Accessorizing…
Bookshelves are like one big showcase for your favorite things. Little collections, one-off objet, happy photos and quirky art get a new sense of purpose and importance when strategically placed among tomes.
Here a mix of fashion, design, fiction, photography, and travel books become pedestals and frames for beloved objects like our red-handled wine corker from the old bottling rooms of Burgundy to pieces from our camera collection (featuring Mike’s antique accordion Kodak and a cheeky ceramic Polaroid I got him for Christmas).
Really, anything heavy and interesting is a bookend. Here, a charcoal-heated iron that Mike found in India keeps our literature in place and looks quite sculptural in its new found role.
Filling the formerly empty expanse next to our fireplace, our bookshelf of favorite things makes the living room feel like a much more personal place.
Between the expansive blank wall and the stacks of books in our living room, it’s pretty obvious we need a bookshelf. Now the question is . . . which one? Á la our Rug Runoff, I’ve selected a handful of my favorite bookshelves and I’m hoping you can help me pick the one that will work best for our space!
Things to Keep in Mind
Positioned directly across from the front door, this bookcase will essentially be the first thing guests see when they walk into our home (no pressure). That said, it should blend with the room’s decor but make a statement on its own. Plus, it’s got to comfortably fill out this 70”w x 108”h wall with ample breathing room on the sides and enough height to draw the eye up.
The Contenders Rockwell Bookcase
Without being matchy-matchy, I love that this crisscross-piece from Jayson Home and Garden has a similar look and feel as our bricklayer’s coffee table. At 36.5”w x 84”h, the reclaimed wood and metal unit is one of the taller and narrower options in this group, leaving a good amount of the wall exposed on the sides (not sure if that’s good or bad but it’s something to consider).
Left Bank Bookcase
This option from Vivaterra is Mike’s favorite for its straightforward-industrial look and for me, the exposed rivets and gray-washed wood shelves have a raw Parisian charm that could win me over.
Naturally Beautiful Bookcase
From Wisteria, this 53” wide casegood would practically fill the whole wall but a bookshelf that feels more like a built-in could be a nice effect. . . . With pretty wood spindles and an X-back, it would play on the updated-traditional elements in the room like the sofa and fireplace.
Scala Bookcase
This white and black metal bookshelf may seem too modern for my home but imagine it with bamboo shelves and a silver frame . . . it could work perfectly. Faktura Design makes this piece in a variety of finishes and materials and can even make the 70”h good taller for a couple hundred. I love that these cantilevered shelves act like bookends in the center and have a look like nothing else on the market.
Which bookcase is your favorite for our home?Please cast your vote in the comments below!
Out of all the new companies that were introduced at the International Contemporary Furniture Fair last May, Shine Labs is the one I’ve kept my eye on. Upon entering their booth, the porcelain collection had me drooling and asking a million questions–most importantly, when I could get my hands on it!
Well, the time has come. The San Francisco-based company has just opened its first online shop, Store.ShineLabs.com, and it’s as fabulous as expected! They have a ton of chic lighting and really unique accessories (the Nautica Votives are wild) but I’m still fixated with my original love: their porcelain bone china. Made by artisans using all natural materials, Shine Labs porcelain is not only durable and luminous, but down-right gorgeous.
A Few of My Faves Napkin rings—especially the floral variety—often fall into the cheesy realm. But in the absence of bad silk or sequins, these solid, sophisticated shapes read like sculpture. Rose, Moth Orchid, and Peony Napkin Rings, $12 each.
Said to be leaf-inspired, I look at this pattern and see a series of whimsical hearts. However you’d like to see it, this piece would make for one impressive fruit bowl. Pelargonium Platter, $130
Sold for a bargain $32, the Rocca set includes three naturally modern bud vases and a votive holder with the warmest glow.
I just love the simple lines combed through these porcelain planters. Place a fern here, and it will be one of the best thing about owning a house plant. Reef Collection, $22-$50.
