Scheming: Playful Dining Room with Flat Vernacular Wallpaper by Helios Design Group

When Ariel Roth’s clients,a young family of five in a suburb of Boston, asked her to dress down their formal dining room, she went right for the wallpaper.

“They wanted the rooms in their early 1900s Colonial to be fun and comfortable,” says Roth, an interior designer with Helios Design Group in the Jamaica Plain, Massachusetts. They enthusiastically embraced her suggestion to cover all four walls of the formal dining room with whimsical wallpaper. “We used the word ‘happy’ a lot,” the Boston designer says.

The wallcovering she chose? Flat Vernacular Swallowtail, an organic, stone-like pattern in a mix of sweet and earthy colors. She pulled out the pink with simple drapes, and grounded the room by painting the millwork in Benjamin Moore Old Navy.

Playful Pastel Dining Room Makeover By Helios Design

Photo by Michael J. Lee

I wrote about this space last year in the Boston Globe Magazine, a year ago. Here, I pulled similar pieces so you can pull the look together on your own.  (Or call the designer, I’m sure she’d love to hear from you!)

G E T  the  L O O K 

Playful Dining Room With Whimsical Wallpaper By Helios Design

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Get the Look: 38 Coastal Pendant Lights Made from Rattan, Wicker, Seagrass, Jute, Hemp, and More

Coastal style pendant lights made from rattan, wicker, seagrass, and more.

These days, it seems, a room is not complete with a pendant light made from natural fibers. Even if you’re not celebrating coastal decor, somehow, rattan makes its way into a room.

Natural fiber pendant lights made from rattan, wicker, seagrass, jute, hemp, rope, and the like, is certainly an effective way to add texture into a room. And you can supersize your light fixture and go with a dramatic silhouette without being too too, because the earthy material tempers the glam effect.

There is a never ending array of rattan pendant lights and rattan chandeliers on the market. I’ve curated the best ones, from simple wicker globe pendants to distinctive statement chandeliers to artsy, natural fiber pendant lights that almost look like handwoven works of art.

Which would I chose? I like the tailored shape of #2, the playful boutique hotel vibe of #4, the simplicity of #10, and the nostalgia of #38, which looks like the light pendant that hung in my childhood bedroom.

Coastal Pendant Lights Boho Decor Rattan Wicker Lighting

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Coastal Pendant Lights Boho Decor Rattan Wicker Lighting

9/ 10 / 11 / 12 / 13 / 14 / 15

 

Coastal Pendant Lights Boho Decor Rattan Wicker Lighting16 / 17 /18 / 19 / 20 / 21 / 22 / 23

 

Coastal Pendant Lights Boho Decor Rattan Wicker Lighting

24 / 25 / 26 / 27 / 28 / 29 / 30 / 31

 

Coastal Pendant Lights Boho Decor Rattan Wicker Lighting

 32 / 33 / 34 / 35 / 36 / 37 / 38

Just In: Everything Is 20% Off at Serena & Lily (Even New Arrivals)

Coastal California has been rebranded as Coastal Grandmother style. Why now? Nancy Meyers films (Something’s Gotta Give, It’s Complicated, etc.) spawned the term; talk about a delayed reaction. The Coastal Grandmother trend has been ubiquitous for, like, ever.

It’s not just in California; New England is inundated with breezy coastal decor. So is much of the rest of the country; one look at Instagram confirms it. Why so popular? It’s fresh, pretty, and accessible.

Serena & Lily nailed the look years ago and the brand’s social media presence has helped perpetuate the look. Call it Coastal California style or the Coastal Grandma trend, either way, the look lives on.

EVERYTHING at Serena & Lily is 20% off until May 31, 2022, even new arrivals and sale items. (Excludes art.) USE CODE: GOFORIT. There’s now a flat delivery rate making shopping & shipping more efficient.

These pieces from Serena & Lily are easy to integrate into any space:

Serena & Lily Coastal Grandmother Trend Sale Summer 2022

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Some of my favorite Serena & Lily new arrivals (there are over 150!) :

Serena & Lily Summer Sale 20% Off Everything Coastal Grandma

1 / 2 / 3 / 4 / 5 / 6 / 7 / 8 / 9 /

 Serena & Lily does Grandma Coastal Style to Perfection:

Serena & Lily Daybed Sunroom Style

Gingham Daybed

Breakfast Room Coastal Decor

Open Lantern Pendant Light

Rattan Furniture For Your Deck

Rattan Sofa

Bistro Counter Stool Serena & Lily

Bistro Counter Stool

Beach House Decor Palmetto Wallpaper Blue & White

Scalloped Rattan Side Table

Beach House Bedroom Natural Furnishings

Caned Front Chest

Breakfast Pavilion Beach House Decor

Pinstriped Side Chairs

•          •           •

Follow @StyleCarrot on Instagram.

Spruce up your decor with plants from The Sill >The Sill For Live Plants Delivered To Your Door

Fine Print: Bibliostyle: How We Live At Home With Books by Nina Freudenberger

It’s officially book season. The new fiction and coffee table books that have been arriving are the highlights of my week. ‘ll get to posting about those here and on Instagram @StyeCarrot.

Meanwhile, I’d like to share an oldie but goodie that’s been sitting in my drafts folder: Bibliostyle: How We Live At Home With Books by Nina Freudenberger of Freudenberger Design Studio. 

West Coast interior designer Nina Freudenberger is such a talent. I loved meeting her years ago when designer David Stark took over Haus, her old shop in New York City, with a very cool exhibition. I wrote about it for Design Milk.

Freudenberger’s first book, Surf Shack: Laid-Back Living By the Water, is one of my all time favorites. From the looks of Instagram @NinaFreudenberger, she is working on another book that is taking her to more far-flung parts of the world.

Here are half a dozen of the private home libraries that designer Nina Freudenberger, journalist Sadie Stein, and interiors photographer Shade Degges captured in Bibliostyle.

Collection Of Textile Book Collection In Brooklyn Bibliostyle by Nina Freudenberger

Harlem Townhouse LIbrary In Bibliostyle by Nina Freudenberger

Photography Book Collection In San Francisco In Bibliostyle by Nina Freudenberger

Illustrator Illustrator Pierre Le-Tan's Paris Library In Bibliostyle by Nina Freudenberger

Comme Design Founder's Library Los Angeles Library In Bibliostyle by Nina Freudenberger

Brooklyn Couple's Art And Design Book Collection Library In Bibliostyle by Nina Freudenberger

Bibliostyle by Nina Freudenberger

Bibliostyle: How We Live At Home With Books

Photographs copyright © 2019 by Shade Degges.
Reprinted with permission from Bibliostyle, by Nina Freudenberger,
copyright © 2109.
Published by Clarkson Potter, a division of Penguin Random House, LLC.

Bibliostyle by Nina Freudenberger
buy now

 

Just In: New England Makers Holiday Gift Guide

Yesterday, Boston Globe Magazine. published my annual holiday gift guide. All the presents in this year’s gift guide hail from New England designers and makers. I also listed local, independent stores where you can buy them, whenever possible.

Shopping local has never been more important, but this year it’s practical too given the shipping delays and shortages on shelves. Many of these holiday gift guide items are crafted  in local studios. You’ll still want to order early, because handmade takes time.

Here are 18 of my 30 recommendations. I hope you will click through to the Boston Globe to see the rest of my  holiday gift guide picks.

If it prompts you to subscribe, please consider doing so. I believe the first six months only costs $1. If you live in New England, think of what it would be like not to have a local newspaper. We need your support. Thank you! And, happy holiday shopping.

Boston Globe Magazine Holiday Gift Guide 2021 Shop Local New England Makers Holiday Gift Guide 2021 Shop Local

1 Wine club subscription, from $50 at The Urban Grape, 303 Columbus Avenue, Boston, 857-250-2509, theurbangrape.com

2 Geometric knit throw, from $369 at Anna.

3 Farmhouse wreath with faux peonies, from $178 at Cranberry Customs on Etsy.

4 Adorable Angel doll, $74.99 at Fusion Dolls, Westgate Mall, Brockton, 617-291-7177, fusiondolls.com

5 French Clay soap by Dear Botanicals, $12 at Wyllo, 65 Thayer Street, Boston, 617-982-2965, shopwyllo.com

6 Weeping Oak earrings by We Dream in Colour, $100 at Gift at the Gardner, Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum, 25 Evans Way, Boston, 617-278-5122, gift.gardnermuseum.org

7 Rover rain cape by Cleverhood, $99 at Dash Bicycle , 230 Broadway, Providence, 401-453-3274, dashbicycle.com

8 Hot sauce by Hillside Harvest, $8.99 at Savenor’s Butcher Shop and Market, 160 Charles Street, Boston, 617-723-6328, and 92 Kirkland Street, Cambridge, 617-576-6328; savenorsmarket.com

9 Bellcate School dog treats, $8.50 at Common Deer, 210 College Street, Burlington, Vermont, 802-497-0100, commondeer.com

10 The Maine House by Maura McEvoy, Basha Burwell, and Kathleen Hackett, $50 at Brookline Booksmith, 279 Harvard Street, Brookline, 617-566-6660, brooklinebooksmith.com

s11 Victory/Peace CandleHand, $40 at 54celsius.com

12 Cargo truck by Luke’s Toy Factory, $24 at Daytrip Jr., 9 Ocean Avenue, Kennebunkport, Maine, 207-967-8345, daytripsociety.com

13. Game On tennis backpack by Ame & Lulu, $98 at Leather World, 30A Langley Road, Newton Centre, 617-332-6519, shopleatherworld.com

14 Diamond Sunburst Pyrite necklace by Devon Road Jewelry, $400 at Folklorica, 61 Union Street, Newton Centre, 617-630-1815, shopfolklorica.com

15 Color Palette canvas print, $68 at Lunch City Studio, 265 Washington Street, Somerville, lunchcitystudio.com

16 Zesty Morning organic body butter by Organic Bath Co., $29 at Follain, 65 Charles Street, Boston, 857-233-5211, follain.com

17 Somerset Dopp kit, from $120 at 33byhand.com

18 Classic Man beard, head, and body oil by Mavology, $28 at The Holiday Market at Snowport