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.
Almost a year ago we repainted our family room in Benjamin Moore Steel Wool, which I detailed in a Family Room Makeover post. We hung different artwork as planned, but I never got around to choosing a new rug. Now that our older son, who likes to use the floor as a picnic blanket, is in boarding school, I feel a little more comfortable splurging on a new rug.
It should be an almost solid color rug, but not quite. It should have some variegated color, but not actual texture. The rug we have now is chunky and loopy, and I imagine the crumbs embedded in it could feed a family of four for a month. (Yeah, we’re gross.)
The room is a narrow rectangle with a slightly odd extension off one side and a bay window on the other. I’ve often thought about having a rug custom cut, but not sure if I can bear the expense. Here are 20 almost solid color, not quite patterned but not completely plain rugs.
S H O P P I N G
Shop StyleCarrot partners and other retailers for subtly patterned solid rugs.
We never seem to have enough hooks, whether it’s in the closet, on the back of the bathroom door, or in the kitchen, I’ve been meaning to add to by my desk for my tote bag too, instead of always draping it on the back of my chair. I don’t want it to stand out, so I’ll need to find simple modern wall hooks.
With the holidays upon us, not to mention what’s sure to be a snowy winter, adding hooks to inside the closet, by the door in the entry, and pretty much all over the mudroom is always a good idea.
Here are 38 mostly modern wall hooks from StyleCarrot partners and other shops, many fun, all functional.
If yesterday’s post showcasing 29 interiors with faux animal heads inspired you, allow me to help you do a little shopping. The range of faux animal heads (or animal head trophies, animal head mounts, animal head plaques, animal head wall sculptures, or whatever you prefer to call them) is kind of incredible.
There are painted porcelain and tapestry textile heads created by fine artists, papier mache animal heads by artisans in Haiti, resin models done in neon brights with glittery antlers, metal animal heads. animal trophies made of cardboard, and a plethora of plush models meant for kids. I found a blow up unicorn head (what my 7th grade self would have given for one of those) and a modern wire geo-style animal head sculpture. There’s even an artist creating animal head sculptures out of upcycled farm equipment.
The variety of faux animal heads means you can hang one pretty much anywhere, in any style room. It’s hardly cabins-only decor. Here are 45 cute ones from StyleCarrot partners and other vendors.
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1 Papier Mache Giraffe Head, $63.99 at DwellStudio.
A few weeks ago I did a small roundup of modern rocking chairs to accompany a decor story in the Boston Globe. (Every Monday my lovely colleague Jaci Conroy writes an interior design article for the Globe and I pull together a corresponding group of furnishings & accessories.) I found so many great modern rocking chairs + contemporary rocking chairs that I figured a blog post was in order.
These all have great styling and are a far departure from traditional rockers or overstuffed gliders for the nursery. We have an Eames molded plastic rocker in sky blue on the Cape that we bought for my son, though I think it’s in our room now. Sometimes I use it on our little deck. I didn’t include that iconic example here, but there are other examples (mid-century modern furniture replicas), like the #16, the Swerve which has jaunty cut-outs and a full wooden base.
I love the look of #5, a very spare rocker from NYC shop Matter, and of love the tall mint-upholstered one by Normann Copenhagen. And if only I could place that blush colored Artifort rocker in the model apartment I’m decorating. Probably thought, the one that makes the most sense for my lifestyle is Gus Modern’s GT rocker (#13). It is definitely a contemporary rocking chair in style, but with enough cushion to be comfy.
Shop 30 modern rocking chairs from StyleCarrot partners and other favorite shops.
1 Comback Rocking Chair by Patricia Urquiola for Kartell, $890 at YLiving.
2 Taxed Rocking Chair by Segis, $1,309.99 at AllModern.