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.
“After the Shower” from Chairish • Photo by Hannah Bates from SMFA Sale My two newest pieces of art coincidentally share a color palette.
If you’re interested in putting together a gallery wall, place a well-executed still life or abstract in a blank space, or are looking for a single quirky but well executed vintage portrait, Chairish (a StyleCarrot affiliate) is a great option. It’s my first online stop for vintage paintings.
I’m always looking for new sources for affordable artwork. I’ve come to love Chairish, a site on which users can buy and sell vintage furniture and decor. It’s a sort of cross between eBay and 1st Dibs. Chairish is manageably sized and dedicated to good design, with a mix of individuals, dealers, designers, and artists.
In terms of art, Chairish is especially great for vintage paintings. My newest acquisition, purchased from Chairish, just arrived and I love it (and so does my husband). I paid under $100 for it including shipping. It needs a new matte and it’s not framed, but still, a great deal.
Here are 20 vintage painting paintings, all under $500 currently available on Chairish. I’m very tempted by one or two of them. Lower offers are accepted so you may not have to pay the already low list price. And returns can be made within 7 days if your pick isn’t pleasing in person.
A million years ago, we offloaded our television in the living room, leaving an extra roomy could-be bar cabinet free and clear. It soon became a convenient space, given its boxy shape, to store art we weren’t displaying, extra picture frames, and overflow throw pillows. A television has since taken up residence again with a new DVD player, specifically for me to watch movies (since I don’t know how to work the main TV with its fifty-buttoned five remotes), or currently, Friday Night Lights (OMG, Tim Riggins).
I had the best intentions; I imagined transforming the newly vacant slot, complete with pull-out shelf, into a stylish home bar cabinet for my husband. I thought about it a lot, knowing it would make a much appreciated birthday gift. But no follow through from me. Instead, liquor bottles remain relegated to the upper cabinet of the pantry, with some of the more attractive specimens on display atop the would-be bar cabinet in a teal lacquer bar tray, provided by the lovely ladies at an agency for Absolut. (You can see my bar tray styling post here.)
So, woe is my husband’s home bar situation. Jon Draper he shall never be. But if you have room in your living room, you could set up a stylish home bar in one of these 25 bar cabinets chosen from a dozen of my favorite sources for modern and classic furnishings, including some partner sites. Imagine tucking one of these bar cabinets into an unused corner, complete with a shiny cocktail shaker, sleek drinkware, and stripey paper straws.
S H O P P I N G
Shop StyleCarrot partners & others for bar cabinets.
In addition to the features, I put together the StyleWatch product page, which highlighted seven colorful upholstered swivel chairs. Swivel chairs are a perennial favorite of interior designers. A pair of swivel chairs can bridge the two separate conversation areas in an oversize living room. In the family room, swivel chairs can face either the sofas or the television, allowing for multi-function flexibility. Designer Alys Protzman, who decorated this yellow and white cottage on Cape Cod, likes to place a cluster of swivel chairs around a table to create an entire seating area that delights kids and adults. (Spin, spin, spin.)
There are lots of different types of swivel chairs available for living spaces, including mod styles on pedestals. Other than the one Jonathan Adler swivel chair I included here (because I just couldn’t resist it), these upholstered swivel chairs resemble traditional easy chairs that one would not expect to rotate. These upholstered swivel chairs would work in any room, whether to serve two functions near a television or open kitchen, or used as a reading chair by a window in the bedroom. (Or just use it to pile clothing on and swivel it away from you when it becomes overloaded.)
Here are 45 upholstered swivel chairs in every color as well as some patterns from StyleCarrot partners and others.
S H O P P I N G
1 Eos Swivel Chair, $999 at Room & Board.
2 Willy Swivel Armchair by Poltrona Frau at Switch Modern.
3 Alfosa Cow Print Swivel Chair, $278.54 at Wayfair.
4 Blakely Brown Swivel Chair, $480 at Bellacor.
5 Agathos Swivel Armchair by Antonio Citterio at Switch Modern.
6 Sutton Chevron Swivel Chairi, $499.99 at Bellacor.
7 Manhattan Swivel Stool, $986 at Seagrass Home.
8 Baxter Swivel Chair, $2,595 at Jonathan Adler.
9 Lazar Scroll Corkscrew Left Swivel Chair, $806 at AllModern.
10 Felix Chair by Mitchell Gold+Bob Williams, $2,115 at Bloomingdale’s.
11 Felix Swivel Chair, $1,545 at Mitchell Gold + Bob Williams.
12 Penta Swivel Chair by Viccarbe, $1,697 at Switch Modern.
13 Hugo Swivel Chair, $999 at Room & Board.
14 Feelin’ Groovy Swivel Chairs at Thayer Coggin.
15 Rothko Swivel Chair, $799.95 at Boston Interiors.
16 Milo Baughman Style Barrel Chairs, $895/pair at Chairish. 17 Duffield Swivel Chair in Brushstrokes, $799 at West Elm.
18 Duffield Swivel Chair in Ikat Chevron, $799 at West Elm.
19 Floral Arm Chair, $1,900 at 1st Dibs. 20 Luxe Slipcovered Swivel Chair, $1,299 at Crate & Barrel. 21 Azimut Swivel Chair by Marco Fumagalli at Roche Bobois.
22 Anda Swivel Chair at Ligne Roset.
23 Reid Swivel Armchair, $2,720 at DWR. 24 Brisbane in Sunbrella Canvas, $1,299 at Room & Board. 25 Swivel Ottoman at Ligne Roset. 26 Celeste Swivel Chair, $749 at Room & Board. 27 Axis II Leather Swivel Chair, $1,899 at Crate & Barrel. 28 Serene Slipcovered Swivel Chair, $1,499 at Crate & Barrel. 29 Linda Swivel Chair, $799 at Circle Furniture. 30 Anda Swivel Chair at Ligne Roset. 31 Morgan Track Arm Swivel Glider, $1,089 at Ethan Allen. 32 Colby Swivel Club Chair by Elegant Home Fashions, $496 at Bellacor.
33 Stockholm Swivel Chair, $399 at IKEA. 34 1980s Directional Swivel Lounge Chair, $3,850 at 1st Dibs. 35 Talia Swivel Chair, $1,399 at Crate & Barrel. 36 Nico Return Leather Swivel Chair, $2,545 at Mitchell Gold + Bob Williams.
37 Crest Swivel Chair in Sunbrella Canvas, $799 at Room & Board.
38 Modern Swivel Chair 805, $953 at Contemporary Furniture.
39 Mid-Century Custom Swivel Arm Chairs, $2,850/pair at Chairish.
40 Pumpkin Chair by Pierre Paulin at Ligne Roset.
41 Facett Swivel Armchair at Ligne Roset.
42 Fresco Swivel Occasional Chair at LaZBoy.
43 Otis Swivel Chair, $699 at Room & Board. 44 Barrel Back Swivel Lounge Chair, $2,850/pair at 1st Dibs.
45 Hathaway Swivel Glicer, $1,099 at Crate & Barrel.
I’ve been so focused on Florida (though not nearly enough, as I’ve yet to order rugs, shades, or decide on the pink problem in the bathroom), that I’ve neglected organizing and upgrading in Boston. Coming back in the fall from the Cape, I’m always bothered by the amount of stuff we have. Too. Much. Stuff. It’s particularly striking because not only is the place on the Cape a lot bigger, being a house instead of an apartment, it’s white and virtually empty.
Here, in addition to crown moldings and bookshelves lined with coffee table books (one of the best perks of being a blogger), there’s , well, everything. The piles of dishes still not put away from the bar mitzvah in February (because, after all, we’re having another one this coming February), our bicycles in the living room until it gets too cold to ride and we store them, etc.
I’ve been promising my younger son that I would work on his bedroom. Meaning, I would clear out all the outgrown clothing and extra bedding I’ve been keeping in there. Done! He has the upholstered armchair that I used to nurse them on when they were babies. It’s taking up a ton of space that would be better used for a desk. He’s starting to get a fair amount of homework, plus, like me, he’s very organized, so I think he’d love to have drawers where he can store supplies.
Our other son has a little desk from IKEA, which when it’s cleared, he actually likes to use (not for homework, though). When he was away at a boarding school program this summer he lived in student housing, with a room furnished in typical dorm style (by a company like Peelmount) that outfits dorm rooms with sturdy wood beds, desks, and dressers. It’s kind of incredible that those designs haven’t changed, in like, ever. Blocky oak stands the test of time, I suppose. In any case, I’m not looking for anything as practical as all that. A small, affordable, modern desk is all we need.
Here are 42 modern desks, almost all of them well-priced (and one very extravagant example) from StyleCarrot partner sites and other great resources.
S H O P P I N G
1 Soft Modern Writing Desk by Sauder, $210 at All Modern.