We’re heading into the second half of summer, and yes that’s reason to lament. However. . . there’s an upside, and not just a proverbial silver lining. Something (or rather somethings) really, really, good. S A L E S pretty much everywhere, including some top StyleCarrot partners. From the half-yearly Nordstrom Anniversary Sale (my 25 must-haves here — just five days left by the way; prices go back up on Monday) to a Stockroom Sale at West Elm, it’s a good time for online shopping for new clothes and home stuff.
One of my favorite online sources for bedding (baby, kids, and grownups), bar stools, beds and headboards, and artwork (I love their pretty abstracts) is Serena & Lily. Right now Serena & Lily is having a “Private Sale” (meaning you just have to pop in an email address) with discounts up to 60 percent.
There are some pieces that you have been probably meaning to purchase—new sheets to refresh your bed, wallpaper for the powder room. a cozy throw as a hostess gift, more bar stools for your beach house, brightly colored baskets for your kids toys. I did some preliminary scouting for you. Here are my top 16 home furnishings finds from the Serena & Lily sale.
Husband and wife design duo Bob and Cortney Novogratz are at it again. There latest effort is the 9 by Novogratz bedding and bath collection at Walmart. The line includes bedding, beds, and bath accessories in their signature bright, geometric pops of color. The pieces are great for kids—the couple have seven of their own—and extra vibrant grownups.
Bob and Cortney Novogratz masterfully layer pattern and color, but of course the throw pillows, shams, duvets, towels, and shower curtains work perfectly as accents . The collection also includes furniture—painted metal beds, upholstered beds and headboards in stripes and solids, tufted storage ottomans, solid color sofas, and chevron armchairs.
Serena & Lily invited me to it “Sign, Sip and See” party at its new “Beach Market” boutique in East Hampton. Domino co-hosted and their were lots of top interior designers on hand to sign their design books. Since I’m no longer a Hamptons-ite, having given it up for the Cape, I sent my friend and colleague, freelance writer/editor Meredith Barnett, her mom, news correspondent Rita Braver, and Meredith’s best friend Cristina Miller, head of North American Dealer Relations at 1st Dibs. (I met Meredith & Cristina through Craigslist when I applied to work for their previous business, Store Adore.)
The Serena & Lily Hamptons boutique, on Montauk Highway in Wainscott, is the company’s second retail store. The other is in San Francisco, and they are planning to open more stores soon. Meredith reports: “It was absolutely beautiful—very beachy and whimsical, but also very sophisticated.” Lobster-printed beach towels were stacked amidst hand-painted trays, and colorful artwork on the walls. She (half) jokes, “They should have hosted it with a real estate company because being in that store made you want to buy a house in the Hamptons, just so you could fill it with their stuff!”
I’m jealous that they got to go and sip yummy fresh peach vodka cocktails, and thankful they took time out to snap these photos. Let’s take the tour >
Scandinavian inspired hanging rattan chair works indoors and out on the patio. Handcrafted basketweave wood Bamileke side table from India is modeled after ceremonial stools used by Bamileke tribal chieftains. Peek through the window to see the Riviera bench, made of sustainable rattan and woven plastic.
Bamboo and nylon Sailing Ship kites are handmade by Balinese artisans. I love the powdercoated steel cobalt blue Avery bed for a boy’s room, and have been coveting those studio task lamps made from oak, with red cords.
Get creative with fabric by the yard. The store also has items by other designers. Look at the bottom of the photo—Tina Frey resin ice bucket and Champagne bucket with leather handles. J’adore.
Throw pillows galore—great for adding a personal touch to a summer rental. The screenprinted cotton canvas leaf pillow covers in coral are my favorite. The coral and blue botanical print pillows up top are Serena & Lily’s palm leaf pillow covers and the neutral geometric print on the bottom right is the diamond pillow cover.
Cutting boards and trays with colored edges make great hostess gifts.
As you know, I’m a huge fan of the original artwork curated and sold by Serena & Lily. They’ve got the best dreamy landscapes and cheerful abstracts.
I finally took a road trip to IKEA in Stoughton, Mass. yesterday. It was pretty painless. Despite my husband’s plea “not to buy anything,” I came back with lots of little goodies. After all, not he surely meant furniture, not 79 cent glasses and fifteen dollar lamps. I tried out a few chairs – as uncomfortable as I remembered – but was impressed by the cute bedding. I went crazy in the Marketplace, stockpiling enough little vases to get me through next summer, even at increased rate of flower cutting. I loved the cozy sheepskins – especially the curly gray ones (must go back to buy a couple). I was most impressed by the lighting. I concentrated on table lamps. There were so many colorful, well-designed, decently made, inexpensive options, and I bought rather a lot. Here are pictures from my excursion, plus some product shots from the website.
First stop, the cafeteria for a cinnamon bun. I only ate half. Such restraint! They make great use of their KNAPPA pendant here. Head over for dinner – they serve Swedish meatballs.
Wandered from there into the kids section. Thankfully I no longer need plastic tableware, but the colors made them tempting!
The bug lights were appealing too.
I really liked the bedding patterns. Very graphic and not at all cutesy. The fabrication was a bit gauzy, but soft.
The model bedrooms were well put together.
Gotta love the Missoni-like throw.
This one used a rattan shade to add texture and make the bed wall more of a focal point.
They even give tips: Frame a straw placemat for instant art.
They were really touting these soft, woven baskets.They’re quite nice, actually.
There were some great texture-y lamps too.
And a straw ottoman.
More lamps. Love the straw weave one (i think it is plastic). The picture does not do the first one justice. It’s the Lunta from the IKEA 365+ collection. The lamp is beautiful; the metal is shiny and strong and the pleated lamp shade is a natural linen. I bought one for my bedroom. At $59.99, it was the most expensive piece I purchased, but well worth the price. I got the white sphere, the FADO, for my son’s nightstand. Its low profile really opened up the space that had been blocked by a more traditional lamp. The last one, the LAMPAN, comes in white, red, gray, and navy. It is short, all plastic, one piece, and $4.99!
One of the best things about IKEA, besides its prices, are the colors. I thought the violet Arne Jacobson knock-off chair could be fun in our playroom. Too bad it was so uncomfortable! Love the orange chair; the yellow too. I like the two tone white and natural color of the third chair. It’s all wood and very sturdy.
Great rug! Color, pattern, and fabrication all wonderful.
Speaking of color, I fell in love with the LYKTA table lamps. They look like vases (they’re glass, supposedly mouth-blown, but at $14.99 one wonders). The shades in our playroom are these exact shades of turquoise, lime, and violet. The store was out of the turquoise, but I came home with two limes, a violet, a purple. They’re lined up on the mantle. Unplugged, in the plastic wrap still. But I’ll figure something out
I went a little crazy in the vase department. But I couldn’t resist the colors, shapes, sizes, and prices. No matter how many vases I have out on the Cape, it’s never enough. The three little chartreuse PERSIKA ones will be perfect for my white blooms. They’re similar in shape and style to a larger Venini periwinkle vase I bought in Venice a million years ago. Notice the middle pair. One is an authentic Jonathan Adler, purchased a few years ago in NYC. (By the way, a Jonathan Adler boutique is opening on Newbury here is Boston. Can’t wait!) The other is a version of the FÄRM vase – Adler knock-offs. The last is another PERSIKA in white, placed in a generic florist’s vase that I had. SOrt of looks like a light bulb, but I like it.
Finally, the succulents and bamboo. Who knew IKEA had live plants? I put the bamboo, known at IKEA as DRACAENA, in the thick glass SNÄRTIG vases (79 cents! I bought five!). I popped the succulents into shiny white earthenware pots, the KARDEMUMMA, which have a vertical, almost bamboo-like design. LOVE!
