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.
In true New England fashion, the Boston is not quite sure whether it’s winter yet. There were a few really cold days, including a recent Sunday when my 12-year-old went to a Patriots game in the rain and snow. I don’t mind the chilliness (I’m a tights and boots girl for sure) as long as there’s sun. That day did incite me to unearth the ice scraper and transfer it to the car. Not looking forward to using it.
Since we live in an apartment, most of the slush (and there’s plenty of it), gets left in the lobby. But still, we have a good doormat outside our door, and a more decorative one inside. Come snowy times, additional rugs get spread across the foyer, so as not to completely destroy my Jill Rosenwald gray area rug.
I know this is all kind of mundane, but I live in Boston, in the city. That means messy weather and no mud room. Even if you have a house with a white picket fence in a tropical clime, you still need a doormat, right? I’ve rounded up some door mats today, mainly coir and natural coconut fiber doormats; mostly modern doormats, many colorful doormats, plus neutrals, some in adorable silhouettes.
S HO P P I N G
1 Roam Sweet Roam Mountain Range Doormat, $34.99 at ModCloth.
2 Chilewich Stripe Shag Floor Mat in Mineral $50 at Burke Décor.
3 Multicolor Leaves Coconut Fiber Doormat, $19.99 at Amazon.
4 Cape Cod Polypropylene Doormat, $69.99 at Hayneedle.
The rustic style wood pieces work particularly well in that bedroom because they help bridge the outdoor space of the deck with the interior. The bold graphic rug reiterates the clean, modern design, providing a satisfying juxtaposition of texture and style.
Today I’ve pulled together a collection of 20 reclaimed wood beds with a rustic feel, most created from actual reclaimed wood (though a few are just executed in a reclaimed woods style.) The sources range from well-known favorites that include West Elm and Crate & Barrel, some popular e-retailers, such as Burke Decor, a great site that sells amazing consignment pieces, called Chairish, and a couple of well-priced English sites, like FurniturePlus, for those abroad.
S H O P P I N G
Shop reclaimed wood beds from StyleCarrot partners and others.
If you’re looking for living room furniture, would you consider a leather sofa? Leather sofas, especially those in natural shades, can look truly fantastic in a living room with a more modern aesthetic. I would never have thought of pairing leather and sheepskin, or leather and bright pops of color, but the combination works.
If you are contemplating a purchase, here are 28 leather sofas in modern silhouettes and cognac, tobacco, and caramel hues. My favorites are 3, 13, and 23. I was not familiar with DeSede, but I’m loving it.
Shop modern leather sofas from StyleCarrot partners.
This summer Boston-based online retailer Wayfair asked me to write a guest post on its blog. The post, “Bring the Look Home: Industrial,” details ways achieving the sort Brooklyn hipster design vibe seen at West Bridge, a new(ish) restaurant/bar in Kendall Square, tech capital of Cambridge. Since I’m a research fiend, it’s no surprise that my piece for Wayfair ran long. Below I’ve provided more back story, quotes, and design details, along with additional photographs.
Restaurateur Alexis Gelburd-Kimler and chef Matthew Gaudet (both formerly of Aquitaine), tapped Williamsburg-based Crème Design, led by principal Jun Aizaki, to design the 3,600-square-foot space, located in the former Boston Woven Hose Factory (fire hose, not panty hose). Built in the early 1900s, it has a rustic loft feel—light and airy, with 18-foot ceilings, wood floors, painted brick walls, and floor-to-ceiling windows. Its back-to-basics, crafter sensibility is prevalent in emerging neighborhoods across the country. Gelburd-Kimler says, “Matt and I are definitely inspired by a lot of things Brooklyn.”
Gelburd-Kimler, who lives in a converted school in Somerville, aimed not just to mimic the spare, industrial chic aesthetic she cultivates at home, but take it to the next level. She says, “I got to build beyond my home; I got to build everything I would want in my home.” She especially loves the restaurant’s wood floors and the white brick walls, saying, “I have a partial brick wall at home, but I wish it were white.” The restaurant’s amber-colored boards are reclaimed, and purposefully set at a 45-degree angle, a traditional design element often seen in old factory buildings.
Gelburd-Kimler’s main directive for Aizaki was the adage “less is more.” She says, “That was the number one rule.” She adds, “You’re not going to see a bunch of framed photos on my fireplace mantel at home. Same here.” Indeed. Artwork was kept to a minimum, with just two large-scale pieces in the upstairs space. The original artwork by Boston-based Thomas Tietjen of ASIZ Industries provides the lone slash of color in the main dining room. As for the black-and-white photo of a woman sitting on rubber hoses, Gelburd-Kimler reveals, “We found it in a magazine from 1827. It’s of the original factory. It was one-third of a page; we had it blown up to six-feet-tall and transferred to canvas.”
For the long dining tables, the team turned to Boston craftsperson Jamie Cumming of Loki Custom Furnitureto create the tops out of recycled bowling alley floors. Cummings credits Aizaki with the idea, and admits that although he’s used reclaimed lumber in the past, re-working bowling alley wood was a challenge. The custom-designed braided rope chandelier is by Toronto-based studio Atelier 688.
The bar is fashioned from reclaimed barn wood and topped with slate and the white x-back chairs are by Brooklyn-based Chair Factory. The guy in the picture is Bar Manager, Josh Taylor (formerly of Eastern Standard Kitchen & Drinks). Believe it or not, the stools paired with the cafe tables in the bar area are from Pottery Barn.
Photo: Matt Demers | Inset: Pottery Barn
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For more about the design of West Bridge, additional photos, and tips on how to get the look at home, read my post on Wayfair’s blog.
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