New Blog In Town

The Goss-Michael Foundation debuted a blog this morning. I’m fascinated already by the dark exhibition space they’ve created to house their current show, which features shadows created by light cast dramatically onto “rubbish” and “rusted” metal objects. It’s beautiful.

D Home shot Kenny Goss’ and George Michael’s apartment two years ago. Boy did we get lots of letters. Not because Michael is a pop star. But because we showed a gay couple kissing!

New Product Generates Water from Air Moisure

Coming in September from a duo of British Columbia entrepreneurs: the Water Mill, which claims it can extract more than 3 gallons of water a day from the moisture in the air and then funnel it to your tap, or fridge or water cooler, or wherever. It’s been designed for home use, connects to your household current at a cost of 36 cents per day, and is this innovative company’s answer to the world’s growing water shortages. Building a new home? Might want to incorporate a few of these.

Small World, Again

[Photo by Timothy Kolk]

I was digging around style blogs this morning for inspiration, and came across this photo posted on Absolutely Beautiful Things. My first thought was, wow, what a great shot! My next thought was, wow, I think I helped style this shot. In fact, I know I did. It’s Susan Palma’s pool house. How did it end up in Brisbane, Australia? Blogger Anna Spiro had seen it on another style blog, So Haute, out of New York, so she borrowed it. So Haute had borrowed it from our photographer, Tim Kolk’s, website. Both of these blogs are so beautiful, and I love how images can travel around the world and back home again, via the Internet.

More from Ben Spaisman

I asked Ben Spaisman, president of the new online site Bond & Bowery, to show me the object he’s been most coveting on his site….readers, what’s yours?

Also, I asked him what trends he’s seeing (Hint: it’s all about the web now), and for more details on the Dallas, Houston and Austin acquisitions this summer.

(more…)

Bond & Bowery Comes To Texas

I just got this email from Ben Spaisman, President of Bond & Bowery.com

Hi Rebecca,

I read your recent post regarding 1stDibs with great interest. While I agree they are a fine site, I’d also like to suggest that you take a look at Bond and Bowery, a rapidly growing new site that many decorators and designers have already taken note of. Given our planned expansion into Texas during the next few months I would very much be interested in your comments and feedback.

Best

Ben Spaisman

1stdibs.com

Some of Dallas’ top furniture and antiques showrooms are now listed on the coveted 1stdibs.com site, home to the best of the best in Paris, New York, Milan and elsewhere.

Collage 20th Century Classics

East & Orient Co.

Hermitage Antiques, Ltd.

Jan Showers & Associates

Le Louvre French Antiques

Sally Rosen 20th Century Collection

Hello? Is This Thing On….check…check…check…

Since Rebecca said I would blog this morning, here I am. Yes, I am nervous. You know what they say about public speaking, imagine your audience is…naked. That’s what I am doing right now. All of you…in the buff. I feel much better.

Confession? I’m technology-phobic. Check back later today, after I figure out how this new fangled blog machine works. I have to buy some sod, but I’ll be right back. In the meantime, I humbly offer this.

Paige Phelps

Okay Paige, even though you referred to me vaguely as “the writer of the blog” in your post at your fancy new job at the News, I’ll ignore it. Notice I used your full name in the title, no less.

Wisteria Online Sale

Big sale at Dallas-based Wisteria. Lots of online home furnishings goodies 40-60% off. I dig this sweet little half-oval console in crisp white. And I especially dig the $377 price tag (originally $629!). Hurry though. The sale is ending soon.

Time Flies

[Pentagram 2008 Typography Calendar at Ken Knight]

Ken Knight, whom I credit with making Dallas a more stylish place in the 80s and 90s, sent me this cool calendar because he knows that I would not remember to buy a 2008 calendar until 2008, and he was right. A lot of people are like me, he says, so that’s why he’s been pasting labels on mailing tubes for weeks solid now, trying to keep up with all the urgent orders. Ken’s in San Francisco now, selling design books and office products of good design via his website. And now, the strangest thing. I rode down in the elevator this morning in my apartment building with my neighbor in 12C, Irving Goldberg. I was silently admiring Irv’s taupe and cream houndstooth cashmere muffler and thinking about how I hadn’t blogged yet about the calendar from Ken (the graphics reminded me of each other, I guess?). Irv piped up around the 8th floor and asked if anyone knew where Ken Knight was these days and whether he was still writing. Eerie. Have I watched The Secret too many times or what?

DWR Gift Sale

Design With Reach just added more items to its gift sale with prices up to 50 percent off. DWR doesn’t have sales all that often. Go. Shop. Now.

Sputnik Modern and George Nelson

I have a thing for Mr. Nelson. I know, I know. His bubble lamp and marshmallow sofa are a bit overdone. (Overheard from a homeowner at a photo shoot today: “Design Within Reach is quickly becoming as ubiquitous as Pottery Barn.”) But the man knew his design and I love his work. If you do too and you have $1,200 to blow, click over to Sputnik Modern. Owner Chris Thurman — a man who knows his mid-century modern — has some Nelson seating for sale. The bench featured on the site is powder-coated sexy with a graphic print. But move fast. Chris’ stuff doesn’t last long.

Free Shipping at West Elm

For the last minute shopper with no time to hit the malls, West Elm has good news: free shipping on many of the mod retailer’s reasonable gifts, some of which are on sale. Go online and check out great gifts like these pine branch salad plates. A set of four is only $26. And once again: No shipping charges. Nice.

Mod Gifts at Chiasso

Looking for a cheap yet chic gift for your contemporary comrades? Try Plano based Chiasso. The online retailer has plenty of choice offerings in its modern art decor section. I especially like this vinyl shadow chandelier black decal for only $42. It adds nice graphic pop and a dash of whimsy to any room.

Illume Candles

Perfumier to the stars Illume Candles, has launched an on-line boutique and in honor of the launch, you can go to the website and register to win $350 worth of home fragrances like Gardenia, Angel Food, or Coconut Milk Mango. What, are we smelling, or eating and drinking? Well, even if our homes don’t look as grand as Madonna’s or Will Smith’s, at least we can all be smelling Flamenco or Pineapple Cilantro.

Surface View Wall Murals

Whoa. I can’t get over this company. You select one of their murals, send them your specifications for a wall, then they send you the mural in strips like wallpaper, and bam! You’ve got yourself one heck of a show piece. They’ve got a ton of different options. Check it out here.

Who Needs the Food Network?

I blogged last week about Whole Foods‘ new online cooking video blog called The Secret Ingredient. It’s really great, and apparently, cooking vlogs are the new big thing, according to the New York Daily News.

Preppy Living on YouTube

I’d like to think that our July/August D Home inspired this YouTube video, but I think we know we were documenting a trend, not starting one. Enjoy this video, and listen carefully to the lyrics. (”Where my WASPs at?”… “Straight out of Cape Cod, we’re keepin’ it real…”)

Renting A Vacation Online

Okay, so you want to rent a house for a week. Try VRBO, or not. Homes can look really good online, but in reality, not so much. We found one that was, supposedly, “island chic,” but, sad to say, the chicest thing there was in my suitcase. We’re talking hula dancer lamps, numerous signs pointing, “This way to beach,” as if you couldn’t see it across the street, and pieces of “Hawaiian” cloth covering the windows. Luckily, we didn’t hang out there much, as we’re the original tourists, and my husband wants to make sure we do/see/experience everything. More later, Surfer Girl.

RE: WALL MARKER

Rebecca, I cannot believe the timing of your blog about the wall-marking chalk. I am in the process of rehanging about 6 frames after having my front hallway repainted. Thank you–this could be a marriage-saving tip.

Â

BEST BUY: WALL MARKER

Some guy made a million bucks inventing this thing. Seems ridiculous but it’s brilliant. Essentially, it’s a piece of chalk shaped like an arrow with adhesive on the back. Stick it on the back of your picture, and it marks the wall in the exact spot for hanging. Stupidly simple. I wish I’d invented it and I wish I’d had one recently before I hammered a dozen holes in Muffin Lemak’s wall last week during a photo shoot. $2.99 at Amazon.

WEST ELM & WISTERIA SALES

Fire up your keyboard and start point-and-clicking. Both West Elm and Wisteria are having online sales and times a-wastin’. Wisteria offers 10 percent off all Internet orders but only until May 20. West Elm’s summer sale is chocked full of chic, contemporary goodness, including furniture, bedding, and more. Start shopping!

PHOTOS TAKEN DURING LAST NIGHT’S POWER OUTAGE

Stormy weather and power outages are always an excuse to get creative. (We ate dinner by candlelight last night.) A D Home blog reader pointed me in the direction of these interesting long-exposure shots that Sarah Jane Semrad took when the power to her Oak Cliff house went out.

RE: BAD HAIR DAY

All I’m sayin’ is that Mrs. Wearstler has more problems than just her hair.

SPRINKLES LINE OUT THE DOOR; HERE’S A SOLUTION

Dallas is officially cupcake-crazed. But if the 25-person line at Sprinkles is deterring you from achieving the icing bliss you seek, try this web site. Replete with photos, baking tips, fantastic recipes, and camaraderie with fellow cake lovers, it’s honestly one of the most amazing blogs (not counting this one) out there. Hannah gets the credit for this sugary find. (At left, a cherry vanilla treat.)