Friday Photo Finish

And a Happy Halloween to you all!

image via Country Living

Coveting...

Holly Becker's (from the blog decor8) new coffee table. It's so perfect. The big curved legs give the table an element of whimsy and personality, as if you could picture it dancing with the teakettle in the middle of the night.

image via decor8

Xenia Taler Tiles

Xenia Taler tiles are the work of Xenia Taler, who designs the tiles, and Steven Koblinsky, who crafts the clay and glazes from scratch. The tiles are pressed into molds made of wood, or are extruded (meaning pushed or drawn through a die, which is a device or tool used in the manufacturing process to impart a shape, form or finish). They make two kinds of tiles: wall hanging and installation tiles. Wall hanging tiles are thicker with glazed sides, a groove in the back for hanging and have cork on the bottom. They can be hung or can safely be used as coasters or trivets. Installation tiles are thinner and have unglazed sides for grouting. They ban be installed in kitchens, bathrooms, fireplaces, or tabletops.

These are some of my favorites...

Goldfish Round

Bubbles

Chick Pink

Blossom Branch

Autumn Tree and Spring Tree

The tiles are available either direct from Xenia's website or from Tabletop DC where they also sell lovely Xenia Taler frames.

Working Class Studio

Working Class Studio is a product development venture for students, faculty, and alumni of the Savannah College of Art and Design. Products range from melamine to textiles to paper products. They have partnerships with Barnes & Noble, West Elm, and Showtime for custom development projects.

Here are a few samples of their work.

The Jesse Collection Assorted Coasters

The Brad Collection Paper Dinner Plate

The Brad Collection Paper Napkin

Roots & Shoots Melamine Set

Flourish Black/White Pillow

Fern Green Pillow

Blue Floral Damask Flexi Journal

Working Class Studio products are available for sale at many online shops including the Shop SCAD website. Go here for a list of other online shops and bricks and mortar store locations that sell their product.

Also keep an eye out for their new line called "Re-Gift", which features collapsible fabric-covered boxes and re-usable fabric covered gift bags available on December 1.

All images except the Blue Floral Damask Flexi Journal via Working Class Studio. Blue Floral Damask Flexi Journal via Barnes & Noble.

Tony Koukos

Saw this great image called "Calm II" on sale at MOTIF Modern Living and had to check out the rest of his work.

"Calm II" 38" W x 25" H, Canvas Giclee, framed $319.20

Below are some additional photos taken from his website that show his wide range of interests.

You can see more of Tony's work on his website. If that is not enough, Colin Cowie has a video on his site showing additional photos of Tony's as well as some photography tips from Tony.

You can purchase his work from various art shops online, but Art.com has the widest and best selection of his prints.

Top image via Motif Modern Living. Bottom images all via tonykoukos.com.

Friday Photo Finish

Fall is such a fun time for taking photos. There are so many beautiful nature shots and celebrations to take photos of. Here are some that I've taken recently.

Yosemite National Forest

Yosemite National Forest

Yosemite National Forest

Ukiah Country Pumpkin Festival

Ukiah Country Pumpkin Festival

Ukiah Country Pumpkin Festival

I've had this image sitting my desktop for a couple of weeks now. I can't decide if this is really cool or really too much? I'm long over the peacock craze, but this platter has kind of a less fad more timeless Art Nouveau appeal to it that I can't resist. What do you think?

Kathy Ireland Peacock Large Porcelain Serving Platter $198 via PubSets.com

Modern Baroque Hanging Lamp

Loving this hanging light at Motif. Laser cut black acrylic shade.

Bryce Hanging Lamp $169

Into the Pink

In honor of October being the Breast Cancer Awareness Month, here are some inspiring rooms from Domino that decorated with the color pink.

Now be sure to visit the Susan G. Komen for the Cure, National Breast Cancer Awareness Month, and the American Cancer Society for information on how you can help yourself, help your family, help your friends, and help others.

all images via Domino

Spruce Home

So loving this Butterfly Chair from Spruce Home. There is nothing better than a unique piece of furniture with great details, and Spruce Home definitely has an eye for finding a unique piece and "sprucing" it up to make it even more special.

Check out the detailing on the "butterfly" detail shown below on the chair back. The single diamond pleat in the middle of the yellow wings creates the butterfly's antennas.

Spruce Home's Etsy shop is listed on Real Simple's list of 10 Etsy Faves for October. You can see more photos of their work and their store in Austin, Texas here as well.

Venice Beach Eco Cottages

I spied these cute little cottages in the latest issue of Travel & Leisure (November 2008). Wouldn't they make for such a fun retreat in Venice Beach?

The VBEC is made up of three cottages- Le Bebe, Papa Hemingway, and Aunt Zoe's Place. The beds all have 300-count organic Gaiam bed linens and the bathrooms are supplied with Kiss My Face toiletries. Also included in the cottages are kitchen appliances and a washer/dryer that are all certified by Energy Star. The best part of these cottages is that the owners, Cynthia Foster and Karel Samsom have pledged to donate a percentage of their profits to local charities.

The red and yellow trim with the pale blue is so retro, but the craftsman style windows help keep them just this side of kitschy.

Kelly LaPlante (in the photo above with her dog Gracie) helped design the interior of Le Bebe. The birdcage chair was an actual bird cage that was re-purposed as a swivel chair.

My favorite part of all the cottages is that gorgeous little fireplace. It has so much detail. Just look at that close up below. Sadly in the more masculine cottage, Papa Hemingway, they painted the fireplace black. I'd like to think that it was a really tough decision to do that.

This bathroom is in the Papa Hemingway cottage. The wood commode is beautiful and painting the outside of the tub is an interesting idea, but the matte color makes me hesitate a little.

This is a view of the kitchen in the Aunt Zoe's Place cottage. Retro kitsch with the cherries stenciled on floor, but not overboard. I've been seeing a lot of painted hardwood floors being used by designers lately. I'd really love to see this type of floor in person. It generally looks pretty cool in photos, but it's so hard to tell.

all images via Venice Beach Eco Cottages

Where You Least Expect It: giggle

Giggle is the cutest little baby shop on Chestnut St. in San Francisco. They also have a great online store that is full of chic options that are not just for parents or soon-to-be parents. Below are a few more additions to my series of cool housewares finds amongst the kiddie shops.

giggle Robo Stool Set of Two $158

giggle Slice Step $90

Simple Scandinavian designs with a pop of color, and so handy to have around.

J Schatz Egg Banks $95 each

A chic place to keep all that pocket change you've got swimming around at the bottom of your purse and under the couch cushions. I just cannot resist the beauty of a J Schatz egg.

J Schatz Star Egg Nightlight $140

Treat yourself and your significant other to an indoor starry, starry night on a cold, rainy winter night. When not in use, it becomes an interesting objet.

Wall Hanging Storage Pocket - Fly With Me $150

Perfect for sorting your mail and holding your magazines and books.

all items available online via giggle

Lunt Silversmiths for NY Botanical Garden

Love these pretty little shiny things that Lunt Silversmiths creates for the New York Botanical Garden. Although I've started wearing a little more gold lately, my big love is still for all things silver. Now if only silver didn't require a household staff to maintain it's beautiful luster, I would be the happiest girl around.

Chinois Stainless Flatware 5-pc. Place Setting $75

Lattice Silverplated Vases $70 - $225

Silverplated Feather Shot Glass & Silver Picks $65

Pagoda Silverplated Cocktail Picks Set of Four $50

Chrysanthemum Tray with Silverplated Handles $275

A is for Apple

Love these great alphabet prints by Gregoire Ganter. They are 8x10 Digital C prints for $125 each available at Supermarket. It would be so cool to collect a few (over time of course at that price!) to spell out words or your initials, etc.

Oh, and if you haven't checked out Supermarket, I highly recommend that you do. It's a great place to find and buy products, ranging from clothing to art to housewares, direct from some really great designers.