Last month I had the chance to meet and chat with Seattle’s fruitsuper design and fell even harder for their brilliant, thoughtful designs. And their latest is maybe their greatest. If you guessed it was an abacus you’d be exactly like me – but it’s a perpetual calendar! The entire piece is made in the U.S.A. with the porcelain slip cast in Texas, the the brass machined in California, the maple in Maine, and then all assembled in Washington. Right now this guy is sitting high atop my Christmas list!
Balancing timeless simplicity with sculptural tactility, this iconic counting calendar is hand crafted with porcelain beads, brass, and solid maple. Simply slide the beads to indicate month, day, and date – adding elegant repetition to your everyday.
Pop & Scott is doing it right, all of it. From the Dream Weaver light fixture with its mid-century vibes to the cool pastel patterns of the Beach House pot range and everything in between, I’m pretty crazy about it all. But the Dreamer couch, sigh, now that’s a piece of furniture that will be showing up in my dreams for years to come.
This week on Design Crush:
We picked out ten fresh pieces of art for your walls for you in Print Edition: September. Eleanor Bolton‘s cotton-based statement jewelry is incredible. Sungsoo Kim‘s melancholy art was spot-on for this week’s emotions.
See a beautiful selection of brown leather bags for you to tote this fall in Brown Bag Bunch. Jack Hogan‘s wood and acrylic art mimics another kind of art. Amazing.
Architectural drawings from Minty Sainsbury that really make you focus.
I threw a little outdoor autumn harvest party and created a playlist for you!
You need to see Maryam Ashkanian’s Sleep Series because words won’t do.
Design Crush elsewhere:
Your backyard really, really needs a fire pit this fall – trust me.
The day after Labor Day is fair game for Halloween and I’m starting off with October-inspired art.
I’m so ready for fall – does my plaid obsession give it away??
I think we’re all too fast to run inside once the temperatures begin to fade, don’t you? There’s something to be said for embracing the harvest season that’s almost here, cozying up in layers, and enjoying this time of year and all it has to offer before the hustle and bustle of the holidays take over. As I mentioned before, I’m bent on putting my backyard and decks to good use this autumn – plenty of game day get togethers, birthday celebrations, and fire pit parties are already on the docket. I like having an arsenal of dinnerware and serving pieces set aside especially for this time of year and the type of entertaining that I associate with it. What does that mean? Nothing overly precious, pieces that are functional and earthy in material and tone, and a bit heavier than my summer wares.
Metals and woods are my favorite right now. The heft and textures they bring to the table (ahem) are unparalleled and, well, a little bit of shine never hurt anyone! I like it when my table looks pulled together, but not pristine. Matchy matchy is out of the question, so mixing metals and other elements is key to pulling everything off. Pier 1‘s Bronze Palm Leaf Serving Bowl is such a great statement piece that brought form and function to my table in spades.
It’s easy to pick up a few growlers of favorite local beers to keep things casual, along with setting out a pitcher of plum spritzers. As the evening cools down even further there’s always a pot of coffee not too far away in the kitchen. I particularly love this Diamond Cut Drinkware because it reminds me of a set of similar glasses my Grandma used to serve iced tea out of every summer.
When entertaining outside I like to lean heavily on my trusty grill and my crockpot. One creates delicious things within a few minutes while the other maintains a set-it-and-forget-it frame of mind, with both results usually being eaten on a bun. Case in point are these fried mozzarella and caramelized peach caprese burgers and pulled honey lime chicken sandwiches with corn and cabbage slaw. Hearty and bursting with flavor, they’ll please even your most picky party-goer. A few lanterns helps to further set the mood. One of my favorite outdoor entertaining tricks is using scented candles, the aroma ends up subtly wafting around in the most pleasant way. Simple white plates and cotton napkins help to bring everything else together. Later on we can carry these down to the fire pit to make s’mores and bask in the warmth of another evening spent in good company with good food and drink.
No get together is complete without a curated playlist, at least not at my house! So of course I had to pull together some of my favorite songs that channel chill vibes and welcome autumn with open arms. Have a listen!
I’ve never been much of a bath person with the exception of when I’m sick. In fact I can remember being so excited to transition to taking a shower as a kid, like it marked some right of passage. The tub in my current home isn’t anything to write home about and is honestly kind of awful when draining, so the only thing that gets me amped up about the possibility of a bath is some some tub porn. It still amazes me when a standard household fixture can be turned into such elegance and luxury. Personally I think the key to a good experience must be a tub with high sides – the holy grail of baths!
This summer has felt like a dream. After spending summers in triple degree heat, being back in Pennsylvania this season has been better than I remember. When living in Oklahoma City I always felt like I was jumping from one air conditioned space to the next, spending the shortest amount of time in the sweltering heat in between as possible. I was determined to get my two (yes, two) backyard decks whipped into shape for some outdoor living as soon as possible.
I teamed up with the folks at Overstock to make it happen since I’d either sold or donated the majority of my outdoor furniture before moving last summer. My first goal was to create a space that was functional for entertaining 12 to 15 people at a time, my second was to make the area comfortable during summer as well as fall.
It all began with a few Eco Concrete Samai Planters. I love their industrial look and that they’re heavy enough not to topple over if and when the wind picks up. The plants I’ve used seem to love them just as much and have flourished like crazy.
The most important addition to the upper deck was a patio set. I knew I wanted something constructed primarily out of wood and ended up going with the Carlisle Rustic Metal 3-piece Outdoor Dining Set from Christopher Knight Home. It easily seats six people and I plan on adding chairs to both ends to accommodate a few more.
A Smartfold outdoor folding serving cart from COSCO is the outdoor equivalent of a bar cart. It’s on lockable wheels so I can push it around serving and park it when done. It’s also come in handy when potting plants and making s’mores on the lower deck.
I’ve always been on the fence when it comes to outdoor rugs, but I couldn’t really tell you why. The upper deck is in major need of a fresh coat of paint (next summer’s project!) so I thought a rug might offer a solution. The stripes of this black and bone indoor/outdoor rug by Safavieh do a great job of carrying the aesthetic of the interior of my home to the outdoors. And I have to say, the dogs absolutely love lounging on it.
The last touch on the upper deck, or the deck that connects directly to the house, is the Laguna Park Bench. The geometric backrest is another extension of my style and the wood and metal of the piece tie in perfectly with the patio set and folding cart. I love sitting here watching the dogs while they’re on squirrel patrol in the yard, especially in the mornings with a cup of coffee in hand.
But I have to admit, the lower deck is probably my favorite. When I bought this house almost a year ago I had no plans for its use. Was it built before the upper deck was put on? After? It was and remains a bit of a mystery, but its location right under a gigantic shady tree is just perfect.
I’ve wanted adirondack chairs for years now, in fact I can remember telling my mom that they were one of the first things I’d buy once I had my own home. It didn’t happen quite like that, but these Acacia Square Back Adirondack Chairs now live in perfect formation on the lower deck. They’re super comfortable and I love the pop of light blue against all of that brown. Add a few blankets and we’re all ready for the cozy evenings soon to be spent out here.
The yard itself is mainly the dogs’ domain and I didn’t want to take up their space with a fire pit, but I knew I wanted something similar to gather around come fall. I instantly fell for the Corvus Aviano Black Enamel Finished Wheeled Fire Pit. Again, I love the mobility of this piece. I can wheel it into the yard should the party get too big for the deck.
So, when are you coming over?!
This post sponsored by Overstock. Thank you for supporting the brands that help Design Crush creating fresh new content!
A lot of great things have happened since we last checked in with Son of a Sailor back in 2013. I had a chance to meet William Knopp and Jessica Tata, the husband and wife team behind it all, earlier this month and they clued me in to the evolution of their shop. Lots of new jewelry and accessories rich with organic materials and inspired by geometry are making their faces known, along with fun pieces like wooden yo-yos, leather playing card cases, and beautiful cutting boards. It’s safe to say that my crush is only growing!
Josephine Heilpern’s Recreation Center is a small shop with a focus on functional ceramic pieces. Her work is inspired by items that are designed to enrich everyday life, centered on practical design and simple forms. And while their functionality can’t be denied, neither can their sense of fun!
