What is better than receiving something handmade and local? Here are a few goods from Etsy sellers around the Pacific Northwest that make beautiful crafts to liven up your home. Who are your favorite local Etsy sellers? —Erika Solis
Abacus – Sand and Sea oil painting, $88 from StudioZen; Botanical Garden pillow cover, $11.95 from freshstudio.
Wall-mount soap dish, $15 at Andrew’s Reclaimed; fall block print, $15 at Artwork by Amanda Kindregan.
Sometimes cooking can feel like a chore. But we sure can be suckers for fun kitchen gadgets! We’ve rounded up some fun whimsical measuring utensils for your next culinary creation. —Rachel Gallaher
Clockwise from top left:
Each side of the doll can be used for measuring, and they all nest together so you will never lose a single cup again. Russian Doll measuring cups, $16 at fredflare.com.
These measuring cups are traditional in style, but the graduated shades keep them fun. Sur La Table Measuring Cups, $7.95 at Sur La Table.
This is one mouse you won’t mind having in the kitchen! These whimsical, rainbow-colored measuring cups are great for those with kids in the kitchen. Mouse Measuring Cup Set, $14.95 at Mrs. Cooks.
This measuring collection is so pretty it doesn’t have to go in the drawer after you use it. Florist Measuring Cups, $36 at Anthropologie.
These measuring spoons are a fun twist on traditional flatware. Dining Room Measuring Spoons, $24 at Anthropologie.
Get ready South Lake Union—Ligne Roset is coming your way in November! It’s set to open its doors on the corner of Denny and Westlake in a space with tons of windows and a decidedly modern vibe. Owner Barbara Prince explains that she had her eye on the space for quite some time: “I would drive by the Whole Foods and I would look at the building and think ‘This would be such a gorgeous store.’ The aesthetics were perfect for a Roset store. Visually, you’ve got a corner location, the building has all that metal and glass and really high ceilings.”
As someone who has been with the company for 13 years, Prince knows a thing or two about the brand. Owning a Ligne Roset store was an exciting venture for her, and now that she has a location of her own, she’s ready to have some fun with it. “This is my dream at this point, and so I really want some drama [in the space]. There’s going to be a wooden walkway that leads you to the back of the store where the reception desk is—like a runway,” she says.
When customers aren’t too busy strutting their stuff on the catwalk, their eyes will be drawn up to furniture hanging in the air. Hey, she said she wanted drama! Prince has planned for the rest of the interior to take on a more subtle feel with natural tones, exposed concrete, white walls and a dark gray wood floor. The idea is to provide a muted palette to help showcase the furniture.
Prince designed the store with the Seattle market in mind, but was able to travel to France to work with the company’s designer and architect. (Talk about job perks.) “Ligne Roset is based on designs from France,” she explains. “I tried to tweak it to the Seattle market. I had to pick how I wanted to make those high design statements with practicality in mind.” For example, the dark gray flooring was chosen to work with Northwest elements—lighter colors don’t fare as well with rain and muddy shoes.
The fabulous location isn’t the only thing new we can expect from Ligne Roset this fall. The latest Roset products, fabrics and accessories are planned to appear in Prince’s showroom as well. “We’re going to have new models that have not been shown in the Roset store in Seattle before,” Prince reveals. Innovative pixilated fabric patterns reflecting the technology obsession of today will cover classic pieces such as the Ruché sofa, and boldly colored pieces can be put together to make modern, interlocking sofas.
Ruché
Confluences
But contemporary isn’t the rule of thumb for fall design trends. “I’m noticing more and more hints of whimsy,” Prince notes. “There are these little resin rabbits called Pan Pan that were at the furniture fair in Germany, and we will have those in the showroom. I like the idea of whimsy in design. I think having fun with your space is really important. I’m hoping that will come though in this space as well.”
Pan Pan
We’re looking forward to the grand opening of Ligne Roset’s latest location. Don’t forget to stop by the store in mid-November to check out the new products and showroom. —Rachel Gallaher
We’ve featured Orange22’s cool Botanist Series benches before, so we were excited to hear about their latest venture—more than 80 new products and exciting collaborations with some of the hottest designers out there. We think the designs speak for themselves. Take a look! —Stacy Kendall
Clockwise from top left: Orikami Clock by Karim Rashid, Free Flowing Clock by Tord Boontje, Lyt Clock by Jeff Miller, Uniformed Clock by Mike + Maaike.
Clockwise from top left: Lines Trays by Massimo + Lella Vignelli, Uniformed Trays by Mike + Maaike, Epigram by Milton Glaser
Clockwise from top left: Blink Series Lanterns by Ashley Sargeant, Nuture Lanterns by Scott Henderson, Flow Lanterns by Dario Antioni, Lyt Lanterns by Jeff Miller
For more information and more new products, visit Botanist Series.
Seattleites are known for our durability: We won’t let a little liquid sunshine stop us from enjoying one of the last weekends of the summer.
CELEBRATE
Olympic Sculpture Park, August 27
Experience art, performances, artist talks, dancing and more at this late-night “creative explosion” at Seattle Art Museum’s Olympic Sculpture Park (620 Market St., Kirkland). 8 p.m.–midnight. Admission is $12 for SAM members; $15 for nonmembers; first 50 in neon get in free. (206) 332-1377.
LISTEN
Crowded House, August 28
Chateau Ste. Michelle’s Summer Concert Series continues with Crowded House, playing on the winery lawn at 7 p.m. Tickets are $53.15–$74.40. (425) 488-1133.
HUNT
Art in the Garden, August 28–29
Bellevue Botanical Garden (12001 Main St., Bellevue) hosts Art in the Garden, featuring sculpture and garden art by 20 Northwest artists, a treasure hunt and prize drawing, 10 a.m.–6 p.m. Admission is free; a percentage of sales supports Garden projects. (425) 452-2750.
SAVE
Simplicity Décor, August 28–September 6
Simplicity Décor’s Annual Change of Season Sale benefits customers as the staff moves out inventory to make room for new Fall and Holiday Season products. 126 Park Lane, Kirkland, (425) 803-0386.
GARDEN
The Odd Plant Show and Sale, August 28–29
What’s the point of cactus? Find out with the Cascade Cactus and Succulent Society at The Odd Plant Show and Sale (TOPSS) at Sky Nursery (18528 Aurora Ave. N. Shoreline). (206) 546-4851.
—Giselle Smith
Maybe they’re not as good as your own precious Fido, but they’re certainly better than a Chia Pet! Check out these new lovable creatures from Jonathan Adler ! —Stacy Kendall
From top: Doggie, $120; Kitty Cat, $120; Fox, $135: Prowling Cat, $135; Gorilla, $195 at Jonathan Adler
Vanity Fair recently polled 52 architectural experts to find out what they, as a collective body, thought were the five most important structures built in the past 30 years. The votes were varied, and the results covered a wide range of architecture, with 132 different structures receiving votes. The overwhelming winner (with 28 votes) was the Guggenheim Museum in Bilbao, Spain, designed by architect Frank Gehry. Among the winners are Renzo Piano’s Menil Collection (second place with 10 votes) in Huston, Texas, and the Thermal Baths (third place with 9 votes) designed by architect Peter Zumthor in Vals, Switzerland. But among these architectural masterpieces is a building that is near and dear to our hearts—the Seattle Central Library, designed by Dutch architect Rem Koolhaas. It placed fifth on the list of most voted-for structures with six votes and placed third on the list of the top structures of the 21st century.
Photo by Robert Polidori via Vanity Fair.
Completed in 2004, the 11-story, glass-and-steel library is 362,987 square feet and has the capacity to house 1.45 million books (very fitting for such a literate city). Koolhaas embraced modern design and created an innovative “book spiral,” a continuous four-story ramp that is physically organized around the Dewey Decimal System in order to make locating books easier for library patrons. Koolhaas also used a variety of materials to creative interesting textures and colors throughout the building. Around every corner (and on every story) there are delightful visual surprises that blur the lines between art and architecture. Think neon yellow escalators, patterned rugs and bright red hallways.
Photo via The Seattle Public Library.
Photo via The Seattle Public Library.
No wonder it made the list! Congratulations to Rem Koolhaas and the Seattle Central Library for the well-deserved recognition. —Rachel Gallaher
I said the other day that I was ready for fall, and what’s more cozy than a big, comfy rug underfoot? I got to thinking about making my house cozier for the upcoming cool weather, and rugs are just the thing to do it. Browsing online, I found these options—but how to pick just one? —Stacy Kendall
Mega Doily Rug, $600 at Ladies & Gentleman Studio on Etsy.
Layered Damask Rug, $78–$1,098 at Anthropologie, Downtown and Eastside locations.
Trammell-Gagné, Seattle Design Center Ste. A-105, (206) 762-1511.
Mikado Rug, $1,149 at BoConcept, 901 Western Ave., (206) 464-9999.
IKEA Stockholm Triangle Rug, $399 at IKEA.
There are certain times that I can’t help but stop and think, “My job is so cool.” Yesterday was just one of those days. I headed to the Washington State Convention & Trade Center for the Seattle Gift Show and got to shop, I mean scout, to my heart’s content. Hours and hours of booth-browsing later, and I’m excited to share a few of my favorite finds with you. —Angela Cabotaje
I was super impressed with San Francisco-based Shine Labs, which offers a ton of gorgeous home accessories, light fixtures and bone china:
Shine Labs’ Moire lighting collection is a stunner. The bent-wire pendants are both modern and traditional and look great on their own or grouped together at various heights. Left to right: Opium Pendant, Tibet Pendant and Emperor Pendant.
The Dolores Pendant (left) and Curve Pendant are made of wool felt—perfect for our Northwest sensibilities!
These Silhouette Vases are graphic and bold. Left to right: Pompeii Vase, Bombay Vase and Veneto Vase.
Kwytza Chopstick Art from Eugene, Oregon, had fun and eco-friendly options:
This folding basket is made from recycled bamboo chopsticks.
Bella Cupcake Couture introduced new patterns to its line of cupcake wrappers:
I love the cherry blossom design!
Simrin caught my eye with its fun linens and trays:
Its tray designs remind me of vintage fabrics.
Love the bold patterns for table linens!
This whimsical jute place mat tells you exactly where your dinner came from. Let’s hope lamb chops aren’t on the menu!
I really enjoyed Canvas, which celebrates simple, beautiful design in furniture, tabletop and accessories:
The gold-finished cutlery is such a simple way to add an elegant touch to the table. It’s perfect for the holidays.
Thomas Paul, as always, had exciting new introductions and finds:
The lovely display of pillows and plush items.
Matryoska doll (also known as babushka doll) motifs are everywhere now, and Thomas Paul had them as pillows, stockings and ornaments.
The Luddite collection of totes and cases are very Magritte-esque, almost as if to say, “This is not a cell phone. This is not a camera. This is not a laptop.”
Imm Living was one of my favorites, especially with its new fairy tale-themed line of tableware, mugs and bowls:
Imm’s booth was pretty crowded, so it was difficult to get a good shot. But you can see the fantastic balloon dog Big Top Bookend on the right.
Last but not least, we have Teroforma, which produces thoughtful and well-crafted items for the home:
It’s dishtowels and linens are pretty in their simplicity. The HandsDishesCrumbs set (left) was made to suit each type of household task: drying hands, drying dishes and wiping up tables and counters.
It really seems like they’ve thought of everything at Teroforma. Its Avva Large Bowl&Board set features a stoneware serving bowl with a grooved wood piece that acts as crumb-catching cutting board and lid.
The weekend is upon us and, while the weather is not as beautiful as it was last weekend, there are plenty of events to keep you busy!
LEARN
Kirkland Arts Center, August 20 & 21
The Decemberists’ illustrator-in-residence, Portland-based artist Carson Ellis presents a free public lecture at Kirkland Arts Center (620 Market St., Kirkland) on Friday, August 20. Admission is free. (425) 822-7161.
TASTE
TomatoFare West, August 22
The TomatoFare West festival at Seattle’s Cedarbrook Lodge includes heirloom tomato dishes prepared by chefs such as Christine Keff, Jason Wilson and Bobby Moore, tastings from local breweries and sustainable wineries, and live music performances. Tickets are $20 in advance, or $25 on day of event.
An Incredible Feast, August 22
Enjoy more than 30 gourmet dishes, wines and beer from local farmers, ranchers, fishers and foragers. In the interest of sustainability, guests are encouraged to bring their own plate and fork to use during the event. All proceeds support the Good Farmer Fund. Tickets are $75–$80.
GARDEN
Emery’s Garden Summer Sale, August 20–22
Save 40 percent on all trees and shrubs, and 30 percent on containers, at Emery’s Garden (2829 164th St. S.W., Lynnwood, 425-743-4555) through Sunday, August 22.
Eastside Fuschia Society Plant Show and Sale, August 21 & 22
Stop by Bellevue Botanical Garden (12001 Main St., Bellevue, 425-452-2750) for a great selection of plants from gardeners on the Eastside.
—Giselle Smith
