I love Halloween--a low-stress, high-fun holiday. High-fun example: While walking my dog, I saw a group of kids (and their teacher) learning the Thriller dance on the school playground! Our neighborhood is decked out in cobwebs, skeletons, and lots of pumpkins. One neighbor even transformed his front yard into an old English cemetery, complete with witty headstone epitaphs. We've decorated with gourds and flame-like orange lights in a tree with hanging spiders and bats. Hope you have a fun evening, whether you eat lots of candy, give lots of candy, or just curl up with a scary movie. Beware of ghosts!
Above: Vintage design halloween buckets from Traditions.
I love twists on tradition; the atypical but elegant monogram styles from Julia B. are just that. Julia Berger, who grew up in Tokyo and San Francisco, marries the tradition of hand embroidery with updated designs for beautiful results on fine fingertip towels, cocktail napkins, handkerchiefs, bedding, and more. See more of her lovely offerings and learn about custom work here.
This beadboard bath is in the early 1900s stone cottage of Joshua Vogel and Kelly Zareto. The Hudson Valley couple operates Blackcreek Mercantile & Trading Co., home of beautiful turned wood goods (see below) made by Vogel himself. See more of their home at Anthology (starting on page 4); check out Blackcreek's offerings here (photos: Seth Smoot).
What a breath of fresh air! This bright white kitchen is in the home of stylist, writer, and shop owner Helena Skarp in Gävle, Sweden. Visit her blog for more inspiration here.
I am in love with the hand-stamped linen textiles of Giardino. Ohio-based artist Pat also accommodates custom orders, should you need a different size pillow, for example. Fun fact: She sews everything on her grandmother's 1940s-era Singer!
Above: Gray and yellow ochre ogee on white linen lumbar pillow case, $38 Below: Everyday yellow ochre on white passionflower linen napkins set, $32
Do you fancy feathers? Here are a few recent finds with the classic motif: (top to bottom) Original etching from Atelier28; Early 20th century iron sconces from Mac Maison, Ltd.; Pine Cone Hill "Plumes" boudoir pillow and Lollia bubble bath, Layla Grace; Engraved feather motif stationery, Crane & Co.; Oscar Wilde's The Picture of Dorian Gray, cloth bound and foil stamped with a peacock feather motif, from Penguin.
Click here to see another great chair-in-a-corner look and some beautiful corner chairs.
One of the many things I relish about this time of year is the great selection of interesting looking (and tasting!) pumpkins and other unusual gourds and squash. Don't you love the simplicity of this white pumpkins centerpiece? Search Etsy or Ruby Lane for a similar vintage footed compote.
I love the look of this gathering featured in the aptly titled Gatherings, a great new online magazine. Check out pages 112-118 of the fall issue for recipes for Pumpkin Cream Cheese Kolaches, Acorn Squash Quesadillas, and Roasted Butternut Squash with French Lentils (all pictured above, from food blogger Ginny Donovan).
I love everything about this period bathroom in Blair Castle (in the Atholl Estates of Highland Perthshire, Scotland). Spare in design with exceptional details--notice the amazing flooring! Click here for more on the castle's history. Click on the image for a much larger, more detailed view.
I love this true eat-in kitchen with Swedish, Dutch, French, and English elements. See more beautiful eat-in kitchens here and here.
{Find it!}
Babylonstoren is a “werf,” or farm yard, dating to 1690. The property, comprising historical Cape Dutch-style lodging, spa, gardens, and wide open spaces, is in the mountainous Cape Winelands region near Cape Town, South Africa. Lounge in a hammock, pick your own salad, canoe, or hike by a stream on the nearly 500-acre site. Endless inspiration (I love the natural wood framing on the bedroom window and the cream subway tile just along the bottom half of the bath). See you there! (see more at The Travel Files.)
{Further inspiration}
This tile-roofed cottage by the sea was restored by the current owners and furnished with flea market and landfill finds! The interior lives large with its post and beam vaulted ceiling. See more at Skona Hem.
Find more seaside cottage inspiration in my posts here and here. Have a great weekend!
The workspace of Ina Garten--also known as the Barefoot Contessa--is in an alcove outside of her bedroom (photo: Simon Upton for House Beautiful). If you like this space, you may like:
The photography of Jean Michel Berts (print shown in Garten's home office: Berts' "Luxembourg Gardens").
I'd like to find a Halloween wreath for the front door that isn't too cutesy or sparkly. An understated Halloween wreath? Now that's a challenge. This might have to be a make-it-myself project (an even bigger challenge). This one (above) comes to mind. My very talented friend Ellen Baker of The Long Thread made (and photographed) this wreath. I somehow ended up with lots of extra grosgrain ribbon from a shop I was working in at the time and passed it along to Ellen, knowing she was a craft wizard and could do something with it. Impressive results, huh?!
Make your own grosgrain ribbon wreath by following Ellen's tutorial here.
Insects of Surinam contains page after page of beautiful botanical plate reproductions documenting the work of naturalist and watercolorist Maria Sibylla Merian. Find it here. Learn more about Merian and her work here.
Here's a peak inside:
