moving on up
Well it looks like we're moving up in the world, and into bigger digs! It's official -- on Monday, Sept. 25th, The Pink Square is moving to our new place on the web. Our new address will be
thepinksquare.blogspot.com so please continue checking us out!
See you all soon!
xxx
red rover
I am always on the hunt for the perfect area rug for my living room. So while killing time before meeting friends for dinner this week, I popped into the
DWR store on Broadway for some ooohing and ahhhing and a quick peek at their rugs. They have some great new styles, including Angela Adam's
Gato rug, which is more serene and far less geometric than her other "traditional" designs. But my favorite find was Nani Marquina's new
Roses rug, which looks like a lush blanket of fallen petals.
I bet the felted petals feel really great when you walk on them (not that I would let anyone actually step on it!) and add great texture to a room. I'm not quite sure how you maintain and vacuum the rug -- it looks like once dirt falls beneath the surface, it's staying there for good -- but I love its striking yet pet-able quality. The rug comes in red and ivory and retails for $3,000.
xxx
to the extreme
I have a new boyfriend. His name is Elmo. And he's awesome!
Seriously, guys, this new
Tickle Me Elmo TMX -- which is apparently sold out nationwide -- is totally rocking my Wednesday-world. (Ahem, the TMX cheekily stands for Tickle Me eXtreme. Click
here for a clip of him getting his serious tickle on.) He's just so funny to me -- not only does the doll talk in the third person and giggle, Elmo basically has a crazy laughing fit, slapping his knee, falling on his back and convulsing, getting back up, falling on his side, rolling to his front, slapping the floor, getting back up. (As a ridiculously ticklish person myself, I totally relate to his lack of physical control.) I HAVE to laugh every time I watch the video! His giggling is just too contagious. I must admit, it kind of looks like he's hit the bottle too hard, teetering and falling back to the floor over and over again, but maybe that will go unnoticed by the 6-and-under crowd.
But honestly, forget about the kids who can't possibly appreciate the many levels of hilarity captured in this little guy - this is definitely what I'm getting everyone for their birthdays. Well, if I can ever get my hands on one, that is. Who am I kidding? If I find one, I'm keeping it. Or
selling it. But probably keeping it.
xxx
wick envy
I have just seen the coolest candle ever made. (Thank you
Designers' Block for the great find!) In this unique candle,
Van Boemmel Studio has embedded their wicks in hexagon-like patterns throughout the wax, where one flame lights another until the whole candle has disappeared -- kind of like a smooth relay race. It's mesmerizing to watch the flames run through the maze of twists and turns. (Check out the way it burns by clicking
here. The music is quite hypnotic too, I must warn.) I'm not sure how much it costs (prices are a little vague on the site) but it looks like would fall on the expensive side. It's perfect for the person with money to burn (natch!)!
xxx
victorian secret
Be still my design-beating heart! Designer Lisa Versacio, who launched the wildly successful
West Elm brand for Williams-Sonoma, has started a new home furnishings and accessories company for
Restoration Hardware called
Brocade Home. And trust me on this -- it's absolutely fabulous! Long live Victorian Modern!
As you can see, Brocade looks a lot like
Anthropologie with some modern West Elm flair thrown in -- the winning combination, in my opinion. (As much as I love Anthropologie, the style can be a little too flea market-girlie for my taste. And even my personal fave West Elm sometimes appears too cold and empty for real life.) The Brocade launch line looks feminine and romantic, with deep muted colors and ornate furniture that still feels modern and young. There are enough crystal chandeliers, satin coverlets, pink crushed-velvet pillows and sexy boudoir tables to channel Carrie Bradshaw! I am in love with the hand carved curve back chair with peony vine jacquard upholstery ($299) and the velvet burnout curtain panels ($109).
Prices generally range from $200 to $600 for lighting and chandeliers, $40 to $50 for pillows, $1,500 to $1,700 for sofas, and $50 to $130 for curtain panels. Still pricey but not completely out of reach. Right now, it's a catalog-only but they're planning to open stores and set up an e-commerce site soon. Start saving room on those credit cards now!
xxx
for eva and eva
Sigh, I love chic, clean design. And one of the masters of industrial design (and one of my personal favorites!)
Eva Zeisel, is turning 100 this year -- and, believe it or not, she's still designing! (So much for taking it easy when you get older.) While you may not have heard of Eva, you've probably seen and used her curvy creations before. Her tea service, dinner plates and serving bowls have graced tables around the world for more than half a century. She is known for her sculptural ceramic pieces with rounded curves, arches, teardrops and wave motifs, which never seem to go out of style. (Take note, Todd Oldham!)
But for her birthday, it looks likes Eva is celebrating in grand centennial style by introducing her first tea kettle design for Chantal (appropriately called the
Eva Kettle) and reissuing her classic, swoon-worthy 1950's Pinnacle Tea Set. As usual her design is ergonomic, graceful and functional. The stainless steel kettle features a wide base to decrease boiling time, a tilted and curved stay-cool silicone handle and a seam free body. The first 550 tea kettles will be numbered -- so fun!
The Pinnacle Tea Set is as chic today as it was when it was created more than 50 years ago. Curvy, sensual and refined, it's available in classic white and, for the first time, in black. The Eva Kettle and Pinnacle Tea Set are sold exclusively at Bloomingdale's. The kettle is $80, tea pot $40, and the sugar and creamer set are $30.
You may have seen some of her 1952 reissued designs at your local Crate & Barrel, who has carried her Classic Century tabletop collection for the past year. The
salt and pepper shakers ($35),
sauce boat ($45) and
teapot ($65) are my favorites, although the rest of the line is sublime. Hope they're around for a long time!
Last year, I bought the
salt and pepper shakers she designed for Nambe for a friend's wedding ... and it was so hard having to part with them when the actual gift giving time arrived. I just love the graceful lines and go-with-anything style.
And most exciting,
Klein Reid teamed with Eva in 1999 to design a line exclusive to their company. The collection includes porcelain and hand-blown crystal pieces. I would be one happy girl with blue crystal centerpiece vase collection.
Granted, I wouldn't be able to pay my mortgage that month (it's about $1,200 for the entire set), but in some weird galaxy, it sounds like a sacrifice worth making.
xxx
