WHAT’S UP, WHAT’S NEW AND WHAT TO DO.
FLOWER POWER
She’s an actress, a mom, a business mogul—and now she’s a home décor designer, too. Drew Barrymore launched Drew Barrymore Flower Home, a new line of furniture, home décor and accessories sold exclusively at Walmart. As the name suggests, the collection is stocked with floral, feminine-filled designs, and though the items all coordinate, they aren’t too matchy-matchy, lending themselves to an eclectic aesthetic. “I wanted a collection filled with things that felt like they came from different places around the world,” Barrymore says of Flower Home. “Your home should be joyful and make you feel inspired.” What’s even more joyful is the pricing, as items start at just $18.
LITTLE MONSTERS
Straight off the heels of their big debut at Art Basel in Miami, The Haas Brothers have unveiled their new collection for luxury housewares brand L’Objet. Inspired by the unique desert landscape of Joshua Tree National Park, these whimsical pieces feature the brothers’ signature monster-like creatures in various forms—like on salt and pepper shakers, dinner plates, serving bowls and napkin rings. Prices range from $28 for a single saucer up to $3,500 for the limited-edition ceramic vessels. Shop the collection at Bergdorf Goodman in Manhattan or at l-objet.com.
THE BIG 1-0-0
KitchenAid is celebrating its centennial birthday—yes, stand mixers have been around for that long—in the best way possible, by releasing a line of red hot, limited-edition products. The collection is called Queen of Hearts and every item in it is a fiery “Passion Red,” which KitchenAid Senior Design Manager John McConnell says is an updated and refreshing color to “reflect the times, mood and kitchen trends” of today. He continues, “The Color Finish Material team has been forecasting globally the need for a brighter, more confident red. Passion Red has a delicious vibrancy to it that complements our palette.” Small appliances like a toaster, kettle, food chopper, immersion blender and hand mixer are available now online and at select stores in Passion Red, with larger appliances like ovens available later this summer.
And while you’re at it, add some personality to your stand mixer with one of the bakeware brand’s new 5-quart microwaveable and dishwasher-safe ceramic mixing bowls. With girly motifs and cute-as-a-button titles like Confetti Sprinkle, Parasol, Scandi Floral, Whispering Floral and White Mermaid Lace, they’re the perfect way to usher in spring and summer—and add a feminine touch to your kitchen.
GET OUT AND ABOUT
With winter behind us, it’s time to get out and find design inspiration at some of the dozens of events for the interior design-minded happening this summer, from craft fairs to home tours. Here are just a few worth checking out:
Kick off summer at Stone Harbor’s annual Tour of Homes and Gardens in Cape May County. Hosted by the town’s Garden Club on June 1 from 12:30—4 p.m., the walk features a tour of six stunning Stone Arbor homes, as well as the Garden of Kindness, which is maintained by both professional gardeners and students at a local elementary school. For more information call Mantura Gallagher at 609.961.3069 or go to stoneharborNJ.org.
Grab the kids and those gardening tools on June 23 for a family-friendly day at the annual Garden Show and Garden Festival at the Whitall House and Red Bank Battlefield in Gloucester County’s National Park. Tour the Whitall gardens, learn how to keep your own garden blossoming and enjoy food vendors and kids’ activities from 12- 4 p.m. Facebook.com/whitallhouse has more details.
Scour through a wide variety of furniture, kitchenware, collectibles and more at The Seawife Antique Store’s Antique & Collectibles Show in Barnegat Light on August 4 from 9 a.m. – 5 p.m., rain or shine. You’ll find unique pieces no matter your style, from shabby chic to nautical to more traditional. Learn more at theseawife.com.
And finally, on August 25 find unique tchotchkes and accessories for your home at the Antiques in the Park event at Veterans Park in Westwood, where artists will be selling paintings, sculptures and more crafts from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Check out westwoodnj.gov for the scoop.
IN FULL BLOOM
In the words of The Devil Wears Prada’s Miranda Priestley, florals for spring and summer are hardly “groundbreaking.” But there’s a reason flowers have been a long-standing trend in home décor (and fashion) for pretty much ever. These light and airy pieces will brighten up your space:
HOME (DÉCOR) FOR RENT
The future of home décor is now, ladies and gentlemen. Thanks to a new partnership between West Elm and New York City-based Rent The Runway, which rents out designer clothing and accessories, subscribers can now rent “soft” home décor items—quilts, blankets, shams and decorative pillows—too. “We are making it easier than ever for customers to discover great design for their spaces,” Alex Bellos, president of West Elm, says of the partnership. “Each of our 26 curated home bundles encourage subscribers to translate their playful and bold style to decorating, and allow them to experience West Elm’s original, modern products from the comforts of home.” The items will be available to RTR subscribers in 26 “bundles” ranging in retail value from $150 to $450, and each bundle is either for the bedroom or living room.
JUNE HOME SALES
Looking to start the summer in a new home? Consider NJ Realtors’ real estate stats from last June while you’re scoping out the market:
- 17,797 New listings in June 2018, up 2.4 percent from the previous year.
- $340K Median sales price of a single-family home in June 2018.
- $388K Average sales price of all homes in June 2018.
- 58 Average days properties had been on the market, down 10.8 percent from the previous year.
- 51,143 Homes for sale in June 2018, down 12 percent from the previous year.
MUST-READS:
If you’re trying to be more environmentally conscious in your home, Natural Living Style: Inspiration Ideas for a Beautiful and Sustainable Home (Ryland Peters & Small, $19) is the perfect read. Author Selina Lake offers up tips on how to reduce plastic waste in various rooms, identifies sustainable, organic fabrics and shares how to incorporate and decorate with materials found in nature like wood, bamboo, cork, recycled glass and more.
Outdoor living space need a facelift? Small Garden Design (Kyle Books, $18) by award-winning garden designer Kate Gould is stocked with tips on how to transform a blah space into a beautiful garden. It caters especially to those with smaller areas, and has tips for both beginner gardeners and full-on experts.
Through the use of vivid photographs of patterns and mid-century style-artifacts, authors and designers Mark Hampshire and Keith Stephenson show readers how mid-century style can tell a story in your home in Mid-Century Modern Living: The Mini Modern’s Guide to Pattern and Style (Kyle Books, $16). The authors also share the stories behind their own designs and their sources of inspiration.
CB2 GOES VINTAGE
CB2 is adored for its modern yet classic furniture for every room of the home, and now the brand is adding vintage to its repertoire. The brand has teamed up with designer and collector Charlie Ferrer for its first-ever vintage collection, which fea-tures authentic chairs, tables, lamps and more from the 1950s—1970s that Ferrer hand-selected from boutiques and galleries across Europe. Prices range from $999 to $11,999 and the furniture is available now at select CB2 stores.
RIGHT ON TARGET
We have sensory-friendly movies and sensory-friendly clothes, so why not sensory-friendly home décor? Target’s Pillowfort brand has launched its first-ever line of home décor specifically designed for kids with sensory issues, and everything is ridiculously genius, not to mention adorable. The line includes a rocking chair for those who have trouble staying still, a tent that kids can retreat to when he or she needs some alone time, and floor cushions made of different fabrics and textures. Best yet? Every item is under $100, so go stock up.
FROM ITALY, WITH LOVE
Italian appliances brand SMEG and Italian fashion house Dolce & Gabbana have teamed up for what might be the most “bellissimo” collaboration in recent home décor history. Following their partnership last year on a line of hand-painted refrigerators, the new Sicily Is My Love collection features small appliances like toasters, juicers, coffee machines, kettles, blenders and stand mixers, all adorned with fun floral motifs, bright fruits and other whimsy interpretations of Sicilian folklore. Get yours at Williams-Sonoma.
OUTDOOR LIVING
Barcelona designer Mario Luiz has designed two stylish collections of sculptural outdoor furniture for Restoration Hardware. Inspired by his extensive travels, the two collections, titled Sebastian and Mesa, embody the midcentury modern aesthetic and are built with water-resistant materials and fabrics. Pricing starts at $1,325 and items are available online and in select RH stores.
THE WORLD IS AT YOUR FINGERTIPS
Find some international summer travel inspiration with a new statement piece. This handcrafted globe is made in England and sits on three ball bearings for easy rotation. The box itself is made of hand-lacquered cherry wood with polished brass accents with “Be Optimistic” etched into the lid for when you need a little mood boost. Available at bestmadeco.com.
PUPPY PILE
If your walls need a freshening up for summer but you’re afraid to commit, peel-and-stick wallpaper is a great option. But that’s only half the reason why we’re obsessed with the new Chasing Paper x Jen Peters collection. The other half? The five whimsical prints are each full of personality and are an easy way to inject fun into any room. Choose from California Palms, The Palm Springs, Spotted or, our personal favorite, Puppy Pile, featuring illustrations of dogs. Each design is available in an array of color options so they fit in with any aesthetic. Now’s the time to get cracking on that weekend DIY project—your accent wall and reading nook are just begging for this.
WELCOME TO THE NEIGHBORHOOD
You may recognize Eric Hillegass and Patrick Bartscherer from their three-time stint on House Hunters; the first two go-rounds in 2013 followed the couple as they purchased and then renovated their new home in Philly, and their third, which aired on April 2 on HGTV, saw them buying a multi-use building in Collingswood—and then totally revamping it to suit their industrial aesthetic. And later this summer, these reality stars and newbie interior designers will open their own home décor store, Bespoke Home + Life, on Haddon Avenue, right beneath their new home. “My dream was always to live above our shop, and it was important to Patrick to stay in close proximity to a major city,” Hillegass says. “When we got to know Collingswood and everything it has to offer, it became clear very quickly that it was the perfect fit for us.” The focus of the store is on handmade home decor—”the idea is to feature goods made by people, not machines,” Bartscherer adds—and it’ll also sell house plants, including concrete planters Hillegass makes himself. “So far, the saying rings very true to me,” Hillegass says. “If you do what you love, you’ll never work a day in your life.”
A bit farther north, another New Jersey resident is making her home décor dreams come true by opening up a Nailed It D.I.Y Studio in Somerville, where customers can build crafts and make their own home décor. The brainchild behind the business is mom-of-two Angelina Rivera of Bridgewater, whose family visit to the Nailed It in North Carolina inspired her to open up a studio in Central Jersey. Nailed It Somerville is slated for a grand opening in June, and another is opening up in Marlton at a later date.
GO MOD
Modular outdoor seating gets a fun update with the new Ribes collection by B&B Italia. Designed by Italian architect Antonio Citterio, the collection starts with a lowlying futon base. From there, pieces can be interchanged, combined, removed and rearranged to create the ideal seating arrangement for your patio, deck or backyard. Even better, the pieces can be used indoors as well, and the striped, South American-inspired upholstery fabrics add a burst of personality. See the new products in person at B&B Italia’s two NYC retail locations at 58th Street and Madison Avenue.