One Thread Fair Trade
May 15th, 2009 § Leave a Comment
I was recently introduced to this amazing company that not only creates beautiful pillows, they are also eco-friendly and socially conscious. One Thread Fair Trade is a LA based company that works to train villages of women in South India in textile arts and they in turn create the cushions, which are designed by company founder Mayura Kona. Through their work, the women — who were mostly victim to poverty and domestic violence– are now able to provide for their families, educate their children, and really transform the role of the women in rural society. Each cushion actually comes with a hand-signed tag with the name of the woman that tailored the product and what she believes in (pictured below).
I’m loving this company not only because of their beautiful designs, but because of their mission. I was completely enthralled with the women’s stories in the Artisans section of the website (if you have a moment try to read some of them). It is remarkable that they have overcome so many obstacles and their stories are an important reminder of the poverty and abuse that exists all over the world.
Additionally, I spoke with Mayura regarding the collection and her inspiration. The inspiration behind the launch line was leaves (designs pictured above) and she plans to create collections for both Fall/Winter and Spring/Summer so stay tuned for new designs! Until then, I think the above designs are stunning. I love the bold use of color and strong lines. They feel very contemporary and would make a great accent in a living or sitting room. My favorite is “Pods”, which is the first pillow of each row.
Anyway, I’m excited to keep an eye on One Thread Fair Trade. I have a feeling we’ll be seeing great things from this company in the upcoming seasons.
- Adrienne
A-Listers Need to Know:
Price: $120- $140 (depending on fill choice)
Purchase: www.onethreadfairtrade.com
Another Option for Summer Lounging
May 13th, 2009 § Leave a Comment
As some of you may know from my “Summer has Arrived” post, I’ve been on the hunt for reasonably priced outdoor furniture options. Despite my preference of the modern wicker look, when it came to our lounge chairs price won out over trend. In order to keep cost down I decided to go cheap on the chair and spend a bit more on the cushions. Usually, I’m a proponent of splurging on the furniture and saving on accessories, but with outdoor loungers I think a comfortable cushion is most important. It’s like a couch, you want the frame to hold up, but need the cushions to be comfortable and ascetically pleasing.
So, after much searching, I ended up purchasing two APPLARO lounge chairs from Ikea for $129 each, which is much cheaper than say the West Elm equivalent priced at $349. The quality of the chairs is surprisingly good and they were super easy to assemble (you just have to put the legs on). The only thing some of you might not like is the back bar that allows you to adjust the angle of the chair is metal not wood. Personally this doesn’t bother me, I just wanted to provide full disclosure here!
I paired the chairs with cushions from West Elm that are $99 each (the Ikea ones are miserably thin and uncomfortable.) I then accessorized the cushions with the terry cloth cushion covers also from West Elm $49. This step wasn’t completely necessary, but I’m a sucker for terry cloth covers, they just scream boutique spa to me and I couldn’t resist. I also added one of their outdoor pillows for some color, but the chairs are super comfortable without the pillow.
The total cost of each chair including the cushion and cover was $277!! They look just as good as the more expensive options that come in around $500 on the low end! As soon as the whole deck revamp is finished I’ll provide pics. Until then, I think this combination of items makes for a great lounge option!
- Adrienne
A-Listers Need to Know:
Price:
APPLARO lounge chair, Ikea $129
White lounge cushion, West Elm $99
Terry cloth seat cover, West Elm $49
Purchase:
Fit For a Queen
May 12th, 2009 § Leave a Comment
I’m always looking for fun accent dishes to jazz up my basic Juliska plates (I have the berry and thread pattern in white and love them!) and came across these beautiful Palace Glass cups from Jayson Home & Garden. Granted, they might be a little too feminine for some of you, but I think the colors are stunning and I can picture them accenting the table decor of any summer party. I love all the colors but I think an alternating combination of the aqua and yellow on the table along with some bright floral arrangements would make for a very cheerful tablescape!
- Adrienne
A-Listers Need to Know:
Price: $22 each (make sure that if you’re ordering online to specify the colors you want in the customer notes section when you check out)
Purchase: www.jaysonhomeandgarden.com
