I am not (by annnnnyyyyy stretch of the imagination) your stereotypical interior decorator (you are not going to catch me sashaying into your house wearing a pillbox hat anytime soon). Some of my picks below might seem to stray outside of the realm of interior design. That is until you remember that good design is more than just pretty but it's also about function and making your life easier. And I admit, some of this stuff is just way too cool and makes my inner nerd go wheeeeeeeeee.
Any of these items can be purchased by clicking on their links or images here in this blog post. By doing so, this may enable me to afford that house in the Riviera. Or that fidget spinner I have had my eye on. So thanks.
Amazon Echo
"Darla! How is this decor? It's not even pretty! That's it! I am walking out of here!"
< Stomp stomp stomp stomp SLAM! >
Get back in here Drama Queen.
I have - in my very own personal Wingnut Manse - no less than FOUR of these bad boys...er girls...and I cannot tell you how well they incorporate within my design schemes and make my life sooooooooo much easier - most notably in the area of home automation. The Echo's AI (Artificial Intelligence) is a swell gal named Alexa. Not only has she seen me naked and stuck around, but Alexa controls almost all of the lighting in my home (with the addition of WEMO switches) as well as my home theater and my HVAC system whether I am home or not.
Alexa is the one who gets out of bed when I don't want to and turns off the pendant lights, the koi pond lights, lowers the thermostat, and turns off the stereo, etc. She can also play music, podcasts and a whole bunch of other neato stuff. The Echo is an excellent alternative to more expensive home automation solutions but it's probably also the first step to us all being those people in the little scooters in Wall-E.
Jonathan Adler Gin Rocket Decanter
What? You had me at "Gin Rocket!" This 12-inch missile of libation loving, rocket booster boozing, porcelain powerhouse of awesome would be most welcome under my tree. Also available in Whiskey and Vodka versions.
DOMICILIUM DECORATUS
Two words. Kelly Freaking Wearstler. OK. Three words. No interior design junkie should be without this superb coffee table book in their collection. It's definitely one of her more gorgeous efforts documenting her amazing Hillcrest Estate home. For $30 buy two. Send me one to replace my drooled over copy.
Delectable Garden Living Wall
Indoor greenery is all the rage and it doesn't hurt if you can display it in a kick-ass and dramatic fashion. It's waterproof and won't leak water on your floor or walls. You can impress your friends with your earth-huggery, feel-goodery and increase your home's air quality to boot. win-win.
Wemo Light Switch
OK. Back to the "not so pretty but it does cool stuff" nerdy gadgets. I have eleven of these switches! They work via your home's wifi network and WEMO has a handy dandy little app that you can download to your iPhone or Android device and control your lighting like a wizard from the future. You can sync them with your Amazon Echo and simply turn your lights off and on via voice command. I love them! I simply cannot remember life before them nor do I want to. You need them.
Faux Rawhide Area Rug
Listen, I will be the first to admit that I love a huge, juicy hamburger...but I don't want to walk on it. I just don't have the heart. Cowhides (the real deal) were all over the High Point Furniture Spring Market (HIGH POINT MARKET SPRING 2017 TRENDS) and they are still pretty hot to (faux) trot but here you can have your hide stylishly guilt free. Now if only I could develop a taste for veggie burgers...
Domino: The Book of Decorating
This is another excellent decorating book that must be in every design lover's library. It's not a fancy display, coffee table book but it's loaded with beautiful imagery, tips, and ideas. I have bought several copies myself and given them as gifts. Hmmm, gimme a sec while I click the link...
handmade Kilim Pillow Cover
These gorgeous creatures can be found at Amazon's answer to Etsy at Amazon's Handmade. The link above is just one of the finer examples I spotted and one of my favorites. Simply gorgeous, totally on trend and 100% handmade.
And last but certainly not least....
a consultation with your favorite decorator (ahem)
You can purchase a GIFT CONSULTATION directly from this website just by clicking on the link above. Select a time into the distant or not so distant future and your recipient can always change it to whenever it suits them. They will love you for it (not that they don't now but...) Look at my client Yaeger in the above pic. I remodeled his kitchen and now he entertains all the neighborhood dogs in style. It's the perfect gift for the person (or dog) who has everything.
Have your eye on some of these or some other cool Christmas gifts but don't know how to incorporate them into your home? Give us a call. We got you.
What do you think? We would love to hear from you! Leave us a comment below!!
