Decor Arts Now

This past week, I have been home sick with first a bad cold and then a sinus infection (just started antibiotics).  What irks me most about this is that I lost my leverage over Larry.

It was his trip to London that forced me to cancel my plans to attend the Design Bloggers Conference in LA.  He does bring home the bacon, but I was hoping to milk his guilt for making me miss this all-important event.  Now he has dismissed it all with a cavalier (but true) statement that I would have been too sick to go anyway.

Geez.  No networking in LA plus I don’t have one up on him when the next trip rolls along.

While I was in this disgruntled frame of mind,  a breath of fresh air wafted in with my snail mail in the form of a catalog from  Perennials, the high performance, outdoor fabric company. They have just launched a new collection of stripes, reverse woven toiles and a chenille texture.

The collection, named Camp Wannagetaway (Get it? I. Wanna. Get. Away.) has a charming nostalgic feel.  There are 12 lively colorways sporting cute names like Sprout, Summer Meadow and Rosemary. 

I was instantly transported to summer. How could I not be with these exuberant fabrics and endearing campaign?  I am smitten.

 It’s hard to believe  that it is time to address the needs of your  (or your client’s) vacation home. But it is! Yippee!!  (Come on, go ahead, call them up and remind them about lead times and such.)

By now, I am sure you all have considered  using “outdoor” fabrics for indoor use.  These new fabrics seem perfect for that.   And of course they are fantastic for any new outdoor cushions that  might be needed.   If you want things all spruced up for the summer season, get your fabric orders in!

All images from Perennials.

Balmain, RTW, S/S, 2013 // Love seeing the caning pattern in fashion!

“If you are going to walk the walk, you need to talk the talk,”

CANING:  With respect to furniture, a method of weaving using long, narrow strips of  the peeled bark or skin of the rattan vine.  Typically used to construct seats and backs of seating furniture.  Caning originated in India.  It became widespread in the 19th century with the wholesale importation of  rattan from Malaysia.  

Do not confuse caning with wicker.

Wicker baskets

 Caning in furniture applies only to the specific craft of weaving in rattan bark with the distinct open pattern. Wicker is a method of weaving with any number of materials  such as willow or rattan reeds as well as man made paper based cords, often in a flat manner.

Process of caning

 

Detail of caning on chair back

Anglo-Indian Teak Plantation Chair, late 19th century, early 20th century, India

Thonet Ebonised Chaise Model #2, 1888

Marcel Breuer 1928 Cesca Chair

Pair of Caned Chairs Attributed to Maison Jansen, c.1960s

Pablo Picasso, Still Life with Chair Caning

Caning on the chair back, wicker on the floor

Chic cane chair leads an artful pack of seats

First image, Balmain, RTW, S/S, 2013 from my tumblr.   Second image, my tumblr. Furniture shots from 1st dibs. Picasso. Room shot. Last 2 images here and  here.