Textile Arts and Marimekko Spring Textiles '07

New Marimekko textiles for Spring are starting to trickle in over at Textile Arts. Which reminds me, I really need to get over to Cambridge sometime to see our new Marimekko store. I have to add this to my February list of shops to hit.


If you'd like to see all of their latest for Spring, click here.

(images from textile arts)

Stella Im Hultberg

Christine wrote about Stella's work here on decor8 in early August, 2006. Somehow, the post cannot be found (although blogger shows it was published). Anyway, I wanted to post this again since Stella recently added new color prints and I think they're just gorgeous. At $20, you can collect several. They can be found right here. Here's the original post from August '06 written by Miss Christine below (who now writes for the Boston Weekly Dig). Enjoy!


Meet Stella
By: Christine Liu, decor8 contributor

The ink sketches and watercolour paintings by Stella Im Hultberg perfectly exude the sad, sophisticated energy of the postmodern ingenue. Women pout with seductively disillusioned lips; limb-entwined couples wait in silence for a sadder truth. Every character is shadowed, stained, and soiled with glamour.

Working as an artist in New York City, Stella features her work in galleries and sells her prints online at her momomoogie shop. Trained in industrial design and toy design, she currently applies her creative energy to her print works. Treat yourself to the delicious darkness of her online sketchbooks and portfolio.

Stella broadcasts art updates at her art livejournal, and her daily report covers all sorts of life's delight from green tea soba salad to a mottled seashell collection.

In addition to the prints for sale on momomoogie, she boasts a design collection of wallets and shirts at art-collective-vinyl-wallet company Poketo.

In Stella's world, the city self-reflects with beauty and sorrow alike. Your thoughts on Stella?




(images from Stella Im Hultberg)

Alicia Bock Photography

Alicia Bock photography captivates me. I love her style, composition, and color palette. Most of all, I love her eye, the ability she has to see something beautiful in things you may otherwise overlook as you're out strolling around.
Her latest nature-inspired series, "Through the Viewfinder", (above) is now available in her Etsy store. Soft, organic, each gives you that feeling of nostalgia, perhaps it's how she captures the light. They have this vintage quality to them that I find so appealing.

All of her photos are magical; transporting you back to simpler times. Your 1st family trip to the amusement park, peering up at the massive ferris wheel, a mixture of excitement and fear because today was the day you'd ride it with your father (I speak from experience!). A wide open field where you ran until you collapsed with your first love, both of you promising 'forever + ever' as you tumbled and giggled beneath the summer sky.

You can visit Alicia's blog or view her online portfolio on her website. I hope you enjoy her work as much I do. With notecards and photography priced between $3.50-24.00, and a few that are slightly higher, there is something for every budget.

Psst: She ships to international buyers, too!

Her work fits in so nicely with the naturalist look, doesn't it?

(images from alicia bock)

Top Design - Are You In?

The votes are in, you want to dish about Top Design after the show, so look for a weekly post here on decor8 starting tonight where you can rant and rave, praise and protect, and have some fun mingling with others to talk about each episode. Tonight is the much anticipated premiere! Yeah! Here's a sneak peek of episode 1.


I'll post "Dishing Top Design" after the show each week. The post will only contain a line or two of text and a Top Design image. I promise not to give anything away in the actual post, just in case some of you are planning to Tivo it. The details will be in the comments section - so if you don't want to know what happened, don't read the comments. We don't want to spoil it for anyone.

Psst: Tim Gunn is part of the mix, at least for tonight. I know, I know... How amazing is that? You have to click on over to the Bravo website and watch Tim chatting it up with Jonathan Adler, you'll love it! I was so excited to see Tim surface again, I couldn't wait until the next Project Runway to hear his voice, love that guy!

(image from bravo)

Luxury Lab Linens *New*

I was thrilled when Caressa Allen, designer and owner of Luxury Lab in California, wrote in about her new line of bedding. She describes her linens as "clothing for your home" and "art for your bed". I'd describe this bedding as one part sugar, one part spice.

With bold rocker style graphics, this bedding screams California cool - I imagine Luxury Labs being a huge hit with celebs and hip urban dwellers that are done with sweet bird and branch motifs and want to strike a more femme fatale chord.

I love this somewhat seductive bad girl/boy bedding for many reasons, but one that stands out is that most of these patterns would appeal to men, so if you're a couple, you won't strip your other half of his manhood with another sweet floral pattern. Duvet sets (complete with two shams) run at around $285.- complete.

Luxury Lab is fun, flirty, sexy (but subtle), and much thought was put into the design process, materials, and staying as environmentally friendly as possible. I mean, even a girl with crossbones on her shams has a conscience.

Thanks Caressa for introducing us to your rockin' line!

Psst: I did my homework and discovered that Ana of OhMyGooshness recently interviewed Caressa. Get the full scoop here. Great job, Ana!

(images from luxury lab)