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Marketplace

Tea Towels That Are Worthy of a Frame

We love a good collaboration, and our newest favorite is a line of dish towels (yes, dish towels!) between San Francisco Bay Area-based artist/illustrator Lisa Congdon and ultracool Downtown LA-based shop/gallery Poketo.

We love a good collaboration, and our newest favorite is a line of dish towels (yes, dish towels!) between San Francisco Bay Area-based artist/illustrator Lisa Congdon and ultracool Downtown LA-based shop/gallery Poketo.

The 100 percent linen towels ($20 each) are covered with handprinted pyramid geometrics and herringbones in a range of colors that feel a lot like Summer. And while we would be perfectly happy with these towels just cheering up our kitchen, they would also be fantastic as place mats, eco-friendly gift wrapping, or as hostess gifts. What I'm saying is, get ready to buy them in multiples.

link love

When Your House Is Also a Museum

The house where art goes to live — Architectural Digest Hammocks so comfortable that you will get rid of your bed — HuffPost Home Coffee-table books that mom will love — Houzz Seven inspiring furniture makeovers — Country Living Three tricks for designing any space — Real Simple How to get the Marfa look in your home (without a trip to Texas) — Refinery29

Editor's Pick

Trend Alert: Brass Accents

More versatile than silver and less flashy than gold, brass is enjoying its moment in the metallic spotlight, and we are thrilled.

More versatile than silver and less flashy than gold, brass is enjoying its moment in the metallic spotlight, and we are thrilled. Think of it as your new best accessory: it goes with anything, feels rich (more old-money than new) and wears oh-so well. Get ready, get set — brass attack!

Video

Three Perfect Wedding Favor Ideas

Even though nobody goes to a wedding for the favors, you still want to treat your guests to a thoughtful souvenir of your special day.

Even though nobody goes to a wedding for the favors, you still want to treat your guests to a thoughtful souvenir of your special day. Here are three ideas that will have you looking like a champ and your guests feeling oh so appreciated.

Travel Candles and Matches
Travel candles paired with a box of decorative matches are a lightweight and long lasting favor. With so many good-looking matchboxes on the market, you will be spoiled for choices but if personalization is the name of your game, there are plenty of
customizable options
. Your guests will think of you fondly every time the sweet smell of the candle banishes the stale smell from their hotel room.

Local and Delicious
Give your guests a taste of your wedding location by gifting them something site specific. Not only is it a delicious treat (we hope), it's also a great way to give guests a feel for the area, especially if they are visiting someplace new. The favor can be as diverse as olive oil, chocolates, individually wrapped fresh baked cookies or locally pressed apple juice — as long as it is something that you love, it's fair game.

Personal Project
If you are throwing a small party, favors can be a little more labor intensive. A multilayered gift like a planter pot, seed packet, and plant ID stick has a lot of moving parts but guests will remember the personal touch. If you want to really go the extra mile, include a meaningful recipe that corresponds with the seed packet or a dish that is being served at the reception and you've got a gift that will keep on giving.

Marketplace

The 12 Best Mother's Day Cards

Mother's Day is almost here, and in case you don't live near enough to throw her a Mother's Day brunch (ahem), you should absolutely be sending her a card.

Mother's Day is almost here, and in case you don't live near enough to throw her a Mother's Day brunch (ahem), you should absolutely be sending her a card. Don't know where to start? No worries. We've found 12 cards that will let your mom know just how much you love and appreciate her, no matter the distance.

celebrity homes

Reese Witherspoon Lowers the Price on Her Ojai Ranch

Located just south of Santa Barbara, the idyllic town of Ojai, California is known for it's beautiful architecture, nurturing lifestyle and it's famous denizens like Reese Witherspoon.

Located just south of Santa Barbara, the idyllic town of Ojai, California is known for it's beautiful architecture, nurturing lifestyle and it's famous denizens like Reese Witherspoon. Purchased by Reese in 2007, historic seven acre estate with a pool, guest cottages and horse paddocks, is back on the market for the recently reduced (bargain?) price of $7.25 million. Read on to see photos of the picturesque property.

Marketplace

Shop We Love: Portland's Alder & Co.

Portland, OR, certainly isn't suffering from a shortage of cool boutiques, but Alder & Co.

Portland, OR, certainly isn't suffering from a shortage of cool boutiques, but Alder & Co. stands out from the crowd. Well known for its curated selection of small-batch and handmade artisan items, the business culls from all over the world but gives items made in Oregon special treatment. Tomorrow is the shop's grand reopening in its new West End shop (half a block from the old location), which will include an area for local floral designer and stylist Hilary Horvath. Don't worry if a visit to Portland isn't in your immediate future, though — both its website and its blog are beautifully photographed and updated regularly. Read on for some of our Spring picks from Alder & Co.!

Source: Leela Cyd
Eco

Kermit Was Wrong — It's Pretty Easy Being Green

Living sustainability is straightforward and simple, according to Laurie Furber from Elise Green.

Living sustainability is straightforward and simple, according to Laurie Furber from Elise Green. "It's about trying to create as little impact as you can with every decision you make," says Laurie. "Little things can make a big difference."

She should know: in 2011 she and her husband founded Elsie Green (formally Greenhouse Design Studio) to answer the question, "How do I know what I'm really putting in my home?" Everything in their collection is sustainable in some way: vintage, artisan made or made from sustainable materials. Here, Laurie shares four easy steps that will have you moving in the right, earthy friendly, direction, just in time for Earth Day.

Lay down a good layer of basics in your home. Here are five things that no home should be without.

  • Organic cotton sheets and towels (shown below) because organic cotton is made with no chemicals or pesticides and is very nice for those things you put next to your skin.
  • Good cotton napkins so you’re not tempted to use paper.
  • A stack of very durable glasses that you can use every day, and for entertaining. Bye-bye red Solo cup!
  • Soy and beeswax candles with cotton wicks. They’re all natural and don’t put petroleum by-products into the air you breathe.
  • Natural soap in all your dispensers. Obviously.

Give something old a new life in a new home.

We believe that not making something new is the greenest thing of all, and that provenance is a lovely thing. Next time you’re thinking about buying something new for your home, find a flea market close to you, or visit elsiegreen.com to find something pretty with a past.

Shop small.

When you’re ready to add something sustainable to your home, try visiting a local boutique rather than a big chain. Patronizing your local bookshop, potter’s studio, stationery store, or boutique is a great way to limit your impact, and find something unique and special. By shopping small, you’re supporting your local community and the people in it, and you’re supporting a smaller distribution network. Visit the 3/50 project to find small, local businesses in your area.

Complete the circle.

When you’re ready to retire an item in your home to replace it with something greener, be sure to dispose of it properly. Visit iRecycle or donate to a local charity so your sofa/chair/china can continue its useful life in a new home.

That wasn't so hard now, was it?

community

Show Us Your (Instagram) Stuff!

Have you been throwing around pillows lately?

Have you been throwing around pillows lately? Styling out bookcases? Generally decorating like it's your job? Well, sharing is caring, so come on and show us what you're working with!

Show us all the home-design mischief you've been up to via Instagram by tagging your images #CasaSnap. If we see a photo we like, then we'll feature it on POPSUGAR Home! Pretty sweet, right? What are you waiting for? Start #casasnap-ping right now!

Living Rooms

Steal the Style: Florence Welch's New Home

Florence Welch's onstage style is well documented, but until recently, she hadn't had the opportunity to apply it to a domestic setting.

Florence Welch's onstage style is well documented, but until recently, she hadn't had the opportunity to apply it to a domestic setting. "I went from singing at the Met ball to coming home and sleeping on a mattress in my mom's living room," she explained in this month's issue of Vogue. Lucky for us, the 26-year-old songstress finally has her own digs. A wonderful reflection of her high priestess vagabond style, Florence's South London apartment is full of pattern, color, tapestries, and plenty of art. Check out this sneak peek and our tips on how to get the look after the break.

Florence relaxes at home amid a pile of mismatched pillows. The Turkish rug and colorful ikat curtain are fantastic foils for the prim, striped, and very English sofa.

It's a pattern explosion! Stripes, leopard, paisley, and ikat all work in harmony in the avian-themed sitting room — a wonderful reminder that more really can be more.

Steal the Style

  • Tamara de Lempicka self-portrait ($25): Tamara de Lempicka's elegant self-portrait graces Florence Welch's sitting-room wall.
  • Vintage avian print ($12): A bird-of-paradise print encapsulates avian flair.
  • Astrid chair ($1,598): This bright yellow linen-covered chair looks as though it belongs in an English cottage.
  • Cecil Beaton book ($250): A book documenting famed photographer Cecil Beaton's scrapbooks and sources of inspiration is a good addition to any bookcase, even if it's just for looks.
  • Purple lampshade ($10): At this price, it's a shame not to make bold lampshade color choices.
  • Rug (inquire for price): An antique Persian rug is right at home in every room in the house.
  • Ikat pillow ($125): Made from silk and cotton, this bolster is great when paired with everything from leopard to florals..
  • Enticing as Spring paint (prices vary): This pretty blue from Mythic paint is feminine without being too sweet and is the perfect foil for artwork.

For more photos of Florence's home, check out the May issue of Vogue, on newsstands now!

earth day

Video: 3 Easy Eco Upgrades

In honor of Earth Month, I've got three easy eco upgrades that will have you going for the green.

In honor of Earth Month, I've got three easy eco upgrades that will have you going for the green.

Swap out paper towels for cloth napkins
Elevate mealtimes and outdoor entertaining with cloth napkins, and save the paper towels for when you really need them. These hand-blocked Nova napkins from Serena & Lily ($38) have a beautiful, on-trend pattern that looks chic but also hides stains. Plus, they get better the more you wash them.

Know your notebooks
Not all notebooks are created equal! May Designs makes its notebooks with eco-friendly thread binding and waterproof canvas covers, meaning that the entire thing can go in the recycling bin. Considering how cute and customizable they are, though, you will have a hard time throwing yours away.

Ditch single-use dry cleaning plastic
With over 300 million pounds of the stuff ending up in landfills yearly, it's time to kick the habit. Green Garmento offers up one elegant solution. Designed as a four-in-one item, The Garmento goes from hamper to duffel to dry cleaning/garment bag. Drop your dry cleaning off in the duffel, and pick it up in the dry cleaning bag. Alternatively, let your dry cleaner know that you don't need plastic, and simply pick up your laundry in a reusable bag. The Green Garmento was featured in our POPSUGAR Must Have box for April — find out more!

Marketplace

The Bedding Collaboration of Our Dreams

We are always looking for ways to indulge our obsession with pattern play, and the new bedding line from clothing designer Erica Tanov and artist Emily Payne makes mixing easy.
Cool Printed Sheets | Erica Tanov and Emily Payne 2013

We are always looking for ways to indulge our obsession with pattern play, and the new bedding line from clothing designer Erica Tanov and artist Emily Payne makes mixing easy. Longtime mutual admirers, Erica and Emily paired up to create a line of prints based on Emily's wire sculptures, book cover collages, and lino-cut prints. The resulting four gorgeous patterns are hand-blocked and screen-printed onto quilts, duvet covers, pillows, and shams by artisans in India. Although the patterns are interesting enough to stand on their own, they take on a special beauty when layered with one another. Next month, the bedding line will be joined by tablecloths, napkins, and shower curtains! We can't wait. Click through to see the entire bedding collection.

Photo courtesy of Erica Shires
house tour

High Society: A House as Storied as Gatsby's

One of Chicago's most important homes is on the market.

One of Chicago's most important homes is on the market. Mayflower Place, as it's known, is a 24,500-square-foot house situated on the shores of Lake Michigan. A true mansion, the house has been the site of society balls, European royal visits, and a lot of heartbreak.

Read on to see the house and learn more about its wild past.

DIY

Cool Idea: Removable Wallpaper Tiles

Renters, rejoice! Hygge & West just launched its line of removable wallpaper tiles, and boy, are they are beautiful.

Renters, rejoice! Hygge & West just launched its line of removable wallpaper tiles, and boy, are they are beautiful. Printed on a matte fabric, the tiles have an adhesive back that is strong but low tack, meaning that it doesn't leave any residue when removed or replaced. Plus, the tiles can be trimmed to size and are reusable. Are we blowing your minds yet? Thought so! Although they would be great used just about anywhere, we were particularly impressed with Hygge & West's wallpapered fridge project and can't wait to try it ourselves. After that, who knows? Our bedroom, hallways, and door backs could all benefit from a little pattern and color! The best part? Our landlord never has to be the wiser.

community

Show Us Your (Instagram) Stuff!

Have you been throwing around pillows lately?

Have you been throwing around pillows lately? Styling out bookcases? Making like a bird and nesting? Generally decorating like it's your job? Well, sharing is caring, so come on and show us what you're working with!

Show us all the home-design mischief you've been up to via Instagram by tagging your images #casasnap. If we see a photo we like, we'll feature it on POPSUGAR Home! Pretty sweet, right? What are you waiting for? Start #casasnap-ping right now!

Coachella

Pitch the Coolest Tent at Coachella

We are approaching the second weekend of Coachella and that means just one thing (OK, maybe two): camping!

We are approaching the second weekend of Coachella and that means just one thing (OK, maybe two): camping! And while some people are worried about their sartorial music festival choices, we are more concerned with our digs. Enter Field Candy and its line of tents ($685-$762).

All six of the designs are creative, original, and wholly unexpected. Want to blend in with a field full of sheep? Sleep inside a giant book? There's a tent for that! We love them all, but our favorite is probably the watermelon tent. There is something so appealing about the idea of retiring to a fresh slice of fruit after a long day in the desert — don't you agree? No matter which one you choose, though, you are guaranteed to stand out in the crowd. Because we all know that's really the most important part of Coachella.

Marketplace

Far From Basic: The New Black and White

The combination of black and white is a classic for a reason — its versatility just can't be beat.

The combination of black and white is a classic for a reason — its versatility just can't be beat. While I normally love its crisp, clean decisiveness, these days I am leaning towards a different riff on the pairing. When applied to organic shapes, either naturally or by design, the color duo takes on an earthy substance that is just the right amount of rough around the edges. There is an element of wabi-sabi in these pieces that has them feeling fresh but understated at the same time. Here's what I'm coveting right now.

  • Handwoven Rug (from $148): Round, rectangular or square, no matter which shape you choose, this rug is a winner.
  • Agate Coaster ($18): beautiful and alluring, these coasters don't need to be protecting your coffee table to serve a purpose: they look wonderful on their own.
  • Reef Pendant ($250): made from metal chain link, these pendants look like fishermen's nets.
  • Salvaged Table ($399): this salvage table is one of a kind but would be easy enough to replicate.
  • Black and White Bowl ($258): low and elegant, this bowl would look wonderful full of fruit or in an entry as a catchall.
  • Hugo Guinness Wire Basket Drawing ($2.800): simple and sweet, this drawing embodies the wabi-sabi aesthetic.
How To

Video: Herbs For Everyone! Three Easy Ways to Grow Your Own

Contrary to popular belief, growing your own herbs is easy.

Contrary to popular belief, growing your own herbs is easy. No, really! Here are three low-maintenance, practically foolproof picks that will have you channeling your inner Martha Stewart in no time.

  • Eggling Grow Kits ($10): These little ceramic eggs come preseeded with either basil, mint, or thyme. Gently crack open the top with the back of a spoon, water, and wait. Each Eggling comes with an extra seed pack, just in case the first round doesn't take, all but guaranteeing success.
  • GrowBottle Hydrogarden ($35): Housed in recycled wine bottles, these organic/heirloom herb gardens come with everything you need to grow herbs hydroponically. Follow the directions and your oregano, chives, basil, parsley, or mint will sprout within two weeks. With proper care, these good-looking gardens will produce all year long.
  • Misco Self Watering Pot (from $6): Available in a variety of colors and sizes, these lightweight pots are self-watering and therefore perfect for the forgetful or frequent-flier gardener. A lipped reservoir makes it easy to keep an eye on the water level and a ventilated base helps with drainage. Once you plant the herbs, these puppies will be on the plant equivalent of autopilot.