Excuse the rant, but whose idea was it to put this ugly sign in my face every time I get behind the wheel? I mean, we get it, right?  Who doesn't use a car seat? Well, me - because I haven't had a 4 year old for about 30 years.  This is eye pollution! And I think that being exposed to this several times a day just desensitizes all of us, the opposite of what good design should do. Whew! Had to get that off my chest.

Thank you, West Elm, for this pithy infographic explaining what all of us makers keep trying to communicate.  Does anyone really believe that monstrous corporations are the key to the future? 

Read all about West Elm's initiative to support local makers and business here. 

One of my favorite ways to use a waxed canvas storage tote  - as a vase.  Spring!  
​#nature #flower #floral #table #homedecor #decorating #springdisplay

If I were trying to furnish my first apartment or home in 2016, I'd start at West Elm.  Why?  I have four distinct reasons:
​Scale  The furnishings are light and airy, ideal for smaller places.  As opposed to those hulking overstuffed pieces that swallow you whole and make every room seem small.
Design  I love that they've taken the mid-century style and tweaked it a bit so the pieces don't look vintage - they look modern.
Neutrals  Larger pieces from West Elm come in a variety of neutrals that are not khaki, or denim, or olive - more like dove gray.  They'll go through a couple of accessory updates without being bland.
Value  Prices are not cheap but not expensive.  Who buys heirloom furniture anymore?  Who even wants it?  I feel like you'll have their sofas until you move into your next habitat - and you know it's not going to fit there anyway = )

I spent the day at a local West Elm recently, hawking my own wares. Although I suspected it, I couldn't believe how well the two of us got along.  We are definitely on the same page, aesthetics-wise.  See below.
For those of you who don't have the Internet, West Elm stocks an enormous range of furniture, decor, housewares, bedding and bath linens and art. You could literally furnish a home in an afternoon.
And after spending ample time wandering the store, examining everything from cocktail glasses to sectional couches, I would venture to say you're not going to make a big mistake.  I don't know many other retailers I would feel that confident about.
​

The other thing I love about West Elm is their relationship with artists.  
Not only do they carry and feature local artists (!) in their stores, they have awarded grants to several popular artists and provided them with placement to help them grow their brands. And guess what?  I like all of their stuff, too. It's hard not to, as you can see from browsing through their website.
So thank you, West Elm, for being a good guy, and for helping us indies feather our nests!

#westelm #westelmhouston #home #artisan #shoplocal #indie #craft #design