Handmade for the Holidays

A huge trend that we've spotted in the design world is the use of handmade, vintage, and reclaimed home decor items. People seem to be opening their arms to the imperfect, the whimsical, the pieces that tell a story. Using vintage, handmade, and/or reclaimed items will make your home feel warm, inviting, and well-loved. Not to mention it's always great for your karma to support local and independent artists/ craftspeople-- and with the holiday season upon us, it's the perfect opportunity to do so with any last minute shopping you may have!

For this entry, we've trolled through Etsy.com to bring you some fabulous examples of handmade, vintage, and reclaimed goodies. Etsy is a great source for goods made by real people with real passion for their crafts; and there are so many different shops within the site, it's very easy not only to find exactly what you're looking for, but to shop for hours on end as well!

First up, we have Tilly'sLoft- Decorative Pillows, Pillow Covers, Window Draperies. The craftswoman behind this shop makes all her items by hand, and even does custom orders. And looking through her vast collection, you'll see that these pillows are bright, colorful, and many of the patterns are vintage-inspired. These pillows look just like those of the bold pillow trend that's going on these days in the design world, and are way less expensive than the designer brands!

This vintage-inspired design is just gorgeous. Subtle in color but bold in pattern. Lovely!

And how striking and eye-catching is this pillow? The crisp lines of the pattern create high contrast and is sure to command attention wherever you put it.

The next shop that caught our eye was LampShadeDesigns, who create custom hand-made lamp shades from a wide variety of fresh and stylish fabric patterns. The contrast between the colors of each pattern helps give the light a soft glow and define the mood of a room.

Bold, chic, and sure to make a statement!

Next, AntlerStuff creates beautiful lighting and hardware pieces from naturally shed deer antlers. To squote is shop bio: "Hand crafted Antler decor made from naturally shed antlers in the North America.
All my chandeliers, nobs, pulls, lamps, and Dog chew you will see in this shop are made from real naturally shed antlers. Every spring Mule Deer, Moose, Whitetail, and Elk shed their antlers and re-grow them in just few months. These antlers are collected by antler collectors across the rockie mountians of colorado. No animal are harmed to collect these antlers."

Stunning!

A set of these drawer pulls would look fabulous on a rustic wooden dresser =)

Finally, a lovely shop called SecretWindow uses reclaimed vintage frames to create beautiful and ornate mirrors and other framed home items. Made of antique metals and wood, some of the frames are repainted to give it a fresh look, and others are preserved in their current state and repurposed to breathe life back into an old treasure.

 

Gorgeous!

So if the current state of the economy has got you worried about your holiday budget, why not do your shopping on etsy.com? Many of the shops offer rush delivery so you can still get all your gifts in time; and not only will you find tons of fabulous and unique gifts, but you'll be supporting independent small businesses, artists, and craftspeople (so they can also have a good holiday!).

Designer's Boot Camp by Robin Pelissier, ASID--- An Exclusive Opportunity for Rising Design Stars, Seasoned Veterans, and DIY Warriors

Is your home in need of a refreshing style change, but you’re unsure where to begin? Do you want to make a new statement with your home décor? Or maybe you’re a new or established interior designer in need of some extra tools to help grow your business?

Spend the day with renowned interior designer Robin Pelissier, and immerse yourself in her comprehensive and inspiring seminar. This hands-on workshop will provide you with exclusive tips, trade-only resources, and everything you’ll need to overcome your interior design dilemmas.

Robin and her team will walk you through the step-by-step process of designing a space from start to finish, covering such topics as:
-Finding your inspiration
-Defining your style
-Furnishing and accessorizing a space
-Creating focal points and visual interest
-Budgeting your project
-Seasonal clean-ups and decorating
-Organization and storage
-Various DIY projects

…and much, much more!

Robin will also be providing essential information and resources for new and established designers to take their businesses to the next level.


LIMITED SEATING--- Register today and secure your spot!

To register, please call us at 781-740-4843, come in to Robin's Nest located at 28 North St. in Hingham, MA, or email robinsnest@robinpelissier.com to request a registration form, which may be returned in person at Robin's Nest, or sent in by US mail to 28 North St., Hingham, MA, 02043.

Register before January 10th and receive 10% off! Price: $550. Registered students will be provided with lunch, snacks, and all necessary materials for each lesson, as well as a comprehensive book including photos and bullet points covering all the important information from each topic. Registration closes January 18th. 

A portion of all registration fees will be donated to the Hingham Interfaith Food Pantry-- a wonderful cause for people and families in need!

About the Instructor: Since the conception of Robin’s Nest in 1994, Robin Pelissier has designed homes in Boston, the Cape and Islands, and throughout New England. She has been featured as a guest designer on Channel 7’s “Room for Improvement,” as well as on HGTV, and her work has been showcased in such magazines as Traditional Home, Boston Globe Magazine, Cape and Islands, New England Home, Design Times, This Old House, and Better Homes and Gardens. She is an allied member of the American Society for Interior Designers, and was a frequent contributor to the Junior League Showhouse.

 

Below is the Designer's Boot Camp Registration Form, which may be printed (simply right click on the form and select "view image"), filled out, and sent to Robin's Nest via US Mail (28 North St. Hingham, MA 02043), fax (781-741-5395), or dropped off in person!

Cool Cozy Fireplaces

Although the weather has been surprisingly warm and sunny for November out here in Hingham, MA, the cold snowy days are still creeping up on us. And because of this, we've decided to bring to you some photos of gorgeous fireplaces. The designs of fireplaces have gone in many different directions from what you may typically picture in your mind, so let's take a look at some of these new innovations:

(Photo by Anna Kern)

(Photo by Douglas Friedman)

(Photo by Joe Schmelzer)

(Photo by Melanie Acevedo)

(Photo by Mikael Dubois)

(Photo by Joe Schmelzer via the Brickhouse)

(Photo by William Waldron for Elle Decor)

(Photo by Johanna Kinnari)

(Photo by Kristian Septimius Krogh)

(Photo by Morten Holtum)

(From a photoshoot by Morten Holtum and Sameli Rantanen)

Style Watch: Caitlin Wilson Textiles

A great new designer that we've recently discovered is Caitlin Wilson of Caitlin Wilson Textiles. From her website: "My goal is for these textiles to bring your homes to life in an easy, affordable, and beautiful way." Inspired by many of her trips to various countries around the world, her fabric designs are versatile, worldly, and fun. We love the bold colors and patterns, and we think you will too. Here are a few of our favorites:

All these fabrics and more can be found on her website, which I have linked for you above. Be sure to take a look-- she is a hard-working independent businesswoman with a great eye for design, and deserves all the support in the world! =)

Beautiful Ikat

Ikat is a fabric dying and weaving technique first created in Central Asia, where each silk strand is dyed individually using a technique similar to tie-dye, then woven together to create a beautiful silk fabric. The patterns are characteristically vibrant and colorful, and the name Ikat (pronounced "ee-kaht") symbolizes strength, beauty, and resilience.

We love Ikat fabrics at Robin's Nest, and use them with many of our clients in many different ways. The colors and patterns are absolutely gorgeous, and using this fabric in your home is sure to give it a worldly feel.

Here are some lovely Ikat patterns from one of our sources. Notice how the shapes on each pattern do not have solid outlines, but instead are fuzzy-- That's one of the many beautiful  characteristics of the technique. With more common techniques, the fabric is dyed or silk-screened after it is woven together, and the pattern comes out clean and crisp; but with Ikat, the artist dyes each individual silk thread, and then weaves it all together. Talk about some serious skills!

HUGE SALE AT ROBIN'S NEST!!!

Robin's Nest is having a giant sale from now until November 11th!! We've marked down almost everything in the store 20 to 50 percent!

Stop in all next week and start your holiday shopping early! =)

 

Brighten Up Your Home with Lively Wallpaper

Here at Robin's Nest, we simply love color, and we believe that one great way to liven up a space is to add colorful patterned wallpaper. Even vintage-style wallpaper patterns that you may remember from your grandmother's house in the '70s are coming back into style, but of course there are all kinds of new designs that add a bold and modern twist to those familiar patterns that will make your home look anything but dated. We have lots of different styles of wallpapers here at the shop that you can order through us, and we can even recommend an installer for you!

Here are some patterns from one of our favorite sources, as well as a few homes of clients that we've brought to life with the use of these beautiful wallpapers:

These wallpapers from one of our favorite sources (photos from their website) are fresh and exciting. Even if your style is more conservative, there are plenty of wallpapers out there that use low-key colors and patterns that will still look stunning. Another suggestion is to use a bold wallpaper on a smaller area of your home-- you don't have to cover an entire room with it in order to make a statement.

 Robin Pelissier and her design team used this vintage-inspired wallpaper in this client's dining room. Since a dining room is meant to be warm and inviting to guests, family, and loved ones, using a vintage-inspired wallpaper will help make the space feel familiar and welcoming.

This wallpaper is simply stunning in the bathroom of this client's home. The silvery sheen of the flowers fits beautifully with the reflective surfaces of the bathtub and the countertops.

 The green of this wallpaper is bold and striking against the white and red stairwell, and the vertical nature of the pattern helps create added drama in this tall space.

This wallpaper is just plain fun and adorable! And the black and white striped wastebasket and tissue box? Delightful! Using bright colors (especially yellow) in the bathroom is a great way to create an added sense of soft light, since bathrooms typically either don't get enough light, or are dominated by lots of harsh light.

So come on in to our shop today and thumb through our fabulous sample books. You're sure to find the perfect wallpaper for your home =)

See the Light

Since it's such a dark and rainy day today here in Hingham, MA, we figured it would be fitting to do an entry on lighting! Lighting plays a crucial role in the overall design of a room. Too much light, and the space becomes harsh and uninviting; too little light, and no one can see your beautiful room. Not only that, but the lighting piece itself can serve as a terrific accent in the overall decor. Here at Robin's Nest, we are very excited about our lighting pieces, and can't wait to share them with you and add them to our clients' homes.

Here are just a few examples of the many fabulous and stylish lights we sell:

Finding the right lighting piece for your home not only enhances the light, but also makes a statement about the overall design of a room and mood of the occasion. From dazzling pendants to classical candelabras, you're sure to find something lovely and perfect for your lighting needs here at Robin's Nest =)