Clockwise from top: squirrel match strike ($28), lantern bird house ($128), vidalia bud vase ($28), whale bookends ($150), bird salt & pepper shakers ($48), and baby lantern vase ($28). The background is created from his hollywood wallpaper ($250).
I’ve never been much of a studious collector, but I like random pretty things. Focusing pretty finds into a color scheme is a great way to make something random into an intention, and it makes a person look like a decorating ninja. Case in point: white ceramics.
These are some of my favorite pieces from that god of interior design, Jonathan Adler. He tends toward animals and mid-century, often with humor. It’s so delicate and refined, somehow, too!
First, those bookends! It is so hard to find good bookends, and here there is white porcelain and walnut-colored wood with a lovely burnish on it. Sigh. Books actually are central to my current decorating fixation: horizontally stored books used as shelves for lovely little tchotchkes like the lantern vase. The juxtaposition of the riot of colored spines against the quiet, matte white is just what I need to elevate my clutter. Placing these pieces against a loud wallpaper or brightly painted wall will also make them pop beautifully.
IKEA has a couple ideas for the budget-conscious too. I coveted this squat lamp for ages before I finally bought it—though I think I’ll replace the shade with a more distinct drum shape to fit in with my ’60s-era furnishings. If I had the dough, I’d spring for a complementary instead of matching set, using this tall striped brother. Or what about the possibilities for this poly-resin lamp from humble Target? Grandma cool, that’s what I’d call it with the right shade.
Jonsbo Ilsbo lamp ($19.99) and the pricier Jonsbo Asarp ($59.99), both from IKEA; Mix-and-Match Lamp – Polyresin Lamp Base – Large ($49.99) from Target.
Finally, I’ve found a few delightful little bits for other corners of the house. Kitchenware like the Rhino butter dish from Boston Warehouse could hide some candles, too; Isabelle Abramson’s lacy berry and fruit bowls would be nice centerpieces for an everyday table.
Rhino Butter Dish ($11.95, Amazon) and Isabelle Abramson’s Berry Bowl with Scalloped Edge ($275) on Etsy.
I find that white is extremely versatile and much happier than a lot of neutrals. There is even a kinda genius way to make nubby vases from old Orangina bottles and the like! Buy some puffy paint and dot some lines on whatever glass or ceramic you can scour up, then cover it all with matte white spray paint. It erases the ugly like whoa. I think I saw it first in the Design*Sponge at Home. Here’s a tutorial online.
