It has been over a month since National S’mores Day came and went, yet s’mores continue to stick around. People are still clamoring for the messy cookie sandwich that’s been part of our camping culture for nearly a century. But of course, s’mores aren’t just for camping anymore. Multitudes … [Read more...]
Variety Rules at Absolutely Fabulous
Absolutely Fabulous Gifts & Décor has been a fixture of Huntington Beach since 2006. It has lots of fans. Last week I visited this delightful shop for the first time, and I became one of them. It all started at the windows. On the right, a beach scene teamed shells, plus colored glass orbs … [Read more...]
A Store With Personality
Not every gift and décor store has a personality you can feel when you walk in the door. But at Tuvalu Home Environment, you know the vibe the moment you enter. This shop is based in the heart of Laguna Beach (a sister store is in another beach town, San Clemente). That means a palette favoring … [Read more...]
Coping With Uncertainty Using Comforts of The Past
Nearly all consumers are feeling the pinch of inflation, but not everyone is dealing with it the same way. A handful of lucky shoppers notice it, yet they are wealthy enough to ignore it. At the other end of the spectrum are those with limited resources who are postponing purchases. In the middle is … [Read more...]
Currey & Co. x Marjorie Skouras
The High Point furniture market offers so much more than furniture, lighting and decorative accessories. It can also transport you into another place, another era. This was certainly the case at Currey & Company. Here, a new collaboration with design talent Marjorie Skouras doubled as a museum … [Read more...]
The Antidote for Boring
The Trend Curve has always held that understanding a trend’s provenance is vital to establishing a comfort level with newness. Sometimes home furnishings trends have their roots in art, for example, a major exhibition. In other cases, media plays a role. Think Yellowstone and the current revival of … [Read more...]
From Japandi to Japanese Craft
Infusing Japanese elements into already established Scandinavian looks, the Japandi trend emerged in 2017 – 2018. It really touched a nerve—in a good way—and grew to be immensely popular. No wonder products in this style are still being introduced. The most recent incarnation was at KBIS, the … [Read more...]
Revenge Travel: Now It’s Impacting Home Furnishings
Revenge travel? Yes, please! We love this buzz-phrase because we can totally relate. It’s all about being cooped up during COVID. It speaks to people wanting to get away, fly away, like in the lyrics from Lenny Kravitz’ 1998 hit. And almost two years after exploding on the tourism scene, the … [Read more...]
Retail Delight: Kitchen Living Dining Copenhagen
Between two favorite trade fairs, Heimtextil in Frankfurt and Maison & Objet in Paris, I scheduled a weekend of retail reconnaissance in Copenhagen. I’m glad I did! There was so much to see—shops, boutiques and department stores with unique messages and fabulous visual displays. Among the … [Read more...]
Valentine’s Day: Tokens of Affection at Brown Thomas
One of the happiest outcomes of attending Showcase, the annual trade fair of curated Irish products, is that I also get to shop Dublin’s robust retail scene. Brown Thomas is at the top of my must-see list. During Showcase, which takes place in mid-January each year, Valentine’s Day is always the … [Read more...]