cozy corner

Oh my, it's been a month I haven't posted anything... Since the winter is already here, I wanted to post some of my favorite home decor items with their sources which make me feel cozy.



I gathered a few of my favorites in a corner of my living room, they all seem to work well together. The Icelandic sheepskin fur rug is at the top of my favorites this winter. I love how streaks of long black hair gives more character to the fur. These types of rugs appear quite often in Scandinavian home decor blogs, no surprise there. Mine came all the way from England. After a good heated last second bidding on ebay, it was mine from ecopelts. They also have a website called unitedbargains.co.uk. I paid a lot less with the auction-style then what they were originally priced. A little shimmer is never wrong in a decor especially with a beautiful sequined Moroccan wedding blanket pillow from hivernage. The seller also has beautiful Moroccan blankets. My all time favorite is the Indian chakki table made into an ottoman which I found at HomeGoods a couple of years ago. Recent crush Vietnamese Lantern Moon rice basket from Jimmy BeansWool used as a plant cover for my favorite fiddle leaf fig tree which is trying to survive indoors. I also showcase some of my books with bold typography and colors to add graphic effects around the house. Here I used one of my my old books Bauhaus which came from ebay. New Guinea cowrie shells from ebay and the Indian door from etsy (currently they don't sell on etsy, their website babaoneofakind) add great texture and patina. Punu African mask I found at a flea market years ago gives an exotic warm feel in the room.

Fairy string lights from Urban Outfitters add instant ambiance and coziness. I want to curl up and hibernate:) What do you think, do you have any favorites for winter?

juju hats, still my favorite

I know there are so many posts about juju hats. They have been used for designers for years. To some they have practically invaded the decor world so much, almost becoming a next "Keep Calm and Carry On" trend. My long time juju hat crush has never changed. They are still my favorite, while adding splash of color, texture and interest, their overall look is amazing in any room and decor. Since I finally found one from ebay -I guess I am so behind everything-, I felt like I had to jump on the blogger bandwagon and write something about it too:)

If you don't know what juju hats are or where they come from, plenty of blogs cover them. I only know that these hats, also called Tyn, originally came from the Bamileke tribe residing in Cameroon, West Africa. They were worn by the prominent of society during ceremonies. Crafsmen made these hats from exotic bird feathers. Because of the market demand of recent years, they are mass-produced, lately they are made from broiler chicken feathers. These feathers are dyed bright red, blue, yellow, orange, etc. carefully sewn onto hand woven raffia or straw base baskets. They have a unique folding that makes them easy to store and also protect the feathers. The hat becomes a circle when opened wide.  

These stunning feathered hats are a symbol of prosperity, luck and they possess positive qualities of the beauty of birds as well as fragility of life.

via randafricanart

This is how they are used in ceremonial dances before they are transformed onto our walls.

When I received mine from ebay, it looked like this. There was a link here which showed me how to open and hang it on the wall. Sorry for the bad quality picture. The quicker I took this picture the sooner I could unwrap and see the beauty of it:) 

This is the back of the hat with the straw base.

My succulents kind of match the pattern:)

One the wall. I am thinking painting the walls crisp white this summer. It's a little lost in the gold leafed pattern.

Love the two tone natural feathers and the black peaking through.

Some of the juju hats in a decor inspired me;

via tabletonic


via repurposedvintagefinds

Fireplaces are a great place to display juju hats. They become an instant focal point and add a splash of color and interest in the room.


via hgtv

The juju hat, the jewelry of this eclectic room, pops on the luscious green wall.


via pinterest

Stunning magenta and white juju hat as featured in Adore Home magazine Aug/Sep 2013.

via casasugar

In this small space a magenta juju hat over the sofa adds personality. (Photo by Matthew Williams via LABLstudio)

via pinterest

Juju hat against the dark wall color paired with suzani bedcover in this gorgeous bedroom. What more can I ask? Found on decorista .

via pinterest

Beautiful bohemian living room found on lialeukinterieuradvies .

via fashiongalfireman

Comfy, cozy bedroom.

via lerapportminoritaire

Love this serene neutral fusion bedroom.


via theenglishroom

Juju hat bombed wall display. They look cheery for sure but I think I can live with one:)


via pinterest

This image is from theoysterbayhotel . Love the natural colors of juju hats matching with the rest of the color scheme, very relaxing.


via mixandchic

Match made in heaven; A hall with hundi lanterns leading to bright red juju hats.


via tabletonic

Loving this wall vignette with Moroccan wedding blanket.


via pinterest

Gorgeous Moroccan wedding blanket, Burkina Faso indigo pillows and juju hats to match. (l'aviva home)

via sfgirlbybay

Amazing bathroom with white juju hat. I am not sure how it works in the bathroom in reality with the humidity and all, but it sure takes a great picture.

If you find them expensive, there are several diy tutorials on the web. I like songbirdblog and vintagefarmfurniture tutorial;


via songbirdblog


via vintagefarmfurniture

One last thing; I also would like to share my ebay experience when I bought this hat. It was a NR and Buy It Now Sale. Since nobody was bidding, I asked the seller if she would entertains some offers and if the item could be relisted at a lower price, if so, I would buy immediately. I also gave the seller my asking price. The seller changed the Buy It Now price to a little higher than my asking price and contacted me right away. Within minutes and before I responded, there were 7 watchers. You need to act quickly for sure. That's how I purchased it below original ebay listed price. I bought several items relisted with a reduced price just like this. It doesn't always work but hey, why not try? The key is you have to do your part and pay for it immediately. This is my small contribution to how to shop smart on ebay:)

Have a great weekend!xx

raw crystals as decor accessories

Lately I have been seeing a lot of raw quartz crystals, semi-precious stones used as decor accessories such as lamp bases, candle holders, book ends or just by itself. I just love their color, organic shape, beautiful texture and sparkly look. If you want to start collecting geodes, semi precious stones, crystals and minerals you may find them on ebay, etsy, local flea markets and specialty stores. Nowadays they also show up at some department and online stores. I found mine at HomeGoods, Marshalls, T.J.Maxx and ebay. These stones can also be expensive and sometimes overpriced. You need to do your homework before you buy one. I was not very into metaphysical and healing properties of these rocks but recently I have been reading about their meanings and it is certainly intriguing.



I found this gorgeous amethyst at Marshalls, who would have thought it? I read about amethyst's healing properties and it makes me feel good just looking at this beautiful piece! Also shown are mala prayer beads and Naga Kanya Nepal door handle from ebay, my favorites.



Here are some of my crystals surrounding buddha's feet. They came from HomeGoods, Marshalls, ebay. Love grouping my collections, they look more unified.



To give your air plants a really cool look, you can use these rocks as planters. This huge amethyst is also from HomeGoods.



In my bedroom a calcite crystal geode from HomeGoods twinkles on my side table at night.

I cannot finish this post without including some of the raw crystal rock decor accessories. Here are some of them for you to enjoy;


via 1551transformed

Lovely entry vignette from Lonny magazine with gorgeous crystal quartz lamp by Louis Phillipe.

via paloma81

Gorgeous collosal quartz lamp pops in this stunning dark room. Love everything about the room; Dramatic dark walls, that zebra chair with antique rug framing this beautiful vignette.


via so-much-more-than-nl

Raw Amethyst lamp base (Matthew Studio) The Robert Table Lamp.

via chinoiseriechic

Another beautiful cathedral amethyst used as a lamp base in this chinoiserie vignette.


via loveletterstohome


via thepurplebow

Loving the look of the raw amethyst pieces on coffee tables. It gives a sparkle to these rooms.


via loveletterstohome

Another raw rock collection well put together.


via abstrackafricana

Gorgeous amethyst cathedral used as a focal point on this mantel.


via glitterandgoatcheese

Another one in the fireplace. From Lonny magazine.

via pinterest

Gorgeous one of a kind raw crystal bookends.

via tessaproudfoot

This gives me an idea how to display my rock collection.

via fuckyournoguchicoffeetable

Always good adding some sparkles on a bookshelf.

via peppermintbliss

Bathroom shelving with a gorgeous point quartz crystal. Want!

via lizcaan

Liz Caan Interiors stunning amethyst foyer lamp.


via houzz

Traditional entry by Dallas design Group, Interiors.

via pinterest

How about a coffee table? Love the geode idea but I am not sure about the shape of the glass.


via houzz

By Celtic Custom Homes.

Okay, this sink is a little stretch but how gorgeous would it be when the water hits, of course minus the faucet, the wall and the cabinet. I cannot imagine myself cleaning this sink:)


via houzz

Infistone - Concretev& Design.

Another unique design idea. Looks great with concrete too. These amethyst clusters have sharp points, I am not sure how practical it would be in the kitchen.


What do you think about using raw crystals as decor accesories? How would you use it?

mixing old & new...

My style... Mixing old & new...

Catherina Lucchi oversized leather (hobo) bag (Marshalls)
Chloe sunglasses (T.J.Maxx)
Guess watch (ebay)
Sam Edelman Sidney whiskey fringe ankle boots (T.J.Maxx)
Sold Design Lab Jeans (Marshalls)
Raph Lauren wallet (Marshalls)
Velvet t-shirt (Marshalls)

 

buddha hand door handle

I have a special love for doors. Even the cabinets I picked for my home during the years, first, I had to fall in love with their doors. They all have great characters. I even painted, framed and gone a little crazy on my apartment's dull entry door. I believe it reflects my apartment's decor. So I have been looking for decorative buddha hand door handles for awhile. I came across this gorgeous Nepalese guyan mudra hand door handle at amazon.com. I was hoping for a pair but, I could only find one hand. Now, I have to figure out where to install one hand... :)





Some Instagram photos showing the buddha mudra hand with a hibiscus flower from my balcony :)





Turkish, Indian, Afghan, Nepalese mixed vignette.



If I decide not to use it as a door handle, I can always use it to hold jewelry or towels.

via houzz

How could I have not seen this cute towel holder earlier? It would have made a great addition to my bathroom.


via vivaterra

Hands of buddha jewelry holders. Creative way to collect and organize jewelry. They make great door handles too.

Here are some doors that I adore...


via cushandnooks

Here is why I have been looking for buddha hand door handles! It's Jade Jagger's stunning home in Goa, India. I just adore this door!

 
via pinterest

A front gate in Thailand with buddha hands serving as handles. They are positioned symbolically “so you enter the house in peace,” explains Bensley at Bensley Design Studios.


via pinterest

Amazing blue door with hand mudras (symbolic gestures of the hands of buddha).


via pinterest

Another amazing close-up door handle with lotus flower design.

There are other bloggers who have noticed this beautiful hardware.



via moroccanmaryam

Thai buddha hand door handle from Maryam's blog mymarrakesh


via indiapiedaterre

Blogger Deb from indiapiedaterre found these gorgeous buddha hand door pulls at Crafter’s in Cochin for her India apartment cabinet doors.


via triplefstudio

Beautiful room door handle of a spa.


via gogirlcafe

At a yoga studio this buddha hand is lifted in the abhaya mudra (seal/gesture of no fear, protection, benevolence, assurance).


via MeeSe

And someone's cool door picture from flickr.

Here are some sellers with buddha hand handles;


via nepalmade

Love these handles.


via sacredspace

Unusual shaped buddha door handle.


via kashgar

Beautiful hand of buddha door handle.


via etsy

I found this one on etsy.


via ebay

Balinese buddha hand from ebay.


via ebay 

Another Balinese buddha hand from ebay.

Do you go a "little crazy" on your doors with unique hardware?