Merry Christmas!

Let's face it . . . the economic situation stinks. But, nothing cheers me up like a designer sale and there are lots of them right now. Including two of my favorites: Jonathan Adler and Hable Construction. Hable Construction has 25% off there entire website until January 8th. above are a few of the the things I have my eyes on. 

Company C Sale!

Saturday was the annual Company C sale in Concord, NH. For years, Company C has made handcrafted wool rugs using natural dyes in colorful, contemporary patterns. The tent sale had hundreds of rugs in all different sizes, 75% to 80% off the retail price! I picked up two (shown here) along with some bedding at an incredible deal.

Because of all the people and general chaos, there is definitely need for a strategy. Here are my tips for you:

*Get there early! The line starts forming at 7:30am and doors open at 8am. Rugs immediately start flying out the door.

*Head to the “Blowout” section first. Here the rugs are design and floor samples as well as second qualities. The employees are helpful and the rugs are well marked to know exactly why the rug is in that area. I found a beautiful 5x3 Lehar rug (shown above) for $69 that had been on a wall in the showroom.

*Know what you want before you get out of the car! Take a look at the online catalog before you go. Don’t expect to see the New Intros – but be sure to check out the other sections because they will be there. Measure your space ahead of time and know what type of rug you are looking for: area rug, mat, runner etc.

If you live within driving distance, it’s worth making the trip. Hope to see you there next year.

- A

P.S. I was just looking on Ebay and obviously there where a few people who went to the sale just to buy things to resell for a considerable profit. For some reason I find this disappointing -- especially knowing that a queen size sheet set was $20 at the sale and they want a starting bid of $79.99.

(Pictures from companyc.com).

A treat for the eyes and the fridge.

My mom gave me a set of these great magnets by Stacey Asato. Fantastic. My kitchen has these retro 1940's metal cabinets which are perfect for these. Also, check out her note cards and journals. Anything by her would be the perfect gift. (Photo from asatodesign.com).

A Must Have . . .

My good friend Ashley is the one who turned me on to blogging. Her blog, Film in the Fridge, showcases her beautiful sewing and photography. She made me this great reversible bag (and even has a tutorial of how to make one yourself). Now you can get one too – check out her incredible giveaway!

Hope you will be lucky enough to own one yourself! 

- A

Treasure-trove

This week I've gone home to the East Coast for a wedding and to see my family. 

A few years ago, my grandmother pasted away and left a house full of stuff. Everything from trash to treasure -- empty box and boxes full of stuff, tons papers and old musty books, photos and photo albums of ancestors, vases that you get when someone sends you flowers and very nice vases, plates -- but rarely a set, individual tea cups and saucers and on and on and on. 

As you most likely can see, it's a lot of sorting out the things worth putting aside from the things that need to be given (or thrown) away. But, there are some definite treasures to be found.

While I was home, I thought I would help my dad with cleaning process. Here are a few things I found worth a quick mention and photo.

*This beautiful Steuben crystal compote. I don't particularly remember this growing up but oddly enough a few weeks ago I saw this same bowl at an estate sale in Salt Lake and recognized it right away. Inside the original dust cover was a note from my grandmother with the date and explanation of the gift. It was nice to find the story with the bowl -- good idea for all of us. (Photo from rafa.com)

*I also found one Etruscan Majolica plate in a seaweed pattern. I love the colors -- muted green, pink, brown and gray. What little I know about majolica is it became popular in the early 1900's and was produced by all the major china manufactures. Today, the people that collect majolica like it because of the colors and subject matter i.e. fruit, flowers, marine themes etc. I thought it would look nice on a wall in my house grouped with a few other things. I'll post another picture as soon as I find the perfect place for it.

All in all, I like adding these great finds to my home. Not only do they bring in the old with new but they also add some family history. Growing up by the ocean, I especially like bringing a hint of the beach to my new house in the desert. 

- A

Welcome!

Thank you for visiting 437 Bungalow. A blog dedicated to my favorite things and design inspirations. Some of my latest favorites include:

*Recently I have been introduced to Jonathan Adler. I've started a modest collection that includes 2 white picture frames. I'm thinking about buying some of his pillows. Above is the one I have my eye on right now. I love the the hand stitching but I'm a little worried it would be too trend for my home.

*My favorite estate sale purchase: a pair of Philippe Starck, Louis Ghost Chairs. I got them for a great deal and love them in my home. They blend right into a small room as well as give it a real sense of style. If you find yourself in Salt Lake City on a Friday or Saturday check out A-1 Estate Sales -- you never know what you will find. (Photo dwr.com -- where you can also pick a few for your home).

*Company C rugs. Campany C, based in New Hampshire, is having their big annual sale this upcoming Saturday (September 20th). Last winter I bought two of their rugs. Check back to see what I find.

- A