WOI: January 2015

This month's issue of World of Interiors was great. I switched over to a digital subscription a little while ago because I am running out of shelf space. So the photo quality is a little lacking but here are some screenshots of my favorites photos:

Good Stuff: Temari

These thread balls are called Temari. China introduced them to Japan in the late 7th century. They were originally used by children of the wealthy noble class in a Japanese variation of hacky sack called, kemari. The game became increasingly popular over time and mothers and grandmothers, who could not afford to buy their children the foreign imports began to make their own. They would use remnants of old kimonos and wrap them in the salvaged thread.

As time went the balls' stitching started to become less functional and more decorative until the balls evolved into the art form they are today. Which I think is a pretty cool thing. I use to have a bunch when I lived in Asia and would string them up like they do in the small photo above and turned them into kick-ass Christmas ornaments. However, now that all seems absurd and would cost a small fortune. I tried finding them stateside and they go for around $50 a piece. Um what? I should have stocked up while I was still living far east.

All the large photos of the Temari balls are via NanaAkua.

Insides: Decorating with Textiles

Some more scans from the book Decorating with Textiles? Living with Textiles? or a combination of both. I'll get back to you on the actual name of the book, and update this when I find it again. I've been cleaning out my apt this week so it would take a lot of digging at this point. The book has a lot of great photos, a little outdated but I'm always looking for new ways to display what is now becoming a ridiculous collection of textiles. While cleaning this past week I noticed I have way too many long skinny panel textiles and nothing to do them with them short of carpeting my walls. Sure, there are worse problems to have, but it's stressing me out. That sounds pretty lame/is pretty lame, sort of like this paragraph. So here, photos:

Good Stuff: Indigo Sofas

 Francine Kay

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A few of those weren't indigo but close enough. I'm really digging this idea. The photo above and the few below are of the reverse-dyed batik sofas from Anthro. I wish I could buy out the purple/dark hued sofas on the site and make a conversation pit with them. But that's totally not happening on my stupid grad school budget unless I sell a kidney.  Darn.

Good Stuff: Beni Ourain

Match Book Mag

Eye Swoon

Desire To Inspire

Refinery29

Harper Poe

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Craft Council

I Get a Kick Out of You

Three

Remodelista

Dane Tashima

The Moroccan Room