Harry and Sal's Design Blog

Now I know most people don't share my somewhat long and tawdry obsession with the beloved bird box, but there's something about it - a wee home on a wall - a nest. It's so cosy and inviting and you're doing something positive for your garden, as opposed to spraying pesticides everywhere or irritating the neighbors with noisy lawnmowers. But why the sad story? Well I have a trail of sad bird boxes littering my home, neglected, just waiting for some wee inhabitants to make them feel loved. One, rustic-looking, sits unused on my lawn, forlorn, just waiting for lazy old me to go hang it somewhere. The other, shabby-chicesque (we all go through that phase at one time or another) sits in the side yard gathering dust. So maybe this gem from my latest favorite site Generate could be the go. Clean lines, sweet motif. Nice. I think I really have to get the other ones up tho before I can splurge again. What say you?

Labels: Outdoor, Sal

posted by Sal Taylor Kydd at 5/05/2008 0 Comments

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Mother's Day is here again - and being a relatively new Mom - well just 3 years in - I am beside myself with excitement as Liseanne Frank is having a Mothers Day Shopping Event! But here's my question - do I go and shamelessly buy myself something exquisite and extravagant - or do I send my husband? Both seem terribly gauche, I may just have to suck it up send him an email with a none-too-subtle hint and hope for this best. Anyway ladies - enjoy, indulge - be it for yourself or for your own Mom - and smile as you think of sleepless nights appeased.

Labels: Holidays, Jewelry, Sal

posted by Sal Taylor Kydd at 5/02/2008 1 Comments

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It's been a while since I've taken a stroll through the wonderful world of Etsy, but tonight I did - and here are a couple of the gems I found that I thought you all might enjoy!

This wee skirt from Little Overcoat for three year olds is too delightful for words. And it's all made from recycled fabrics - perfection!

Personalized name-plates for books are a perennial favorite (great stocking filler - OK that's way too much thinking ahead!) - and these are particularly distinctive. From Oiseaux.

All of these brought to you today by the color orange and the letter E, well no letter really, but the color orange anyway - why save it for Fall?

Labels: Etsy, Kids, Sal

posted by Sal Taylor Kydd at 5/01/2008 0 Comments

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SAL: Forgive the holiday tone to my title - but you know how I love my wallpaper! Now that it looks like Kydd House may not happen - mortgage crisis, unreliable income, suffice to say long story! I am going to have to find some outlet for my designerlust. Our current place does need that finishing touch - we moved in two weeks before Oliver was born, and well, then there was Lola... You know how it goes. So now the fog is lifting and my thoughts are turning inward as I look around our current place and what needs to be done. Check out the great wallpaper guide from Domino magazine this month. Great advice on calculating how much you need, how to hang it and what styles work well in what kinds of rooms.

Labels: 625, Sal, Walls

posted by Sal Taylor Kydd at 3/27/2008 0 Comments

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SAL: My love-affair with Muji continues. We're planning a trip back to the UK in May and I know a stop in at the Muji store in Covent Garden is in order. The underwear and socks I bought last time are still super comfy and look great. What caught my attention today tho was this laptop bag - I've been looking for something new for my Mac Air (yes I couldn't resist) and I really don't want anything floral. I have the Incase Sling Pack. But it's way too big for me - I'd love the style if it was half the size. Any suggestions anyone?

Labels: Bags, Sal

posted by Sal Taylor Kydd at 3/20/2008 1 Comments

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SAl: bedding. I had to share with you Dwell's new bedding collection, available through pre-order on DesignPublic. I love the Hedgerow Saffron duvet above! I just got the Chinoiserie duvet and although it's not cheap, I really like the design and the quality is really very good. And I don't know, somehow with sheets that really matters!

Labels: BedBath, Sal

posted by Sal Taylor Kydd at 3/04/2008 0 Comments

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SAL: Well, maybe it might be a bit of a stretch to say it's Spring already in February, but it was a gorgeously sunny day here in Southern California and I can't help getting carried away. Pottery Barn's Spring collection has some really pretty colors and designs coming out. This bedding is fresh and bright, the design reminds me of some of the illustrations from Amenity Home, but I prefer these colors don't you?

Labels: BedBath, Sal

posted by Sal Taylor Kydd at 2/26/2008 0 Comments

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SAL: Thanks to Peggy Li for sharing with me her wonderful creations. The work of this San Francisco-based jewelry designer has been seen on Grey's Anatomy, Oprah and more - her pieces are simple, elegant and affordable. I'm very into silver and gold right now, but I've been limiting myself to ad hoc combos that usually involve me getting at an old pair of earrings with the pliers and adding them to a new chain to mix things up a bit - so this piece above really appealed to me.

Labels: Jewelry, Sal

posted by Sal Taylor Kydd at 2/21/2008 0 Comments

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SAL: Firstly an apology dear readers for our woeful lack of posting of late. I have been traveling (Cuba would you believe!), Harry is in the throes of a fabulous new job (I'll let her tell you all about it) and life has been a little crazy!

The good news is we're expanding here at Harry and Sal to include guest bloggers - as you can see from our fun pal Meredith's snazzy post below. So if you're interested in joining the crew - send us a note! There's no financial reward, just the touchy-feely warm glow you get from being a part of our design-inspired family and a platform to espouse to the world your thoughts on what's hot and what most certainly, is not.

Labels: Sal

posted by Sal Taylor Kydd at 2/21/2008 0 Comments

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SAL: I have a sad admission to make. Since we got married my husband and I have been sleeping on the floor, on a mattress given to us by his best friend. It has been comfy enough but you get to a stage in your married life when an investment in a decent mattress, just, I don't know, seems like a good idea. So tonight we're sleeping on our new Tempurpedic. Very exciting. I gave it a quick test earlier and it feels weird I have to be honest with you, but I'm optimistic. Now we just need to get the bed. I'm really liking the LAX Wall Mounted Headboard and Platform Bed from MASH Studios - nice. One thing at a time though. Let's not get too crazy ;-)

Labels: 711, BedBath, Sal

posted by Sal Taylor Kydd at 2/05/2008 0 Comments

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SAL: If you do manage to get away from primary colors for your child's nursery, I sadly (or happily I can't quite make up my mind) did not - then enjoy this wonderful tree made with vintage wallpapers for your wee ones decor. These come courtesy of Enfant Terrible - an online store with a wealth of whimsy and interesting playthings and yumminess for the smallest members of your family. Speaking of nursery decor, the final product of my reinvention of Oliver and Lola's room you can see below. I shamelessly raided Ikea for inspiration - but you know what? It works, it's fun and it was totally reasonable!

Labels: 711, Kids, Sal, Walls

posted by Sal Taylor Kydd at 2/01/2008 0 Comments

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SAL: Forgive me dear readers for my lack of posting of late, but sick children do not a happy blogger make, nor a terribly productive one come to that. But I'm back, with gusto and elan - or something like that :-) Now - don't you just love these Botanist benches from Orange 22? I'd seen them before, in Dwell as I recall, but only discovered where they actually came from recently. Orange 22, a design lab are located in the same former bank building in downtown LA where I'm currently working from time to time. And who could miss this gorgeousness? Designed by Brandon Lynne and Dario Antonioni, the Botanist benches and stools/side tables come in natural or vinyl finish - they'd make a great coffee table too!

Labels: Furniture, Sal

posted by Sal Taylor Kydd at 1/28/2008 0 Comments

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SAL: Since I've been working on my own, consulting and what not, stationery has started to play a more important role in my life. Let's be frank, Staples for my office supplies just now ain't cutting it, especially when I have notebooks like these to drool over! Studio Matador is a wonderful collaboration between artists and designers in Melbourne, Australia and they have developed an exquisite selection of limited edition notebooks. I've highlighted a couple of my personal favorites here. Above Kat McCleod, below Pandarosa and Mark Kayler-Thomson.

http://www.studiomatador.com/macleod.htm

Labels: Art, Sal, Stationery

posted by Sal Taylor Kydd at 1/18/2008 0 Comments

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SAL: It's been a while since we've written about anything about ceramics. Can be hard to get inspired, but I'm really digging these cool espresso sets by Not Neutral from Rios Clementi Hale Studios.
Very Naples-stazione-centrale-circa-1972. Love it!
They also come stacked in a lovely box - great for a gift.

Labels: Ceramics, Sal

posted by Sal Taylor Kydd at 1/14/2008 0 Comments

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SAL: Meredith, Meredith, Meredith. This dear woman is going to kill my pocketbook with all the fabulous links she is sending me! I'm probably one of the last to sample the delights of Small Magazine. I'm not even sure where to begin to describe it, only that it has some divine inspiration for kids design. This month is the style issue. Small is original and unique with a distinct point of view and the photography is wonderful to boot. It was through Small that I came across the work of Bella Sera (above). Wonderfully quirky hand-sewn clothes for kids. Enjoy!

Labels: Kids, Sal, Style

posted by Sal Taylor Kydd at 1/10/2008 1 Comments

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SAL: Art + Social Conscience = Very cool gear. Such is the ethos behind the folks over at Partofit.org and I can't disagree. Whether you're drawn to the social responsibility part, or just the hyper cool graphics part - there's something here for you. Encouraging civic discourse and making activism fun. Wear the shirt, make a statement. Can't wait til they get more designs!

Labels: Sal, Style

posted by Sal Taylor Kydd at 1/08/2008 0 Comments

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SAL: well it's good to be back! I hope everyone had a wonderful holiday and got a little bit of a break! The New Year of course brings all these pieces in the design sections about trends for 08. One which specifically resonates with me brings back ideals of a simpler aesthetic using old and vintage pieces to spruce up your rooms. I've always been a big fan of flea markets and in the drive to reuse, reduce, recycle, finding new uses for old things seems especially relevant. The LA Times had a great piece on this last week that's a good jumping off point for inspiration. Else you can kick off your search with a browse through Etsy's new vintage section. Some lovely finds in there.

Labels: 2008, Green, Sal

posted by Sal Taylor Kydd at 1/06/2008 0 Comments

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The New York Times had a great piece today on trends of 07, about which ones will endure and which will pass. Personally I will not be sad to see the demise of the cowhide rug or the decorative antlers - but those were never my thing. Check out the slideshow to see which of your 07 purchases may be destined for the "oh that's so last year" raised eyebrow. Geometric designs and baroque mirrors beware! What trends of 07 will you be glad to see the back of? And is blue really the new black?

Labels: Sal, Style

posted by Sal Taylor Kydd at 12/20/2007 0 Comments

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SAL: As Harry would say, this is just a quick one :) One of my New Year's resolutions is to try and filter my life through more of a green, rather than a rose-tinted lens. We've talked about this before, I'm not an evangelist, but I do know that I personally want to make the changes in my own life to be more environmentally responsible about the resources I use and the products I consume. Did that sound preachy? I hope not! We still want to keep it beautiful of course and with that in mind - take a moment to enjoy blossom creations from Australia - stationery with a conscience.

Labels: Green, Sal, Stationery

posted by Sal Taylor Kydd at 12/18/2007 0 Comments

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SAL: I love those calendars from Harry - I just snapped up that desk calendar by Angela Capria on Etsy. So pretty. Anyway, in other news, I'm back from New York, having just evaded the big snowstorm. Sentimentalist that I am, I'm much looking forward to the holidays and one item definitely on my wishlist is this photograph from the sublime portfolio of Alicia Block. There's something about her series of beach scenes that reminds me of childhood vacations in France, although I have no idea where they were shot.

Labels: Art, Sal

posted by Sal Taylor Kydd at 12/17/2007 0 Comments

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SAL: Today's post comes winging its way to you from the fabulousness of New York City. I'm staying at the Soho Grand Hotel, which, with its industrial chicness, is too wonderful for words. They even give you a goldfish at check in, which I find, being so far from home, a great comfort - is that odd? Hmm, perhaps, but true nonetheless. Anyway, along the lines of Harry's giving for good this season, I wanted to highlight these delightful Xmas cards available through Sub-Studio. Not only are they cute, but all the proceeds from each sale go to benefit the Shama Foundation, a nonprofit organization providing educational opportunities for children of Madagascar. Thanks to Bloesem for this great find.

Labels: Christmas, Gifts, Sal, Stationery

posted by Sal Taylor Kydd at 12/12/2007 1 Comments

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SAL: I wrote about Swedish designer Isabelle Norman Sallstrom's delightful personalized prints a while ago and I had to revisit. I just bought a selection for gifts for the holidays and the quality of the prints is outstanding. I'm so pleased. You can choose your motif, colors and text for something totally unique for your child.

Labels: Christmas, Gifts, Kids, Sal

posted by Sal Taylor Kydd at 12/08/2007 0 Comments

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SAL: Today we started tackling Oliver's nursery. The built in shelves we had originally put in the room have served us well, but ultimately it's a small room. Lola is now ten months old and if the two of them are to share, we need to make changes. I've been surfing around for some inspiration. Newly branded Apartment Therapy's nursery section, ohdeedoh, has some fabulous nursery tours which are a great starting point for ideas. I really liked Piccolini's warm tones (above). Also the Flickr Modern Nursery group has some wonderfully inspired rooms. I'm torn between just replacing everything, linens included and go for a whole new theme - or try and find something that will work with what we already have. The latter is the more affordable and likely option. Amenity Home has a great new nursery range of linens, it's kind of retro looking with animal prints in browns and oranges, very different. Our color scheme currently has a lot of bright colors - having recently purchased these delightful sheet sets from Ikea's children's range - so ultimately I'm thinking perhaps neutral for the walls and floor, then brighten it up with the art and accessories. Please - any ideas let me know!

Labels: Kids, Sal

posted by Sal Taylor Kydd at 12/06/2007 0 Comments

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SAL: Today's post comes winging its way to you from Austin, Texas where I have hitched along for the ride with my husband on a work trip. We have friends here so I have been hopelessly spoiled with all manner of culinary indulgences. I love Austin so far. I like the accessible scale of the place and I like the TexMex cuisine (although the whole BBQ thing is a bit heavy on the meat for me!) It's been a flying visit so I haven't had a chance to check out some of the cool finds from Grace's Austin city guide, which I would recommend you check out before you visit. That will have to wait for the next time.

In the meantime, another great jewelry find from a woman I met at Harry's LA party on Saturday night (yes she's back, if only for a fleeting visit). I have been to Hilary Druxman's store on Montana in Santa Monica a while back, but haven't checked out her collections for a while. Very simple, classic pieces. Beautiful, enjoy. Thanks Michelle!

Labels: Jewelry, Sal

posted by Sal Taylor Kydd at 12/04/2007 0 Comments

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I asked a few of my most tasteful girlfriends recently to suggest some of their favorite jewelry designers to share with you all. Beth pointed me in the direction of Susan Fleming (below). Her website profiles her work incorporating different Japanese paper, which is pretty, but I've recently seen Beth wearing some of Susan's more recent pieces with semi-precious gemstones which are even more lovely. Look forward to seeing some of those of on Susan's website soon.

A couple of folks recommended Becky Kelso (below) - semi-precious gemstones in classic settings- stunning! You can't buy anything at her own website, but online jewelry boutique Ylang | 23 (thanks Mickie!) has a small selection. Ylang |23 has an interesting range of designers well-worth checking out.

Liseanne Frankfurt now has her own store on - yes you guessed it Abbot Kinney. Unfortunately you can't view any of her pieces online, but you can download a PDF of her catalogue. Her chunky, burnished silvers and gold aren't cheap, but they are exquisite.

And lastly, my own personal favorite, Sonya Ooten. My husband has a habit of going to Sonya for birthdays and holiday gifts and I consider myself a very lucky woman! Her designs are beautifully delicate and you can personalize each piece to use the gemstones that mean something to you.

Labels: Christmas, Gifts, Jewelry, Sal, Style

posted by Sal Taylor Kydd at 12/01/2007 1 Comments

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SAL: More from the wonderful world of Binth! I bought this notepad yesterday at one of my favorite local stores here in Venice - Urbaninc - a treasure trove of stationery goodies on Abbot Kinney. Today I found the same notepad online at another of my faves A + R - who are now also opening up a bricks and mortar on Abbot Kinney here in Venice! What serendipity! Anyway - I love this notepad - it's large and square - and very pretty. Form and function working together. Nice.

Labels: Sal, Stationery

posted by Sal Taylor Kydd at 11/28/2007 0 Comments

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SAL: There's a lot of hooplah in the press right now about having a green Christmas - see the NYT article Jolly Green Christmas about the green evangelists set to sabotage the joy of giving for all and sundry. I'm thinking green this Christmas for sure, but I'm also not going to be dogmatic about it - show by example rather than by tirade is my motto. So with that in mind I've been saving all my Anthropologie tissue to use as wrapping paper, I'm avoiding vacuum-packed toys, and I'm on the lookout for gifts that are green and cool. Vivavi is run by the Josh Dorfman who many of you may know as the author of The Lazy Environmentalist. They have a lovely range of eco-friendly furniture that's really beautiful. Perhaps a bit pricey for Christmas gifts, but there are some home accessories that are reasonable - such as these hemp Birch Accent Pillows for $100 from Loop Organic.

Labels: Gifts, Green, Sal, Textiles

posted by Sal Taylor Kydd at 11/26/2007 0 Comments

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SAL: I'm not quite sure to start with Binth, but I think Harry may quite possibly lose her mind when she checks them out. Binth stands for "beautiful, intriguing, new, timeless and haunting" and I can't think of a better description for their work. From simple games for children, to gorgeous notepads and pillows, as well as limited edition prints; their designs are just really lovely. And of course, all the inks they use are water-based, mixed by hand and their paper stock is recycled.

Labels: Art, Gifts, Kids, Sal, Stationery

posted by Sal Taylor Kydd at 11/19/2007 0 Comments

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SAL: Tis the season and all that, so with the holidays approaching, now is a good time to take a look at some of these picks from the wonderful world of Etsy. Hopefully you'll find some cool gift ideas here for your nearest and dearest. Along the lines of Harry's theme of gifting art, there are some great finds to be had. Above is a signed limited edition print from Minnesota-based Studio Mela. She has a whole range of whimsical prints I really like. There's some great photography to be found on Etsy too. I really like Tina Teaspoon's sepia and black and white photography, her Tableau Deliquesce (below) is stunning. Ashley Robin's work is also great - retro-looking color prints of nature - very cool (see below again).

Etsy also has some great stuff for kids - a lot of felt and knitted toys, but some very cool pieces too. Check out the finger puppets from Cheryl Smith and I love these dolls (below) from Le Peitit Boutique - with those large heads and tiny bodies they're a little freaky looking, but they have the best outfits!

For those of you after something more decorative, take a look at Etsy's pendant selection - a tad cheaper than those available at Anthropologie this season. I really like this yellow porcelain pendant below, and the Evergreen pendant with a green and white paisley design is also lovely. Happy holidays!

Labels: Gifts, Holidays, Sal

posted by Sal Taylor Kydd at 11/16/2007 0 Comments

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SAL: Wokits have a great selection of lovely composition books based on the art of Winsor McCay’s “Little Nemo in Slumberland" which is a wonderful book I got for my kids a year or so ago. There are a variety of styles of books, both spiral and cloth bound, perfect for a journal or for keeping notes. Another cool gift idea for the holidays.

Labels: Gifts, Kids, Sal, Stationery

posted by Sal Taylor Kydd at 11/14/2007 0 Comments

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SAL: If you're in LA this week and you're interested in architecture, I strongly suggest you take advantage and go on a tour of the Ray Kappe designed Wired Home, currently on the market for a cool $4 million. It's open to the public until Sunday - you can buy tickets online at Wired's website.

Some of you may already be familiar with Kappe through his work with the Living Homes prefab folks. I like his style - modernism with warmth. In this house, fly ash concrete floors combined with cedar ceilings, bring a rich inviting feel, despite being very contemporary.

Wired mag have done a great job of the website, you can browse by category or room, and find out where to buy many of the products from the home. The kid's bedroom (below) I loved. Great wallpaper - although of course I can't find that listed!!

Labels: 711, Architecture, Green, Sal

posted by Sal Taylor Kydd at 11/13/2007