I first discovered Ortolan in the eco-friendly issue of Domino magazine a few months ago, and I was immediately drawn to their simple graphic designs and unabashed dedication to the environment.

Sister duo Bethany and Jenna Mallet grew up on a small farm in Ohio where “organic living was inescapable.” They eventually moved to Manhattan where, in 2008, they combined Bethany’s experience in the garment industry and Jenna’s artistic illustrations and founded their company Ortolan.

The sister’s maintain the highest standards of eco-friendly linens. The entire 2008 collection is made with 100% Certified Organic Cotton. Packaging is also 100% recycled, and all of the pillows are made with kapok fill, a vegan-friendly alternative to goose down. Additionally, all of their kitchen and bath goods are milled and sewn in the United States. All of the blankets and some of the pillows are hand woven in Peru using ancient weaving techniques.

The napkins and hand towels make excellent hostess gifts. Birds or strips are an excellent choice for city hosts and the cheeky crab and shell motifs are perfect for the beach hostess.

In September the designers will debut two new collections, Paisley–a flora-style vignette–and a funkier Tarot-card-inspired collection.

I highly recommend following the Mallet sisters as I think their renown will continue to grow as their collections continue to evolve. And, what is better than supporting budding young artists who are also doing their part to help save the planet?

–By Kate Bailey

Technorati Tags: Ortolan organics, organic linens, organic cotton towels, organic cotton napkins, stylish organic linens, organic bath towels, organic cotton blankets, handmade blankets, handmade pillows, organic pillows, vegan pillows

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Good news! Two companies that I know and love have just introduced their new graphic and colorful fabric collections.

Designer Thomas Paul’s very first fabric collection is named Thomas Paul Prints exclusively for Duralee. You probably recognize several of the bold patterns; in collaboration with Duralee, Thomas recolored and redesigned his well-known pillow designs to work as fabric yardage. I’ve featured his melamine tabletop here on GlamNest and his birds are iconic.

Thomas Paul’s fabrics are available to the trade through Duralee. To find out more about Thomas Paul and his other furnishings collections, visit his website.

I wrote about Hable Construction last week, but now there is another reason to check them out. They’ve just introduced their latest fabric designs and there are lots of fun patterns; the paisley is my favorite. Their cotton and linen fabrics are printed by hand in an old New England factory resulting in prints that look and feel like the work of artisans.

Yardage is available to the trade only, but visit Hable Construction’s website to see all of their fabrics and find out more information.

Hable Construction photos by RINNE ALLEN.

—Jennifer Kopf

Technorati Tags: fabrics, Thomas Paul, Duralee, Hable Construction

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Although it is still the dog days of summer, with temperatures in some cities reaching into the mid-to-high 90s, I still must absolutely start my day without a piping hot cup (or oversized mug) of black tea.

Some need their tar black coffee, some a creamy, frothy latte, and others can’t live without their Dunken Donuts cream-and-sugar laced cuppa. Due to a long-standing tradition in my family, I simply cannot do without my tea. Perhaps it is something about the ritual of tucking the dark, fermented leaves into a bag and pouring steaming water over the top into the mug resulting in a perfect, warming brew. I truly truly love tea.

In homage to my morning ritual, I am always on the lookout for a great new teapot–one that doesn’t dribble down the spout and spill all over the table. Of course it must be beautiful and have a ton of character. While I am not a collector per se, I do cherish my teapots and use each of them on a regular basis. Here are a few of my favorites.

TAC 02 Service by Walter Gropius for Rosenthal
$104.00/5-piece place setting
UnicaHome.com

Jasmine Tea Set by Chantal
$10.00-$42.00
Chantal.com

Shattered Tea Pot, Cup & Saucer
$23.00-$60.00
ClioHome.com

Black Forest Teapot, Cup and saucer
$92.00-$236.00
TartonTheWeb.com

Musical Chairs Teaset by Barbara Barry for Wedgwood
$435.00
Wedgwood.com

–By Kate Bailey

Technorati Tags: stylish teapots, tea pots, modern tea pots, tea sets, Chantal tea pot, Barbara Barry tea set, Wedgwood tea pot, Rosenthal tea pot

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While my mom was here last week, we, after a delicious breakfast at Balthazar, stopped in the Calypso Home store on Broome Street. There were lots of pretty things to see, but we each made a beeline to the stacks of handcrafted plates and bowls by Terrafirma Ceramics. Owner Ellen Evans has been designing and making pottery for decades at her New York studio. Her original collections are mostly solid colors with added textural details, but she’s gone in a different direction for her newer textile-inspired collection by keeping all of the detail on the actual plate. I first saw this stunning collection a year or so ago at the International Gift Show and have loved it ever since. The artists actually paint the tinted porcelain through lace and other fabrics to get the amazing patterns and colors. Ellen describes the results as “trompe-l’oeil renderings” of the fabrics because you can see and feel the effect of the various fabrics’ textures. What’s even better is that these beautiful pieces aren’t just to look at, they are completely functional and meant to be used, in fact they are even oven and dishwasher safe. Ellen designed the collection to be mixed and matched and encourages owners to layer the various colors and patterns for table settings that are completely unique.

Seeing this collection at Calypso reminded me how great it was. My mom loved it also and bought a plate to start her collection. I, of course, was all about the blues and she loved the browns, so we didn’t even have to fight over who got what.

Visit Terrafirma Ceramics’s website to learn more or contact them at terrafirmaceramics@att.net to find out where you can purchase their pieces.

—Jennifer Kopf

Technorati Tags: tablesettings, tabletop, dinnerware, ceramics, lace, textiles, artisan, handcrafted, handmade, Terrafirma Ceramics, Ellen Evans, Balthazar, Calypso Home

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My mom was visiting all last week and we did our best to shop our way through Manhattan. Here are a few of our favorite spots:

Hable Construction
117 Perry Street

Owned by two sisters, Hable Construction established itself with its collection of distinguishable fabrics, pillows, and bags. I especially love their new cot.

Besides their own collection, this small shop also houses works by various artisans, Bolivian rugs, and lots of tempting trinkets. Every time I stop in Hable Construciton, I admire the Light Drawings by Rinne Allen. Mom and I each bought a set of her postcards.

Hable Construction photos by RINNE ALLEN.

Michele Varian
35 Crosby Street

Michele carries her own line of beautiful silk pillows, but also interesting jewelry, lighting, glassware, and all kinds of decorative objects, both new and old. Be sure to explore every inch.

John Derian
6 East Second Street

The designer and artist John Derian is well known for his handmade decoupage items, but his store has so much more. You can’t help but leave inspired. We, of course, oohed and aahed through the piles of his decoupage plates and platters and loved looking at all of the creative displays of antiques, Astier De Villatte glazed pottery, and, my favorite, Hugo Guinness’ linoleum cut prints.

John also has a new furniture collection. I love the Cove Sofa upholstered completely in blue and white French grain sacks!

Ochre
462 Broome Street

I love the mix of old and new and modern and traditional at this London-based design shop. The store features their own line of stylish furniture and lighting and is complemented with lots of beautiful wares from artisans around the world.

Greenwich Letterpress
39 Christopher Street

A great spot for all kinds of cards, stationery, and little gifts. They also do amazing custom letterpress. I had my business cards made here.

Butik
604 Hudson Street

I love escaping into the world of this shop. Owned by Helena Christensen and her very creative partner, Leif Sigersen, Butik is filled with their line of clothing and all things Danish including antiques, candles, and jewelry. I love shopping here at Christmas.

Make sure to put these shops on your to-do list the next time you’re in New York. In the meantime, explore their websites to find out more about these creative people and their wares.

Happy Shopping!!!

—Jennifer Kopf

Technorati Tags: New York City, Manhattan, shopping, boutiques, home accessories, artisans, artwork, furniture, John Derian, Hable Construction, Hugo Guinness, Rinne Allen, Ochre, Butik, Helena Christensen, Leif Sigerson, Greenwich Letterpress, Michele Varian, pillows

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