I love books! My apartment may be tiny, but my stacks of books are huge! It’s always such a treat when I can escape into a bookstore and explore what’s on the shelves. Hot off the press is Mary Emmerling’s Beach Cottages, the 20th+ book from decorating editor and author, Mary Emmerling. This coffee table beauty features the rooms and outdoor spaces of 17 dreamy beach cottages located coast to coast.

Even if, like me, you only dream of life on the beach, you’ll get plenty of ideas and inspiration to help you bring a little of the look to your home. And, don’t just take in the pretty pictures; Mary’s included a primer on beach house essentials, a huge list of shopping sources, and, one of my favorite parts, clever lists of everything beachy.

Mary and I worked together for 10 years at Country Home magazine and is my long-time friend and mentor. We met at my favorite neighborhood restaurant, Morandi, to chat about life at the beach.

JK: What do you love most about living in a beach cottage?
ME: I love the freshness of it: the ocean smells and breezes; the flowers and produce in the summer; and sunsets enjoyed with friends.

JK: What do you consider the essential elements of a beach house?
ME: I love slipcovers, white ironstone, blue and white fabrics, natural materials such as rattan and sisal, candles, and breezy curtains.

JK: I love the touches of humor in your decorating. How do you keep a room fun?
ME: Don’t take decorating too seriously and surround yourself with fun things—like beach balls, colorful jewelry, and family photos that make you smile. Also, look in your closet for unexpected decorating accessories; beach bags, straw hats, and sarongs add great color and style.

Mary Emmerling’s Beach Cottages is available at Amazon or Barnes & Noble.

Photos by Carter Berg. Photos courtesy of Clarkson Potter/Publishers.

— Jennifer Kopf

Technorati Tags: Mary Emmerling, Beach Cottage, book, review, interior, design, decorating, style, tips, photos

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OK, so I have a little problem: I’m a bit obsessed with ceramics. Especially ones with unusual glazes and arresting profiles. I can’t get enough, yet I already have too many to fit in my petite home. But, really, that’s the beauty of pottery. You can always find more room for it! If you run out of tabletops, place a few on a bookcase. If you run out of shelf space, sit them in your windowsills. No more ledge space? Get an artful planter for the floor. And on and on it goes. To me, a piece of pottery is like sculpture–but with more use value.

So you can only imagine my excitement at discovering Teco. Designed by acolytes of Frank Lloyd Wright’s Prairie School, these strikingly modernist vases were originally produced between 1899 and 1920 by the American Terra Cotta & Ceramics Company (i.e. TeCo). Now, the Prairie Arts Studio (run by husband-wife team Bryan and Lisa Kelly plus Lisa’s brother, Eric O’Malley) is putting a select few back into production. Slip-cast formed and glazed by hand, the seven shapes come in six retro-ish hues.

Check ‘em out here: Teco Art Pottery Collection, through Prairie Arts. –Jen Renzi

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By Katherine Bailey

Exotic, ethnic, tribal, global–whatever you call it, this motif has been a favorite since European explorers returned from the Far East laden with delicate porcelain, hand-painted tiles, and brightly patterned rugs.

Over the past few years, as imports from distant lands have become more easily available, exotic designs have emerged as a simple way to add panache to a room without taxing your budget.

I like to call it the “Aladdin’s Lamp Effect”–adding as many colorful accessories and hand-carved furnishings as you like to inspire you to dream of exotic locals such as India, Morocco, Tibet, Nepal, and Bali. A virtual trot around the globe if you will.

Luckily, an amazing array of stores, catalogs and online e-tailers have cropped up offer an overwhelming amount of inexpensive pieces. Some, like Pier 1 Imports and Cost Plus World Market, have been around for many years. Other companies, such as West Elm, E Bella Designs and Anthropologie, offer contemporary twists on classic ethnic motifs.

Here are a few of my favorites:

Moroccan tea glasses ($30 for 6)


ikat-print pillows ($19 each)

hand-carved mango wood vase ($15 to $25 each)

modern white cutout lanterns

The best part? The look works well with almost any interior. A few wooden vases or woven bowls will soften a contemporary room. Tribal patterns work beautifully with classic designs, and many of the newer designs are moderately priced so you don’t have to sell your car to buy one.

If you want to go all-out, stick with the mantra that more is more. Layer vibrant colors and prints with carved woods, woven rattans, and soft textures. You will feel as though you are lounging in a souk’s tent with nothing but sunshine and sand for miles.

However, if you are shy of overdosing on color, start with something simple, a candle that hints of cardamom or coriander, or a set of curtains from John Robshaw ($140 each).

No matter what you choose, I guarantee that it will have you longing for your own genie lamp to grant you three wishes too.

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What to get the woman who has everything? This question is the supreme Mother’s Day cliché, but one that holds true each year, particularly when there is only one week to go and I am scrambling to find that perfect little something. “Perfect” meaning she 1) will instantly smile as soon as she unwraps the box; 2) will find it either useful or delightfully tasty; and 3) won’t get angry at me for spending too much money. With that in mind I went on the ultimate quest for the five amazing Mother’s Day presents under $50. There is something here for every type of mom–from gourmet cooks, to perennial philanthropists, to avid tea drinkers. - Katherine Bailey

Tea Stick Infuser
Tea is warm, soothing, comforting, and a perfect excuse for a couple of chocolate-covered biscotti in the afternoon. Wrap this stylish, portable tea infuser with an assortment of high-end loose teas (Jasmine Pearls, Yunnan and Keemun are some of my favorites), and a few homemade cookies. Then, make sure to set a date for your next mother/daughter tête a tête. $24.

Rose Petal Truffles
A bouquet of roses is a dead giveaway that you only remembered Mother’s Day because your best friend muttered something about it through mouthfuls of chicken sandwich at lunch. These exquisite handmade, dark-chocolate truffles might not last much longer than flowers, but they will be infinitely more memorable. Each one is filled with dark-chocolate, rose-water ganache, and topped with a real rose petal…OMG. $40.00/for 20.

Hope Basket from the Heifer Project
There is nothing—and I mean nothing—better than helping others in need. The Heifer Project helps impoverished farmers and families around the world via donations of livestock. Their Basket of Hope is filled with baby chicks that will eventually lay eggs and provide manure for gardens, and bunnies (how much more can we tug at your heartstrings), that quickly reproduce so their owners can sell the offspring. If this doesn’t bring a smile to her face. $50.

Pearls in Bud Earrings
You can never go wrong with a simple, stunning pair of pearl studs. However, these delicate gems, set in sterling silver petals, are more than just pretty. They have an intriguing meaning behind their beauty. Tell your mum that in ancient Rome pearls were considered the ultimate symbol of wealth and social standing, and to the Greeks, pearls were associated with love and marriage. She will be sure to wear them with a gleam in her eye. $38.

Dr. Hunter’s Hand Crème
Hand cream for Mother’s Day? Trust me. Dr. Hunter’s is not just hand cream…it is quite simply the most luscious, lavish, delectable crème ever! I received it as a birthday present from a friend and have been hooked ever since. Not only is it the softest, most luxurious thing you can put on your skin, but it has a gorgeous, faint scent of roses. Add a set of emery boards, a poppy-hued nail polish and voila!…instant manicure. After all, whose mother doesn’t need a little pampering? $12.

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by Jennifer Kopf

Finding a good-looking and affordable rug is hard to do. But, thanks to the folks at Dash & Albert Rug Company, the task just got a little easier. They’ve just released a full color catalog packed with beautiful photos of their entire 100+ rug collection. With images of rugs in room settings and against picturesque outdoor backdrops, you get a real sense of how these beauties can enhance your home. Plus, you get to see lots of pictures of cute Clumber Spaniel puppies.

The right rug can really help you pull a room together (even one with the most jumbled collection of mismatched furniture!). Whatever your style, casual or formal, muted or bright, playful or romantic, Dash & Albert’s cotton woven and wool hooked designs are up for the job.

Tequila Sunrise Spice

Spinnaker

One of the newest additions to their offerings is a collection of indoor/outdoor rugs, including lots of stripes and geometrics in festive colors. They’re guaranteed to help turn any outdoor space into a well-defined room and are ideal for all of those high-traffic indoor spaces. And they’re woven of polypropylene, so you just hose off and let dry. Just in time for all those summer gatherings!

Lighthouse Indoor/Outdoor

Visit dashandalbert.com to order the catalog, peruse their rug designs, and find a retailer near you.

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