Stockings have two objectives - to amuse and delight, and to keep little children occupied. You yourself can have more fun choosing stocking stuffers than bigger presents, and at the same time you can show that you have noticed what each individual truly enjoys, and demonstrate your own outstanding taste and sense of humour. Go counter-intuitive! Maybe granny would like red silk underwear - maybe your millennial would be charmed by an embroidered antique Irish linen handkerchief. Anything small: Fidget toy, small perfume, bubble bath, a survival tool, our superior cocktail napkins, a pet brus ..read more

Since the 1800s, farming has run the gamut from natural to GMO. But now that governments have entered the fray with supportive subsidies, and organic farmers are making a concerted marketing effort to illustrate the value of this methodology, growth in the organic movement has accelerated. From its origins to today’s explosive industry expansion, we see how the organic food industry has grown over the last half-century into a global phenomenon. Communicating the key benefits of this type of agriculture is critical as it is a more expensive method of ..read more

A Visit with Tricia Rose of Rough Linen: The Original Coastal Grandma Reposted from Remodelista This just in from our longtime friend Tricia Rose, owner of Northern California company Rough Linen and a self-described coastal grandmother who lives (literally) in a boathouse perched on the edge of San Francisco Bay. Here’s her take on the Coastal Grandmother:   “The term Coastal Grandmother originated on TikTok by Lex Nicoleta, herself a decidedly un-grandmotherly twenty-six year old. It refers to a woman of confidence and comfortable means, who chooses exactly what she wants in her life ..read more

  If you love the seductive simplicity of white and still want to ring some changes, consider its perfect complement, black. Think of a dark room - moody, relaxed, introspective.  Having dark tones in the bedroom is restful, the room seems larger, and if the rest of your house has lighter colours, you can feel the switch in atmosphere as soon as you walk in the door - you are in your private space. If you want to go all-out, paint your walls, even your ceiling, and add the absolute sophistication of black linen curtains.  Myriad sheers will give you daytime privacy, while our ..read more

While walking yesterday my friend was telling me about a treat she made for her friend who was visiting after a long flight. Tea and hot shower, good soup, good bread, candles and a cosy fire, and an easy chat before turning in.  Doesn’t it sound wonderful? I love the idea, so I’m planning to pay it forward, but the other insight was that I could do it for myself.  Waffle means spoiling myself in my mind, it’s that simple.  I love the spa-like look and texture of waffle robes and towels, the way they sop up water so thirstily, the softness and slight abrasion if you want to ..read more

    Slim.  Technical. Sleek.  And heavenly comfortable. The new profile replacing box springs, and how to dress it.   If you are researching a new bed, there are a ton of choices now - mattresses online, who’d have thought it?  Cooling mattresses, memory foam mattresses, adjustable ones, your choice for wonderful comfort.  There is something for everyone, but notice one interesting thing - they tend to be slimmer than old-school mattresses.   This is based on technical advances but the aesthetic is a powerful driver too.  Thick, monolithic beds look ..read more

  Do you really need curtains? Not necessarily.  If you have a beautiful outlook, double glazed windows and no-one to invade your privacy, you might prefer to let it speak for itself.  The same goes for a feature window which is round, or has an arch - why cover it up?     If your windows are much taller or shorter than standard, you will need custom, to fit.  Even if your windows are small, it’s a good idea to place your rod as high next to the ceiling as possible, and have the fabric fall to the floor - it makes the window look bigger, and the room more unifie ..read more

   Women start up more small companies than men do, and I think I know why: we want to do it our way.  Gender bias in larger companies is insidious, it’s real, and if there’s a way to side-step it, working with women and for women is it!  Not everything will be plain sailing of course, but there’s a huge potential area of friction which simply doesn’t come into play.   Women carry the main burden of housework and childcare, and while I wish that would change, one practical thing we can do in the interim is to allow flexible working hours.  Health insurance, pai ..read more

  There is nothing like linen curtains to freshen a room. There’s something about the way they hang, how they move in a breeze and catch the light, there is nothing else like it. Bordure curtains are urbane and minimal, understated, but they can make an impact. We have defined the edge of the beautiful Smooth linen with a narrow, graphic outline in black to take them up a notch, while the body of the curtain is White, Light Grey, or my favorite, Natural. All are neutral tones which gain sophistication from the black edging.   You can hang them from a rod through the casing, but I ..read more

  You probably already appreciate the comfort and beauty of linen, since you are reading this! Linen is never clingy, and it is cool to the touch. The slightly rumpled texture sits lightly on your skin, warm but so very breathable, a tactile delight.  It is effortlessly absorbent, and because it is inherently anti-microbial, is resistant to mildew and funky smells.  Like wool, linen famously ‘wears clean’, but there is no greater treat than slipping between freshly washed sheets, feeling its reassuring crisp, clean texture under your hands, and breathing its wholesome scent. Pu ..read more