Seagrass baskets

Feeling an inkling of the spring need to organize, I ponder the basket.

A basket, in my opinion, should be large. Small ones are just clutter. They should have a nice texture, as used by Jessica Buckley, Mark Sikes and Jenny Keenan.

In a pinch, a market tote will do. Mark Sikes scatters them all around.

(Either that or he's carrying the same basket from room to room.)

A small space does best with a tall narrow round basket - maximum storage on minimum floor space.

The ones above are Wistera ($69), Crate and Barrel ($69.99) and West Elm ($129). Similar are available at Pottery Barn and Restoration Hardware in the $200 range.

The best bargain baskets are the three for $99 at Z Gallerie (go thirdsies with two friends) or West Elm's large curved basket for $54.

Or, cheaper yet, consider Z Gallerie's sea grass market tote for $24.95.

Have you found any great baskets?

Random round things

The new Cala hammered coffee table from World Market is cool for apartment people. The top comes off for stashing stuff (like all the decorative throw pillows you hoarde but don't use.)

And just as I was tiring of the whole pouf thing, John Robshaw has me thinking about it again with a DIYable block print canvas version.

My DIY not really alpaca azure throw

This weekend I "made" a throw inspired by Crate and Barrel's Lima Alpaca Azure Throw. The real deal is $169 and I'm sure it's fabulous. See it below.

Mine is a couple of yards of some sort of jersey knit a friend gave me. I folded it in half, sewed up the sides, turned it right side out and sewed the opening closed.

I also tried out some other fabric I picked up as a room divider curtain. The combo of a sort of flame stitch with a sort of stripe in blue and turquoise has this awesome surfer vibe. However, Mr. Bromeliad found it traumatizing. The nesting tables are a recent street find.

Have you changed anything up for spring yet?

White sofa du jour

Not dead. Just busy.

Thanks for all the visits and nice comments while I dropped off planet earth.

Photo from Marie Claire Maison via Dust Jacket Attic.