Globamarama

Oh, it's a beautiful day, filled with glitter and puppies and warm apple pie with sparkly sprinkles on top!

At Obama's inauguration, I expect there will be unicorns and rainbows, with pink cheeked babies and parades of fairy princesses. (If you're a boy, I guess there will be... trucks? Sports? What DO men like, anyway?) Unisex fireworks will light the sky and the grime of dark ages shall be swept away by the glow of a truthy new Renaissance (insert angel's trumpets here).

So in honor of this special day, I am passing on pedestrian red, white and blue, and instead I am going straight for da dazzle. Only happy objects shall grace these pages, only glowing bastions of brightness. But I'm omitting already obvious lamps and chandeliers, for the aura and glow of better days to come must be shared by all.

Stuart Haygarth's Aladdin Table is designed to act as a museum showcase for precious, sentimental objects. Let's say we stuff this sucker full of a better economy, peace in the Middle East, and a brighter, more purple future for our children.

Have a seat around this Illuminating Coffee Table and develop your plans for a new world order. Item one on the manifesto: There must be more hot pink. Everywhere.

If you're feeling a little lost in transition, perhaps these Top of the Iceberg lights by Birgit Ostergaard can help you find your way through the darkness. They might also remind you that after Obama conquers the economy, war, education and healthcare, he probably should deal with that dastardly global warming.

In the new world, no one shall go hungry, and this thousand-points-of-light table by Refined Sugar Studio will help to remind you that you are fortunate to have oh so many choices for foodstuffs: you could eat meat, eat fat, or even eat me. I am really hoping the Eat Me option is meant to evoke the slang, and not meant in a Soilent Green kind of way. That is not a vision of the future I want to embrace.

Of course, you could configure your own destiny with this Lite Brite Table. So turn on the magical shining light and make a steamboat, a chicken, a tropical fish -- a lemonade sign or whatever you wish! Aren't you loving the shape of things to come?

In this new shining era, everything will require you to wear your sunglasses at night, so you can -- so you can -- see the light that's right before your eyes.

See what I mean? She's obviously blinded by the light, hence the outfit. In her defense, Lee Broom's manipulated furnishings are pretty effing cool despite possessing potentially damaging effects to one's retinas.

On the other hand, a little extra illumination never hurt anyone. Unless you enjoy wearing clown makeup.

I'm suddenly considering getting crafty with my Chesterfield couch... This just looks so darn comfortable!

Oh, weird circus Thonet, you light up my life.

This is where I would sit and consider the first day of the rest of your lives... ooops! I mean, that's where Obama would sit.

After a long hard day of plotting, planning and designing, take a break and hang your hat on these groovy glowing coat racks by Yonoh Design. Enjoy the lovely, wholesome glow of sunny days that are sweeping the clouds away... Yes, friends, we are on our way to where the air is sweet!

But, can you tell me how to get a ride to the inauguration street?

Let's Hear it For the Birthday Boy

Happy inauguration eve everyone!  I know that I should be posting a bunch of red, white and blue decor and singing my heart out in celebration of the last day of eight very, very long years.  But, first things first, today is my friend Ben's birthday and we need to give him a shout out before tossing our baton and taking our first inaugural day parade steps.  Our birthday boy is a sound guy, as in, holding boom mikes and recording voice overs.  All of his equipment is pretty ugly (save one speaker case that I stickered for him) and consists of a bunch of techy boy stuff and wires.  I think if Ben really wants to look pro, he should probably give his own personal sound system a boost with any of today's speaker choices.

This universal plug and play system for audio devices was designed by Per Brickstad as his design degree project.  I don't know about you kids but when I was in art school I was surrounded by a bunch of stoners chopping up shopping carts.  I think I might have gone to the wrong school.  Anyway, I hope Brickstad makes these quick, when he does, for Ben's birthday, I will suggest to him that he buys one.  What?  Typing this isn't enough?

If Ben's grandma sends him a check for $2475 for the big 3-7, he could have an MP3 playing iball chair made to his specifications.  Hunter green shell with mint interior?  Whatever you say, birthday face.

These speak-ers are my very favorite speakers ever.  I think Ben should get me 2 for my birthday (psst, ben, may 29th!)

If Ben wants to lay down some bass, he could compliment any of the above sound systems with these precious woofers.  

The next time our birthday boy has a few days off between shoots and is feeling crafty, he could even follow this DIY guide for making his own Munny Doll Speakers.  He will easily be the coolest man on campus if he marches back to set toting these gems.

But, then again, he is a boy, so he would probably prefer to paint something a little more like this for himself:

These custom illustrated speakers by Get The Egg would be a lovely addition to any bachelor pad and shouldn't scare the ladies off at all.

If Ben is more interested in showing his sensitive side he could always go here:

This Concerto Table is sure to woo any young lady Ben decides to invite a lady in to "see his record collection" or "meet his new cat" 

See Ben, aren't you just so glad we're friends?  What on earth would you do without all of my wonderful advice?  

Pompom Phenomenon

A few days ago, Stephanie at super awesome radicool blog even*cleveland posted on all kinds of crafty pompoms, those fuzzy wuzzy balls of good cheer. I've been lusting after a pompom bedspread since summer, so I feel compelled to post an intrablog follow up to show you some more... balls. This time in interiors. Soon, you'll want to sew pompoms onto everything, but control thyself! Balls are very powerful, and require a judicious measure of restraint. So without further ado, here's the pair that first inspired my desire:

I'm not a big fan of the peppermint patty headboard in this Tom Scheerer bedroom, but I love the dreamy quality the pompom fringe brings to the edge of the bed. My dear sweet mother sewed fringe onto EVERYTHING (Couch: check. Every pillow on the couch: check. Curtains: why not?), so I certainly have a nostalgic appreciation for those little dingle berries, as well as a healthy fear for the havoc they can wreak.

But, hark! Here is the very same bedspread featured in Domino (apparently available only through ABC Home and Carpet. Grrr! Why don't I live in New York?), and does it not captivate? The soft texture it adds to rough surfaces and hard lines balance this simple room out beautifully. Please ignore the bleed through from the back page... Miles Redd and his striped rooms are also very powerful stuff.

If you want just a splash of texture, a colorful throw like the one in this lovely apartment featured on Decor8 might do the trick. Oh, and I will also take everything else in this room, please. Thank you.

For a dose of color in an all white room, consider sewing a colorful ball fringe on a white blanket, and hey presto! You have a sexy little number to keep you warm at night. Photo via the Style Files.

An old school chenille bedspread packed with pompoms adds bohemian charm and texture to this bedroom. Plus it makes me want to jump up and down on the bed and scream, "Wheeeeeeeee! I love balls!" Photo via Elle Decor.

Perhaps you'd like to keep your ball lovin' on the down low. Discreet pompoms sewn onto these coverlets are cheeky without resorting to kitsch appeal. Photo via Domino.

Then there's this hot little throw, strewn oh so casually across the bed, that gives me a warm feeling inside. It's tres elegant -- looks very high class and expensive -- but you'll want to spend all night long with it. Photo via Elle Decor.

Speaking of throws, this is -- all kidding aside -- the MOST amazing throw, ever. It comes courtesy of Etsy seller Modern Fiber Lab, and it is worth every penny of its asking price. Felted by hand of wool and mohair using traditional techniques, it's simply the most weirdly elegant pompom pelt in the universe. Period. You know what I want for Christmas next year, so start saving up.

Although I obviously have a crush on pompom bedspreads and throws, you can feel free to spread the balls far and wide throughout your home. Case in point: this crazy rug beckons for your sweet, sweet love down by the fire. Courtesy of Sew Very Prairie.

Karly has a killer pompom pillow that makes her couch look like a million bucks. Be like Karly and bring a little squishy love into your life with these fringe elements. Clockwise from top left: Pillow via Country Home Living, Red or Brown Pillow at World Market on sale for $7.48, Minimal Pompom Pillow Cover at West Elm on sale for $6.99 (indigo only), Handmade Retro Red Pillow at Weezi for $24.98.

If you're crafty, you could sew a line of pompom fringe onto just about anything, like this window cornice. Photo via Domino.

More ballsy craft ideas... or just feel free to buy from the source. Sheer curtains with tiny pompoms available at PB Teen (!), Crazy pompom fringe parrot lamp at Whatiszot Design, Ball fringe blanket at Calypso.

No jokes here, only a gorgeous image that combines a lot of pretty pretty elements all framed by an amazing vintage crocheted curtain dripping with delicate pompoms. Me likey. Picture courtesy of Bohemian Hellhole, a great blog with a great name.

So, don't be afraid cheer for the return of the pompom, because it's time to get ballsy with decor. If these two strapping young bucks could go down out on the fringe, so can you.