Straw

LA PAILLE

Straw looks and feels so flimsy 

as if you could blow it away like the house of the 3 little pigs

yet,  it can be mixed with mud, to build very strong walls

it can be clipped in bunches to make very resistant roofs

it can be braided and twisted and glued to create wonderful art

 and of course we all know what fabulous hats have been  fashioned with it

this is what can be and has been done with straw:

the fabulous work of

ALEMAN and MOORE

http://www.alemanmoore.com/

large circular rug in saturated spicy tones

exactly like a huge straw hat: gutsy endeavour, unbelievable result

French Designer Showhouse JADHny image erica lennard

the same circular rug natural and red border

wavy stripes warm shades that awaken the tranquil mood

Aleman and Moore

Aleman and Moore

playful stools and organic bowls

the perfection of precision work and flawless artistry

straw wall  art  

straw architecture

this is a temporary! straw construction

for the Durga Budja Festival held every September in India

a beach full of cartoonesque umbrellas

a modest yet stunning mud and straw house in India

straw above

a hotel in Egypt; straw welft, wood warp, splendid "weave"

perfectly shaped seats as if molded by hand

flickr

strawhats and bags as design accessories. a beachy mood

Elle Decor casa de Meninas

Straw and wool moroccan floor mats for sale in all the medinas

great look . great deals  
flickr

au revoir.

Wood

LE BOIS
wood has been used in houses almost for ever
because of its amazing insulating qualities,
its abundance, its ease of use and versatility.
however, wood has now become a luxury material
and as such, it is treated with great respect
 the best artisans cut, shape, bend and sculpt it
they hoist large beams of it to hold up roofs
they chisel enormous planks of it into floors
they saw, plane, sand and join it to build cabinets and built-ins
they recycle it for tables and chairs
and, yes, they even imitate it to paper walls

wood walls

extraordinary filigree that boggles the mind

the precision of a job well done

rough and unfinished like a Kenian lodge (in Alaska!)

faux wood almost indistinguishable from the real stuff

painted wood a naive charming attic dormer

wood ceilings

wood sculptures

lighting

driftwood and the modern treatment of a 100% recycled material

let's close with  a little fun

REALLY real wood...REALLY fake pencils
images Elle Decor, Elle deco Italia, Jeffrey Bilhuber, flickr

au revoir.

Windows

LES FENETRES
why do we we cover our windows, you ask?
 well, a lot of the time, for very practical reasons
to screen our lives from prying eyes,
to keep our houses warm in winter, cool in summer,
to deaden the sound of footsteps in a large naked space,
 and, most of the time, for solely esthetic reasons
 to glamorize. modernise. sensualise.
accentuate. decorate. illuminate.
stretch out. jazz-up. dress-down. 
and, as we proceed on our quest for the perfect window-wear, 
let's take great care in choosing the ideal
outfit

real curtains

generous tone on tone fabric overdose

via flickr

grandiose Hollywood vibe with a Pixar twist

via flickr

a flash of turquoise like pretty eye shadow

in a great hodge podge of styles

ELLE DECOR

simple ornementation, discreet New England statement 

Jeffrey Bilhuber

accented sheerness; cool and bold at the same time

xjavierx

darkness and mystery for a deep deep sleep

via desiretoinspire

Park avenue splendor with the flair of miles of fabric

Arianna Belle

smoky shades of brown with flows of wheat; warmth and peace
xjavierx/ELLE DECOR

multiple panels like flowery aprons

via ffffound

like red lipstick on a diaphanous face

shades

very vintage like a decorated 50's school room

via flickr

bamboo shades for a pure white Caribbean island feel

via desiretoinspire

strict and practical. shades that do the job they are there for

via desiretoinspire

a perfect black and white trio in a whimsical kid's room

via apartmentherapy

valances

when just a valance is enough for a shot of color

via apartmenttherapy

wooden shutters

when sheers would be too cute and shutters too stark

domino

glazed shutters; privacy and light

colored glass

very Arts and Craft lazy afternoon

via flickr

Moroccan ingenuity and modesty; colored glass and shutters

au revoir.

Bamboo

LE BAMBOU

fabulous bamboo;

it's strong, water resistant, renewable, and beautiful

it can be cut, bent, rolled out, stained and painted  

it has been made into furniture, flooring, fountains, utensils and even bicycles

it has been mimicked, copied, and reproduced

it has been glued, nailed, tied, and joined.

and it is called

the material of the future

mimicked in a 70's chair

copied in a tall elegant bookcase

a little air of The Sheltering Sky

it has inspired contemporary designers

including Tiffany's

au revoir.