Upgrade

I usually space out my design roundups more, but there’s just been so much good stuff, that I had to share! Allons-y!

#1: Meet the new Oeuvres Sensibles (j/k, nothing should replace OS): Masami Akatsuka, an artist based in France who makes one-of-a-kind patchwork curtains and decor. Here is her IG.

#2: This isn’t super new, but I’m obsessed. Kohler sells this water filtration doo-dad that will give you room temp, cold, hot, or SPARKLING water at the touch of a button. Can I please get this in my non-fancy kitchen? FYI, I’m obsessed with Kohler and its history. Kohler: Please sponsor me!

#3: Attn: Design parents. Meet Steely, “considered feeding products” in marble-inspired motifs.

#4: The Kelly Wearstler x H&M Home collab launches today! Check out the Noxen chair, the Myra side table, and the Mona clothing rack.

#5: New addition to the Schmatta Rug Guide. Bi-Rite’s solid-color, perforated rugs. V. design cool kid.

Read more

Subscribe now

If you’ve been around here for a while, you know how I feel about “design trends.”

Still. Today, we’re talking about a supposedly trending couch color.

When it comes to couches, it’s more the “style” that begins to catch on. A new generation gets into the Camaleonda (a word I will never learn to spell) or Camaleonda knock-offs. The overstuffed linen couch look has been big for a bit, and yes I do own a Sixpenny.

When it comes to couch colors, people play it safe: white, gray, dark gray, medium gray, beige, black, navy, maybe a hunter green. And despite being someone who is currently sitting on a beige sofa (although I do have a second slipcover in a “sweet potato” hue), I do believe that buyers should take larger risks with their couches. Think about it. An unexpected/loud couch instantly gets you into “design.” To wit:

But I get it: Couches are really expensive, and unless you are rich or a design editor, you can’t just “switch it up,” which is why most people pick a solid, neutral color. Something Inoffensive.

But I think there’s a new hue in town, and here’s how I got to that thinking…

Read more

Here we are, folks! Another run of Good Schmutz, my roundup of design things I think are cool/beautiful/at least worth knowing about. Shall we get started?

#1: Lovely new wallpaper source alert: CommonRoom. UK-based, delivers to the States, inspired by William Morris, but far more modern/playful.

#2: Shameless plug, but FYI if you haven’t heard, I’ve spent hours creating specific shopping guides. Bookmark them anytime you’re searching…but don’t want to (Google) search.

#3: New addition to my tile guide: Tilecito. (Female-founded biz!) And specifically their tile shelves. Great for a kids’ bath! Great for your bath! Great for any wall at all!

#4: My friend, the lovely Lazy Jamie (who is not at all lazy) just launched her new “ladies who lunch serving set.” A reasonable $82 for making your salad look like a work of art. cc:

#5: Trending this month on IG: Dabito’s New Orleans kitchen. I’m very into this post where he breaks down the entire cost of the reno. I also appreciate him breaking out the gifted/sponsored costs which so many decorator-influencers just pretend doesn’t exist.

#6: Two interesting design fair updates. Alcova is coming to Mexico City for the city’s 2027 Art Week. And Morocco is launching a two-day design event in Casablanca this fall. PRs: Send me to either/both!

Read more

It has been months, nay, a year, since I realized that I needed to do something about my shopping guides. We all need a place that has a ton of resources so we’re not just blindly Googling “couch,” and hoping the G-box brings us the right one. Back in ye olde days of the Web 1.0, I used to bookmark ’s shopping list page; anytime I wa…

Read more

Let’s get straight to it. We recently went over kind-of affordable dining chair sets. To recap: Dining chairs are so annoying because you have to buy so many of them. So no matter how cheap your dining chairs are — it’s still a lot of money. In part 1, I found you options from Zara Home, IKEA, and HAY, as well as options by Scandinavian and independent makers.

But, honestly, you’re probably better off (financially) buying a vintage set — you just have to look at where the vendor is. Buying from Europe means larger shipping costs.

So, here we go…

Read more

I find dining chairs to be some of the most infuriating decor. The right combo of table and amazing dining chairs makes you look like a decorating genius. But you have to buy so many! So expensivo! ARRRRRGGGG!

As for moi, I have IKEA chairs similar to this, but in red. Nothing fancy but they make a nice statement. And we have had them for 10 years! And this was before everyone was talking about the pop of red theory.

<<Want more Schmatta shopping guides? Here ya go!>>

So I’ve picked out some chairs for you and I’m listing them by individual price and as a set of 6. I mean, if you have more than 4 friends, more power to you. I’m trying to stay under $500 per chair, which honestly — is difficult and still nuts! But let’s just assume you’re ready to actually buy a set and you know it’s going to cost something. Also, FYI: I hate heavily upholstered dining chairs. Or dining chairs that look like armchairs.

Just so you know, my dream dining chairs are Vico Magistretti Carimate chairs —4 without arms, and 2 with arms at the heads of the table. Which brings me to my final point — next week will be a part 2, focusing on vintage dining chairs.

Allons-y!

Read more

Upgrade to $$ pls for the love of god

#1: In Common With’s new Murano collection has truly captured my heart. Any of you rich-o’s want to buy this chandelier for me?

#2: French-Vietnamese designer Quentin Vuong’s club chair with mother-of-pearl inlay is a masterpiece.

#3: Incredible Etsy find (pricey, but incredible): vintage teak mirror designed by Jacob Hermann for Randers of Denmark:

#4: I, moi, Leonora, made a video about Polly Pocket and small space design:

#5: Howell (aka Night Palm) x Harrier for Crate&Barrel is glam in a great way.

Read more

Welcome, welcome!

It’s time for another round of Good Schmutz, my monthly-ish column of design happenings, new releases, ones to watch, and just cool stuff I’m loving. If you want to get caught up on our previous edition, I’ve temporarily removed the paywall:

Subscribe now

Otherwise, onto what’s NEWNEWNEW:

#1: I gotta say—there aren’t many pretty trash cans on the market. Kudos to Caraway Home for this new trash and recycling duo.

#2: I’m appreciating the tile work in designer Nina Freudenberger’s latest kitchen.

#3: I bookmarked this ADU of a home that was recently on the market in El Sereno (East L.A.) because this is actually such a genius way to add more space to a small structure: place it partially below ground. (See IG for more pics.)

#4: My favorite cleaning brand, Koala Eco, sent me their new rosalina and peppermint hand soap and body lotion. I love that the soap makes your hands feel really, really clean. As always, my top rec if you are new to Koala Eco is the Best Seller Collection, currently on sale.

#5: Unhinged Airbnb.

Read more

Read more

Is it just me, or perhaps you’ve noticed decor becoming increasingly…theatrical?This has manifested in wink-and-nod products bordering on satire. I’m thinking about Seletti’s giant Bic pen light or fashion-mimicking items like Oeuvre Sensibles’ Clothing Curtains, which were just mentioned in a NYT article about designers making home items to resemble cl…

Read more

Gustaf Westman, patron saint of Gen Z design, has a knack for capturing the moment. To wit: The Swede just created a curling-inspired bowl and drink stand right in the middle of the Olympic winter games. (No word yet on if he’s selling these, or if it’s just a fun concept.)

It made me wonder if any other designers or brands in the decor or furniture spaces had created special releases for the 2026 games, and I came up with nada. Seems like a missed opportunity, right? (Unless I’m the one who is missing something.)

Luckily, there are plenty of cool relics from games of Olympics past. Some are true collectors’ items with astronomical price tags; others on the weirder or more obscure side can be had for less than $200. Here are some fantastic vintage Olympics finds—the oldest one dating back to the 1928 Games in Amsterdam.

Orrefors Sweden Olympic Torch Candle Holder Lars Hellsten 1980s

1980 Moscow Olympics Porcelain Vase

Sarajevo Winter Olympic Games 1984 Mascot Figure Candlestick

David Hockney, 1984 XIV Olympic Winter Games “The Skater” Vintage Poster

1984 Los Angeles Summer Olympic Games Bottle

Original Brutalist Olympic Games 1972 Munich Candleholder

Pair of 1988 Calgary Winter Olympics Glasses

1980 Moscow Olympics Vintage Night Light

Berlin 1936 Table Lamp With Olympics Logo

1984 Lillehammer Coffee Set by Porsgrund

Barcelona Olympic Games 1992 Hand-Blown Glasses by Gordiola

Vintage Fondue Pot With Olympic Rings

1928 Olympics Hand Painted Plate with Chiron as Archer by Sphinx

1972 Munich Olympic Games Poster by Josef Albers

Vintage 1984 Los Angeles Summer Olympics Salt Pepper Shaker Set

1992 Olympics Rocks Glasses by Halston

1980 Moscow Summer Olympics Souvenir

J.A. Henckels Bottle Opener for Munich 1972 Games

In today’s Good Schmutz: A rug-couch, news about Areaware, Roman Coppola’s house, wondrous lighting discoveries, Seletti’s viral pen light, two buzzy soaps to try, IKEA sofa covers by a cool L.A. designer, and more.

#1: The end of an era. Areaware, a brand that defined a meaningful portion of millennial design, is closing. Areaware’s imaginative decor and diverse roster of designers and artists will be sorely missed. The brand’s influence can’t be overstated—you’ve almost certainly encountered its work, if not the knockoffs it inspired.

#2: Here’s a first in multi-purpose furniture: Sabine Marcelis’s Roll, a rug and sofa in one. (Or is it anti-purpose furniture?) Either way, kudos to Sabine for consistently delivering great design surprises. No doubt in my mind one of these will end up in a SKIMS ad.

#3: Heavenly lighting alert: The Giza Suspension II by Studio Ebur. Did you peep those pearls dangling from the corners? There are so many design references elegantly packaged into this piece. Which I can’t afford.

#4: Thirstcross Grange: Try this Wuthering Heights Airbnb in the U.K. for your V-Day escapade.

#5: I’ve always been a bit skeptical of Bemz, the company known for making covers for IKEA sofas. I just can’t be convinced an IKEA sofa is any good, even when dressed up. But I’ll be eager to see what their Francesca Grace collab will look like. Grace, an L.A.-based home stager and furniture designer, has seen a huge crescendo in her career and I do really like what she does with stripes.

#6: Gufram x Luna Luna x Keith Haring. Fun, if impractical.

#7: Cassarohome is one of the most unhinged kids’ furniture companies out there—in the best way. The prices are bonkers, but the goods make me giggle with a sort of ironic delight. $5,000 velvet linen kids’ sofas. $1,000 silk canopies. Newest to the collection: Louis XVI-inspired chairs for littles. Because every child needs a throne.

#8: My Spidey-sense is telling me to be on the lookout this year for faux bois. It’s been popping up here and there in the tours I write for AD, and then I spied these plates by Este Ceramiche.

#9: I enjoyed John Ota’s 2020 book The Kitchen in which he traveled across the country, visiting famous kitchens, starting with one in Plymouth, Massachusetts. He’s now written a sequel, The Dining Room, coming out March 17. It comes at an interesting time, when we’ve been debating whether or not the dining room is dead.

#10: It’s become impossible to escape Ash, the hotel group which also makes furniture, home decor, and bathing goods. Ash’s PR team sent me their soap on a rope, and I love its spicy, amber-y scent. I feel that the return of bar soap is upon us.

#11: Sorry—this newsletter is going heavy on luxury spends. But there’s a point to it all, right? We’re winning the Powerball this week and we need to be prepared. So put this on your to-buy list: Saved NY’s cashmere blankets, which start at $1,750 EACH. These read more like tapestries—many need to spread out to get the full picture. Hard to pick a favorite, but I do enjoy the “Binding” blanket, below.

#12: Roman Coppola’s L.A. home is on the market. It’s my dream house. And I shall soon be the owner, after winning the Powerball.

#13: The decorwebs have been pleased as punch about the Seletti light made in the likeness of a Bic pen. Reminds me of a giant Swatch circa 1982. People are actually buying these as the stock appears to be sold out everywhere. Now I’d like to see how people are styling them in their homes.

#14: I love the simplicity of Astrid Houssin’s Nautilus mirror, featuring a black lacquered frame with spiral details that give just a soupçon of Art Nouveau. You can also order a matching shelf. Houssin doesn’t list prices, so I’m going to assume the mirror and shelf combo is about the cost of my mortgage.

#15: East Fork has come out with hand soap! I have Tender Earth, which is earthy, a little flowery…TL;DR it smells fancy.

#16: Ilia Beauty x Eny Lee Parker. First of all, I adore Eny Lee Parker. The rugs! The lighting! It’s ::chef’s kiss::. This lip gloss holder is begging for a vanity moment.

I’ve been writing about design for over 8 years now. This started when my career brought me to lead editorial for Hunker, a shelter publication I co-founded under the umbrella of a larger media company. There’s a reason I’m not linking to Hunker; it was sold a few years ago and now represents everything that is wrong with the internet. But, back in the day, we were competing alongside your Dominos and Apartment Therapies, etc.

Read more

Happy December, Schmatta readers! Once again, it’s time for Good Schmutz, my roundup of what’s good, great, and (sometimes) funny in design.

#1: The placing-tile-on-furniture thing isn’t new, but this Welcome Cupboard by Matthew Raw⁠ has an entirely high-craft vibe.

#2: I’ve long felt that bathroom design has been particularly stagnant. People talked a lot about this very ridiculous toilet at last year’s Salone (Milan’s furniture fair). But the most interesting thing I’ve come across in a while is Trone, a Parisian bathworks brand whose slogan is “Finally, good-looking toilets, basins and accessories in bold colors.” And yes, the below is a toilet.

#3: Here’s a good one to note if you’re looking for the perfect holiday gift that’s a crowdpleaser that also leans design. The Prisoner Wine Company, a Napa Valley favorite, donates 5% of proceeds from each bottle in its Corrections series to the Center for Art & Advocacy. The 2022 Corrections Stags Leap Red Wine features artist Jesse Krimes’ Purgatory artwork. (Krimes, formerly incarcerated, recently had this work acquired by The Met.) You can also try The Prisoner’s flagship 2023 Red Blend, featuring an etching by the 19th-century Spanish artist and social activist Francisco de Goya. The Prisoner Wine Company donates 3% of Red Blend sales to The Center for Art & Advocacy. #partner. For ages 21+.

#4: Gergei Erdei (if this dude doesn’t have a tongue-twister or a limerick with his name, he needs one) has designed this gorgeous, Grecian-esque sconce in collab with Porta Romana.

#5: Just discovered glass artist Mad Mad Raven and their gorgeous stained glass fan designs. Would have made for great holiday gifts, sadly, seems as though there is a waitlist.

#6: I’ve written about Koala Eco before, but I want to reiterate how much I LOVE these cleaning products. They’re not so fancy that you feel bad even using them, but they’re high-end enough to make you feel like you’re better than Windex. (And you are.) Honestly, the Complete Collection ($81 for 8 products…a steal) would be a wonderful gift.

Subscribe now

#7: Justine Menard glass. She makes jewelry and decor…and sometimes the decor looks like jewelry.

#8: Attn: Interior designers! Here’s a plug for my own product. I’ve written and edited hundreds of home tours over the course of my career, so I’ve put together a guide for interior designers about how to talk to the press about your work. Purchase the PDF solo, or add on a personalized coaching session.

#9: As Brownstone Boys put it — color of the year? We prefer wood. Take this beautiful, rich wood kitchen by Workstead:

#10: Cabana Mag’s shop has a bunch of really great marbled wares that aren’t too, too pricey. My pick is this marbled cup and pencil set:

#11: Bitossi x Patricia Urquiola vases and centerpieces. Put these two together and you can do no wrong.

#12: More cork for 2026! It’s an eco-friendly, affordable material and I’m seeing more and more applications in bathrooms. See: this design by Charlap Hyman & Herrero:

#13: Finnish bird houses:

#14: Flexible marble??? My mind is blown:

#15: My obsession with Wedgwood continues. Don’t we need these ornaments for our Xmas trees?

#16: Great gift alert for the person who has EVERYTHING. These candleholders for Mutina designed by Ronan Bouroullec are modular and can be moved into several configurations. It’s a limited run of 100 and you have to email editions@mutina.it ⁠to inquire.

~Spoiler alert: Schmatta’s biggest giveaway yet is happening! One of you will win a Louis Poulsen table lamp, courtesy of Lumens.~

Danish lighting company Louis Poulsen has been shaping the way we live with light since 1874 — long before Scandi-chic became a “lifestyle” trend that people tried to peg onto literally anything. The company’s partnership with Poul Henningsen in the 1920s changed lighting forever when he created the “PH system” — that tri-shade construction that defines Poulsen design. I hadn’t actually given it much thought — aside from its aesthetic beauty — until I read more about it on the Louis Poulsen website:

The top shade takes care of the brightest light, the middle shade redirects and softens it, and the bottom shade shields the eyes from glare. Together, they create a warm, balanced illumination that feels as natural as daylight and as inviting as candlelight.

Subscribe now

Lucky for you folks, I’ve teamed up with Lumens to send one of you (paid) subscribers a classic Louis Poulsen design: the PH 2/2 Luna LED Table Lamp in a limited edition aged brass patina.

This Danish lamp ordinarily retails for $1,725, however it’s on super-sale thanks to Lumens’s Black Friday event. (And it should be known that they have deals at up to 60% off during this shopping week.)

So, if you’re feeling like it’s finally time to own a real “design” piece (without paying a “design” price), now is your chance.

To win, you must be a paid Schmatta subscriber. If you’re not, upgrading is easy! Just click below.

Upgrade to Paid

If you’re already a paid subscriber, all good! You’re automatically entered to win. I’ll contact the winner on January 2nd.

xx and happy merry to you all!

Quick memo: Our 2 bed craftsman home in Pasadena, CA is available for short-term rental starting Jan 1. It’s fully furnished and plenty cozy.

Read more

Jews and friends-of-the-Jews alike: Mark your calendars for December 14 for the start of Hanukkah.

If you’ve been a Schmatta subscriber for a while, you know our plight: Good design + Judaica is a combo we don’t often find. But things are looking up this year. So, I’ve assembled a list of the best menorahs on the internet, this year with some truly, trul…

Read more

Redeem Here

So, I’m living in NYC for a while. And just to get the embarrassing bit out the way: My husband, 4-year-old daughter, and 16-year-old cat and I moved in with my parents. I grew up in this apartment. And now, despite all of my accomplishments, I live in the same room I last lived in when I was 17.

Since then, it’s been transformed into my mom’s office which is stuffed to the brim with paperwork and books (Joys of Yiddish, Kosher Sex, Genocide, Klezmer!) from her former career as a cantor (Jewish clergy). An entire wall is filled with an IKEA Pax wardrobe and there are somehow also two bookshelves and an upright piano in this room.

Which is to say: I don’t have a bedroom so much as a situation. A corner. Still, it’s been an interesting lesson in cultivating character and function in a small space. The TL;DR of it all? Go all in on a distinctive color combination.

This room has never had a bed, so first priority was getting a mattress and bed frame in place. Luckily, I was assigned a review of an Ostermoor mattress for Domino mag, so the company sent over a sample. Holy shit, you guys. I feel like a billionaire sleeping on this thing. We got the most plush version, The Bedford, and it’s almost comically comfortable.

I chose a Thuma bed frame (the Classic in the natural finish), which famously boasts a no-hardware construction. I am so fucking proud to say that my daughter watched me assemble that bed all by myself (and yes, the pieces were heavy). The moment I finished I was like, “RAAAWWHHHRRR!! DID YOU SEE MUMMY DO THAT WITH NO HELP?!” She was unimpressed. I explained to her that this was a moment designed to teach her about female strength. She stared blankly at me and then asked if she could watch Frozen on her iPad.

I opted not to get a headboard, thinking it might make the space look more cluttered, but I did add two under-bed drawers, which are pretty cool because you can move them to any position under the bed.

The walls in this room are a really pale blue so I leaned into that with the sheets and curtains, then went to the opposite of the color wheel to create some character. Or something.

The sheets are from my absolutely favorite, Morrow Soft Goods. We have the organic matte sateen duvet cover in a sky blue, and the heirloom linen sheet set in apricot. We are not top sheet people, so the flat sheet acts as more of a blanket and pop of color.

The art — which I lifted from another room in the house — is by a late family friend, Friedrich Danielis. And we found that brass (? who knows what it is) lamp on the street on 81st between Amsterdam and Columbus.

On days when we actually make the bed, there’s this ugly-but-fun cat pillow I got for $10 at a school fundraising sale thrown by .

And while there’s almost no space for a side table, this one from Hetta (a new brand from the people behind Sundays) ended up being a perfect fit. I think it’s some sort of design “rule” that you’re not supposed to mix wood finishes but I hate rules.

Other bedroom & bathroom additions:

• Quince European Linen Curtains

• Morrow Soft Goods Carmen Bathmat

• Morrow Soft Goods Amos Throw Blanket

• Brooklinen Linen Shower Curtain (Honestly, a great deal. For $109 you get a linen curtain, a plastic liner, and shower curtain hooks.)

• Quiet Town Tam Bath Sheet

So that’s where we’re at. If we end up staying in New York for a more extended amount of time, there may be more projects. But for now we’re living our best orange-and-blue-life in the back bedroom.

(Full disclosure in case it’s not already obvious: Almost everything was gifted apart from the shower curtain, bedroom curtains, cat pillow, and lamp.)

Hey, friends! It’s time for another go-’round of Schmatta’s signature column: Good Schmutz. Just an awesome collection of cool things from the design world. Read the previous edition here. Aaaaaaand go!

#1: The Most Genius Wind Chime of All Time Award goes to Kerso. This Micky D’s-inspired garden accessory made its debut at Object Permanence at L.A. Desi…

Read more

I have a bit of an obsession with heritage brands, but in particular Hermès — go back through the archives and you basically get a history lesson. Periodically, I’ll search 1stDibs and the like for vintage accessories and this latest treasure hunt turned up some real goodies. I didn’t include prices because they are all unbelievably expensive. (Although I would love to know who buys this!)

Silver Hermès Bag Pill Box, 1950s France

I cannot think of a chicer way to carry some extra Wellbutrin.

Vintage Hermès Tape Dispenser

SCOTCH TAPE ONLY! No OTC tape allowed.

Read more