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home decor

Best Home Decor Books of 2016

March 9, 2017

Simple Matters by Erin BoyleI was hoping to share my favorite home decor books from 2016 before the end of the year… but better late than never! These books are just as relevant as ever, and I think you’ll find lots of great decorating tips and interior design inspiration in each of these picks.

Living with Pattern by Rebecca Atwood

Living with Pattern: Color, Texture, and Print at Home by Rebecca Atwood

I love Rebecca Atwood’s painterly prints, and this book was a lovely peek into both her life as a textile designer, as well as a handbook for adding pattern to your home with style and flair. The watercolor illustrations totally charmed me, and I relished seeing photos of her studio and pattern making process.

The real-world examples of homes brimming with pattern were beautiful, and I loved the way she broke down how to decorate with pattern, while still maintaining balance and keeping a room from looking too busy. The DIY projects felt advanced, like upholstery projects and dying fabrics, but I still felt confident that they were achievable — It’s nice change to feel challenged by projects like this, rather than underwhelmed.

Simple Matters by Erin Boyle

Simple Matters: Living with Less and Ending Up with More by Erin Boyle

I pre-ordered this book back in January, because I’ve been a fan of Erin’s blog, Reading My Tea Leaves for quite a while. Her perspective on living minimally, and making thoughtful choices about everything you keep in your home is so valuable. The book is divided into nine chapters, and my favorites were the sections on decluttering, simplifying, and decorating.

Erin’s personal insights on small-space living and conscious consumption were really compelling. We agree that it’s important to adopt sustainable approaches to living, and that those efforts are beneficial to both the environment and our own well being. Her thesis is a powerful one: that “living small” is beneficial and accessible to us all—whether we’re renting a tiny apartment or purchasing a three-story house.

The Finer Things by Christiane Lemieux

The Finer Things: Timeless Furniture, Textiles, and Details by Christiane Lemieux

This lovely gilded tome is a comprehensive guide to selecting heirloom-quality pieces for your home — the unique, and well made items that imbue enduring style into your home. This desk-worthy reference helps you select, install, and style high-quality  decorative elements in your home, from wallpaper, art frames and floors to furniture, fabrics, light fixtures and more.

The World of Charles and Ray Eames

The World of Charles and Ray Eames edited by Catherine Ince

The more I learn about the Eames’ influence on the world of design, the more I realize the impact they still have on the design world have today. I’m particularly drawn to Ray Eames’ textile designs, and this impressive archive of their work was fun to pore over. The book contains handwritten notes, sketches, and snapshots, as well as beautiful photos of those modern interiors and furniture that we know and love.

The Best New Home Decor Books - Cotton & Flax

Filed Under: Behind the Scenes Tagged With: books, home decor, interior design, pattern, round up

What is a trivet, and why do I want one?

March 6, 2017

Felt trivet on marbleOne of the products I was excited to debut back in 2014 were the 100% Marino wool felt trivets. The material is so wonderful to work with – thick and luxurious, with super saturated color.

It quickly became apparent, though, that my friends fell into two camps: those who owned and loved a handful of trivets already, and those who immediately asked me, “What is a trivet, exactly?”

Tabletop accent - Felt trivetTrivets are similar to drink coasters, in that they protect your furniture from heat or condensation. At it’s simplest, a trivet is an object placed between a serving dish and your dining table, protecting the table from water rings or scratches. Trivets have been around for centuries, in both utilitarian and incredibly decorative designs.

How to use a trivet - Cotton & FlaxI’ve found that trivets can pose as helpful design elements beyond the dining room table. I’ll also use them under a vase of flower or a potted houseplant, protecting my coffee table from scratches. Plus, they come in handy for entertaining – they are just the right size to hold a fresh batch of coffee brewed in my Chemex, or a pitcher of lemonade.

Cotton & Flax felt trivets beautify your table while protecting your table from heat and condensation and preventing scratches. Find our beautifully modern trivets in our online shop!

Filed Under: Inspiration, Interior Design Tagged With: entertaining, home decor, natural fabrics, trivet

Napkin Folding for Casual Dinner Parties

December 15, 2015

Easy tabletop decor - geometric napkin with greenery

Editor’s note: I’m excited to share another post from contributor Alexandria Austin! As we get ready for holiday feasts, I hope you’ll enjoy her napkin folding tips as much as I did! -Erin

The holidays are here, and that means a slew of family gatherings and dinner parties full of delicious food and memorable conversations. Throwing a dinner party can be just as much fun as attending, but you may be looking for some dinner party décor ideas to spruce up your table in time for holiday entertaining. Today, we want to share some simple napkin folding techniques that are perfect for a casual gathering.

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Filed Under: DIY, Inspiration Tagged With: dinner party, entertaining, home decor

Super Modern Decor – Anthology Magazine

July 27, 2015

Modern Decor from Anthology Magazine

So excited to have spotted Cotton & Flax tea towels in the Design Matters issue of Anthology Magazine! This was in an article on the beautiful home of Richard Kim and Kristine Arellano of Presshaus LA – you might recognize her home as the location where I shot my Fall/Winter lookbook with Laure Joliet!

Modern Kitchen in Anthology MagazineCotton & Flax tea towel in Anthology Magazine

I can’t get enough of their home. They designed their gorgeous modern home from the ground up, and as any lover of minimalist modern decor knows, it’s tough to achieve this level of cohesive beauty!

You can check out more photos from Jessica Comingore’s shoot for Anthology Magazine over on her blog.

Filed Under: Inspiration, Interior Design Tagged With: home decor, interior design, tea towels

Cotton & Flax + Lonny Magazine

April 30, 2014

Modern pillows in Lonny Magazine

Colorful table accessories

I’m loving the styling of this recent piece in Lonny Magazine, which features lots of Cotton & Flax pieces used to brighten up this casual baby shower. Visit Lonny to see the full piece.

Looking for the Gold Plus Pillow or the Gold Diamond Trivet? You’ll find them in the Cotton & Flax shop!

Filed Under: Inspiration, Interior Design Tagged With: home decor, interior design, press

Cotton & Flax in select West Elm stores

April 25, 2014

Cotton & Flax at West Elm San Diego

After all the excitement around the announcement of Cotton & Flax tea towels being carried by CB2, I was floored when one of my favorite home decor companies, West Elm, got in touch, asking to carry a selection of my wares as part of their West Elm Local collection. It’s been an incredible experience working with these giants in the world of home decor, and I am beyond excited that corporations are showing an interest in promoting smaller companies and the beautiful work of local makers.

Cotton & Flax at West Elm

For a limited time, you can now find Cotton & Flax pillows and tea towels at West Elm stores in LA and San Diego! Take a peek at the local makers included in each store, West Elm posted roundups of the LA Local and San Diego Local collections on their blog. If you spot my wares in store, or if you buy one of the pieces to add to your home, tag me on Instagram or Twitter!

Filed Under: Retail Stockists Tagged With: home decor, interior design, stockists

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A textile designer’s journal

Welcome! I'm Erin Dollar, the textile designer behind Cotton & Flax. I create patterned home decor that's rooted in creative exploration.

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A textile designer’s journal

Welcome! I'm Erin Dollar, the textile designer behind Cotton & Flax. Here I'll share peeks behind the scenes, recent inspirations, decor ideas, and more. Read More…

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