Uniquely Ever After (Great Wedding Gifts )

It's summer and wedding season is officially in full swing! We're joining the wedding festivities...but not without a unique gift that the couple will remember & treasure!

Of course it's nice to buy a newlywed couple something off their wedding registry, but sometimes there's not anything left on their registry. Or what is left, is kind of boring, too expensive, or too inexpensive. That's when we turn to our list of special wedding gifts!

We know the below items from our Special Gift List will make the couple "ooh & aah" and will add a personal touch to their new home.

Wedding Gift Product Details:

1. Eames Plywood Lounge Chair - Smart Furniture -  An Ables family tradition is to gift one of these chairs to all newlyweds in the family when they marry--to teach tasteful & classic style is lasting and important.   2. Mongolian Throw - Z Gallerie - Soft & luxurious, what more could you want for lounging on your new sofa?   3. Nelson Spindle Clock - Design Within Reach - A clock designed by one of the most celebrated mid-century designers of all time (George Nelson)--who doesn't love the classics?   4. Frida Vase - Jonathan Adler - Surreal inspirational pieces are conversation starters & are sure to make impressions.   5. Triangle Beach Towel - Jonathan Adler - Every couple will appreciate a set of chic beach towels they can even display as colorful accents in their bathroom.   6. Alessi Michael Graves Teapot - Hive Modern - A best seller since 1985, you can't go wrong with this fun kitchen accessory.   7. Reindeer Moss Wreath - Shop Terrain - A new wreath for a new home! And one that can be used indoors or outdoors, and that sustains.   8. Cutlace Gallery Frames - Anthropologie - Give the happy couple beautiful frames for some of their wedding photographs, these are romantic, timeless and perfect to frame photos of their special day!   9. Coffee Table Books - Design Within Reach & Anthropologie - Necessities that can be personalized based on who you're buying for. These won't be getting returned!   10. Luau Portable LED Lamp - Design Within Reach - Soft lighting for those romantic wine nights on the patio. Plus its rechargeable, portable & dimmable...all the perks!   11. Stone Pestle & Mortar - Hive Modern - A beautiful & functional kitchen accessory that never goes out of style.   12. Kaleido Trays - Design Within Reach - Serving guests has never been more fun with these amazing trays.   13. Beolit 15 Speakers - Beoplay - Speakers that are sleek and stylish, portable & bluetooth? The newlyweds will thank you forever.   14. Votive Cup Candleholder Set - Z Gallerie - Romantic accents will always be welcome.   15. Mr & Mrs Muse Place Card Holders - Jonathan Adler - Elevate the everyday accessory & keep your guests extra entertained.   16. Firepit - Design Within Reach - Whether they live somewhere cold or hot, the newlyweds will forever love you for this one too!   17. Monogram Pillow - Jonathan Adler - We love the idea of a monogrammed gift for a new couple, but usually despise the monogram. But this pillow is perfection...it can be customized to any color, border, or lettering you want. 

Want to give the happy couple an even BETTER gift than the ones above?!  Buy the happy couple the gift of Design with our a 2 hour consultation for $300.  We love helping create a wonderful space for new beginnings, including "how to blend his and her furniture" and help with "what stays and what goes".  Give us a call.

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Made in the USA!

Over the past years shoppers & clients have become more conscious of where their product is coming from. The issues of poor working conditions, child labor, and factory deaths are less hidden & more talked about today and as a result more people are wanting fair trade or American-made products. As Americans, we want to celebrate that!

With fourth of July this weekend we wanted to feature some of our favorite "Made in the USA" interior items. Because for us, as Americans, there is nothing better than a beautiful, quality piece of furniture that is made in the great USA!

Made in the USA Product Details:

1. Carlo Swivel Chair - Room & Board // 2. Branching Bubbles Light - Lindsey Adelman // 3. Tumbling Block Collage Art - Dolan Geiman // 4. Gibson Cocktail Table - Room & Board // 5. American Flag Pillow - Alabama Chanin // 6. Hutton Sofa - Room & Board // 7. White City Planter - The Potted Store // 8. RV Neon Sign - Roadhouse Relics // 9. Stencil Clock - Heath Ceramics // 10. Forma Floor Lamp - Cerno Group // 11. Chelsea Side Table - Desiron // 12. Velvet Graphic Ruby Rug - Capel Rugs // 13. Mural Tile Rhythm Color - Heath Ceramics // 14. Russel Wright Beverageware - Bauer Pottery // 15. Lind Cowhide Ottoman - Room & Board

Next time you're purchasing something for your home consider an American-made item! Not only are there a wide range of options now, but the options are usually high quality & durable!

If you are looking to incorporate products made in the USA into your home, but don't know how to get started, feel free to reach out to us for help!  We love supporting local artist, retail stores and craftsman.

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3 Steps to Creating your Living Wall

Now that it's summer it is time to move your gardens and plants back outside...but have you thought about moving your gardens ON the walls? Yes, we're seeing everyone pick their tomatoes & peaches and create delicious meals from their new sprouts, but we're also seeing a new craze...vertical garden walls [or living/green walls as some people call them]. People are literally buying hundreds of succulents, cacti, and grass roots and planting them on their wall. Sounds crazy, but we love it!

This live wall concept has been around for a while but has recently become extremely popular.

With the warmer weather coming, we have been planning this post (since it's best to plant during Spring & Summer), but recently Paula visited the Dwell on Design Exhibit in Los Angeles and saw various, luscious live walls to inspire the blog even more!

First of all there are 3 main things to consider when installing a live wall. We will walk through each one of them to help you create the best one for your home!

1. Space

How much room do you want to allot for your living wall?

There are wall planters that are as small as one little vase--which look great next to your front door, or inside by your office desk.

 

And then there are HUGE planters that can take up an entire wall on your back patio, or interior living room.

 

Of course the most options lie between the small planters and the huge walls...From pots you can attach to your wall, to wooden frames full of succulents, the options really are endless.

 

2. Cost

Obviously, the bigger the plant wall, the more money it's going to cost. If you are going to go really big, we suggest hiring a professional. This will allow you to customize the perfect design for your space without wasting any time or resources.

Many of the larger wall systems are plumbed with a water drip system (which is hard to self-install) to keep the plants well fed and consistently happy across the board.

If your project is smaller and does not need professional help, but you don't want to start from scratch, there are affordable starter kits or pre-made gardens [for example, the image below is multiple modular pieces from Succulent Gardens Company]

Another easy-to-use wall planter is Skale Greenwall. You can install it & customize it yourself [for a pretty penny]. But may be worth  the cost, because the result is beautiful!  Why reinvent the wheel when you can purchase ready made systems from the pros?

Now there are hundreds of companies & landscape architects that will build a vertical garden for you (we suggest looking up local landscape companies). While this may not save you money, it will save you a lot of time. Live walls can be tedious to build depending on which plants you use...which brings us to our next point!

3. Types of Plants

Now the fun part! Picking out your plants.

People typically think of succulents and cactus for their green wall plants, but grass & more leafy plants can be great for taking up more space with less costs.

 

It really doesn't take a lot to create an attractive succulent garden. Since they are from the same family of plants they all seem to compliment each other greatly. Creating clusters of the same types of succulents will make for a very eye-catching display. Just be sure the succulent wall has plenty of sunlight since that is what makes these plants thrive.

You may also consider using your wall planter for herbs and flowers...Especially if you live in an apartment or office with no outdoor gardening space, this can be an amazing resource for cooking and for extra fresh air!

Lastly, consider air plants! These are the easiest plants to care for and they are very eye-catching and appealing in any room! We always love the fun touch they add.

  

If you are still hesitant about taking the green wall plunge, consider the many benefits:

Improved air quality, reduced energy costs, reduced noise levels, & of course amazing aesthetics.

If you would like a live wall in or around your home and don't know where to start, feel free to reach out to us! We may not be landscape designers, but we are true Pros when it comes to space planning and balance within your room or space.  We would love to work with you to create the best look/most complimentary space for your new wall!

Click here to see more blog posts by Paula Ables Interiors.