 | DRINK ME: For retired home economics teacher Dorothy Filshie, necessity was the mother of invention. Needing the clean, elegant lines of an enamel pitcher for a still life she was painting and unable to find just the right one, she decided to stitch a model out of some 30-year-old burlap fabric she had been saving. These weightless vessels are sewn from mesh or antique French lace using no glue, wire, or stiffening. They stand up because of the simple shape of the pitcher and the weight of the handle. Pitcher and cup (not shown) set, $450. Grange Hall/Urban Flower. 4445 Travis St. 214-443-0600. |
Curious Stuff
A collection of oddly beautiful bits and pieces for the home.
 |
CHARLOTTE’S WEB >>
Douglas Little, who calls himself a modern alchemist, makes these strange and exquisite plates from real spider webs, which are misted with resin, coated with silver mica, and pressed into glass. The pressings are available in limited quantity in three sizes. The tricky part, according to the artist, is to persuade a spider to leave its masterpiece gently so that the web is not damaged. $80 to $225. Grange Hall/Urban Flower. 4445 Travis St. 214-443-0600.
 |
<< ROUGHED UP
Vintage block rollers used to print wallpapers are sculptural enough to turn into lamps and decorative objects, such as these 1920s-era wood examples with raised metal designs, from Europe. Wallpapers were once hand printed by rolling the cylinders, covered in paint, onto paper stretched out on long tables. $525. Vintage Living/Lisa Luby Ryan. 6701 Snider Plaza. 214-360-4211.
 |
BENT >>
Japanese designer Toyo Ito has designed a sculptural bookcase reminiscent of his media library in Sendai, Japan. The graceful structure is made of mirror-varnished glass shelves supported by oiled black walnut and alder columns, and it consists of more than 60 angles and diameters. Produced in a series of 25, each bookcase is signed. $8,100. Scott + Cooner. 1617 Hi line Dr., Ste. 100. 214-748-9838.
 |
<< NATURAL LIGHT
The two-light Belladonna wall bracket with shades made from garlic skins (yes, that’s right, garlic) is exclusively designed for Venzi Collections. Venzi is an importer and offshore manufacturer of furniture, lighting, and home accessories from artisans in the Philippines. Filipinos have a knack for working with natural materials, such as fibers, pen shell, bungo seeds, and stone, which are incorporated into other Venzi designs. The garlic paper shades are also available on a 12-light chandelier. $235. Venzi Collections (to the trade). 1230 Dragon St. 214-747-1144.
 |
SNAKE CHARMER >>
The latest from Edelman Leather includes real python skin from Southeast Asia. The hides are approximately 15 to 18 feet long by 8 to 12 inches wide and are sold by the meter. Because of the long, narrow size and delicate scales, python is best used for pillows, decorative items, or walls. Edelman Leather (to the trade). 710 Dallas Design Center. 214-748-6666.
 |
 |
<< THERE BE DRAGONS
The dragon has long been one of the most important Chinese mythological creatures – symbolizing wisdom, the spirit of change, and the rhythm of nature. In the Ming dynasty, the dragon with four claws became the proprietary reserve of the imperial princes. Meissen’s new porcelain pattern, Ming Dragon, is fit for a king but available to all of us. Set a royal table mixing a palette of red (the happiest color in Chinese lore), to blue (the color of heaven), and all the colors in between. A five-piece place setting $1,142, with decorative pieces starting at $280. Madison. 45A Highland Park Village. 214-528-8118.
 |
FAKE OUT >>
Faux bois first became a popular decorative trend in the mid-1800s in Europe. Made from crushed stone, its rustic style and heavy texture were appreciated as a reaction to the Industrial Revolution and the hard edges of Urban Decor. Today’s resurgence in popularity can be seen as the same reaction to the high-tech age and a renewed interest in living structures and all things natural. Antique faux bois planters, circa 1840, at Vintage Living/Lisa Luby Ryan, $1,595 to $1,795. Faux bois console table, made from man-made materials, at Crate & Barrel, $699.
 |
