Be Inspired No. 83 - Kiss Your Seat! The Kidney Pillow.

The kidney pillow is like a meaningful, fun miss. The kind of kiss that sticks with you all day in a distracting kind of way. So kiss you seat and make your bed with a kiss. 

If you prefer subtle and neutral in your room design, this is where you can be a touch brave. Use a statement fabric on the kidney pillow. The kind of fabric that hints at your "bad" side. Your "toe dip in the pool" side. 

It is important to make sure that your kidney pillow is the proper scale to the piece it is "kissing". No one likes big, sloppy kisses! There are standard size pillow forms for kidney pillows that range from a 9" height to a 12" height and various lengths. But, if necessary use a custom pillow insert and for heaven's sake always use a down fill or if you are allergic - find the softest insert you can. 

I am not a fan of the "karate chop" pillow, but if you are a fan, leave that for your square pillows. The kidney pillow should be left alone. Full disclosure, my dislike for the "karate chop" pillow is twofold. One, I like a tailored, clean pillow and second - the "karate chop" was supposed to be a fluff and gentle chop and it became "bunny ears". When I see design trends falling in the wrong hands or being interrupted to the extreme it's time to step back from it. Sort of like leaving well enough alone. A good compromise for square pillows - fluff and give a gentle hug to the outer sides of the pillow to accomplish a perked pillow look. Okay, enough said.

Consider exchanging your expected square sofa toss pillows by replacing them with kidney pillows. If your sofa is a two-cushion version you should have two kidney pillows, each being the width of each seat cushion. If your sofa is a three-cushion version then you should have three kidney pillows measuring the width of each seat cushion and so forth.

Softening a bench with a kidney pillow is a great signature! No matter the bench style and don't forget your window seats. A perfect perch for a kiss!

I think we all agree the best pillow does indeed have a heartbeat. Another kiss I won't forget is my Mom's kiss on my hand with leaving the imprint of her red lipsticked lips. With the kiss of a kidney pillow coming in close behind.

A kiss, a letter, or something better. That is what my Mom used to say when my nose was itchy. It was a toss up as to what I wished for. Kiss your seat with the kidney pillow. Whether it is a geometric fabric, animal print, stunning print, leather, hair-on-hide, faux fur, or embellished with trim banding - make your kiss memorable.

Loving this treatment on a wood bench with the kidney pillows being held in place with leather strapping and horse bits. Gorgeous. Definitely a kiss to be remembered.

Willow Bee Inspired and kidney pillows kissing in a tree. K-I-S-S-I-N-G. First comes love, second comes marriage...

Smooches! Be Inspired!



Sources: Decor Pad, Domaine Home, Houzz, Mary Flanigan Interiors, Remodelista, Robert Allen Fabrics, Mobby, Williams Sonoma, Pinterest

Gotta Love No. 55 - For the Love of Indigo Shibori!

It's a romance that started with a glance. Okay, it was actually one of those awkward stares that I got caught giving to Shibori textiles. And at the same time I was thinking about all the things I could do with this organic, color-drenched yumminess. 

Indigo dye cakes

I had to know more.  So just like a good stalker, (you know who you are, I'm not the only one) I "researched" this new love obsession. And fell madly in love. The natural Indigo dye extraction process is fascinating and I love a product that can be added to either your home or your wardrobe that has a story.

Indigo dye vats with sediment

Indigo Plants

It all starts with the Indigo plant and follows a journey from harvest to a blue dye that is stunning. The plants are generally harvested within 90 days of planting seeds. The harvested plants are pressed down into tanks filled with water. The leave-soaked water then goes into a second tank and is fermented naturally.

Once the sediment is released it is transferred to vessels, usually copper, then boiled. The sediment is then filtered and pressed to remove the moisture, cut into cakes and dried in the shade. Indigo dye is then sold in cake or powder form. This process has evolved over centuries and happens in regions of Japan, India and Indonesia, with what I am sure has generational "secrets" to perfect the craft.

The Japanese meaning of Shibori is "tied and bound" and it is a manual resist dyeing process that produces patterns in fabric. The process is another facet of art that lures me even further in this game of love.

So why does this indigo-dyed textile have my eyelashes fluttering? If I was a matchmaker I would totally introduce Shibori to a brown leather upholstery - a sofa or even a brown leather upholstered headboard. The marriage of deep rich leather with the welcome organic casualness of Shibori are an embrace a room needs. Rustic and live edge woods would be a divine match with Shibori too!

And let's just talk about the joy of wearing it close to one's skin. These Shibori cuffs are fashion porn.

And to serve any culinary delight on Shibori-inspired plates or a cup of heaven in the tea bowls is pure inspiration. Can you imagine how even a PB&J would taste in those dishes! You wouldn't even have to cut the crust off the bread.

Valais Black-nosed sheep's wool is another introduction I would make to Shibori. Whether it is in a room with brown leather with a Bohemian Chic vibe or a new baby's nursery - this match would be a smile generator in a room's design.

Gotta love Indigo Shibori and the centuries old story it holds. Let's fall in love together. Be inspired!

Sources: Etsy, Pinterest, Elle Fr., Nat Geo Instagram, House Nerd, Pindler & Pindler