11.29.2007

shop tonight and get 20% off



we're a bit behind in posting this, but come over to the Shops at 5807 tonight from 5:30-8:00 and join us and the folks from Belle, Style Weekly's newest publication, in celebrating the holidays. receive 20% off of your purchases and a portion of the proceeds for the night will go to benefit Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation. looking forward to seeing you all out there! happy shopping. k&m

11.26.2007

buying handmade, buying locally


in our perfect world, everything you would ever think to need could be found at openhouse. of course, then, it might just be another walmart...but we're smart enough to know that not everyone can find all they need for their long list of presents in our little store. so, we're offering some options to round out your shopping. support other local businesses as well as local artists and designers. we'll let you search out other shops on your own time ;o)

but here, thanks to erica over at off the record..., is a list of upcoming markets:

friday 11/30

17th street farmer's market holiday show, 5-9pm, 17th st farmers market

saturday 12/1

chop suey holiday bizarre market, Grand Opening (6-9pm)
a month-long local handmade consignment store in the upstairs of chop suey books originale

friday 12/7

richmond craft mafia's 3rd annual handmade holiday sale
6:30-9pm
4025 MacArthur Ave
the 14 local crafty businesses of the Richmond Craft Mafia selling everything from housewares to handbags to original art. join them for a fun and relaxed evening of shopping. free holiday refreshments.

friday 12/7 & saturday 12/8

virginia craft-n-istas winter craft-n-art market
5-8pm, 11am-5pm
2519 Hermitage Rd

local & regional craftswomen showcase their wares.

saturday 12/8

christmas on macArthur
12-4pm
4000 block of MacArthur Ave

holiday block party featuring the mom & pop businesses on MacArthur as well as local craft vendors (find many of the RCM ladies here too!). holiday family fun!

saturday 12/8

homegrown art & craft show
10am-2pm
Crossroads Coffee

benefits the Patrick Henry Charter School.


happy shopping! k&m

11.25.2007

openhouse featured in belle


belle magazine, style weekly's newest bi-monthly publication, has featured two openhouse designers in their holiday gift guide! if you haven't checked out the mag, run out and grab one. it's everything a richmond girl could need: beauty and fashion updates, local personality highlights, health and fitness, music and books, events, food and entertaining. a one-stop guide to all things Richmond for women. it's smart and sophisticated and we're excited to be a part of it.

check it out
here or on newsstands now!

11.23.2007

looolo on design*sponge


joanna from looolo, an openhouse favorite, is featured this weekend on design*sponge with a yummy cupcake recipe. now that we've had our fill of pumpkin and pecan pie and our stomachs are returning to normal why not start drooling over the next sugary treat? joanna's recipe for white cake supreme cupcakes looks like it just might fit the bill ;o) hope you all have a safe and happy holiday weekend. and happy shopping. k&m

11.20.2007

holiday baubles



openhouse is so very excited to announce that we will be carrying some absolutely beautiful hand blown glass ornaments from two of Richmond's own. ryan gothrup and keith mendak are the artists behind the holiday treats and we hope to have more from them in future. we only nabbed a dozen or so, so make sure you get by the shop and grab them before they are gone. At $20 a piece they make for a beautiful gift to a friend, hostess or yourself ;o)




modernism 2007



the 22nd annual Modernism fair, subtitled "A Century of Style & Design, 1905-2005" was last weekend at the Park Avenue Armory in Manhattan. a wonderful selection of exhibitors from 9 countries and 11 u.s. states displayed their furniture, ceramics, jewelry and fine art. a few fab pieces we are coveting are pictured here, along with Jonathan Adler, this years young designer award winner. (yay!)



[vladimir kagan table, Pascal Boyer Gallery, pair of bronze sheeps, 1970, Pascal Boyer Gallery]


[French Black Painted Oak Wood Cabinet with Glass Doors and Brass Details, 1940s, Coconut Company]


[Bartolucci table, Lost City Arts]


[eames La Chaise, ZModern]

11.14.2007

m.i.a.

hi there! sorry for the disappearing act. busy getting the shop ready for the holidays. we've added a few new designers to the shop just in time for "black friday" :o) thought we'd highlight a couple today and get the others photographed and online soon.



very excited to have angela liguori join the openhouse family. she came to us through kathleen over at cake & pie and we're lucky to be the only US retailer to carry her beautiful letterpressed holiday cards. she designed the cards in collaboration with British artist susy pilgrim waters and printed them on Fabriano Medioevalis paper together with shelley of Albertine Press. a true artistic collaboration! we only managed to nab a small order, so make sure you get in and get yours soon! you can email us if you're out of town and just have to have 1 or 5!



we've been eyeing dermond peterson's exquisite textiles for quite a while. their line of holiday tea towels, guest towels and dinner napkins seemed the perfect way to introduce them. hopefully just the start of a beautiful friendship :o)

11.09.2007

handmade parade

apparently retailers (and yes, we know that we now rank in that group) have decided that november no longer belongs to tom turkey and falling leaves and gourds. that all of these things must have been used up by october and that the holiday season starts November 1. the problem with that logic is that due to global warming and climate shifts, my leaves are still green and firmly planted on my trees. so i'm just now putting on sweaters and thinking about leaf piles and pulling out my browns and oranges and yellows. however, everywhere i look it's green and red and silver and blue. even the display bed at openhouse looks like a Christmas tree (hey, if you can't beat 'em, join 'em)

so in the spirit of the season (whatever season that may be) get on down to Norfolk tomorrow and buy handmade for the holidays:



saturday, november 10 - the handmade parade: hosted by the Norfolk Craft Mafia, it's an annual holiday bazaar showcasing quality, local artists and crafters. Handmade Parade will provide great holiday shopping for those who are looking for one-of-a-kind gifts while avoiding the mass-produced and supporting independent entrepreneurs instead! they will offer a wide variety of fine art, accessories, jewelry, pottery, house wares, baked goods, baby items, clothing and more.

11.08.2007

chilly days ahead



grace just posted a great guide to throws and blankets over at design*sponge. perfect timing on a chilly and gray day like this. everything we have in stock made the list! but we thought we'd narrow it down for you to see just the openhouse highlights [clockwise from top left]: tracks plaid blankets from ratzer [$428], windows blanket from looolo [$495], child's plaid throw from ratzer [$250], handknit popcorn throw from twinkle living [$250], and the hand quilted tucks blanket from john robshaw textiles [$600 for full/queen].

11.06.2007

exception to the rule: charity



we've taken the pledge. our hope is that you have to. buying handmade this holiday season is our main goal. but it's also important to by local, eco-friendly and charitably. it's the last one that has us asking local Richmonders, who have joined us on the path to a handmade holiday, to break the promise, if only for one night. thursday night is Crate & Barrel Shopping Spectacular to benefit Children's Hospital of Richmond. based around 5 core values - advocacy, collaboration, continuous learning, customized care and stewardship, Childrens has been providing medical care to Virginia children since 1917. the non-profit holds a special place in our heart and we urge you to come out and do some good, enjoy a drink and some yummy treats from local restuarants, and pick up a gift or two.

Crate & Barrel’s new Christmas items will be featured at the event and 10% of their sales, as well as all proceeds from ticket sales, will benefit Children’s Hospital Foundation. ticket holders will receive a special prize ticket for drawings that include Crate & Barrel gift baskets, gift certificates and much more. each ticket holder will also receive coupons from participating restaurants and a great gift.

our picks:

anything from Eva Zeisel's Classic Century collection.

or any of their gourmet treats.


11.05.2007

r.i.p. house & garden


so, so, so sad to report that one of our absolute fave mags is closing it's pages this December after 101 years of publication. always happy to see the new issue in the mail slot, i would devour every page before doing anything else. many of the talented designers at openhouse were discovered on the glossy pages of h&g. we will miss the print issue and the great bloggers and contributors to the website. thanks for many years of design inspiration! you have had a well-lived life... k&m

karin eriksson ceramics


[photo credit: Lars Jonsson]

like any good mother would, we like to say that we love all of our designers equally. and that really is probably true. every once in a while, though, a particular item comes into the shop that for a fleeting moment we might love a little bit more...that was the case when we opened the box from karin eriksson that contained 2 sets of her beautiful salt, pepper and olive oil bowls [$80 for the set of three]. of course we imagine you could use them in many ways: prep bowls in the kitchen, ring holder by the sink, key catch on the front console, miniature wall plates (?), or just for decoration. they make a beautiful gift if you can't justify them for yourself, so be sure to keep them in mind in the coming holiday season. as always, they are handmade and no two bowls are the same.

11.04.2007

mud australia featured on design*sponge


[Product photo by Ben Dearnley by way of design*sponge]

check out the great "in the kitchen" feature over at design*sponge. compiled by Kristina from Three Layer Cake, it's a nice little blurb on Mud founder, Shelley Simpson, along with her yummy, chocolaty recipe that can be baked, served and eaten right in the baby noodle bowls!! [currently available at openhouse in ocean, $29]

11.02.2007

first fridays artwalk


one last note before we go...don't forget to check out first fridays artwalk on Broad Street in richmond tonight. highlights include ThinkSmall! 4 at art6. this biannual exhibition features dozens of artists from around the globe creating unique works of art no larger than 3"x3". also, be sure to check out the stunning installation of life-size salt and earth portraits by artist Young Kim at 1708 Gallery. the weather is perfect, the street will be buzzing, so get downtown and support the arts. and if you have the time (and the wait isn't around the block) grab a bite at openhouse fave, Comfort. YUM. okay, for real this time. see you Monday. k&m



[photo credit: Hassan Pitts, from first fridays photo gallery]

skirt!



our very first ad just showed up on newsstands yesterday! if you're in richmond, stop by any of the bright green boxes around town and pick up the November issue of Skirt! Magazine. it's new to town and filled with great essays, book reviews, music reviews and local profiles. and while you're at it, you can see our ad on page 37 ;o) have a great weekend. we'll be back next week with lots of good stuff. k&m

11.01.2007

for the birds

while putting together some images for our upcoming holiday handmade gift guide, we noticed a small trend in inventory-- birds. so, we thought we would post a few of our favorite bird-themed items in the shop. why not stock up on one of these to hold you over as our feathered friends head south for the winter? check out a post from a couple weeks back with some additional items.


[clockwise from top, left: speckeld egg nesting bowls, $80; bird cutout vases in three sizes, $35, $45, $55; sushi plate set includes one plate, one condiment plate, and one chopstick holder, $54. All by j.mendicino]


[shake-a-leg salt & pepper shakers, $50; earthenware birdfeeder with leather cord, $80]