paper "tiles"

sort of in love with these new paper "tiles" from designer Louise Body.

'the delicate and beautiful new wallpapers have a sense of fun and offer
an economical alternative to decorative ceramic tiles. The designs incorporate
original Victorian tiles enhanced by Louise's color palette and the addition of
her photographs and delicate drawings of flowers.They are printed onto hard
wearing, coated, non-woven paper and would look just as good in an alcove as
they would in a kitchen or bathroom.'

check out more designs here.

happy shopping! k&m

this just in...

some seriously cool spring/summer finds. ceramic farmer's market baskets
are truly the highlight of the season. and these amira paper tealight holders?
beautiful. check them out, plus some other fun finds (coming later this week)
online and in store.

seriously cool learning

we're loving these flash cards from etsy seller Sparkle + Sketch.
made from photos taken of objects around her home, the images
are mounted on thick acid-free board and then varnished with
a non-toxic AP. the colors and photos are just lovely. little lj is a
tad too young for them, but what a great gift for a 1 or 2 year
old. and at $26 for a set of 10, beautifully boxed, you can't beat it.
choose from a variety of images and words or send her some of
your own ideas.

enjoy! and happy shopping! k&m

recession-friendly gifts

if you're like us, you're looking for great gift ideas that are design conscious, economical and totally original. well, if the 20% off pillow sale at openhouse isn't what you're looking for ;o) i've found a great alternative: littlebrownpen. this adorable etsy shop is one of the most creative i've come across. they sell printable pdf files of calendars, small prints, stationary and book plates. you buy the pdf and print them yourself, as many times as you'd like!! $5 or $10 goes a long way like this!

a few of our faves:

rainy day recipes:


stationary set:


keep calm and carry on spoof calendar:

etsy love...

we got an email this week from a charlottesville designer we saw at the spring bada-bing here in richmond this past april. reminded me how much i liked her designs and i thought we'd highlight her etsy site today. there's a chance you'll be able to see her work in openhouse in the near future, but until then, head on over to bycary on etsy and pick up some of her great coasters and card sets. happy friday! k&m

back in action

sorry to have disappeared. i was wisked away suddenly for a suprise vacation in the mountains to celebrate my 30th (ugh). relaxing, picturesque and completely cut off from the internet (gasp!) it was wonderful, but i'm glad to be back in action.

i had planned on posting this last thursday and have noticed design*sponge has since, but i thought it was a worth a mention to our audience as well. great new designs out from galison books for spring. i had the pleasure of working for galison as a young, fresh-faced new yorker straight out of college and i've always loved their paper products. it's a small office full of creativity and i've enjoyed watching it grow. you can get these online at galison or at most local paper shops. enjoy! k&m

this just in...

beautiful new hand-made cards from richmond designer stacy moore. we're so excited to have her join our openhouse family and look forward to numerous collaborations in the future.

megan and i were really taken by the intricacy of each card. modern, clean-lined and yet full of pattern and texture and color. we have a number of great designs from iconic chairs to baby cards to florals and kitchen cards. great to go along with a baby gift or a wedding shower or just to say hi to a friend. how cute would the noodle bowl card look accompanied by our j. mendicino sushi set! i would love to get one of these in the mail and frame it. in fact, i might have to get the whole series of chairs and frame them for my dining room. i've taken some photos of a few of the cards (pardon my lack of photog skills). theywill be in the shop this afternoon and are $5-6 a piece.

enjoy! and happy shopping! k&m

etsy love...

just had to share these delicate paper bee sculptures by etsy artist, elsita. I've seen so many interesting paper creations lately. just lovely. some ceramic objects on her site also caught my eye. they look almost like cast pods that fall from the trees. very cool. i can see them lined up along my windowsill. enjoy! k&m

this just in...

we posted a sneak peek 2 weeks ago of some new designers coming to openhouse and they have arrived! we'd like to officially welcome blabla kids, susyjack* and virginia johnson to our family.

blabla kids is a wonderful company run by two atlanta women who use the age-old traditions of Peruvian knitters to create their adorable line of children's dolls, rattles, mobiles and finger puppets. a fair-trade company, blabla helps promote strong international relationships, improve the conditions for women in developing nations and creates heirloom quality gifts that promote sustainability. we're so excited to be a part of it.

susyjack* was a great etsy find. i was lazily "strolling the aisles" one day looking for a calendar for the new year when i came upon this talented woman. she is so inspirational in that she has talent, knew what to do with it and went for it in her business. everything openhouse strives to be ;o) her cards and journals and fun little decorative clips and pencil cups are just the whimsical touch openhouse needed. we aren't carrying her '08 calenders, but i suggest you pick one up at her etsy shop while you still can.

and lastly, but CERTAINLY not least, we introduce you to virginia johnson. virginia's designs hold a special place in my heart. she was really the first designer we stumbled across that made us think, why is there not a great place in richmond to find handmade, well-made, beautiful, contemporary items for the home? her textiles stole my heart and although she isn't doing a home line again in the foreseeable future, we did manage to nab a few (and i mean just a few) of her fabulous resort-line totes. perfect for that mid-winter trip you have planned (for real, or in your head like me) to st. barths or costa rica. large enough to hold everything you'll need for a day at the beach, these totes will have everyone wondering where you got them. these ain't no l.l. bean bags ;o)

enjoy! and happy shopping. k&m

sneak peeks

a few images of some great new things coming to openhouse in the coming months. this is just a taste. we haven't even begun to get rolling on new stuff for spring. but these brightly colored items should help us get through these icky next months until the flowers start blooming and openhouse starts filling up again. we're adding a few children's items from blabla as well as some snazzy paper products from susyjack* (check out her blog here while you're at it, it's a fun read) and a whole new group of scents from our super-selling kobo candles. we'll let you know when things get in so you can check them out.

[images courtesy of susyjack*, kobo candles and bla bla kids]

this just in...

great new graphic wrapping paper for the holidays. 5 fun designs from our newest family member, funnel paper goods. designer Eric Kass creates his original printed patterns in indianapolis on durable 60# white uncoated paper.

openhouse is featuring 5 wintry designs: color urchin, knot tied, uncle bob's pajamas, dottie's decor and rangifer tarandus:

we were charmed immediately by his description of the paper:

'the simple pleasure of ink on paper. that distinctive aroma and familiar testure tickling your fingertips. the material connection between the feelings in your heart and the smile on their face. package your endearing thoughts, well wishes and romantic longings in paper goods designed to elate.'

who knew wrapping paper could sound so sexy ;o)

come check it out before it's gone. happy shopping. k&m

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)

onesies and gift cards, new from Sharon Spain

another fun box on our doorstep this afternoon, this time from Sharon Spain! we have loved her pillows and purses (as have you!) and now we get a chance to see something different from her. i know we're a home store, but these hand screen-printed onesies on organic cotton fabric were too cute to pass up. and best of all, your baby can match your pillows and your purse :o) at $22 each, you might as well get one in every color. sizes 3-6 months and 6-12 months in orange, green, blue and chocolate. we also nabbed a few of her beautifully screen-printed cards. each one is handmade (of course) and stitched onto craft paper with matching envelopes. buy a few to give as a gift or just one to send a note to a friend. we promise a smile on anyone who opens one of these little works of art. one card with envelope, $5. keep checking back in over the next week. we have a few more goodies on the way, including some new candle scents for the holidays, some coasters and sachets from Charlottesville artist Inleaf Designs, and some great features popping up in a richmond publication. happy shopping! k&m