Chesapeake Home

Named after Simpatico Shores, a gathering of family cottages on beautiful Platte Lake in Northern Michigan, Simpatico products are made with fine ingredients and a bit of surprise and nostalgia. The new Hobnail Glass Candles are pure vegetable wax, richly scented and oversized at 5” tall x 4” wide with a burn time of 80 hours.

The glass jar can be repurposed as a vase. They feature a hand stamped seal and a cover made by an antique letterpress, and are hand crafted in the U.S.A. available for $29 each. Fragrances include coral, fern, petal, reindeer, stem, and white flower. My favorite is meringue with a delectable blend of sugar and cream nestled in a bed of freshly shaved coconut¬, it’s (almost) good enough to eat.

To view the entire Simpatico line of fragrance goods (candles, reed diffusers, perfume, soap and bubble bath) textiles and jewelry, please visit simpatico-home.com.

It’s been said variety is the spice of life and the same can be said for parties as well. This Fourth of July, treat your guests to delicious cocktails courtesy of Bartule, an all-in-one bar accessory. Whether your guests prefer their cocktails shaken, stirred, on the rocks, or straight, Bartule can turn just about anyone into a professional bartender.

Bartule has a compact, interlocking design combining everything you need to fix a signature cocktail including: an ice bucket, bottle opener, corkscrew, jigger, citrus juicer with pulp removing handle and spout, and an ice bucket lid that can function as a salt rimmer or wine/champagne coaster. Each piece of the Bartule fits together to create a self-contained bar kit that can also be used as a sculptural icebreaker.

Made from 100 percent recyclable, high-density polycarbonate and stainless steel, Bartule is dishwasher safe and highly durable. Bartule retails for $44.99 and is available in six colors: blue, red, green, clear, yellow and smoke. For more information or to purchase a Bartule, please visit bartule.com.

When I was younger, I could not comprehend the plethora of pillows on my grandmother’s bed. Why have all of these pillows if you have to remove each one every night and set them up every morning? After all, time is of the essence and you can realistically only sleep on one or two at a time. But now that I’m older (wiser and more stylish than I was at 7 years old), I’ve come to appreciate the art of accent pillows.

Daren Miller, founder and owner of And Beige in Washington, DC, understands the importance of accent pillows in the home. “Accent pillows add personality to an interior as well as help pull a room together, either with pattern or a specific color palette,” Miller says. “Every project or person is different. I believe in a bedroom accent pillows should be both pretty and functional.”

In more formal spaces, such as a living room shared with guests, “accent pillows are decorative objects and should be treated as such,” according to Miller.

“Nice quality decorative pillows produced from nice fabrics and fillers should be removed and set aside when lounging in a living room and not lounged upon,” he says.

One of my favorite pillows at And Beige is the Sauvage Pillow from Dransfield & Ross (pictured above). I love the espresso color and the print is reminiscent of a giraffe, while also maintaining a sense of sophistication.

“Decorative accent pillows are like collected pieces art. They are important to help personalize your space and add character,” Miller says. “Again, this can be done with pillows that have a block of a strong color or interesting pattern to help create or complete a theme.”

For more information about And Beige, please visit andbeige.com.

The third Sunday of June is always Father’s Day, but inevitably, some of us (me included!) always seem to forget this fact until the last minute. If you’re still looking for a great gift for dear old Dad, the new Drift Reclining Chair and Nesting Ottoman from Thos. Moser is a stylish addition to any room. It sure beats another plaid tie and may just become Dad’s favorite spot in the house.

Drift, the new lounge chair from Thos. Moser, includes a “sliding dovetail” hidden in its interior for smooth and silent movement. The chair’s sculpted memory foam provides total comfort and is a first for Moser seating.

“Motion is the Drift inspiration. Its very shape evokes movement,” David Moser, the company’s principal designer, says. “Dramatic curves converging on a focal point foretell the action of the cushioned seat. At rest, it is a lounge chair, and actuated, it becomes a recliner, Moser style.”

Both the chair and ottoman incorporate Moser’s traditional mortise and tenon joinery, and the curves are steam bent to provide strength while highlighting the beauty of the wood grain. Drift can recline to several positions along a 5” continuum with a slight movement of the body.

Drift is available in cherry ($3,200/chair and $1,000/ottoman) and walnut ($3,680/chair and $1,150/ottoman). Upholstery options can include leather, fabric, and Sensuede. The chair and ottoman are available online, via the Customer Care Center at 800-708-9045 and at the Thos. Moser showroom in Washington, DC. For more information, please visit thosmoser.com.

There’s more to Arhaus Furniture than just sofas and home furnishings. Recently, I received an email about the latest trends from Arhaus Jewels–the globally-inspired jewelry and accessories counterpart to the famous furniture company.

Arhaus Jewels features everything from earrings to rings and necklaces to bracelets, with scarves, handbags, watches and other accessories mixed in as well. My favorite find (so far) are the Love Letter Earrings (pictured right), which are drop earrings made from vintage French love poems decoupaged and set in sterling silver vintage-style frames. What can I say? I’m a sucker for romance.

The jewelry on the website can best be described as boho-chic with a little bit of vintage inspiration. No matter what piece you choose to wear, it will definitely be noticed. To shop for the jewelry in person, there is an Arhaus Jewels located inside of the new Arhaus Furniture in Bethesda. For more information about Arhaus Jewels, visit arhausjewels.com.

Who says bird feeders can’t be sleek and modern? Certainly not Umbra designer Dennis Cheng. The company’s new Bird Café is a stylish molded bird feeder is great for nature lovers and birdwatchers.

Although I’m not a professional birdwatcher, I do enjoy leisurely watching birds in my backyard. There’s just something truly calming and fascinating about watching them fly, hop along the sidewalk or take a bath in a puddle.

The Bird Café includes a lid for top-loading and easy access to the bottom holes. “Bird Café” offers a fun and modernized interpretation of a bird feeder,” says Cheng. “…The hopper-style construction ensures a constant flow of seeds for birds to enjoy. So why not let feathered friends feed happily in a modern setting just as we love to do.”

Bird Café will be available in stores July 2011. For more information about Umbra, please visit umbra.com.

‘Tis the season for outdoor cooking. With the impending arrival of Memorial Day weekend and graduation parties galore, chances are you and your loved ones will be spending more time eating and cooking outdoors. (I know I will). To help make that process a little easier, Crate & Barrel has a Chill Salad Bowl with servers.

The bowl comes with a cooling-ice pack base and lidded storage for clean and easy transportation. And you won’t have to worry about losing servers as they snap into the lid. I also love the bright orange color, just in time for summer.

For more information, please visit crateandbarrel.com.

Hi, my name is L’Oreal and I’m addicted to shoes. Now that we’ve gotten all of the pleasantries out of the way, I can tell you about the Girilla shoe rack from Porada. At last count, I had about two-dozen pairs of shoes in my closet. Naturally, I could use a little help organizing and storing them all.

Seeing as how my room is in desperate need of a full-length mirror as well, this wall-mounted shoe rack is the perfect stylish solution. The storage unit has 12 adjustable shelves.

And if you’re a book lover, like me, there’s the Libra bookcase with ten shelves. Both units are available in canaletta wood and wenge finish and are designed to swivel and unveil their content. For more information, visit eurotrendusa.com.

If life were up to me, I’d have a summerhouse on the beach. Preferably somewhere like Hawaii. A quiet, relaxing sanctuary where I can “get away from it all.” But, because I still live at home with my parents (I have to pay off those student loans somehow), I’ll just have to settle for beach-inspired décor, such as the new lamps from the Tommy Bahama Collection by Wildwood Lamps & Accents.

Made of natural materials, including colorful Caribbean beads, these lamps provide your home with a bit of island flair…even if you’re nowhere near the ocean. My favorite is the Intricate Bamboo Splits Lamp (pictured right), which is handmade from natural materials. The lamp also features a woven wooden base and is available in a medium wood finish topped with a neutral shade and ball finial.

Tommy Bahama is known for its elegant island living lines with men’s and women’s sportswear, denim, swimwear, accessories and home furnishings, while Wildwood Lamps includes a collection of table lamps, floor lamps, chandeliers, sconces, and more. For more information, please visit tommybahama.com.

Spring is the perfect time to dabble in the garden, especially if you live in Maryland. Winter is finally over and the infamous Baltimore humidity hasn’t had a chance to rear its ugly (and often miserable) head. When you’re finished digging in the dirt, it’s nice to have a place to sit back and relax that’s also stylish and sophisticated.

If you’re interested in adding some multicultural charm to your outdoor oasis, then check out the new Marrakesh Collection from Arhaus Furniture. The line, inspired by the culture, architecture, food, and colors of Morocco brings a worldly element to indoor and outdoor home décor.

My favorite pieces are the Marrakesh Bistro Table & Chairs. The solid wrought iron set is perfect for a simple garden tea, yet durable enough to brave those stormy summer nights. For more information about the Marrakesh collection, please visit arhaus.com. Arhaus also has locations in Annapolis, Baltimore, and Bethesda.