home
& garden
BY
BYRON BECK
quick
gift picks
Armed Forces
After a tiptoe through the tulips
my forearms often look like they've been mauled by a feral
cat. Thank goodness for Elbow High Garden Gloves ($42,
Smith & Hawken, 26 NW 23rd Place, 274-9561). Not only
do these medium-weight, goatskin mitts protect me from
the pricks of Northwest brambles, their cool, goth look
comes in handy when I'm ready to play "knight in shiny
leather."
Thumbin' a Ride
Some people collect matchbooks. Others collect miniature
chairs that replicate the very best in 20th-century furniture
design. Miniature Chairs ($110-$390, Vitra, 226
NW 12th Ave., 228-6190) developed by the Vitra Design
Museum of Germany, and available at Full Upright Position's
Vitra Showroom, are crafted at a scale of 1:6 of the original
full-sized stools, ottomans and lounges. And while it
may sound like a lot of money for something that fits
in your hand it's a whole lot cheaper than anything Charles
and Ray Eames made.
Packin'
Heat
What everyone needs this winter is a summer vacation.
But for those of us who can't plunk down the money for
a trip abroad, perhaps all that's missing from our gray
days is a nice English Picnic Basket ($250-$475,
Cielo Home & Garden, 528 NW 12th Ave., 445-0111).
Cielo, the newest Pearl District purveyor of home and
garden accessories, packs each basket (available with
service for two or four) full of fine English China, cutlery,
storage boxes and linens. All you need to do is provide
the sunny conversation.
Fabric of Life
Dupioni might sound like something
from Starbucks, but it's actually a luxurious fabric from
India. Available in jewel tones, plaids and checks, it's
a nifty choice for home accessory items such as pillows,
duvets and drapes. Embroidered Dupioni ($40 and
up, Josephine Dry Goods, 521 SW 11th Ave., 224-4202) is
more embellished than the standard version (and a bit
more expensive) and looks really cool topped with tassels.
Like a Prairie
If well-crafted home furnishings are your idea of
heaven, then make a beeline to Old Town's newest furniture
store: the Amish Furniture Gallery. Full of all sorts
of cool stuff, but my personal favorite is the gallery's
Prairie Chair ($326-$472, 245 NW 5th Ave., 227-2888).
Available in various types of timber, such as maple and
cherry, it can help turn an ordinary house into a home.
And besides, why should the Amish have all the fun?
Nightmare
Before Xmas
Not everyone wants something cute and cuddly as a
gift. Some folks want something creepy, cool and downright
bizarre. In that category I suggest a Skull Cup
($38, Twist, 30 NW 23rd Place, 224-0334, and Pioneer Place,
222-3137). While Bay Area artist Michael Corney twists
these vitriolic vessels into some pretty gruesome shapes,
somehow each and every one of these buggers is nothing
short of dazzling.
All Washed Up
In England, Laundry Dollies
($149, Gardens, 425 NW 11th Ave., 223-4443) were used
to wash the stuffed shirts of the upper crust from the
late 19th century until the 1930s. But lately these imported
artifacts have been unleashed from their drudgery and
given a new lease on life as a garden accessory. Garden
types who like to keep their green patches looking current
can't get enough of these beat-up buckets for simple planters
and fountains.
Wrapping in Style
During the cold-weather months,
nothing beats a blanket to make you feel all warm and
toasty. And nothing toasts you better than a Handwoven
Blanket by local weaver John Sinclair ($300, Simon,
Toney & Fischer, 105 SE Taylor St., 721-0392). Each
handwoven and hand-dyed cover-up, in a variety of earthy
colors, is available only from the recently relocated
ST&F. Make sure to check out this new showroom--it's
three times larger than the former Pearl District location.
