For over thirty years, Peacock Alley has produced exquisite bed and bath linens, combining classic elegance with incredible comfort.  This season, we’re loving their new throws (so many amazing colors!) so we worked with Janie at Peacock to choose our favorites and we took them home for a spin.

Here’s what we thought …

All Seasons Solid Cotton Blanket: Combining the soft, coziness of a winter blanket with the mild texture and weight of a summer throw, the All Seasons Blanket really is perfect year-round. In 100% Egyptian cotton, all four neutral hues are completely free of dyes and bleaches.

“This 100% cotton blanket is so plush, you could confuse it with mohair, chenille, or wool. I can’t resist cuddling with it!” – Nicole

“Plush, cozy, and surprisingly lightweight, the beauty of this blanket is in the details. With a nice suede label and herringbone tape binding, it is perfect for chasing chills away” – Carolina

“The softest cotton I’ve ever felt, the All Seasons blanket is absolutely luxurious. It is light enough for a brisk summer night, but cozy enough for fireside winter evening” – Eve

“The All Seasons Blanket is creamy, soft and velvety, like a teddy bear. Not too heavy, cozy, and plush” – Si

Captiva Cotton Throw:  Made in Portugal from soft cotton, Captiva is the perfect throw for breezy spring evenings or cozy mornings with a cup of joe.  Available in nine colors … five neutrals and four brights.

“This feels like a knit sweater for those cooler summer nights, and the coral color reminds me of the beach” – Si

“The dressy ribbed stripe and happy color give it a tailored finish and refined look” – Carolina

“Comfortable and chic, the Captiva is that beloved blanket you always want to curl up in, but it’s pretty enough to display draped over the couch” – Nicole

“Like a soft, warm hug, this throw is perfect for an afternoon nap, or just curling up with a good book” – Eve

Majorca Cable Knit Cotton Blanket:  In a welcoming, plush cable knit, the Majorca Blanket is as soft and comforting as your favorite sweater. With several new colors to chose from, the Aqua stands out as fun and a perfect reminder of the water.

“The sweater-like quality is so inviting, and the aqua color is clean and refreshing” – Eve

“The first thing that caught my eye was the rich, beautiful color. The intricate weave is similar to a cable knit, but has a more unique shape, like a wave” – Nicole

“I like the medium weight, and the aqua color reminds me of the tranquility of water” – Si

“It is a really substantial weight, fluffy and a bit heavy. I love the border finish; it’s so beautiful you could wear it as a shawl” – Carolina

Ready to try for yourself? Check out all of our Peacock Alley Bedding and Bath here!

Keeping with their signature style of classic elegance, Peacock Alley has added many new collections for Spring/Summer 2014.

Combining cotton and linen for the perfect summertime weight, the Mary Ella Bedding Collection is the perfect balance of sweet femininity and practicality.

Embracing modern simplicity, the new Billy Collection has a subtle jacquard ticking stripe in five inviting hues.

Adding new spice to an already flawless design, the Majorca Cable Knit Cotton Blanket gets a new punch of color in Blue, Aqua, Green and Coral.

Now available in the all new Grand Euro pillow size, collections such as the Mandalay Bedding offer the ultimate indulgence for your bedroom: the height of a Euro Sham with the width of a King Sham, 26 x 36 inches.

With just the right touch of pastel, the new Charleston Collection has subtle Southern charm in a delicate floral pattern.

On soft, sateen cotton, Emma exhibits a hand-drawn geometric print in colors that will mix and match perfectly with the more subdued styles.

For more beautiful bed and bath linens by Peacock Alley, click here.

Summer is on the horizon, and we’re captivated by the citrus palettes making a splash on the design scene! From tangerine to grapefruit, pops of punchy colors are perfect for adding a tangy twist to traditional interiors. Combine two or more extroverted hues, like lemon with lime, for a juicy, ‘Happy Chic’ look, a la Jonathan Adler or Trina Turk.

Here are some of our favorite picks this season:

For al fresco dining, nothing beats the chic but practical acrylic drinkware from Mario Luca Giusti.  We love how artistic the Palla Fluo pitchers look en masse …

… and how easily they can brighten anything up – even an ancient Italian cobblestone courtyard!

Sprinkle your interiors with these citrus accents for a bright, modern, and peppy aesthetic.

We’re in a happy mood just looking at this trend!

The entire design world continues to crush out on gold.  Inspired by jagged edge stone formations (and influenced by Rock and Roll Glam, Cubism, and Art Deco), Michael Aram’s “Rock” Collection feels of-the-moment even as it references past artistic movements.  As Michael says, “the gold finish feels decadent while the faceted rock forms are simple and clean. The result is a bold collection that I feel reflects a casual, yet elegant lifestyle that is very edgy and modern.”

There’s something for everyone on your list:

To see the entire Michael Aram Rock collection, click here.

“I decorate rooms from the bottom up…I always begin with the floors.”

Iconic interior designer Bunny Williams, known for her classic yet charismatic style, has teamed up with sister companies Dash & Albert and Pine Cone Hill to create a collection of indoor/outdoor rugs that is as fashionable as it is functional.  They are designed to stand the test of time, and the occasional spill of red wine!

Williams’s collection is polished and thoughtful, but with a bohemian quality that reflects the designer’s laid-back personality. She says, “What I design are backdrops for living. I want to create rooms to be used, not just showplaces to be admired.” Williams conceived 36 elegant, performance-based designs that would fit in with customers’ busy lifestyles. Marrying comfort and style, the rugs feature sophisticated patterns in soothing color palettes, all on durable, washable materials. The natural jute rugs are made from eco-friendly vegetable dyes while the indoor/outdoor rugs are constructed of a recycled-materials weave.

Williams continues, “My personal style is all about making my houses comfortable and inviting for my family and friends, and of course, my dogs.” Each piece in the collection is named after Williams’ favorite pets, past or present.

For her collaboration with Pine Cone Hill, Williams designed throws and pillows that work beautifully with the rugs, making it easy to get a coordinated look with minimal effort.

For more information on Williams’ collection with Pine Cone Hill, please click here. Click here for additional information on Bunny Williams for Dash & Albert.

Spring cleaning season is here, which means it’s time to freshen up your linens. If your towels are tired, your tub mats worn, and your bathroom is generally looking drab, give your home the update it deserves with Kassatex’s new collections of luxurious bath essentials. Say goodbye to fuzz and hello to fluff with linens and accessories designed to help you clean up in style.

Experience unparalleled texture and comfort with Kassatex’s new bath towel collections, many of which are inspired by destinations in Europe. The Marseilles Collection features a wave effect sculpted in piece dyed jacquard, while the Mallorca Collection is enhanced with an on-trend ombre print and unique eyelash fringe for a more contemporary look.

Named after Portugal’s captivating capital, Lisboa Bath Towels take forms inspired by classic baroque style. Featuring a decorative jacquard bottom border in a delicate palette, this collection is the perfect compliment for any bath.

Designers of well-appointed bathrooms rely on chic bath accessories to artfully store toiletries and eliminate clutter.  A porcelain dispenser from Kassatex’s new Shagreen Collection is a lot more glamorous perched on the counter than a plain, plastic soap bottle purchased from the drugstore.

To view more from Kassatex, including new introductions to the Bambini children’s line, please click here.

This is a true story:

In 1989, the British Rail Pension Fund showed the finest Tang Dynasty porcelain horse ever found at a Sotheby’s Hong Kong Auction.  That same night, thieves broke into the Sotheby’s warehouse, held the staff at knife point, and made off with the horse.  The heist made headlines around the world, and the Hong Kong organized crime squad was called in.  They set up a sting operation, pretending to be buyers, and recovered the stolen horse.  It was then transported in a convoy of seven armored cars and sent to London, where on December 12, 1989, it sold for a record-setting 3.74 million pounds, or $6 million ($10.7 million today after inflation) to an art dealer from Tokyo.

Such excitement is just another page in the history of the legendary horses.  During China’s Tang dynasty, horses were loved and revered as symbols of imperial power.  Emperors and noblemen gave them names like “Wind” or “Dragon.”  Poets rhapsodized about them.  Artists created porcelain horses that captured their strong, muscular builds in life-like poses.  Merchants, on the other hand, were forbidden from riding horses — such a noble creature was not to be wasted on the ostentations of the merely wealthy.

Today, Tang horses are among the best-known Chinese art.  Relatively ordinary ones are selling for about $250,000, while a premium pair sold at Sotheby’s in 2013 for almost $4.2 million.  For your collection of Tang horses, here are some things to keep in mind:

• Most Tang horses are only 15 inches tall.
• All Tang horses are made from ceramic.
• They were made to accompany the rich and powerful in the afterlife and buried with their owners.
• Most Tang horses are equipped with full riding gear.
• Almost all Tang horses have highly stylized, combed manes and a short, upturned tail.
• They come in both glazed and unglazed versions.
• The glazed versions usually come in three colors, hence the Chinese term sancai or “Three Color” horse.
• Of the glazing colors, cobalt blue is the rarest and most prized.  Only 5 percent of Tang horses have the blue cobalt glaze, which was more expensive than gold at the time.
• Tang horses have traditionally appealed more to Western than Chinese buyers, who avoided them as burial goods.

As a gallery specialist recently told The New York Times, “You want crisply defined medallions, beautifully articulated, hand-finished faux-fur saddlecloths and harnesses with bells and floret motifs. When all these elements are perfect, you’ve got a home run.”

While you wait for the next one to come up for auction, here are a couple of modern versions to add to your collection.  L’Objet’s unglazed Tang horse in large or medium, has a zen and modern look:

Herend’s limited edition Reserve Collection Tang Horse reinterprets the Tang original in the company’s signature sapphire blue fishnet design, with 24kt gold highlights:

Do you think today’s designers have outdone the ancient masters?

This outdoor courtyard from Traditional Home‘s February 2014 was a major project — just look at the inset of the before picture:

Wow!  An outdoor fountain has become an indoor/outdoor living space.  But for whom?  The matching pillows and cushions makes this space look like a showroom.  Pillows should be the most exciting part of the room, a place where you can really show off your personality and sense of style.

So let’s take our Pillow Personality Test — which outdoor pillow are YOU?

Serious and Sophisticated?

Beach-y and Carefree?

Exotic and Romantic?

Flower Child?

or Flag Lover?

 Submit a suggestion for an Instant Makeover by commenting below or tweeting us @GraciousStyle.

Color can be controversial when it comes to decorating your home. Some people instinctively gravitate towards it, while others shy away, preferring more muted, monochromatic environments. Not Nanette Lepore. The contemporary fashion designer, known for her peppy, pattern-splashed clothing, is making a major statement with her new home collection, Nanette Lepore Villa. Inspired by her global travels, and the vibrant color palette of her ready-to-wear line, Lepore injects the same liveliness and flare into Villa, using bold hues and striking prints fearlessly.

Exotic patterns and rich color combinations abound in Villa’s debut collection. Villa is intricate, yes, but never overwhelming. Jewel tones like cobalt blue, teal, fuchsia, and emerald add sophistication to graphic patterns like peacock feathers, animal prints, and Ikat.

In 2005, the whimsical fashionista commissioned Jonathan Adler to outfit her New York home.  As he recalls, “Nanette insisted we choose furniture that was light and movable because they are a family that dances.” The dance-party hostess collaborated with Adler to transform her townhouse into a space that felt colorful, collected, and eclectic. When it came time to design her own home collection, Lepore applied her same mix-and-match, cheerfully chaotic approach.  She says, “I set out to create something that was daring, energetic, and exciting to come home to.”

Which is your favorite piece from Villa? See the entire collection, and shop the look here.

Embrace the Spring Season with a softer color palette. Whether you prefer light sorbet tones or bright sunshine touches, mixing these playful hues is as easy as a soft spring breeze!

For more great Spring Decor ideas, visit our Easter Shop!