Recently spotted, admired, and pinned: Little Greene’s new “In the Garden” wallpapers. The eight botanical designs that comprise the collection were all inspired by the landscapes, individual plants, and real-life plant obsessives championed by British conservation group National Trust.
“With ‘In the Garden,’ we wanted to celebrate the restorative power and timeless beauty of nature, bringing the serenity and optimism of the outdoors into our homes,” says Little Greene’s creative director, Ruth Mottershead. “All of the designs have been created from scratch, drawing inspiration and reinterpreting elements from National Trust gardens and landscapes. This collection allows us to honour and protect Britain’s remarkable design and horticultural heritage, while inviting people to create interiors that feel both restorative and inspiring.”
Two more reasons to consider this new collection: A portion of every sale goes to the National Trust to support their conservation work across 500 properties and 890 miles of coastline. And the wallpapers are printed on responsibly sourced paper and with eco-friendly pigments.
Below, a peek at some of our favorites from the collection.
Above: “Rhododendron Walk”, shown in Hicks Blue, is inspired by the rhododendrons and azaleas that “have famously accompanied woodland and lakeside walks in the grounds of National Trust properties as far reaching as Cragside in Northumberland, Castle Drogo in Devon, Rowallane in Northern Ireland and Sheringham Park in Norfolk,” reads the website.
Welcome to The Editors’ Cut, our monthly column dedicated to beautiful and useful finds for all over the house. In this installment: Folded-paper stars, painted baubles, delicate blown glass designs—there’s a bevy of tiny, intricately made ornaments out there, and we’re easily wooed by them all. But this year, we noticed one common thread amongst the decor we’re admiring lately: flora, fauna, fish, and fruits, immortalized in shiny brass and pressed tin. Have a look. — The R/G Editors
Hare and Stag
Above: A stately stag or a sprightly rabbit? We could be swayed by either one. Shop now.
Fish
Above: We have a thing for fish motifs—and this polished-brass ornament comes engraved with a wish (“Bona fortuna et amor,” Latin for “Good luck and love”). Shop now.
Pear
Above: Hand-cut, with a hand-hammered edge and colorful tassel, this pear ornament reminds us of the fancy gilded pears that come in gift boxes (but it lasts much longer). Shop now.
Dove and Mistletoe
Above L: A sweet embossed dove with a colorful twist: a bright ribbon loop. Shop now. Above R: December’s most romantic greenery, but make it minimalist. Shop now.
Bird
Above: Made from solid brass, Fog Linen’s simple bird can be hung in a window all year long. Shop now.
Holly Leaves
Above: These pretty, subtly festive brass leaves add a wink of gold to the tree. Shop now.
Moon
Above: And from artist Megan Fatharly, a wise crescent moon to watch over the end of the year. Shop now.
If you’ve been keeping up with the zeitgeist, you probably already know that garden-wear (a subset of workwear) is trending. That’s a good thing for those of us who, even when we’re not kneeling in dirt, prefer hard-wearing, easy-going, gender-neutral clothing. Here, our gift guide picks for the gardener in your life (maybe that’s you!) […]
Welcome to The Editors’ Cut, our monthly column dedicated to beautiful and useful finds for all over the house. In this installment: We’ve always considered moss-y, olive-y green to be an honorary neutral. Even our most color-shy editors are drawn to the hue, incorporating it into our homes, our wardrobes, and, in one case, a wedding. Lucky for us, we’re noticing this particular shade everywhere of late: not drab, not muddy, but a little bit chartreuse, a little bit avocado, and perfect for fall. Here are 12 finds. — The Remodelista and Gardenista Editors
Calla Table Lamp
Above: Found: the most beautiful table lamp. Made in collaboration with artist Sophie Lou Jacobsen using traditional Venetian glassmaking techniques, it comes in an appealing pistachio shade. Shop now.
Cisco and the Sun Stoneware Butter Box
Above: You’ll want to linger over breakfast with this pretty butter dish (designed in Australia and made in Cambodia) on the table. Shop now.
Laney Floral Quilt and Shams
Above: Our ideal autumn bed features this hand-quilted coverlet in rich shades of olive. (Bonus: It’s reversible.) Shop now.
Green Glassware
Above L: This verdant glass vessel, hand-blown in Tuscany, makes an elegant decanter for wine or water. Shop now. Above R: We like a stemless glass for all uses. These squat versions are inspired by traditional clay mezcal vessels and made from 100 percent recycled glass. Shop now.
Nina Square Velvet Cushion
Above: An instant upgrade for the sofa, courtesy of Danish pillow maker Christina Lundsteen. Shop now.
Easy Gardening Clog
Above: Waterproof, lightweight, vegan, and chic enough to wear beyond the garden. Shop now.
Ella Wool Rug
Above: A rare find: a hand-tufted, OEKO-Tex-certified wool-cotton rug that is also incredibly affordable. Shop now.
Pruning shrubs and topiary is an exhausting business—especially if it requires being perched on top of a ladder or spending an entire day to complete the work. Large hedge-trimmers are simply far too heavy and unwieldy, and—apologies to the purists—traditional topiary shears, too slow for the impatient gardeners among us.
Which is why electric shrub shears are a game-changer for me. I’d first seen the Stihl HSA 26 battery-powered pruners last year but held off buying them until I visited designer Sheila Jack in her Wiltshire garden, where the neat power tool is an essential for trimming her fast-growing Lonicera nitilda domes that need to be clipped every few weeks.
The Stihl shears come with two attachments: a 20cm shrub cutter and a smaller 12cm “grass” cutter. It’s become my go-to tool, gliding through and tidying multiple overgrown hebes, a large topiarized pittosporum, and the many boxwood balls in my garden. It’s lightweight enough to work with all day—although a charged battery will get you about 110 minutes of clipping. (To recharge the battery will take about an hour; having a spare battery would avoid this issue.)
Above: The shrub cutter blade, which is perfect for gliding over topiary and all sizes of shrubs. Above: The shorter grass cutting attachment.
Crucially the HSA 26 is nimble enough and with a strong enough blade action to make clean and precise cuts. Like any bladed power tool, it needs to be used with care. But it’s extremely easy and intuitive to use, with simple blade changes and a rubberized grip for comfort. Stihl claims the shears can cope with branches up to 8mm thick (if you want a tool for chunkier branches, the brand’s cordless pruner—the GTA 26—is a mini chainsaw that is equally lightweight).
As we head into winter, I’m anticipating that the shears are going to be equally transformative when it comes to the big winter deadheading, especially for ornamental grasses which can be time-consuming to cut back. Like the very best tools, this one has made my gardening life a pleasure instead of a pain.
When Remodelista founder Julie Carlson attended a benefit dinner at Wave Hill, a public garden and under-the-radar treasure in the Bronx, she enjoyed the beautiful plantings and the breathtaking views of the Hudson River, but it was the garden chairs she saw on the property that bowled her over. (She is a design geek, after all.)
Turns out, the Wave Hill chairs have been bewitching visitors for decades. They were designed in the 1960s by landscape designer Lester Collins, who based the chair on a 1918 design by architect Gerrit Rietveld; Collins later allowed Wave Hill to make his version of the chair for use in their public garden.
Good news for Julie and others who can’t stop thinking about them: Wave Hill sells DIY plans for the chair.
Above: The beauty of these chairs is that you can use cheap store-bought planks to build them and paint them in the color of your choosing. To purchase the plans, contact The Shop at Wave Hill at 718.549.3200 x249, or email [email protected]. Above: Horticulturalist Dan Benarcik designed his own version after becoming obsessed with the chairs at Wave Hill. On his site, he sells the plans for his chair for $35; a DIY kit with all the materials you need for $325; a workshop to make a chair for $350; and a fully assembled chair, in western red cedar, for $425. Find details here. Above: You can also purchase pre-made Wave Hill chairs in your choice of wood—white ash, white oak, walnut, cherry, red oak, reclaimed oak, reclaimed pine, maple, or cedar (pictured) from Hugo and Hoby. Above: While we like the look of the untreated wood chairs that age with time, we also quite enjoy them painted or stained (Margaret Roach writes about her painted versions here). Photograph via Dan Benarcik.
For more on garden chairs, see:
N.B.: This post was first published July 2019; it has been updated with new links and photos.
Welcome to The Editors’ Cut, our monthly column dedicated to all things beautiful and useful for the garden, patio, porch, and terrace. This month, as the high season wanes, the gardener turns toward quieter labors: maintenance, tidying, and other steadying tasks to prepare for the months ahead. Here, we’ve gathered the workhorse essentials for this moment, from sturdy basics to new classics. — The Gardenista Editors
Niwaki Galvanized Buckets
Above: These new buckets from Japanese tool manufacturer Niwaki have fast become our favorites. Use them to carry big drinks of water to plants the garden hose can’t reach or to gather yard debris. Shop now.
Andrée Jardin Ashwood Hand Broom
Above: Alexa bought this hand broom a few years back, and it’s proved to be an absolute must in her arsenal of garden tools: “It has super robust vegetable fiber bristles and is the only thing that really cleans up stair railings and fences around my garden.” Shop now.
A Resilient, Drought-Tolerant Seed Blend from Outsidepride
Sponsored by Outsidepride: Is there anything better than lolling on a lush patch of green grass? Just be sure that the grass you choose is durable, disease-resistant, and drought-tolerant, reducing the need for care and maintenance. Outsidepride’s specially formulated Fireball/Hattrick Ryegrass seed blend—with moisture-saving OptiGrowth seed coating—thrives in a variety of climates and grows a dense, carpet-like turf with a rich, green hue. Plant it this fall, and enjoy your dream lawn come spring. Shop now.
Downlights in a landscape will focus attention exactly where you need it at night, with minimal light pollution from glare and excessive brightness. By pointing toward your feet, downlights make it safer to walk on dark paths without creating skyglow, which obscures the stars overhead and disorients migrating birds.
Are you looking for discreet downlights to mount on an outdoor wall, in a stairwell, or at the edge of a path? Here are 10 stylish sconces that won’t create light pollution.
Above: For our money, this is the most beautiful downlight currently on the market. The clay ORCA x Ceramicah Sconce is $935 and available in two colors (buckwheat and manzanita, pictured) at ORCA Living. Above: Hot dipped in molten zinc during manufacture, St. Ives Mast Light (also featured in the photo at top) is impervious to the effects of weather. Rated for all outdoor uses (including coastal locations), it is £40 at Garden Trading. Above: From Belgium-based Tekna’s Nautic collection, an LED Spreaderlight in sand-casted brass with frosted glass is available in a variety of other finishes as well; from £489.
Greek interior designer Pallas Kalamotusis fine-tuned an abandoned renovation on an 18th-century house on the island of Patmos, Greece. Working with Athens-based Studio Pale, Pallas, head of Studio Krokalia, created a relaxed and humble living space with a natural palette, a custom sofa complete with multi-striped textiles, and terracotta lights.
Above: The custom sofa is made from natural pine wood and finished with layers upon layers of striped kapok pillows and a sofa topper. Above: A pair of natural rattan loungers at the entryway to the outdoor living area.
Paint
Above: For a similar warm-toned white-taupe, try Farrow & Ball’s Dimity. Above: “We color-matched a grey used locally,” says Pallas. “You just take a scrap to the local paint shop and they copy it!” For something similar, there’s Farrow & Ball’s Blue Gray.
Furniture & Lighting
Above: The Classic Table with marbled black ceramic top is $749 at Room & Board. Above: For a rattan lounge chair similar to those seen in the living room, try the Loop Rattan Lounge Chair from The Woven Shop; $795. Above: Designed by Verner Panton for Montana Møbler, the Panton One Lounge Chair is $1,153 at Danish Design Shop. Above: The pendant light is the Terracotta Medium Pendant from Hand and Eye Studio in the UK.
From the editors at Remodelista, a roundup of camping must-haves that also happen to be great-looking. Admittedly, the Remodelista team is not the most eager bunch when it comes to camping. Nevertheless, we’ve each been lured into outdoor adventures with help from some hard-wearing, attractive accoutrements. Here are our favorites for a weekend in a […]
Entering autumnal phase but not yet willing to phase out your outdoor space? One option is heated outdoor lounge chairs and sofas, as an alternative to overhead heaters. For colder months, cold mornings, or transient weather, add a wool blanket or fire pit and the concentrated heat doubles. Here are our 5 finds. For more […]
I’ve been on the hunt for artful vases all summer—and I think I may have just found the perfect ones. When I spotted the work of artist Danya Ahmed, of Gray Gardens Plant Studio, I was immediately captivated and needed to learn more. Originally from the US, Danya relocated to her ancestral homeland of Lebanon, where she now handcrafts stunning sculptural vases, planters, and bowls that embrace raw and brutalist elements.
Above: You can choose between horizontal, vertical, or natural texture, as well as one of seven colors (pictured is Brick). All Vases hold water for fresh flowers; $190.
While you might think these pieces are ceramic, they are, in fact, made from glass fiber reinforced concrete. This material allows for the added height and width, plus the weight of the material helps anchor taller and more unwieldy arrangements (think: branches).
Above: Danya’s background is in fine arts, with a BA in drawing and sculpture and an MFA in fibers and textiles. “While I wasn’t trained specifically in pottery, I guess you can say I had a strong training in motor-muscle creation, crafting things by hand.” These Bucket Planters start at $98.
Danya approaches concrete much like one would with clay, forming and sculpting it by hand. “Combining the strength of the material, with the sensitivity of the hand, each piece is imbued with its own energy. The vases are a great example of this strength and sensitivity. They have the hand-formed, tactile marks of the maker and their softness is balanced by their weighted down, brute strength,” she says.
Above: Terra Planters are available in a host of sizes; from $398.
When Danya finally started Gray Gardens, she focused on potted plants. “I was making the planters and also planting in them, the pot and the plant were one entity. Creating the planters, playing with the material, texture, shape, proportion and color, as they all combined in relation to the plant was quite exciting for me. It was fun to create for, and respond to, a living thing—something already in existence and natural. Essentially combining my two favorite things, nature and plants, with hand-crafted sculpture; playing with the form of the tree in relation to the planter and vice versa.”
Above: Danya working on a custom oversized piece.
The color palette used in all the work is ten years in the making. After much experimenting and trying out new colors and putting them in context with plants, she still continues to explore. “I introduce new colors seasonally,” she says. “And these stay in production for shorter periods of time, as something fun to play with.”
Above: Danya’s planters can be used indoors or outdoors and each comes with drainage holes. Photograph by Tanya Traboulsi.
If you’re looking to upgrade your outdoor furniture, and are a fan of Scandinavian design but live in the US, we have some exciting news for you: Iconic Danish furniture brand Carl Hansen & Søn‘s outdoor teak collection by architect Alfred Homann is now available stateside at Room & Board. There are two Carl Hansen & Søn outposts in the US (one on each coast—San Francisco and New York City); Room & Board, meanwhile, has more than 20 locations scattered across 12 states, so you’ll have plenty more options to test out the pieces.
We like that the collection uses untreated teak wood, which gradually morphs into a silvery gray shade as it ages. And we love that the teak is Forest Stewardship Council-certified.
Above: The Carl Hansen & Søn AH Collection features 10 pieces, including a deck chair, lounge chair, sofa, and side tables, all pictured here. Above: Cushions are available for each seating option. Pictured are the chaise and ottoman (with and without the cushion). Cushions are made from CertiPUR-US-certified foam and outdoor fabric that partially includes recycled acrylic.
Above: The deck chair—with and without cushions ($935 and $7o5, respectively). Pieces in the collection range from $395 to $3,335. Above: The dining table is also available in a larger, rectangular size.
We love the trend-less quality of an old European garden such as the romantic, rambling grounds of the de Taillac family property in Gascony, in southwest France. Victoire de Taillac, co-founder of L’Officine Universelle Buly with husband Ramdane Touhami, was inspired by the garden’s potager, or kitchen garden, for a line of Buly fragrances pulling […]
Design classics aren’t just for interiors. In fact, a crop of notable 20th-century designers made dining and lounge chairs for the outdoors (and/or their designs were later reworked for outdoor use). From the Eameses to Jens Risom to brands including Tolix and Fermob, here are our 12 favorite classic outdoor chair designs. Looking for more […]
It’s Fourth of July today, and while you and I are maybe grilling up burgers and hot dogs to celebrate—a nice steak or maybe a whole fish if we’re feeling fancy—those fortunate enough to own an open-fire grill by Fire Made are having an entirely different experience cooking outdoors. They may be hanging up several whole chickens to slow-cook over flames, roasting a half dozen large lamb rumps on grates,sautéeing seasonal veggies in a pan, and char-cooking beets directly on the embers—all on one grill. Thanks to its multiple tiers, even their smallest Portico Grill can accommodate a surprising amount of food.
But perhaps most appealing is the built-in drama that comes with using this minimalist grill. Because of its open sides, the cooking is on full display—every sizzle, drip, searing can be appreciated by all.
Above: Cooking as theater. Ana Ortiz (pictured) and her husband, Tom Bray, are the founders of Fire Made, which makes South American-inspired open-fire cooking tools. Ana grew up in Ecuador, where casual family gatherings often revolve around grilling.
Above: The company is based in Somerset, UK, and specializes in bespoke fire kitchens (chefs Gordon Ramsey and Jamie Oliver are fans) but recently added Portico Grills (made in Somerset from blackened steel) to their consumer product line. The grills come in three sizes; pictured is the medium size (£1,760).
Above: The large size (£2,030) comes with everything in the image at left—including a basket for hanging chicken. Every Portico Grill is delivered flat-pack. Free delivery within the UK; for shipments abroad, contact Fire Made.
After just a week in Maine a few summers ago, I decided that it was my favorite state. The beaches were how I like them: light on people, heavy on dramatic vistas. The weather, too, was my preferred type: temperatures that required at least half of the body (your choice of top or bottom) be covered up. I enjoyed my stay there so much that I did what I usually pride myself on not doing when playing tourist: I left with a souvenir—a doormat woven from reclaimed lobster rope. Every time I step barefoot onto its knotty surface, I am reminded of my trip.
Recently, I noticed that I’m not the only one enamored with nautical rope doormats. They’re popping up in quite a few stores outside of Maine. Here are 10 I like. I am partial to the washed-out, rustic look of the versions made from upcycled lobster rope, but I’ve also included rope doormats that are a bit more refined.
Above: From New England Trading Co.’s Wicked Good line of handwoven Nautical Rope Doormats, this one features a classic tan and black palette; $69.95. Above: From Cape Porpoise Trading Co.’s website: “The rope used to make this doormat was once connecting a Maine lobsterman’s buoy to his lobster trap on the bottom of the ocean floor. This lovely doormat will not only decrease the footprints in your house it will also assist in decreasing your environmental footprint.” The Recycled Lobster Rope Doormat in Machias comes in five sizes; starting from $76 at their Etsy site.
Above: This Fisherman Rope Mat in the colors of Maine’s Bicentennial Flag colors is hand-made in Maine; $60 from Sea Bags.
Above: From Maine Rope Mats, this Double Weave Mat is $59.95 to $164.95, depending on the size, which ranges from small to runner length. Above: “New federal regulations mandate that lobster fisherman can no longer use floating line to connect their traps together, because the northern right whale was becoming entangled in the floating line.” Custom Cordage is saving the rope from ending up in a landfill by weaving them into doormats. The Original Reclaimed Fishing Rope Doormat is $56.99 at Kittery Trading Post. Above: Washashore uses nautical rope that has either been found washed ashore or retired from ocean farming and donated. Their Custom Rope Mats allow you to choose the size and colors; from $50.
Here, we present the concept of a dry garden applied to an urban balcony. The project is located in Hayes Valley of San Francisco and is designed by Daniel Nolan, landscape designer and former in-house designer at Flora Grubb Gardens. The garden features a cohesive look created by way of “the repetition of specific plants […]
When it comes to doormats, there are coco fiber, woven mats and plenty of patterned and multi-color options out there, but what about the more straightforward set? We’ve sifted through the rubble to source 10 of the best modern doormats specifically designed for outdoor wear. For more doormats, see our posts: 10 Easy Pieces: Durable […]
Gardening should be as easy as playing in dirt. But if you’re a beginner, you may be intimidated by the seemingly limitless options out there: what to grow, which tools to buy, how to build a raised bed, and so on. And if sustainability is a priority (and it should be for everyone), there’s the added element of making sure what you choose is earth-friendly. Vego Garden, a leading manufacturer of stylish, eco-conscious, and durable modular garden beds, takes the guesswork out of container gardening.
Vego Garden carries everything you need to start a vegetable garden—from actual seedlings (like tomatoes, melons, and more) to garden tools and soil. In the five years since the company launched, Vego Garden has become the leading choice for stylish and long-lasting garden beds. And now, they’ve come up with a new product line designed for indoor gardeners as well.
Here are eight reasons to go with Vego Garden for your growing needs. And read to the bottom for a special Gardenista reader discount.
1. No outdoor space? No problem.
Above: Vego Garden started as a maker of sustainable raised garden beds, but now it’s entered the indoor container gardening market—to great success. The company’s line of Self-Watering Planters received a 2024 iF Design Award as well as a Red Dot Award for its innovative design. The collection includes an herb planter box with trellis, a mini planter box with trellis, as well as a rolling tomato pot with trellis.
2. They’re great for beginner gardeners.
Above: Vego Garden’s planters are all self-watering. Fill it once with water to provide moisture for up to several weeks. A handy water gauge shows the water level—so you’re never at risk of under- or over-watering, both common beginner mistakes.
