Pillow Talk
Home is where the stuff is: 5 online shops for creature comforts
Nomad rug, from $182 at Lulu & Georgia.Lulu & Georgia
Nelson "Marshmallow" sofa, from the Modern Classics collection, $3,299 at Room &Board.Room & Board
Chloe & Olive Cinco de Mayo down pillow, $55.95 at Joss & Main.Joss & Main
Limited-edition Orissa brass owl, $99.95 at CB2.CB2
Some people like to while away the time on Pinterest, building pin boards and daydreaming about a life they don’t — but possibly could — have. We stare at the computer enough during the day, so if we’re going to continue to jeopardize our eyesight, then we had better be productive. As in shopping. For stuff. For our home.
The recent launch of Zara Home inspired us to put together this list of our favorite online retailers for all things home, from clean-lined furniture and whimsical throw pillows to sparkly chandeliers and boldly patterned rugs.
Note: We are not responsible for your credit card bill.
Room & Board
Remember when people went nuts and camped out when Ikea arrived in Frisco (which is still a mystery to us)? We would do the same if Dallas were to get a Room & Board. The next best thing to a visit to a showroom (we’ve popped in to stores in San Francisco, New York and D.C.) is an online shopping spree of the well-constructed, modern and surprisingly affordable furniture at Room & Board.
Streamlined upholstered pieces, platform beds and versatile occasional tables with steel bases and myriad tops are just a few of the finds. Oh, and Room & Board promises the lowest possible price on authentic, licensed designer pieces — dubbed Modern Classics on the site — from the likes of Eames, Nelson and Wegner. If you find a lower price elsewhere, they will match it. Also noteworthy: Deliverymen are as polite as any you’ll encounter.
CB2
Like Room & Board, CB2 has bricks-and-mortar in some cities (damn you, New York!), but the online shopping experience suits us just fine. The more hip and affordable sibling to Crate & Barrel, CB2 sates our desire for fun and funky home accessories, lighting and gifts — many of which we never knew we needed, like, say, acrylic baby easels.
We are less inclined to buy furniture here, but we never stop admiring industrial-looking pendant lamps, contemporary patterned rugs and one-of-a-kind finds like the quirky Orissa brass owl, available in limited quantities.
One Kings Lane
Sigh. While “researching” for this story, we landed on the homepage of One Kings Lane and were smacked in the face with a “Get 30% off your entire order today only!” So we blame you, dear reader, for the most current charge on our MasterCard.
One Kings Lane does require a membership, but who cares when it’s free and everything on the site is so covetable — and significantly less than retail? Cheerful throw pillows, contemporary prints from emerging artists, cookbooks, foodie gifts, sideboards, candles, bed linens, mint julep cups — we can’t resist. A canary yellow Cuisinart hand mixer and chocolate damask Halloween lollipops? Sold.
You must move quickly because sales last for only 72 hours and quantities are limited, so merch goes fast. Also shop the Tastemaker Tag Sales for hand-picked items from design luminaries or Movie Set Sales for, yes, props from movie sets.
Joss & Main
Joss & Main is another members-only site featuring limited-time sales on housewares, furniture, décor, gifts and such at a reported 70 percent off retail. A scalloped glass cake stand with gold trim? A hot pink toaster? Crystalline-adorned ceiling pendant? Retro wildflower printed down throw pillow? Bicycle wine holder? Yes, we need all of it. Okay. Maybe not that last one. But we could have it if we wanted it.
Joss & Main also collaborates with noted designers, stylists, chefs and celebrities to bring members something called Curator’s Collections, and the site publishes design reports and other goodies to educate us laymen about the latest trends. Plus we like to virtually thumb through Plum, the online magazine, to see shopping videos, designer interviews, editors’ picks and Stylephile guides to our favorite cities.
Lulu & Georgia
Well, thanks to DailyCandy, we now have another way to feed our home-décor addiction. Why we like Lulu & Georgia: First, you pick your category (rugs, accessories, lighting, walls, furniture, one-of-a-kind). Then you filter by color (blacks and grays, pinks and purples, blues and greens, etc.) or by style (bohemian, glamour girl, romantic and so on).
With rugs, you can also sort by type — such as animal prints, cowhides, doormats, naturals — and by collection or designer. This is our new hot spot for multihued rugs in unexpected patterns and funky little poufs for extra seating during dinner parties.
Wes Brown, host of the new Hallmark+ show Ready, Set, Glow!Photo courtesy of Hallmark+
Jen Burkman's father is known as "San-pa."
Photo courtesy of Burkman family
The display features some new arches for picture-taking this year.Facebook/Burkman Holiday Home