I love when shops, online or brick-and-mortar, have a regional theme. As much as I love my local designers (and I do), I relish the chance to support small-scale designers in different countries whenever it’s financially possible. When it comes to European designers, I tend to rely on Anne and Kristina for updates because they get to call Paris and Rome home base. And while I will always turn to them for the designers and products I should be watching, I’m excited to have another source for new European design, Cachette. Newly launched, Cachette is an online shop that focuses on small-scale European design, ranging from homegoods to beauty. 90% of the things in their shop are from countries like France and England and every single piece is an independent, non-mass-produced product. I found myself drawn to the natural materials they carry, like gorgeous wooden cutting boards and cooking spoons and sophisticated stoneware and woven baskets. But of course, the pops of neon in the paper section didn’t go unnoticed either. There’s plenty to see and shop at Cachette so click here to check out their full selection online. xo, grace

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Cobalt blue has been sneaking up on me for about a year now. My love of navy blue seems to have won the blue battle, but cobalt is doing a pretty good job of holding down second place. While checking out the new Christian Lacroix collection at Designers Guild (nice, but not my cup of tea), I found myself drowning in a sea of gorgeous blue fabric and wallpaper options. I’m not really up for wallpaper anything these days (taking down the wallpaper in our old rental was a headache) but some of these would be great for lining drawers or other craft projects around the house. I’ve chosen my favorites above and below, so if you’re feeling a little blue, I hope these will do the trick. xo, grace [Image above: Brush in Indigo]

*And because I can never resist a good pink, I’ve chosen some great pinks below, too.

Image above, left to right: Bergius in Cobalt, Jacaranda in Delft, and Linneaus in Indigo

Image above: Pink and blue? Sold! Amrapali in Peony.

Image above: Chevenon trimming in Fuchsia. I feel like Gwen Stefani would wear this on her jacket.

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Winter seems to be slipping by us without so much as a peep these days. We’ve only seen one tiny snow storm and rather than our standard “wintery mix” of slush and ice, it’s been sunny and close to 50 most days. While I can’t pretend it doesn’t creep me out to have such a warm winter, I’m happy that it means I can start looking at plants a little bit earlier this year.

This hanging Sphere Planter was designed by Stephen Green while he was working in the Industrial Design/Space Architect division at N.A.S.A. in Houston. If that sentence alone doesn’t make you curious about its origins, I don’t know what else will. Stephen was inspired by the liquid fuel tanks and engines on the Saturn 5 and decided to create this planter as a side project, which he ended up later selling to friends. After a move to Tokyo, Stephen started a ceramics company with a friend from RISD and now they sell these beautiful planters online at their Etsy shop. Each of these hanging planters can be hung or used as a stand-alone planter on a windowsill or tabletop. The planter (which is handmade in Tokyo) allows excess water to drain from the plant and creates a nice contrast between the plant and the sculptural form of the object. If you’re looking to bring a little nature into your home, click here to check out the planter in more detail and order one online ($36). Thanks, Stephen! xo, grace

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