Nice and New

I have plenty of friends who've commented on how "neat" I am when visiting my apartment — my mother was particularly impressed, score! But behind closed doors, polish is nowhere to be found. I like to refer to my shoe collection as the Leaning Tower of Pisa, and for the life of me, I can't seem to keep my shirts and sweaters folded. The most shameful place, though, is my jewelry collection. I store my jewelry in two dresser drawers, and it's basically a big jumble of knotted necklaces and earrings that have lost their pair. I've tried the jewelry box thing but it winds up equally unorganized.

The answer, I think, is a jewelry stand. Particularly, a stand as display-worthy as Australian jeweler Polli's new jewelry stands ($90). The cute, whimsical pieces recall the brand's signature laser-cut styles, but they're actually made, locally, from salvaged timber and have natural grain visibility. My favorite is the Amsterdam Display, which is inspired by the tall, quirky buildings along the canals in Amsterdam — it even has a bicycle! But for Aussies, and those looking for a more nature-inspired theme, the native Gum Tree Display is equally adorable. Better yet, I can keep it out in the open . . . and you know how messy I get with things hidden in a drawer.

When we're talking about a design icon like the Le Corbusier LC2 Armchair, I hate to use the phrase "Out with the old, in with the new." But after seeing the LC in its hot new color options, I can't imagine ever going back to basic black and white. The revived palette, ranging from orange to olive, is just the boost the ubiquitous classic needed, and with new fabric options like durable canvas, the chair is not only more affordable, but also more user-friendly. Better yet, the manufacturer Cassina has also introduced seven stylish colors for the chair's metal frame, including matte and gloss black, and gloss gray, light blue, green, bordeaux, and ochre.

While I give much applause to Cassina for giving the LC a fresh face, I can't help but be reminded that the manufacturer wasn't the first to dare to go there. Several years ago, San Francisco-based interior designer Martha Angus reupholstered a pair of Le Corbusier chairs in absorbent, blue terrycloth for a residence she designed in Portola Valley, CA. Back then, I was struggling with the idea, but in retrospect, I really love it. As much as I think that an iconic design like this one — which is in the collection of the Museum of Modern Art — doesn't need to be altered, I also appreciate the irreverence of Angus and the bold spin she put on a classic. Of course, if a designer were to make it over in busy, floral, eyelet fabric, I might be singing a different tune.

Portland lighting company Schoolhouse Electric, known for its replicas of some of the best examples of true American lighting design, has debuted a new collection of modern light fixtures that are bound to please you contemporary creatures! From the globe-shaped Luna Rod ($209), a doppelganger for West Elm's Globe Pendant, and Ikea's Fado Pendant — to the Satellite Light ($389), which resembles the iconic Sputnik chandeliers, the fresh additions are a fabulous fit for both traditional and modern homes. My favorite is Orbit 8 ($589), which features eight suspended globe-shaped shades with polished nickel caps and khaki twisted cloth cords. It has a bit of a futuristic, Barbarella look, but it's also staid enough for a 21st century home.

Check out the new offerings and tell me which one is your fave!

After taking a hiatus, textile designer Yuko Uemura has reopened her PataPri Etsy shop. I'm a big fan of her whimsical tablecloths, towels, and bedding, so I'm glad she's back in time for holiday shopping season! First up on the site are her hand-printed Imabari towels, made from 100 percent cotton and suitable for the bathroom or the kitchen. Next on the horizon are baby blankets and bedding. While I have many favorite patterns, I'm particularly smitten with the circular maru print on these small towels ($30 for set of three). From hedgehogs to raindrops, see my other picks below!

I've long been a fan of artist Julie Mirabelle's city-centric paper-cut prints. The maps of London, New York, and Paris would make a wonderful addition to my walls. So I'm thrilled to see that she's debuted a collection of elegant and robust new canvas bags printed with the patterns; I must introduce them into my shopping routine! The City Bags ($30) are hand-screenprinted with maps of London, Paris, and New York by Re-wrap, a social enterprise of female workers in the South of India who follow fair trade standards and use sustainable materials. With a reinforced padded base and strong shoulder straps, they'd be great for toting around a heavy load of groceries or your notebook computer, or to simply use as storage for odds and ends around the house.

Brocade Home just released its new Fall collection, and while I do hope that the brand would be more inventive with its designs, I must give them applause for two new color choices: butternut and champagne.

Butternut squash is a favorite Fall food of mine, and of course, no girl can turn down a glass of bubbly. I've never seen an orange quite like this bronze-ish butternut, and I love how Brocade has put its own spin on it with a metallic shimmer. I have seen champagne, on the other hand, but this one has an element of gray to it (much more sophisticated than, say, those champagne-colored minivans I'm used to seeing). Plus, the new Butternut Moroccan Duvet ($120-$160) also feeds my love for all things Moroccan! Check out more yummy new designs below.

Swoon! Jonathan Adler's trio of swanky new folding screens are here and I must have one! First of all, folding screens add instant architecture to your home and can easily be moved around, so I think they're essential for your home. Set one behind an armchair and you've got yourself a reading nook. Place one in your bedroom for a dressing area channeling 1940s film. Or, use it as a room divider for a studio apartment. The opportunities are endless. But Jonathan Adler's offerings have cinematic style that simply can't be beat. The Desmond Screen ($1,500) features three panels in walnut veneer with polished brass hardware or white lacquer with polished nickel hardware. My favorite is the two-panel Channing Screen ($1,500), which has a white lacquer finish with nailhead detail on both sides and really glamorous hinge finials. What do you think?

West Elm's new holiday assortment is here and I couldn't be more thrilled with the offerings. Ever since the brand relaunched in June, it's been churning out some very fabulous things. The new aesthetic resonates with the part of me that loves to collect things simply because they're beautiful. It's a reminder that modernity doesn't need to equate sterile, shapeless, monochrome, lifeless things. Modern accessories can have color, personality, and texture. They can be feminine or childlike, exotic or even nostalgic.All of this rings true with the holiday collection. West Elm has decided that though red and green palettes and Santa patterns may be rampant in most stores come November, it doesn't have to be. Frosted Spanish Glass Votives ($4) embrace Fall with sophisticated colors that conjure sweater weather and falling leaves. A Marble Wishbone ($19) paperweight object makes a subtle nod to your 30-pound Thanksgiving turkey. An icy Frosted Foil Pillow Cover ($29) evokes cool temperatures. And paper artist David Stark's newsprint Silver Flower Stems ($14) are a refreshing alternative to paper snowflakes. And there's plenty more to see!