'What Faux Fur Animal Are You, cont.?'

Looking for a faux fur throw, but still can’t decide between which one?

Invoke the animal spirit of the faux fur rug of your choosing by matching the throw in your home to your best personality.

In the previous post, I covered the distinct characteristics and mythical qualities of the coyote and the lynx. Ever wanted to know what makes the raccoon and the jaguar so popular?

The Raccoon

Dexterity, disguise and transformation are several traits closely linked to the raccoon. In ancient rituals, this masked creature was believed to be the bearer of change, healing and transformation. It was only by wearing a mask, especially during these rituals and ceremonies, that the human spirit could acquire knowledge hidden from our conscious selves.

A set of nimble ‘hands’ allow the raccoon to gather food, catch fish and open crawfish. But its ability to use its hands to satisfy its curious and dexterous nature is one that also gets the raccoon into trouble. Wily and cunning, the raccoon is a talented and mischievous animal.

Raccoon Faux Fur Throw

The Jaguar

Unlike the leopard, the jaguar has a more muscular, stocky build and shorter limbs. It is the third largest cat with the ability to crush the skulls of its prey with its strong jaw.

If you are anything like the jaguar, then you are an excellent swimmer and tree climber.

A solitary animal, the jaguar only socializes during the mating season. It prefers the nighttime, and is rarely seen active during the day. Because of these traits, the jaguar is believed to practice its magic at night and to use the moon to set its course of action.

Strong, sensitive and powerful, the jaguar is the chosen ‘power animal’ of many shamans.

Jaguar Faux Fur Throw

What will it be? Raccoon or jaguar?

-S. Gonzalez

'What Faux Fur Animal Are You?

Feisty, fun and fearless.

Warm, cozy and luxurious.

The faux fur trend has captured your attention for all its fierce qualities, and now, you have to decide which furry animal spirit you would like to take home: Should I pick the resilient polar bear faux rug, or the wily coyote faux throw?

Find out which animal spirit best matches your personality and let it guide your next faux fur purchase:

The Lynx

Sure-footed, patient, cunning and powerful eyesight make the lynx a formidable member of the cat family. It has a short body with long legs, a bobbed tails and puffs of hair that sprout from each ear. This solitary creature can withstand the cold winds and snow of its natural habitat, and is known to patiently wait for long periods in order to hunt its prey.

The ancient Greeks believed that the eyes of the lynx had hypnotic powers of seduction.

But if you closely resemble the lynx, it is because you are the following: territorial, independent, a silent observer and a cautious decision maker. The lynx likes to take in its entire environment, watching for intruders and prey, and always weighing its possibilities before striking.

Lynx Faux Fur Throw

The Coyote

Known as the trickster in most folklore, the clever coyote has for centuries survived despite the attempts of humankind to shoot, poison and trap it. Both cunning and foolish, the coyote mirrors humans in our ability to exhibit both cleverness and stupidity.

They live their entire lives as mates, living with its litter in a dwelling carved out of the side of the hill or an underground den. For the coyote, the family unit is extremely important.

If you are a coyote, chances are that you are a teacher – showing us our foolish ways and allowing us to see our ways out of a problematic situation.

Coyote Faux Fur Throw

Are you the linx or the coyote?

-S. Gonzalez

*Photos courtesy of jasperjournal.com; decorinnovation.com and sdsnake.com

'Manhattan Vintage Show'

Going to be in the New York City area this weekend?



Check out the Manhattan Vintage Clothing and Antique Textile Show and Sale:



Friday, Feb. 5 and Saturday, Feb. 6, 2010

The Metropolitan Pavilion

125 West 18th Street

(between 6th and 7th)

Friday open from 1 p.m. to 8 p.m.

Saturday open from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Admission is $20

The complimentary tickets to the Manhattan Vintage Show this weekend that I hold in my hand are a small reward when compared to the insider secrets I received from home furnishing stylist Leigh Infield.

It’s almost guaranteed that if you purchase a comforter or tableware set, Infield was behind the styling of the beautifully executed image of product on the package design.

I met the stylist earlier last week at a seminar at the Fashion Institute of Technology where Infield was the guest speaker.

From brands like Kohl’s to Calvin Klein, Infield styling career started 20+ years ago representing a client as a public relations representative. Little did she know that when the stylist didn’t show to style the set for a magazine editorial featuring the house, that Infield would take over much of the home styling herself in order to please her client.

Unlike other stylists that work in huge production studios with little to no light, Infield sticks to her small production house in upstate New York.

Filtering natural light into her sets and fearless when it comes to styling outside or on location, Infield produces images that are more ‘real’ and ultimately more attractive to clients.

According to Infield, out of 27 design houses that once ran New York years back, only 3 are still in operation. And business for this image and PR guru has never been better.

Not that I plan on becoming a home décor stylist one day – I prefer sticking to fashion and still life editorials.

But Infield’s approach to styling could apply to my own decorating at home.

Tips:

· Open those shutters and let natural sunlight pour into the room.

· Shift the pieces of bedroom furniture around in such a way that the light falls where you want your eye to focus: the bed, desk table, or armchair.

· Don’t be afraid to let the outdoors in. Okay, so it doesn’t mean sleeping in a queen size bed on the front lawn. It means that if you want to create a canopied seating area outdoors, go for it. Or perhaps it could mean keeping potted plants by the window sill or installing more greenery elsewhere in the room.

Now, back to those Manhattan Vintage Show tickets that are burning a hole in my pockets. Up to 80 vintage clothing and textile dealers will be the Metropolitan Pavilion. Antique lovers – this is the place for you too! Look for photos later this weekend and highlights on the event itself.

-S.Gonzalez

*Photo courtesy of Manhattan Vintage

'You're Out!'

Just like the umpire yells, “You’re out!” in baseball, these trends have struck out for 2010.

In continuation of the last post, here’s what I have to say about msn.com’s verdict of ‘What’s Not’:

Exploring Your Dark Side – Out

The sight of dark furniture and wood floors reminds me of my mother, who years ago replaced most of the living room, kitchen and dining room with deep, crimson-colored cabinets and drawers and near black granite tabletop. She had wanted the rooms to match the dark, Victorian furniture she has acquired from an elderly friend. And although the antique furniture was in excellent condition – to me, the new décor seemed more dated than regal.

Design consultant Remignanti predicts that the appeal of dark woods have lost its luster among customers. People now look for lighter hardwood floors and goods in lighter colors, he says.

As the typical optimist, my thoughts: It’s about time we all look on the bright side.

Faking It ‘Till You Make It – Out

We’ve talked about how "Eco is your friend" and about "Going Green before. This is not new territory. So why do you have those fake silk flowers on your end table? Get rid of them!

Whether it’s tending to your own indoor garden or keeping house plants, nature is the best way to spruce up your indoor/outdoor décor. Have a bare corner in a room and not sure what to do with it? Add a floor plant for instant texture and substance.

Natural motifs in textiles, fibers and furniture design are also finding its way indoors. And those silk flowers – they are getting the eviction notice.

Old World Charm – Out

It might be lavish, tufted chairs in damask or the embellished trimming on the drapes that elicits that ‘Old World Charm’ in your home. But that ‘Old World Charm’ is now frankly just plain old.

When the economy falters and a recession sweeps over a nation, most people re-prioritize. Downsizing first becomes a necessity and then, it becomes a lifestyle change. We want uncomplicated furniture in light colors and clean lines to reflect our simpler, upbeat and less stuffy lives.

That 'Old World Charm' is out.

A décor editor named Carmen Natschke summed it up for msn.com like this: “When people are stressed, they simplify.”

-S. Gonzalez

*Photos courtesy of raftertales.com; msn.com; www.dynamodecor.ca