Mini Reviews of Things We Bought in July

Architectural Digest

July 28, 2018 at 2:23 PM

What I wanted: five big, squishy linen throw pillows to line up along the back of a sofa. What I didn't want: to spend $500. Linen is so expensive! Which is how I ended up on H&M's home section, piling a bunch of these 100-percent linen cushion covers into my cart for $13 a pop (I got a kind of rusty-blush, but they've got seven other great colors). It felt like stealing. Stuffed with down inserts I got on Amazon, they actually look fancy—and they didn't even shrink when I washed them! <strong>—Amanda, Clever design editor</strong><br> <a rel="nofollow noopener" href="http://www2.hm.com/en_us/productpage.0502190023.html" target="_blank" data-ylk="slk:SHOP NOW;elm:context_link;itc:0;sec:content-canvas" class="link ">SHOP NOW</a>: 20" x 20" Washed linen cushion cover by H&M, $13, hm.com

My new apartment was looking <em>suuuper</em> depressing without a rug. It was time. I knew I wanted a jute rug because my bank account is looking very sad and they're notoriously inexpensive (<a rel="nofollow noopener" href="https://www.architecturaldigest.com/story/round-jute-rugs-are-making-a-comeback?mbid=synd_yahoo_rss" target="_blank" data-ylk="slk:Amanda told me so;elm:context_link;itc:0;sec:content-canvas" class="link ">Amanda told me so</a>). This charcoal one from World Market was the exact color I was looking for and is insanely cheap considering how big it is. In person, it's a little more blue and the weave is pretty bumpy underfoot, but both didn't bother me after a day. Most important, it's <em>shockingly</em> soft. <strong>—Lindsey, Clever home editor</strong><br> <a rel="nofollow noopener" href="https://www.worldmarket.com/product/charcoal-gray-jute-boucle-area-rug.do" target="_blank" data-ylk="slk:SHOP NOW;elm:context_link;itc:0;sec:content-canvas" class="link ">SHOP NOW</a>: 8' x 10' Charcoal gray jute bouclé area rug by Cost Plus World Market, $270, worldmarket.com

I have these linen Roman shades from <a rel="nofollow noopener" href="https://www.rhbabyandchild.com/catalog/product/product.jsp?productId=rhbc_prod402336&categoryId=rhbc_cat327028" target="_blank" data-ylk="slk:RH Baby & Child;elm:context_link;itc:0;sec:content-canvas" class="link ">RH Baby & Child</a> which are great, except after a few years of pulling them down every day, my fingerprints are all over the bottoms…. I don't want to know why my fingers carry so much dirt. It got to the point of disgusting me, so I looked into washing them. Most sites recommend detaching the shades and getting them professionally cleaned, to which I responded to myself, I'll just buy new ones. But I had also heard you can try to wash upholstery with a brush and dish soap, so I figured I'd give that a go first. I ordered this carpet and upholstery brush from Amazon, vacuumed the shades of any loose dirt, and prepared a bowl of cool water with <a rel="nofollow noopener" href="https://www.amazon.com/Mrs-Meyers-Clean-Lemon-Verbena/dp/B000S5S1AI" target="_blank" data-ylk="slk:Mrs. Meyers clear dish soap;elm:context_link;itc:0;sec:content-canvas" class="link ">Mrs. Meyers clear dish soap</a>. Then I cleaned like the laziest person, leaving the blinds up and using the brush with soapy water over the shades where the dirt had been buried. It took less than ten minutes, and my floors were totally wet after the job (instructions told me to lie towels down, but my laziness won yet again), but the dirt actually came off! The brush is really coarse, so I also ran it over my velvet sofa, to see if it would help bring up the cat hair buried in the fibers. It kind of did, but I still prefer the rubber glove method. For $6, I would totally recommend this product, and hopefully I never have to buy one again. <strong>—Sydney, digital special projects director</strong><br> <a rel="nofollow noopener" href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B001GJ3E5C" target="_blank" data-ylk="slk:SHOP NOW;elm:context_link;itc:0;sec:content-canvas" class="link ">SHOP NOW</a>: Carpet & upholstery brush by Mothers, $6, amazon.com

I recently fell in love with the Era backless counter stool by Thonet. DWR had a megasale for the Fourth of July, so I bought four in black for my new apartment. They are the perfect seating solution for my tiny open kitchen/living room. The stools slide under my counter-height table, which saves space, and they are super comfortable. Now I notice them everywhere when I'm out and about. There's a reason New York bars and restaurants use them so often—they're a classic design, well-made, and nice to look at (which matters when you live in a shoebox). Plus, now when my husband and I eat dinner, it feels like we're sitting at a bar having a date night out! <strong>—Kristen, digital deputy editor</strong><br> <a rel="nofollow noopener" href="http://www.dwr.com/era-backless-counter-stool/1391.html" target="_blank" data-ylk="slk:SHOP NOW;elm:context_link;itc:0;sec:content-canvas" class="link ">SHOP NOW</a>: Era backless counter stool by Michael Thonet, $191 $225 , dwr.com

I recently bought a new planter for my <a rel="nofollow noopener" href="https://www.architecturaldigest.com/story/popular-houseplant-trends-spring-2018?mbid=synd_yahoo_rss" target="_blank" data-ylk="slk:pilea peperomioides;elm:context_link;itc:0;sec:content-canvas" class="link ">pilea peperomioides</a> because it needed a bigger home. (It's been taking off!) I love the whole Hasami Porcelain line because everything goes so well together, and you can mix and match the pieces (lids can also be coasters, plates can be saucers, etc.). I have a mug in this color, too, and I hope to have a whole collection of their pieces someday. These planters are new to their collection, and it’s such a smart idea. I always try to get planters with holes in the bottom for drainage, and this one comes with a saucer to catch the water. I think it adds a nice subdued, organic sophistication to my shelf of plants. The best part about getting new planters is you can switch your plants around and you usually end up with an extra for a new plant! <strong>—Wes, designer</strong><br> <a rel="nofollow noopener" href="https://theprimaryessentials.com/products/hasami-large-planter-natural" target="_blank" data-ylk="slk:SHOP NOW;elm:context_link;itc:0;sec:content-canvas" class="link ">SHOP NOW</a>: Large Natural planter by Hasami Porcelain, $45, theprimaryessentials.com

What I wanted: five big, squishy linen throw pillows to line up along the back of a sofa. What I didn't want: to spend $500. Linen is so expensive! Which is how I ended up on H&M's home section, piling a bunch of these 100-percent linen cushion covers into my cart for $13 a pop (I got a kind of rusty-blush, but they've got seven other great colors). It felt like stealing. Stuffed with down inserts I got on Amazon, they actually look fancy—and they didn't even shrink when I washed them! —Amanda, Clever design editor
SHOP NOW: 20" x 20" Washed linen cushion cover by H&M, $13, hm.com

Photo: Courtesy of H&M

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