How’s this for moving fast: in early Feb, I visited my friend Lou from Table Tonic blog for a kids playdate and we got chatting about what she was going to do after leaving her job. I was excited to hear her thoughts about an online store selling gorgeous exotic homewares. Excited because I knew it’d be a hit bringing these gorgeous things to our shores and that someone was possibly going to succeed where I had failed (I’d planned to do a similar thing with Moroccan wedding blankets, poufs and Turkish towels a couple of years ago, had a supplier all lined up, then got scared off by the economic doomsday and wasn’t brave enough to resurrect my idea!).

So this was in Feb. On Monday, Lou opened her store – Table Tonic – selling the most gorgeous range of ikat cushions (starting from than $90), vintage and new embroidered Mexican suzani bedspreads, tribal tassles and jewellery and baby buntings. Just look at all this prettiness…

Aren’t they beautiful? I’m astounded at how quickly it all came about, am impressed with the range and am looking forward to seeing what other goodies she has in store (ha!) for us shopaholics in the near future. I’m particularly excited (and slightly jealous of her can-do-ness) about the vintage Moroccan wedding blankets that will be arriving soon. I’m saving my pennies now! So, do you likey? I have my eye on the green chevron and grey diamond pattern ikat cushions, how about you?! Check out her store and say hi at her blog which is as colourful, pretty and eclectic as the items she now sells!

{top image courtesy Table Tonic. This was shot in Lou’s bedroom (which is in her dining room at the moment!). Collages 2 & 3 by me through my new fave tool – Picasa – using images from Table Tonic}

Lately – ever since I drooled over Tim Neve’s home in a recent issue of Real Living – I keep finding myself attracted to everything and anything in warm wood tones: lamps, vases, furniture, pencils, contact paper… Then I accidentally stumped upon a wooden bike in cyberspace, then the very cool wood tape dispenser I NEED for my many, many rolls of Japanese masking tape. And then, my mini obsession culminated yesterday and sparked this post when I discovered Polaroid is not only bringing back its instant-film camera (yay!) but in a woodgrain covering sometime this year. Me likey. Me also likey – and want – each and every one of the following…

1. Eco Bamaboo Squirrel Clock, $59, Hunt & Gather
2. Wood Tape Dispenser, $US30, Uguisu
3. Bike by Waldmeister
4. SRF Hantverk Table Brush Set, $74.95, Make Designed Objects
5. Wooden Birds, from $US80, Kristian Vedel at MoMA Store

6. Woodgrain contact paper, $US8.49, Hardwarestore (you can also get it at Kmart)
7. Replica Hans Wegner Wishbone Chair, $325, Matt Blatt
8. PIC 1000 instant-film camera, Polaroid
9. Window Stool, $US239, Viva Terra
10. Ono lamp, $99, Oz Design Furniture
11. Moso Bamboo Vessel, Stone Forest

It’s likely because winter is on its way and I’m actually thinking ahead of time of ways to warm up my home – a few earthy touches and textures will do this simply, stylishly and naturally. I’m also mightily impressed that so many everyday items are being grooved up a little; that even the little things can be stylish (hello tape dispenser! and contact paper – I have a few rolls just waiting to be played with), and eco-friendly too, with many made from recycled wood or planet-friendly bamboo.

But mostly, it’s such a delight to see manufacturers embracing our natural materials and not just resorting to plastics and other man-made bits and bobs (or at least faking the look!) Not just to save the planet, but because in a time of techno everything and a plastic world, there is something so calming and nostaglic about quality wooden items – a benchseat made from a bunch of PVC pipes just wouldn’t get the same reaction as the wooden version in the top picture would it? The texture, the colours, the imperfections: it all makes for a beautiful piece of furniture. I wonder how hard it’d be to DIY?!?! Do I dare to even think about trying it?! Thoughts?

{all images linked to in credits; top image House to Home}