The Basement of the Bargains

A good vase looks lovely with flowers in it. A great one looks superfantastic whether or not there are flowers in it. Take, for instance, The Catwalk Vase by Kosta Boda:

with its graceful shape and charming image of a lady’s calves and feet, it’s a delightful piece for your shelf or coffee table or desk all on its own. Filled with a spray of delicate flowers, it takes on a charming yet surrealistic quality any Dali or Man Ray fan would find irresistible.

It’s handcrafted of  lead-free glass in Sweden by designer Kjell Engman, and comes in a gift box just in case you can bear to give it away. Me? I think I would stick a bow on the box, leave it for myself somewhere, and then surprise myself with a lovely gift.

Then again, at this price, I might get generous enough to share a second one with a very, very good friend. You see, the retail price for the piece is $200.00, but right now Amazon has it for just $129.50. That’s a savings of more than $70.00!

But wait! There’s more! For a limited time, if you purchase $50.00 or more of Home and Garden products from Amazon, you can get a free one-year subscription to your choice of: GQ, SELF, Conde Nast Traveler,  or Architectural Digest. See site for details and restrictions.

You know, you could always get the vase for yourself and the magazine subscription for a friend. I’m just saying.

There’s nothing like a really unusual glass piece to bring a touch of elegance and charm to your home. I love something with a quirky detail. You know, something like this:

Say hello to the Corfu bowl by Kosta Boda. It’s part of their series of works based on the styles of Classical Greece. Designer Kjell Engman has added a whimsical red handle to the side of this charming green bowl. The colors may say ‘Christmas’ but the piece will look spectacular in your home all year ’round.

And where does one find such a delightful accent for the home? Why at Bloomingdale’s in the sale section. The original price was a whopping $185.00, but you can get it on sale right now for just $89.99! That’s a savings of almost a hundred dollars, which is a language I speak like a native.

I love having cut flowers in the house. I might prefer plants if I had any talent at growing them, but I don’t. I look at plants, they curl up and die. So cut flowers it is. I love the color and cheer they add to any room.

But if you’re going to decorate with cut flowers, you need a good vase or two to show them off in. Well, I found a beauty at Ralph Lauren and it’s on sale!

This is the Veranda vase. Just look at those graceful lines, the subtle but charming details on the footed base. It’s a hefty lead crystal that will last and last and last, too. And at 11 3/4″ tall, it makes a dramatic statement no matter where you place it or what you display in it.

As for the savings, well, those are fairly dramatic, too. The regular price on this gorgeous vase is $133.50, but right now you can get it direct from Ralph Lauren for just  $89.99!

I think I’ll get one for the dining room…and one for the living room…and perhaps one for the kitchen….

I love vases. Fill them with flowers and you can enjoy the delights of the garden indoors. Sit them empty on your shelves and windowsills, and you can enjoy the artistry of the human hand. Fill them with something unexpected - say, for instance, a cheerful bouquet of pinwheels or a clutch of exotic feathers - and you can amuse anyone who happens to see them.

To get the best out of a vase, though, you need a particularly nice one. The good news is that this needn’t break your bank - not even the piggy one!

Don’t believe me? How about a few examples.

The first one comes from Bellacor. One look at the pretty stripes and charming shape made me want to gaze at it in perpetuity.

So very pretty. It stands some 18″ high, so it will look quite impressive on its own. This is a good thing because it’s designed to be used with only dry displays. Remember those feathers I was talking about? This would be a wonderful place for them.

This is also a case of a tremendous bang for your buck. The retail price is a $80.00, which is quite a nice price for something that will look so handsome in your home. But why pay retail when you can get a deal? Bellacor usually carries it for a thrifty $68.00, but right now - if you hurry - you can get it for the basement bargain price of just $28.00!

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Continuing yesterday’s theme of keeping well-hydrated in the heat, allow me to turn your attention to my personal must-have accessory for summer:

Not only does this lemonade server look utterly charming and just as cool as its contents, it’s also eco-friendly, being made of recycled glass. It holds 48 oz of cool, delicious ade of whatever fruit you prefer and comes with its own handsome metal stand.

Whether you’re holding a party, or just trying to keep your family from drying out, this is a practical, attractive, earth-friendly addition to your household.

It also happens to be a heck of a good deal. The retail price may be $130.00, but if you head for Smart Bargains right now, it can be yours for just $79.99.

And then invite me over for drinks, will you?

Anyone who knows about color knows that if you want a bright hue to pop, one of the best things you can do is contrast it with black. The combination makes most brights leap giddily into view for maximum impact.

I was thinking about that, since spring is starting to poke its head out and wave hello. All those luscious bright flowers seem to call to me. Then I found just the vase to put them in.

Obsidian black hand-blown glass is then cut and engraved with a series of simple yet dramatic rings. Whether you display it on its own or filled with a profusion of bright flowers, this is a piece that’s going to look superfantastic in your home.

Of course, good taste doesn’t pay the bills. I wouldn’t worry about that, though. While this vase once would have cost you $149.00, it’s now on sale at Crate & Barrel for just $59.95.

There’s nothing like gold. Whether it’s the real metal shining in a bit of jewelry or the color used to decorate glass, fabric, leather, or wood, gold adds warmth to nearly everything it touches.

Case in point, these handsome mouthblown glass goblets in the Sparkle pattern from Global Amici:

Imagine these by candlelight at an intimate dinner party. Just think how they will glow, how the mosaic pieces of green glass will catch the light, how much more delicious your wine or water will appear in them.

And then imagine the secret smile you’ll wear as your friends and family ooh and ah over them and wonder how much they must have cost. The retail price for a set of four may be $80.00, but you’re headed over to Smart Bargains, where you’ll get them for just $49.99.

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It’s the little things that make a house a home. Small things like napkin rings, candle holders, and picture frames can make a huge difference in how well your home reflects you as a person. Because of that, it behooves us all to do our best to pay attention to the quality and personality of the things we choose to put the finishing touches on our homes.

For instance, these verdigris mini taper candle holders will tell friends and family that you have a fondness for nature, and a love of elegance. Slim candles rise from delicate verdigris trees to light your table gently.

Once upon a time, the candle holders would have cost you $69.00 each, and the candles $16.00 apiece. Now, though, at VivaTerra, the holders are just $48.00 and the pure beeswax candles a mere $6.00 each.

Looking for something else? Check out the deals below the cut.

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Ralph Lauren’s winter sale is on right now. That means dozens of superfantastic bargains for good little fashionistas of both genders.

As for me, I’ve fallen quite madly in love with this fabulous lead crystal bowl in the Mandarin pattern:

Just look at the elegant shape, the graceful curls of the etching, the way it adds interest and pattern without overwhelming a simple tablescape or getting lost in a more elaborate one.

Fill it with floating candles, a glorious puff of seasonal flowers, or (as shown here) with a pile of perfect citrus fruit. Whatever your centerpiece, it’s bound to look lovely in this bowl. It will even look handsome just sitting by itself.

Oh, and did I mention the price? Well, normally it goes for $173.50, but right now with that aforementioned sale, it’s just $129.99.

By the way, if you spend more than $195.00, you can also qualify for free shipping! See site for details. I don’t know about you, but I could spend a lot more than $195.00 at Ralph Lauren!

I must confess that I have a particular fondness for a pretty pitcher. Glass, ceramic, silver…I just have a thing for graceful lines and pouty lips. Okay, maybe these aren’t the kind of lips that really pout, but I have an imagination and it comes up with odd connections now and again.

But of all possible pitchers, I admit that I do have a favorite. I’m a complete sucker for a glass pitcher, preferably hand blown with some color to it. That’s why I fell in love when I saw this:

Just look at the elegance of the line, the lip perfectly proportioned to pour generously with little or no spillage, the easy use of color, and the charming detail at the base of the sturdy handle. This is no terrifyingly delicate piece that must be protected under, well, more glass. This is a pitcher you can use and enjoy, whether for drinks or displaying pretty flowers. And yet it perfectly showcases the fragile beauty of glass.

It’s hand blown in Ireland by Jerpoint, stands 8 1/4″ tall, holds 1 1/2 quarts, and even comes in two colors. The picture above shows it in Honey, but it also comes in Seascape Green.

As for the price, well it used to cost $79.00, which was a nice deal. Right now, though, QVC.com has it at the basement bargain price of just $45.21!

Now if I could just figure out whether I’d rather fill it with lemonade or larkspur….