Depending on whom you choose to believe, ikat is either a South American dye technique, an Uzbekistani textile folk craft, or a patterned fabric Target manufactures en masse and ships from a warehouse in Hoboken. Thank heavens they do, because I can't get enough of the stuff.
It started with two pillows I ordered from Etsy. Like all addicts, I told myself just one more little pattern couldn't hurt; I could stop whenever I wanted; I wasn't hurting anyone. And then, one day, I had FIVE ikat pillows, ikat curtains, ikat flooring... and I lived here:
Of course, while addiction feels like a lonely affliction (lying to your mother about the new throw pillows, hiding fabric samples from your significant other in the trunk of your car), no addict is alone. That's because every addict has her enablers: the individuals, social systems, and corporations that aid and abet those longings. Mine is called Wisteria.
Wisteria Home Furnishings:
How marvelous is this room in Mykonos blue and white? I fell in love - and I already had the lucite table. I could envision the pillows in my apartment. And fortunately (or unfortunately), they came in green.
It turns out the pillows are great (the XL pattern pillow is from Duralee), and a steal at $29.99 per cover. The fabric has a great texture and stands up well to abuse (my throw pillows must think they belong to a linebacker; I'm constantly flopping onto them or flinging them onto the floor to make space). I purchased pillow inserts from Crate and Barrel; they're down, hold their shape, and are oh so cushy.
Middle to Right: Wisteria's Zig Zag, Duralee green ikat (available here), Wisteria Diamond, and Ballard Designs bolsters that I trimmed in green velvet ribbons.
The "ikat" rug is from Flor. The brass crab on the table is from a vintage store down South, and, true story, when I flew home with it, the TSA thought it was a giant model spider. Good one, guys. Maybe get on one of those planes and visit a beach sometime?
What about you? Is there a home design trend you'd go into withdrawal without?
/All images/ Wisteria/ My Own/
