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Hummingbird Feeder

Talk about a gift that just keeps on giving. The right hummingbird feeder doubles as a sculptural work of art, and it provides endless entertainment year after year. Help mom hang it outside a shady window for bonus points. This adorable set of three blown glass hummingbird feeders is available at Gardener’s Supply Company for $69.95.

Oversized Knit Blanket

There’s just something extra cozy about these oversized knits, and Etsy is full of options to choose from. This honeycomb pattern is a fun twist, and Michigan-based crafter Becozi can make it in a variety of sizes and a rainbow of colors so you can tailor it exactly to your mom’s tastes.

Drinking Glass Set

Anthropologie is a great place to find dishes and glassware in the cutest prints and the prettiest shades. If your mom is into entertaining, it would be easy to go overboard and curate a whole new kitchen’s worth of beautiful goods. How gorgeous are these Fiorella stemless wine glasses, for instance? They’re $56 for a set of 4.

Silk Pillowcase

Real silk pillowcases are a beautiful luxury, protecting skin and hair from friction damage as you sleep. Brooklinen currently offers some cool limited edition prints as well as pleasing solids, and these $59 pillowcases are made of 100 percent OEKO-TEK certified mulberry silk.

Digital Gallery Frame

If your mom is always begging you to send her photos of your life, she’ll love this Wi-Fi-enabled digital picture frame that lets you surprise her with updates on a regular basis, no matter how far away you live. There are lots of options to choose from, all rotating through a gallery of uploaded photos. The Mason photo frame by Aura ($179) features a nine-inch display, adjustable slideshow speed, and even a built-in speaker that lets you hear the sound in videos.

Stylish Toaster

Does your mom love vintage style? UK-based company Haden has some seriously stylish toasters (often available with a matching electric kettle) in a variety of models, colors, and prints. Their collaboration with London-based designers Poodle & Blonde has a fun Tottenham Dalmatian print and peach accents, as well as four extra-wide, self-centering slots and digital browning control. It’s available at Crate + Barrel for $99.95 with a price match guarantee.

Wooden Bath Caddy

The therapeutic value of a hot bath can’t be overstated. Put together a kit with soothing bath salts, a candle, and a bath caddy like this live-edge solid wood creation by Etsy seller Gifts with Cherry on Top. You can customize the width and add drink holders (for that all-important glass of wine), a book slot. and a tablet stand.

Personalized Candle

Got a funny inside joke, a saying your mom loves, or a heartfelt message? Put it on a custom candle by Etsy seller Perfect Match Shop. Choose a size from four ounces ($12) up to 16 ounces ($27) and your mom’s favorite scent, with options like hazelnut coffee, pumpkin soufflé, cranberry apple, and cucumber melon.

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Jewelry with a Purpose

While jewelry is a perennial go-to for Mother’s Day gifting, this year give mom the gift of style and wellness, all in one package. These Philip Stein bracelets tune into your body’s natural frequency to help lower stress, improve sleep, and increase energy. Plus, they’re super stylish and functional. Win-win!

$195.00 – $290.00

30 percent off with promo code MOM30

Breath of Fresh Air

What better way to show mom you care than by giving her the ability to breathe pollutant and allergen-free air? (Dig that poetry). This Molekule Mini air purifier has patented PECO tech to help anyone breathe easier during allergy season — and all year long. Bonus for its super cute look and sleek design.

$399.00

Beauty and the Beach

After being stuck inside for so long, your mom will definitely want to catch some rays and ocean views this summer (safely, of course!).This Sunflow Beach Bundle has everything she needs to hit the beach. With an easy-to-carry chair that doubles as a carrier for all the bare necessities, this set is bound to make her smile.

$296.00

Picture Perfect

It’s been a long year, but we can preserve the moments that matter with the magic of digital picture frames. Curate a slideshow yourself, or simply give mom a blank canvas for uploading her most treasured photos. With models like Nixplay’s best-selling Smart Photo Frames, the possibilities are endless! The 10.1 inch wood-effect frame is our absolute fave.

$154.99 and up

Fashion Forward

Sure, Mom is caring, loving, sweet…but she’s also trendy, fun, and chic! Here are some great ideas to keep your favorite lady looking her best.

Madewell always keeps it fresh, stylish, and affordable. And these Belgrave sunglasses are no exception. Perfect for those sunny, lazy days of summer.

$65.00

Nap dresses are easy, breezy, and super comfy! Show Mom you care with a sweet, flowy Ellie nap dress from Hill House.

$125.00

In Vino Veritas

Does your mom like wine? Of course she does! Give her the gift that keeps on giving with a hip wine subscription from Eater Wine Club. With fun, unique choices curated by Eater’s editors and wine pros, she’ll be able to kick back with a quality glass anytime.

$70.00 and up

Tea, Anyone?

Is your mom less into wine and more into a soothing cup of tea? This pour-over electric tea kettle from Fellow Stagg marries form and function to make the perfect cup with ease. Best of all, it comes in a variety of colors (including warm pink) to match her kitchen aesthetic perfectly.

$149.00 and up

Mother’s Day is almost upon us — and after a grueling year, all moms deserve a treat. Show yours you care by going off-script with any of these amazing gifts that will warm her heart and appeal to her unique sense of style.

The post 8 Stylish Mother’s Day Gift Ideas We Love first appeared on Dornob.

Like many cities, Portland has suffered some growing pains over the last decade, falling prey to waves of homogenous new development that wipe out longstanding institutions and local favorites and replace them with cookie-cutter nonsense. If someone blindfolded you and dropped you into a series of the city’s newer bars and restaurants with all signage removed, you’d be pretty hard-pressed to identify your location.

For better or worse, depending on your perspective, stepping into wine bar Enoteca Nostrana in the Buckman neighborhood feels a bit like teleporting yourself into a whole different city. There’s no sign of the elements that make so many other spots blend together. The interiors take the bar in an entirely different direction, one that feels distinctly Modern European in flavor.

Opened by Cathy Whims in 2018 beside her existing Italian trattoria Nostrana, the bar is brighter and more contemporary than its sister, intending to offer a stylish and comfortable setting for discovering new wines with friends. Working with local architect Rick Potestio and Nostrana director of operations Nicholas Suhor, Whims envisioned a space that referenced Italy without the use of any cliches or Old World style.

In place of those elsewhere-omnipresent old-fashioned bulbs are gooseneck lamps, which are actually far better for examining menus. Retro geometric graphics on the floors and behind the bar nod to the iconic 1980s postmodern Memphis Group design tradition, which originated not in Tennessee, as you might imagine, but Milan, Italy.

All of these elements come together into the city’s “most excitingly designed restaurant,” earning it the 2018 Design of the Year Award from Eater Portland.

The publication says of the wine bar: “Contemporary and funky, the bar sports massive Champagne-cage cork stools, which somehow mesh with rich design touches that would feel equally at home in a 19th-century Milanese hotel. The walls and floor boast bold patterns reminiscent of the Saved By the Bell intro. There is a gently 90s mix of colors, and unexpected textures pop beneath counters and above sumptuous leather booths.”

“Then, a few steps in, there’s the hidden heart of the bar: a glowing, two-story wine fridge, futuristic and formidable with its stacks of backlit acrylic fixtures and row after row of bottles. Between the booths and glowing cellar, the place feels like a pizzeria on a 1980s album cover. There’s not a white wall in sight; those looking for the customary devil’s ivy or succulent in a tucked-away corner will find nothing of the sort.”

None of this is to say that Portland as a whole should follow in Enoteca Nostrana’s footsteps and embrace postmodernism at the expense of its own identity. But it sure doesn’t hurt to be shoved out of your comfort zone every once in a while.

Photos courtesy of John Valls

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California wine country is one of the most visually breathtaking regions in all the United States. There, miles of vineyards disappear into the horizon, stately tasting rooms reflect both the region’s rich history and the presence of trailblazing newcomers, and a sense of contentment and calm makes every visitor lightheaded before experiencing their first taste of those glorious grapes transformed into a nectar of the gods.

As if all that weren’t enough, wine country just got even better thanks to the artistic genius of Bruce Munro, who recently collaborated with Sensorio to develop a unique garden paradise in Paso Robles.

Initial Spark

Munro is famous for his sweeping light-based art shows. Inspired by a 1992 trip he took with his wife to Uluru (Ayers Rock) in Sydney, Australia, the artist has been using the power of light to create living landscapes ever since. Audiences describe his installations as mind-altering experiences that make them ponder the mysteries of the world around them and show them that artificial light and nature can exist in harmony.

The Path to Paso Robles

Munro’s first light exhibit was held back in 2004 in his own field in Wiltshire, England. After that, he created similar installations on waterfronts, stony bluffs, and in forests, as well as on rooftops and in city squares. He first premiered Field of Light for Harvey Nichols, a prestigious London department store, before taking it to the U.S.’ own Nicholas Conservatory in Rockford, Illinois.

In 2016, Munro finally returned to Uluru, the birthplace of his vision, and was gladly given permission to create his masterpiece there by the people in charge. So far, over 200,000 visitors have viewed that installation, which will run until December 2020.

Bigger and Bolder

Covering a 15-acre space in Sensorio’s massive development and described by owner/developer Ken Hunter as a “playground for the mind,” Munro’s new California exhibit is his largest show to date at any location, as well as his first American exhibit run solely on solar energy. It consists of 58,800 glistening round lights illuminated by fiber optics. These lights shine in a rainbow of colors and transform the site into delicate blossoms of transforming hues.

Field of Light also provides an ideal way to introduce Sensorio to the world. Slated to open in 2021, the Hunters describe it as a “destination for entertainment, exploration, meditation, adventure, and delight,” all of which sound like perfect complements to Munro’s mind-expanding show.

A Little Help From His Friends

It took five weeks to install the 50,000-plus lights for the installation, all done by volunteers who worked eight hours a day, five days a week to finish the job. Munro gave the team free reign on where to place the fiber optic lamps, ultimately trusting their vision and intuition. He says of this decision: “It’s like planting — improvising, not me dictating. I’ve learned that the more I try to control things the worse it is.”

If you’re visiting California anytime between now and January 5, 2020, you’ve got to check out this attraction. Paso Robles, located on the Central Coast off Highway 46, is famous for its seemingly endless olive groves, hot springs, and bounty of wineries, so you’ll have no problem finding stuff to do after you’ve seen the light.

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Decorative Vases

There are a thousand ways to do these! Grab a couple of your favorite bottles (remembering that the more varied heights, widths, and colors, the better) and go completely crazy with them. Paint them opaque white and bedazzle them with rhinestones, stick pearls on them to create DIY centerpieces for weddings, or use craft glue to adorn them with pendants and charms for themed parties.

If you prefer something a little more subtle for everyday life, try using transparent bottles to hold “floating” photographs of loved ones, or simply print out some stickers or lettering to write out your favorite quotes on the bottles. Of course, these vases wouldn’t be complete without something blossoming out of them, right? Whether you want to fill it with water and grow some flowers of your own or simply decorate them with some fake foliage for a look that won’t flounder, bringing nature into your indoor world is sure to help your home thrive!

Drinking Glasses

This DIY hack involves getting your hands a little dirty. If you have the right tools for it, then cutting and sanding your tall bottles into glass tumblers can be an excellent way to save money on store-bought glassware. It also helps save your Saturday night pinot grigio bottles from landfill! It takes a little tech know-how to get the edges of the glass smooth enough to put your lips on, but once they’re ready for use, you’ll be able to wow your dinner party guests with your thrifty imagination.

Candle Holders

There are several ways to do this, but a common favorite is the classic “stick a tall candle in the top and melt it down the sides for a gothic effect” approach. This works particularly well with Kraken rum bottles due to their wider shape and unusual looking handles. Alternatively (and carefully), you can cut the bottles down to their labels and melt candles into the resulting cup-shaped glasses. These make quirky home additions and great presents for anyone who enjoys their alcoholic beverages! Gift your gin-loving aunt with a homemade candle made using a Bombay Sapphire bottle, or give your grandpa a Talisker whiskey candle.

Garden Wind Chimes

Bottles are a great for decorating your garden, as they don’t weather easily and keep their vibrant colors through wind, snow, rain, and sunshine. Drill a hole in the bottom of a wine bottle (or chop the end off completely), attach it to a homemade wooden wind chime, and surround it with hanging charms and beads to bring some sparkle and sound to your outdoor greenery!

Creative Bird Feeders

Bottle-based bird feeders are sure to allow all you DIY hackers out there to really get creative! Simply upturn a wine bottle and make an incision in its bottom (which is now at the top). Then fill it with bird seeds and let nature nibble at the rest!

Indoor Planters

This works especially well with green and blue tinted bottles. Slice each one in half vertically to create a “boat” shape, sand it so there are no rough edges, and then layer it with pebbles, stones, sand, soil, and even crystals to create your own little indoor planter. These are especially great decorations for coffee tables and display units.

Wine and Cheese Platters

Far-fetched yet fascinating, this creative way of repurposing your bottles sees them as legs on mini table stands, which you can bring out at parties to display yummy snacks on! A great way to present cheeses and dips, simply fix chopping board-style wooden palettes to the top of your bottles to create a sturdy foundation for all your culinary needs.

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If you’ve ever experienced the utter dismay of watching a glass of red wine spill all over your fancy party clothes or, even worse, your light-colored carpet, the Saturn wine glass will seem like a miracle of design. The glass from Super Duper Studio is futuristic looking and can possibly save you from future wine stain disasters.

The stemless glass has a flat bottom, allowing it to sit upright on a table. But just above the base, it flares out a little to form an even wider second base. That means that, should your obnoxious uncle fling his arm a little too far when telling his latest fishing story, the glass will weeble and wobble and even spin around a bit, but it won’t spill the wine inside. (Sharp-eyed readers will notice that the design has undergone a dramatic change from its previous iteration.)

Of course, if you’re really dedicated to spilling the wine, if the glass is hit hard enough to go flying, or if it’s filled too full, wine will inevitably slosh out. But in normal circumstances, like someone clumsily backing into a table, the space-age design is stable enough to save your white tablecloth. Even better, they stack easily so cleaning up after a party is simple.

Wine afficionados will undoubtedly notice that the lack of a stem and the shape of the glass will alter the optimal taste of the wine. Casual wine drinkers probably won’t notice a difference, though. Each glass is hand-made through a careful and rather exhaustive process, and they’re priced accordingly at $52 each. A set of $52 wine glasses will undoubtedly cost less than replacing a wine-stained carpet, though.

“The Saturn Glass is the original spill proof wine glass. The first of its kind, the stemless Saturn Glass’s contemporary design is a mix of Italian and Scandinavian glass blowing traditions which feels at home both while cosying up after work, or while hosting formal guests. “

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If you are an eco-minded person, the joy of drinking wine is effectively cancelled out when you look at the pile of wasted bottles that are left over. Barcelona-based studio Lucirmás has come up with an innovative way to upcycle empty wine bottles with no waste.

The Pure-Bottle is a three-part set of objects made from a single wine bottle. With two strategic cuts, one bottle becomes a spoon, a lantern and a drinking glass.

The glass is sandblasted to remove any sharp edges, leaving surprisingly elegant objects that would be equally at home in a four-star restaurant or at your breakfast table.

Enterprising DIYers with the right equipment could easily replicate these objects at home. Glass cutting tools and fine-grit sandpaper, along with plenty of safety gear and the appropriate training with those tools, are all that is needed to make something useful and entirely wonderful out of your discarded wine bottles.

This product and many more upcycled wine bottle items are made by Lucirmas, a company specializing in upcycled glass. You’re going to want to check out their whole selection at their online shop.

“Lucirmás was founded in 2006 in Barcelona by Italian designer Lucia Bruni. Lucia has created the Lucirmás atelier, to bring excellence to sustainable glass design. The result is elegant, useful and sustainable products designed to live a long life and that easily adapt to multiple spaces. Lucia is a supporter of artisan manufacturing techniques, and designs, manufactures and sells her own collections through her website and in stores throughout Europe.”

“After having studied Fine Arts in Italy – a beginning that has been key in defining the aesthetics and narrative of her collections – Lucia’s career took a change of direction after moving to Barcelona and being selected for the AdiFad Medal Award from barcelona in 2006. Since then in his atelier he has created a sublime fusion between design, craftsmanship and sustainability.”

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In order to get the party started fast, these beverage containers cannot be placed upright on a surface – you have to finish your drink before you set them down.

Some might call it impractical, and perhaps it is, but it also provides an entertaining way to get your guests talking – and forcing them to interact if they need to put down their glass before it is dry.

This set of mouth-blown champagne, wine and martini glasses, dubbed Baccic by their designer Joe Doucet (images by Kendall Mills), were part of the PLAY exhibit for New York Design Week, “which tackles the relationship between design and “play” through a series of concepts that re-imagine our interaction with the digital world, re-invent our perspectives on furniture and space, revamp some old-school modes of play and realize the potential of playing with some friends.”

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One could call it crass inspiration at a glance – clearly the slope of the roof reflects the adjacent Swiss mountains – but this design of this unusual cantilevered house goes beyond the “wow factor” to work well in its unique habitat, with nearby winery fields.

The lower end of the structure deposits residents onto the private vineyard site, while the lofted portion provides privacy in the direction of the adjacent village (as well as great views of the relatively flat surrounding landscape).

The overhang created by the lofted portion also forms a natural set of parking spaces without having to either fully enclose space for them or waste a secondary portion of the site for such a use.

Designed by Nunatak Architectes, the exterior is still the most overtly remarkable piece: a simple play of contrast and matching, dark gray object rising out of the green growing grounds and tying the building in with big background mountains as well.

“« L’Ardévaz », is the name of that mountain. It is located above the site at the north. Its shape and material structure is the unique inspiration to plan the house. Formally, the house looks like a stone block lying on the ground in a fragile balance. It is covered with a skin of natural slates. The sloping roof is in harmony with the east and west sides of the mountain. The fitting’ slates is an image of the stone stratum.”

“The openings remind of the horizontal marks of the old career’s path. Their dimension and position frame the landscape from the first front to the background: vineyards, hillside and mountains. The unusual aspect of the project does not respect exactly the rules of the local construction regulations. It was finally considered, with courage, like a variation of the traditional roof to two flaps.”

“The repartition of the familial functions does not follow the usual” best” orientation in that part of the Wallis. The outside extensions of the main living area, like terrace and garden, are located on the east and south sides so that to prevent family life from western wind and hot summer temperature.”

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It is tempting to put champagne flutes and brandy snifters in the dishwasher but daunting as well – broken glass, swirled around by soapy water, is no fun at all to try and clean up … nor is the prospect of swallowing some should you mess a shard or two.

Thus, this simple tether by Gary Rose, available at Quirky. A flexible synthetic tube slots down onto a prong in your standard dish-washing machine, then snaps gently around the stem of your glass.

And voila: no more worrying whether your stemware will survive the next wash and rinse cycle. Not a bad gadget for frequent hosts.

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