Our Five Favorites

Westport Pendant We love everything about this artisan made pendant, from its beautiful shape to the mouth-blown seeded glass to the Clear, Celadon and Amber glass options. Which one will you choose? It shines brightly whether suspended singly or in multiples over a kitchen island, table or desk. View Product Details

Elden Cocktail Ottoman Classic, clean 100% linen, a hand-tufted top and graceful cabriole legs make our oversized ottoman an elegant addition to a spacious living room. There’s plenty of space here to place your books, a serving tray and even your feet. View Product Details

Alesia and Calisse Stripe Fabric by the Yard Pairing stripes with florals adds depth and pretty coordinating color to a room. Our latest dynamic duo works so well together we were inspired to create our Limited Designer Pillows for perfect mix and match color.

Whimsical Butterfly Giclee Prints We’re so enamored of these prints that we put them on our March catalog cover. Vibrant color and vivid detail bring these antique bookplate reproductions to life. The color is balanced by a cream mat and beautiful dark sienna wood frame. View Product Details

Wine Bar If you love to entertain but short on space, the smart compact design of the Brussels Wine Bar might be a perfect fit for you. Based on an antique we spotted in Brussels, our two-tone version is designed to store and serve. It holds napkins, bar supplies, stemware and two cases of wine, so you’re always fully stocked and ready to entertain. View Product Detail

Our Brussel’s Wine Bar

Brussels Wine Bar
Here’s to bad weather

It had been a long, wet day in Brussels and we had precious little to show for it. Wine was already on our minds when our eagle-eyed president spotted the inspiration for the Brussels Wine Bar. A wine collector himself, he immediately fell in love with its distinctive two-tone finish, glass storage and comfortable serving height. The day was saved and deserved a celebration.

We celebrated our wine bar find that night with a great Bordeaux and a basket of Brussels’ famous pommes frites. From the photos, you can see that our Brussels Wine Bar has all the great details we loved in the original antique. It’s built to the perfect height for pouring with stemware racks within easy reach. And though it requires more time and an extra step, we kept the two-tone finish, so your Bar looks just as good after the party is over and the bottles are gone.

How to choose a rug

Whether you follow the Ballard tried-and-true decorating concept of “start with a rug” or just select
one to add color and definition to an established décor, area rugs are the quintessential decorative accessory.

From the elegance of a classic Oriental to the casual look of a natural jute, a rug adds personality and warmth to a room. But with so many styles, colors and materials to choose from, how do you know which one is right for you?

It’s actually easier than you think. Here are a few ground rules to help you find the right area rug for your room.

What Style?

Two of the biggest factors to consider when choosing a rug that you’ll love to live with are your lifestyle and your own personal style.

For a rug that’s going to last, you’ll want to make sure it can hold up to your lifestyle. Are you placing your rug in a high-traffic area, such as a hallway or family room? Do you have young children or pets? If so, you’ll want to go with a rug that’s durable and easy to clean, like wool, a synthetic blend or seagrass. And keep in mind, a dark-colored patterned rug will hide stains or dirt in high-activity areas.

Since you’ll be the one living with your choice, make sure any rug you’re considering ultimately complements your sense of style. You may not think so, but you really do know your style better than anyone else. So trust your instincts. Don’t talk yourself into a popular pattern or color if it’s really not you. You might love it today, but will you like it tomorrow?

What size?

Before you go shopping you’ll need to do a little homework, starting with measuring the area where you’ll be placing your rug. You might want to select a minimum and maximum optimal size to give you a wider selection of rugs to choose from.

Below are a few general guidelines:

• In the family room, select a size that covers at least the length and width of your furniture. A 5′ x 8′ or 6′ x 9′ rug is a good size to cluster furniture around for an intimate area. To expand the space, select a larger size that outlines the perimeter of the area.

• In the dining room, a rug should be large enough to allow space for chairs, even when pulled away from the table. Measure your table and add approximately two feet, or sit in one of your chairs yourself and measure the distance from the table.

• If you have a wood floor, try to have at least 18 to 24 inches of flooring around the perimeter of the room.

Don’t worry about whether the furniture sits on or off the rug. What looks good to you is what’s important.

Still not sure about the size? Here’s a trick we use from time to time: use painter’s tape to tape the area to the size of the rug you’re considering. This little trick can help you visualize how the size works with your furniture.