The Scout: Holiday Edition
Those who live at the beach -- or decorate as if they do -- will find many options this holiday season. Taking a cue from the recent craze for capiz, the Wisteria catalog has a charming example of coquillage, the craft of seashell ornamentation. This tree, made from abalone shells, measures 10 inches in diameter and 23 inches tall; it’s $149. (A 26-inch-tall model is $199.) The glittery gold wire galleon, $6, is from Pier 1.
-- David A. Keeps (Mel Melcon / Los Angeles Times)
The Scout brings you the coolest design innovations and shopping scoops. This week--truffle colored Christmas trees and ornaments with a story.
For more variations of the marine theme, including a nickel tray embellished with mother of pearl from Williams-Sonoma Home in West Hollywood, glass ornaments from Stats in Pasadena, rustic snowflake ornaments made of sand from beaches in Maine, look for our new gallery of shopping news, sales alerts and design briefs at latimes.com/thescout. (Mel Melcon / Los Angeles Times)
The Everest Ornament is a byproduct of metalworker Jeff Clapp’s campaign to clean up the oxygen tanks left behind by climbers on expeditions to Mt. Everest. The Maine artist carves the debris into decorative bells and bowls that are sold on his website, www.bellsfromeverest.com. The tinsel-like metal shavings from the process are then encased in a glass bulb, $18.95, and finished with a red and white ribbon for hanging. Zero Minus Plus at Fred Segal of Santa Monica, 500 Broadway; (310) 395-5718.
-- David A. Keeps (Mel Melcon / Los Angeles Times)
Think you’ve seen artificial Christmas trees in every color -- neon, metallic or otherwise? Get ready for the Chocolate Truffle. The pre-lighted tree from Treetopia.com is an obvious riff on the brown-is-the-new-black trend seen in fashion and furniture. “Dead trees don’t have this rich milk-chocolate color to them,” says Treetopia Vice President Carrie Chen. She points out that the faux flora, bedecked with natural pine cones, looks traditional with red and gold bulbs or modern with silver. The 4-foot tree is $179, and the 6-foot version is $239. The one shown here is decorated with large glass bulbs from the 115-piece Townhouse trim collection, $595, from the Frontgate catalog, www.frontgate.com; a bejeweled brown bird, $2.99, from Target, www.target.com; and a handmade cinnamon roll, one of the plush creations that start at $8 from Mypapercrane.com.
-- David A. Keeps (Mel Melcon / Los Angeles Times)