Perfect Peepers

Need another set of eyes around the house? Artist Dan Rider has extended his line of wall plaques, sconces and fountains to include statues that have assuring names: The watcher, gatekeeper, guardian, stargazer, groundskeeper and knight gardener (12 1/2 to 15 inches tall, $49).

“It all has to do with my 30-year dependence on science fiction/fantasy novels,” says Rider, who lives in Northern California. “I wanted to create a series of beings with ancient souls that would be ecology-wise and ready to help busy humans get back to the peace and prosperity of our gardens.”

The statues are hand-cast in stone and can be used inside or out (just don’t leave them in snow). They come in an etched or antique finish, and in colors called “coffee and cream” and “rootbeerfloat.”.

Available at M&M; Nursery, 380 N. Tustin Ave., Orange, (714) 538-8042.

Escape the Obvious

Sometimes the goal of a room is to help transport you somewhere else. Peter Fasano’s whimsical silk-screened and hand-painted wallcoverings and fabrics make that a little easier.

His patterns range from canines to maps, palm trees to flags. Fabrics imitate the wallpapers, with patterns on patterns and a range of coordinates. Ground cloths are made of cotton, linen and silk.

Fasano has been creating painted fabrics for interiors for 20 years. He began after serving a tour of duty in Vietnam and graduating from the Parsons School of Design in 1972. His company is based in Great Barrington, Mass., and his line (starting at $30 a yard) is available through Orange County interior designers.