Three Looks of Christmas

Merry Christmas! In honor of the holiday (i.e. “vacation”) I’m not posting a full Swatchbook of the Week. But I will share with you three Christmas-decor looks that I recently compiled for AOL’s ShelterPop: country chic, retro and glam. (Click styles for a link to each story, with resources.) Which one is your favorite? May your day be merry, bright and–of course–stylish. With love, Allie.

Generous Gifts: $100 & under

Times are tight, but some very special people are worth a splurge! A few ideas to indulge your nearest and dearest. (-Moe)

Clockwise from top: Glen Plaid Pajamas, $79.50, Brooks Brothers. Crystal Carafe with five plastic cups, $65, Clio Home. Anchor-Embossed Vertical Credit Card Holder, $85, Jack Spade. Thomas Paul Roses pillow, $100, at Pillowsandthrows.com. Women’s Slippers in Nightengale, $80, UGG Australia. Children’s Wooden Toolbox Set, $62, at Rosie Hippo. Toscana Shearling Earmuffs, $98, J. Crew. Agate Cheese Plates, $60-75, Jayson Home & Garden.

Seven Gifts for $50 and Under

If you’re anything like me, you still have half (or more) of your holiday shopping to do. I’m here to help. Here are seven great gift ideas for all sorts of personality types. (-Allie)

Cappucino Set Tower Flower Patchwork, $28, High Fashion Home.

Thomas Paul Laptop Sleeve, $50, Velocity Art & Design.

Love Grenade Piggy Bank, $35, Sprout Home.

Balloon USB Speaker, $45, A Plus R Store.

2-Tone Skinny Stick Lighter, $27.99 (on sale), Semsons.

Trio Herb Pot, $48, A Plus R Store.

Annie Garden Tools, $34, Patina Stores.

Give Thrifty: Gifts Under $25

We’re all on a tight budget this holiday (claim you’re not and I’ll claim pants on fire). But being the ultra-stylish, amazing, incredibly giving people that we are (oh stop), we don’t want our recipients to suffer because our wallets are starved. Here’s a selection of “oh you shouldn’t have spent so much money on me” gift ideas, all $25 and under. (-Allie)

Clockwise from top left:

Retro Block iPod speaker, $25, Fred Flare.  Gift Box Set of 8 Nut Bowls, $19.95, Fishs Eddy. Half Pint Glass Creamer, $15, Fred Flare. 2 Carat Cup by Yusuke Fujinuma, $15 ($12 Members), MoMA Store. Whiskey Stones, $19.95, Patina Stores. Pencil Case, $18, Jayson Home & Garden. Cheers wine glasses (set of 6), $19.95, CB2.

Lump of Coal? Who Cares!

Lump of coal in your stocking this year? You won’t give a reindeer’s hind quarters if your stocking is as cute as one of these babies. Take a look at this roundup of the season’s sweetest “footwear” and find a style to drape from your mantel for many holidays to come — coal or no coal. (-Allie)

Clockwise from top left:

Winter Green Trees, $22, bebesniklefritz on Etsy.

Holly Stocking, Present Stocking,  Dove Stocking by Oromono,$85 each, at Burke Decor.

Pearl Winter Magnolia Wool Felt Stocking, $135, Hable Construction.

Red/White or Cream/Red, $18, rikrak on Etsy.

Embroidered Linen Snowflake Stocking, $34, Wisteria.

Wynter Stocking, $24.95, Crate & Barrel.

Cute Retro Owl Christmas Stocking (red/olive and aqua/red) $15, Cheryland on Etsy.

Needlepoint Scottie Dog Stocking, $78, Williams-Sonoma Home.

Present Time!

In the coming weeks, we’ll be bringing you a bunch of gift ideas to help you with your holiday shopping. First up: a few ideas from our archives…

• For the music lover: a neat-o iPod case or a cool yellow radio
• For grandma: a sweet strainer and girlie napkins for teatime
• For the entertainer: a slate platter to serve apps and plates to eat them with; cools bags to bring over a bottle of wine (and a corkscrew to open it), and some fancy indestructible plates and tongue-in-cheek candles
• For Felix and Fido: a new litter box and a designer dog bed
• For the gardener: cute herb tags and a modern birdhouse (and for the brown thumb: porcelain plants)
• For the cook: a funny peeler, cute pot holders or a fancy recipe box
• For newlyweds: a lovey-dovey salt & pepper set, new sheets, personalized dinnerware or a luxurious throw
• For the boys: funky duct tape or a cool bottle opener
• For the animal lover: pet portraits, pillows and plates
• And for that person who’s impossible to shop for: cool snow globes, beautiful water bottles or a designer t.p. holder

Hope this helps you, and check in early next week for our first installment of the official Swatchbook Gift Guide! (-Moe)

Style Underfoot

So. We’re on the hunt for a new rug for the living room. We’ve had a cream shag carpet for the last two years, and we love that it’s super-soft and stylish, but it’s starting to look a little dingy. And it is a PAIN to clean. You have to vacuum it, then brush it like a puppy. I’ll show you photos of the furballs, if you ask nicely.

Anywho: We need a new rug. We want it to be light-ish, to brighten up our little apartment. Cool, but not too weird. On trend, but not too trendy.. . You get it. So here are some styles we’ve come across – any favorites? And see if you can guess which ones don’t quite strike that perfect balance of gender neutrality we’re looking for in our coed apartment. (-Moe)

Brooke Hot Pink Chenille, Madeline Weinrib. Brarup, Ikea. Majestic Rugs Ambiance Collection Ribbon Burgundy Rug, Rugs USA.

Modern Circle Design Shag Rug Collection in Black, Target. Delos Linx Collection Mixer Rug in Cream, Rugs USA. Wire Rug, CB2.

Spinnaker Cotton Woven Rug, Dash & Albert. Havers Stripe Rug, Crate & Barrel. Strib Rug, Ikea.

Dynamic Rugs Aria Collection Ivory Rug, Rugs USA. Momeni New Wave Rug, Rugs USA. Tattoo Rug, CB2.

Indo Gabbeh Rug, Ikea. China Blue Stripe Printed Dhurrie, John Robshaw. Seventeen Collection Luxe Lattice Rug in Blue, Target.

Happy Fourth!

To celebrate today’s holiday, I’ll be lounging by a friend’s pool in the beautiful suburb of Scarsdale, about a half hour outside of Manhattan. The men will be bbqing steaks, and the women will be reading magazines poolside, sipping sangria and margaritas. What’s more American than that? But who wants to get up with every refill and mix a new cocktail? Not this girl. Far too busy with my latest copy of Elle Decor for that nonsense. And that’s why god (or some very ingenious individual) invented beverage dispensers. Mix a batch of your favorite celebratory cocktail and take the saved drink-mixing time to enjoy the people around you. Because that’s what the holidays are all about! In honor of such, here are the Top Ten beverage dispensers out there. Happy Holiday! (-Allie)

[Clockwise from top left] Beverage Dispenser, $149 at Wisteria. Recycled Glass Beverage Dispenser, $24.99 at Target. Hourglass Beverage Jar , $47.96 on sale at Sur la Table. Apothecary Beverage Dispenser, $49.95 at Z Gallerie. Pedestal 2-Gallon Beverage Jar, $49.99 at Bed Bath & Beyond. Roost Marseilles Beverage Dispensers, $170 small, $220 large at Velocity Art & Design. Alpine Stoneware Beverage Dispenser, $59.99 at Amazon.com. 2 Gallon Glazed Ceramic Beverage Dispenser , $59.99 at WowShopper. Italian Rustic Cooler, $79.99 on sale at Chefs. Acrylic Drink Dispenser, $59 and $69 at Pottery Barn.

Step on it!

First impressions truly are the most important—so make a statement before guests even make it through the front door. Door mats are a great way to set the tone for a home’s personality, and I’ve force-fed you thirteen stylish options so you have no choice but to throw one down. (-Allie)

[Left to right, from top:] Paris Sewer Cover Rug, $23.99 at Perpetual Kid. Hessum, $3.99 at Ikea. Delightful Doormats, Crown, $34 at Wisteria. Estrella Doormat, $16.95 at Pier 1 Imports. Garden Juniper Doormat, $25.99 on sale at Wrapables. Floral Doormat, $26.99 on sale at Smith & Hawken. Tree Study Doormat, $28 at Anthropologie. Bird on a Branch Coir Doormat, $39 at Smith & Hawken. Peacock Doormat, $14.99 at World Market. Delightful Doormats, Seashells, $34 at Wisteria. Trampa, $12.99 at Ikea. Paisley Doormat, $16.95 at Pier 1 Imports. Bicycle Doormat, 18×30, $28 at Garnet Hill.

The Thomas Paul Adoration Continues…

I currently have two dreams: 1. Someday purchase and decorate my own beach house—where these new fabulously coastal-chic pillows will be right at home. 2. Eventually meet the marvel behind these pillows, Thomas Paul, and give him an enthusiastic high five. (-Allie)

Sail Seafarer Jute Pillow (22×22), $80; Anchor Seafarer Jute Pillow (18×18), $70; Hero Seafarer Jute Pillow (18×18), $70; Shipped Seafarer Jute Pillow (12×20), $70; Moby Seafarer Jute Pillow (12×20), $70; all available at PillowsandThrows.com.