August is a great month to find area rugs on sale. We recommend looking for the best deals you can find (as there are a lot of them out there) and staying true to the edict that a rug should complement, not dominate a room. We’ve rounded up four of our current favorites, several of which are on sale. One tip: don’t be afraid to ask the vendor to allow you to take the carpet out “on approval” overnight. It’s well worth it to see exactly how the rug fits into your space. And make sure you take off your shoes and feel the rug underneath your feet! It must look and feel good. The rug below comes from the Safavieh Dhurries Collection (DHU548A). We love the coloration and the strong geometric pattern. It’s handwoven in China, and also comes in dark brown. Available in all standard sizes. We adore the bold pattern of this modern take on traditional motifs (below). It’s called the Applique Tulip Bell Multi-Color Rug and its available at Einstein Moomjy. Hand-hooked, this rug is made in China featuring a loop pile–nice to sink your feet into. This rug would look best in a large, open space or with neutral-colored upholstered pieces in a well-lit room. Available in all standard sizes.
This subtle rug (below) is designed by Thomas O’Brien for Safavieh (TOB814). These rugs are hand-knotted in Nepal using hand-spun wool and silk. It’s a great value as it looks expensive, but really isn’t. I recommended this rug to a client recently to update a traditional room, and the room took on a whole new level of chicness. It’s also very kid and dog friendly.
I own the rug below from the Martha Stewart Collection for Safavieh (MSR1315A). I just love the modern coloration of this carpet and the whimsy of the illustrations. It looks wonderful in an entry way (where I’ve got mine). All of the colors meld together beautifully on a very subtle brown background. It’s just a great rug, and it’s available in standard rectangular, runner, and round sizes. Happy shopping! – S

In the overall budget of any home decorating project, lamps are typically an expensive item. They’re also essential, so finding ways to purchase them on sale or at a steep discount is key. Recently we’ve come across some great bargains at tag sales and flea markets, and we have a feeling you’ll be finding the same wherever you live. More often than not, lamps like these (second-hand) don’t come with a lampshade, or if they do, they’re often pretty tired looking, so finding the perfect lampshade to go with any lamp is a skill worth learning. Here are a few key things to keep in mind the next time you’re looking to pair the perfect lampshade with your tag sale find! This may sound obvious, but you need to take your lamp with you when you’re shopping for a lampshade. Nothing is more accurate than trying on different shapes and sizes on the lamp itself. As in fashion, the lamp and shade must look effortless together (think: the right shoes for the right dress). Below, a glossary of basic lamp parts that you’ll probably need to know to go further.

There are two key rules of thumb when trying on a lampshade.  The first is that the proportion and shape of the lamp dictate how far down the shade will sit. Keep in mind that the diameter of the lampshade should never exceed the size of the lamp base, and second, the shade should always cover the saddle and the socket of the lamp. What’s interesting is that there isn’t just one perfect lampshade for any one lamp–there are many! And it’s all really a matter of personal style. I’m not a stickler for choosing a shade that “matches” the decor in a room. It’s about choosing a shade that looks absolutely the best with that specific lamp. After all, I rarely rotate lampshades. We chose this hand-blown Italian glass lamp made by Decorative Crafts to show you some of the different types of lampshades that are available. Below, far left you’ll see a very traditional Empire French pleated shade. You can see how the proportion of this shade is perfect for the scale of the lamp: all that you can see is a small section of the neck of the lamp between the shade and the lamp. In the middle, a very elegant round top, octagonal bottom shade. This is a very safe and traditional choice. And at right, a chic pleated drum shade for a more contemporary style.  I’m kind of a drum shade fan, myself. What about you?

Trolling through one of my favorite consignment stores with a friend recently, we came across this tall black decorative lamp (below).  It’s kind of a modern take on a traditional form.  We loved it, and I went back and picked it up a few days later (that’s often how it goes!). We took it to the Accessory Store in Stamford, CT, to find a great shade. Take a look at the four very different shades we chose. The round square shade (top left) is made of silk and looks very dressy.  The black sharp-corner rectangular shade (top right) has a more modern feel to it. The red rectangular shade (below left) seemed to make the lamp younger and more whimsical.  And finally, the white silk pagoda shade with the dark trim (below right) looked retro and fun at the same time.  We had a really hard time deciding which one we liked best. What do you think?
Questions about finding your perfect lampshade? Check out our new ask gbgp section and we’ll do our best to provide you with a stylish (and affordable) solution. -S & L

A friend of mine recently sent me an extraordinary flower arrangement. I was so pleased by the gesture, but the scale of it just didn’t look right in our home. I prefer smaller arrangements organized largely by coordinating colors. My collection of small vessels, many of them ironstone, really come in handy in situations like these. So, Lauren and I decided to break up this bountiful arrangement into not two, but six different arrangements and place them around the house, from room to room. It’s all about spreading the love, right?
The Larkspur (below) went in these tall glass containers on either side of the mantelpiece in the living room.
The pink Ranunculus found their home in the master bathroom in a tall ironstone creamer. The peach Roses and pink Gerber Daisies went to mine and Lauren’s bedside tables, respectively.
And last, but not least, the incredibly fragrant Star Gazer Lilys landed on the butcher block island in the kitchen in a white hobnail vase.
The timing of the arrival of these flowers couldn’t have been better as our house is on the market–it now smells magnificent! Each room has it’s own custom arrangement to great guests and family. The lesson here? Don’t be afraid to “re-gift” your next flower arrangement to suit your personal style. – S

We’ve been receiving lots of e-mails recently asking for advice on how to put together an outfit on a budget. So, we decided to put our budget shopping skills to the test. With a total price limit of 100 dollars for the ENTIRE outfit, we set out to some of our favorite bargain stores in search of great pieces that won’t hurt your wallet.
Before I even hit the stores, I came up with an idea in my head of the style I was going for. I’ve been really into the whole rockabilly-punk look lately (think: studs and grommets mixed with more traditional prints like gingham and plaid), so I figured I’d try and put my own bargain-savvy spin on the style. I started with this great denim studded skirt from H&M. At $49.95, it was definitely the “big ticket” item of the look. I love finding ways to layer pieces over one another, so I paired a blousy red floral top underneath a black and white gingham button-down (both from Forever 21). When you’re wearing two tops like this, it’s best to use a belt to cinch it all in at the waist (this one’s from H&M). The shoes were the finishing touch, and super cheap at $14.99 by Fioni at Payless. With almost nothing left over, I decided to do a little DIY project and make some friendship bracelets to stack on my wrist. I learned how to make the one below from watching my dear friend and Teen Vogue editor Mary Kate Steinmiller’s fantastic tutorial on MTV’s House of Style. Click here and you can make them too! Not nearly as professional-looking as MK’s (sold at Charlotte Ronson in NYC), but not bad and it was so fun and easy to make. Let me know if you’d like to see more features like this one in the future and I’ll get right to it! – L

Got a burning design or fashion question for Good Bones, Great Pieces? Check out Ask GBGP. See you there! – S & L

It’s no mistake that the word “dream” is often used when marketing any kitchen promotion or contest.  Who doesn’t dream of having a state of the art kitchen (and by that I mean all of the newest appliances in an environment that is spacious and beautifully lit)? This dream has been achieved thanks to House Beautiful magazine’s magnificent replica of Ina Garten’s East Hampton “barn” kitchen located at Rockefeller Center in New York City. All of the lust-worthy features are there, and Lauren and I ogled our way through it on Friday afternoon.

Above, a view of the long island in the center of the kitchen, a large refrigerator and freezer flank the open shelves and range oven, the stools are vintage from France. In an interview conducted by editor-in-chief Stephen Drucker, Ina explained her three fundamental rules for entertaining in her kitchen: 1. Everything you need to prepare a meal should be close at hand, 2. Keep the food simple, i.e don’t choose complicated recipes when cooking for friends–it’s too risky, 3. Stay true to what’s fun, so that everyone, including the hostess, has a good time. Sounds like a pretty successful (and achievable) formula to me! Below, Lauren (left) and I sit on one of the outdoor sofas set up outside the kitchen (check out those ikat pillows!). 
In Ina’s kitchen, she keeps clutter to a minimum. On her countertops, you’ll find only white or stainless steel appliances (a Cuisinart, a Kitchen Aid mixer). Her everyday cooking utensils can be found in stainless steel containers near her range. One houses all stainless steel spatulas and tongs, and the other, all white and wood spoons, and rubber spatulas. No color here! On the open shelves on either side of the range, Ina has a wonderful display of hotel silver creamers and coffee pots collected from various international hotels during her travels (see below, left). How chic! They look so elegant underneath her assorted cake platters. We also adored the two tier cutlery drawer (below, right).  Such a space saver! Oh, and I loved the deep sink (below, right). Apparently, for Ina, the deep sink is a way of hiding dirty dishes from her guests when they sit down at the island to eat. I buy that! And the wood cutting board so close to the sink makes great sense. 
We’ve always been a fan of Ina’s recipes–they’re easy and foolproof, so it was great to step into her “world,” if only for a half hour. In a recent interview with Ina, Frances Schultz of House Beautiful asked, “What makes you comfortable?” We couldn’t agree more with Ms. Garten’s answers: 
1. Cashmere blankets and Loro Piana slippers everywhere.
2. Great dance music when I’m cooking.
3. Flower arrangements from the garden.
4. Mariage Frères tea with homemade cookies.
5. Surrounding myself with people who make me happy.
As for number five? Me too, Ina. Me too. – S