Nomadic Nature

Currently loving the wanderer look for fall. This free-spirited style offers so much from being sensible to substantial in fashion and design.  Whether you're a sojourner or a homebody, the southwestern themed trend brings vibrancy to an edge.

Here in 2009,  designers and artists are stilling finding inspiration from ancient times. The Navajo people were trendsetters. When the Spanish settled in the southwest, the Navajo utilized their resources and used the sheep for its wool to make clothes, blankets, and rugs. They weaved from wool and used natural vegetable dyes for color. Not only did the Navajo understand the importance of color, but also respected natural elements for the purpose of creating beauty while creating function.

Loving the Navajo inspired ponchos.  There is something so free, yet chic and sophisticated when paired with skinny jeans or ex-boyfriend cropped jeans and strappy platform sandals. This look brings the Navajo style to the modern girl with style, ease, and comfort.

I also like this look for the home, too. While it may be added as a quirky, unexpected piece in my current rental, I would love to expand the Navajo style into my dream home.

I tend to be a bit untypical so chances are my dream home isn't a McMansion. No, no my dream is an A-frame house. Don't laugh... I love it. A-frames sprung up in North America in the 1950's after Andrew Geller revolutionized them to become affordable family vacation homes near ski resorts.

This humble abode offers a steep roof line, about 1,000 sq ft, a loft and potential for some amazing views.  My dreams extend as I have found this home in Whistler, British Columbia. It's hidden in a dense forest where the trees are taller than skyscrapers with a bike route nearby. It brings in more light than a log cabin and offers low maintenance with the roof sloping straight to the ground.

The main attraction to this structure is how peculiar looking it is. I am drawn to things that don't conform.   Also, unlike most homes near this region, it brings in so much natural light, which is important in a cool climate and aesthetically pleasing to the eye. I would design the interior keeping in mind with the historical roots, as well as the surrounding environment.  Also, I would bring it a modern element while giving it some theatrics as a Swiss hut, but in a twisted rustic, yet urban form.

Combining a hint of Navajo style with a traditional Swiss cottage of blues and reds,  a mod, contemporary, interior with a crisp, white palette for the walls accented with rustic stone, dark-toned industrial trimming, and ebony stained hardwood floors. The interior space would host a warmth of color combined with hip, chic fabric and worn textiles on the furniture that could easily translate the rustic outdoors to the interior spaces.

In last month's issue of Ready-Made Magazine, I found an interesting article about Nadia Yaron and Myriah Scruggs who recreate furniture and hand-stitched textiles.  Their work can be found at Nightwoodny.com.  I love how they  repurpose old, worn fabrics into new canvases of furniture that transform a three-dimensional art form . There is so much color and interest used in each piece. The vintage feel of the pieces make it a trophy in its own right.

I especially love these chairs found above and the chevron stitching that brings a native feel. After seeing this article, I came across this woven rug at the UCLA thrift-store in Santa Monica. I was drawn to the composition of the blues, red, and pinks and with a 50 cent price tag, I thought I could put it to use someday. I am looking for a hall chair to reupholster a cushion with this Navajo rug.

(Image 1, 2: shopbop.com,, Images: 3: http://www.forever21.com/heritage1981/main.asp, Images 4,5: nightwoodny.com, Images8,9, 10: nightwoodny.com).