Issue 01

There is not enough space on one page to delineate the crossovers between the worlds of art, fashion and home décor.  One home décor trend that has roots in all three disciplines and which continues to gain momentum in popularity is the “dipped” trend.

If you are not familiar with the “dipped” trend, then perhaps you are acquainted with its fashionable cousin, the colour blocking trend.  Colour blocking was revived in 2011 from its original Yves Saint Laurent fashion roots back in the 1960s and continues to be a going concern in the fashion world both for clothing and manicures.  Colour blocking boils down to using or applying bold blocks of colour in an outfit or on nails, sometimes contrasting two, three or four colours at a time.  In the home accessories world, the colour blocking equivalent of dipping wood or ceramic items into paint typically involves two colours;  pairing the material colour with a bright colour that will pop against the object.

If you are wondering where the art world connection comes in to this discussion, look no further than to the father of colour blocking, abstract Dutch painter, Piet Mondrian.  Mondrian’s style of painting blocks of primary colours outlined in black lines belonged to a Dutch art movement called “de stijl,” which gained traction near the end of WW1.  Fast forward twenty years and you see a different version of colour blocking.  This time by a group of American abstract artists, (Mark Rothko and Barnett Newman) who paint with blocked colours but in a different way than their Dutch predecessors.

So there is a bit of method (and history) behind the madness that you see today of dipping anything and everything from chopsticks, glasses, bowls, coat stands, kitchen tables and candle sticks.  The world has officially become dip-happy.

Favourite Dipped Entertaining Items:

Anthropologie: Two-Toned Wood Spoons Bo Concept: Dipped Candlesticks Normann Copenhagen: 58N Salt & Pepper Set Wind & Willow: Dipped Wooden Bowls Poketo: Colour Dipped Mugs

INTERVIEW: Araya Jensen, Owner,  Wind & Willow Home. 

01 Who are you? 
I am a wife (happily married to my best friend and greatest supporter), mother (of two beautiful and silly kids), a passionate designer and lover of all things nature inspired.  I started Wind & Willow Home after being laid off from my day job as a Kitchen and Bath Designer when our remodeling market tanked.  After a whole lot of job hunting and little success I was getting hopeless and really needed a creative outlet.

02 Why wood?
Wood is so beautiful and natural.  The grains and color can be so unpredictable and yet it always has remarkable depth and richness.  As a Kitchen and Bath designer for so many years, wood has been a large part of my everyday job.  Its use in cabinetry, countertops and floors can really drive a design.  Its versatility and durability is unmatched in heavy use areas.  I think the combination of its beauty and versatility is why I was drawn to wood as a medium for the items in my own houseware line.

03 What sparked your inspiration for the dipped bowls line?  
The inspiration initially came from a need for some simple yet colorful items to complete my housewares collection on my web shop but I am always inspired by nature.  I have always been drawn to all things natural and organic.

04 How would you describe the aesthetic of your line? 
I hope the aesthetic comes across as simple and organic.  I really think these are pieces that can transcend specific styles and just be beautiful anywhere.

Photo Source: Wind & Willow Home

05 What are your favourite pieces to entertain with Wind & Willow Home?
I really love the mini bowls and specifically the swirl bowls which are each very unique.  I love how the dipped portion takes on lines and patterns of its own.  I get more excited with each and every one I make.  These bowls are so tiny and cute but very versatile.  I have them sitting on my kitchen window sill with some succulents growing in them.  They make me happy every time I am doing dishes 🙂