Everyone needs a daily dose of color and pattern inspiration. BigBrightBold inspires and delights through showcasing colorful places, spaces and things.
Something was definitely in the air, as the Guatemalan stripes and textiles kept capturing my eye throughout the Unique LA show.
Marley & Alfie's unique wrapped horseshoes would make the perfect house-warming gift. The horse shoe brings good luck while the bright colors brighten up any room. Each piece is handmade, a definite labor of time and love. Alfie even made a cameo, enjoying the bold colors of the show.
August 28, 2015 
Juniper & Fir was another interesting Unique LA vendor that I was fortanet to meet. The owners chatted about the love of their macrame and indigo dyeing, and of creating beautiful, timeless products that were artistically crafted.
As a Shibori fiend, I was especially drawn to the indigo patterns adorning the linen pillows. The stars and triangles are perfectly imperfect, and mix and match well together. The macrame dipped in indigo is also a nice touch.
August 27, 2015 
Comparing which products I found interesting at last weekend’s unique LA, I definitely see a common thread. Maybe it’s my wanderlust emerging, but 4/5 of my photographed booths had modern interpretations of international crafts. Whether Guatemalan weaving or Mexican Otami, I liked the products that took traditional patterns and applied them to modern wares.
Someware is an online store that features curated items for the home; handcrafted by artisans and designers around the world. According to the website, the items are “handmade with love, care, and thought.” The founder is from Columbia, and brings traditional crafts remade with modern geometries to the American market. Inspired by geometric forms and colorful palettes, the first first collection explores ethnic designs from Colombia and Peru.The curation of items is based on selecting talented makers who pay close attention to craftsmanship, quality, and design. The brand definitely evokes their tagline, “The best living spaces cultivate a lifestyle that takes simple pleasures seriously.”
August 27, 2015 
I have been an avid attendee of Unique LA shows in years past, but somehow got a bit sidetracked from recent events. Lately I'd rather spend a Saturday at the beach than trekking back to downtown LA. Luckily a designer friend invited me to attend the summer show, and I was pretty impressed by this year's curated content. Once we strolled the show and my friend left for a prior engagement, I got the chance to talk to several new vendors and hear about their wares.
I especially liked the reimagined South American textiles at the Folk Project. Folk Project definitely subscribes to the philosophy of #moreismore. I love the "modern granny" nature of reupholstering a vintage western chair with Guatemalan embroidery. The result is a layered and textured piece of art that belongs in a museum display. The founder has a great eye for mixing different prints and embroidery styles onto unique shapes of furniture. Every inch is dense with pattern and detail which is deifnitely more to love!
Folk Project is all about introducing a piece of the traditional world to the modern one, in turn creating a refreshing design unique to the global living style. According to their overview, "Folk Project embodies the encounter of two worlds and the result is the syncretism of traditional costumes and home décor accent pieces. The mission of the project is to travel the world looking for unique textiles and turn them into bespoke decorative pieces, such as furniture, handbags and accessories."
August 26, 2015 
Out of all the big, bright and bold products we saw at this year's Unique LA, The Otami textile wall from Lola y Tula definitely grabbed my attention.
I got the chance to talk with the founder about leaving her former high profile career to start this labor of love with art from her home country. The story of Lola y Tyla really resonated with me, as an opportunity to transform traditional crafts into modern homes, extending a family's heritage.
According to the owner, "All pieces at Lola y Tula are hand selected by me, the site being curated to allow those who love decorating a home or their wardrobe with pieces of originality, authenticity, craftsmanship and above all, beauty. These items are more than just products, but precious gifts that tell a story of the hands who made them, that champion different regions of folk art in Mexico and support the indigenous, artistic communities of our neighboring country.
I am thrilled to offer these gorgeous items to those who already share my passion for 'Artesania Mexicana,' and even more excited to help those discovering this style, how easily these decorative pieces can fit into the new modern home. This is what I love best, mixing the old and new, sleek lines with ornate embellishments, bringing worlds together."
The pieces that were displayed definitely brought new life into traditional crafts. The owner has an eye for boldly mixing tradition and playfulness into accessible art that can breath energy into any setting. With Lola Y Tula, she can bring the art of Mexico to homes everywhere.
August 26, 2015