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YOU COULD SAY Alexandria, Va., was born to shop. After all, British and Scottish merchants founded the town on the banks of the Potomac in 1749 in part to market English silver and tea to colonists. Now, the narrow streets and 18th- to 19th-century buildings where Thomas Jefferson bought furniture and Martha Washington hit the apothecary hold up-to-the-second shops, from Asian decor dens and French cookware stores to art emporiums and enough clothing boutiques to drive a fashionista to her smelling salts. Here are our suggestions on how to hit the brick sidewalks ISO chic clothes, hip housewares and a feast of wines, teas and candy. Just don't be shocked if the combo of old cool and contemporary merch starts a revolution in your shopping habits.
1) Crate & Barrel Outlet Store
The only discount C&B close to D.C. draws bargainistas with way-marked-down furniture (a mirrored coffee table, once $700, was recently $300), a cafeteria's worth of cups and Marimekko fabrics for $5 a yard.
» 1700 Prince St.; 703-739-8800
2) Banana Tree
On upper King Street, this longtime Zen den loads a serene, jute-carpeted space with antique and new pieces from Thailand, India, Burma and Vietnam, including silk pillows, Buddha statues in sizes from tiny to fit-for-a-temple huge, and architectural fragments (from $99 each) that look exotic hung on loft-apartment walls. Don't miss the back bargain section, where recent scores included Indonesian rosewood boxes ($165 and up) ideal for stashing jewelry or other treasures.
» 1223 King St.; 703-836-4317
1) Lips Serviced
Winter weather might finally be — fingers crossed! — in the rearview mirror. But we're still suffering the beauty roadblocks of the interminably cold season. Itchy skin. Dry hair. And, please, do not call attention to our cracked, chapped lips. Enter Shiseido's new Perfect Rouge lipstick collection ($25, department stores), which boasts a light-yet-moisturizing formula that feels as pucker-replenishing as ChapStick but — in a range of 20 rich, perfect-for-spring shades — slides on much, much prettier.
2) Dude, Step it Up
Baggy suits, blousy button-downs and mile-wide power ties came under attack in fashion expert Tom Julian's first book with Nordstrom on men's style, out last year. Now, Julian takes on puffy khakis, fraying fleeces and other out-of-date casual wear in the "Nordstrom Guide to Men's Everyday Dressing" ($18, Chronicle Books), out Saturday in Nordstrom stores and online. The savvy handbook offers stylish-but-wearable ideas — like classic-cool penny loafers, a vast improvement from the holey sneaks you've been sporting since college.
SPRING CLEANING SEEMS like a cause championed by June Cleaver throwbacks and the makers of Borax. Yet many modern folks refuse to chuck the concept in the dust bin, even though the original reasons for warm-weather scouring frenzies — the grime left behind by coal-burning stoves and kerosene lamps — died around the time Queen Victoria did.
"We see an uptick in requests for deep cleaning during the spring — especially after such a harsh winter," says Mia Gallina, owner of Arlington's the Green Mop. Type A's who prefer to do their own dirty work find advice at Housekeepingchannel.com, which reports its heaviest traffic in March, April and May.
"I love the idea of a cleaning that is beyond everyday dusting," says Laura Heinle, 44, a mom of two in Silver Spring. "There are so many parts of the house that you can ignore." With mildewed grout, dusty fan blades and crumby cabinets all vying for attention, some wonder whether it's worth starting something they can't finish. "I like the idea of spring cleaning," echoes Laura Nelms, 36, an environmental consultant on Capitol Hill. "But ... I know I'd be doing it by myself. And cleaning, in general, is not something I like to spend a lot of time on."
Experts seem to unanimously agree that baby steps are best when it comes to tackling your own dust heap. Too bad most checklists seem so all-encompassing. "Really, I'm going to flush out the water heater every spring?" scoffs Erin Rooney Doland, the Reston-based author of "Unclutter Your Life in One Week" ($15, Simon & Schuster) and editor of the popular blog Unclutterer.com.
Instead of taking an A-to-Z approach (arrange stacks of magazines, zap shower mold), chip away at the following chores to make the maximum visual impact. Because who notices the sediment in the water heater, anyway?
Continue Reading "The Clean Season: Spring Cleaning Solutions" »
1) Prep's Cool
Fashion is in the midst of a throwback revival, with old-school brands (Barbour, Cole Haan, Sperry) back in style, thanks to sleek spins on Muffy and Biff classics. The latest brand to join the pack: L.L. Bean, which debuts its Signature collection in stores and online Saturday (Tysons Corner Center, 703-288-4466). Men's and women's pieces (such as a striped Breton sailor sweater, $59, and heavy canvas duffle, $54, right) still invoke the line's preppy-meets-outdoorsy roots, but with slim-cut silhouettes and graphic patterns.
2) Flat Tops
We've emptied our piggy banks ISO the trick to sleek, smooth hair, throwing money at fancy frizz serums, boar-bristle brushes and enough bottles of conditioner to fill a CVS. The winner: Salon Tech's Silicone 450 flat iron ($200), which — besides delivering Jennifer Aniston-esque shiny, straight tresses sans frying — heats in just 17 seconds and boasts temperature settings for different hair. Yes, it's pricey, but not compared to the 37 vessels of discarded products clogging our bathroom.
Continue Reading "Grab Bag: Old-School Revival, New-School History" »
1) Le Cheap, C'est Chic
Clothing designer John Paul Gaultier wins devotees with his provocative, pretty-gone-punky clothing (Madonna's bullet bras, this spring's pop-arty print shifts). Sadly, styles by the enfant terrible of Gallic fashion tend to cost as much as a jet ride to Paris. Still, March 7-April 11, those with not-so-haute budgets can scoop up Gaultier's line for Target, including a gendarme-worthy trench (shown, $60), tattoo print leggings ($25) and, for the Material Girl in all of us, a frothy bustier dress ($40).
2) Grain Trust
Foodies have recently elevated humble salt to a worshipful position once reserved for, say, caviar or Mallomars. Perhaps it's because concoctions like Urban Accents' Mango Masala Seasoned Salt ($7, Whole Foods) turn simple foods — roasted asparagus, a nice piece of rockfish — into restaurant-worthy treats. The Indian-inflected Mango Masala gave our shrimp risotto a subcontinental drift; we'd use the Ginger Szechwan variety to rock a chicken or vegetable stir-fry.
3) Stepping Out
Sophisticated shoe den Simply Soles scores fans with its chic-yet-comfy footwear, from printed pumps by brands like Bettye Muller to well-priced flats from in-house line lillybee. This weekend, the retailer unveils a new store in The Shops of Georgetown Park (3222 M St. NW; 202-232-0072). Green and rust paint, plush seats and a wallpaper "tree" create an earthy vibe for buys like lillybee's Esme wedges ($165), hip jewelry and bags from lines like Bulga and Frye.
WHEN CATHY BUNTUA, 26, bought a one-bedroom condo in Falls Church last spring, she loved its location and potential. But she was less than thrilled about its old-school kitchen cabinets.
"They were probably from 1970 and were a really ugly, deep dark brown," she says. "I knew I would have to change them somehow. But since I had just bought the condo, I didn't have enough money to invest in ripping them out and putting in new ones."
Cue the DIY paint makeover. But instead of choosing a soft white, as the designers on HGTV might have done, Buntua went for something bolder. "I wanted to do a fun color, so I chose pink, which is one of my favorites," she says.
Continue Reading "The Bold and Beautiful: Vibrant Wall Colors" »
WALLPAPER HAS BEEN enjoying a comeback of late, thanks to a slew of new modern, easier-to-use designs. "There are wallpapers now that are fabulous and definitely not your grandmother's wallpaper," says Alexandria-based designer Janet Thomas.
Hip, graphic prints abound, from sources such as Jonathan Adler, Angela Adams, Ferm Living and Elitis. Think Greek key designs, overlapping circles or retro-looking flowers and tree branches. "You can use traditional furniture and put up contemporary wallpaper and it updates the whole thing," says Thomas.
"There are also a lot of very fun, textural wallpapers," says Catherine Hailey, principal of Arlington-based Hailey Design. "Some are actually fabric that's been backed with paper, which can really dress a room up. There are also some interesting wallpapers with a relief [a raised texture], which you can paint any color you want." Hailey likes Donghia for items such as linen and PVC wall coverings, and Weitzner Limited for paintable options.
PAINTING CAN BE a simple way to add drama and excitement to your home. It's also one of the cheapest and easiest home improvements you can make. But before you spread out your drop cloth and break out your rollers, heed a few simple tips from the pros.
» Clear Your Schedule: Don't start painting a room unless you have time to devote to the project. "It's important not to stop halfway," says Catherine Hailey, principal of Arlington-based Hailey Design. "If you're rolling paint on and you don't keep that wet edge, then you'll see where it stopped and started."
» Keep It Neat: Precision matters, even if you've taped off baseboards and other trim. "Don't rely on painter's tape too much," Hailey says. "People think, 'If I tape the edges, I can be as sloppy as I want and it won't bleed.' But you usually can't get the tape tight enough, so you still have to be careful of the edges."
Continue Reading "Brush With Confidence: Painting Your Home" »
1) Riffs Not For Stiffs
The problem with finding rocker-cool men's clothing: Lines such as John Varvatos and Rag & Bone often come at prices more suited to a banker than a bass player. Comune, a skater-meets-punker brand out of Orange County, mixes 1980s staples (a waxed black denim jacket, shown, $88) with thoroughly modern pieces (graphic print tees, $25). The priced-for-starving-artists act just took the stage at Redeem (1734 14th St. NW; 202-332-7447), which sits near at least one good place to rock this stuff: the Black Cat.
2) Chokered Up
Jewelry designer Justin Giunta's Subversive line transforms heirloom objects (vintage cameos, antique chains) into high fashion — but, sigh, at high-fashion prices. A cheap-chic Target collaboration in 2008 made Giunta realize he had fans who loved his offbeat aesthetic yet couldn't afford his designs. The result: a new, lower-priced collection, Deviated, which swaps his usual precious materials for less costly ones, as in a sinuous brass and crystal necklace ($525). The designer hosts a trunk show Sat., noon-5 p.m., at Upstairs on 7th (555 12th St. NW; 301-351-8308).
Continue Reading "Grab Bag: Rocker Jackets and Silhouette Coasters" »
1) I Can See Chicly Now
Some people inherit old-school cool antiques from their grandparents. But if you, like us, got nothing but a lime-green plaid recliner in Nana's will, Wisteria's new mirror collection ($49-$2,200) brings vintage swank to even the dankest spaces. Retro-inspired pieces include an oyster shell-encrusted oval, several gilded sunburst styles and — our favorite — a shield-shaped, neo-Victorian baby ($329) that Charles Dickens might've owned, had he lived in a hip London loft. Any of them would reflect well over a dresser, sink or dining table.
2) Merit Badge for Tastiness
If you missed ordering your annual Girl Scout cookie stash from a co-worker's kid, don't fret: Starting today, those perky-faced scouts will set up cookie booths at area grocery stores and Metro stops (go online to locate a sales spot near you). In addition to your stockpile of Thin Mints and Samoas, we'd suggest sampling this year's new treat: Thank You Berry Munch (shown, $3.50 per box), loaded with cranberries and white fudge chips There's no use resisting: If the sugar alone doesn't sway you, those sweetly enterprising salesgirls will.
Addison Road