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Can’t Live Without: Corelle Dinnerware

We love dinnerware that suits any mood and every whim. Fancy dinner party? Spontaneous Sunday brunch with friends? Crashing on the couch with leftovers? For all of these moments, we turn to Corelle.

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Sophisticated but unfussy, timeless yet modern looking, Corelle was created in the 1970s by Pyrex. It’s made in the Midwest in Rosemont, Illinois, and is known for its supreme durability. Chalk it up to the revolutionary material from which its made — a special three-layer glass laminate called Vitrelle glass, which was originally fabricated for first-generation TV screens in the 1940s. No surprise, this glass is virtually break and chip resistant.

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Corelle is a true workhorse in the kitchen, being stackable and ideal for buffet-style setups. So its thinness and lightness often comes as a surprise.

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Style and designs are ever-changing — there have been more than 2,000 patterns since the 1970s — and all of them are great everyday basics. At Unison, we carry small and large plates, curved just so, as well as bowls that are great for salads or pastas. You can’t beat the price point — these pieces are just $5 or $6 each. Stock up and we know Corelle will become your mealtime go-to as quickly as it became ours.

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An Afternoon with Filigree Suppers

When you attend a Filigree Suppers event, you enter into an experience that is not only enjoyable, but also thoughtful in its detail, beautiful in its design, and creative to its core.

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Acacia Chalk Serving BoardsGalvin Black Bread KnifeGalvin Black 5 Piece Flatware SetSlab Black Dinnerware

We experienced this firsthand at our recent in-store event, when we had the pleasure of welcoming Filigree Suppers co-founder Elise Metzger to up the gorgeous ante on our shindig.

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Elise used items from our current Holiday collection to design all the tabletops. And the variety of tablescapes – including a kids’ setting – helped visitors learn how to set a table for any occasion, any design aesthetic, or any lifestyle.

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Blockitecture BlocksHeller White Melamine DinnerwareEve Brushed Stainless Steel 5 Piece Flatware SetSplatter Enamel MugsMarket Plaid Tablecloth

Elise and Baker Miller brought in the food, and Elise and our knowledgable staff greeted guests at the door with refreshments, including the treat of effervescent bottled water from Perrier, one of our sponsors.

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Filigree’s blend of elegance and whimsy (we would never have thought to incorporate Areaware’s Balancing and Blockitecture Blocks!) set a wonderful example for thinking outside the box on entertaining design.

And with Elise on hand to show menu examples and play around with different settings, visitors enjoyed hands-on learning. So we all left feeling a bit more confident in our ability to take these great ideas into our own dining rooms.

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Himmeli Gray TableclothGalvin Black 5 Piece Flatware SetSplatter Black Enamel Dinner PlateHario Glass Tumblers

Which details won the most-likely-to-get-copied awards? Customized menu tags, name tags, and sample menus, to name a few. Another favorite: the postcards outlining helpful tips for selecting and creating holiday bouquets, which got all of us into the spirit of the season.

All in all, it was a day full of ideas, beauty, and fun. Delicious.

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Give Yourself a Spa Treatment

Autumn seems to scream responsibility, doesn’t it? No matter how old you are, the back-to-school season brings a sense of stricter schedules, busy days, and focused evenings.

Sounds like a bit of relaxation might be in order.

But who has time to hit the spa this time of year? Since you’re as busy as you are in need of a massage, we’ve designed the perfect solution: make your own washroom into an oasis of indulgence. Close the door tight, crank up some mellow tunes, and follow these tips for pure zen action in your very own home:

Set the Spa Scene

Candlelight and good smells are the hallmarks of any spa, and your mellow-at-home zone shouldn’t be any different. So dim the lights and set some Haus Scented Candles aflame. With fragrances derived from goodies like rose, bergamot, cassis, oak moss, and tonka bean, you’ll change the mood instantly.

Next, fill your Object Boxes with some delicious bath salts. Whether you’re pouring in simple epsom salts or Peruvian pink salt blended with water from the polar ice caps, these containers will add a tone of stylish sophistication to your bath scene.

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Pamper Your Gorgeous Head…

Now let’s get down to the business of your facial. Pack the following into your Nest Caddy:

1. Binchotan Charcoal Facial Soap
Crafted of Binchotan charcoal powder and natural extracts, this facial soap exfoliates, moisturizes, and absorbs impurities to restore the tone and texture of your skin.

2. Binchotan Charcoal Washcloth
With ultra-fine powder of Binchotan charcoal blended into its fibers, this cloth absorbs odors and removes toxins and excess oil from your skin.

3. Homemade Face Mist
Spritz on some refreshing face mist, like this rose water variety from those clever gals at A Beautiful Mess

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…Down to Your Freshly Smoothed Toes

After you’ve soaked to your heart’s content, it’s time to get down to the business of your little tootsies.

Derived from volcanic rock, pumice’s natural exfoliant properties are perfect for smoothing the roughest spots on your feet. Slather a Binchotan Pumice Stone with decadent Swedish Dream Soaps for the ultimate in pedi pampering.

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Now dry off with a Logan Towel, slip those smooth feet into some soft Linen Slippers, and tuck in for a cozy evening.

You deserve it.

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How to Accessorize Your Couch

What’s something big that most of us have in common? Couches. We all have them. We all use them. We all love them – albeit for different reasons.

And many of us also share the silly habit of letting our couches fade into the neutral background of our homes after a while. But there’s no excuse for this, thanks to one of the most simple, versatile, and striking home accessories known to man: the throw pillow.

We at Unison happen to be obsessed with these sofa-top essentials. And this time of year, we’re particularly apt to break out a new set of pillows to dress up a room, celebrate a holiday, or freshen familiar spaces for the cold months ahead.

Take a look at how our 3 new interchangeable pillow collections – classic black & white, natural tones & linens, and holiday – bring new personality to a neutral gray couch:

A great collection of throw pillows can do more than make a couch inviting. It can liven up an entire home.

We recommend that you start your browsing here:

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Aerial BlackDots BlackAerial White

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Dots White LinenColor Block BurgundySailor Black Linen

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Tiles Gray , Grid Red Knit, Gingham Royal

 

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Dining Al Fresco

In these dog days of summer, a bit of refreshment is more imperative—and more appealing—than ever. But if the heat’s sapping your creative juices, don’t sweat it. We’ve got some cool ideas for chilling out with friends, family, or yours truly. Think bright tablescapes, summery recipes, and warm temperatures.

Looks like there is a cure for the summertime blues after all.

Cure #1: Bright Lights, Big Tiles

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Go bold, cheerful, and bright for your table. One of our favorite choices? The Big Tiles Tablecloth in lime. It’ll get your mouth watering for dinner – and keep the mood cheerful no matter how the weather decides to blow in. Added bonus: it’s currently on sale!

Cure #2: Fruity Minty Deliciousness

If you feel like spreading your culinary wings a bit, try the Watermelon with Menthol Candies from The Family Meal cookbook. Made with a simple combination of lemon juice, sugar, watermelon, and hard menthol candies, it’s a bright and fresh treat for your tabletop. And with detailed ingredient quantities mapped out for parties of 2, 6, 20, or 75, this recipe can help you cool as many mouths as you feel like inviting to the conversation.

Cure #3: The Clean Plate Club

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Clean-lined dinnerware keeps the table looking sharp, inviting food and fun to take center stage. Check out the Biobu collection for an array of shapes and colors that are as fun to mix-and-match as they are to collect over time.

Cure #4: Ceviche Surprise

Remember the delicious (and easy!) ceviche recipe we tested out for this year’s Cinco de Mayo celebration? Nothing could be more in keeping with this fresh and bright dinner scene. Pick up a copy of Mexico: The Cookbook and try it for yourself.

Cure #5: Serve Up Style

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One secret for adding elegance to your outdoor tabletop: serve choice treats from striking trays. But don’t think you have to get fancy. Try thick slices of colorful watermelon or some fizzy cocktails perched beside a mound of juicy lemons and limes. Our Grid, Plateau, or Tracy trays set the perfect stage.

Cure #6: Bake a Bass

While you have The Family Meal cookbook open from your candy-making craze, look up the Baked Sea Bass. The dish features fresh thyme and rosemary, along with one of August’s main attractions: juicy, ripe tomatoes. It’s the perfect way to end your summer entertaining season with a bang.