"Wino" Home Decor

Those who know me well (or maybe even slightly), know I like a good glass of wine. In fact, I may have been known to manage my WW points during the day to ensure I could have a glass of wine in the evening. Not every day, just some days.

Anyway, wine is near and dear to my heart and I've been struck lately with wine bottle accessories- not the accessories one might put on a wine bottle or glass, but rather the home decor items that use wine bottles.

Perfect example- Pottery Barn's Wine Bottle Chandelier for $400. Now if someone were to read the description to me, I honestly think I might shudder in horror. However, having seen it in their recent catalog, I'm actually quite taken with it.

Here's the "French" version of it from FCL Style, $995.

The FCL one is probably a little bit out there for me, but I think I could do the PB option.

Speaking of changing one's mind, I used to think Bottle Trees were completely Redneck. I mean who in the world would collect used bottles and stick them out in their yard? It wasn't until very recently, when I learned the history, that I began to appreciate bottle trees more. In case you don't know the history-

Eudora Welty collection (another Welty reference!), Mississippi Department of Archives and History

Felder Rushing offers the most complete history I've seen. Most references suggest bottle trees began in the African Congo around the 9th Century AD as a means of capturing bad spirits and protecting the home. Felding's research suggests that bottle trees actually originated much earlier and farther North. African Slaves, "imported" to this country, brought this idea with them and the superstitious Southerners (I think mostly Southerners) adopted it. And he features a fabulous passage from Euroa Welty's Livvie short story on bottle trees.

Here is a nice example from At West End, a lovely catalog/website I recently discovered, for $29.
Napa Style has a few options that make use of one's own bottles. First, the plant nanny.

$20 at Napa Style

Not sure how I feel about those.

If you *must* do the whole wine bottle candle thing, this is a better option-

Vino Luminoso from Napa Style, $28.

or this one from Sundance:

Wine Bottle Candelabra, $20

A totally differnet style- recycled wine bottle coat rack, Uncommon Goods $75.

If perhaps you have just that one special bottle, enlist the help of the Flat Bottle Co.

I'm still not sure I'm entirely convinced. What do you think?


-Emmie