Lately, I’ve been seeing whales everywhere I look. It started on Etsy, but it’s now spreading to stores like Urban Outfitters, Jonathan Adler and Fred Flare.

Whale Plaque from BROOKLYNrehab, $16

Whale Pitcher, $95, and Whale Butter Dish, $68 from Jonathan Adler

Whale Print from Enid, $38

Whale Tail Hook, $10 at UrbanOutfitters

Whale Cutting Board, $16 at UrbanOutfitters.

Target just came out with a line of MIO eco-friendly gardening gear designed to get your garden in shape while helping to protec the Earth. Makes sense to me.

The coolest items include this 100% organic cotton hammock, $59; and this garden compost bin, $99.

Peacock plumage has been a source of fashion inspiration over the last year or so. Designers have picked up the bold, bejeweled color scheme for everything from red carpet dresses to wallpaper.

Right now, Anthropologie has a more subtle take on this trend. Their peacock dinnerware features the elegance of the bird in black and white.

Peacock dinnerware, $14-$20

The Style Files has a great post about silver furnishings and accessories. The trend has been popping up all over the web over the last few months.

Silvery coat hooks and tea pots make sense, but I’m surprised at how great the precious metallic looks on upholstered furniture.

It’s finally here, today’s the day we announce the lucky winner of this super fine giveaway from Plaza Rugs and Shak In Style!

So without delay, we would like to congratulate Stephanie Webb on her big win! Yea Stephanie! We hope you love your rug (what’s not to love) and for those of you who are green with envy (and rug-less) be sure to check back with us for more exciting giveaways coming soon.

And remember, you can still be a winner by taking advantage of Plaza Rugs offering for a 10% discount on a specially selected rugs just for Shakadoo readers. There is over 550 to choose from and free shipping to US Residents.

Just enter the code Shak10 at checkout for a savings of an extra 10% on these specially selected rugs!
With a 10% discount and Plaza Rugs’ everyday low prices and free
shipping, that’s an awesome savings! But hurry- this discount is only
available until May 31, 2008!

I’ve run hot and cold on these safari pillows from Z Gallerie. Their $75 price tag had me leaning towards cold.

But, with the recent trend towards safari-themed accessories, and they fact that these pillows are marked down to $29 a piece, I’m warming up to them.

FYI - Z Gallerie is having a pretty big sale online (up to 70% off). But they do NOT allow returns on sale items.

Designers are continuing to streamline the look of unfinished wood, making the usually log-cabiny-rustic material in to a modern-design muse.

These sleek side tables are made from reclaimed, antique barn beams up to 200 years old. Without the bark, logs can really be quite chic.

And this clean-lined walnut dresser features an iron base and accents that have a distinctly woodsy feel.

Benjamin Moore has a new Green paint. And I don’t mean Kelly or Emerald.

Their new Aura paint line has low levels of VOCs (airborne contaminants) and comes in 144 colors. It’s also self-priming. That means that, in most cases, you’ll only need one coat.

Via D Home and Garden.

It’s getting a little late for holiday shopping. Which means, of course, that I haven’t even started yet. Procrastination is a curse.

Luckily, the design blogs are loaded with wonderful, simple gift ideas for the design-inclined on your "nice" list.

Here are a few of my favorites:

Ornaments from the Frank Lloyd Wright collection for the architecturally-inspired.

For the design library, Punk House, a deviant take on interior design.

For your favorite green thumb, a miniature citrus tree. A lovely, classical accent for any home.

For the font-fanatic, the bold, grahic Noa Bembibre calendar.

Luxurious bathrooms are becoming quite the must have these days. I was watching a segment on the Today show this week about the trend of high end bathrooms.

"Today’s bathrooms are all about luxury and excess", says Merideth Viera. Excess to the tune of six figures for some make overs. But not everyone is that fortunate to spend more on a bathroom than for say…a home!

"According to one survey (the American Standard Bathroom Habits Survey),
most Americans reveal they would spend between $2,500 and $7,500 to
remodel and decorate their bathrooms. 30% would be willing to spend
more than $10,000 to make their bathroom the ultimate dream bathroom." says Barbara Corcoran a real estate expert and columnist in New York.

In her post Bathrooms with Bling, she shares a list of over the top features for high end bathrooms. Here are just a few,

- Flat screen TVs, sometimes embedded in the bathroom mirror
- Stereo surround sound
- Refrigerated vanity drawers storing tub-side beverages
- Wood-burning fireplaces
- Windows and French doors with views to die for

A few of my favorites that I found were, heated toilet seats, warming drawers for towels, and my very favorite…extravagant bathtubs! Who wouldn’t want to bathe in these beauties???

What a relaxing atmosphere! Love the lighting under the tub.

Cyprium copper bathrtub

courtesy of bornrich.org

Glass bathtub
courtesy of wasauna.com

Stone Bathtub courtesy of Advent Design

It made me wonder if you had that kind of extra cash
lying around, what kind of extreme bathroom would you design? Let us know.