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| PfeiferBlog |
June 19, 2008
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 Our Reclaimed Copper Bowls are even more beautiful today than when they were first created in India in the early 20th Century, thanks to a rich natural patina that has developed over the decades. What's more, they are vintage, which, according to treehugger.com "can be the most green" of all home accessories because "vintage.. requires no additional resources to manufacture, is pre-offgassed and eases the load on the landfill." Each bowl is one-of-a-kind and was made in Rajasthan, where Indian craftsmen have used use metals in their decorative arts for thousands of years. The city of Jaipur is the main center for metal work, where ethnic designs and geometric patterns are hammered or embossed on the surfaces of decorative home accessories and jewelry designs. Priced at $39.00 each with free delivery, they will go fast. Click here to order yours today.
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| Featured Custom Project: Goathide Pillow |
May 31, 2008
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 We were so enthralled by our latest custom project, that we decided it deserved a permanent spot in our exclusive collection. It all came about when a retail client loved our existing goathide pillows at 9 x 18 inches, which have long been one of our most popular pillow styles, but needed them at a custom size work in her living room. Who knew that they would turn out to be so enticing! - Now available online at a plush 12 x 24 inches, each pillow is created from original hides with unique markings, so please allow for variation. Pillows created from this style of hide generally have a black stripe of varying width and intensity running down the center. The brown coloring is in shades of Chestnut and there is sometimes black or a lighter brown coloration at the edge of the pillow. Like all of our pillows, they close with a garment zipper hidden along the seam of one edge, leaving only a sleek pull visible. The cases are filled with feather and down inserts, which create a naturally firm, yet soft cushion. As importantly, the inserts are filled to a medium weight, allowing the pillow to plump nicely, while never appearing overstuffed. Click here to order yours now.
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| Exotic New Jewelry from Susana Brown |
May 23, 2008
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 The exquisite jewelry in the latest collection from designer Susana Brown is heavily influenced by tribal art and adorned with exotic gemstones, such as turquoise, amber and jade. The collection infuses ancient sacred symbolism with exotic materials, turning the mystery of antiquity into a modern day wearable-work-of-art. Susana’s unique style is formed by her sense of adventure, global experience and dedicated commitment to benefiting her local community.
Susana always knew that she wanted a life filled with exploration and adventure and her passion for ancient cultures lead her to travel the world. Over the past 27 years, she has sought out experience and first hand knowledge of lost civilizations by visiting and living in such places as India, Greece, the Yucatan Peninsula of Mexico and Belize, Bali and the Hawaiian Islands.
In the late 1990’s Susana lived in Egypt as part of a small research team studying the customs and beliefs of the ancient Egyptian people. This afforded her travel to parts of the world that were not easily accessible. Today she is still fascinated by the sacred expressions of antiquity revealed through a culture’s symbols, architecture, dance, stories, prayer, jewelry and art. Click here to see all designs from Susana Brown. |
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| Eco-Friendly Designs Now Online |
May 10, 2008
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 We understand that making environmentally savvy choices in furnishing your interior can make a big difference to the planet and to your health, so we are proud to announce a new category of Eco-Friendly designs.
What exactly makes something eco-friendly? For us, it needs to be created from sustainable resources, produced with non-toxic finishes or created from reclaimed materials.
Our Bamboo Storage Table is a great example of a design created from a sustainable resource, since bamboo is a rapid growing grass and not wood, it can be harvested every 3-5 years, unlike 15-25 years for most trees. Whereas our Wool Felt Rug is 100% toxin-free. No harmful acids are used in the coloring and it comes from a clean, green farm in New Zealand. As for product made from reclaimed materials, our Reclaimed Sari Bags make great use of a traditional India garment , now on its second life. But these products are just the beginning, click here to see more designs from our Eco-Friendly category.
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| Product Preview: Hand Carved Storage Table |
April 19, 2008
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 We just launched our new Spring '08 collection of home furnishings and accessories and one style that definitely stands out is our Hand Carved Storage Table. One thing that we have learned here at Pfeifer Studio is that our clients love furniture that has more than one purpose: a side table and a stool...love it! So it comes as no surprise that our storage tables have been a hit. With that in mind we introduce this new style constructed from solid hardwood and featuring a circular ridge pattern, which is carved by hand into the exterior surface. The lid lifts off to allow for storage of books, magazines or soft goods and the modern 'pod' shape owes it's influence to both Asian aesthetics and to futuristic 'interiors of tomorrow'. These are a limited edition, so when they are sold out, they are gone! Click here to order one today.
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| Featured Custom Project: Winston Bench |
April 03, 2008
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 Our most recent custom project was created for a luxury hotel in Philadelphia. The popular Winston Bench is shown on our website with a hair-on cowhide seat and black leather sides, but when designers at the boutique hotel wanted the Winston for seating in the dressing rooms at their spa, we quickly knew that a change of materials was in order.
A hair-on cowhide seat was not the ideal material for the requested setting, so we created the benches with wood tops to better suite the client's needs. They were also fabricated at a custom size (40 x 20 x 18) to fit perfectly into their space and we matched an existing wood finish to make sure that this was one custom project that was perfect!
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| Pfeifer on PointClickHome.com |
March 21, 2008
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 We love pointclickhome.com, the online design portal for Elle Decor, Metropolitan Home & Home Magazine, and were most pleased to have our Abaidoo Stool Table and Kuba Cloth Pillows featured in this months What's Selling Now! section.
The online editors set out to find “what's flying off the shelves” at their “favorite shops-from all corners of the country.” Featured alongside shops from San Francisco, New York, Seattle & Atlanta, our Albuquerque showroom was selected as one of the “country’s hottest décor stores.”
Want to see more of our best sellers? Click here to see our top products for the last 30 days…
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| Product Preview: Black Textures Pillow |
February 27, 2008
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 The latest design to land online is an inviting black leather, cowhide and linen pillow. At 12 x 18 inches and only $125 delivered, this little ebony jewel should not be passed by. Black has a sophistication that is the epitome of effortless chic. The purity of black brings out the true qualities of materials and now the eye is on the contrast of pattern and texture. Soft against slick, shiny against matte and warm against cool. All black should never be thought boring. What to see more designs in contrasting shades of black? Click here to check out one of our popular Pfeifer Trends: A Touch of Black.
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| Custom Design with Pfeifer Studio |
February 08, 2008
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 We often get requests to create designs from our collection at custom sizes, such as the Abaidoo Stool Table shown to the left. Clients also come to us to looking create original designs for their interiors.
To help better educate website visitors on just what can be done, we have just launched a new custom design section on the site, which showcases past projects such as a woven leather trunk that we designed for a retail client and a collection of wool gifts that we designed for a catalog retailer.
Depending on the scope of the project, we will provide material samples and/or working drawings for your review. Currently we are working with a multi-discipline workshop based in India, a independent woodworker and an upholstery workshop, both based in North Carolina, wool weavers and felters based in New Zealand, as well as other independent artisans in such locations as Peru.
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| Product Preview: Leather Stripe Pillow |
January 29, 2008
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 Our leather pillows are consistently some of the most popular designs on the site. We thought that the start of a new year would be a great time to add some new styles to the collection. The first to arrive are these fun, colorful designs in supple lambskin with a black linen back. The bold, graphic pattern and intense colors pay homage to mid-century modernism, while the tailored design gives it a fashionable edge that is so popular in home interiors of the 21st Century. And at only $119.00 delivered, the price can not be beat. This is another Pfeifer Exclusive that is only available online and at our flagship showroom beautiful New Mexico. Click here to learn more...
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| Product Preview: Chocolate Walnut Cube |
January 12, 2008
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 We love the sleek minimalism of our Chocolate Walnut Cube, the newest addition to our collection of side and end tables. Finished in a rich, hand-wiped Chocolate brown stain with subtle red undertones, the cube is constructed from wood veneer.
It will, of course, look great in a modern interior, but we also would use in traditional spaces. The clean lines and inviting wood finish would pair nicely with a traditional upholstered piece, while adding a contemporary element to the interior. And at $339 delivered, the price can not be beat! Click here to learn more.
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| Pfeifer In Teen Vogue |
December 19, 2007
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 Our elegant Red Lacquer Side Table from Vietnam is featured in the December/January issue of Teen Vogue. A lucky contest winner in Nebraska received a total room makeover, complete with two Pfeifer Tables. The room designers worked with a palate of black, white and red, and seeing that our lacquer side table is available in all three colors, any would have worked beautifully. Click here to see this trendy design, as well as other Pfeifer Finds from across the globe.
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| Product Preview: Kuba Cloth Pillows |
December 07, 2007
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Kuba cloths have long been our favorite handmade textiles from Africa. Their simple geometric shapes translate nicely to contemporary designs and influenced modern artists such a Pablo Picasso and Paul Klee. In the past, we have embossed graphic Kuba patterns on such leather goods as napkin rings and waste bins. - So you can imagine how delighted we were to find luxurious pillows made from tactile Kuba cloths from Zambia. Our ethnic pillows feature a cotton backing and are filled with feather and down inserts. Each pillow is hand sewn in the USA of imported cloth, please allow for variation in the color and patterns. -
More about Kuba cloth...they get their name from the Kuba tribe of central Congo. The tribe' s women begin the process of creating the cloths by beating palm leaves so that the leaf will separate into fibers. The men then use a loom to weave the fibers.
The process then goes back to the women who decorate the cloth. Sometimes they use a “u” stitch to create a carpet pile like texture as well as motifs. Other times they use appliqué methods to create patterns and motifs. Each cloth can take over a month to make.
In the past the cloth was only made by the most important and wealthy men in the tribe. Their wives were the only women in the tribe who had enough spare time to embroider the cloth. Ordinary women were kept too busy with their work in the fields, cooking and raising their children. Thus the cloth became a symbol of wealth and status.
When a major event occurred such as the induction of a new chief, the women of the tribe would sew many cloths together to make a royal robe. One popular village song describes how, a man was offered a Mercedes Benz car or a Kuba cloth by his mother. He chose the Kuba cloth after wisely noting that it would last longer.
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| Our Shop's First Anniversary |
November 29, 2007
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 It may be hard to believe..but we are already celebrating our flagship showroom's first anniversary. And what an exciting year it has been! Pfeifer Studio was even named one of America's "smartest new design and fashion boutiques" by Elle Decor Magazine. We thought it would be fun to throw a little party to celebrate! If you are lucky enough to be in beautiful New Mexico next Thursday (Dec 6th) we hope that you will stop in. Please join us from 5 to 9 PM for drinks, great food and the most stylish environment (directly) east of the Rio Grande. To celebrate this milestone, we are offering 10% off everything in our collection FOR ONE DAY ONLY! All orders placed in the shop will also receive free gift wrapping and (of course) free shipping to all US destinations.
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| Pfeifer in Western Interiors |
November 20, 2007
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 Our super-stylish Platinum Leather Pillow is featured in the latest issue of Western Interiors. The editors at the venerable design monthly selected our metallic cushion (a Pfeifer exclusive) as an example of an accent that adds "sophisticated sparkle." And during the holiday season, who can't get enough sparkle?
Click here to see this feted design, as well as other products in silver and gold from our "Metallique" trend. |
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| Stansborough Wools of New Zealand |
November 12, 2007
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 Pfeifer Studio is proud to be the exclusive online retailer of Stansborough Wools of New Zealand. Their hand made wool throws and blankets are some of the most popular styles on the site and we recently decided to expand our offerings to include select styles from their fashion collection, including the ever-so inviting pink suede sheepskin slippers that you see to the left. -
What makes Stansborough Wool's designs so unique? Well for starters Stansborough founders, Barry and Cheryl Elridge, take a hands-on approach to the production of their wool designs.
The Elridges raise a rare breed of sheep, known as 'Stansborough Greys' on their 3000 acre farm, nestled in New Zealand's Wairarapa Valley. Over 10 years of selective breeding has developed a silky and lustrous fiber. Their flock is now over one thousand strong, still the only one of its kind in the world.
'Stansborough Alpaca' are also bred at the farm. With more than 20 different natural shades, the Alpaca wool expands the color palette and is used to enhance the natural colors of 'Stansborough Greys.'
Barry and Cheryl personally sort the fleece and only select the finest quality fibers for use in their production. Stansborough's luxurious wool throws are woven at their Wellington Mill on looms dating from the early 1890’s and have a unique, handmade and natural feel, distinguishing them from mass-produced, commercial soft goods.
Their sumptuous wool felts are individually hand made, creating subtle variations that make each piece completely unique.
The time spent producing each Stansborough design is evident in their quality and each style produced in Stansborough Wool can truly be called handmade.
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| Product Preview: Jamavar Wool Throw |
October 30, 2007
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 The latest Pfeifer Find to land online direct from Kashmir, India is a traditional throw hand-woven in sheep's wool in shades of Burgundy, Blue, Black and Rust.
Known as Jamavar, the centuries-old technique of weaving used to create the intricate patterns in the throw was brought to Kashmir in the 15th Century under the patronage of one of the kingdom's most admired rulers, Zain-ul-Abdin.
The patterns are created using weft threads of various colors that do not run the full width of the fabric. Rather, they are woven back and forth in small areas to create the desired, tiny color blocks.
Jamavars became fashionable with European aristocracy in the 18th Century. Because of the costly weaving technique, the patterns often covered just the edges and ends of the shawls.
Even so, only the wealthiest people could afford them. The invention of the jacquard loom in the 19th Century meant that shawls with the traditional jamavar designs could be produced cost-effectively for a much larger market. And the motifs began to cover larger portions of the shawls. Click here to learn more about this beautiful design. |
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| Product Preview: Bamboo Storage Table |
October 18, 2007
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 Our latest Pfeifer Find from Thailand has just landed online. The new Bamboo Storage Table is a colorful, yet sophisticated design constructed from environmentally-friendly bamboo.We often receive requests for a table with extra storage and when we came across this little number we knew that we had to have it. The lightweight table features a lid that lifts off to store pillows, throws, magazines or just about anything else!The eco-positive features are an added bonus. Because bamboo is a rapid growing grass and not wood, it can be harvested every 3-5 years, unlike 15-25 years for most trees. So you can now create a beautiful space and help sustain the planet at the same time. Click here to order it now!
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| Design Week Santa Fe |
October 11, 2007
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 Design Week Santa Fe kicks off tomorrow here in New Mexico and all of us at Pfeifer Studio are delighted to have 3 pieces from our collection: The Winston Bench, Abaidoo Stool Table & Goathide Footstool featured in the Design Exhibition. Puro Belleza: A Distinctive Design Showcase displays the breadth of New Mexico design including graphic design, architecture, fashion and furniture.
Other highlights of Santa Fe Design Week include Interiors Dialogue a panel discussion exploring "the questions we all have about finding our own personal inspirations and translating them into successful designs for our spaces" The dialogue is moderated by Western Interiors Editor-In-Chief, Michael Wollaeger and features Sherri Donghia as a panelist.
Another not-to-miss event will surely be the fashion show featuring the work of Argentinean designer Carola Bessaso. Santa Fe and Buenos Aires, Argentina share the UNESCO creative cities design designation.
Click here to learn more about Design Week Santa Fe.
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| Product Preview: Platinum Leather Pillow |
October 06, 2007
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 We are pleased to introduce a fun, stylish pillow in platinum leather embossed with the look of crocodile. It is the latest addition to our Metallique collection, which focuses on sexy, shiny & sleek shades of silver, gold, bronze & pewter.
Metallics have been hot in fashion for several seasons and are now making their way into home interiors. The new metallics are both a nod to the past and a look to the future. Whether simmering under the sun on an urban high rise or adding an unexpected element to an interior, metallics are a sophisticated way to dress up your life. Click here to see all designs in our Metallique collection.
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| What's In Store at Pfeifer Studio |
September 26, 2007
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Clients who visit our retail studio in Albuquerque's Nob Hill neighborhood often tell us how inspired they are by the way that the space is styled. It is one thing to see something online and entirely another to see it in person, even more so to see it placed with other beautiful designs.
We recently rearranged the space to stir up the energy and thought that it would be a great time to show those of you that can not come to visit, what Pfeifer Studio looks like today!
Not everything in the images are available online, give us a call at 1-866-804-1909 if anything catches your eye and you need more info. 
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| Pfeifer in the San Francisco Chronicle |
September 11, 2007
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 The San Francisco Chronicle recently showcased our ever-popular Onde Stool Table in a feature on a residence by Gil Mendez. The Bay Area designer used the Onde to anchor a space visually near a window seat where it could function as an occasional table or additional seating.
The editors at the Chronicle found that our "sculptural stool shares the geometry" of the iconic walnut stool by Ray and Charles Eames. We agree, although with strong tribal influences, as well.
Available in three distinct finishes, the Onde is sculpted from solid Margosa wood. This remarkable wood has been identified as a renewable resource for home grown agro-chemicals and nutrients which are are bio-degradable and non-toxic. The wood is dried for several months and allowed to develop natural cracks and separations. After being shaped, it is treated with a vegetable oil to enhance the grain pattern and finished with a wax for protection. Click here to learn more about the Onde Stool Table. |
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| Product Preview: Bolivian Saddle Blankets |
August 23, 2007
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 We are pleased to introduce a new collection of saddle blankets from Bolivia. These traditional hand-loomed wool blankets are durable enough to use as a rug and also great thrown over the foot of a bed.
Woven in the town of Vallegrande in the mountains of Santa Cruz, famous for its horses, the beauty of its women, and where Che Guevara finally met his end, they are used as saddle pads by local horsemen. The blankets are sturdy, beautiful and woven by hand with sheep wool from local herds.
The rugs are sourced for Pfeifer Studio by former Peace Corps volunteers, Kathryn Krubsack and Kristen Evans. In 2004 they arrived in at a small village in rural Bolivia and soon fell in love with the 50 families, 20 cows, several monkeys, and dozens and dozens of children, who accepted them into their lives as their own.
By supporting the art of Bolivia you are also strengthening and preserving some of the most fascinating indigenous cultures of the Americas, and you are directly benefiting the producers by buying from artisan cooperatives.
Additionally, a percentage of profits is donated to youth music education projects in Bolivia. We think that you will be enchanted with the unusual beauty of these hand woven saddle blankets. Each piece carries cultural and historical traditions found nowhere else and brings with it the story of its unusual journey to reach you.
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| Vintage Sari Pouches |
August 16, 2007
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 Out latest Pfeifer Finds are (very chic) pouches made from vintage Indian Saris. They make a great gift and we love that these gorgeous textiles are being reused. Each pouch is unique and completely covered in detailed hand-embroidery.
A sari is a traditional garment worn in India, made of a very long strip of unstitched cloth, up to nine metres in length, which can be draped in various styles. The most common style is for the sari to be wrapped around the waist, with one end then draped over the shoulder baring the midriff. They are often embellished with mirrors or embroidery and may be worn on special occasions.
The patterns and their symbolism are often dictated by the region where the sari is produced. Almost every village has it's own sari tradition,employing a complex language of symbols,which are most always rooted in the natural world. Constant innovation is the hallmark of Sari weavers engaged in the creation of these magnificent textiles, especially in the three great Sari making cities; Varanasi, Chanderi and Kanjivaram.
Varanasi is renowned for its silk and gold brocades. The weavers, who are usually Muslims, are famed for producing brocades so stiff with gold that they cannot be used as garments and are reserved wholly for ritual use. Along with their very intricate patterns, the most interesting aspect of Varanasi brocades is the tremendous variety of silk yarns with which they are woven.
Chanderi is city of weavers. It produces fine shimmering cottons with pale delicate zari borders and motifs of the utmost delicacy. The characteristic feature of the Chanderi sari is the quality of the gold thread that is used. Early craftsmen have even gone to the extent of describing it as the gold thread that shone like a mirror.
Kanjivaram is synonymous with hand woven silk saris and known for its dark, heavy silks, usually with flat stripes of gold decorating the borders. These conservative designs are considered to be more restrained and dignified than the occasionally flamboyant Varanasi sari. A very distinctive feature of these saris, as opposed to those from other parts of India, is the contrasting color of the border and the pallav, as compared to the body of the sari.
Our pouches surely feature vintage Saris from many locales in India and there is not one on the lot that can not be called elegant and one-of-a-kind.
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| New Exclusives at our Retail Studio |
July 30, 2007
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 One of our favorite things about having a retail studio is that we can bring in great one-of-a-kind pieces that are not offered on the web site. Our latest shipment has just arrived and includes some absolute treasures. -
Most notable is a collection of copper pots, plates and vessels from the early 20th Century. Hand made in India, our copper antiques are representative of a long tradition of metal working on the Asian sub-continent. Several pieces feature embossed copper details with Mogul and Tibetan imagery...true gems. Also just in are new tribal jewelry styles, hand made silk sari bags and vintage gazelle skulls from Africa. -
For those of you not able to visit our retail studio in New Mexico, please don't hesitate to contact us for images of our shop exclusives. We would be happy to assist you find something unique. And as always, we offer free shipping on all styles to the USA.
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