Leather blankets with microholes for light weight and comfort in a range of colors; black-and-white "graffiti" rabbit fur bedspreads; and a "beddress" in a patchwork of masculine suit fabrics are some of the items from the "Softy Fur" collection from Italian Parentesi Quadra seen at this year's Salon Maison et Objet...





ew. leather bed tarps.
view biskinikill's profile
GROSS!
1. sleeping on skin sounds creepy
2. yes, looks like a tarp
view mariegael's profile
Yuck! Not at all snuggly to me.
view EastVillageAmy's profile
I've never been more turned on.
view patrick (the other one)'s profile
Sorry to get all PETA here, but these are disgusting. Ugh!
W/all the much more tasteful options out there, who really needs these anyway? The "softy fur" designers need to get a clue, and I'm a little disappointed in AT for even showing these.
(I have to say, though, that I like the red hanging piece behind the bed in the 1st photo - now, where do I get that?)
view lulu66's profile
(Oops...looks like the piece is leather, so nevermind).
view lulu66's profile
yup, pretty wrong in all respects.
view sherry2's profile
I decorate with leather and wear leather and fur and eat meat. So I have no moral objection to the concept.
But even so that red leather bedspread looks positively pimp-tastic.
view JosieDaisy's profile
Eww
view Laura's profile
I'm not going to get all PC about the fur bedspread or leather (after all, several people here wear leather jackets and shoes and find them warm and comfortable .. i personally don't and I personally can't imagine sleeping under a bunch of dead bunnies /cry ). However, I'm just not digging on the aethetics of the bedspreads. It doesn't look appealing at all. There are some elements of the rooms and designs that look really neat, just not those bedsheets.
view blackdaisies's profile
lulu6--
Why here? Because not everyone shares your opinion about whether this is an abomination against nature or not.
So I counter with "Why NOT here?"
I hope you are all vegans wearing hemp shoes, with nary a leather purse, belt, watch band, T-bone steak, baseball, baseball glove, leather easy chair or dominatrix costume in sight.
Cuz if not, you are hypocrites.
view patrick (the other one)'s profile
Regardless of the material, I think it they all look pretty ugly.
view JeffreyinAtlanta's profile
Is this April fools or something?
view Michael's profile
Mmmm....clammy.....
view Jon_B's profile
wow, patrick (the other one), what's with all the vitriol? one may hate and be grossed out by these items yet still don a leather belt here and there. geez! and by the way, i AM a vegan (the non-hypocritical kind) and am thoroughly sickened by these items. but i wouldn't cast asperations at anyone else who hated them yet wore leather shoes or ate meat once in a while.
view *heather leaf*'s profile
Patrick, vegetarianism/veganism is like the growing 'green' movement. We do what we can, but we're never going to be perfect. And someone will always call us out for hypocrisy because of some tiny thing. I've personally learned to deal with it and go about living comfortably the way i want to live. And yes, i avoid all leather, and steaks, though there may be a dominatrix costume in my closet if you look hard enough. It's not made of leather though. Har!
I do agree that maybe Lulu didn't have to take the comment to a political (ethical?) level. But then again, AT does dabble in ethics... they do have a 'green' section... oh I could go on about the cow industry and the green movement. So I can see why Lulu might have been misinformed about the site? I dunno...
Still, I don't think i have to be vegan to think that these bed tarps are just not appealing. That's my opinion.
view blackdaisies's profile
Patrick, I believe this collection is meant for sleeping, not for sexy wrestling.
;-)
view silvarga's profile
I think the leather ones are ugly and tarplike. I don't understand the rabbit fur one at all -- I'm always trying to get (cat) hair off of my bedspread!
view quercus's profile
I see someone's got her leather knickers in a knot today!
view hejiranyc's profile
i'm not really into leather and here especially not. i don't know.. they don't look comfy, and i like my bed to not only be comfy but look that way too!
view gleek's profile
I agree with Patrick (the other one) 100%
They're the coolest blanket/comforters that I've ever seen
and the room settings and accesories are also great.
*Wait to see every manufacturer get on board with this one...
Thanks for the post!
view art donovan's profile
I don't mind leather in general, but these are totally gross.
view trygve's profile
leather or not here I come!
I find the whole men's suiting fabric used for bed covering rather a fab. idea that will spread to other areas of interior design/decor.... as for the leather/bunny hides well, to each his/her own... if you don't like it, don't buy into it. The consumer's power is in the wallet after all....
view chris_94131's profile
mareigael--
"Sleeping on skin sounds creepy"
How do you keep your entrails in at night? ;)
To the leather-wearing vegans-- no offense intended against your choices. I just hate to get preached to about things like this on moral or ethical grounds.
If you think it looks ugly, that's one thing. But just don't make someone who *doesn't* feel the same way feel like a deviate or criminal.
And as for "tarp like" I fault poor styling more than I do the material from which these are made.
silvarga--
EVERY bedspread should be made for sexy wrestling! Or at least PREPARED for it!
And without getting too graphic, these probably clean up better than chenille, post-wrassle.
view patrick (the other one)'s profile
ewwwwwwwwwwwwwww.
totally gross. sorry, just my opinion -- from aesthetic (not to mention ethical) grounds alone.
clammy is right!
view betsbillabong's profile
I give up. I'm putting on my leather chaps and heading out for a cocktail and some tofu.
view patrick (the other one)'s profile
ps: blackdaisies--
Thanks for a thoughtful response. I think you get from whence I come.
view patrick (the other one)'s profile
This must feel like sleeping inside an Aki ball.
view Eve in Hochelaga's profile
*heatherleaf*
The cow is just as dead to create small leather belt.
Just fyi.
view patrick (the other one)'s profile
go vegan
view jonathon's profile
The leather and rabbit thing is truly tacky. I expect to see that sort of thing at some lonely bachelor's place with a lone wolf velvet painting hanging above it.
view Jetsetbaby's profile
Damn straight, P(too). I'll take a Manhattan.
view JohnnySlimane's profile
I just think these look weird. I love leather--so it's not that. But, there's something about covering my bed in it that seems odd. And something about the red one reminds me of Michael Jackson in the "Thriller" years.
view Christine (the one in DC)'s profile
I have totally mixed feelings about this: the nonshiny leather is kind of awesome, but that striped one looks a bit Glad.
What makes them look unappealing, more than anything else, is how the blankets and other bedding in the pictures are so wrinkled. Is that some kind of arty thing? I think it's a bad decision, especially when the pieces teeter on the garbage bag side.
view renata's profile
***Simply shiteous!***
view Sweet Pea's profile
Just bad taste.
view petro's profile
I don't find these attractive, but leather isn't clammy.
I just have to point that out whenever I see that belief expressed... leather chairs aren't clammy. PLASTIC is clammy.
If it feels clammy, it's probably pleather.
view Valerie's profile
This totally gives off a bad 70s vibe to me...how about a leather clad water bed?
Gimme my bamboo l linens!
view Thomas's profile
Ew. That red leather is very Euro-trashy.
view J. Cipa's profile
The leather daddies will love this. Don't see a much wider market, though.
view greer's profile
As a living historian (historical re-enactor) who has focused the last 15 years on the viking age (793-1066), I have to say that when you're sleeping in an a-frame tent in cold weather a fur blanket is a wonderful thing. I have slept under sheepskins before and if the wool is clean it feels wonderful next to your skin BUT only if it's clean and the soft wool is next to you. Having said that, I would gladly use the rabbit fur one while camping in cold weather but I wouldn't use it in my modern home because it looks tacky. I may play a viking but I certainly wouldn't want to live like one for more than a weekend at a time!
As a modern person I love leather but I wouldn't want it on my bed. Also, in my experience a leather jacket cuts the wind nicely in cold weather, but if it doesn't have a nice lining it provides no warmth.
view Monica's profile
I am totally not an animal rights person and own a leather couch, but I don't think these really work based solely on design and practicality issues. Leather doesn't typically drape very well, so I personally find it best stretched taut in upholstery, for example - the wrinkles in the red and brown bedspreads just look untidy and sloppy.
Leather and fur are also just not that easy to clean, depending on what (ahem) you do in bed - even if that just includes eating takeout while watching TV - it could be a real nuisance. And yes, the fur and leather are super-70s in trend, and I think not in a good way! A furry throw at the end of the bed is around as far as I'd personally be willing to go with this.
view eeeck's profile
A properly-tanned hide is surprising supple. Like buttah, even.
I don't think drape would be a problem.
greer--
You know any single ones??
view patrick (the other one)'s profile
not a fan.
view design milk's profile
p(too),
I wasn't trying enforce any political (where did you get that?) or ethical beliefs (thought I conveyed that I'm not a PETA supporter) on anyone.
It's just that AT seems to be about innovative design ideas for the home, and these items just don't seem to make any practical sense to those of us looking for alternatives. I think I'm as entitled to my opinion as you are to yours, so sorry if you took it personally.
Go ahead and wear your chaps and bunny fur, if that's what you like, it's just not my taste. I'll take the cocktail, though, (make mine a Manhattan) anyday.
lulu66
view lulu66's profile
lulu66--
If you liked the wall hanging before you realized it's leather, you might like some Mexican papel picado. It's usually available as flags or banners, which aren't what you'd want, but it can also be found in wall-hanging sizes. I can't find a link to any at the moment, but I'll post if I find anything.
view Aulaire's profile