I like to drink wine on occasion, but I find myself easily intimidated at the wine shop. With so many bottles and a limited wine vocabulary, I never really know what to get. I find it’s best if I walk in with a bottle in mind (recommendations from friends and family), but that only works if they carry that kind. When I’m left to my own devices, I pick a category (usually a riesling or sauvignon blanc) and then base my choice on the bottle design. This peek at the cork of the Andre Balazs Sunset Beach Rose makes me want to pick up a bottle. I have no idea what the wine will taste like, but the images (rumored to be his daughters) on the cork are a selling point. I ‘d happily keep that cork and use it as part of a vignette in my apartment. Has anyone tried it? — Erica P.

Image via NOTCOT

I’m always looking for affordable art for my apartment — I have some great pieces that are “permanent” fixtures on my walls, and others that I’m willing to rotate out for new art. Right now I’m loving these animal prints from e.soule, an artist we mentioned some time ago. All of the prints in her Etsy shop start as a Polaroid (you all know how I feel about those) and are then scanned in and matched to the original. Go take a look. –Erica P.

We’ve talked house numbers, and now on to the next outdoor accessory: modern mailboxes. The mailbox that’s attached to my garage currently is so bad it’s just embarrassing — a traditional roadside mailbox shape made from battered resin, stained with paint from some long-ago garage painter, and with a metal flag so rusty and bendy it no longer stands up straight. I’d love to replace it with a modern mailbox, but they are spendy. I like a lot of these by Knobloch, especially the red “Post” box, but $395 on sale? Ack! The Bobi mailboxes with their playful take on a USPS mailbox are also nice — and almost twice as expensive. And don’t even get me started on the (admittedly great looking) mailboxes at DWR — $900? Am I expecting mail in platinum envelopes? But then I came across this post on the LiveModern forums by member Hector Perez — he made his own modern mailbox and is accepting orders for $199 apiece. So, so tempting! Unless, of course, IKEA starts making mailboxes… –Mary T.

Target is about to launch its latest home collection, Dror for Target, and there’s so much to love (bedding, throw pillows, side tables, office tools, art) we couldn’t fit it all in here. The office wares especially are great — affordable enough to add some inspiration to your day — and we are in love with the Stack bookcase — the photo above shows a combination of three sets, $89.99 per set. Dror Benshetrit designed the collection to be affordable and functional. It’s also, of course, pleasing to the eye! Also shown above: Expand accordion file box, $5.99, Tilt task lamp, $19.99, and Spin wall clock, $24.99. Get a preview in the Dror lookbook, and keep your eyes peeled for Dror for Target in stores this month — it will only be available for a limited time.

Plush fans, here’s a little tidbit that will make your heart flutter: every Monday in the month of June, five members of the Etsy PlushTeam will list five mini plushes for just $5 apiece! They’re made by the same folks who made some of the fabulous stuff above, so you can’t go wrong! UPDATE: We had the wrong link earlier — find the weekly offering of $5 mini plush at the PlushTeam’s Etsy page.

When you’re born and bred in Connecticut like I was, you hang on to you manners like a lifejacket on the Titanic. I remember being outfitted in my Ewok pajamas, clutching my matching sleeping bag (don’t judge), all ready for my first sleepover, when my mom asked me what I was taking as a hostess gift. The Ewok pajamas are long gone (R.I.P.) but, thanks to my mom, I still tote hostess gifts to even the smallest soirée.

Now that the summer cookout season is upon us, I’ve found the perfect hostess gift that would make my mom proud. Roost created these hand carved, brass and wooden bottle openers based on antique finds. They are absolutely adorable and, at $19.80 to $22 a piece, are inexpensive enough to keep a few handy in case of the occasional spontaneous invitation. Grab a six pack of local brews, a Roost bottle opener, and prepare to be the most popular guest at the party. — Katie D.

June 1 is the last day of the spring sale at OrangeBeautiful, whose amusing “inspirational” posters and cards we’ve enthused about before. Not only will you get 10-20% off everything in the shop, if you add a note saying “FREE GIFT” to your order…well, you can probably figure out what you’ll get. Check out OrangeBeautiful’s Esty shop here.

1) When you’re buying a sofa bed for guests, you need to consider your comfort on it, too. Susan says: “My experience is that anything without arms is not comfortable for lounging. My chaise for the porch looked great in the store, even better on the porch, but I never stay on it for more than 5 minutes, because I have nowhere to put my arms when I’m reading a book.” Read about the click-into-place sofa bed here.

2) Jonathan Adler slipped up with the banana vase. We don’t like it, and you don’t, either. Shoppingsmycardio says: “I was thinking exactly the same thing when i saw this! I normally love anything and everything from JA, but this just isn’t doing it for me. I think they’re trying to come up with cheap gifties, which is admirable…but no. we have no bananas today.”

3) Organic crib mattresses have certain drawbacks. Rebecca says: “The only thing that drives me nuts about the mattress is that it is both floppy and heavy. Changing sheets in the crib is no fun. Overall I’m happy with the mattress, but when it comes down to it, it’s just a mattress. Heck, for all I know I slept on an asbestos mattress in a lead-painted crib and so far I’m doing okay…” What’s your take on organic crib mattresses?

4) Need a furniture slipcover pattern? Use the existing cover. Jen says: “Looks like most of the IKEA hacks just cut off the old cover and use it for a pattern. Seems like an easy way to me, and you know it’ll fit!” See the IKEA TULLSTA slipcover dilemma here.

5) Cohousing is a great idea…for someone else. Few of you seem keen on actually trying cohousing personally. Tiffany S. says: I love the concept in theory. Unfortunately, one bad apple can make it harder for everyone. I’m happy I don’t have to live with a condo board let alone someone I have to cook a meal with.” While PlantingOaks says: “It sounds a bit reminiscent of college dorms… I had some of my best memories in places like that, but I’m not sure I would want to go back on a permanent basis.” What’s your take on cohousing?

Photo by Nino Satria