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Last Wednesday we officially shifted away from the clement November/December weather.
Thus ensues my winter hibernation.  And also fantasies of the ultimate comfort den:

The above image is an interior created by Dana Barnes, a fiber artist, sculptor, textile and interior designer. Her designs are fabricated entirely of felt.  The circular rug in the center is her interpretation of the classic Americana braided rug.  It is braided wool roving.  After braiding the roving she sticks the piece in the washing machine - the hot water and movement felts the wool.  The washing machine technique works for larger pieces, or if you want to shrink your wool sweaters to look like baby clothes.  Pieces like my scarves are delicate and the intensity of a washing machine may over felt the wool.  This means that your two foot by six foot piece of pre felt (which already shrinks up to 30% once you finish it off) may become the size of a piece of paper.

The white sheet with what looks like stacked white discs is also felt.  The wool probably came in batting form - another raw form of wool before you felt it - instead of roving.  The flat white rug is just that, a felted rug.  The disks are actually one piece.  Their function? Oh, you know, just being the greatest lounge for reading a book or magazine, taking a nap or watching a movie.  

More braided roving-rugs and also super sized granny squares (made using the washing machine technique).  The wall hanging is wool that was felted and embossed with circles.  Fun fact, wool has memory. If you dry felt over a form or leave stitches to hold pleats while it dries, the wool will retain that shape.  The embossed circles were created by drying the wool over round forms.  On the table is another type of braided rug, a piece of felt that was cut and loosely woven together to give it a braided texture.  

This photo, of Dana Barnes' Tribecca loft/studio, appeared in The New York Times in May, 2010.  The granny squares caught my attention.  I love the Japanese inspired dining area using massive granny squares as floor pillows.  And the vibrant cushions against exposed brick, raw wood furnishings, and a neutral background.

Felt is fashion meets function.  Really.

Dana Barnes creates environments that use the organic integrity of wool to enhance the sleek modernity of a New York apartment.  Felt is a way to incorporate textural and colorful elements without any frills.

My ultimate winter comfort den? You're pretty much looking at it - from floor to ceiling, a felted nest.