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Malia Mau’s California studio is simple: a room with wood walls and ceiling, and a wood desk to match. Nearly everything is neutral toned and organic-looking—which is why you immediately zero in on her pretty blue and yellow suncatcher.
“My husband and I found the piece at a vintage store in Yucca Valley called The End. We both fell in love with it the moment we saw it because it was so calming and reminded us of the ocean,” she says. “We loved it so much but had a hard time finding the perfect place for it. Then when my studio was completed, it finally found a home.”
A suncatcher—basically, a small-scale work of stained glass—is the easiest way to transform a window. If you live in a rental apartment and can’t install proper curtains for some color, a suncatcher is the ideal, nonpermanent alternative. If one of your windows happens to face an unfortunate view (another building, perhaps?), it makes for a pretty distraction. And best of all, if you can put a suncatcher in a spot that gets plenty of light, it will fill your space with psychedelic reflections—kind of a like a disco-ball effect, but way more vibrant.
Stained glass might make you think of Gothic churches and Tiffany lamps, but there are plenty of cool, contemporary designs available. Find your perfect match, and let the sun shine in.
See more fun trends: The “Dated” Design Trend Emily Henderson Can’t Get Enough Of Inflatable Furniture Is Really Blowing Up It’s Time to Take the Pleated Lampshade Revival Seriously