Simple fact: You’ll never fully conquer all the flotsam and jetsam of life—those loose paper clips, extra keys, and spare change. But finding pretty containers to wrangle it all, like these gorgeous handmade leather bowls by Boulder artist and designer Alexa Allen, is one way to embrace life’s chaos in style. The leather-crafter for local jewelry guru Todd Reed’s line of men’s belts and bracelets, Allen appreciates the imperfect beauty of her medium. “Forming the bowls is quite basic,” she says. “You get the leather wet, then form it over a mold, but it’s a very physical process: a lot of pushing, stretching, and making sure [the leather] gets into the right shape.” She adds artistic flair with varying patterns of ink, thread, and gold leaf after the shape is formed—making each bowl a one-of-a-kind creation. Getting organized never looked so good.

Find Them: Bowls, starting at $25 each; Alpine Modern, 1007 Pearl St., Suite 240 A, Boulder, 720- 460-1806

5280 Home October/November 2017
5280 Home October/November cover
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