Home Front is a weekly deep dive into the rising—and returning—trends, decor, and teeniest of design details fresh on our radar. Today, Samantha, Domino’s managing editor of home and shopping, meditates on her sporty design era.

A Hoosier always finds a hoop, I always say, and my camera roll is full of them from around the globe. Sometimes, as a design editor, I feel the need to remind people that I contain multitudes: I can appreciate the curve or caning of an iconic vintage chair as much as the skill it takes for someone to run steeplechase or shoot a triple. (My fellow basketball-head, our deputy editor, Julie, would agree.) These two interests intersect in the worlds of prep, playfulness, and color, all with a nod to a little human ingenuity. It’s form and function at its finest, as I’ve come to believe.

The Court Series rugs from Pieces have been permanently lodged in my psyche since the collection debuted in the late 2010s. They reflect the graphic nature of sports—linear, boundary driven—in a home object, opting to capture stillness over what is often the main character: movement. With the Olympics approaching, a new era for women’s basketball, and the grip that the tennis flick Challengers has on all of us, I’ve been tuned into how sports and design influence each other.

Photography by Margaret Bienert

What’s caught my eye recently and not so recently:

01. Stripes aren’t only for cabanas. The proof is in this aptly named fabric from London-based designer Ottoline de Vries.

02. Our digital director Slacked me about this Urban Outfitters light fixture because it reminded her of a Frisbee. I like that you can use it as a flush mount or a big sconce, but no tossing.

03. I deeply appreciate the winking whimsy of this Gae Aulenti design, called the Tour console. Yes, the wheels do pivot.

04. Australian brand Doweljones fashioned its Bradley Hooper line of tables after, you guessed it, basketball hoops—and one fits perfectly through the bottom of the coffee table base.

05. High-contrast color combos, really good chairs, and metal or chrome accents seem to be a theme in my favorite sporty style inspo. Case in point: this retro racquetball court in Pennsylvania from one of my favorite IG handles, @sporarts.

06. The Olympics has consistently been a laboratory for design experimentation, with what seems like entire ecosystems having to be built to sustain the influx of athletes. Canadian industrial designer Paul Boulva created the Lotus chair for the 1976 Summer Olympics in Montreal.

07. Vintage tennis rackets are a dime a dozen on sites like 1stDibs and Chairish, so why not grab a few to hang on your wall?

08. A most literal interpretation: the Track rug from Pieces, which is part of the brand’s collection of floor coverings and tables inspired by courts, nets, and fields.

09. Not your average sterling silver Tiffany & Co. cocktail picks. These have tiny football, basketball, golf ball, and baseball toppers.

Sports decor isn’t all pennants and medals. Here are three different categories that elevate the look—and what I’d buy in each.

Save on…Lockers

Crafted of utilitarian steel, storage lockers tend to be a steal. Even the pricier Mustard Made option here isn’t crazy expensive, plus it’s built like a wardrobe with adjustable shelves, hooks, and hanging rails.

• PS Cabinet, IKEA, $180

• Cache Accent Cabinet, Novogratz, $196

• The Twinny Cabinet, Mustard Made, $599

Splurge on… Vintage Olympics Posters

Leading up to the 1972 Munich Olympics, a set of 35 avant-garde artists, including Jacob Lawrence, David Hockney, and countless others, created lithographs for the games. Given that the better-quality ones are limited edition, expect a higher price point. (Fellow art nerds: Here’s an exhibition that dives into the significance of these artist posters.)

• Joseph Albers Lithograph Poster, Ebay, $275

• Pierre Soulages Lithograph Poster, Ebay, $600

• Marino Marini Lithograph Poster, 1stDibs, $600

Go Either Way on… Candles

There are a surprising number of sport-scented candles out there if you decide to go searching. What you pay will vary based on size and brand cachet.

• Vacation x Prince Ball Boy, $42

• D.S. & Durga Parquet Leather, $70

• Central Park Track Club, Joya, $20

Psst! We’re working on a future Home Front edition all about mini portable lamps. Send us your favorite and you might see it featured!

Sports, and their accompanying events, are art in their own right. I love that the following celebrate the creativity that comes out of competition, including the lighthearted, the luxe, and the little bit out there.

• I’m so glad this story about the Little 500, a “wacky, grueling” cycling event in my college town, was written.

• The new recovery essential: a to-go baggie of palo santo from French running store Distance Athletics.

• This painting by Shannon Cartier Lucy was made for my walls. See also: running legend Ted Corbitt, as painted by Kellen Hatanaka.

• Bandit has the best colors for running gear—I hear that lavender is coming for my favorite, its race crops.

• I’m willing to bet that the fashion set will adopt this cold-weather running accessory next fall.

• Is Aalto sporty? What about Bertoia? This London café/shop that caters to the active set thinks so—the entire joint is outfitted in design-y seating.

• Racquet magazine continues to be one of my favorite indie pubs. Have you seen its Clare V. collab?

• My new indoor shoes.

Today’s Topic… How would you bring sporty style home?

From Last Week… What’s your buffet display style?

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