Filed under: Home
I’m uninspired and run over after a long few days at the restaurant, so this is all I got. I’m dreaming of this…just snuggles, snacks, and naps.
[Thanks for the pinspiration Kimi.]
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Gucci’s iconic Flora scarf as Cole & Son wallpaper
Once upon a time, in 1966 to be exact, there was a man named Vittorio Accornero. Vittorio, a skilled illustrator, was summoned by the House of Gucci to create a scarf; but not just any scarf, a magical scarf with “an explosion of flowers” that would be a special gift for the lovely Princess Grace Kelly.* Vittorio worked and worked and when he returned with his design it was a masterpiece fit to be printed on silk, and worthy as a gift for a princess. It would be called the Flora scarf and would soon be used in a wide range of garments, purses, and jewelry so that every girl could feel like a princess.
This is the stuff dreams are made of, like, a grown-up version of unicorns and rainbows, but this one is REAL.
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Gucci’s Flora Scarf $415
Okay, so fast-forward to this year’s Milan Furniture Fair where Wallpaper* magazine hosted their annual Handmade exhibition in which designers and brands are commissioned to create concept pieces to be featured and possibly make their way into production. In an epic collaboration between Gucci and Cole & Son wallpaper of London, the Flora scarf (resurrected by Gucci’s creative director Frida Giannini in 2006, slightly reworked and recolored) was reborn as wallpaper! The most beautiful, whimsical, fantastical wallpaper ever to be created.
Originally the scarf for Princess Grace was printed using a special technique similar to silk screening where 40 separate colors could be printed on the silk and not bleed. Now a standard practice today, the wallpaper was printed in a similar fashion with 16 different screens at Cole & Son’s north London factory. Let’s hope this makes it into production!!
You may recognize my other favorite Cole & Son wallpapers
Image via Charlie and Caroline’s Blog.
*Historical information from The House of Gucci: A Sensational Story of Murder, Madness, Glamour, and Greed
One of my very favorite touches in my apartment are my antique glass doorknobs. Why did we ever move away from these? When even opening a door can be made more charming and special, why?!
My little rant on cheap, mass-produced door knobs aside I had no idea there were other options available for antique glass…like amethyst! (Apparently most everything before 1913 was sun-colored amethyst and after the 1930′s the color and style had changed and were machine-made.) This guy here is for sale on Etsy. Gorgeous!
Vintage Victorian Amethyst glass door knob – Etsy seller ThirdShift
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via
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Image via Pinterest. Wish I knew what editorial, I’m dying to see the rest of the house.
It’s been over a year since I’ve been coveting a hot pink addition in the form of a chair, and yet I haven’t pulled the trigger. It’s not that I’m worried about the color, or it being a trend because those aren’t the reasons I love it. As they are in these gorgeous rooms it’s just so ME. I can’t help it!
Minnie Mortimer’s Library via Vogue’s APT with LSD
My big concern is in having it look as punchy, purposeful, and refined as they do here. Initially I kept going back to the Thonet chair from ABC Home. The price isn’t bad, and it’s a great color; but, after seeing these upholstered guys I’m glad I held off. It’s missing the polish of the upholstery and it’s also been plastered in a bunch of shelter mags lately.
Decorating is a process, so until it feels just right I’m going to continue to be patient.
Hot Pink Thonet Chair via ABC Home $150
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Filed under: Home
Fresh flowers for a warm welcome home
When I’m not at work I’ve been working to get settled in. Since life is a bit hectic I am working to make my home as cozy and comforting as possible. One of my favorite past times has been taking time to “curate” small vignettes around my little studio. I’ve found that one of the best ways to return home at the end of a long day is to arrive to fresh flowers. The peonies above are long past their season, but they were especially beautiful and welcoming.
The bar area is still a work in progress but I’ve enjoyed getting it going; somehow I’ve found the decorating part of moving to be exciting and quite fulfilling. I’m currently hunting for some inspiring wall art to help make this area complete but in the meantime, I’ll be moving onto my dressing room. (Yes, my tiny studio has a dressing room!)
A small bar area, work in progress
Candlestick Park Antique Faire
I took my first trip to the Candlestick Park Antiques and Collectibles Faire this past Sunday and had a blast. After a week of constant rain it let up just in time for the monthly gathering of antique dealers from all around the Bay Area. It’s not as big as the Alameda market, but it’s bigger than the Alemany one so it’s just the right size for me. So many great pieces I wish I had room for (the vanity and the gorgeous red American Tourister luggage!), and some that were just plain funny (vintage Playtex brassieres, anyone?).
I’ve always been fascinated by retro pop culture and lifestyle, but I’d never gotten into antique hunting until recently when shopping for home decor pieces. If you want more than a catalog design, antiques are a great way to add some fun and meaningful pieces that can be inexpensive and completely unique.
I ended up nabbing a first aid kit from 1941, some vintage bottles and spice tins, a vintage wood box for storage, and some old Look magazines from 1952, all for about $60. The first aid kit needs a tiny bit of cleaning in order to be repurposed. The cool thing is that the original band-aids and swabs are still in the kit, wrapped! I’m thinking I can find something cool for these outside of the kit.
I also loved these sheet metal cut-out letters and how they were strewn across the ground. I wasn’t searching for wall art, so I decided not to impulsively by a giant N. I have still been dreaming about the third bottle from the left below though. It was an antique absinthe bottle in perfect condition. I had to pass since it was on the pricier side at $70, but I was imagining it in my cluster of bottles with some fresh flower sprigs.
Looking for some interesting and meaningful accessories for around the house I came across these sweet little gems from VivaTerra.
The first is a self-sustaining ecosystem enclosed in a small blown glass globe. Living inside you’ll find algae, shrimp, plants, and micro-organisms. With indirect sunlight and moderate temperatures you can expect the life within to last anywhere from two to three years. Next day shipping is included in the price as the life inside needs sunlight to live. Buy here for $89.
The second is a fossil set with tillandsia plants. No two are alike, and maintenance is low. VivaTerra suggests using as a paper weight or general decor, but I must say the thought of one of these little guys on my desk would make me endlessly happy. Set of two, $35.
The last is a terrarium that comes with a recycled glass vase, sand, and four plants for you to arrange. Totally diggin’ the thought of playing with these. Buy here for $79.
So fun, so stylish…I love them all! Just looking at the pictures makes me happy.
[Images via Viva Terra]
Filed under: Home
Doing some organizing around the house it somehow dawned on me that my bedside books are pretty predictable, but also quite revealing. What do your bedside books say about you?
1. Curry Easy
5. Some We Love, Some We Hate, Some We Eat: Why It’s So Hard to Think Straight About Animals
7. Anti-Cancer
8. Notebook and pen
Oh, how I wish I had found these wonderful jars when I had canned my tomatoes last autumn! I know they’re only storage jars but they are just so sleek and sexy. Of course, they’re also completely functional with a reusable glass lid if you’re going the canning route. (Better than tossing the lids of conventional jars.)
I happened upon these Weck canning and storage jars (from Germany) just a few weeks ago and used them for the pickled chanterelle recipe; I really am not sure if I was more giddy over the mushrooms or the jars. Since tomato canning season isn’t for quite a while, I’m most excited to use these in place of plastic storage containers for leftovers. But then again there’s also their juice line that has so many potential uses, I’ll have to add a few of these to the list too. A great carafe shape with an air tight lid: score!
Available here in sets of six.
Inspiration Board – Sabrina Linn
I had a wonderfully productive weekend at home, just like I said I would! I got into the zone late Friday night and ended up rearranging the bookshelf and our bedroom. Our space is really small so there aren’t many ways to switch things up but I did manage to find a new home for a few things.
I think that much of my desire to do a bit of mid-winter organizing was because of the beautiful picture above. The inspiration board belongs to interior designer Sabrina Linn (which I found by way of the wonderful Black Eiffel) and I haven’t been able to get it out of my head since. Truly, I think I have visited this picture about 27 times in the last 10 days – it’s haunting me in the most fabulous way. Really, the entire composition is gorgeous, but the idea of proudly displaying a collection of inspirations for all to see is just…well, brilliant! Granted, it would take discipline to keep it presentable, but I am truly enamoured with this idea. With our tall ceilings we have a huge blank wall that’s been bare for the past year. Until I can afford to invest in an original Rex Ray that I so covet, I think this would be the perfect place for a thoughtful, well-composed, his & hers inspiration board. New project: identified!
