palm beach stories
hi guys, happy tuesday. i’ve been laying low the past few days. my bf leaves tomorrow so i’ll be back on the case to finish by the 30th for this contest. working on the apartment for a few days and then taking as many off let me enjoy the space and figure out what else we need. turns out, not much. a tray for his keys and glasses, a chair. One of the best parts of the makeover was the in-between spaces it created cause i can visualize infinite possibilities there. now that’s meditation!
anyway going thru pics from last week before the whole thing started, i came across the folder from the earlier part of the day in a palm beach collective that just got shelved. there were a couple things that stuck with me and could work in the apt now that i’m decorating and all.
but first things first, nobody puts these babies on a shelf!
i know you love these charmant belles as much as i do
i guess i was in a porcelain mood getting goofy
i’m a sucker for the sweetie pie 20s!
ichabod…
ahem…! back to my chic apartment :p
i do have a wishlist
these aren’t on it but i adore them:
early 50s paint by numbers
they would look great with the frames painted absolutely anything else
so back to the apartment. the pieces below would be great final touches
tiny handmade desk
and chartreuse velvet bergere
for le boudoir
we need a lamp and shade. pink vintage ribbon, yum
schiapparelli velvet rococo chairs
i know i’m getting carried away but i love to!
icart is endlessly amusing
and in the bath, this old light
pink lucite mag rack
and these
ok, so much for a quick hello! more soon, have a great week!
change of plans
hey guys happy friday! i had big plans for the weekend reno but just got a call that my guy is surprising me for the weekend so i’m scrambling to clean and touch up. i guess it will be good to share the changes with him but really wish the corner unit was built so he could put all his stuff in it. i should make him put it together! ;p
i was about to head upstairs to play with these chartreuse silk shams liz found but that will have to wait. instead, i’m replacing the kitchen fixture with an antique bulb, dug out the cozy blankets now that i have a basket! and do the boring stuff like paint white high gloss white on the front door and table tops.
so i have to get cleaned up, i look like a hausfrau and that’s being kind!
hope you get some of your own projects done. even one feels good. bon weekend mes chers amis!
what a view
hey guys, just a quick note to share a little of the love my house is showing me. i can’t get a bulb in with the way the chandelier’s wired so i put a candle on a saucer instead. the shadow’s effect now that it’s getting late is even more dramatic. i feel transported! ok well andy cohen in on so i’m gonna go enjoy languishing under this little star… bonne nuit!
the work’s in progress
hi guys and thank you! i don’t know how to explain what your comments on the last post meant to me. your insights into what a home means, its reflection of the mind of the inhabitant, the feng shui of it giving as much to you as you giving it, the power of a friend who lends a hand…
well, it’s amazing what a difference a few days can make. to recap: sunday night i posted pic of my disasterous apartment, knowing if i did, i’d be forced to do something about it. i took them down a couple hours later, devastated that my home was as one blogger put it, ‘depressing’, but as she also said, i’d outed myself and by then it was too late and i had to make a move. what working on it has done for me is immeasurable and even though it’s not finished, it’s given me a jumpoff to continue my design expression, and a new love for a place i thought i couldn’t stand another day.
the entire incident was prompted simultaneously by liz and the site, design sherpa. liz has been antsy to decorate and DS offered me a chance to go to the next round in a contest if i shot a 3 minute video on design. when i told liz we could do my apartment, she took my minute of motivation and pushed me forward.
she did for me what i can do for others but never seem to do for myself and stuck by me like glue for the past 3 days. to say liz is as busy as i am is an understatement but over the years i’ve helped her and she said she owed me. go figure!
so i took her help and ran with it. our first stop was getting design inspiration. she forced me to go where i would normally not: pottery barn and west elm! the goal was to use what i already had and only add accents. my first purchase and only real splurge was an enormous white lacquer tray for the ottoman at west elm.
we both love white pottery, especially tubs and pitchers, but i never indulge in my own decor. we filed these under ‘wait till ikea’ and headed to home depot.
it’s not officially my apartment so i had to think of it like my guy would and not go too girly so we used natural bark, bamboo, hemp, wovens, dark woods and plants to get started.
my home depot splurge was on two topiaries, going against everything i just said, but how could i resist?
the process has taught me is something i forgot: that your home has to be functional for you as well as nurturing. getting herbs like basil, lavender, rosemary, parsley and tomatoes not only smell great but are inspiring me to cook!
and finding a box of succulents was a cherry on top and prompted me to create my own living wall. our next stop was ikea where we found these great pieces to get it going. it’s on the ‘to do’ list but i’ve got enough covered that projects like this are now a pleasure and i can take my time and tackle it on a rainy day.
the plants have brought instant sunshine and joy into the apartment.
no wonder they say people who have plants live longer. i hope i can keep them happy and tend to each of their delicate demands, like submerging the bonsai to water it…
i really haven’t ‘decorated’, it was enough to just get the lights, floors and windows covered and we took what i already had and tried to work it in. i have the rest of my life to style it!
as for the hard work: we got the plants, paint and palm sander in on sunday night after our home depot run. my first project monday morning was to tackle the table which was the hideous elephant in the room. not only was it orangey wood, but against the pergo floor it was absolutely revolting and the mental block i couldn’t get past to even start this project for so many years. i put on my bikini, took a slug of water and started sanding. i wanted to give up half way into it cause it was exhausting and uneven but somehow pushed through. we chose an ebony stain and now we love the dang thing!
everything after that seemed easy! liz insisted on painting so we did one of the walls dove gray and the kitchen bar in gunmetal.
i did the taping and clean up. go team.
this is one of the pics posted on sunday. it’s not finished (i still have to tackle the front door), but at least i can look at the tv without falling into a deep depression!
the sconces just in from paris will probably move to the bedroom (or sell)! but for now i’m enjoying them and will keep an eye out for something. which leads me to the second revelation i had during this process: the creativity that decorating feeds when you’re out in the world is massive soul food! it’s fun to shop for your home, and a pleasure i haven’t indulged in for many years, always on the go with one foot out the door.
ok shield your eyes, below is the pic from sunday that i had to remove. you can see the orange table and my so called life in all is glorious disarray.
yikes! it’s still unfinished but i can sit in the room without fear and loathing. it’s now a place that’s in development. when jw is here, he sits at the table so the chair has to stay but i got a corner unit for the printer and stereo from ikea that’s waiting to be built by the pros on the 30th. he likes a corner lamp so the halogen is upstairs and replaced by this little number from target. i also got him a giant money tree for good luck which brings me to another point: it’s fun to think of someone else when you’re decorating and do the things you know will inspire them! ps that corner is going to totally transform so don’t look too close or under the table! the chandelier is also just in from paris and although it’s not right for the room, it’s up so i can work on restringing the crystals and bringing it back to life.
the sofa was a little small and not too cute.
but taking off the back pillow, adding sheepskins and the tray to the ottoman, curtains and new pillows, it’s now super cozy!
and to say the kitchen was bleak is being very kind. but the plants, an herb garden window box, new cabinet handles, cutting boards, stainless trash can, clock, and white pitchers to hold dishsoap, paper towels and gasp, flowers! has transformed it completely. liz donated her two stools, painted the bar and got me to bed bath and beyond which led me to my next revelation. she reminded me that i used to be the ‘smoothie queen’ and insisted that if i only got one appliance, it should be a blender. adding things that are commonplace to any kitchen (but not mine) was a real eye opener and i can’t wait to earn my reputation back.
ok well it’s a rainy day so i don’t mind saying i don’t mind staying home to re-pot plants, clean up and see where we are. this may be my longest post ever but now i’m on a roll and am inspired to tackle the bath and boudoir next. thanks again for your insights and support, i wouldn’t be on this path without you!
sunday afternoon ramblings
yesterday was the first time i’ve gone up rt. 1 in many moons. the strip between dania and west palm beach is full of great old oldies in every shape and size. chairs, mirrors, chests, dollhouses! i took a bunch of shots scouting for a client but going through them none seem to interest me but these. i had a dollhouse growing up, my parents still have it although it is getting ransacked with 6 grand kids who love to play with the tiny chandeliers and silverware, and are basically in awe of it, even the boys!
i found this beauty yesterday. it would be such a gem to restore. the front opens in two sections.
i guess you can see why i was a little obsessed with it. the grandeur and the decay and all…
this must have cranked the electric lights and doorbell. this would be a fun makeover. but i can barely tackle my own house.
on another note, i got my first delivery from paris! two sconces and a chandelier. i’m a little devastated by how they were packed and thank god they were ok when they got here yesterday. when liz saw them she insisted i decorate with them instead of keeping them in storage.
the truth is that i’d love to be around them but live in a place that is completely uninspiring and haven’t even attempted to decorate. she thinks that’s pathetic especially since my motto is that four walls can become anything.
but with no outdoor space and absolutely no view, my plan was not to stay here long. still, months turned to years and we’re still here.
it’s totally humiliating and i’m only telling you cause it’s my own intervention.
photo1.jpeg
and since i’m rarely here, it’s been a crash pad which is such a cop out. but i went thru the phase of wanting absolutely nothing since i’m on the go.
photo2.jpeg
but even the cobbler’s kid’s have better shoes. i have to put together a 3 minute video so liz and i are going to do a quick makeover. so we’re off to home depot tonight to start some basics like plants and curtain rods.
(hey guys, me here, next day: i had to take down my before shots, they were just too much, but will repost when the afters go up)!
these are a couple pieces i found yesterday that could be a good start at mixing the old and new. i’m going to use what i have and just accent. well we’ll see. i’d rather move than decorate but will give it the old college try. my friend mb asked me what i wanted when we were in paris. i want to move. she said that anything i do that’s not toward that goal is a waste of time. so i’ll going to get things to take to the new place, but for now, this one will be cozy and respectable. geez. it’s about time. guess thaft’s what friends are for. to get us out of our ruts and kick some @$$! more soon, happy sunday!
last but not least, if you’re in the mood for some nostalgia, check out the promo for the ‘thrill of the hunt’ teaser. we shot it like 7 years ago…in HD, when i had motivation! the premise was a bachelor’s apartment that was pretty together but the bedroom was lackluster and he wanted a place to entertain. it was almost as bad as my place. but i’m hard to beat right now!
higher life forms
urbangreens.tumblr.com/tagged/Patrick_Blanc
don’t plants have a life all their own? i love how they’re being used to create greener cities and last week in paris there was plenty of green to go around. when something came thru my inbox about the ‘flower tower, maison végétale’, i couldn’t help but look and got lost in space…
wired.com/culture/art/magazine
vertical gardens are all the rage in france, maybe where you live too? i hope so and would love to hear about them or yours if you’ve created one.
greenroofs.com/archives/christines_ramblings.htm
they’re magical and emit a blissful cool stillness indoors or out.
and it’s great to think that the concrete blocks we build with these days will finally be of use aesthetically. covered up!
inhabitat.com/2007/01/15/vertical-gardens-by-patrick-blanc/
of course tradition is tradition and no idea is new…
vert-pur.com/decoration_vegetale_plante.php
blogdecodesign.fr/architecture/superbe-batiment-avec-une-toiture-vegetale
this is the flower tower video. it’s quite a movement and i hope there’s more to come.
azuremagazine.com/magazine/backissues/features.php?id=1774
and last but not least, and i’m not sure where this is louis v is, but let’s face it, every little bit helps. nice topiaries, lv!
it’s a mighty fine line
between good and great, especially when it comes to photography. i took hundreds of shots in paris and even have a new camera. but there is no rhyme or reason for this art/science. it’s just proof that magic happens. you just have to be there to capture it. i got lost awhile in some of these photogs’ work and will spend a lot more studying why i’m drawn to each with such awe. taking a class on photography is something i’d love to do but at the same time, these shots speak volumes in their silent moments. i’ve got a lot of ‘studying’ to do! just wanted to say happy tuesday and hope you enjoy these! a tout alors!
flickr.com/photos/bohemiancouture/4545943404
the extraordinary in the ordinary
i die for the photos at www.carams.fr. they’re so simple but utterly compelling! thanks for stopping by carina, it’s great to meet you :)
hey you, how’s your monday monday? this is a post about random comings and goings as they come up so indulge me while i prattle on about nothing in particular. i’m in nyc otherwise would love to go to this furniture painting and finishes seminar at the dcota tomorrow. if you’re in south florida and go let me know!
i’d try to make it back but truth is i’m tired and way over traveling. i’ve taken more taxis, trains and planes than should be allowed in one lifetime and owe it to the planet to sit still for a minute.
when i get back to miami i’ll go thru the mountain of maison madness.
check out design sherpa for this contest they’re running. and enter to win tickets to paris and a bunch of other stuff!
I took this shot last week in Paris at the Bastille Antique Show.
An elderly vendor was selling exquisite linens and embroidery, and created traditional broderie, (handmade lace) between shoppers.
I found her to be completely spellbinding and inspiring in her dedication to an art that still lives because she does.
So much in the past was passed from generation to generation because someone took the time to show something to another.
If it’s not passed on, it’s lost. I wished I could learn from her.
I often walk by objects at the flea markets and marvel at the tools we no longer use but were crucial to modern day at the time.
These spools may have been something I’d just pass by at the next market if it weren’t for her, preserving a tradition and probably not even knowing that teaching the technique or not, she’s still passing along so much.
ok well i best jet back to work, my blog break is over pour le moment. bonne soiree!
and now the end is near
whew! hey everyone, thanks for coming along on the trip. it’s always more fun when you’re here.
there were a lot of highs and lows but we all made it through, friends, colleagues and clients. i wasn’t sure there would be a happy ending but have to say it was a great trip. i learned a lot, paris is a great teacher. if i take nothing else from the trip it’s that you can’t please everyone no matter how hard you try, so just enjoy life and let the little things go. for me the most important things in life are so very small; that i enjoy my food, have a soft spot to sleep and a hot shower when needed. oh and of course the love of my dear friends and family whether in person or in blogland. you give me more strength and inspiration than you could ever know. see you on the continent!
down on fascination street
bonjour encore! i love sharing pics with you guys cause no one appreciates them like you do! paris is full of old monuments and museums that never change, (old and cold and settled in its ways as joni mitchell would say). that’s just not the paris for me. i love the one that changes every weekend.
of course the fact that the fleas have been happening every weekend for hundreds of years is certainly a constant that shouldn’t be overlooked. in fact, the persistence of the people who come together each weekend to make the magic happen is staggering feat in itself.
i love that you can count on these guys being here, playing cards or dominoes, laughing and listening to music every weekend.
but the real fascination is with what they bring in cause although it’s always a variation of a theme, the theme never gets old. (for me anyway)! like, i’ve never seen a mirrored radio. suffice it to say there are always one-of-a kind treasures.
same steets, different stuff! i know i should mix it up and should leave paris for the outskirts more often but she holds my full attention every time.
what a labor of love to head to the outskirts of france and shop for goodies to bring back to us. a dealer friend was telling us how he spends his time traveling 55o kilometers each week gathering treasures from around the countryside to display and sell. i could go for a life like that!
wouldn’t these be magical in a garden?
anyway this is all totally random. i have taken a million shots as usual and just opened a file and let it all hang out.
just thought you’d enjoy the tour and a little daydreaming with me.
i wish i could buy it all! i guess that’s the beauty of shopping with clients and i love when they get something wonderful!
ok, i better wrap it up. one more day to entertain the gang and we’re going to hit a market in the city, marche d’aligre. it’s a good little one that looks grimy from a distance but there’s of course always a gem if you’re willing to get down and dirty. it’s rainy and cold so it’s back to de rigeur paris. more later!
my mishmash
i know she’s playing the piano but i see her as if she’s on the computer…an early blogger! hi guys, just wanted to post some of the latest candy coming out of gay paree this trip.
i’ve got my eye on lots of patterns and old designs in wallpaper and tile
trims and architectural peices.
paris is my go to place for ideas, inspiration and the deep dose of creativity i crave to continue.
i’m letting it all free flow and seeing where it takes me but am mainly looking at flat pieces to ship back like doors and mouldings.
we stumbled onto an old warehouse around the back of clignancourt i’d forgotten about for years.
it was of course, a treasure trove!
and now, our clients are packing up, shipping their goodies and heading back. my time is my own and i’m re-evaluating everything. how i want to work, what i really enjoy doing and how to expand my little world.
it was great to have all my friends around me to come home to each night (mb below) and they’re the perfect sounding boards full of advice and encouragement for taking on a new direction to refine my trips and the way i’m doing business.
but tomorrow’s another day so for now, a last supper with the whole gang and a night ride through paris at night with our favorite taxi driver. he knows where all the good apartments are lit up with their chandeliers and mouldings so i’ll be on the hunt with my new camera ;p
and so, bonne nuit, cher amis!
and they all came together
i can’t take credit for it cause all i had to do was show up. but the rendezvous at les deux magots was all that and more!
i’m sure someone got a good pic but this was the best in my bunch. it was an incredible hour of meeting friends both old and new and i hope you can meet them and check out their talent and passion for this city.
who was there:
enjoy! gotta go, it’s 8am and i’m already late, more soon!
switching it up
wow paris has been a whirlwind to say the least. we’ve been up one side and down the other. between the fleas and the maison objet, i’ve been working with madelyn of paris perfect to check out some of her other apartments and move around a bit. we spent the past couple days in this magnificent flat near the bon marche. it has two beautiful bedrooms and all the trimmings we girls could ask for. they call it the valencay, and it’s very dramatic with lots of color and style in a fantastic location: Valencay Paris apartment rental
but as fate would have it, the apartment was booked for the second part of our trip so we’re switching over. we all seem to be the sorts who don’t mind packing up treking to another place and i must say, our nomad spirit paid off. we are in the most gorgeous place yet, the musigny. this one is near the louvre and the montorgeuil market and has everything we could ask for from pretty bedrooms to le grand salon and impeccable baths.
i could go on with mere words but i’ll let the pics tell the story. i think i’ve hit my daily limit of verbage and better hit the hay, tomorrow is another jour including the blogger meet up at deux maggots. if you’re in town, please do come! more soon!
a taste of honey
bon soir! i have to make this super short and sweet. it was tres loin jour at the maison et objet and there were a ton of gorgeous pieces in all shapes and sizes. i’ll post more but for now here’s a little taste of some of the délicieux objet as promised.
i fell for these dreamy beaded chandeliers
and shagreen accessories
but some of my favorite stuff was from christoper guy
it was like laudree come to life in the form of furniture! anyway i’ll post more à demain but it’s 2am and i’ve got a 7:30am flea market call with the gang. more soon, enjoy!
bon soiree!
paris is perfect
allo toute le monde! i never get tired of this city and the more i come, the more i see the less i know. mb came with a list of recommendations from friends and more than half i’ve never heard of! we’re currently enjoying a hood i haven’t spent much time in, the 7e which is the eiffel tower area. to say we have a killer view is an understatement and the rest of the apartment isn’t too shabby either.
i’m working with my colleague, madelyn who runs an incredible apartment rental service, paris perfect.com. the girls and i are staying at Calvados vacation rental in Paris and visited some of her other gorgeous apartments including the St. Amour Paris apartment and a couple others. i can only post a few each day cause any blogger worth her salt knows what goes in to resizing, cropping, editing and posting photos! i’ll be sharing more throughout the week but wanted to post these today.
the apartments are warm and welcoming, as are madelyn (an american) and her husband philippe (he’s french), and have fantastic baths and kitchens, impeccable towels and linens and some of my favorite touches is the artwork. these old watercolor perfume ads send me! can you tell i was obsessed? i wonder if she’d miss them?
if you’re a flea lover you’ve probably seen gloves like these, i love the way madelyn displayed them here.
mad’s got impeccable taste, toile bedspreads, dual color silk curtains, marble fireplaces and original chandeliers.
the place is calling us to have a dinner party but so far we’re all sitting around the table with laptops pretending we’re playing battleship.
of course, who wouldn’t want to cook in this kitchen? it’s calling our name but i have to say we’ve got to get out cause it’s almost 10 and we girls need to eat!
before we head out i thought i’d take you through st. amour, another sweet pied a terre that’s the perfect crash pad with great feng shui and the perfect decor.
if you’re coming to town, these are both great options, each sleeps 4 comfortably. i highly recommend both of them. but wait till you see what we visited today! i’d post them but you know i have way too many photos to edit!
so i’ll leave you with these and head out before everyone kills me for blogging instead of eating! more soon!
le main event
Paris Design: Maison et Objet
Years ago, when I discovered the Maison et Objet, I knew I’d found Mecca.
Even today, so many years later and with all the trade shows in the world, none quite compare to the thrill of heading to this collection of talent and innovation all in one place. It’s truly one of the great events in modern day Paris, staggering both in size and bewilderment of the unique treasures laid before you, new and creative and fresh each year.
A veritable wonderland of design with miles of eye candy from all over Europe, the venue is enormous and takes a minute to figure out. Your best bet is to know what you’re looking for and plot out a course.
It’s set in the Parc des Expositions and it’s a bit of a trek to get there, but well worth the trip if you’re a buyer or lover of all things for the home. And who isn’t?
Over the years its expansion has been vast and it was always held in five halls. This year it looks like they’ve added three more areas to make it eight different sections. What used to be satellite events via shuttle will now be under one roof. Okay, eight roofs!
If you’re going, you’ll want to get your pass online before the show. You’ll need to have your business credentials, so have them handy when you’re filling it out. There is a gigantic book listing all the vendors, and that’s for sale both at the show and online. I rarely get it cause it’s massive and heavy, and unless you’re looking for someone in particular, just cumbersome. That said, if you do manage to lug one home, you’ll have an encyclopedia of vendors from around the world with all of their websites and business descriptions.
Tips:
- Print out your badge at home and bring your ID and business card. It’s just good to have your passport or driver’s liscense with you at check in as they take this show super seriously and only want pros attending.
- Go around 10:00am to beat the crowded trains. Leave a little early for that same reason!
- Make sure you take the right train. You’ll be taking the RER which can be picked from the Metro in Paris. Some of the RER maps don’t have the Parc des Expositions listed on it for some reason. Just head toward the CDG airport and listen for the announcement. Be sure to keep your ticket stub for the RER both ways cause they often have police checking to make sure you paid. You can purchase tickets at Chatelet or Gare du Nord.
- You’re technically not allowed to take pics but it’s always good to have a camera since if you ask, many designers will let you shoot. If you’re caught taking shots without asking, there could be a scene and let’s just say, it’s best to avoid that. Ask and you’ll most likely receive!
- Strong Tote bag: You may pick one up at the show if someone is giving them away but it’s best to have something of your own to carry the literature and brochures from each vendor. You won’t be able to take anything out of the show until the last day. If you decide to do that, bring a rolling suitcase or one of those folding carts to keep from having to lug everything by hand.
- Good shoes. I can’t even guesstimate how many miles of aisles there are in total. 100? 1000? Either way, dress for success and make sure your shoes are ones you love to cruise around in for hours.
- Travel light. If you don’t need to bring a coat, just wear the minimum cause the less you have to carry around with you the better. Dress is casually elegant.
- Water: There is plenty of food and even though it’s technically ‘fast food’, it’s still decent sandwiches on baguettes and sort of Frenchy. If you don’t have to buy water and drinks there it will save you some cash and you won’t have to keep stopping for water and you trek all those miles.
Event Dates:
Fall: Sept. 03 – 07, 2010
Winter: Jan. 21 – 25, 2011
Website: http://www.maison-objet.com
Venue:
Parc des Expositions (aka Paris Nord Villepinte Exhibition Centre)
95970 Roissy Cedex
France
Entree: This is a really tight ship. This is from their website:
Shows are strictly reserved for professionals and Press. Professional identification (business card for international visitors) must be presented in order to obtain an entrance badge for the show. You will not be allowed to access the show without any professional I.D. Access to the show is not open to children.
Cost:56 € (for the 5 day show)
Hours:
Friday to Monday : 09:30am to 07:00pm. Tuesday: 09:30am to 06:00pm
Getting There: From Paris, take the RER B in the direction Roissy Charles de Gaulle and get off at “Parc des Expositions”.
Take Chatelet or Gare du Nord (both are RER stations) for direct routes. click on the map for a larger version:
Overview:
Hall 1: Ethnic Chic
Hall 2: Textiles (Linens, Pillows)
Hall 3: Tablewear
Hall 4: Hand Crafts and Artwork
Hall 4 and 5A: Country French and Outdoor
Hall: 5A and 6: Home Accessories
Hall: 5B and 5C: Furniture
Hall 7: International companies and designers
Hall: 8A and 8B: Outdoor Living
If you just can’t get enough, check out the MO Blog which is filled with events and sort of behind the scenes looks into what’s going on: http://blog.maison-objet.com/en
