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!
a walk to the palace
hi everyone, happy friday! hope you’re getting ready for a great summer weekend. i’m on a five hour road trip to lake george for a wedding and it’s just getting to be the golden hour so i can’t stay too long but just wanted to continue going thru the sf pics. part of my vow to be more disciplined with both my pics and remembering good days.
i’m trying to go thru one folder a day and today’s is the palace which was a nice surprise on a walk to breakfast.
we went in through what must have been the side door cause even though i had heard it was special, i wasn’t prepared for how magnificent it really was.
the approach was low key
but even a peek into a window revealed we were about to enter another universe
the ceiling literally took my breath away. partly cause i didn’t expect it, but also for its delicate beauty, knowing who created it and the struggles they faced. (this was re-built after the 1906 fire). and made with nothing special, just imagination and sheer will. not knowing if it would happen again, but faith that it wouldn’t and not compromising their art.
buy holy cow do they need a decorator?! i would love to pitch that!
just across the way is a knockout entry with an enormous bouquet of red roses. well, that almost makes up for the furniture! ok i better go, i’m being a terrible co-pilot! xc
you don’t have to be a star, baby
hi all! thank you all for your good cheer! today was our debut and it was exhausting but fun! we met so many fantastic people and even tho there was a fire at the party i managed to have a couple glasses of wine…so that combined with the tired feet are leaving me with not a lota but i just wanted to send pics and an insight…nothing is out of your league! thank you for believing in me, i believe in you too!
i’ll show some the details tomorrow! suite dreams!
getting into the daily grind
whew! life is so much better without all the self imposed drama. i forgot for awhile that i love what i do! i was taking life way too seriously.
just thought i’d share a couple samples that came in. these are glass beads that sparkle like crazy! it’s a really pretty wall covering (or anything for that matter) that’s made from crushed Murano glass. Colors are so vibrant and range from neutral to peridot to red!
they sent these below too, they’re like a mica, they sort of look like mother of pearl and are also fantastic on walls.
i’m still trying to get in touch with susie who designed this wallpaper below. i’m becoming obsessed with wall coverings.
the satin is in for some of the benches, still waiting for the pink…
working on chandeliers
and these funky lamps
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these lights are little sculptures, some with a cute dark side! they’re by Amy at www.lionheartdesign.blogspot.com. She’s making some for the show with dollhouse furniture!
the jury’s still out on the flooring. of course i wanted to do marble tiles but everyone thinks that’s too ambitious/ridiculous. maybe. what do you think of these?
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times they are a changin
hey there! just had to share the news, the gallery owner i met wants to partner together! i can’t wait to show you his stuff and these beauties i’ve been saving for just an opportunity like this! more to come!
chair by my idol, Serge Oliveres. more on that to come i hope!
vintage palm beach
what can i say? these gals were women after my own heart. i say were cause most of these doyennes are gone now, but their spirits still shine in their furniture left behind, maybe not useful to a daughter, or in law who wants something ‘clean or new’. but, their loss is our gain… for the past 3 days from south beach to palm and everywhere in between, i hit my old faves: every consignment, goodwill, antique store, collective, resale and auction i could find. truth is, i didn’t even scratch the surface. (best part…the prices)! much as i love my trips to paris, for furniture shopping this is unbelievable.
chair $150
this mirrored lingerie chest is making me like mirrored furniture again. OLD mirrored furniture! this had original glass and knobs. what a knockout! ($1500)!
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a great thing about traveling is you look at things with a new perspective. today it was 60′s oil paint in green!
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can’t wait to recover something with these…unused fabric from Good i mean Greatwill!!
and oh weird little chair i love the dorothy draper in you…
strokes of luck and genius
Last night’s surfing led me to one of the great designers of the century, James Mont. I fell inlove, hope you enjoy him too!
Todd Merrill acquired the entire contents of the Miami Beach penthouse designed in 1963 for King Kole by James Mont. It was wat theatrical, maybe not exactly subdued but I guess he was a total drama king…anyway the site is a wealth of information on a designer who was loved and feared. maybe cause he yelled at clients and threw furniture down the stairs?
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i’m a sucker for great renderings
the catalog at Todd Merrill has all the pieces from the apartment. i’m starting to see the pieces that were inspired by him now that i’m shopping south fla. there must have been a real mystique floating around mont et al in ’63 with his chinese moderne and sassy ways…
and these hinges!
well back to my travels. these were from yesterday but today i have another perspective. not quite as grecian and columnar but that hint of sparkle that works no matter where your penthouse is!
this just in from my blogging bud, bonnie…a james mont piece on ebay right now!
this mirror was huge…i love that they painted it navy blue
i found an orange one!
hmmm, what would james say? off i go again!
Blending in Boca
shopping with my client yesterday was all the fun i knew federal highway could be! from delray to palm beach there are unbelievable pieces and prices! we were u-turning all day and didn’t even hit 1/2 the stores…the ladies down here sure set decor trends way back in the day. i bet the estate sales here are crazy…
for her bedroom we’re searching for all the fun stuff, nightstands, sofas, slipper chairs, everything!
this is the family room and her inspiration pic:
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there were 3 tiny local auctions on the strip, with one last night, each had jewels, i fell in love with this pair of green sconces but the auction is on sunday night and i’m leaving :(
i LOVE turquoise, especially in chandeliers
this desk for the bedroom, and this table just screamed 40′s palm beach to me
ok, off i go to look for natural stone for MY place! i have to find really inexpensive stuff so he’ll have no choice but to go with the best…he wanted to put down some gray ceramic stuff. i better hurry!!!
la comedie du errors, sans comedie
Thank you all for your comments on my last post, it means the world to me. but it’s just not looking good. i’m sort of in a weird place right now, feeling alone and wishing i could just enjoy paris but the truth is it’s been everything single thing but gay… air france lost my luggage (on a direct flight)! so i’m blogging and waiting, i don’t want to run around another day in a dirty hoodie and sweats, ya know? i did buy a pair of jeans yesterday so i’ll venture out soon enuf and hopefully get inspired. thank god i brought my cashmere throw, i now remember why 3 year olds love their blankies so much…
in the meantime, i took these pics this am of my friend’s apartment where i’m staying in the marais. it’s the world’s smallest pied a terre but it just goes to show you that it’s all in the details. i mean everyone needs a bed and lighting so why not make it magnificent!?
i guess that’s what i love about this city, the details runneth over, and i never get tired of finding them in an endless treasure hunt of beauty…
i can’t believe i’m actually here for a month, guess i’d better get out there and get to it. today i’m checking on the hotel for my peeps who arrive in a week. shopping for new clothes seems like it would be fun but it’s strange when you have to rebuild a wardrobe…where do you start? i guess lingerie, it IS paris afterall…
well hope you liked the details of chez lorraine, i’d like to get her some pretty sheets and flowers for when she gets back. by the by, my new project is putting together a couple paris apts for rent, and this is one of them. i have a few to see this week so i’ll keep you posted.
in the meantime i’m pretending to be her…she’s one of Chesley McLaren’s creations, but a girl can dream, non?
