trending now: trim, tufts and tuffets
hey guys, how’s your wednesday? i’m catching up on my work and still a little jet lagged. i’m taking a break to go through more shots from the show. funny when you edit how it starts to take shape. this above was done by a gorgeous italian company who designed lamps and just had these in the booth for guests. she did them in creme taffeta and piped them with black patent leather. they were so hot!
i was definitely into contrasting trims and piping, it’s a great old look that’s always fresh. there was plenty of eye candy from slipper chairs, hooded, wing backs, leather, vanity, stools, benches and ottomans.
it’s clean and highlights the lines whether it’s a lot or a little.
i don’t think i’ll ever get tired of tufting done well. this white chair has pretty chrome cabriole legs.
and i’m always on the lookout for little vanity and boudoir chairs.
these were on rollers (above) and this pretty christopher guy has lacquer feet.
i love the bright gold leaf legs on this piece but benches are a whole other story. better run, time for dinner, have a great night!
learning life’s lessons
hi guys, glad you stopped by! i’ve been working all day making tiny accomplishments that will hopefully add up to big ones soon. it’s been a struggle to keep the discipline up but i’m determined to change my life.
they say if you keep repeating what you’ve been doing, you’ll get the same things you’ve always gotten. so in an effort to change that i’ve been trying to focus, be more productive and do the things i say i will. you may remember the ‘boudoir noir’ collection i was working on about a year ago. truth is i have so many irons in the fire that some of them just get left to fizzle out and sadly this was one of them. now i’ve got to scramble to revive it and do some serious damage control.
it started out with such promise, the inspiration photo, the beautiful sketches my friend mike drew, even the prototype from the factory! we were so close. and then it was my turn. we needed fabric and i dropped the ball.
when i didn’t send fabric in time, they went ahead and chose something without me. my heartbreak paralyzed me from moving forward and i guess i lost interest in the project. this debacle below was one of four that were done in a ‘contemporary’ (am i being too kind)? pattern. it wasn’t till the other day when i got my mojo back and asked about the pieces that i found out they’d been sent to a consignment store!
eeeeeekkkk!!! thank god my web gal could create a virtual vector version for me!
now i’m scrambling to get back on track. this was more than a mistake, it was a true life lesson. now i just need to take that schooling and run with it. i’m so tired of learning the same things over and over and not having them stick. my new mantra is going to be ‘finish what you start!”
well that’s a wrap for today. good night friends, i hope you reach your goals and dreams!
setting the stage for new hollywood glamour
above images via munna
hi all, happy sunday! i hope you had a wonderful weekend. it’s a great time of year when there’s not a lot of pressure and there’s time to just chill. still, i’ve had nagging thoughts about the upcoming maison objet show in paris next week. it’s the event to hit to get inspired and check out great design from all over europe. somehow i just can’t justify it since i haven’t even cracked open the bags of vendors, pricelists and business cards from the show in september. till tonite, that is!
images below from christopher guy
i’m starting with a couple of my favorite designs (ok more than a couple) that remind me of the 20s and 20s. sleek and moderne with a bit of whimsy, dorothy draper meets jean harlow to create the ultimate cocktail. i find that era of furniture delicious… maybe i’m just obsessed!
most of these pieces seem to have walked right off a movie set, i love films like dinner at eight, swing time, top hat and so many others that had such gorgeous backdrops. there’s more to see every time you watch them!
anyway i guess these were my interpretations of it tonight. it was fun to go through the designs and start to update my site by adding to the collection.
obviously there’s an infinite world of design out there but i stick with my little niche in the boudoir. i love the smaller furniture and the intimacy of it.
well this is the tip of a giant glacier. maybe you love furniture and playing dress up with your boudoir as much as i do, so i’ll keep on digging through the piles of papers.
i can’t help but feel our grandma’s really knew how to live. they had such great muses and icons to look to for their inspiration though, how could they go wrong? i guess the least we can do is pamper ourselves and create a little niche of our own. a place to feel pretty and special, set your own stage and be the glamour girls we truly are!
frames via tpa
well i better run, it’s almost midnight. have a great night and suite dreams!
when to say when
hey guys, how’s your week going? i’ve been laying low and reigning it in, feeling a lot better. and staying put seems to be making things happen. i’m down to a one page inbox and have this rare chance to blog. between the boring stuff i’ve been fattening up my web boutique to make use of all the ‘thrifiting’ i did west palm over the last couple weeks.
this wasn’t one of the pieces i found but it’s one from a vendor i work with, eloquence. they shop europe to bring pieces back here and even reproduce some of them. i died for some pieces their ship brought in this week!
i wish i had a place for an armoire like this. what an heirloom. i wonder whose it was?
i could eat it!
they have simpler pieces too. i’m a closet freak!
there’s just something about storage that i love. maybe cause i don’t have a real closet at the moment.
anyway i just wanted to share some of their eye candy.
funny how furniture can be as pretty as any jewel!
in other breaking news, liz now has the hang of selling on ebay, and she’s a free bird flying! i wanted to let you know that besides cleaning out her gorgeous closet,
she’s also selling furniture like the chair and stool below. if you get a chance, check her out!
finally, it’s election night. this adorable graphic was sent to me by a client who’s daughter created it. i thought it was fitting at least to acknowledge the importance of the election tonite. i’m not political or even as educated as i should be on how things work in our country, but i am grateful for life here. whatever your political convictions are, i hope our next move is to finesse this mess together to make a great change with compassion and negotiation. ok it’s time to shut down. have a great night!
smitten by the fleas
my name is claudia and i’m a flea-aholic.
hi all! hope your weekend is winding down well and you had a good memorial day! guess it’s no surprise where i ended up on the last full day to myself! my girl christine and i went to the markets to pay for the things on hold and celebrate a great day in the sun with friends.
i’ve been meaning to introduce you to one of my dear flea friends, stephane. he has a stall at paul bert and was the perfect host, as usual, with a ton of guests, wine and cheese.
i wasn’t sure who’d want to be photographed so just stuck with the man himself. it’s funny cause you just never know who’s who at a place like the flea market. steph has a place close to me in the marais that was phtographed for a french magazine. he gave me a copy and i thought you may like the tour as much as i did.
some of the furniture is now in his shop, funny where things end up!
and we were hosted by another friend where we polished off an incredible homemade and gâteau more wine…
which led me to splurge and purchase these chairs!
of course, i had to choose carefully but it was so hard
how can you not love a place who upholstered everything in satin back in the day?
these were hard to resist
and even when we tried to do something other than the markets, the streets laid out more goodies before us at a brocante!
you never know what is going to be just ahead, guess that’s the magic of this ridiculously magical city.
here upon closer inspection were the relics of so many men who fought to protect it this dear place.
and their arms. how things have changed.
and i probably couldn’t leave paris without seeing a daybed on the street,
or a chaise for that matter!
i still have my heart set on this one but don’t think it’s gonna happen. i don’t have a store anymore and really not even an apartment. how’s that for the cobbler with no shoes?
the color combination is killing me! (thanks, mom, for saying i should get it. it would look good in my old room ;p
anyway, back to work tomorrow to restring the chandeliers with my clients so i’ll bring flowers and take pics of the final result. till then, have a great night and extend your weekend as long a possible!
paris when it drizzles
what to do when it rains? play house!
bonjour guys! hope all is well in your world. here in paris it’s been a study in duality, both quiet and hectic, raining and sun, lonely without claudia II and busy with rearranging the apartment. i’ve been working with lorraine to freshen it up but my shots aren’t great. still i hope these will give you an idea of how much is going on in a small studio. really it couldn’t be more perfect. i love all her little details and with some of my flea finds it was fun to stage a bit and shoot it. she always has little flowers and surprises in drawers like these silk ones which i loved with the yellow glass.
a friend of mine told me about taking wide shots and then in tighter and tighter for close ups. sounds reasonable but it’s something i never thought to do so i’m giving it a whirl. hope these aren’t too repetitive.
anyway you may remember lorraine’s apartment (claudia II’s mom) from a couple years ago. not much has changed but a little rearranging really opened it up. the windows have been wide open for days. no screens and no ac. and not a mosquito in sight. just geraniums as far as the eye can see!
lorraine got new deschamps sheets and i’ve been busy getting bulbs, shades, a throw and new pillows. i’ll be renting it for her on the off months so if you need a place when you’re in paree, let me know. it’s the quintessential pied à terre and feels like home with everything you need. well, actually i haven’t been able to figure out the tv, but then again, haven’t missed having it at all!
the bed is a double which is nice and roomy. the carvings are mind boggling.
i love the mirrored vanity and all her pretty things she shares with her guests.
i’m taking you around the room…this is out the window (obviously). an adult school is across the street which is great cause there’s never anyone there except some evening classes once in awhile.
the view is of the street is of course, gorgeous. it’s in the heart of the marais on the very tiny rue des tournelles.
and the artwork is magnificent.
even in such a small place there’s room for everything including a chair to lounge in by the window.
a makeshift mantle (i light the candles and pretend there’s a fireplace)
lorraine found this intricately carved piece which fit perfectly over the window. it’s just another point to ponder when waking up slow…not to mention the glorious chandelier!
so the guy who installed it was a hack…it’s still pretty ;p
around the other side is a marble top table for 2 to 4, perfect for working or having an intimate dinner party.
and of course, all the comforts of home with the tv and phone. i haven’t even shown you the kitchen and bath which are equally adorable but the sun just came out so i best get it while i can! bonne nuit and suite dreams!
ps: miss you, claudia deux, it’s not the same without you. you really made this house a home!
broken chairs and pink chandeliers
bonjour mes amis! it was a long cold day but finally sunny day in paris as we trudged through vanves, clignancourt and the bastille once again. it was my client who noticed that i seem to gravitate toward broken down pieces who have seen lots of action and have a penchant for pink chandeliers.
chairs seem to have a particular life of their own, i can only imagine the action they’ve seen, sitting silently for ages in paris apartments through both wild soirees and at desks while their owners wrote letters to lovers.
i know some of you share my passion for chairs so i just thought you’d enjoy some from this afternoon’s trek.
the abundance and variety is infinite, not to mention the condition, fabric, carvings and details.
i am dying for this 3 piece chaise and would love to bring it home.
there is so much to see in a day, my memory card is chock full of hundreds of lovely goodies but it’s getting late and tomorrow is sunday which means another full day of hunting. there’s no way a market can be happening and i can go someplace else. it’s like a drug.
every single stand and merchant has collected hundreds of pieces from the grand to the très petitte.
if you look closely at this stand you’ll see the enormous feathers on the back wall. i have to wonder, where were they found and who was the grand dame who had them as her backdrop?
i was particularly fascinated by paintings and drawings today and would love to have a collection of my very own.
i guess blue eye shadow was all the rage in the 1780s
i don’t usually go for guys (being such a girly girl), but he seems to have a lot of personality
and her, well, i’m in just in love with her dog.
between all my longings i really am focusing on my clients and suggested this mirror for their entry since it’s a total steal at 450 euros. it’s in debate but the detail is fabulous.
they ended up with a few great purchases today including this antique japanese chest,
and they got this highly french polished table for between the two chairs in the salon. it’s all being delivered on monday so we’re about to see a big change.
we also picked up this table and lamp which claudia so graciously carried through the market. she said it was lighter than her purse so she sure didn’t mind.
and this little sweetie was delivered yesterday. madame has discovered a love of butcher’s wax so we spent yesterday cleaning the chandeliers with toothbrushes while she brought this and all the other pieces back to life.
this mirror is going in the little bathroom over the sink.
it may look like it’s going slow but truthfully we’ve gotten almost everything on the list and the pieces that are there all seem like they belong together. it’s a fun puzzle to figure out and madame client actually did the snoopy happy dance so that let me know we’re really getting there!
if you’ve been playing along you’ll recognize the new chairs and the mirror above. as soon as everything is in, the contractor is coming back to hang the mirrors and chandeliers, sconces and attend to little details.
and finally, these are the chandeliers in the kitchen that we scrubbed over and over yesterday, just waiting to be hung back in an apartment after being ripped out with such nonchalance by someone who preferred ikea. we hope their second life will be a long and happy one shining down on the new owners, their friends, parties and dinners. hopefully they’ll stay for a good long time. mostly cause our cuticles are broken from scrubbing and we want them to live forever in a gorgeous apartment. it’s their birthright! ok, bonne nuit!
the saucy sides of paris
i don’t know if i mentioned that my friend claudia arrived to assist with the job this week. she’s been coming on the trips for more than 10 years and is the kind of friend who will do anything for you and doesn’t mind if i get cranky or bossy which i may have done once. or twice. ok, maybe 3 times but that’s it!
when we’re together she always reminds me how much i love the risque side of paris. for my other project i’ve been looking for the perfect something to illustrate the french playfulness between the risque and refined.
we love to dig through old ephemera and always come out filthy but with lots of paper treasures. she collects images of architectural elements whereas i look for souvenirs and sketches of the saucy side of paris.
on another note, i really wish i had time to refine my photography skills, almost everything is inspirational, even old cuffs and collars, costumes and plumes…
back on the decorating tip, i always find new ideas in old magazines
and as we headed back out to clignancourt yesterday, we slipped into the waaaayyy back
where you can find some of the best stuff. it’s where dealers who don’t mind getting down and dirty do it. you have to dig deep and you’ll leave looking like a disaster but there are treasures galore.
back in civilization on the other side of clignancourt, we shopped once again for some pretty things for the apartment. these are a couple things i’m daydreaming about for my own little fantasy place in my own little mind…
wood panel from the 1800s i could just EAT
blue satin chairs that have seen much too much of a muchness. believe it or not i love them ‘as is’!
sick i know but that’s the real me!
and i could just pop this paneling up in any room and be very happy there!
back in reality, we met with our clients in the morning who found these great 8 chairs in the 5 minutes waiting for me! they go perfectly with their harvest table.
and they found this little stool for extra seating.
can you tell i wasn’t there? she doesn’t want the place to be filled with as she says, too much girly stuff! so i think they’re striking a good balance. a quick decision was made on a buffet for the dining room which, besides a trumeau mirror is actually the first of the rooms to be completed!
they’re debating these chairs for the bedrooms as each will have a cozy reading nook with a table, lamp and ottoman. they’ve just been recovered with linen and nice soft stuffing so being ready to go is a huge selling point.
claudia found them this 1920s blue deco table that looks like it’s seen a lot of good times. it’s in debate but we’ll revisit it and the chairs, mirrors, coffee and occasional tables today.
oh god i just realized it’s getting late and i hate to be the last one there. these sconces were the last thing we got yesterday before we all pooped out. this afternoon i promised lorraine (claudia’s mom) to her give her apartment a facelift so it’s gonna be a trés loin jour. claudia’s back with my croissant so you know i better fly! more in a couple hours, who knows what but i love the hunt! have a great monday, hope it’s sunny where ever you are!
nous avons fait des progrès
just happened to see this for the first time in all my years while waiting for the bus. deyrolle.com
we ran in for a minute. the place is bizarre, maybe even creepy but the building and rooms are amazing!
bon matin tout le monde! i hate that i haven’t been able to visit or respond to your comments, you are so making my day though when i get home and see you stopped by. it’s sooooooooooooo much more fun to be doing this along with you! my clients are whizzing through and making decisions, yesterday they got a sofa, rug, sconces, chandelier, inlaid table and bath light fixtures.
some of these feel like repeats but i thought you’d like to see some things in place. every little detail takes time but we’re getting there each day a little more. who knows what today will bring but we’re going to vanves and then clignancourt to hopefully do some damage.
didn’t notice this feather in the top of the desk but thought you’d like it!
they got this table before i arrived and it’s gorgeous in person. ok well as usual, it’s getting late and i’m with you instead of at the meeting point so a tout alors!!
the very merry month of may
bonjour mes amis! i have about 3o seconds left before having to run out the door. these were some of my favorite things from yesterday, i took 100 or more shots but only have a sec so here a a couple i hope you enjoy! this chandelier was only about 8 inches high and doesn’t even work but i love it!
i know this is random but j’adore papers
and got a couple things for myself
never used…who wouldn’t use this?
aw geez well i gotta jet…this is the market from one side of the canal st martin looking to the other
i went thru the market 3 times and it was different each time
today is open to the public so it will be all new once again
and we did get lucky at the last minute cause my clients found a pair of chairs they loved
from a lovely gentleman from lille who graciously delivered them within the hour they were purchased
cause you know we americans LOVE our instant gratification! well, it’s a start! gotta run, everyone’s waiting but you know you come first ;p
