On the way home from Israel, we took a pit stop in London for a few days to regroup, re-westernize and explore. I had not been back for years, and it is full of energy, fashion and design temptations from Sloan Square to Bond Street to Marylebone High Street.
We had the enormous good fortune to see “the dress,” Kate Middleton’s, that is, on display at Buckingham Palace, which was such a thrill with the girls in tow. Shopping was overwhelming to say the least. If going to Topshop’s flagship on a Saturday wasnt enough, I ran into those pedicure fish again. What’s with these??
I did happen upon my old favorite, The Terence Conran Shop —a sort of combined UK version of Crate and Barrel married with Design Within Reach, but on on steroids. It was there I saw the patch-worked sofa I blogged about in my post about “A Royal Lounge” in person, and it did not disappoint. I could have spent hours and many pounds there, as well as at Liberty of London (wow, that building alone was enough for me!), Cath Kidson and the many (emphasize MANY) eating establishments we visited.
The famous food hall at Harrods was a bit crazy for me, but I was a good sport and did it, as well as the London Eye—which, at sunset, was breath-taking. More on the enormously charming and gracious Charlotte Street Hotel, of Kit Kemp fame—tomorrow. Such a great experience staying there. All in a day’s work, I suppose. And a good day at that!
A New Level of Simplicity
This image takes less is more to a whole new level. The gorgeous Michael Devine fretwork wallpaper says and does it all, creating a visual anchor and alot of oomph to an otherwise narrow and architecturally uninspiring entry. Add a well-worn farmhouse bench with a textural seat cover, a vintage rug, paint the ceiling green and your are done!
Allison Womack Jowers via Atlanta Homes
Locals around here know EA Davis for it’s unending supply of prepster fashion from Lily Pulitzer to Vineyard Vines; a real New England staple that’s been around forever.
What they may not know, is that in the basement resides one of my favorite antique haunts, Neal Devlin Antiques. Tiny but well curated, I always swoon over something in this hidden gem. Today, after popping in to grab Doug some swim trunks, I travelled downstairs—with trepidation—as I knew I would not be able to buy anything but felt certain I would be tempted. Sure enough, there to woo me were these lovelies:
- Italian Majolica Plates: highly collectible and hard to find these days; pricey at 200 bucks a plate, but worth it in my opinion.
- Italian Wood Lamp with Distressed Gold finish and Tortoise Gilded Shade: This is a winner, for sure, but the shade puts it over the edge.
- Gilded Brass Wall Sculpture from Italy: almost a fancy C. Jere-esque form, what a statement on a bare wall!
- A quirky crusty painted coffee table with glass top: This would transform a plain jane living room quickly..
- Loose Portrait of Who?: Now this is the kind of painting I love to collect! I actually have a wall of portraits of ladies I don’t know; we call it the hall of strangers!
Now, the question is will I come home with swim trunks or a painting? Take a guess…
Design Within Reach is my resource for iconic 20th century pieces and contemporary design at affordable (well, sometimes…) prices.
SAUCER PENDANT LAMP $239-435
I love, love, love this fixture. I own this fixture. It’s an iconic piece.
ALTUS CEILING FAN $330
I’m not a fan of fans, but if you have to have one, it should look like this.
LOUIS GHOST ARMCHAIR $410
Another icon, another good deal.
SETU ARMCHAIR $579
A Herman Miller office chair is a luxury, yes, but this one is doable.
111 CHAIR $245
Another icon of design, and in green, I’d pull this trigger.
It’s hotter than hell out today, and my girls and I had some frozen yogurt and headed back into the AC for a respite. While they are lazing around watching horrible Disney Channel TV, I hopped online to pretend I was shopping Dixie Highway in Palm Beach in search of something to rehabilitate. That’s what I do when bored, I search for vintage ugly ducklings I can buy cheap and make into lovely swans. Here’s today’s loot:
I want to recover this in belgian linen, keep the tufting, perhaps add nailheads and use at the end of my daughter’s new Queen Sized bed.
This is a keeper. Love that it’s old and imperfect. I am going to stack magazines and folders in it and place a lamp on top of it and put it beside a sofa in my office…
Loving the shape of this; it needs to go on the facing wall of a staircase and I know just the person who will want it..
What a great buffet or console this would make. I would choose a bright orange-persimmon lacquer for a brilliant pop of color behind my family room sofa.
