|
|
|---|
Showing posts with label antiques. Show all posts
Showing posts with label antiques. Show all posts
Tuesday, October 6, 2009
Today I'm wishing for.......
a beautiful grey French commode to store my linens
this stunning English mahogany Bureau Bookcase c.1790 for my precious books
a giant English convex mirror with the original gilding c.1850 to touch up the war paint in
a simple Walnut side table to rest these 2 gorgeous lamps on
a big Fruitwood table to plonk all the extra Christmas food onto
a big beautiful Walnut Armoire c.1850 to hang my clothes in
this delightful carved wood unrestored Rocking Horse c.1900 to run my hands over & dream
a scrumptious complete boxed set of French Chemist Scales & Weights c.1820 to keep MOTH occupied for hours
this English mahogany serving table c.1810 to place my silver drinks tray on
a quirky French Pewter Supier c.1900 for fun
an adorable English George 111 leather-topped mahogany Library Table just because I've always wanted one
oh, those filigree details close-up - yum
French Glass Bon Bon Jars for some oh la la
and this beautiful vintage black lacquer chinoiserie desk to sit my laptop on & blog to my heart's content.
Sunday, April 19, 2009
The front porch entrance to The Marston Houseidyllic:adj. pleasing or picturesque in natural simplicity. Well, I reckon the folk at The Marston House have the idyllic market cornered! So for starters how about a fabulous antique store on Main Street in Wiscasset, an historic 18th century village in gorgeous coastal Maine. Add a stunning B&B in the refurbished Carriage House at the rear of the store. Oh, & then there's the historic, restored apartment on Rue de Republique in Bonnieux to escape to. In the Luberon, an hour from Marseilles & about 45 minutes from Aix-En-Provence or Avignon - could it get any better. C'est la bonne vie!
Chairs, chairs & more chairs
French Vintage Achitect's Table c1890
Pennsylvania Pine Top Work Table c1840
French Artist's Work Table c1930
French Folding Cheese Drying Rack
Antique Candle Holders
French Bonneterie c1800
Glass Domes
Winterberry Wreath
Collection of watering cans
The medieval fortified village of Bonnieux.
The north facing front street facade of the Bonnieux apartment.
The large recently remodeled kitchen. East facing window overlooks the garden below. All new appliances with original fireplace & original ancient tile floors.
The South facing dining room overlooking a valley of orchards, vineyards and cedar forest.All images The Marston House
Wednesday, February 11, 2009
Theadora Van Runkle is a Hollywood costume designer (Bonnie & Clyde, The Godfather, The Thomas Crown Affair & many others). She lives in a Californian bungalow in Los Angeles which is constantly evolving. She has gone down the predominantly white decorating route because she says ' My house is now simple & life seems easier & somehow more fulfilling.' If that's the case dear Miss VR, then show me the white paint tin immediately & I'm off painting everything in sight! Interestingly, she's used more than 30 shades of white in her house, mixing a new tint each time something else is painted so her house doesn't look like an all-white wedding cake.
She also painted a set of antique Regency mahogany chairs (as pictured) because she was 'tired of them', although she did admit that some of her friends were staggered - & I'm really not surprised! So cutting to the chase - what do you think of Ms. Van Runkle's decision to give the chairs the white treatment? Is it sacrilege or is it fine - do tell!!
Wednesday, January 21, 2009
No tricked-up seaside McMansions here in the sleepy little Spanish fishing village of Cadaques, about an hour's drive from Barcelona. And that's exactly what attracted Tami & Anders Christiansen when they were looking for a weekend house to give them a break from their busy life running an Interior Design business in Copenhagen.
Wandering around the steep & winding streets one weekend, they saw a For Sale sign on a derelict house perched on a cliff overlooking the harbour & a week later they were the new Owners. Only few minor structural jobs needed to be done before they moved in & then it was just a question of lots of fresh paint & filling the home with pieces purchased mainly from second-hand stores along the Costa Brava. They really have achieved a fantastic sense of ambience & relaxed living using an eclectic mix of pieces in this gorgeous little retreat.
Throwing the shutters open on these windows allows the light to spill into the dining room.
Confidently hanging a small chandelier in this room along with all the quirky pieces, shows a strong sense of proportion & style.
Relaxing pieces of old furniture, soft cushions & a couple of very elegant busts thrown together form a gorgeous vignette.
Tami's used the same fabric accents on all the cushions throughout the house to give the space a stylish sense of continuity.
Bare brick floors & scrubbed wooden boards make for easy & relaxed living.
A small side-table sits beautifully in a corner holding a plant in a terracotta pot & family photos.
Again unusual & quirky pieces are scattered throughout the house to create a fabulous sense of ambience.
An old piece of wrought iron fencing adds a decorative touch to the little open fireplace.
Symmetrical placing of these topiaries in the the Living Room on an old milk-washed table.
Low stone plastered walls in the house have had a coat of paint to freshen them up & provide extra shelving.
An old Spanish armoire was rebuilt to serve as a kitchen pantry cupboard.
A close-up shot of the kitchen armoire.
Some of the rooms were awkward shapes, so Tami used simple furnishings & higher decorative pieces as accents.
A small old desk provides a place to read or catch up with some writing.
The steep, windy street outside the cottage.
Views of the harbour from the Dining room window.
Life in Cadaques still revolves around the fishing industry.All images Hearst (photographer Andreas Von Einsiedel)
Wednesday, November 19, 2008
Iron Gates Circa 1900
Montgolfiere Chandelier Circa 1930
Set of Brass Andirons Circa 1880
Louis XV Style Bibliotheque Circa 1860
French Window with Mirrored Centre Circa 1880
Oak Draper's Table Circa 1900
Louis Phillipe Gilt Mirror Circa 1840
French Stone Bac Circa 1800Antiques Avignon is one of my very favourite stores in Adelaide & I love to stop & take a peek each time the owners Elisabeth & John, return from a buying trip to France.
If I could have just one of these beautiful pieces, then it would have to be the long Oak Draper's table - I have so the right place for it along a wall in our Living Room! Every Christmas MOTH drags in the battered old wooden trestle tables from the shed & I struggle to disguise them with metres of white linen cloth. No cloth on this gorgeous table, just all the big platters laid out beautifully ready for everyone to fill their plates from. However, running a very close 2nd are those gorgeous iron gates - I reckon I'd have no trouble designing a whole new house around these beauties!
And what about the brass andirons - blow the appropriate fireplace, I think a very stylish conversion into stunning table lamps would be perfect.
Now my friends, it's over to you to tell me which piece you'd like to see the Courier delivering to your place. And this time I'm not even going to 2nd guess who'll choose what!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
