5.2.09

Window Dressing: Bergdorf's



Love this. 
Want to 
jump in 
and give 
them a hand.

Courtesy of Our Girl in New York.


Truth and Beauty





All of above, with exception of colorful, chicken-bedecked
antique rug (see Alexander's, below), are tucked into a
lovely corner gallery at De Sousa Hughes
in the San Francisco Design Center.


The Truth: Beauty is Essential, Isn't It?

4.2.09

China Doll

Wish the colors had come out a bit more true,
but you get the picture; this sweet china
doll is in a painting that hangs near a brilliant
little secretary at De Sousa Hughes, SFDC.

Ann Sacks Tile (File 5)

A few more favorites from Ann Sacks. I'd put the peonies, above, around an outdoor vestibule. They make my heart swell with happiness. They speak of peace. I'd love passing through them each time I came home. Joy. (I don't know if Ann & Co. call them peonies, but that is what they are to me.)

These are brilliant, and remind me of dogwood trees in the woods back home, Virginia and New York: of something sacred and strong. They connote safety. Maybe eternity?

These are copper. They are like brave pennies that have been magically transformed...that, alone, makes me want to line them up so that they might march behind my stove and countertop. There is something very happy about these marching ex-pennies. Something warm.

This is grace and growth, a lovely geometry for one's home.

Mad about these. Recycled, if I recall. Nifty luster, warm
silvery strength that will play happy foil to Master Stainless.

















Chapter IV: Magic Carpet Ride








Richard Habib was a most excellent guide as we swept through his space (Alexander's Decorative Rugs)...there's much to learn: Richard has an astonishing breadth of knowledge. And a great view (just look through that window!).

Morrocan to Love: SFDC Chap. III

from ann sacks

Mrs. Blandings Goes To New York

just noticed:
whilst we were traipsing around 
posting our SFDC finds, 
the fabulous Mrs. Blandings posted 
more magnificence from the NYGF

she is the consummate 
ur-shopping-treasure-finder poster, 
in my book...so, wanted to give a hat-tip 
and send you all off to KC and NYC courtesy
 of the magnificent magical mrs. b.!


photo copyright: the brilliant mrs. blandings, of course 

3.2.09

Today at the San Francisco Design Center, Chapter II

Jim Gallagher, of Garden Court
Antiques, and a compelling slightly-gilded
ruby reason to start collecting papier mache.

Holding treasure? Another wonderous red.
(Speaking of, my little red camera
was not doing so well yesterday:
she is old and on last legs, I fear.)

Nautical. Nantes. Via Paris Flea Market.
Blue to die for.
(See post below.)

British. Campaign. Go ahead, die twice.
This is worth it.
(Acknowledging a salute to Japanese craft.)

Once the French Revolution really got rolling, you'd probably want to have hidden this gorgeous piece of work (Vive Le Roi). Don't lose your head over it. Just pack it up tidily and dash off in nearest non-gilded carriage. Send Marie Antoinette lovely thank-you letter. Get out of town. Stow treasured needlework in voluminous skirt. Go. Now.

Surely, this would look swell in my office.
A girl can dream.

Spiky. Happy. Waiting for well-wicked beeswax.

Once more, with gusto. A sweet Italian romance.


All of these wonders:
Garden Court Antiques, SFDC.
Many thanks, again, to our
magnificent host, Jim Gallagher.


Today at the SFDC, Chapter One




Yummy Stuff.

Above, the delightful Jim Gallagher, who spent an awfully long time and was the soul of patience answering (so very many) questions about the exquisite pieces in his shop.

So completely smitten was I by the finds from the flea market in Paris (top photos), and the Italian bits (bottom) and everything else (coming in next post) that I can't exactly remember any details. I could call my wonderful cohort on this mission and have her try to fill me in, but neither of us had pencil or paper as we stood, entranced, listening to the stories behind each of these pieces.

Suffice it to say that Jim knows his stuff, has a unfailingly elegant eye, and can tell you everything you need to know when you visit him at the San Francisco Design Center.

And more coming, soon, from the SFDC (from Jim & Co., a little Ann Sacks, and a sweet Secretary from De Sousa Hughes).

1.2.09

Today! Inside Roald Dahl's Head. Oops. I Mean Shed.


Shedworking has long been a favorite; today, they take us to Roald Dahl's Shed

You can wander around (click here). You can listen to one of his stories. 

You can only imagine how amazingly peculiar it must have been to be in his marvelous head. But now you can be in his marvelous shed. (Yes, they actually call it a hut. But hut doesn't rhyme with head, and if I change it now I have to rewrite the whole post. So. Hut, shed, let's just move ahead...)

cool photo courtesy of chompoblog