I am absolutely in love with the beautiful blockprint motifs and the rich colours. If you love a specific print, you can also shop by print...wow, now that is awesome:-)

Do check out Saffron Marigold to bring in that Indian luxury & elegance into your homes...

(images from Saffron Marigold.com)

..........lots of things. Lots.

I inherited the gene from my mother. She is having a Garage Sale this weekend, and I have been commandeered to help. I may end up buying more than I help to sell. My Mom is the Queen of Collecting, and has amassed quite a few treasures over the years, many of which have managed to make their way into my house. Ahem. They found their way over here all on their own. I swear.

My Mom has collected mercury glass, vintage cake stands (and this was WAY before Martha started knocking them off), Ironstone pottery, Celluloid boxes, Victorian shell boxes, Hotel silver, fine silver, Polish and German pottery, books, contemporary art, antiques, twig furniture.....the list goes on.

As I said, I did inherit that gene, much to my husband's dismay at times. He refers to us as "Kangaroo and Kangaroo", a reference to a children's book about two Kangaroos that collect so much they can't fit into their houses anymore. They have a sale and get rid of everything, then start all over. ( I was just trying to find a copy on Amazon to show you all, and all I came up with was a book no longer available, but worth $300!....see, it does pay to hold onto stuff! Now where did I put that thing? My husband is gonna croak when I tell him.)

Anyway.... as I was saying...I do love to collect. I have been collecting hotel and restaurant ware and thought I'd show you a couple of pieces (above...a jelly bowl and syrup pitcher). What I like about hotel ware is that it is not so precious it can't be used. We use ours with abandon...almost every time we have pancakes.

So....I'm curious. What do you collect and do you use your collected pieces? Or just love looking at them? I have a bit of both sorts. Please spill!

Now, where did I put that book?

They carry over 300 kinds of tea and some amazing tea ware and accessories. But it's the design of the space that I find so intriguing.

Contemporary and relaxed,

....with a sprinkling of tea leaves on the ceiling. Check out their website here for information for you tea aficionados who can't get enough.

Another great article about tea, it's history, tea related furniture and tea ware, be sure to check out the article on 1st Dibs: Tea Tables and Tea Drinking Equipage by Louise Devinish. Very interesting:

HERE is some more tea trivia to set you all straight.

Known for his spare interiors as well as his use of humble, natural materials, Jean-Michel Frank is one of those designers who is often credited by contemporary designers as being a major influence, yet he has remained a bit of an enigma. Perhaps this was due to his all-too brief career and life, having committed suicide in 1941. Or maybe it was because some critics labeled Frank a society decorator. Whatever the reason, critical study of Frank's career did not begin in earnest until the 1980s with a monograph written by Leopold Diego Sanchez. Unfortunately, this book is a bit scarce as well as cost-prohibitive. There is, however, a new work on the design legend that is not only quite comprehensive and informative but will probably prove to be yet another authoritative work on Frank.

Jean-Michel Frank: The Strange and Subtle Luxury of the Parisian Haute-Monde in the Art Deco Period (Rizzoli) initially took shape as the doctoral thesis of Pierre-Emmanuel Martin-Vivier, a historian and authority on twentieth-century applied arts. The book provides the reader with a biographical account of both Frank's life as well as an in-depth look at his career as a designer of both spaces and furniture. While Frank's success was certainly guided by his talent, it was also nudged along by Frank's fortuitous friendships with the French and European beau monde, something which is explored in the book.

But Frank certainly developed a style that was all his own, and this is really the heart of this book. Much attention is given to Frank interiors, including his work for Jean-Pierre Guerlain, Andre Meyer, Templeton Crocker, Cole Porter, and of course Charles and Marie-Laure de Noailles. Today, Frank seems to be recognized more for his furniture designs than his interiors, so the text and photographic record of Frank's tables, lamps, and chairs are a major asset of Jean-Michel Frank. Also, Frank's career was characterized by collaborations with other gifted designers and artists, most notably Adolphe Chanaux, Alberto Giacometti, Christian Berard, and Emilio Terry, and this work is given due diligence in the book.

I'll admit that I have not yet finished this book; I'm taking my time reading the text, and I find myself getting lost in the gorgeous black and white photos chronicling Frank's work. But so far, I do feel that I better understand the genius and the style of this sad artist, and for this alone I highly recommend this book.



The Sitting Room in the penthouse of Templeton Crocker, San Francisco, 1929. The walls and ceiling were covered in squares of parchment, while the armchairs were upholstered in white leather. One of the Parsons-style cocktail tables was covered in brown shagreen, while the other was sheathed in patina bronze.


The Music Room in Cole Porter's Paris apartment. Although Armand-Albert Rateau was responsible for the paneling (silver lacquer at that), Frank designed the furniture.


Image at top: A Fire Screen covered in straw marquetry, c. 1924. The cabinet at bottom was covered in parchment, c. 1931.


A set of parchment nesting tables and an X lamp made from terra cotta.

It's Decorator Showhouse season again! Currently underway is one of the top showhouses in the country, the San Francisco Decorator Showcase. Benjamin Dhong, an interior designer who is designing for his very first showhouse, has created a really serene and elegant bathroom. Dhong was inspired by a trip through Sweden last summer where he saw rooms that were "a dazzling mix of high and low end furniture." Wanting to achieve a mix of traditional and contemporary, Dhong covered the walls in a very soothing, soft faux bois. But there's nothing rustic about this bathroom. I love the tailored shower curtain, table skirt, and curtain. And don't you just love the mirror and the smart little Saarinen stools? I think it's safe to say that Benjamin Dhong is definitely a designer to watch!