Cute Lil' Bookcase

got this little Chinoiserie-inspired sweet treasure at the flea market...

on a beautiful sunny morning wandering with coffee in one hand

and chocolate croissant in the other

this little treasure was buried behind a pile of "junk"..

you have to take things out, put them alone in the

sunshine to really see them and make your decision

whether to buy or not...

and at $12, I couldn't resist!

what do you think?

***

thanks for visiting! Kit

Chinoiserie Hutch in That Linen Color We All Love Now

The PERFECT hutch!

While researching case goods for a client,

I came across this stunner.

What do you think?

hutch from Hooker Furniture's Melange Collection

***

thanks for visiting! ... Kit

Sunday at San Francisco Fall Antiques Show {& Why I Wasn't There Saturday}

I missed all the excitement of Designer's Saturday at the San Francisco Fall Antiques Show..Billy Baldwin, Bunny Williams..(you'll see why at the end of the post!) but on Sunday I scooped up Lisa and we headed over. The day was stunningly clear, the setting on San Francisco Bay always inspiring.

After a quick and oh-so-satisfying lunch of poulet et pommes de terre roti-to-perfection at the Ft. Mason Farmer's Market, we excitedly headed inside. Yes, things were winding down a bit, but we found lots to intrigue in the show and we met wonderful antiquaires from the world over.

Chinese export watercolors of exotic fruits, 1790-1810

at Arader Galleries

stunning Chinese Chippendale chair for the Chinese

Bedroom at Badminton House, 1754, England

courtesy Ann Getty and Associates

some of the stunning

Lotus Collection of fine antique textiles found

at Kathleen Taylor

***

the show was not all Chinoiserie

mid-century and earlier antiques at

the amazing Downtown includes a pair of these

Spanish revival torchieres

I loved Downtown's breezy and chic approach

from Downtown's website, so worth a visit!

***

wonderful polychrome wood cabinet, 1760's, at

Robert Young Antiques as part of their

European folk art collection

toll road sign from the Lakes District in England,

about 1840; early prototype of the current

popular obsession with subway signs?

***

French company Les Enluminures displaying priceless illuminations

and jewelry from the middle ages in

this chic space lifting the colors of

the medieval illustrations for the display area walls

priceless Florentine illumination

from a choir book, 1423

***

the marina at Ft. Mason, San Francisco..that's the fabled

vegetarian eatery Greens on the right, a favorite of ours

for Sunday brunch with visitors from out of town

the fantastic entry into the

San Francisco Fall Antiques Show,

where the theme was "Chinoiserie"

***

so why wasn't I there Saturday?

meet Nicky, our new 4 month old rescue puppy;

does he

not look like a handful?

well he is! nothing is safe if he is awake!

sorry, Bunny:)

***

The Wisteria: Inspiration for an Easter Brunch

Even though it's still Lent, I had to go outside and design an Easter Brunch table beneath our incredible showing of wisteria early this morning. Who can blame me for these gentle excesses?

I started by covering two square tables with a long white cloth, then topping that with my grandmother's lace bedspread (which I noticed needs some attention: mending and cleaning!). On top of the lace, to take some of the sweetness out and to give a little edge, I tossed a lavender cowhide left over from a design project, suede side up. I thought it would be great with the color of the wisteria, and it is!

I then tried a couple of different centerpieces: an arrangement of Lenten Roses in my chinoiserie tea canisters was casual and elegant. Then I tried the Easter Egg Tree I made last year, and I like it too. I guess it's nice to have a couple of choices next Sunday.

Place settings are Malvina Golson's embroidered pink placemats (my husband's grandmother), Limoges luncheon plates, and bread & butter plates from my grandmother Amie in yellow paisley pattern I adore. I used the silver I bought at a vide grenier just outside the front door of my dear friend Camilla's house in Rians, France last year. The adorable straw domes are from Anthropologie, and I placed a French sacerdotal relic at the head table, for Easter.

Voila! A little bit ready for our big Easter celebration with lots of family and friends coming over..let's just hope it is nice enough to be outside. They're forecasting rain for the next several days. We might be sitting inside around the fireplace roasting marshmallows!

.........................................

in 2010, it's:

Kit Golson Design

for elegant, sustainable and pragmatic

Chic Provence Interior Design

For "une petite pause": Early Spring at Filoli

Not just another pretty springtime bouquet, this country estate-turned National Trust for Historic Preservation landmark is a must-see if you love formal gardens and beautiful old homes. A trip there will transport you to a quieter, more serene time when the cultivation of exquisite gardens and the keeping of mansions was a gracious way of living daily life. In other words, a peek at how the other half lived in 1925!

Situated on 654 acres with gardens to wander, a Gardener's Resource Shop to peruse, a cafe for lunch and amazing 18th & 19th century furnishings to admire in the House, an afternoon at Filoli is a designer's feast. What better place to meet a favorite client for a few hours? That's just what we did this week.

potted flowers in the ballroom

Chinoiserie in the Asian Room

flowering tree at Filoli

doorway at the Garden Shop

approaching the Orangerie

pathway leaving the Orangerie

the swimming pool flanked by potted lemon trees

pots of tulips at the rear of the House

one of the two Camperdown Elm trees

flanking the pool house

fuschia tulips underplanted with tiny forget-me-nots

inside the Orangerie

Chinese figure inside the House in the Asian Room

piano player in the ballroom

map of Filoli Gardens and House

So if you are lucky enough to find yourself in San Francisco this time of year, take a little time out to visit these gorgeous formal gardens and the exquisite mansion. Since I live about five miles away, let me know if you are in the area.

We'll have a wonderful walk through and might even take home a plant or two for our gardens. We'll definitely leave inspired.

Visit the website for information on visiting and the history. www.filoli.org

all photos by Kit Golson

download if you like!

.........................................

in 2010, it's:

Kit Golson Design

for elegant, sustainable and pragmatic

Chic Provence Interior Design

Have a Happy {Chiner} Weekend & Look What I Found!

chiner, fr. {chee-ner'} : to root around in the brocantes (flea markets) looking for stuff

chineur, fr. {chee-nur'} : one who spends their free weekend hours rooting around in brocantes

.......................

Now that we know who we are, look what I found last weekend at the local fleas!

If you have any great ideas of how I can use this great stuff, let me know (Beth @ Chinoiserie Chic, are you listening?)

my little treasure trove from last weekend's "chineur"-ing

antique Chinese shawl--yes those are little silver balls

sewn into the design!

I kind of like this cool globe of pressed glass

my very adorable red Buddha from the 1920's

even the little blue lantern has a certain "chinoiserie" cache

the proud peacock on one of the metal panels I found

somehow I let these adorable dauphines get away

ditto the coral print from 1910

Hope these inspire you to get out there and support your local thrift stores, consignment shops, flea markets....remember it's a very green and sustainable way to shop!

For fun in the Bay Area this weekend, be sure to visit my friends at Afterwards in Menlo Park. They have a holiday celebration going on Saturday all day long, stop in for a bit of cheer. You will be amazed at their wonderful stuff!

And my favorite flea market, the Alemany Flea, is on every Sunday at the intersection of 101 and 280.

Have a great time!

French definitions here!

.............................................................

CONTACT:

Kit Golson Design

for elegant, sustainable and pragmatic

Chic Provence Interior Design