Showing posts with label flea market. Show all posts
Showing posts with label flea market. Show all posts

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?


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thanks for visiting! Kit

The Pink Chair & Camellia Snow


I'm happy to see all the pink everywhere again. And this little French Louis.."ahem"..chair from the flea market would look fabulous in some new pink, don't you think? So at the design center, I found these sumptuous Lorca jacquards made in France and Italy, through Osborne & Little. They all work perfectly with the vintage velvet I found at an estate sale the other day...four yards in perfect condition for $5!


Then, while working on this little project, I happened to look outside my studio window...and saw that our rainstorms have created a virtual carpeting of camellias on the soggy ground...gorgeous camellia snow!


Now... I'd love to know what you think: which fabrics, and in what combinations? Or just go with one fabric... which one? Such a delightful dilemma!


big, bountiful roses!


when I paused to look out the window, this
is the beauty I saw in the rain

this incredibly beautiful cotton velvet I bought
the other day at an estate sale in the neighborhood

two different camellia bushes lost their
blossoms in today's storm

I do like this pattern with pansies and
a larger whiter background...

our ground could not get any soggier!


this is a really pretty rose petal pattern, but
my daughter thought it looked like seashells...hmmm?

the side pathway looks like it needs shoveling with a snow shovel..so
beautiful against the dark earth!


***


Benjamin Moore paints I pulled that would work with
any of these fabric choices...can you spot the one
they have called identical to Pantone's Color of the Year?
(hint: it's in the first column)


I, for one, was really happy
with Pantone's color
choice for 2011... so far
we need a lot of this color
in our weary world


***




while browsing for additional Lorca fabrics
I found these gorgeous embroidered
linens and velvets on the Interior Library site


***


Thanks for visiting! Kit


How a Pair of Snowboarding Caterers Finally Got Some Sleep!


If you are the hottest catering team in San Francisco, and also live in a huge, light-filled loft facing south on a hill, you might have a little trouble sleeping in after those late-night weddings and soirees! These hip urbanites love where they live with one tiny exception..the bright daylight streaming into their bedroom was waking them up wa-a-a-y too early after pulling very late nighters.

Simple Fit to the rescue! When I was offered a chance to try this amazingly chic and utterly "instant-install" shade, I thought of my clients Lisa Tomasi and Steven McCormick of Pear & Pepper Fine Catering & Events. They live in a shade-challenged sun-drenched gorgeous loft facing south.

The whole process could not have been simpler: I measured the inside of their window, placed my order, and received the shade two days later. It took longer walking up the vast stairway in their glorious loft than it actually took to install the shade! 30 seconds, tops! I was ecstatic at the "no problem" attitude of this shade, and Lisa and Steven are thrilled to have a place to hibernate while the sun shines brightly outside.


Lisa loves succulents and poufs! she scored these
turquoise poufs blocks away at the Alemany Flea Market!
and the lucky succulents enjoy lots of natural light
in this sun-drenched loft


no one could sleep in a bedroom with this brilliant light shining in!


literally 30 seconds later, a block out shade clicked into place;
strong, sturdy shades these are, and why not? they are
made right up in Sonoma county!


up in the stratosphere of their gorgeous, two level, huge
loft home!

a deck that gets southern exposure is the perfect place for
gardening and cookouts


descending the stairway view over their living room: yep, those are
snowboards mounted on the wall..can you tell these two know to the
minute how long it takes to get to Tahoe when the snow reports come in?


their mid-century sensibilities show in the
chic dining area Lisa and Steven have created to serve
lucky family and friends their amazing culinary creations


another adorable and lucky little
succulent!


the entryway table where keys and mail are kept; they
love flea market finds and quirky signs


just in case you missed the snowboard wall, here's another
view; I love the graphic quality the boards create


Steven cleverly used these spring loaded twisting
fixtures to hold snowboards snugly to the wall



Check out this cool video on YouTube. Use them in your home, your guest cottage, your office, in houses that are staged for sale, your rented apartment..they offer a chic and sensible solution. Without a screwdriver in sight, these shades click into place, and can go with you when you move.

***

{I have not been paid by Simple Fit to endorse their product;
I was provided with a shade and asked to review it.
I am giving a great review because these shades are terrific!}


You can friend Redi Shade Simple Fit on Facebook!




A Simple Alfresco Lunch


Our bounty from the Mediterranean stand at the farmers' market provided us with the perfect alfresco lunch and inspired setting an Italian table after a morning of gardening this past Saturday.

The table is set with all vintage things: old linen French sheet for tablecloth, embroidered apricot table runner from Chris's French grandmother's handmade collection, ceramics we picked up in Deruta, Italy a few years ago, my grandmother's old ironstone, silver from a French flea market, a very old pressed glass vase my mother gave me, 1970's Fitz & Floyd luncheon dishes and old square hotel silver dishes.


the combination of rabbit's ears lavender and
geranium leaves from our garden in a vintage French glass
makes a wonderfully fragrant tabletop arrangement


please join us!


just outside our back door, under the arbor in the shade


a well-earned reward for a morning's hard work!


***


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


in 2010, it's:


Kit Golson Design

for elegant, sustainable and pragmatic

Chic Provence Interior Design



The Milk Paints and French Washes of Chic Provence


If you are looking for a rustic, chalky appearance to soften new furniture or transform flea-market finds; or a rich velvety finish for walls, or a wash for your walls that will "bloom" into a rustic provencale-like texture, you cannot trust your paint finishes to just any old paint company.

Here at Chic Provence, we are very happy with the traditional European paint finishes (and colors) we find at the Sydney Harbor Paint Company/Porter's Original Paints. For special clients with considered requirements, we get these gorgeous, low- to no-VOC paints at Gray's Paint on Woodside Road in Redwood City, California.



I love this duchesse satin wall finish that glows with a silvery light


this milk paint finish is perfect for a flea market transformation


duchesse satin finish beautifully accents the architectural features of this fireplace



this wood wash is perfect for finishing raw timber surfaces



alternating stripes of milk paint and duchesse satin in the
same color creates chic and subtle interest in entryway



lime wash in luscious color for this stairway



this wood wash for a limed look on raw timber floors


milk paint freshens this wood panelled stairway
into a modern statement



milk paint in layers softens and ages this new piece



distemper paint creates rich and velvety wall finish







photos courtesy Sydney Harbour Paint Company




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


in the new year:


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!


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


CONTACT:


Kit Golson Design

for elegant, sustainable and pragmatic

Chic Provence Interior Design


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