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!





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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!




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in 2010, it's:


Kit Golson Design

for elegant, sustainable and pragmatic

Chic Provence Interior Design





A Fireplace Makeover: A Small Before & After


The client had inherited a flush marble tile faced fireplace with no mantel. Stopgap measures included experimenting with a unique screen (didn't go too far!) and settling for hanging a couple of oil paintings from France over the opening and hoping it didn't attract too much attention to itself.

fireplace, afterwards

With tiny budget, we were able to create an elegant fireplace surround and mantel, and place a wonderful Empire style gilt mirror over the mantel. We bought the mirror at a local thrift store for $12.00, then with a few cents' worth of gesso and $9.00 in gold leaf from Michael's, we created a gorgeous gold-leafed mirror for $21.00. A friend arrived and guessed the mirror had cost $1200 so we knew we had succeeded!

The mantel was found at the local building materials salvage yard for $75.00. It was sanded and prepped for priming and painting, then mounted on the fireplace surround for a perfect fit and a wonderful nod to Louis XV in design.

Total cost: Mirror: $21.00, Mantel $75 plus paint and labor to attach to wall (about $125 here in the Bay Area) Total: $221. and change.

What do you think?

fireplace, before







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in 2010, it's:


Kit Golson Design

for elegant, sustainable and pragmatic

Chic Provence Interior Design


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