Design Post Update

I hadn't been to my favorite shop, Artisan Lamp Co, in quite awhile so window-shopped the other night. As it turns out thats the best time of day to check out a lighting store!
The store is enormous and they have a larger inventory on their newly revamped website as well as on 1stdibs. They've been carrying a larger number of vintage 'modern' fixtures since they sell well.
 The owner loves to mix up the front window and it changes a few times per week. I especially liked this interesting lamp above.
 And an empire style boulette style lamp is always useful!
What do you think about window shopping? Beats shopping online!

In anticipation of 'Black Friday' later this week I thought I would share with you some of my shopping from this past weekend. I stopped in one of my usual haunts on DC's U Street NW, Goodwood.
GoodWood used to be more of a vintage furniture store but has turned itself into an authentic version of what Anthropology tries to be. The styling in the store is always artful and really fun to walk around. As with most vintage shops there is something for everyone hidden around the next corner, no matter your taste.
I love this antique cabinet which holds antique china, tea, and teapots. I wish I had a cabinet like this in my apartment for my collection!
 These antique Minton cups and saucers were selling for only $8 a set and there were dozens of them.
One of the most interesting item(s) was this pair of faux "faux bois" French armchairs which are very Michael Taylor'esque.
Some details of the chair -really charming- I wish I had a place for these! Also notice the vintage carpet on the floor: lots of affordable antique rugs.
This lovely antique French mirror is deceivingly tall - it wouldn't look out of place in any embassy in town.
Unfortunately there was only one of these mid-century sconces with a Greek key motif or I would have snapped it up!  Someone had done an unfortunate paint spattering to the shaft but thats easy to undo with some sandpaper and a can of black spray paint.  Did you do any fun shopping this past weekend?

While in Paris this past fall I visited the famous department store Printemps on the Boulevard Haussmann. Not for the reasons you think (shopping) but to check out the amazing 365 degree views of Paris from the rooftop restaurant!
Lunch was pretty good by American standards, sub-standard by Parisian, but no one could pay attention to their meals with all of Paris at their feet.
 Above you can make out the Eiffel Tower through the haze just beyond the Grand Palais.
 Above is La Madeleine which I blogged about HERE.
 There are just no bad views, a picture postcard in every frame.
Above is the roof of the Palais Garner, more commonly known as the Paris Opera House. I blogged about this magnificent building after one of my previous trips HERE and HERE.
The views of the Printemp's rooftop minarets are stunning in their own right. That shiny gilding must be recently applied!
Above you can barely see the hidden business district of Paris -leave those nasty tall, modern buildings out of sight!
 I love the multilayered roof of the apartment building across the street.
 Nor the Eglise Saint-Augustin seen above.
 Paris, not only the city of lights but the city with no bad views!

I recently escaped the cold winter weather and explored (mostly) sunny Palm Springs, California. I say mostly because 1 of my 4 days there included an unusual gloomy, albeit warm, rainy day.
Known as the retreat of the Rat Pack and full of Mid-Century modern architecture, I was pleased to find some older buildings to interest the classicist in me.
The El Paseo building in the Uptown Design District was built in 1927 and is of the fitting Spanish style that fits so well with the sunny weather. White washed walls repel the strong sun and the clay tile roofs help to keep the roof ventilated and cool.
Across the street were a number of other interesting older Spanish buildings, full of charm. Of course I was mostly interested in the blue skies and warm air!
This building above directly across the street has seen better days but if you look past the broken windows and worn exterior the concrete structure is really beautiful. The antique shop inside is entertaining as well.
Of course when one thinks of Palm Springs one thinks of its' famous houses. Neutra's famous Kaufmann House from 1947 was an exciting find -click the link for a great tour at Architectural Digest.
Another fun find although on an entirely different level, was driving by Liberace's house below.  The Old Las Palmas neighborhood is full of beautiful mid-century houses and lush gardens.
Palm Springs is a surprisingly small town with the main activity (after golfing) being sitting Poolside.
I stayed at the beautiful Colony Palms Hotel and can't recommend it highly enough: both for style and most of all location.
Shopping is another popular past time particularly for vintage home goods (fun for me!). I have to recommend (the unfortunately named) Just Fabulous for its wonderful and stylish book collection and gifts just a block from the hotel.
I used the Elle Decor travel tips (very useful) to find a lot of the better vintage stores and weed out the junk (literally). The best string of about 5 shops I found thanks to that magazine are in a sort of run-down business park just outside of Palm Springs in Cathedral City adjacent to its best store, Hedge. I was a bit surprised to find the stores empty on a Saturday during the high season but after the shabby treatment I received in most of the shops (Hedge was moderately friendly) I wasn't so surprised.  After trying to get help in 2 (empty) shops to purchase something and receiving no recognition I just left with empty hands. More money to spend elsewhere!  Is it because I'm much under the average age in Palm Springs of 80?  I still have money to spend!
Shop owners beware; finding great merchandise is only 1/2 the battle.  Selling it to VERY willing customers is just as important! Customer service matters particularly with high end merchandise.

This past weekend I attended one of my favorite kind of estate sales: a very old Washingtonian family in a very old grand house. The family bought said house during the great depression after selling their huge estate and literally never touched the house again: not paint, no adding furniture, etc.  Shabby chic would be a great term (if it wasn't already attached to something quite different). I wish I had some pictures to share with you of the house but I never thought of taking any snapshots unfortunately.
Sloans and Kenyon, a local auction house, hosts the best estate sales of the oldest families here in town. If they're hosting you know you need to be there! I had a huge haul (including literal armfuls of linens which I spent all day Sunday oxy-cleaning, laundering, and ironing) and just a few of the items are shown here in this post.
One item I purchased remains a bit of  a mystery. This small pitcher reminds me of belleek ware - the collectible paper-thin Irish porcelain, but is unsigned.
Notice it is double walled, the outer wall being pierced with a continuous inner lining.  The only marking is an S.72. and an LS scratched into the glazing. I can't figure out who made the thing.
Any idea who could have made my new treasure?

Yesterday (March 18, 2015) was the grand opening of our new Washington Design Center. Washington is finally coming into its own and our new design center just goes to prove that. These gorgeous light-filled showrooms are at the heart of the New Washington action on 14th street NW.
The crowds were soul-crushing, as one expects at these events, but it's important for design professionals to go out and network; share ideas and potential new jobs! I only attended the Holly Hunt showroom opening party out of many events with some very dear friends (hi Steph and Mark!) and thought I would share some highlights with you.
The Holly Hunt showroom is the largest in the design center I believe, measuring in at 10,000 SF over 2 floors. It also is the only showroom to feature a street entrance -welcoming in the public.  The ground floor focuses on the more modern collections carried by Holly Hunt while the 2nd floor focuses on the more DC-centric traditional lines. Above the cozy Coco Sofa was empty and beckoning us over to get away from the crowd!
I briefly chatted with Holly Hunt who was delightful. She is intensely focused on bringing new artists and work to the public -meeting and working directly with the artists on items such as their lines of (brilliant) lighting which are the focus of my snapshots here!  Alison Berger is one of the prominent lighting artists with these delicious handblown glass fixtures seen in the images here. Above is the Lure sconce - nothing is MORE alluring than a sconce (my favorite lighting source!).
Most popular with us were the Sea Urchin pendants with heavily seeded glass featured below over a nightstand. These are designed by an artist named Stefan Gulassa, no relation (for those readers who don't know, my name is also Stefan).
I loved their updated version of the classic wingchair below upholstered in rope with a luxurious velvet cushion (in my favorite turquoise -this would fit right into my own apartment, how I wish!)
Be sure to visit Holly Hunt here in DC at the new Washington Design Center, they'll be happy to see you!