Designer Camels

I spent four years at a small liberal arts college in New England. The stone dorms, extensive greenery, intelligent classmates, and top-notch education at Connecticut College made for a great place to grow and learn, even if our mascot was a silly camel (seriously). I majored in English and also received my certification to teach, all while taking advantage of a spectrum of classes that made up a quality liberal arts education.

As it turns out, Connecticut College also proved to be a perfect place to cultivate several talents in the world of design. Today, I'll highlight just a few, but there are many more out there and many more still to come, no doubt.

TGIF, 4/27/12 Edition

Today, Adam and I are off on a 3-day weekend in Connecticut, beginning with a wedding celebration of two lovely people. Being in my late twenties, it seems that many of my peers have been bitten by the glorious marriage bug so there will be several more weddings for us this year.

In less than a month, I'll be celebrating my first wedding anniversary and I can't believe how quickly it went. I honestly feel lucky to be married and, strangely perhaps, want everyone in love to experience firsthand the commitment of it. I consider it an honor to be my husband's spouse, and I know he feels the same.

On this Friday, I'll be celebrating love and I hope you will be, too.

Sending lots of it to you, wonderful readers, today.

(and thank you, from the bottom of my heart, for the sweet comments about my job! you all are the best!)

Antiquing with Mom

On Saturday, while nearly everyone obsessed with interior design was anxiously awaiting the newest issue of Lonny, I was out with my mom searching for antiques and some unique secondhand finds in Connecticut's Farmington Valley.

And, in case you thought I would have had a better time reading Lonny, I present this photography evidence to prove the contrary. Man, I spotted some absolutely fabulous items!

Let's start with the items I should have bought:

This empire-style chair was part of a pair and in absolutely perfect condition (though I'd change the upholstery). 

I like the idea of combining a classic, timeless chair like this with more modern pieces. Each chair was $55.

 Don't get angry, but I passed on this gilded chandelier, which was only $248. It was about 3.5' wide and beautiful. 

Ugh, I need a house before I start buying light fixtures...

The same goes for this moravian star fixture, which was $225.

How great would this be in a small space like a powder room?

Anyone need a set of 4 Paul McCobb dining chairs? 

Got $395? That's how cheap they were.

And, why overlook some well-priced pieces, such as this brass and bamboo-shaped bar cart,

 or this collection of eye-catching minerals from India:

 or how about this bobbin-style corner chair, which was $110:

Staffordshire dogs kept popping up in several of the dealer's booths, but if you're not a dog person you can also find yourself a pair of staffordshire cats--who knew?

I loved several more pieces, including rugs and artwork:

While I didn't walk away with any of the pieces I shared today, I did manage to take home a beautiful item that I passed up in October that hadn't yet been sold. Let's hope that some of these pieces will be around when I venture to CT for my next trip.

TGIF, 3/9/12 Edition

Good Friday morning, blog friends!

As you read this, I am enjoying a long weekend with my parents in Connecticut and you better believe Mom and I have a project or two to accomplish while we're together--look for it next week! 

But, before I could leave the week and my apartment behind, I had to snap a few pictures of red springtime accents that brightened this past week for me.

A collection of red tulips in my living room.

Long-lasting, lush carnations add a chipper touch to a bedside table.

This $5 cyclamen plant from Home Depot brings an exotic shape to my dresser top.

The timeless red-and-blue combination carries over from my bedroom to my Jack Spade tote.

I hope that you and yours have a fabulous weekend.

'Til Monday.

A Visit to Elephant's Trunk Flea Market

This weekend, Adam and I paid a visit to the large Elephant's Trunk Flea Market in western Connecticut on our way home from visiting my parents. This market opens nearly every Sunday between April and late November and always offers a great find! If you have heard of Elephant's Trunk, it's probably because you know it's one of Eddie Ross's favorite flea markets.

Sunday's trip to Elephant's Trunk was our fourth or fifth, and decidedly the gloomiest (weather-wise, that is).

Nonetheless, the lot was packed when we rolled in mid-morning. 

A mid-fall chill won't get in the way of dedicated shoppers, now will it?

Every time Adam and I have stopped at the flea market, we've always walked away with something that we love.

Today, I'll highlight some of the offerings that caught my eye on Sunday. Hope you enjoy!

Up first: the extensive selection of rugs. Clearly I have a thing for Persian and Turkish rugs because, had I the means, each of these would have been rolled up and carted back to Philly with us.

Many styles of furniture can be found at Elephant's Trunk, all for reasonable prices. 

The warm tone of this table, along with its delicious spool legs, stood out in the crowd. 

It was being sold for a fair price of $110.

Wouldn't this cabinet be a precious addition to a child's bedroom or playroom? 

I could see painting it a soft color and organizing baby's first book collection in it.

The traditional carved details of this pair of chairs would be the perfect unexpected combination for a modern, graphic print on the seat. Can you imagine it? They were less than $25 for the two.

 Certainly many mid-century pieces could be found at the market, including this pair of chairs, which look to be Paul McCobb (albeit covered in a hideous leopard-print fleece--seriously, what is that?).

A MCM log holder:

One dealer had a set of 8 tulip chairs (I didn't look to see if they were authentic) that were in excellent condition.

This set of 4 bentwood armchairs made me weak. Gorgeous. I hope they went to a good home.

 Like furniture, the many vendors of Elephant's Trunk offered a diverse selection of artwork, and I snapped a number of them that I think you'd all love to see.

Need a English hunting scene for your '30's-era smoking room or library? Voila:

 This oversized floral piece was spectacular, I swear! It appeared to be handpainted on silk and was approximately 4 feet x 2.5 feet.

 Still into the antler craze? 

Why not try this metal buck head ($110) for a spin on the trend.

 Portraits were also available at a number of great prices. 

This large painting was $15 and the colors were very soft in person.

Are you curious about what did make it home with us? 

A small oil seascape painting (which I didn't manage to take a photo of) and this mirror (which was $30).

Oh, and no trip to a fall fair is complete without some sugar-covered fried dough.

Hope you all had a wonderful weekend and had fun thrifting, crafting, painting, creating or flea marketing like I did. 

I highly recommend the Elephant's Trunk Flea Market and suggest you all go, as long as you leave some good finds for me!

TGIF, 7/29/11 Edition

Welcome to Friday, everyone.
Before I sign off for the weekend, allow me to direct your attention to the Hugo Guinness prints currently discounted at Jayson Home & Garden!

For the writers among us:

 For the geniuses among us:

 For the chatty-cathys among us:

(all via Jayson Home & Garden)

Guinness's artwork pops up in many of the most popular house tours that circulate across the blogosphere. Check out some of the spaces adored with Hugo Guinness artwork:

Rita Konig hung several pieces above her fireplace in her former apartment:

(via Rita Konig's Inside Out/NY Times)

Soft serenity is the effect of this image, which appeared in Domino:

(via Brown Turtleneck Sweater)

Kate and Andy Spade are avid collectors of Guinness's work:

(via The Selby)

The Guinness linocuts add to the whole laissez-faire of this room, which appeared in Matchbook Magazine:

(via Matchbook Magazine)

Back in January when I visited the John Derian store in New York, I could hardly pull myself away from the Hugo Guinness pieces that functioned like one big collage.

(via me)

Now, hurry on over to Jayson Home & Garden and score yourself a deal...and while you're at it, grab me one, too!

Happy weekend, friends. 

Adam and I are off to Connecticut for a much-overdue visit with my parents. 

Tah-tah 'til Monday.

A Living Room After My Own Heart

(via House Beautiful)

Has everyone seen the One-Day Makeover featured in the lastest issue of House Beautiful? This living room in Westport, CT has so much visual interest in its "after" state that I just can't get over it. The use of color and prints is really calling my name...

The redesign was done by Pat Healing and Dan Barsanti who together run HB Home. So do yourself a favor and check out this 9-5 makeover over at House Beautiful. It will surely make your day!

Wedding Preparations: Pottery Collection

Over the weekend, Adam and I went to Connecticut for a long-overdue visit with my parents. Have I mentioned how much I love these people? Or how supportive they are? Or how excited about my wedding my mom is?

I had casually mentioned to my mom that, for our wedding, I would like a hodgepodge collection of cream planters and vases (McCoy or otherwise) to hold flowers on the reception tables. I have a few (maybe 5) that I've picked up from Ebay, thrift stores, or antique shops for very little well before I was even engaged. So, what did my mom do with this casual comment?

She did this:

Since June, she's had the goal of collecting a variety of these cream planters. She's practically scouring all of New England. These selections range from Maine to Pennsylvania, with none more expensive than $20.

It's funny how, in just a gesture like this, my parents' love is so apparent. I am looking forward to the day when they are assembled with pride at my wedding reception.

Thanks, Mom.