This is just the sort of place that thrills me to walk into. After a wonderful drive with
vineyards and the occasional winery splayed on either side of the road, you take a right turn
just before the turnoff for downtown Sonoma or further Napa, into Cornerstone Gardens.
There are several shops and a great place for coffee or lunch with gravel underfoot,
corrugated metal buildings and factory lights, olive trees and rugged perennials…
it’s how Sonoma does country.
Artefact Salvage is a place that has a point of view,
an aggregate of various artists, countries, materials, sizes, centuries…
Huge suspended grinding wheels alongside a mythical beaux-arts panel
Marble, femininely French…
Baby heads and NAP…of course they’d go together…
American tableau…
Colonel Sanders and rusty iron wheels and weather vane…
The namesake pediment back lit by mid morning sun…
Huge tin wrapped tabletops with massive carved cast stone legs
are laden with curiosities, cast iron rosettes and lion heads,
bowls of slag glass rock, succulent candles, tamarind bowls,
river rock votive holders and soap dishes, and a good selection of books.
Myriad of interesting small items…
like these sliced Nautilus shell sections
Closer look at those enormous tables and the view through the huge building’s belly…
industrial lights, driftwood, a Gazebo/Pavilion from Northern India complete with roof
(not shown). Crusty original paint in beautiful pastel colors. Early to mid 19th century.
Outdoors there are stone fireplaces, statues,
scrapes of architectural salvage…
Fragments from an old Philadelphia building that was torn down
One of many stately fountains…
Pretty aqua colored, slightly less industrial cart
Solemnly sentinel greyhounds grouped outside in the entrance courtyard
Huge (60″ diameter) teak scrap spheres and fountain in background.
One of my “rescued” bits of architectural salvage safe at home.
*
Click Artefact Design Interview for the store’s fascinating history, with owner Dave Allen.
(click on TV screen to view) You might notice they visit an Erin Martin designed property
in St. Helena that I posted about here (look for the gilded Italian lamp and window pelmets)
to show places where the architectural salvage was used.
*
Artefact Design & Salvage
23562 Highway 121
Sonoma, Ca. 95476
sales@artefactdesignssalvage.com
(707) 933-0660
Artefact recently updated their website here
If you are wondering where “the hunt” has taken Dave Allen next…check out his blog on the site.
Completely entertaining, great travel photos, a must read!
Tags: Antiques, Architectural salvage, Belgian design, Northern California shopping, Rough Luxe, Sonoma design stores, stone fireplaces
November 13, 2009 at 9:17 am |
I have that lion tucked under a tree, it was in my “I got You Babe” post in the Tuscany in Texas… I lugged it from Texas to Tennessee back to Texas…I have painted him a million times cause you know that natural cement is that you know color! I bought another one for the Chateau “old snaggle tooth” he guards the double gates, but he is old and missing a tooth. A whopping $4 at a garage sale. I did leave him in his original state.
I can’t wait to see your fireplace.
Lee
November 13, 2009 at 9:34 am |
Trish,
This is indeed a wonderful place to visit! I love the industrial cart and the greyhounds statues!!
I am going to check out the site!
Have a wonderful weekend Trish!
xx
Greet
November 13, 2009 at 10:44 am |
I lived in Reno, NV for a short time and would travel often to Napa and Sonoma areas. I am so sad I didn’t know of these shops at the time – I would have been in heaven as Reno had nothing like this. Being an Atlanta girl, I was in need of some stores with some imagination, and they were right around the corner from me! I will have to stop in when I go back to visit.
November 13, 2009 at 12:43 pm |
Well of course I am just crazy about this place and all the stuff in and around it. You do take us to all the right places.
~Jermaine~
November 13, 2009 at 11:51 pm |
Once again this post double-underlines your blog-name….what a find!!!!
November 14, 2009 at 7:38 am |
Good morning Trish, I just went to CoteDe Texas and she posted Meryl Streeps new movie… I got a little chuckle when she mentioned the designer wanted Meryl to look good in the set design so she put pops of orange… which I guess is a peach with more pigmentation… do you think they pulled out the pink light bulbs too! Hehe!
I thought you could start you day out with a little giggle too.
Lee
November 14, 2009 at 2:14 pm |
Trish! This is a fantastical place….i think I just made up a word…its fantastic and magical! My favorites are the aqua industrial cart and the NAP letters with baby heads! Fun!
November 15, 2009 at 11:35 am |
What a wonderful place Trish,
I have also some decorative bits at home of destroyed houses.
It’s like saving a piece of history.
David
November 29, 2009 at 9:46 pm |
OMG I am in love with your blog!! This post is a amazing!! I would love to go to that shop and just drool over everything!! I would also love to switch links with you if possible,
Thanks, Keri from antiquetherapy.com