Be It Ever So Humble

23 Wednesday Jan 2013

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18th c silk brocade, 18th century clothing, Antique Fabric

Love the look of a beautiful 18th century French silk pillow against the rough, hand loomed linen seat of my humble little chair. A French chanvre/linen with thistle woven in on the seat…my very first purchase from Wendy Lewis of The Textile Trunk. 18th century dresses were routinely lined with hand loomed linen…wonderful mix of textures…the high and low. This is one of several pieces from Magdalene Zureiqat, a fabulous lady who presides over a couture drapery and pillow showroom in New York…which I will tell you more about soon.

The whole concept of carefully and ritually saved important fabrics…this was at one point handed from an 18th century home to a church to make vestments…and the lessons of color, texture and pattern mixing are what draw me to antique textiles.

Other places to get a eyeful : MET here, LACMA here, V & A here

All fabulous museums with great virtual collections.

Color

21 Monday Jan 2013

Posted by Trish in Antique Fabric

≈ 25 Comments

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18th c silk, Antique Fabric, roses

18th c French textiles

Rose madder red always works magic on winter. Above… antique Bourbon rose Madame Issac Perrier from last year’s garden, and an 18th century French striped silk pelmet traced with ribbonwork.

Do you think this photo from my Candlelight and Roses post here inspired my interest in the ribbonwork? Raspberry silk moiré in the queen’s bedroom at Kina Slott (Chinese Pavillion) at Drottningholm Palace.

Antique textiles are my favorite way to toss a bit of color on top of neutrals. Sometimes it’s just takes that one rare, original, handmade, one of a kind, not perfect piece to get you out of that straight from the catalogue look. I’ve been pinning my favorite textile dealers on Pinterest here…above piece from Sallie Ead, here and here. Some of the more expensive dealers are great resources for learning, and of course have the rarest, most perfect pieces. As usual, I’m always trying to limit my time on the demon internet, but I have some other great pieces and resources to share with you in the next few days. As you’ll see, even when my garden is shut down, I always try to keep a few roses up my sleeve. Hope you’re all keeping warm!

Astier and Downspout

08 Tuesday Jan 2013

Posted by Trish in French Interiors

≈ 19 Comments

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Astier de Villatte, plate racks, vintage metal

As you know, my kitchen is a very neutral blend of creams and golden limestone. So I have been slowly working to inject more contrast with dark metals and chalky white.

I was seriously thinking of ripping out my beige mosiac backsplash to add these Emery and Cie tiles here…but grabbed my paintbrush and diluted some latex house paint to alter the tones from beige and sage to white and gray.

The plate rack was made out of salvaged wood…one quick last thing I had my guys do after they finished my daughter’s room. Used Farrow and Ball’s Downspout on that and a dutch door…a perfect deep, deep dark gray.

Trouvais kitchen metals

Thank you Sharon from My French Country Home Brocante here for the vintage metal plaque find…and I picked up several of these vintage pudding molds in Petaluma before Christmas. The Astier de Villatte saupoudroirs à sucre (sugar shaker) and dinner plates are from Heather and Bobby Lee’s wonderful Astier de Villatte collection at Trove Gallery here

A longer view. Having white marble in the master bath is enough excitement for me…I have a tall stack of white washcloths at the ready for every errant spill. So although I love white and gray kitchens, I’m still happy with the relatively easy Jerusalem Gold limestone. I love the look of plate racks, and they are perfect for those few special plates that you don’t trust in your dishwasher. And an excuse to stick your neck out with a bold color.

Heather Lee’s photographs of Trove Gallery here are just beautiful…and her Astier photos are the best out there. Besides the Trove Gallery website her pinterest account shows some other beautiful Astier pieces here. And yes, they ship. I’m saving up for the teapot above. Let them eat cake!

More later…but…literally…I’ve got to run…!

Hello New Year

03 Thursday Jan 2013

Posted by Trish in 18th century

≈ 18 Comments

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18th century lifestyle, French curiosities, Le marquis de Bouillé

Happy New Year my friends! Most of my little finds tend to have a story behind them. Here…an 18th century French Marquis scrawls his obligations from a losing hand on some playing cards. If the saying ”lucky at cards, unlucky in love” is true, let’s hope he was well compensated for his losing hand!

I happily dropped all my cards…the sewing and dyeing and primping projects… as soon as the first kid rolled his way home for Christmas vacation. His sister is back at work, and he’s on his way back to school, so it’s time for me to officially greet the New Year!

Best wishes for luck in everyone’s New Year…but mostly, lots of love!

Happy 2013!

Golden Highlights

14 Friday Dec 2012

Posted by Trish in French Interiors

≈ 14 Comments

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French Antiques, Golden vintage

Yes…I’m still up to my elbows in gray dye…but that doesn’t mean I can’t appreciate a few golden highlights. My sister and I did a little shopping last week in one of my favorite small towns on Northern California…quintessential old Americana…a great mix of garden nurseries, quirky thrift stores, and several wonderful antique stores. Chelsea Antiques is on one side of the main boulevard…and Sienna, where I took all these photos, on the other.

The top frame is 18th century German…terrifically expensive….so if you find something like this at the local thrift..I’d grab it…

Really..the shades are what does it for me!

Sienna Antiques in Petaluma here

If you click the link above you’ll get store info and a street view…in case my farther flung readers want to get a snapshot of a great little American town!