Madrid, Shopping Bag in Hand

And last but not least in the Madrid wrap up, let's talk shop(ping). Just as I was unprepared for the number of pastry shops I'd encounter, the amount of clothing options were out of control. There was a wonderful selection of wears from local and national designers that were as gorgeous as they were affordable. The easy breezy aesthetic of Madrid really comes through. Yet another reason to love this city! I'd be lying if I said it was easy to be walking by said shops almost everyday while around town with my girlfriends! I have no shopper's regret however, I will love everything I bought for years to come, especially the big suede satchel I got at the first spot on my "must" list: Hakei. They sell mostly clothing but their luxurious leather bags and shoes made them stand out. I hope I don't regret not scooping up those ballet flats too!

Hands down my favorite find was Malababa. Carriers of jewelry, handbags, and accessories, everything is handcrafted in country. Just visiting one of their stores is a treat. I will be taking a page out of their book as far as home design goes as well. Can I live here please?! Following my shoe trend here, I am pretty sure that those flats are the coolest shoes I have ever seen. That's how the pair looks, with one shoe in each color spectrum. This works in a quirky by lady-like way.

eseOese wasn't too shabby either. It's J. Crew-meets-Anthropologie vibe really hit the spot, especially with summer on the horizon. 

 

On the extra fun fashion end of things is Kling. The location I visited even had a vintage section in back!

Ok so Zara is a Spanish brand so this one still counts even though it's all over the globe! I hadn't loved anything that came out in a long time but I am glad I revisited. Their spring and summer collections are spot on. 

The part of Zara they are still hiding from us United States folks is Zara Home. I couldn't help but share all these photos. Happiness via bright colors is real!

This Old House

Really it's a miracle that I have not mentioned my place of residence sooner. Once an 1850s era school and totally the first house on the block (or farm field), the bulding is a slice of New England history. The place was owned by the Allen family for several generations and was transformed over time from a little farmhouse to a Greek Revival estate. Mr. Allen operated the kindergarden and primary school for a good portion of his life but then over the next few decades, the family died out. 


One fine day in the 1970s, my Grandma Helen fell in love with the house and made it her life's work to preserve the structure and the Allen family's legacy. Grandma has passed on but thanks to her hard work, the building is on the National Historic Registrar (so it can never be town down) and it houses seven fantastically quirky rental units. A long story short, it was fate that I ended up moving here. Possibly because my mind is often clouded with frustration directed at my closet size kitchen and the apartment's simultaneous lack of actual closets, I often forget how near and dear my surroundings really are. I have always admired home interiors of yore but living here has brought a whole new meaning to "they don't make it like they used to." I have been wanting to share this place for quite some time and now the time seems ripe! I just found out that yours truly and the bf will be moving to Portland, Oregon later this year, so the nostalgia is already setting in. Welcome to my virtual museum.


There is way too much to show so I am going to break this into a few separate posts. First off are the two parlor rooms. About 20 years ago, the rooms were restored to their former Victorian glory complete with a refurbished gilded mirror and historically accurate wall embellishments. My all time favorite is the chandelier. It's out of commission as a light source (gas lighting = giant fire hazard) but it remains the focal point of the room. I am not much for cupids, like the one on top, but it's still a spectacular piece. I especially like the hidden faces on the ceiling hardware.

Then we have the mirror. I have seen a photo circa the 19th century of this exact wall. The piece hasn't moved! Modern taste would probably warn against putting  that chandelier with that looking glass but those Victorians layered on the opulence with abandon. 

 

And by now you may have been wondering: "What on earth is going on with that wallpaper?" Glad you asked. In efforts to restore these rooms, research was conducted on what type of wallpaper and ceiling paint would have been present back in the day. A grant allowed for the paper to be custom ordered from England. Fine stock indeed. The golds are metallic and the trim is the richest of black hues. Remember those velvety coloring posters you had as a kid? That's what the black most closely resembles. It's actually fuzzy felt! The ceiling is sea green with fancy flourishes at each corner. Again, the design scheme is busy but the 1o foot ceilings and tall, plentiful windows make for a bright, airy space. 

 There is definitely some killer iron work going on here as well. The level of attention to detail simply melts my heart! Also, see my desk area which has a floor-to-ceiling built-in bookcase on the right hand side.

Inspired By: Florence Broadhurst

When I said in my last post that I'd love to be a musician in another life, I should have added "textile designer" as well. I've always enjoyed staring at intricate patterns, admiring the carefully calculated repetition of a design that emantes so much rhythm and creates unexpected geometric shapes. A successful pattern takes on a life of it's own. I have long been enamored with all things Marimekko but only recently came across the work of Aussie designer, Florence Broadhurst in Elle Decor. Quite the motif maven in the '60s and '70s, her fabric and wallpaper designs look anything but stale. I do appreciate vintage style wallpaper but I'd be more likely to commit to one of Broadhurst's timeless prints. I especially like the Asian inspired flora and fauna. Really they are the perfect solution to easy decorating. Who needs complicated furniture when the patterns do all the talking?

Images via: Signature Prints

Birds of a Feather

In a quest to find the perfect knitted stuffed animal pattern to make for a friend's newborn baby, I settled on the owl, the most endearing design of the litter. Yet, I soon discovered the animal is so much more! The owl was Athena's emblem, Greek goddess of wisdom, war, and the liberal arts (pretty much the coolest gal ever) and that symbolism has carried all the way to today where we still like to get just a little bit closer to nature. While some cultures considered them to be evil omens, the modern depiction is anything but - plus, have you seen baby owls?! Dignified and instantly recognizable, owls are popping up across the design spectrum. It can be hard to get right however. I find the necklace trend of late to be too kitschy. I prefer a less obvious, more graphic design, something that has been done so successfully in home decor. How gladly I would paper my walls in those motifs! Below is also my knitted owl which turned out just dandy. I followed the pattern kindly provided here but chose to use felt for the eyes for a cleaner look. With luck she'll bring the baby a lifetime of wit and wisdom!

 

PS: An honorable mention goes to owls in architecture - Amsterdam's Art Nouveau style owl facade (as if I needed another reason to talk about Art Nouveau!) and the Rotulos Roura Company building in Barcelona.

1) calendar, wall paper
2)wind chime 
3) wall paper, lamp
4) ceramic, wall paper
5) building, tower

Wall Flowers

As much as I love the four seasons that New England does so well, I often dream of residing out west where I could have a true outdoor living room. The go-to place for relaxing, reading, napping, eating, drinking, or just sunning. A place with plush cushions, plants, pretty decorations, lanterns and maybe even a chaise lounge or two. Porch, patio, deck, I am not picky. Just a private little retreat where I can get some fresh air! Some day. I inadvertently collect objects that would fit oh-so-nicely in such a space. These hanging wall vases I just finished are a step in the right direction for sure. The glazes are reminiscent of marble or stone and the highly texturized rope makes it hard to deny that these guys belong closer to nature. This project had been in arts n' crafts purgatory for quite some time. The last firing was complete back in late summer but I finally had the chance yesterday to dig through some dusty storage bins to find the rope. It's Japanese garden twine that my dear mother had stockpiled from our time living abroad. And boy am I happy she did. Durable, rich in color and elegantly rustic, I am sure to be incorporating this into many future endeavors!

Oh Christmas Tree!

Coming from a Jewish-ish, semi-Greek orthodox family, it's no wonder my clan has always been a tad ambivalent about the holidays. The main strategy thoughout the years has been to pluck out the fun parts of each celebration to make one super-fabulous month. Hanukkah involves fried potato goodness that is latkes and Christmas is a great excuse for ugly sweaters, cookie swaps and general feasting.  It also helps that all four of us in the nuclear family have birthdays within a month,  December 20-January 20 exactly. 


Yet while I used to enjoy helping the fam string up our glittery pine cone lights in the trees, it's been a while since I have felt like decking the halls to any extent of the imagination. This all changed however when a little bright green tree caught my eye at the grocery store. A lemon cypress variety, this guy does not shed and it's leaves emit a citrusy scent when rubbed. Suddenly the thought of decorating a tree did not seem as daunting, especially after I found pretty pink/gold/silver ornaments and mini bells at the craft store.  I don't do stuffy - this tree is free form and at ease with just the right amount of adornments to complement its neon hue.  For the base, I decorated some paper to wrap around the plastic planter and broke out one of my beloved glass dishes to catch the water in. Oh and why store the left over fixings when they can be displayed all pretty-like in a matching bowl? And yes, I have managed to incorporate purple into holiday decorations. Queue the merriment!

Wooly, Wooly: A Pendleton Round-Up

Help! I have a serious obsession with all things Pendleton!  Winter is approaching so I find myself increasingly drawn to all things warm and fuzzy. Durning a visit to Portland, Maine this weekend, I happened across a chic boutique whose window display featured one fantastic black and white wool/leather weekender. I already own entirely too many travel bags so I reluctantly passed it by. That said, after feeling a tinge of non-buyer's remorse I was relieved to find it here (also at right), just in case I changed my mind. 

The Oregon-based brand's bright woolen blankets are probably their most sought after offering, perfect for chilly nights. They'd look pretty fab on the wall as well.

These same textiles work wonders on apparel and home goods too. How spectacular is this furniture? The leather accents make it sophisticated but the cozy cushions mean no stick-to-your-skin nonsense.
Pendleton makes many a plaid print but as you can see, the Native American inspired designs have captured my imagination as of late. And I am not the only one. The felted wool fabric has been utilized by many others over the years which makes for some good vintage and new finds. The recent Pendleton for Opening Ceremony collaboration gives these patterns a modern twist on cropped jackets and pencil skirts while some choice blazer and coat Esty finds keep things oversize and classic.

Or how about these two striped affairs via Yuketen and Madewell? I have a fear of primary colors and can't say I feel much towards backpacks these days, yet I'd sport either one of these! 

Better yet, these cushions are covered with reworked blankets for that one-of-a-kind look. Overall, geometric patterns are oh-so-versatile but beware, there is a fine line between totally modern and horribly outdated. My rules: avoid the 1980's by saying no to neon color schemes and use home items sparingly - leave the matchy-matchy  to the ski lodges. Anything I missed? What are your favorite wooly items?