the professor

the other day i found my self quite inspired by this simple vintage desk chair. (sorry for the poor phone camera quality) 

a nod to mid century i couldn't help but conjure the professor. bookishly handsome, cardigan or blazer, it hardly matters, with leather patches at the elbows, horn rimmed glasses and a weathered but captivating smell of tobacco encircling him. in an instant i glimpsed his home office. A large wooden slab desk with gorgeous patina, a wall covered in ornate antique gold frames,empty so that one may appreciate all their intricate detail, comfy siesta chairs for reading, plenty of old books, and accents of candlelight, brass, wool and hide. btw an inspiration board via the internet is hard - made me appreciate fabric samples and colored pencils. 

desk: 1stdibs, books: simply objekts, siesta chairs: 1st dibs, fossil bookends: littlybyrdvintage, hex lamps:1stdibs, rug: moroccanmaryam, paint: No.268,95 and 264:farrow&ball, sconces:lovedbytime

inspired loft. mike murphy

im simply dying over this super chic, smart and very handsome apartment by designer mike murphy. 

it was featured on apartment therapy in early january. they describe it as a masculine vintage. and i suppose this is true but it feels so modern and homey also. i would move in in a second. and those floor to celling windows! 

i adore the the industrial nod and the predominating grey and black color pallet. the subtle introductions of green and the collections of blankets hanging over the railing are divine. i also love his incorporation of modern and mid century pieces with such things as white bead board and other distinctly american farmhouse details. 

two other things for me to love. its a tiny little loft space just large enough for everything one would need in a home, and he has picked up most of his amazing finds on the sidewalk. truly one for the inspiration board. 

In with the Mid Century Modern : the finished product

im so! excited to share the sequel to In with the Mid Century Modern 


you all may remember that i found this chair in the back of a salvage truck on the street in san francisco. literally sitting atop a mountain of junk being removed from a basement somewhere around hayes valley. after a brief chat with the driver of this truck and a few eye rolls from SOS the chair was mine. 

and then the dilemma began. what?! was i going to use for fabric, what style cushion, what size cushion, welting or no welting. i must have looked at 50 different fabric and changed my mind 200 times. you can see my progress in this post. and in the end i chose exactly what i thought i didnt want at the start and i couldnt be more thrilled with the outcome. THRILLED!

 i took a risk (well risk for me anyway not for some) on the fabric choice. one day it was just like bam! sitting there at the fabric store right in front of me and i knew that was it. from there i let the fabric and the line of the chair guide me as far as cushion style and size. im so excited. 

i hope you enjoyed this little series and i would love to hear what you think.


 P.S. i picked up a new project last night and will be starting another little series on that. 

chair obsession. ch07

im slowly coming to terms with the fact that i have a chair addiction. I just find them irresistible  today im obsessing over this sleek beauty. the Carl Hansen CH07 shell lounge chair.

Hans Wegner at auction.

yesterday my mom called me to share an article my gram had clipped from the newspaper. Skinners auction house, boston ma. recently had an auction filled with 20th century furniture and decorative arts. 


one of the lots included 8 hans wegner cow horn chairs. here is the auction houses description for the chairs 
Eight Hans Wegner Cow Horn Chairs
Teak, rosewood, leather
Made by Johannes Hansen, Copenhagen, Denmark, c. 1958
Cow horn shaped backrest with rosewood finger joints, black leather dipped seat raised on four tapering legs with front and back stretcher, metal label, some wear, back ht. 29, seat ht. 17 1/2, wd. 20 3/4, back wd. 23, dp. approx. 18 in.




 and they garnered a dazzling 57,000 dollars when the hammer dropped. I wish i could have been present for this event - can you even imagine. I bet the energy level was so high!! 57K for eight chairs - thats a little over 7k per chair. HOLY *%$! 


i just find the whole thing so amazing. and of course there is my long standing obsession with the wegner wishbone chairs. better snatch some up soon i guess. 

in with the mcm. Swatches

hoping everyone had a lovely weekend. It poured buckets here yesterday which i would normally love but i got rained out of Alameda - the huge once-a-month flea market and i was really looking forward to going.

I have been working on finding the right fabric for my mcm chair. I got a call from the upholsterer on friday saying they are just waiting on me for the fabrics. gulp. exciting but now i feel under pressure.

So far ive found a variety of light and dark heavy duty cotton/denim twill. I love this fabric. im just not sure its exactly what i want. though i am really loving that faint sort of houndstooth pattern.

Im going to check out another fabric store today.

in with the mcm. To Welt or not to Welt.

So yesterday i found an upholsterer to work on my chair. Its the cutest place. a couple started it in 1968 and they are still hard at work in their little studio. they also got a kick out of me bringing in the chair (i think because its come back around again) but they knew exactly what it should look like. BUT. then the question. what type of fabric and TO WELT OR NOT TO WELT.

the above two photos show chairs with similar frames and without welted pillows. I like the very tailored and clean look of them. I also love the patterned fabric (and the mouiller lamp in the second photo) but its not really my style.

the chairs in this grouping all have welted pillows. I am really digging the blue grey fabric with the teak colored frame. i think it makes a really elegant combination. I have also been thinking about a wheat colored cushion or a cream.

image: apartment therapy, design sponge, last two images doorsixteen

In with the Mid Century Modern.

a little story for your tuesday. I spent my saturday strolling around the Hayes Valley neighborhood of san francisco. darling by all accounts and filled with little shops full of treats and treasures. A particular favorite of mine is a store which sells its own handmade line of soaps and lotions and all manner of potions - but tucked in among these things is a stunning, and i do mean stunning collection of mid-century modern furniture and pottery. drool. it really is the only interaction i can have with these pieces & their very cool price tags of 1200 or more. Fast forward and as i leave the store and round the corner what do i spy in the back of a salvage truck?! this.

plucked from the depths of a dark (and spider filled basement) was this not so ancient but oh so beautiful treasure. and so i loaded it on my back (spiders and all) and carried it to the nearest friends house where i left it for 20minutes so i could go get my car and drive it home. With a little more love (it need to be tightened up in a few places but thats it!!) and a new cushion and strapping (provided by my local upholsterer) I will be the proud new mamma of a MCM chair.

excited? YES YES YES.

suggestions on cushions material/color for me would be appreciated.

take a seat

yesterday while making my thrift store rounds i spied this perfect chair in the drop-off pile on the side of the building. "Perfect" i thought, "exactly what ive been wanting" - and so off i went into the thrift store - on the way out i passed it again - still upside down in a pile with a bunch of old office rolling chairs - thinking they would never sell it to me out of the pile i just walked on by. but then 2 block away i turned around - "i at least have to ask" - and what do you know - the guy was all to happy to give it to me! After a very small charitable donation i am now the proud new owner of this "exactly what i wanted chair" .... i think it will look amazing with this pillow too!