Ladies & Gentlemen present . . .

side tables made from vintage lamp bases!

vintage brass lamps taken apart to reveal all these individual pieces & reassembled back into side tables that offer a big punch of metallic-goodness. and, if it's not solid brass you can use oven cleaner to turn it into chrome! viola!

and another little treat from Ladies & Gentlemen Studio:


color-dipped spoons & forks!
in buttermilk, dijon mustard, & blood orange

daily dose of fabulous

cute clutch for three reasons:

1. simple, sleek & modern
2. i love me a little clutch
3. it's SHAGREEN! whoa

if you ask The Buzz on Antiques, shagreen is pronounced "shuh GREEN" and is defined as an untanned animal skin that has a very granular surface, almost like pebbles. these hides with granular indentations ("pebbles") come from animals like donkeys, horses, sharks & sting rays.
shagreen first became popular in the 1920's (reaching its height in the '30's) and was and is used in a variety of ways, not just on small luxury goods (like clocks, purses, etc.) but also as a surface for furniture. and wall coverings too!!

fortuny fetish

"Always beautiful, but never the same, no two runs of fabric are ever identical and each is a work of art in its own right"

Born into a family of artists in Granada, Spain, Mariano Fortuny was a talented painter. But painting was only one of his many artistic gifts; the production of these textiles was the combination of his knowledge of engineering, color & design
It is this process and technique, unduplicated in the world, Fortuny textiles are still continuing on the same machinery, using the same secret process and techniques as developed by Mariano Fortuny a century ago. And THAT is why I love them so much. They are one-of-a-kind & absolutely gorgeous

love for klismos


No one's ever sat on an original Greek klismos chair, because not one has actually survived. Its popularity peaked around 400 B.C., but it was resurrected in the 18th century, when all things classical were the fashion. From the moment we first spied it on ancient Greek pots, the elegant klismos has been reproduced, reinvented, refreshed, and retailed. It's the most popular chair we've never seen.

What actually makes a chair a klismos chair?

Basically, it's the concave top rail that's curved to embrace the shoulders of the sitter, and those four incurved saber legs. Some chairs have vertical or horizontal back splats and some have none. Because this element is seldom visible in the Greek original, we don't quite know what's "right." There are many variants with perfectly straight front legs, too, but they look clunky.

Thank you, House Beautiful

meatball mondays & then some

in addition to hosting infamous meatball mondays- a must-do with your favorite city girlfriends- A16 also surprises you with the cutest little decals for the ladies & gentlemen's rooms. understandably understated & absolutely adorable!

a collection of notebooks i saw and liked

archie grand notebooks. an interior design accessory & personal fulfillment essential

a priceless website introduction:

Let me introduce Archie Grand the infamous Scandinavian notebook maker. Archie Grand produce high quality notebooks for shopaholics, artists, fashionistas and 55 other breeds of charlatans, scoundrels and luminaries.

Our notebooks are made with great care given to their quality. They have a rigid cover, are thread sewn and have a matte leather-like lamination. The size is 160x115 mm and neatly fits the pocket of a suit or a small evening bag.

The JUMBO is an astronomical 410x310 mm for your overxized ambition, big ideas or that very long meeting or just that super sized gift you always planned of giving.

GO JUMBO OR GO HOME! -me


my personal favorites:
"This is the notebook for every fan of the young rich and famous or as a gift to those who do not really understand what kind of creatures they have become."



"This is the notebook for every one who have or might have to many of them."



"This is the great gift for anyone who walks the static side of life, or just think modern days are to correct in their political views."



and obviously:
"To have style or to have not that is the question, for Friend and Foe, with the estethical mind; who will not be in your book or who would make it? Sketch it out, paste copy cut, paper cowgum and rotringen makes the world go around."



i started my own collection but not telling which ones i've actually ordered. MY secret

my secret trove revealed

i got my start in the interior design industry working for a high end european antique dealer in san francisco. i had no idea what i was getting into but four years later my appreciation of interior design has grown immensely. i've had the pleasure of working with the biggest design talents worldwide, and blessed with a rich knowledge of antiquities- for both personal and professional enrichment.

this third generation antiques dealer & restoration expert is one of the largest and most prestigious resources for the world’s finest antiques, custom furniture and museum quality restorations. i was caught off-guard by such grandeur at my interview, thinking "do people really buy this stuff". oh and believe me, they do.

when crates are delivered from overseas, i catalog & document every new acquisition. i find this examination process very satisfying due to the emphasis on detail; every intricacy is observed & recorded. i've learned to appreciate the most subtle decorations, embellishments & inlays from every angle imaginable

"Everything has its beauty but not everyone sees it"
-Confucius
not your ordinary mirror

the multiple perspectives of a chandelier

some personal favorites:

lapis lazuli, ivory, mother-of-pearl & malachite


a finely carved Louis XVI leg


marquetry & parquetry inlay

the antique collection: only about a quarter of his inventory is on display at his san francisco showrooms and the rest is cooped up in a secret warehouse, all three floors full. the warehouse is eerie, cold & rickety but i like taking trips over because it feels like an ancient time warp. and, the elevator rides from floor to floor make me feel like indiana jones


the elevator shaft, looking overhead:

the secret trove:

but not everything is ancient. we make some pretty impressive reproductions, for the less-traditional clientele

get floored . . .


. . . pushing the envelope with tiles; moroccan to mediterranean, & everything in between

as a child i remember loving my next-door neighbor's mediterranean revival home, sprinkled with colorful tiles throughout the house but the stairwell especially. when i see a well-tiled interior it brings me back those memories of loving the unique & fun properties of those tiles. i think its important to garnish your floors- go make a lasting impression, even on the smallest feet :)

my personal favorites: