Saturday at the Flea Market

I love a good flea market, don't you?

 

I'm not sure how "good" our local flea market really is, but it was a sunny day and I wanted to get out for some fresh air. Albeit cold air. So, I dragged the husband and two kids along with me. This is no small feat, believe me. There were plenty more appealing options for them to partake in (basketball game watching and play dates, to be exact), but I can be very persuasive especially when I promise fast food on the way and a $5 spending allowance for each child. Family togetherness and my favorite activity, shopping/bargain hunting . . . score!

So, what did I find? Not much but frostbitten fingers to be quite honest. I guess the cold weather (it got up to a balmy 46 degrees with a lot of wind) scared off some vendors. There were some cool things, but nothing that I needed or couldn't live with out. Darnit.

Here's some stuff I did find interesting enough to photograph:

I'm a little teapot (I think?) in a delicious turquoise/teal glaze. Even at $9, it wasn't tempting enough.

I didn't get the price on this little Chinese jar/vase, but I really don't need any more Asian stuff in my house right now. Trust me. If you don't believe me, I'm going to do a post on this very obsession issue soon.

I love the blue of this little table. Perfect for an entryway. Don't love the scalloped edge/skirt . . . would have preferred a clean line, but could overlook it. For $129, I thought it wasn't a bad deal. If you needed a little table. Nice shadow. Can you tell I'm not exactly a photography expert? Note the deer head next to the table. It freaked out my dear daughter.

I was drawn to these light fixtures. They're a little too industrial chic for me but I still appreciate their rustic awesomeness. When I get a loft these are definitely on my list.

 

Matt captured this image. I didn't even notice the gigantic "NOT." But it was in the same booth as the light fixtures. This guy makes some seriously cool stuff. Tables with nails and steel. Heavy metal. Once again, wouldn't work in my far too traditional home but I dig it.

Do you love the shape of this chair as much as I do? Needless to say, it would have to be reupholstered. But what fabric? The possibilities are mind-blowing. Possibly throw some nailheads around the edge, paint the legs. Now I'm bummed I didn't buy it. Of course, it had no price on it, and the owner of the booth was nowhere to be found. So, it was not to be. 


Now for some artistic Matt shots. If you don't know, my husband is a much better photographer than I am. His favorite subjects are usually under water, but today he turned his artistry on the flea market.

Who doesn't need a Kit Kat coffee mug? Or a Mt. Rushmore or Liberty Bell bottle?

Sweet old bike.

I think Bud's Pump 'n Diner got Matt's attention. Can't imagine why.

 

Ah, pretty colors.

Nice rack. I mean mannequin form. My husband is a guy . . . what else can I say?

 

Looks like a prison garbage can.

 

Off to get their much-deserved reward . . . $5 crystals!

Hope you had a great Saturday too!

Has It Come to This?

Let me be clear. I love a lot of magazines. This is not one of them. I never subscribed to Woman's Day. However, unfortunately, it showed up in my mailbox a few days ago. It wasn't a surprise. I received an all too familiar postcard informing me that yet another publication to which I had subscribed was now defunct and this rag would be taking its place.


A common source of angst and frustration for lovers of interior design and a hot topic in the blogosphere has been the demise of too many wonderful shelter magazines over the past year or two. Ad revenues are down, so beloved publications are now just a memory . . . a sad epitaph to these trying economic times. I hate to sound melodramatic, but my mood soured after looking through the aforementioned piece of crap. To put it kindly, it sucks. Or blows . . . whichever is worse. I'm sorry if I've offended any lovers of Woman's Day, but I'm actually amazed and a little perturbed that this publication has survived while so many better ones have fallen.


So, how did I end up with Woman's Day? How did this sad downward spiral start? It all began with one of my favorite design magazines, Domino.

 

Oh, Domino, how I miss thee. As Penelope Green of The New York Times wrote, "Domino magazine captured an aesthetic, and a readership, that was emblematic of a fizzy, girlish moment in design." I couldn't agree more. Now, the fizz is gone.


After Domino folded in April 2009, I think its publishers started sending me Metropolitan Home instead. I say "think" because my memory is playing tricks on me. But I believe that's how I started getting Met Home as I don't remember subscribing.

Okay . . . that was fine. While Met Home was a little modern for my taste, at least it was an interior design magazine. Well, predictably enough, Metropolitan Home folded toward the end of 2009.


In MH's place, I started to receive Cookie which was sort of a hip parenting/lifestyle mag.

While I wasn't swooning over Cookie, it had some redeeming qualities. Sort of a cross between Real Simple, Martha Stewart and Parents. I thought it was acceptable. I'm a parent. I'm somewhat hip. But, guess what? It's one of the latest victims of the publishing world's smackdown. That's how the Cookie crumbled (sorry, couldn't resist).


So now . . . Woman's Day?! Really? Has anyone seen this publication? Maybe in a waiting room somewhere? It's a disaster. And that's being kind. I majored in journalism (not that you can tell from my complete lack of adherence to AP style), so I'm not just speaking from the perspective of an interior design junkie. The editorial content is abysmal. The layout is so bad I can't tell where the ads end and the actual copy begins. It's printed on the flimsiest paper (a la Better Homes and Gardens) that feels one step up from tissue paper making it even more unappealing to flip through. And I would say 85% of the content is pharmaceutical ads. I guess that explains it. If you throw in a few tips (50 Things to Do with $5) with your ads you can pay for your publication. Otherwise, forget it, your magazine is destined for that recycle bin in the sky.


I think I'm going to save a few trees and request that whatever WD subscription I have left be forfeited. In the meantime, I'll enjoy my two favorite design magazines -- Elle Decor and House Beautiful -- and hope they don't meet the fate of some of their sister shelter publications. May they rest in peace.

 Sources: NY Times online, Media Bistro, Conde Nast, Hachette Filipacchi

Family Room Inspiration

I stayed at the Sheraton Delfina in Santa Monica a few years ago and was taken by the relaxed but sophisticated lobby. It's giving me inspiration for my family room redecoration. Love the mix of furniture and fabrics and this leather chair with the nailhead detailing.

This week my posts may be sporadic or all together absent as there's a good chance I won't have internet access where I'm going to be. However, I am doing a guest post on Pure Style on Wednesday so be sure to check that out.

Also, don't forget about Debra of 5th and State's Exterior Makeover Giveaway! For details head over here.

Missing Southern Accents

Not sure why, but I was surprised to see the Southern Accents website was still up. It wasn't House Beautiful or Elle Decor - Southern Accents had it's own unique point of view. I miss it. Do you? (Designer Gerrie Bremermann, photography by Tria Giovan)

(image above, Designer Kim Zimmerman, photography by Pieter Estersohn)

2009 Riverhills Southern Accents Showhouse, photography by Emily Minton Redfield
2009 Riverhills Southern Accents Showhouse, photography by Emily Minton Redfield
2009 Riverhills Southern Accents Showhouse, photography by Emily Minton Redfield
Designer Jeff Woosley, photography by Antoine Bootz
Designer Jeff Woosley, photography by Antoine Bootz
Designer Kathleen H. Rivers, photography by Pieter Estersohn

2009 Riverhills Southern Accents Showhouse, photography by Emily Minton Redfield

Reader Request: Sources for Wire Grille & Metal Screening

A reader noticed the wire grille in my half-built gray shelves and wondered if I could share the source. Her husband is in the midst of building built-ins and she loves the look. Imagine the red lacquered secretary above without the wire grille - it wouldn't be the same. My shelves came with the grille but after a bit of searching I found an excellent This Old House article full of resources. (image above via House Beautiful here, designer Christopher Maya, photographer not known)
One of the sources mentioned is a company called Rockler. They have two types available, pre-woven wire grill and hand woven grille, in different patterns and finishes.


The This Old House article has a complete buying guide with links for all the screens shown above, including some great patterned metal ones. Love the chain link (C) and mosaic (D) screening. Some of these screens come in 6' and 10' foot lengths and could be used for screens, room dividers or as an interesting window treatment or focal point behind a bureau.
My shelves, before their relocation.
A cabinet from Matthews House & Garden, with a chicken wire grille.

Fancy a Swim? & Thank you to Ragland Hill Social

A few hours passed and I hadn't seen my husband around the house. Just as I was wondering where he was I heard, "Come look at what I did!" Dan had made a replica of himself getting ready to dive into our frozen swimming pool. Just had to document this for posterity...

I'd also like to send out a huge thank you to Gwen Driscoll of Ragland Hill Social for featuring my blog in her It's a Small Blog-World series. If you haven't already checked out Gwen's blog, be sure not to miss it. Gwen is a very talented designer and she posts the most incredible collection of images, including ones devoted solely to a singular color. Pink is next on the list! One of my other favorite recent posts was on the design plan for a client's China Seas playroom here. Gwen - so glad you're blogging!

DC's Tracy Morris

Back in January '09, I started a series on DC Designers and the first designer featured was Tracy Morris. I recently visited her site and was drawn in by all the new additions to her portfolio and reminded, once again, of her versatility as a designer. Tracy is participating in the 2010 DC Design House; her room is the Artist's Studio and she'll be collaborating with Susan Calloway of Susan Calloway Fine Arts in Georgetown for the featured art work. Really looking forward to that! (all images from Tracy Morris Design)





Love the styling in the photo above with the shawl hanging down.

This last room is from the 2008 National Symphony Celebrations showhouse, which I was happy to have attended on the last day (more here). To see the 2009 DC Designer Series post on Tracy's work, go here.