Can you pass up a beautiful antique? I cannot, and I blame my grandmother for it, really. She was an antiques dealer and had a restoration shop for a good number of years and I grew up by her side, visiting grand houses in my hometown, looking at and buying interesting old furniture. I think it’s those happy memories that have shaped my love for antiques. I get a visceral reaction whenever I see a beautiful piece, it feels like falling in love…  Over the years, especially since moving to New England, I’ve fallen in love one too many times, and I now have quite a collection of old pieces and beautiful items that I sadly have no place for in our tiny home. The way I figured I had two options- store them in our basement and let them wither and decay, just because I love them and cannot part with them easily; or set them free and let these pieces bring someone else joy, and make someone else’s home beautiful. I chose the latter. I created a Chairish account where I now list my darling pieces one by one. I’m not a professional seller, I’m just a girl who can’t pass up a good antique and I think it’s time to face the music. 

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As much as we love color, there is no denying that neutral rooms can be just as complex and beautiful as those with a more daring palette. There are a few things that help neutral color schemes from falling flat and for me it’s all about contrast and variety. Contrast between darker and lighter hues, and a variety in finishes and textures. When working with a restricted palette, whether by choice or by necessity (the client’s wishes for instance), I think it helps to create tension by mixing in different elements that enhance each other: wood and metal, old and new, linen and velvet, woven finishes and more polished surfaces… When all the senses are engaged, the room becomes sensorial and interesting regardless of color palette, as witnessed by these beautiful rooms we’ve all admired over the years. 

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UPDATE: For those of you disappointed that the Chinese spice jars linked in this post are sold out, I’m including a similar piece down below.

If you’re looking for a timeless color palette that is both soothing and universally appealing, then blue and white is certainly something to consider. It ages well, as witnessed by these wonderful rooms, and can be combined with earthier hues like camels, tans and browns, to create spaces that look both fresh and inviting. Blue looks good on its own but it awakens to new heights next to pinks, reds and greens, and has the ability to combine in ever different and surprising ways. 

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Increasing a home’s architectural charm is something I am often asked about in my decorating consultations and this is a post I’ve been planning to write for quite some time. I love sharing beautiful old houses, chock-full of detail and architectural pizzazz but I am aware that in real life many of us live, or have lived at one point, in homes that are less than perfect architecturally, lacking architectural charm and integrity. (We are living in such a home right now. ) But the good news, and the reason for today’s blog post, is that there are things we can do to add architectural interest to our rooms, things which in turn will make decorating that much easier, and more fun, and over time increase our home’s resale value.

A few weeks ago I shared with you a couple of purchases for our home that I was very excited about. One of them was an antique desk, bought from an elderly New Orleans couple. The other was a small side table with turned legs and beautiful patina that I just couldn’t pass up, even though I have yet to decide its permanent place in our furniture plan. After leaving them in our garage for a while, I got around to giving them a good clean and I am happy to share that they are now in place. As promised, here’s a peek.