Here & Now: Winter Light

Winter decorating is all about brightening up a dark house, and adding some glamour to a season otherwise bundled up in fleece and flannel.

I arranged my collection of apothecary jars on top of the china cabinet, where the glass and a garland of glittered fronds catch the light through our bay windows. Each vessel contains a speckled mercury glass vase (remnants from our wedding decor). In the evenings I turn on flickering LED candles and the effect is magical: golden glow and silver reflections on every surface.

Our new chandelier is dressed for the season as well, sporting candles with a gilded finish. There's certainly no rule that says you can't accessorize an accessory!

How do you add extra light and sparkle to your space?

Here & Now: Newlywed Christmas

Newlywed Thanksgiving was so much fun we thought we'd give Christmas the same treatment. That, and the husband is out of vacation time. Regardless, we're here, and we're making the most of it- with twinkle lights, glitter, and a Christmas tree that's taller than Adam (proof of this will be posted on the StB facebook page later today).

Some very dear friends gave us Crate and Barrel's Angelique Stockings and Tree Skirt as a wedding gift, and they inspired this year's decorating scheme: neutrals and metallics. Does that combination seem a little familiar to you? Let's just say the tree looks right at home in the WarLock house. 

Our tree is wearing something old, something new, and quite a few things borrowed from the wedding! I used my collection of basic ornaments to give our tree a subtle gleam: crackled mercury glass orbs, chartreuse bulbs, and little spots of gold. The pearl-encrusted baubles were a bargain at Target, and they're a good match to the trim on our new stockings. We also replaced last year's roosting owls with a sparkling star tree-topper that sits at a jaunty angle (so endearing- and I love the size). I  added a bow with long curling tails that I saved from a wedding gift. Actually, all of our ornaments are tied on with snippets of ribbon left-over from wedding projects and wrappings! Old, new, borrowed, but nothing blue- I prefer to buy led string lights with a warm, old-fashioned glow.

Simple and sentimental- just right for our first married Christmas.

Girl About Town: Jack London's China Cabinet

Well, Charmian London's, to be exact. This is the dining room in The House With Happy Walls, a home built after Jack's death. It currently exists, per Charmian's wishes, as a museum at Jack London State Park to showcase her husband's adventures and accomplishments. The house is a gallery of photographs, publications, and prized possessions from their worldly travels. My favorite part was the oddly extravagant dining room, with an indoor fountain, a massive bank of windows, and three walls of cabinets specifically designed to display a very special set of dishes.

If you look closely, you'll notice that the cabinet knobs are off-set.

Look closer still and you'll realize that the hardware and cabinet trim have been painted to match the china within. The floral shape of the knobs emulates the leafy ornaments on the serving pieces, and both are given an illustrative quality with green outlines.

I love the idea of decorating to celebrate an heirloom or beloved artifact. Even more, I love the significance of these plates and bowls to their owners: Jack London purchased the set from the estate of Robert Louis Stevenson, a man he greatly admired but never met. 

Today I showed you Jack's enviable kitchen sink and some of the interesting interiors on the property. Tomorrow I'll take you on a hike through the grounds...

Dare to Dream: Botanical Rug

I love this rug so much, I won't even fuss about how they spelled my name wrong.

The Elisabeth Rug from Ballard Designs

It is named after me, right? The oversized English garden bouquet, the lush yet muted colors, the moody black background, the unexpected white fringe trim.... it is so me. More importantly, it is SO my living room.

Holiday Flea Marketing

It certainly looked a lot like Christmas at the Alameda Flea yesterday, where the rows of already covetable antiques were decked with tinsel and garland and everything else holly-jolly. I can't show off our purchases without spoiling a Christmas surprise... but I can certainly share some things that caught my eye!

Adam and I always stop to rummage through boxes of flatware on the off-chance that we spot a piece of our goldware pattern. Our silverware already has a mismatched look, but wouldn't it be fun to do a table where every fork and spoon was unique?

We're also scouting finishing touches for our bar cart (which I haven't even shown you yet!). Isn't a well-stocked bar a must-have for the holiday season? I loved the scrolling banner and gold touches on the vintage cognac poster, and the bold type on those ice buckets. What's that they say about champagne taste? I have it. We're working with a stocking-stuffer budget... luckily the Flea had those in endless supply!

And yes, even though we were shopping for others, I couldn't help looking a bit for myself. I had my eye on the tiny adornments this time: the floral pattern on this cookie tin, the whimsical detail of those earrings. Oh, those earrings. To say they captured my heart would be an understatement. But again- champagne taste.

The flea truly sparkled this month, and I have the pictures to prove it. I'll be sharing more photos of my finds all day at the One Must Shock the Bourgeois facebook page.

How the WarLocks Celebrate Halloween

Today I decided to  finally (begrudgingly) take down my Halloween decor and move on to Thanksgiving. Perhaps I should share first?

I didn't fully haunt the house this year, just a few subtle spooks here and there. After, all only our wicked cats were there to enjoy it. On Halloween weekend, on the most crisp and colorful Autumn evening you've ever seen, we donned costumes of a different kind for a little party...

That's us in the photo booth at our wedding reception!

We won't get our photographs until Christmastime, but a few teasers arrived in my inbox this morning. They were just enough to give resolution to the blur of joy that was our wedding day. Our love, and our labor of love. The designing, editing, crafting... all captured, along with the candid emotion of our beautiful friends and family. We did it. I feel triumphant. I can't wait to show you.

In the meantime,

xoxo

Elizabeth

PS: Be sure to visit the Shock the Bourgeois Facebook page for one last look at my Halloween decorating (and a glimpse of our wedding invites!).

The Lockhart's Trove

I spotted something with my name on it at the Imm Living sale at Joss and Main today- a Lockhart's Trove! Done in white ceramic, these whimsical padlock-and-key themed coin banks have an heirloom quality that I admire...

While I'm awfully fond of the scrolling patterns of the smaller bank, the larger version has proven too perfect to pass up. A Lockhart's Trove emblazoned with a stately leo is going to be a rather fitting gift-to-self for this Lockhart born in August!

Images by Imm Living via Joss & Main

As frivolous as the object may appear, the notion of symbolically and ceremoniously saving money resonates with me. Perhaps it will help me put away pennies for the larger purchases I dare-to-dream of?

Chain Linking it All Together

Junkyard toughness with a sultry drape. Masculine metal with feminine curve. Chain link is a trend I could trim my whole house in...

Chain Link Floor Lamp from Bermingham & Co. on 1st Dibs, Boyfriend Chain Bracelet from Bing Bang, Chain Link Cake Plate by Magenta, Industrial Bar Table from Greenwich Living on 1st Dibs

Not Neutral on Neutrals

No matter how many colorful garments hang in my closet, I always find myself reaching for the black sweater, brown skirt, brass-studded belt, white loafers. I know what works for me.

The same is true of interiors.

Images: Apartment Therapy, Remodelista, Delight by Design, Head Over Heels, Covet Garden Issue 6

Products: English Campaign Chair from Kim Fiscus for One Kings Lane, Quail Feather Pillow from Burke Decor, Dark Nostalgia by Eva Hagberg

Girl About Town: Bountiful Home

For those of you who missed this post in its Facebook album form while Blogger was down, enjoy! If you're not yet a fan of the Shock the Bourgeois Facebook page, head on over and click "like" for access to photos that don't make it on the blog!

I know, I've posted about Bountiful Home before. If it seems like I'm gushing, I am! Not only is this one of my favorite places to shop when I'm visiting in Washington, I'm also trying to convince Todd that he needs an assistant... (haha!).

Todd certainly has the knack for styling. Something rusty, something romantic, something a little kooky (just check out that mouse in the party hat!). Bountiful Home & Nursery is a visual treat indoors and out. The garden is lush with Spring blooms, the 100-year-old house is furnished with reworked vintage pieces, and every surface sparkles with mercury glass. I want one of everything.

Working with Todd to decorate my wedding has been an absolute pleasure. Thanks to his recommendation, I've selected Maxine's Floral for bouquets and centerpieces. Things are coming together beautifully- and I'm loving this opportunity to collaborate with such creative people!

Girl Around Town: Side

What was it that lured me into Side, an up-cycled furniture boutique on Berkeley's San Pablo Avenue... could it have been a glimmer of aqua blue, or perhaps the enticing aroma of fresh paint? 

The Side business card bears the Sister Parish quote, "innovation is often the ability to reach into the past and bring back what is good, what is beautiful, what is useful, what is lasting." Apt, because that's precisely what owner Carolyn Pickell is doing. While so many contrive to make new furniture appear old, Side celebrates vintage furnishings made young. The tiny shop features an ever-changing assortment of meticulously refinished antiques wearing unexpected paint colors and clever detailing (even pinstripes!). Every surface is laden with treasures, natural curiosities mingling with gilded accessories.

Side has the eclectic aesthetic of a flea market- refined, edited, and styled flawlessly. It's a new Bay Area favorite!

Here & Now: Rabbit Multiplication

My collection of white ceramic rabbits is multiplying like... rabbits. You've already seen the little bunny hidden in my kitchen, and I've got my rabbit soap dish out again. Here are the newest to join the brood (luckily they're pitching in around the apartment).

I spotted this roly-poly rabbit at Pottery Barn and wheedled my Mom into buying him for me. She couldn't say no to this face (the rabbit's, not mine). He has the very important job of dispensing licorice jellybeans. If he could keep Adam out of them, he'd be much more useful.

This one was a Christmas gift from Mom, who (having been in cahoots with Adam) knew that I was getting something sparkly. He very sweetly wears my ring on the rare occasions when I take it off!

Who's joining the family/collection next? Hopefully this guy, who's on our registry...

Apilco Hare Casserole Dish from Williams Sonoma

He'll fit right in, but as far as utility goes- he's going to have to find a new occupation, because it's highly unlikely I'm cooking rabbit anytime soon.

Design Beginnings

I am often asked, "when did you first become interested in design?" Hmmm. Well, let's see...

This is me, age five.

And this was my favorite book.

Can you tell that it's been my best-loved book? It has more than its fair share of rips and tears! I badly want a crisp copy, but Need a House? Call Ms. Mouse! has long been out of print- and books as tattered as mine sell for $60. What I have is a treasure in many ways.

The book is the illustrated portfolio of Ms. Henrietta Mouse. She is "an artist, a designer, a dreamer, a builder, a creator, all that and more too." She's designed a tower observatory for Owl, a cozy cave for Bear, a hopping pad for Frog. At five, I thought Pig's palace was the most splendid of them all. To be honest, I still think that tole chandelier is fabulous.

Click to see all the detail (can you spot Ms. Mouse?).

Here's my rendition. I've obviously taken some liberties with the layout.

It's funny to reflect (as I type this post at a desk strewn with paint chips, fabric swatches, and decor magazines), that I'm not so different from my five-year-old self. Yes, I now prefer fine-tipped pens to crayons, but I'm still drawing up elaborate plans, and Ms. Mouse still inspires me.

"Her head is like a carousel whirling with colors, fabrics, and designs. Look at her. Always at her drawing table, always creating for others. There she is roughing out her schemes and themes trying to change each creature's house from the commonplace to the extraordinary. For hours and hours she struggles to find perfection."

You and me both, Henrietta. So, maybe my answer is... when haven't I been interested in design?




Update: I scanned a few more amusing images of my earliest design projects. Quite the portfolio! You can view them at the Shock the Bourgeois Facebook page. Be sure to click "like" while you're there!

Dare to Dream: Modern Gothic

It's not often that idly clicking through Apartment Therapy brings me to a house that flawlessly combines raw brick and linear modernity with elegant mouldings and Victorian frill. And then there's the twisted, skeletal staircase. Courtney & Trevor, I await my invite. Also, let's be best friends.

The owner describes her style as "disturbed traditionalism," a phrase I wish I'd coined myself. I wasn't sure why AT had termed this practically colorless house "playful" until I locked eyes with the DIY coffee table. Oho, now I get it.

Images from Courtney & Trevor's Playfully Sophisticated House Tour by Apartment Therapy

This is a look that requires good bones- good architectural bones, that is. I'd do terrible things to have a space like this, with room to make an aesthetic statement (instead of just leaving little hints everywhere). I'll always be firmly against white paint for a shoebox apartment, but these crisp white walls with such height and natural lighting... this is an art gallery, and one that can elevate curious shapes like paper snowflakes and wire hangers to Dada-esque distinction.

If I hung a wire hanger on my wall, people would merely assume I'd run out of closet space. Which, incidentally, is true. Ah, dare to dream.

Spring Gallery

Last week's visit from a swallowtail butterfly prompted me to add some signs of Spring to my decor, starting with a new gallery wall in my living room.

I've been tweaking my living room for months trying to get it just right. When my workspace was featured in Where We Blog From back in November, my desk occupied the corner by the windows. To make the room more comfortable for my Thanksgiving guests, I rearranged and hung new art (as seen below). 

It was an improvement, but the art looked stale and washed-out to me. Finally, last week I found the solution! The Ikea picture ledges allow me to layer frames for more impact, and their modern lines make my eclectic art collection look more graphic than granny. I also realized that I was using the wrong metallic- doesn't that antiqued gold look warm and rich against my mauvey-gray walls? I'm still waffling on adding more color to my decor, but for now, a little glimpse of blue sky goes a long way!

The cloud painting is a promo postcard from an art gallery, and my set of vintage butterfly prints ($5 on eBay years ago) acknowledge the season. The framed W (for WarLock, of course) is perhaps my cheapest and easiest DIY to date. I picked up the golden letter ornament for $1 at Restoration Hardware, mounted it directly onto the cardboard backer of the Ikea frame, and added a guinea feather for good measure. Under $20, under 20 minutes, and I love it. It ties the colors and textures of other pieces together, and the curved line of the feather balances the arrangement. It also happens to be a preview of the themes I'm using for the wedding... so I get a little "I-can't-wait" thrill every time I look at it!

The last and best addition to the living room is the industrial swing-arm wall lamp, a lucky $30 find at Jeremy's in Berkeley. I'd purchased it for my bedroom, but it did something amazing for this formerly  unlit and unloved corner: it turned it into the coziest nook in the house.

I think I'm finally on to something. Anyone else redecorating this Spring?

Inspired Buy

I bought myself a little present, inspired by the delightful "E" I posted earlier this week...

The sculptural, scrolling door grille reminded me of the Iron Floral Cookbook Stand at Wisteria, a pretty thing that I'd long ago put on my wish list. It's an uncanny match, but here's where it really gets weird: the day I bought it, it was 50% off! Meant to be, I think.

It doesn't just prettify my kitchen, it holds the largest of my cookbooks and keeps the pages from getting mussed when I'm trying out a messy new recipe. Just the thing for a aesthete/foodie/bibliophile like myself.

Next week I'll be in Seattle to meet with florists, catch up with my Matron of Honor, and get fitted for my wedding dress! I promise to tweet all about my wedding planning adventures in Seattle, but I've also got a slew of posts in queue, starting with my recipe for Bacon Jam shortbread. You read right, bacon-lovers, Bacon Jam shortbread. Happy weekend!