Chaise Debut!

After a month in transit (come on . . . really?), my first vintage chaise arrived from La La Land today!  Isn't she chic?

The identical twin sister she has never met arrives from Geneva Illinois on Thursday for lunch!  After they get to know each other, we will send them off for identical facelifts and they will return to Maison de Noise in a lavender grey linen to boldly build a new life together in San Francisco.  I expect they will both be the stars of a few upcoming cocktail parties . . . 

Hope they really are twins and not just sisters. . .  Fingers crossed. 

Caution! Driver May Stop Suddenly and Buy Something

Like all San Franciscans who like home design, I  adore Anthem!

Its chic, easy to shop and there is also something inspiring.  Plus the gals in there have terrific ideas!

And guess what?  I just found my new bathroom light fixture hanging right there in the window on Sacramento!  It was a Screeeeeech PULL THE CAR OVER NOW DAMMIT! moment complete with the panic-y sideways picture to prove it.

Honk if you heart faux bois!  I am really becoming a home design looser/freak.

Also beware of a grey Volvo SUV if you happen to be driving in the area.  It may stop suddenly as the driver is obsessed with Anthem's Mongolian fur bench and cannot be relied upon to act with sanity.   You may spy her in neon green flats rushing from the car and marching zombie like with an Amex in her hand. She is armed and dangerous.  Do not, repeat DO NOT, contact Gregg Brockway if you happen upon this terrible scene.

Did you ever know (or care!) that you're my hero?

Now that we sort of have the living room floor plan down I am working on color palate!

This means I get to spend time STUDYING the work of my ultimate color heroes:  Barbara Barry, John Saladino and especially Mr. Vicente Wolfe.

I was so inspired by the way Barbara Barry used a pale, calm and neutral (but not tan) palate to modernize  the Albert Farr home she did in Piedmont I showed in a previous post.  Just smashing forever.

John Saladino just has these perfect chalky whites, greys with lavender and periwinkle moments.

And the FANTASTIC Vincente Wolfe!  Always utterly sublime with light greys and blues.  I just feel so darn relaxed looking at these rooms and with 4 kids, I need the calm!

Notice that none of these characters uses an ounce of prints!  I guess that's why their spaces feel so calm and airy.  With all my books and art, I am not sure I will ever reach this level of sublime calm but here's to trying!  It really lets the texture and shape of things come shine through.

So for my own living room, which I adore because of all the light and windows and the view of the bay and Palace of Fine Arts (okay peak a boo view!), I am thinking of all light, silvery greys with a touch of lavender in them, off white, dark hardwood floors and punches of citron, aubergine and burnt bronze.  I am trying to steer clear of anything shiny as the house is formal enough and to lean more toward matte and luxurious fabrics like simple well defined linens, velvets and soft wool flannel.

Here are a few swatches to show what I mean . . .

The ones that got away

Dear John Salibello,

I love everything in your shop. Everything.  Even the door knobs.  And the weird parrot lamps.  And the lucite anything.

But I really fell for these 2 gorgeous midcentury benches with the most amazing Picasso shaped backs.



I fell really hard. Really and truly hard. And they are just so expensive.  Like breathtaking expensive. Like I could buy a Warhol expensive (ok a Warhol print but still).  So expensive that they made the really weird and astronomically priced Marc Jacobs runway clothes that only Tilda Swinton can wear conjure the "I bought it at Ross" jingle.

I deeply considered them along with the full five year sentence of serving "pancakes at night" to my children to afford them.  Somehow it still seemed do-able.

Then, during a Real Housewives re-run (cheaper than wine - hey! I was saving for benches?), I saw a Suzy Orman informercial and remembered that I am smarter than this.  Sad, disappointed, in a perpetual state of longing but not broke ass stupid.

So goodbye you adorable benches. I hope you find a big, happy hedge fund house to live in someday.  In the meantime, my kids and I are having steak tonight. . . .

Destiny's Child

Was it meant to be?  Serendipity?  Fate? Destiny?

Did they sit next to each other by chance at a diner one snowy morning in Park City and WHAMMO!  find love at first sight?

Nope but . . .

God is a fair man (and a Man I am pretty sure based on my wretched 14 hour labor with Baby Uno) and He worked his magic last week when, unsuspecting, I logged on to 1stDibs and found two IDENTICAL  Adrian Pearsall chaises - destined to say "Hello Foxy!" to each other every morning from either side of my living room fireplace.

This little piggy was discovered hiding in The City of Angels!

And this little piggy was going about her business quietly in Geneva Illinois . . .

Aren't they cute together?  "What therefore God hath joined together, let not man put asunder."  

Amen baby!  Coming Soon to Maison de Noise!

Progress

One great thing about being up in Tahoe whilst on a "no booze" Lent jag, you have LOTS of time to talk home design with your partner - poor, poor long suffering Gregg.

Well anyhow we made some decisions and I am most happy!  Following my inspirational trip to NYC I started updating our prototype floor plan with some real items that I had fallen in love with.

Here is the result for the living room - what do you think?  Comments are appreciated although I know many of you are struggling with the comments portion of the site - email me!

And from a different view . . 

And if you were a bird or Spiderman on my ceiling, it would look like . . .

I suspect the ceiling fixture is too small and that the lack of art and books make it a little antiseptic.  And you?

Solo in the City!

Last week I had the pleasure of spending 2 full days in New York City solo and then another 2 days with my sister! Wow!  A real luxury unmatched in the past 41 years!

I decided to spend the solo days hitting all the fabulous furniture and design stores I have been stalking, ehmmm I mean, visiting online for years via my favorite site, 1stDibs.com.


It took me almost a full hour but I actually mapped all my favorite resources on Google Maps and devised two manageable walking tours.

Note: Flats Required.

After all this work, I thought it only right to post my TripIt itinerary (great travel planning site started by a real FOX!) so my girls who may be in NYC soon (or now!), could save some time and see some hot spots.  

Downtown Store Tour for Freaky Home Design Maniacs

ABC Carpet and Home (Almost too big but inspiring especially first floor)
888 & 881 broadway at east 19th street 212 473 3000

Showplace Antique + Design Center (Yatzi!  Lots and Lots)
40 West 25th St.
New York City, NY, 10010
Phone: 212.633.6063
E-Mail: sales@nyshowplace.com

Kerson Gallery (Killer ART)
135 West 24th Street 
New York . NY 10011 . 

Todd Merrill Antiques  (Mi piace but cha ching!)
65 Bleecker Street
New York, NY 10012
Phone: 212-673-0531
Fax: 212-677-6068
E-Mail: tnmerrill@att.net
Phone: 212.229.2406

The Rug Company (Dear Rug Company, Please come to SF!)
88 Wooster Street
New York
NY 10012
United States
T: +1 212 274 0444

 Flair Home Collection (Fun, Affordable, Dark)
88 Grand Street
New York City, NY 10013

Duane
176 DUANE ST.
New York, NY
Phone: 212-625 8066

WYETH (expensive, serious, beautiful)
315 Spring St 212-243-3661
New York, NY, 10013
Phone: 212-243-3661
E-Mail: info@wyethome.com

 BDDW  (lindsey Adelman - BANANAS!!!)
79 Crosby Street New York NY 10012

AREA ID (Really stylish in a feminine and edgy way)
262 Elizabeth Street New York, NY 10012. USA Phone: 212-219- 9903. Fax: 212-219-9904

Uptown itinerary comes next posting!