New Sonoma Cool Kid Sport?

Here is my husband G. captured at bull fighting party in Sonoma.  Don't worry no spears!  But lots of guts.  Is this the new and braver bocci?

Talented Friends

Am I ever lucky when it comes to talented friends!  Make that REALLY lucky.  Case in point the beautiful Michelle Spane Rivera.

You may remember from my wedding as the adorable girl in a strapless top and ball gown skirt with a flower behind her ear and an irresistible freckle on her perfect nose.  The one every guy falls in love with?

But guess what?  She is now an accomplished artist! As a thank you for some design advice regarding her magnificent gothic manse in Piedmont, Michelle My Belle graced me with SURPRISE! two amazing pieces of her art!

Look and see!  Here shown in fabulous framing by Michael Thompson with my adorable blonde bombshell assistant Captain Underpants looking on . . ..

Bright pink!

And Graphic Black and White!  Again with the Captain showing his high approval.

And Now where to put them . . . hmmmmm

Urchin of Charleston

About a month ago, my beautiful cousin Erin Hallock got married in GORGEOUS Charelston South Carolina.  Having never been to the South, this was my big chance as I have always admired Southern style.  I was NOT disappointed. Charelston is perfectly art directed in every way - here are some snaps from my tour with Mom, Step Dad Ronnie and other assorted Berry cousins.

I must say I really appreciated the gorgeous landscaping - what a bunch of impeccable gardeners!

Of course, I did some shopping including a stop by a shop I have always wanted to hit - South Of Market.
I found this great black spiky urchin which I am considering in a pair for my hallway.

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. . . .