marnimarnimarnimarnimarnimarnimarni

ohohoooh, how excited is everyone for Marni at H&M next Thursday!!?  Well, we can hardly contain ourselves and luckily H&M has put some sneak peaks up online with pricing (which is amazingly affordable, as usual) so we can scope out exactly what we want to grab as soon as those doors open, so get out of the way!  I'll knock an old lady down, I don't care...

Take a (safe) stroll through the collection here...

Transparent plastic bag, totally Marni-esque, totally awesome price

Marni Sunnies..sooo fly and less than $20, need we say more?  

Elasticized Plastic + Wood bracelets...will be grabbing these by the fistful!  

Amazing chunky ribbed leggings, elastic waist of course which is what we live in :)  anything for comfort people!

these look like the real deal that sells for wayyyy more.  They're $99/pair!

how cute and fun for summer!

and the necklace I will be TRULY heartbroken not to bring home..leather cord necklace with white plastic flowers.  swoon...

xxoxoxo

eBay Lovin

So A and I loooove eBay + etsy for incredible deals on everything from furniture + home accessories to shoes, clothes, handbags, and literally everything in between.  We fancy ourselves somewhat of experts in sniffing out + taking advantage of the best deals available and would love to share our finds with the world!  check out some steals on our radar today:

Authentic vintage Hermes Leather clip-on earrings... a chance to own a piece of Hermes for a fraction of a fraction of a fraction of the cost of a berkin!  3 1/2 days left on the auction and no one has bid, bidding starts at $95.00 and shipping is not outrageous.  someone grab them quick!

New Derek Lam Ivory Chiffon Shirt from Barneys..again 3 1/2 days left and price is only at $57.00...I dont think it will go over $150 and for a shirt like this, it's a serious steal

Vintage 70s Modernist desk lamp by Pietro Chiesa for Fontana Arte.  a little over 6 days left on the listing, current bid is less than $1 so who knows where it will go to, my guess is not more than a few hundred $$.  Downside: item ships from France for $60 to the states which is pricey, but this same EXACT lamp is on 1stdibs for $6,500.  you do the math.  

finally, a vintage George Nelson/Howard Miller ball clock.  Classic mid-century design, from the description it seems like it may need a little attention from someone who can repair clocks (what is that called?), but for a starting bid of $50 with a little over 8 days left i bet this will stay under the radar and sell for not much more than the starting bid.  Also doesn't have the identifying tag on the back which probably accounts for the low price as well, but who cares if it looks cool!  shipping is reasonable too at $10.95.  always pay attention to the shipping costs!  Here is your chance to own a piece of iconic mid-century design for a steal!  

xxoxoxoox

just a quick reminder...

..on this fugly rainy friday...yesterday was gorge....

xxoxoxo

projectinstagrams

hey kids - here are some pics of a recently (almost) completed project...strictly decorating, a fantastic space, and SUCH a fun client!  more pics to come!!

xxoxoxo

Here fishy fishy fishyyy...

Fish are amazing creatures, a window into the evolution of our world and not to be overlooked in the beauty and inspiration department.  Everything from the iridescence of their bodies to the patterns in their scales and fins and gills, to their effortlessly fluid movement through water, fish have been an inspiration to the world of design since the beginning of time.  We've seen traces of it many places recently, here are a few of our favs:

Enameled Fish Key Fob by Mulberry via net-a-porter.  such a fun and unexpectedly cool idea.

Gorrrgeous 1920s Venetian mirror via Decoratum in London.  the movement of the fish is echoed so perfectly in the shape of the mirror.  put this in a small, dark powder room..

Amazon Dreams Platter via Anthropologie

to DIE for enormous 1940s brass fish on wood bases, would make such a statement on a mantle or on a coffee table in an unexpected way

ahmaazing Italian 1977 cast lucite fish-form table bases, how amazing would these be with a smoked glass top?  so crazy

outrageous English 1950s "Aquarium" Table lighter, by Dunhill.  Pretty sure i would just stare at this all day if I owned it, but for $5,700..it seems unlikely

Finally..such a beautiful, simple vintage Gucci sterling silver fish-form bottle opener...swoon.  unfortunately SOLD on ebay!  but i'm sure there's more floating around out there so keep an eye out!

xxoxoxoxo

Word.

Better than a thousand hollow words, is one word that brings peace - Buddha

He totally meant words used to create awesome furniture, lighting and accessories, didn't he? you be the judge...

Amazing "HI" Lamp Base, such a fun play with design + function, currently for sale on eBay!  someone snap it up quick...here

Michele Varian pillow, spreading love one pillow at a time!  Love the crayony colors.  Found here

a personal fav of mine and one that's been on my radar for some time, a vintage "RADIO" radio.  nothin says radio like a radio made out of the word radio.  sold off of Etsy, but have spotted it on eBay as well so keep your eyes pealed!

via the amazing Surfing Cowboys, the "PEACE" chair, perfect as a vanity stool in a bedroom, throw a flokati rug over the seat and you've got yourself a hip little chair

Don't you wish all EXIT signs were this cool?  via here. 

xxoxooxo

new art

shop it soon on etsy!  sewn yarn + neon pink/orange tape

A love letter to tortoiseshell

dear tortoiseshell,
we love you.
xxoxo,
a+a

Amazing and enormous faux tortoiseshell screen, vintage 1960s

FANTASTIC Baroque Tortoiseshell Tray

a vintage tortoiseshell + alligator clutch 

Paco Rabanne Link Bag..be still my heart

Bag Borrow or Steal a super special Chanel Tortoiseshell Clutch

a couple of pretty nixons...Vega and 40-20 Chrono, respectively

a little J.Crew Cutler + Gross

TopShop faceted ring

1930s/40s Carved Bakelite Bangle

Kent of London Tortoiseshell Comb, the finest brushes and combs in the world

xxoxo!

Rago Arts & Auction Center - an untapped resource

So it's no secret, here in NYC especially, that auction houses are an amazing way to seek out the truly rare and unique.  Places like Sotheby's and Philips de Pury, known worldwide, regularly host some of the city's wealthiest buyers to come and take turns outbidding one another to get a chance at taking home everything from rare antiques to enormously expensive modern art to Elizabeth Taylor's crown jewels.  Outside of the city, however, there are some amazing auction houses that seem to go relatively unnoticed, but are home to some amazing and iconic pieces of 20th century design.  Case in point - Rago Arts + Auction Center in Lambertville, NJ.  Right over the border from New Hope, PA which is a well known, though off the beaten path, center for arts and culture.  Also close by...Nakashima Woodworking Studios, basically heaven.

In a run-down looking warehouse just off the highway, Rago holds some of the most amazing creations this past century has seen...coming up on Sunday Feb 26th is their 20th/21st Century Modern Design Design auction, I implore you to take a look through the catalog...it is not to be missed.  And if you're close by and looking for a day trip, let me know because I'm coming with you!  Rago Arts & Auction - 20th/21st C Modern Design Catalog

Lots we are LOVIN:

Lot 988 - Tommy Simpson Armchair, relatively new made in 2001, but it's so unique and fun.  reupholster in a funky fabric and you've got yourself one sassy chair

Lot 923 - Donald Deskey Room Divider, 1928!  Silverleafed + lacquered wood, loving the color combination + oversized pattern

Lot 669 - Fabio Lenci Sofa, Italian 1960s.  Love the channeled, curved leather upholstery and the way it appears to be suspended between the two glass panels by wood dowels.  Would be awesome in some big old farm house

Lot 1134 - Georges Jouve Glazed Rooster Sconce, French 1940s.  The glaze color of the rooster is incredible and the curve of the vellum shade is so sexy.  a single sconce is unusual, but this is too special to do multiples of!

Lot 694 - Iconic Vladimir Kagan curved sofa on walnut base, USA 1950s.  The epitome of mid-century design, this sofa is so classically beautiful

Lot 1170 - Erwin + Estelle Laverne, pair of Jonquil Lounge Chairs, USA 1960s.  Another iconic design using a totally iconic material, molded lucite.  

Lot 1118 - Angelo Mangiarotti Arabesco Marble Dining Table, Italian (obvi?) 1960s.  Can you imagine how heavy?  an interesting play on the permanence of what we typically consider our furniture to be - temporary and movable.    

Lot 714 - Tommi Parzinger Nightstands, NYC 1960s.  I'm enamored with the peach lacquer of the nightstands and contrast of the super simple chrome base.  

Lot 933 - Paul Frankl Station Wagon Dresser, USA 1940s.  Love the folky quality of the dresser, including the pull detail + legs

Lot 1128 - Pierre Guariche, pair of lounge chairs, France 1950s.  What can i say about these bad boys? They look so rad, the shape of their angular lines, they look so hip.  and loving the black leather and brass base.  

Lot 775 - Paul Evans + Phil Powell coffee table, New Hope, PA, 1960s.  The partnership of these two incredible minds has brought forth some of the most amazing designs the world of interiors has seen.  Paul Evans metal mind combined with Philip Lloyd Powell's wood mind...it's too much to bear!  Gilt iron base with a travertine inset in walnut top.  love.

Lot 890 - Jean Royere Desk, France, 1954.  Only Jean Royere can take rattan and bamboo, two materials generally reserved for tacky beach houses in jersey and florida, and turn it into the chicest desk, functional while standing on spindly beautiful legs.  unarguably a classic.  

Lot 665 - Carlo di Carli Ragno occasional table, Italian 1950s.  Something vaguely betelgeuse-esque about this spidery table, but it's simple beauty radiates. 

Lot 1016 - Karl Springer Cantilevered side table, USA 1970s.  There's a few versions of this table out there, SUCH a heavy piece but truly beautiful in craftsmanship alone, let alone the incredible design.  

have fun shopping!!!

xxoxo