Hit up Palm Springs for a little thrifting action on what turned out to be an ‘extreme’ wind day. Unusually strong gusts mixed up the fine desert dust with low hanging clouds to create a strangely ominous apocalyptic wasteland. This was some crazy end of the world type wind.

Anyways.

Despite the wind, shopping happened.

Having a soft spot for broken down classics, I grabbed this vintage Knoll Bertoia Diamond Chair on my thrifting route. For more than a year I’ve watched this puppy gather dust at one of my favorite consignment spaces as the price was repeatedly knocked down until it just recently hit $50. No rational person wanted to touch this thing because of a few broken welds and lovely dusting of rust, but I guess I have time to repair it?

Of course. Throw another project on the pile.

Perhaps I’m a tad blind to its many faults, but ever since missing out on this Bertoia, the hunt has been on for a similar piece to fill the sad black hole left in my heart. With some welded love and the addition of a full cover, this wounded specimen will be all sorts of design gorgeous.

Otherwise, Palm Spring thrifting was fairly sparse with only the usual ceramic pieces and this awkward Tom Wesselman amateur style painting found and purchased despite the crazy wind and my waning enthusiasm.

I must stop buying thrift store art, but it was impossible to resist that furry little blond bush.

Oh, J.BEAN, you perv.

The wind apocalypse eventually cleared up early in the evening and the floating dust clouds made for an incredible sunset. Palm Springs is always pretty beautiful.

Enough of that nonsense.

Enjoy your Thanksgiving! – or – Enjoy your normal weekend!

With pie and such!

Long I have pined for the perfect gray duvet and by some strange bi-coastal internet twitter miracle, this enduring quest seems to have come to an end.

It’s really all thanks to Daniel, wonderful (and similarly duvet obsessed) splendid man about town Daniel, who twittered with Anna from Door Sixteen and I about our initial hopes in finding the perfect gray duvet and then our ultimate disappointment when the CB2 Coast Bed Linens ended up being a bust.

But…because they are in New York, where shops besides JC Penny exist, Anna and Daniel just popped into Muji and stumbled on this great warm gray linen duvet…that is unfortunately nowhere to be found on Muji’s website.

I got a flurry of texts and pictures of what looked like a fantastic (and affordable!) duvet and proceeded to beg for them to purchase and ship one of these lovelies to the west coast to live in my house.

By the way, we don’t have Muji in Hemet. Shocker.

Then Daniel, even though he’s in college and working like crazy on projects and busier than a rabid squirrel, was kind enough to grab me one of the last duvets and mail it out to me like a goddamn sweetheart. Like a completely perfect and lovely human being.

That gray duvet longing runs painfully deep. Daniel gets it. Oh yeah, he gets it real good.

Apparently though, I took my sweet time posting about this, since it all went down in what? August? What happened? Is this not summer still?

Anyhow.

Besides the greatest duvet ever, there are a few new things around the guest bedroom that I’ve been meaning to post about.

Like these sort of brutalist studio pottery things. Someone got all crazy with that ceramic knife. So angsty.

Feel that powerfully emotional thrift store ceramic turmoil.

You knew that some kilim pillow style action would leak into the rest of the house. Say what? There are some actual colors in here besides black, brown, gray or white. Crazy.

I don’t believe I’ve mentioned this fine Craigslist procured vintage safari chair.

Awwww yeah. Awwww boy.

Sling that thing all up in here.

Hold on, I got distracted by that devilish safari minx. I cannot forget to mention that after months of use, I really dig the new duvet. It gets better with every wash and sort of shifts color in different light; sometimes the color feels warm and sort of taupe and then shifts to cool and silvery gray. It’s like a magical creature that transforms day to day.

I love it and can’t thank Daniel enough.

Possibly worth noting, this thing above? This is about as ornate, flowery and “fem” as I can get.

That’s just a detail shot of the vintage brass Moroccan lamp that I can never photograph properly in the guest bedroom, which – surprise surprise – I still really love and don’t want to get rid of. Unlike everything else I own. I’m possibly going through some weird, “WHY NOT START FROM SCRATCH” phase that is really unproductive. Stupid dark wintertime.

And these bright things down below…

…these are luxurious flowery yellow billy balls. The only flowers I’ll own.

Wait, are these flowery? I don’t know and apparently am too lazy to google, but these last forever and thrive on neglect.

Just like my grudges.

Come on, I just can’t resist you. Work it you hot thang. I’m liking what I see and the way you move? Regal. Confident. Sexy. Frugal. I love safari and I don’t care who knows!

Oh, wait. Oh, craphole.

Now that I’m thinking about it, I probably should have bought two Muji duvets. Since…I never want to give you up. I never want to let you go.

The only thing I picked up in Phoenix – ever so long ago – was this little kilim rug. I grabbed it at one of those antique-y/consignment/ugly jewelry/collectables type shops that always have Blossom style hats next to old fast food cups stacked on random grandma potpourri junk with a small sprinkling of vintage thrown in for kicks.

I actually love those kind of places, even though pricing can be a tad random kooky-town and impossible to grasp. Why is the broken Mr. Potato Head $80 and the Knoll table $10? Who knows! It’s a wacky pricing roller coaster of delight and horror.

I should maybe have spent more than a minute photographing this thing and definitely switched my 50MM lens to something a bit wider. But hey, that’s apathy for ya.

Sort of making it work, kind of.

The rug is just the right size for the main work area of sink – stove – fridge. Plus adding color? What? So much pink is happening around here lately, it’s like I don’t even know who I am anymore.

On a side thought – still need to do something about updating the kitchen. The “temporary” faucet and other “temporary” fixes aren’t feeling so “temporary” after four years.

Apathy begone!

Finally got me some fiber art!

Too bad it’s super vertical and no good for the fireplace.

I was trolling Etsy (after they contacted me about doing a Get the Look Decor feature on their bloggity) and found this long jute-y dreamboat for only $30.

Yeah. Chunky and oh so brown town.

Just the way I like my textile art.

Love the little hand sewn copyright symbol and Don Freedman signature bead.

Oh, the 1970′s. You were so great.

Don Freedman designed a bunch of kooky textile art for Interlude in the 70′s and 80′s (which was published SIMULTANEOUSLY in the US and Canada, as if you even had to ask).

Fancy, indeed.

Handmade with jute and a few wooden bars, this fiber wall hanging is perfectly beefy with just a hint of musty.

It’s airing out though.

Loving all that thread work on the back.

Bowie really likes it.

I really like it.

It’s living in the guest bedroom for now.

Yup.

This happened.

Is that an early production Saarinen oval marble coffee table? All up in Knoll town?

Oh yes.

I know I’m a dirty, no-good furniture dealer, but because I’m never ever selling it. Because this is my dream coffee table. Because it would have to pried from my cold dead hands. Because I am bursting that this happened. BECAUSE I CAN’T SHUT UP.

One.

Hundred.

Dollars.

Yeah. $100.

I hate me too.

Although, you gotta trust that this was a crazy unexpected fluke of chance and lucky timing.

Of course, I was browsing the Craigslist (come on, no way I found this in thrift store) and saw a posting for a vintage hutch that was super cheap but of course no freaking picture. Why people post furniture for sale on CL without a picture, I’ll never grasp, but the ad said to email for a picture and I randomly decided to just contact them and see what was the whats. When the pictures popped in (again, why not just upload them?) the hutch was pretty, pretty, pretty terrible, but something else looked mighty interesting in the far corner of the frame. Which leads to me asking if they had anything else for sale and apparently they were getting rid of everything in the whole house and they sent lots and lots and lots of pictures.

In the far distance, out of focus and sitting casually in front of a shredded up sofa was this tulip beauty. Just sitting there. Like no big deal. Whatevers. I’m just your favorite thing. Big whoop.

I got my ass down there and pulled out my big bag of negotiating tricks and walked away with some STUFF.

On a side note, apologies if I have to negotiate with you in the future or have negotiated with you in the past. I KNOW how I am. I’m an awful stubborn terrible monster.

It’s not in perfect condition.

There is some staining on the marble and I’ve been researching around about how to lighten it up. WHATEVER. Stains? On my 60 year old marble Knoll? I don’t care. I’ll never care!

Good news is that there are no chips and no cracks, just vintage goodness.

This table does weight about a thousand pounds. The tulip base is cast iron and the marble is chunk-y – like 36″ wide by 54″ long.

I really loved my old coffee table.

REALLY loved.

But there can be only one!

(It’s the Highlander. Lightning. Swords. Coffee table and such.)

I still thrift. All the time. I swear.

It’s been about three months since any thrifty action has seen this blog.

BUT, the master bedroom has been begging me for a tall dresser for months now. Finding the right piece has been wickedly difficult considering it had to be both the right scale and cost. Guideline-wise, it had to be vintage (DUH) with a basic no-fuss design that slanted Danish. The curse of thrift shopping  is: if you’re needing something specific, you’re never going to find it.

I gave up hope, getting by with the wrong credenza in the meantime. Recently, during some local thrifting rounds, I spotted a complete bedroom set that included this simple but incredibly dry looking highboy. In it’s entirety, the set appeared abused and neglected for the last sixty year and cried out for the old vintage wood regimen. Luckily, the set was being sold piecemeal, making it easy to grab the highboy and nightstands and jet off.

Not to digress, but when I’m thrifting with folks or get emails from folks with thrifting dilemmas, their biggest challenge is usually just looking past the ugly florescent lights, piles of garbage and disorderliness of the place to spot potential. This dresser looked so depressing, so cheap and soooo gross in the store, but wood – good wood? Wood loves to be prettied up and treated right.

Spending the time and putting in the effort of sanding everything with fine steel wool, slopping on a couple coats of Danish oil and hand rubbing a final finish of Howards Feed N’ Wax, returns the luster and richness to wood that appeared derelict and shabby at best.

Of course this dresser is still vintage.

Over the last sixty years it’s been used and misused. Vintage wear and tear goes with the thrifty territory, but I prefer to live with furniture that’s been well used and developed an understandable patina. This way, instead of fearfully living with a perfect museum piece, you can knock stuff around and use pieces day in and day out without getting heartbroken if something gets dinged or nicked.

Case in point, the left side of the dresser has a large gouge from a careless handler dragging against something pointy. Sometimes, you can’t sand down very far when attempting to remove a big gouge. Most vintage furniture is finished with veneer, and that veneer is usually too thin to handle aggressive sanding.

In this situation, instead of freaking out and throwing every fill and repair trick at the damage (to just have the scratch continue to show up), a basic oiling helps minimize most of the damage. Vintage actually looking vintage is fine by me.

For most of the restoration, I didn’t spot markings that could help determine the dresser’s provenance. Not till after futzing with the base did this little blue MADE IN SWEDEN stamp pop up. At this point, I had pretty much assumed the set must have been American made and designed by some company in the states.

Those sneaky Swedes. Being all coy about marking stuff.

BEFORE & AFTER

Hey now.

Sexy time.

Of course this looks stunning framed by the weed infested backyard.

BUT…

Perfect-o for the bedroom.

I know I posted all those detail pics, but here’s the run down on some of the new stuff that wandered into the house over the summer. I’m kind of lacking any whiz-bang stories about this stuff except…I went shopping and these are some of the things I bought?

Case in point, this vintage black ball lamp.

Um, thanks Salvation Army. I bought this lamp. I waited in line for an absurdly long time to pay. It was dull.

Arkana safari chair.

Been looking years and years for a safari chair and splurged a bit on this one. A belated birthday present to myself, scoured from an older couple in Los Angeles.

Danish copper cone lamp.

Still need to decide where to install this thang and rewire this lovely light. Picked up in LA as well.

West Elm organic chevron duvet.

Thank you, ministry of healing. You know who you are. I LOVE THIS THING.

Danish rosewood side table.

Thanks…where did I get this? Somewhere obviously. Was it the same trip as that horrible estate guy fiasco? Or am I switching trips around in my brain. Oh, this is embarrassing.

Giant vintage hammered brass Moroccan lamp.

Thanks again Salvation Army – a different one this time around. Don’t get all greedy Hemet branch.

Assorted ceramic bits. From everywhere and all the time.

There’s probably a bunch more stuff around here that’s languishing away someplace. It’s been a long summer.

Speaking of summer, enjoy that long holiday weekend american folks. This weekend tends to feel like the death knell for summertime and my coping requires lounging around and soaking in the pool as memoriam to all things sun-soaked and amazing. Coping also requires diet coke and perhaps an artichoke. Maybe mochi?

Yes. Tons of mochi.

I’ve been hunting around for some over the fireplace “artish” options for an interior I’ve been helping out with and recently ran into this vintage 1970′s torch cut wall sculpture on my thrifty rounds. Well, I wasn’t totally sure it’d work but the size was right, the idea of a brass wall hanging was interesting and the low price made it a “just grab and try it out” kind of thing. Unfortunately, it ended up not working out so well with the insanely awesome chandelier that’s the true focal point of the room. The two big metal pieces clashed and the leaves lost.

These things happen. Sometimes you take a chance and it ends up being so very wrong. Oh well, at least it points out the right direction.

So, I had this thing sitting in the house, all the while looking for an over the fireplace “artish” option for my living room as well. I wanted something more fiber and funky but pickings have been slim and nothing perfect has popped up. Then I was thinking a brutalist type wall sculpture would be good option and possibly easier to find…

Yeah. These big leaves ain’t so brutalist. They are as brutal as a puppy kiss or a nice hot shower. Like maybe I should be going to a wine tasting or something.

BUT – I think I love the idea of a brutalist brass wall sculpture.

Of course, it will have to be a wall sculpture that is perhaps not as autumn themed or swirly as this bad boy. I think this is actually a fun and funky piece and a great scale at 40″ wide. In the right house it would look incredible, but I think the rigid architectural and minimalist masculine tone of the living room makes this curly bit of whimsy feel a little out of place.

Some day I will replace you fireplace mantel. Some day.

Sorry, metal artist Whitish from ’77. I like you, but I think this might be a temporary relationship…you know, until I can trade up to something a little more brutal.

Thank you for pointing out the right direction, though. Trust that it’s not you, it’s me.

So…don’t let the door hit you on the ass on the way out (when I find the right thing of course – you can hang out here for now).

++++++

BTW – I feel like a lame-o narcissist, but since this happens to be my bloggity and I only get to say this once a year – it’s my 29th birthday today! You guys got me a work crew? To help with the landscaping? No? Crap.

Oh jeeez, typing that made me realize that my fancy free twenties are almost over. Must take advantage of this last year to go silly nuts. Getting serious is for your thirties, right? I’m just going to say yes and worry later.

Awhile ago I found this super amazing mini chrome arc lamp and thought, oh I really love it, it’s so amazing and 70′s and sexy and sassy and makes my mouth water. The only problem is that it’s all by its lonesome.

BAM!

Now I’ve got a pair. How is this possible? By what crazy miracle, right?

Well, one day I get this text message from Sharon that is like, hey, is this your lamp? Then the picture pops up and I freak out, because yes, it is the other half to my lamp and someone I know is standing very close to it. I asked where are you? Where is it? How do I get my greedy hands on it? Turns out it’s in an antique mall (you know the kind, with all the booths of faux Victorian and beanie baby stuff) and because the place doesn’t traffic in “vintage modern” stuff it turns out that the price is delectable.

I immediately text back buy buy buy and amazingly she did because she is amazing. Now it’s here chilling in the bedroom even though my plans for finishing the bedroom do not necessarily include these bad boys. I have another place I’ve been dreaming of putting them…

Gratuitous dog photos, I know, but it’s becoming kind of an issue to take photos without these two getting all up in my grill. Truthfully, more like Bowie getting all up in it, since he’s the camera slut.

The bedroom needs some work. The textiles are whacktastic, but mainly they are functional place holders – except for this brown blanket which I love and will always remain. (Thanks Summer!)

Still need:

highboy
headboard
bigger rug
closet handles
proper bedding

Never ending stuff to do around here, peeps. Important, life altering, serious high minded work to be done – like picking out sheets once and for all. Serious business, I’m telling you.

Super fresh sofa. Still steaming.

I’ve been working with some fabulous clients and helping put together their incredible desert home. Just thought I’d preview a recent sofa project since its roots are quite thrifty, and frankly, I’m obsessed with sofas.

BEFORE:

The sofa came from a local thrift store and with its original grungy/filthy crushed velvet upholstery it looked a hot mess…

…but it had curves and comfort and was the perfect scale and shape for the intended living room…

AFTER:

Shazamm.

Reborn as a red hybrid baby of a Toga and a Chesterfield, this thang is all modern and all comfortable – a bona fide TV viewing hang out snuggle up and down sofa.

For some reason my pics are making it look like super crazy neon red, but it’s actually a more toned down rusty red-orange in person. That desert sun, it’s bright – I’m telling you.

Total cost wise it was commensurate with a nice Ikea sofa and cheaper than the big decor stores like West Elm or Room&Board. Plus, this thing is built like a freaking tank, is totally unique and the hardwood frame will last forever. I just thought this idea was something to mention when folks pass on vintage sofas because the upholstery is a gross mess. It might be worth investing a few hundred extra dollars to get it recovered so that you can incorporate something totally unique into your pad.

Things are chugging along with the design projects and I can’t wait to show off more completed spaces as they get finalized. Trust me, it will blow up your face – that’s how good this stuff is coming along.