Contemporary Compliments Classic Traditional and Visa Versa

" OOH LA LA "....Uncle Dougie and Renee In ' Gay Paris' !!!!

My Uncle Doug and I are considering a month in Paris. It's a great idea because I know my way around and know where to live, what to do, where to eat, shop......

And Dougie is sick- crazy fun. The perfect person for another Adventure in Paris.

He was under the impression that the homes might be stuffy and filled with antiques. I mentioned that I have genuine concern for the French, and that if they are not more careful they will have sold most of their precious antiques to the USA, South America, the rest of Europe, including Japan,

and let me not forget the 'COTE DE TEXAS' ( LOL).

Seriously, the French do love, high tech & contemporary. I love the mix as well.

I promised him an example of 'the look' that is very popular, so above picture is the 'look' I was referring to.

credits : tredir
Renee Finberg 'TELLS ALL' in her blog of her Adventures in Design

The Earl of Spenser - Al Thorpe Living History - Furniture

Who can forget this man reading the eulogy for Princess Diana ?
That's Right, this is her brother, the Earl of Spenser.
I think he is a dashing man.
The Earl of Spenser is in Tampa today signing some of the pieces of furniture that have been made to exactly duplicate ( about 40% of the collection ) furniture from his family estate going back some 400 hundred years.
He wants to leave his family home in a better condition than he found it, so he has taken part in this business venture.

I would love to take a closer look at this piece, it would suit me just fine. When I am doing floor plans for clients I usually do not use a huge blueprint sheet, I use a smaller sheet that will fit 1-4 rooms at 1/4 " scale. So this would be perfect instead of my drafting table

Bergamo Fabrics & My Work

When you are next in Venice make sure and make a little stop at the Rubelli Fabric Headquarters . I have included a little map for you. And you can get more info at their website.
http://www.rubelli.com/INTERnet/sito_v4/index.php

I use the Bill Nessen Showroom at the DCOTA ( Design Center of The America's ) in Dania Beach Florida for my Bergamo source. It is really the most wonderfully run showroom in the entire building and Bill Nessen is ALWAYS there. He is THE BEST !!!!

Any way, Bergamo carries Rubelli Fabrics ,( I am not sure how it works, I never asked ) so where ever you find a showroom that carries Bergamo, you are good to go. They will have the whole kit and caboodle.

Now this is a silk ( antique-linen-style) velvet which is so beautiful, and they have very rich colorways.

Colors that are not all over town, "Tank's G-d! "

This is an office that I did and it's window treatment and chair fabric are Bergamo Fabric.

I recovered the French Deco chair that I purchased in Paris in the same fabric. AND THEN....

came the carpet which was made to mock the fabric. There was another long carpet to coordinate running down a long hallway, the pattern of boxes and squares start to break apart in the carpet design as you walk down the hall.

Very cool, if I do say so myself.

This collectionis by DKieffer for Bergamo.

You can Click on Pic to go to sites.

Happy Hunting....Fabric is what brought me into this business.

I still want to do my own line of fabrics, it's definitely on my 'TO DO' list.

Bergamo

This is one of the MOST FABULOUS Fabric Houses in the world.
And they carry fabric for every application.

The top woven fabric over her hands is to die !

French Ashtrays And Collectables

Love this ! It is from Sheryls-artdeco.co.uk While searching for the latest accessories I stumbled onto to this collection that is French in origin.

It is really beautiful and look....there is an ashtray in the collection.

I do love the FRENCH, I just can't help myself !!!!



Up until the recent couple of years you could smoke right in the airport in France.
( Lovely how the French hold onto their LIBERTY )


It is official,
we are their Guest and on no less than 3 occasions I have personally seen
some Ugly American walk right up to a smoking Frenchman or Woman who is waiting for their luggage at the conveyor belt... and the American will start coughing and waving theirs hands as if to push the smoke away.

And let me make this special point, the Frenchman was standing with at least 75 feet between himself and the nearest person. The American walks right up to them and starts in on the ugly faces and ' your smoke is offending me' routine.
What is that about ? Rudeness Perhaps ? or Just maybe Control Issues .

In either case....

I always try to pack my manners and meds if I am a guest anywhere.

Back to issue at hand, Ashtrays..

These little ashtrays are considered 'Occupied Japan' and are extremely collectible.
Let me Tell you they are hard to find. These are from Ebay.

For all you ladies ( including me ) who do sneak your ciggies on occasion, these are adorable

I am guilty of buying these when I find them. I have one that matches my the terrace off my bedroom. It has a Boston Terrier and a green base. It is so sweet to look at. Mine has a very clear face etc.

Ok, now I live in Boca Raton and if you ever caught a glimpse of the preteens and the teenage girls here .... well, right next to the pink diamond phones they park on their desks they could park their Miss Kitty ashtrays . G-D forbid, but you never know.

CLICK PHOTOS to go to sites