One Kings Lane Tag Sale Teaser!

As I mentioned in my last post I'm really thrilled about all of the items that I've curated for this sale. I just received a final preview of all of the items and wanted to share a sneak peak of some of my favorites with all of you.

1. Charcoal Nude
No art collection is complete without a nude drawing! I especially loved the casual sketchy quality of this one. Signed and dated.

2. Vintage Paisley Armchair 
Newly upholstered in Peter Dunham's Rajmata Midnight. It's the perfect side chair for a bedroom or study.

3. Black & Gold Painted Dining Table 
I hope this guy goes to a good home because it took a lot of TLC to get him transported and delivered to my storage due to it's size and weight. It's a truly striking piece and comes with a leaf to support an even bigger dinner party!

4. Ceramic Shell Dish 
Handmade by a blind artisan in Santa Barbara, this piece is one of my favorites in the sale.

5. Onyx horse book ends 
Such a beautiful stone and the horse motif is so classic, I don't think these will ever go out of style.

6. Shell Napkin Rings 
Made of brass and silver, these will add a touch of whimsy to your next tablescape.

7. Boudoir Screen - I think this thing weighs about 4 tons. A single hinged screen depicting classic Art Deco design with a silvered and gilt églomisé finish. Beautiful.

8. Throw Pillow
Made of a vintage African textile.

9. Antique Oil Painting
I absolutely ador this painting and I think the chipping at the top of the canvas just adds to its interest. Beautiful color palate, newly framed.

You can start shopping all of these items and many more here, starting Monday's at 6:00 pm PST.

Another Tastemaker Tag Sale!

I'll be launching my 3rd Tag Sale with One Kings Lane starting Monday 3/25 at 6:00 pm. I'm selling so many things that I'm really excited about. I have a larger collection of art than ever before, some of which I'm having a hard time parting with! You can check out the teaser and the actual sale here. 

Well-Made Rugs

Tabriz (above)

I'm thinking about starting a series on my blog called, "a bit pricey, but well worth it" in which I would talk about the following:

• custom window treatments
• custom pillows
• wallpapering an entire room (none of this "one accent wall" business)
• artwork and proper framing
• hand-blocked fabric
• and what I'll be posting about today: a well made rug

Rugs fall into 2 categories: rugs that are cheap and will fall apart in 6 months - 2 years (and generally don't look that great through the process), and rugs that are an investment that you can pass down to your grandchildren. For a larger hand knotted wool or wool-blend area rug, prices start at around $2000 and go up from there. The size and style will affect the price, but as I mentioned above, it's worth it.

Ikat Uzbek:

Antique rugs are my personal favorite and have a lot of detail and character that contemporary rugs attempt to emulate, but often fall short (with a few exceptions). Antique rugs are 80+ years old and made with construction techniques that are often replaced today by machine construction that produces inferior design and durability. Antique rugs encompass so much life and history and the fact that they are still being used today stands as a testament to their durability and timeless beauty.

Vintage Moroccan Oriental:

Nazmiyal Collection has an amazing assortment of antique rugs from all over the world. Prices vary greatly depending on size, construction, and country of origin. I have posted a sampling from their incredible collection. Visit their website here for more information.

Vintage Deco Chinese:

Antique Kilim:

Antique Agra Oriental:

Early American:

Antique Chinese Oriental:

Antique Kilim Persian:

Antique Beshir Afghan:

Don't underestimate the impact a beautiful, well-made rug can have on your room. If you're on a tight budget, purchasing a cheap area rug is an easy way to cut back, but if you can budget for a well-made rug, it's money well spent on something that you can enjoy for years to come.

The Find Consignments, Newport Beach

The Find Consignments is a fairly new little consignment shop that I've been frequenting as of late down on PCH in Newport. One yelp review of the shops states, "Wallet beware", and it's so true. Everywhere I turn in this little treasure trove is something that I want to buy for myself or am dying to use on a current or upcoming project.

Here are some photos from my most recent trip and they get new, fabulous inventory daily.

I'm obsessed with this French antique patio set. The worn finish on it is absolutely beautiful. I'm picturing it reupholstered in a bold stripe or even a granny-chic floral.

For help with furniture shoppping or interior design in the Newport Beach area visit, www.BrittanyStiles.com

Key West

My mom didn't want to spend Christmas Eve on our sailboat so she arranged for us to stay the night in Key West. I'll admit that I knew next to nothing about the island of Key West and had no idea what to expect, but I must say that I was pleasantly surprised by our whole experience there. We had some amazing food, did a little shopping and scooter riding, but my favorite part was just driving around and looking at all of the adorable plantation style houses. Most of the houses have been preserved and renovated, or at least kept up really well. Many of the houses have been turned into shops or bed and breakfasts, but many of them are still residences. Visually speaking, it was one of the cutest towns I have ever been to.

We stayed at the Parrot Key Resort, which was out of all the hubbub going on down town, which was kind of nice. The little bungalow style rooms and architecture, along with the pool and garden area were so beautiful. We had a really pleasant stay and a really fun Christmas morning (made complete with our dollar store tinsel tree and dart guns and candy brought by Santa).

Parrot Key Resort exterior

Our rooms

They were out of Christmas pastries, but I thought this bakery was so adorable.

There are some really cool vintage and antique shops in Key West that sell really unique items, many of them with a nautical flair (washed up bottles, ship wheels, shells, etc.) This was one that I particularly liked called The Garden Cottage.

There were so many places to eat in Key West that sometimes it was difficult to decide where to go. On Duval street, where all of the action is in Key West, is lined with unique eateries found only in Key West. One of my favorites was Flamingo's Cafe. Order their crab cake sandwich and you won't be sorry. I have posted a photo of the cafe's decor below. It was Golden Girl's rosy pink and oh so Florida, I loved it.

Buck House NY

I came across this shop on 1st Dibs after reading Eddie Ross' design blog. Just add it to the list of reasons I want to move to New York.






If you live in Orange County and want help redecorating or redesigning your home, visit our website at www.BrittanyStiles.com

The Great Lady Decorators

I want to read this book! I'll let you know what I think when I do.

"Mixing gorgeous interiors with sparkling social history, this is the first book on the visionary women whose work gave us the timeless, essential principles of modern interior decorating." - Rizzoli New York

"The Great Lady Decorators: The Women Who Defined Interior Design, 1870-1955 profiles a dozen pioneers, including Elsie de Wolfe, a former actress with a flare for 18th-century-inspired rooms; Dorothy Draper, who brought Hollywood glamour to her interiors; and Sister Parish, who virtually codified American country style. The book's many photographs are supplemented with watercolors by Jeremiah Goodman." -Elle Decor

South Coast Auction

Adorable lampshades, they looked brand new.

Yesterday I took a little field trip to the South Coast Auction in Santa Ana. I've never been to an auction before and quite enjoyed it. I didn't have any intention of buying anything, I'm a bit limited on space at the moment, but I heard good things so I wanted to check it out. There are different rooms each with different types of items at the auction warehouse. Gallery 1 is where the furniture, household decor, and antiques are located. The South Coast Auction is every Wednesday starting at 4:00. Here are a few photos of my findings.

I've been really in to vintage globes lately...