Absolute Vintage, London

One of my must do's in London was to check out Absolute Vintage, a vintage clothing store voted the #1 vintage store in London by several fashion magazines. The store was in a really great part of town so I snapped a couple of photos on the street (see below). Unfortunately Absolute Vintage doesn't allow photography inside their store, but trust me when I say it was the best vintage clothing store I have ever been to. If you're in to vintage shopping, definitely check it out next time you're in London.

top image via Hostel Bookers

www.BrittanyStiles.com

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

Factory 20

Happy Monday! A while ago I was searching for an authentic vintage industrial side table for a client and stumbled across this little gem of a website, Factory 20. They have some seriously cool stuff and their prices aren't too shabby. Don't live in the NY area? Not to worry, they will gladly ship anywhere, and they are super quick on the email responses, gotta love that!

Hue by Kelly Wearstler

Love her or hate her, the woman is a genius. I got her new book from my parents for Christmas and I was in awe at every page. Yes, some of the designs are way out there; giving a serious nod to the 80's, but I love it. Her creativity, from the bold colors (or "hues"), to the eccentric pieces of furniture, is so unique and fearless that, even if you don't care for her style, you can't deny her talent.

Here is a sampling of the book, but I highly recommend getting your own copy!

Tortoise shell heaven::


Architectural details, abstract wallcovering, modern mixed with traditional::


Some of my favorite photos were the more neutral interiors that really focused on shape and texture::


I love her use of black and white mixed with metallic golds and bronze::

I love the furniture in this room. Vintage never looked so good::

MetroSofa

The other day I was searching "wing chairs" online and came across a website that I fell in love with. MetroSofa (by the makers of MetroShed) is a Los Angeles based green company that recycles old frames of sofas and chairs and makes them "new again" with new hip finishes and fabric. They also work with designers and customers to create custom designs if you want to supply your own fabric and specify a specific finish. Metro Sofa is very similar to the furniture line that I am currently working on, and maybe that is why I was so drawn to it. I've posted up some of my favorite pieces, but visit the MetroSofa website here to read more and see all of the funky furnishings that they have to offer.

Florence Knoll Lounge Chairs

I'm working on a complete living room design for a client in Newport Beach. They moved from a craftsman style home to their current home which is really modern. This meant we got to start from scratch...my favorite!

We needed a pair of chairs so I showed my clients a photo of this Florence Knoll Lounge chair. They really liked the style and the classic modern design, so we had a few options; go vintage and reupholster in a fabric of our choice, order the chairs from Knoll and wait 10-16 weeks, or do our own take on this classic design, wait just 4 weeks, and go custom. After I lost the eBay auction on the vintage option, we decided to go custom.

We changed the design slightly by making the arms a little chunkier and using a white wood base instead of stainless steel legs. I really love how they turned out, take a look...

Bullseye

I don't really know what these are but I kind of love them. They're little vintage wood pieces, but the lady I bought them from doesn't know what they were suppose to be used for. I'm going to mount them, frame them, and turn them into art. Stay tuned.

eBay

I love ebay. I love ebay so much in fact that about 6 months ago I had to put myself on ebay restriction because I was buying too much stuff. There's just something about your heart racing at 2 am while continuously upping your bid to a price much higher than you had originally planned. I was addicted, to say the least, but with good reason because there is some pretty killer stuff to be had at really great prices.

In the past couple of weeks I let myself ease back in to "browsing" ebay. Here is some cool stuff I found tonight:

This lamp will be mine in 10 hours and 27 min.

These are in San Diego, it's always nice when you don't have to pay for shipping. $650 for the pair.

Mid Century table in excellent condition.

$2450. Ok, it's not a bargain, but I love it anyway.

I'm always fond of the pieces that need a little TLC.

Vintage headboard in really good condition.

Who doesn't need brass elephant book ends?

Newport Beach Residence

This is a living room we recently designed at a Newport Beach condo. I wanted to create an ecclectic but sophisticated beach cottage look using refurbished vintage pieces. Most all of the furnishings in the room are vintage, including the lamp, mirror, and artwork. The fabulous hanging lantern is designed by my good friend Coleen at Coleen & Co. (available in different sizes, colors, and also as wall sconces).

Speaking of hanging light sources, don't underestimate what chandeliers or pendant lights can do for a space. They add another dimension to the room and help unify the ceiling with the walls and floor.


Photography by the lovely Tanni Tronson of LoveBug Portraits.

Starting a Blog

Everyone, EVERYONE, keeps telling me to start a blog....so here it is. Enjoy!

Vintage ceramic whippet, made in Italy.