The 69th Regiment Armory, Lexington Avenue @ 26th Street, Downtown New York City
Last weekend I headed downtown to check out the annual
Antiques at the Armory show. Not to be confused with the Winter Antiques Show which is held uptown at the Park Ave Armory, this show is held downtown at the Armory on Lexington and is much smaller than the other show, with only about 100 vendors exhibiting. Still, it didn't disappoint with beautiful American and European furniture, art and collectibles on display along with lots of of inspiration. Below are a few photos of some of the vignettes and individual pieces that caught my eye.
I loved this little vignette with the plush forest green velvet bergere chair…
This vignette was from the same vendor, Margaret Doyle Antiques. The modern looking cowhide covered chair next to that beautiful marble top chest is such a lovely contrast.
One of my passions is cooking and I'm obsessed with cookware so when I saw all of these gorgeous antique copper pots and pans my jaw dropped. These were from Eve Stone Antiques out of Connecticut. Most of these pieces are from the 18th and 19th century and are in pristine condition. Absolutely beautiful!
I also loved this Chinese Chippendale style china cabinet from Jeffrey Beal Heknel Antiques and Design.
Drucker Antiques had some beautiful antique jewelry from Tiffany, Cartier and more on display…
Recently become interested in
vintage and antique silver serveware and this early 1920s Georg Jensen tea
set, also from the Drucker Antiques booth, caught my eye…
I LOVE this faux bamboo armchair from Brennan & Mouilleseaux…it was one of the few pieces I could actually afford. One might assume this is painted mahogany or some other wood but it's actually made of cast aluminum painted a soft bronze color. And my photo came out a little bright so it's hard to tell but the seat is uhpolstered in a beautiful ecru colored fabric with cream vine embroidery. I considered making the impulsive slpurge for a second, then practicality set in and reminded me that I have no place to put the thing…plus I should be saving, not spending in these tough economic times. Sigh. Maybe one day me and the beautiful chair will cross paths again!
This interesting contemporary diptych also caught my eye. The pieces are made of vintage comic book pages with various brush strokes and the words "blood king" painted over them in white and scarlet red. A little dark for my personal taste but very intriguing and I think these would look beautiful in the right space.
Last but not least, I thought this set of Italian dining chairs was amazing. Sadly, I can't remember the vendor that was selling them but I'm pretty sure they were based in the Hamptons somewhere. Hope you enjoyed the tour! Tomorrow, I'll be checking out the Winter Antiques show on its final day so stay tuned for a recap very soon!
Click on any of the photos to see details enlarged.
I absolutely adore the work of designer Antony Todd. He has such great taste! His
website is updated with new photos that I find very inspiring so I thought I’d share them here.
This little sunroom is fantastic…love the green rug’s fat stripes and all of those ethnic inspired fabrics are yummy!
Here, another beautiful photo with many striking contrasts that create strong visual interest…the texture and pattern of the wood paneling, zebra rug, bold patterned pillows, rattan ottomans, shiny mercury glass lamp…all mixed together perfectly! I also love that wooden urn on the floor. Looks like something one would have picked up while traveling…
This tablescape is beautifully arranged…simple yet stunning. I’m a fan of x-based stools and the one propped underneath is a perfect addition. The photograph of the lone man walking on the beach is also very intriguing.
I believe this is a photo of Todd’s event space which he often rearranges. All of Todd’s spaces are sophisticated and polished, with a slightly masculine quality. The grouping above with all the seating is definitely designed for entertainment. The long armless sofa is one of Todd’s custon-designed furniture pieces which can be purchased through his eponymous store in downtown Manhattan.
Here’s a new arrangement in Todd’s store. That golden yellow sofa totally lights up the space and there are so many fun contrasts here…like the turquoise vases, mod-looking coffee table and the large black and white photo of Todd with his mother as a child.
This is definitely a bachelor’s kitchen…a very stylish bachelor! With the artwork and horn sculpture right behind the range I’m lead to believe that the owner of this kitchen must never cook!
Here’s another angle…
Another beautiful space with more of Todd’s custom designed furniture. If you can’t get to his store, you can check out his selections on
1stDibs.
The giant tortoise shells atop this secretary make a strong statement…beautiful!
I love the casual arrangement of this artwork on the floor, illuminated by a very chic brass lamp.
I also love the silver cup filled with boxes of matches. and that preserved beetle is definitely a conversation piece!
A lovely little tablescape arranged atop a bone inlaid piece. I’ve been dying for that book on Rudolf Nureyev (who by the way I will be posting about very soon-one you don’t want to miss!).
The contrast of the rich turquoise velvet against the green textured artwork is striking here.
And this photo is absolutely gorgeous! I love that neoclassical console with the bronze goddess and the claw feet…so beautiful!
The other day when I posted about Domino folding I was in the midst of a business trip. I wanted to spread the news as soon as a colleague emailed me the press release so I posted it from my BlackBerry and didn’t really have time to share my thoughts on Domino’s untimely demise. And since it was my favorite magazine ever I couldn’t go without sharing my two cents. So consider this post a eulogy of sorts…
I loved Domino. Seriously. I looked forward to it in my mailbox every month. And sometimes when it would take too long for my subscription copy to arrive, I’d buy it on the newsstand because I just couldn’t wait to pour through its pages which were filled with so much inspiration.
Domino had a voice that spoke to me. It was upbeat, youthful, stylish and fun. The magazine felt like a friend that I could always trust to steer me in the right design direction.
Domino inspired me with gorgeous photography and enlightened me by offering so many great ideas and clever tips on how to pull a room together. And for the most part, the products featured on its pages were affordable and attainable…never too far out of reach like the items featured in most other shelter publications.
Although I’ve always loved design, having grown up with a decorator for a mother, my interest was always something I kept quiet…a hidden passion that most people weren’t aware of.
When I discovered Domino, it fueled my excitement and passion even further and inspired me to start this blog so I could share my point of view on design with the world. It’s hard to believe that such a constant source of inspiration will very soon no longer exist.
So Domino, I echo the voice of design junkies around the world when I say with all sincerity that you’ll be missed!
Above is the cover of the last issue of Domino that will be published. I will await the arrival of my copy with bated breath. And In case you’ve never read it, below is the text of The Domino Manifesto which truly captures the spirit of the magazine. Farewell Domino!
THE DOMINO MANIFESTO
Home should make you happy!
We swear by the three R’s: repaint, repaper, reupholster
Steal ideas from other peoples houses
Even the insides of the closets and cabinets can be beautiful
It’s OK to NOT be finished
TRUST YOUR INSTINCTS-ALWAYS!
A chandelier is as timeless as a black dress
Renters need not second class citizens
Sometimes your mistakes become your greatest inspirations
DON’T BE AFRAID TO MIX STYLES (Louis XV and Eero Saarinen should hang out more often)
When traveling, skip the snapshot and buy something unique for the coffee table
HAVE FUN!
Images Above: A collection of my favorites from dominomag.com
If you’ve been following the fashion of Michelle Obama and are as fascinated by this incredible woman as I am (and probably the rest of America too), you’ll probably enjoy a great blog I recently discovered. The blog, titled “Mrs O”, seeks to “Follow the Fashion of Mrs. O: Who and What She’s Wearing.” Check it out here and enjoy!
Sadly, its true. Today, my heart hurts. “This decision to cease publication of the magazine and its website is driven entirely by the economy,” Condé Nast CEO Chuck Townsend says in a press release that went out just now. “Although readership and advertising response was encouraging in the early years, we have concluded that this economic market will not support our business expectations.” More to come…
