Beautiful Things, issue 1
A Georgian house tour, my favorite auction sites, and a Spring wardrobe refresh.
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Welcome to the first issue of Beautiful Things! For this introductory issue, I figured a good segue into this platform (and also my brain) would be to share a brain dump of all of the things that I’ve been inspired by lately, as well as a few interesting things that I’ve found on the internet to start your week. I love reading these kinds of round-ups because I feel like they’re the perfect peek into how our brain works- and I know it’s not just me. I’m constantly taking screenshots, bookmarking tabs, saving things on Instagram and Pinterest to my folders, etc., and I really try to revisit those things so that a) all the saving was worth it, and b) I’m following through with and doing justice to all of those millions of things that caught my eye. So, here are some things that I’m excited to share with you on this Monday!
The entire home tour is packed with swoon-worthy nooks and rooms, but I particularly love the “un-kitchen”, the shades of green layered throughout the home, and the Crittall framed orangerie (which I absolutely need in my next home). The former vicarage was originally built on a stone quarry that supplied the famous honey-hued stone to build Bath itself (speaking of Bath, I have a Georgian townhome tour saved here from my visit to the city last year- a must-see!) Romantically, I love the idea of living beside a church- if they are still in operation, they’re often well-maintained with have beautiful gardens, and who doesn’t want to hear church bells throughout the day?
A great takeaway from this tour:
“The owners really felt the bones of the house and didn’t want to upset the flow with any sudden, pronounced colour,” - a surefire way to create depth and interest without going all-in with color is to layer in shades of the same color throughout. Want to replicate it in your own home? A quick and easy tip is to take one color that already exists in the space, and make sure you’re also incorporating that same color in a different hue (lighter or darker) to add depth and add support to the main color. Suddenly, you have a cool and cohesive color scheme.
Speaking of gorgeous British home tours, I want to buy this house:
There hasn’t been a single day that’s gone by that I haven’t thought about this house since I saw it. Unfortunately, I think it’s under contract, which I’m going to remain steadfastly delulu about until it’s truly sold. This home is Georgian perfection, and there is very little that I would change about it, given the opportunity. I know nothing about this area or this town, but I honestly don’t care- with a sitting room like this, does it really matter?
Thinking about transitioning into Spring with a few key elements in my closet.
woven cherry tote / suede bon bon bag / woven shoulder bag maxi trench coat / cropped trench / sunshine earrings moire mary janes / tortoise oval glasses / suede sambas
As we transition into the warmer (finally!) months, I’m looking to add a few key elements to my closet to fit the season. I try to be really intentional about what I buy and keep in my closet, and I’m not the kind of person to push an entirely new wardrobe for each season, but I think you can add pieces here and there to stretch your existing pieces even further. I already purchased the oval sunglasses (but in black), and the blue moire Mary janes, which I can’t wait to style. I’m still on the hunt for a single breasted trench coat (although the modern silhouette of this one is compelling). I’m still not over the rich cherry reds and cornflower blues, so I expect to keep those elements in rotation well into the summer.
This book is not only gorgeous to look at and full of inspirational imagery, but also packed full of useful information. If you’re in a funk and in need of an inspirational design jolt, or if you want to learn more about the differences between drapery types and styles, this book might be just what you need.
If you’re like me, these gorgeous striped glasses have been all of your Instagram feed these past few weeks. France Thierard curates pieces of original Murano glassware but also creates her own glassware collections in Venice. The striped glasses are INCREDIBLE, but she also has beautiful candlesticks and vases on offer, too. There is no website, but she takes orders via DM and ships all over the world.
Let’s chat about auctions for a second!
You may have seen me share on Instagram about this coffee table that I won in the recent Redd Kaihoi collection auction from Stair, and I got so many messages about how and where to shop online auctions. If you’re new to auctions and are looking to find some in your local area, or are open to shipping items that you win, I highly recommend Live Auctioneers. You can search by item or by location, and you can also create a list of your favorite auction houses to check in with weekly. The key here to online auctions is consistency- check OFTEN! Most of the time, they’re a bust- but you want to be on top of it for those moments when they’re not. If you can’t find any local to you, don’t be scared of shipping items! This coffee table is currently en route to me from Connecticut. Each auction house will have a list of recommended shippers, but I also use UShip often, and they’re very reliable. If you’re local to DC, here are my favorite DMV auction houses:
Weschler’s- they have a weekly auction and a less often Capitol Collections auction with “fancy” things- both are worth checking out.
Quinn’s- they also have a weekly auction, and this is more of a picker’s style auction, but I have found some good things here!
Alex Cooper- this is my favorite local auction house, just outside of Baltimore. They have large auctions less often, but they’re always packed with gorgeous pieces. I’ve found an antique secretary, a vintage Goyard trunk, and more.
The argument for door curtains.
Jes Salter did a fantastic round up of these on Instagram, but I’ve always been enamored with this idea. Practically, they help keep the heat in from drafty doors (which unless you live in a very old home, isn’t really much of a problem with today’s efficient builds). But, that doesn’t stop them from being utterly charming. I’ve had on my list a new front door, and I’m considering something with large glass windows (it’s currently a solid panel door)- a curtain seems like the perfect way to add softness and interest while also giving me the option to close them for privacy. They seem fussy, but who can’t handle a little fuss? I’m also considering a pair of curtains to frame the door, and I’m intrigued by this practical hinged curtain rod.
I can’t stop thinking about this magnificent cat painting:
Commissioned by American socialite and millionaire Kate Birdsall Johnson (and named by her husband), the painting depicts 42 of Kate’s Persian and Angora cats. The painting only features 42 cats, despite rumors that Kate owned more than 300 (!!!) The cats lived an absolute life of luxury at her summer house in Sonoma, California, and the painting was reported to have cost $5000 to commission ($170k today). The craziest thing about this story is that this $5000 was only slightly more than what Kate paid for Sultan, the cat in the middle of the painting, whom she supposedly paid $3000 for when she spotted him in Paris (a mere $101k today). I have a “paintings of dogs” series on Instagram, but I’m thinking I need to expand it to include cats?
Other reading and viewing to get you through the week:
A live feed of a Norwegian train, viewed from the cab- I often have this on in the background while I’m working.
If you’re looking for a validating rage read, I present McMansion Hell
Thank you for reading! Stay tuned for later this week as we do more of a deep dive into paint finishes, and my favorite fail-proof paint combinations. Happy Monday!
