Something I saw...

When I was little we would visit my grandfather in rural upcountry Georgia. Nearby there was a relatively  impressive antebellum house that I loved not only because of its unique architectural features, but also because of the peacocks that lived on the property. So naturally, I'm completely in love with this circa 1830 workbox in the form of a peacock. 

Amazing, right? 

He can come live with me whenever he wants. 

Really?

Cast iron drapery and tassels? 

In love. 

Available here.

An update...

Click here to read my guest blog post on Jayne Design Studio's blog Decoration - Ancient & Modern. 

While on a run...

I know I've been negligent with Sybaritic, but I thought I would show everyone one of my favorite places to visit while on my evening runs, Elsie de Wolfe's Irving Place home. I just assumed this building had been demolished, but when I rounded the corner and saw the distinctive Victorian awning and balcony on the front of the home, I recognized it immediately. The image above shows the house circa 1900.

Her home, circa 1905. Note the demolition of the townhouses to the left of her home and the removal of the decorative balustrade on top of the cornice. 

The interior following de Wolfe's redecoration removing much of the original Victorian decoration.

The house today...

Tragically the basement of the house is home to a Japanese restaurant and the rest of the building has been divided into apartments. I'm not sure I'd like to live in this area, but it would be amazing to be able to live in a space that was once home to one of the 20th century's most influential interior decorators.

Young Collectors Night at the WAS

Please click the image to see my pick item from Young Collector's Night as described on Thomas Jayne's Blog, Decoration Ancient and Modern

Photo credit New York Social Diary

I noticed a pattern...

After leaving the Winter Antiques Show I scrolled back through the images on my phone and noticed there was a definite trend to the objects I photographed...

 An ancient torso...

A John Singer Sargent portrait...

An Art Deco mirror...

And a Rockwell Kent...

I really didn't know I was this predictable. 

Oh well, I guess there are worse things to be attracted to.

The Metro Show

Wednesday evening I was lucky enough to attend the opening of the Metro Show at the Metropolitan Pavilion. The show was heavily folk art (not my favorite), but with some other pieces thrown in for diversity. Here are my some of my favorite objects from the show...

This iron snake was by far my favorite piece... it's coloration, scale (it was probably 3 feet long), and sense of movement all added to its appeal. I would be more than willing to let him move in with me...

I loved the colors of this vintage painting entitled "Les Competiteurs" by Leonard Nelson...

And finally these...

A set of 12 19th century watercolors of masks from China's Peking Opera... I'm not necessarily one for Asian art, but these are amazing. 

Look forward to a post on the Winter Antiques Show later in the week!

Early this morning...

I was at the Chelsea Flower Market... it's a place I've been often since I've been in New York. It's amazing what you can find in some of these stores... any type of Chinese glittered butterfly, to the most interesting exotic plants (we bought sprouted coconuts this morning for a project), to just generally attractive flowers... although I hate waking up early, at least I was looking at something beautiful. 

A Handful of Dust and Carlton Towers

Period movies are always a favorite... and when I saw this 1988 adaptation of Evelyn Waugh's novel on Netflix I knew it was a must see... the sets were amazing and profiled the Victorian country house, Carlton Towers... 

I love the drama of this room... especially the oversized Gothic mantle and double doors at the end of the room. My favorite touch was the the russet colored shades on the crystal chandeliers...

I'm typically not a fan of crewel work, but I'm loving the combination of the crewel fabric and the Aubusson pillows...

The fireplaces in the parlors had interesting coved walls extending from the mantles...

This wallpaper was my favorite decorative detail of the entire film... I want it in a million different color ways, although I could definitely be happy with it as is... 

Visit Carlton Towers website here. 

Something I saw...

... and loved.