Crawford Bray Design

For me, Saturday is a day for shopping. It's the only day of the week during which I have time to visit new and favorite shops. The beauty of online retailers, though, is that I can shop anytime of the day or night. The latest website that I've added to my favorites list is Crawford Bray Design. Crawford's interior design background includes receiving a certificate from Parsons School of Design as well as working as the Director of Antiques for Jerry Pair showrooms. And now, he's started his new retail venture. Crawford's bricks and mortar shop is located at Antiques and Beyond on Chesire Bridge Road in Atlanta (that's Crawford in his booth above). And if you don't live in Atlanta, not to worry as you can also view and purchase Crawford's finds on his website.

Here's a sampling of his well-edited and reasonably priced wares:



Pair of antique crystal spike sconces.


Pair of antiqued mirror urn shaped lamps


C. 1950's bar cart


Louis XIV style queen headboard


1960's faux lizard Parsons console

And A California Christmas

One place I've been meaning to visit in San Francisco is the Crown & Crumpet Tea Room, located in Ghirardelli Square. (I bet Grant Gibson has been there!) In time for the holidays, proprietors Amy and Christopher Dean have opened a pop up shop filled with all kinds of unique fancy goods from around the world: mini baking sets from Japan, Cath Kidston accessories, sweet treats and holiday decor. You'll need to hurry because it's only open for a few months. What better way to spend an afternoon than having tea and doing a little shopping?

(Crown & Crumpet's Holiday Shop is located in the lower plaza of Ghirardelli Square. For more information, click here.)

All images taken by Kristen Loken

I Want, I Need, I Have To Have...

Yesterday, in response to the shell post, a reader mentioned that I might like the shell sconces, above, that are available at Rose Uniacke in London. Rose Uniacke? Why had I never heard of her nor her chic shop before? Better late than never, I suppose.

And regarding those shells- the reader was right. I'd like a pair of the sconces, as well as many other items on the website.



Like these chairs. Slipper shape, green velvet, bouillon fringe. Divine!


And this 17th c. Louis XIV Ebony and Brass Inlaid Commode.


This Bagues chandelier would look perfect over my dining table.


I don't have a bar, but I'd have one built in a jiffy in order to accommodate these stools.

Oddly enough, my favorite thing on the entire site is not a chair nor a table, but rather a bespoke range hood (or should I say cooker hood).


Truly, is this not one of the best looking hoods you've seen? Even if it meant that the rest of my kitchen had to go naked, I'd buy this hood in a heart beat! (It certainly beats the 1968 GE hood that graces my kitchen right now.)

Design Equivalent of Lipstick

Haven't you always heard that when the economy gets shaky, lipstick sales go on the upswing? Women may cut back on buying Manolos, but they are not going to stop purchasing makeup. It's also a matter of treating oneself to something nice. It might be hard to justify at $600 pair of shoes, but a $20 tube of lipstick? That's easy.

I think that many times it's the little details that can make one's home seem well-appointed and even quite luxurious- perhaps even more so than expensive fabric or elaborate curtains, for example. And the good thing is that it doesn't have to cost very much to make you and your house feel special.

Here are some of my recent lipstick purchases. What about yours?


I recently bought a box of monogrammed matchbooks. No, I don't smoke, but I seem to burn a lot of candles, and it's great to place a matchbook with each candle in the house.


Who doesn't love fresh flowers around the house? At times, I like to splurge, but when I'm in a hurry, I just buy a bunch of carnations from Publix. They're cheap and they last forever. The key is to buy only one color and group them en masse. Bright pink, white, or deep burgundy are my favorite colors. (The carnation's best friend is Joe Nye. I can't think of another designer who uses carnations more often than Joe. And they always look fabulous.)


It used to drive me crazy- everytime I was on the phone and needed to write something down, I was always running around my house like a madman looking for a pen. A while back I purchased a bunch of colorful pencils that I display in julep cups or old candle votives, and I color coordinated them to each room. I know, I know, some of you might be rolling your eyes right now, but I swear, it doesn't look too contrived.


If you're sick of ikat, then just skip this photo. These West Elm pillows look great on the chairs of my terrace. And, they're only $19 per pillow. A lot of look for a little money.

(Image at top: Photograph by Leombruno-Bodi, Vogue, April 1960; courtesy of Conde Nast Store. Image of tablesetting by Joe Nye courtesy of joenye.com and House Beautiful)

Bunny Williams and BeeLine Home

Everybody has been buzzing about Bunny Williams' new furniture collection, BeeLine Home. (And apologies for the bad pun!) I recently had the opportunity to meet with Bunny and her staff and see the line in person, and I promise you this is a fabulous collection!

First, the whole line has that Bunny Williams' flair. Each piece that I saw- whether it was a mirror, a table, a lamp- looked like a "found" object. The collection was inspired by both pieces in Bunny's own collection and objects that Bunny had been searching for. And one of Bunny's objectives was to provide a mix of modern and traditional pieces. After all, that's the way we live, and I think that's what makes Bunny's interiors so rich, so inviting, and so now (and yet so timeless too)!

The other thing that I shouldn't neglect to mention is the gorgeous finishes of the furniture. One of the reasons that I'm hesitant to buy new pieces is the lack of quality finishes- they either look cheap or too new. And that's definitely not the case with BeeLine Home. There were a few tables that I really thought were antiques...until Bunny pointed out that they were part of her new collection. I was pleasantly surprised.

The collection won't be available for sale until late March. But there's good news for all of you who are not in the trade. The line will be available to everyone at retail shops around the country, including Mrs. Howard, Hollyhock, Mecox, and others. Visit the website to see the entire collection and the retail locations. And if you can, try to see BeeLine Home in person. I really think you'll love it as much as I do.

Oh- and before I forget. These are limited edition pieces, meaning get them while you can. It also means we get to look forward to fresh, new additions in the future!


Hand carved wooden Garden Panel with gesso finish, reminiscent of a 1930s plaster panel.


Shadowbox Mirror, inspired by a mirror in Bunny's Connecticut home, has a mid-20th century feel to it.


This Nailhead Sofa is absolutely gorgeous in person. The combination of the nailhead trim, the curvy apron, and that rich olive cotton velvet is perfection! (The sofa is available in taupe and moss linen twill as well, or can be upholstered in the customer's own material.)


I think this Hourglass Table might be one of my favorite items in the entire collection. It's so glamorous.


This Chicken Feather Lamp is charming in person. And, the price is nice too- $500.


And as we all love Sister Parish (who was Bunny's former employer), I thought you'd like to see the Parish Cachepot, based on a pair of that were once owned by the late decorator. Now where else would you find something as charming as this?

Marcia Sherrill at Roland Antiques

Marcia Sherrill has long been a fixture here in Atlanta. Part of it has to do with her vivacious and madcap personality. But the other thing about Marcia is that she is accomplished in so many areas. For years she designed a gorgeous handbag line. She is also an interior designer, a writer, an antiques and vintage furniture dealer, and now a co-founder of a new website called Victory Over Divorce. She's a bit of a modern day version of Auntie Mame.

Sherrill now resides in New York, and I'm sure many of you are familiar with her articles and interviews that are featured on 1st dibs. Marcia recently emailed me with the news that she has partnered with some friends to open a new store called Marcia Sherrill at Roland Antiques. The shop is located at 74 East 11th St., and I do hope to visit it in person soon. (Or you can simply go to 1st dibs and see her wares for yourself.)

Marcia emailed me a few photos of her shop, and I love the mix of pieces. It's the type of shop where you never know what you might find. And if you need a little levity, you might want to read Marcia's monthly column for Atlanta Homes & Lifestyles (available on their website). It's a hoot!

A Very Branca Holiday

Like it or not, the holidays are here (not to be a scrooge or anything, but I'm just really not ready for the onslaught). So, to help get us- and especially me- in the mood, let's look at how Branca the store has gotten into the Christmas spirit. Of course, Alessandra's signature red is woven throughout the store vignettes, and it's particularly festive at this time of year. And I am a sucker for a pretty Christmas tree, and this one looks especially nice surrounded by the antlers.

But what I'm really excited about are some of Branca's holiday items. The gifts are all very Branca looking,and the nice part is that they're not pricey. Oh, and with the exception of the pillar candle, they're unique to Branca too, so you're not going to find them everywhere. To order, call the store at 312-787-1017.


Branca Carpe Diem Agenda Book, available in black, brown, silver, and gold. Small- $40, Large -$75.


Branca Glass Balustrade Candleholder. $200


Branca Solid Beeswax Red Striped White Pillar. $40.


Branca Leather Partial Cover Flip Notepad. Small- $30; large- $50.


Red Goat Skin Leather Mini Credit Card Envelope, $40.


Large Hand Blown Clear Glass Suspension Radiometer Ornament, $170. The radiometer (that metal thing on the inside) reacts to light in the room, causing it to spin. And if you thought I knew what a radiometer was, then you don't know me very well! I had to have it explained to me, and I believe after the third go at it that I finally got it. But it is a very cool ornament, and sophisticated ornaments that actually do something are hard to find.

Grant Gibson, Sacramento Street, and a Rant

Seeing that we have no gas here in Atlanta, I've had to severely limit my running around. I use very little gas as it is because I live in the heart of the city and I don't drive an SUV. But still, it's chaos here with people spending all of their time driving around and around trying to find gas. And when you do find it, you have to wait in line for HOURS. It's absurd. Absolutely maddening. And on top of that our governor is in Europe and seems to be doing little to solve this mess. Needless to say, I'm staying close to home and to the office knowing that the situation may not improve for another few weeks. (That's the rant.)

So, my shopping and browsing is now limited to the internet. It's not as gratifying as the real thing, but it will have to do. And the timing couldn't have been more perfect to do a little vicarious shopping with Grant K. Gibson.

I've admired Gibson's work for some time now. The San Francisco designer aces that fresh and clean traditional look with some gusto thrown in for good measure . Recently, Gibson was featured in a California Home and Design article (Oct. '08) extolling the virtues of the shops of Sacramento Street. He's definitely the one to ask. After all, his design studio is located on Sacramento.

I always make a point to visit the Sacramento St. shops during my twice yearly visits to San Francisco. There is something about that street that is so appealing to me. It's not frenzied nor frenetic but rather low-key and charming. In fact, during my last trip there my sister took me to a very trendy, still rather gritty part of town to visit some hip design stores. I took one step out of the car, assessed the situation, turned on my heel and said "May we please just get back into the car and go to Sacramento Street?" What can I say? I'm a creature of habit- and comfort.

There is legendary shop Sue Fisher King- one of my favorites for linens (Porthault included), tabletop, and accessories. And of course there's Kendall Wilkinson Home. These too are favorites of Gibson. But another Gibson recommendation is new to me: Ribbonerie. Gibson suggests shopping there for ribbon for pillows or lampshade trim. Who doesn't love a good ribbon and trim shop?

And one more gem- Birch, a floral shop with a black interior (almost like a retail version of Mrs. Delany's Flowers!) Gibson likes the shop because the black walls make the flowers pop.

So for those of you whose style is being cramped by the gas shortage or those who just want to spend some time looking at beautiful things, visit Gibson's site and those of the featured shops for a little inspiration.




A few glimpses of Gibson's portfolio.


These are the types of beautiful things you'll find at Sue Fisher King


A view inside of Kendall Wilkinson Home


This is just one of many ribbons you'll find at Ribbonerie (both in their store and online.)


A floral arrangement by Birch

Image at top: Gibson about to embark on some Sacramento Street shopping with the doggies. (Photograph by Jen Siska)