Tuesday, August 24, 2010

Cooling Effects





After every walk that we take during the hot summer, Alfie marches inside my apartment and immediately collapses on my entryway's tile floor. I don't blame him; it's such a quick and easy way to cool off. This summer has been so hot and muggy that there have been times when I have considered lying down on the tile floor as well, although a modicum of decency has prevented me from doing so. But, there really is something appealing right now about things that are cool to the touch. To me, that usually translates to ceramic or porcelain and white, of course.



Like this 1930s French Patisserie Table from Soane Antiques. It's the perfect size for Alfie! Seriously though, I am charmed by this table.




In terms of garden stools, this drapery and tassel version is completely unexpected. (from Palm Beach Antique & Design Center.)




Who knew that firewood could be so cool? It is when it's made of bisque porcelain. (Still Life Logs from Klein Reid)




How cool are these ceramic wall brackets? (from Dixon Lane Antiques)




Just wanted to see if you were paying attention (Ceramic turkey from Kirk Albert Vintage Furnishings)




A little blue is perfectly acceptable, especially when it's on a table as terrific as this. (from Carlos de la Puente Antiques)








And finally, if I had a floor made of this Barbara Barry tile for Ann Sacks, I suspect Alfie and I would be fighting for space on the floor.

19 comments:

  1. Beautiful ceramic things!! I love the vintage table!!

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  2. The only item I like there, Jennifer (apart from your adorable Alfie!) is your own tiled floor (well, at a pinch, perhaps the French pastry table, but I don't care for the white turkey or porcelain logs - where would you put a ceramic turkey? (No, don't respond to that!) It strikes me that the maker of this needs to consider William Morris's dictum about things which are useful/beautiful (this is neither as far as I can tell.) But then I'm very conservative in my tastes!
    Margaret P

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  3. Everything was beautiful. I would pass up the Turkey. The brackets are really nice.
    Thanks.
    Your Dog Alfi is darling.
    yvonne

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  4. Great idea for a post and great picks. The ceramic turkey is hysterical! My dog has been lying on the air conditioning vents all summer.

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  5. I love the table in image 1! Beautiful post.
    Teresa

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  6. Sweet Alfie. He's a smart one! I love those ceremic logs - I need them in my fireplace b/c I'm certainly not starting a fire any time soon.

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  7. Here's what I hate- a fireplace filled with white birch logs- precious and twee and sure proof that its owner- horror of horrors- never lights a fire. Here's what I think I would love- a fireplace filled in the summer with those ceramic logs. And here's what i love even more- that ceramic turkey. And I'm being serious.

    By the way, I redid my New York apartment bathroom a few years ago and inadvertenly installed the all time favorite floor of my dog Shorty- radiantly heated marble tile. It's cool to the belly in the summer, and wonderfully warm in the winter. I can't get him out of there.

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  8. Alfie looks so regal. I think he likes being photographed. Fall is on the way (hopefully). Mary

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  9. J --

    That shot of Alfie is one of the cutest things I've seen in a long time. He definitely has a magazine cover in his future. Of course I mean shelter, but the other day in Whole Foods I did notice like 5 different dog lifestyle mags :)

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  10. I think Alfie is cool; the turkey is not.

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  11. Great post! I love all of these ceramic pieces, especially the table.

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  12. You know, I think that it would be great if Alfie could do a little modeling. That way, he could help pay the bills!

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  13. Always paying attention during your posts. The tile is terrific.

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  14. Great post...love Alfie, adorable.

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  15. Although most of the items in these photos are not my personal design taste, I still enjoyed viewing the photos very much! There is just something crisp and refreshing about white in the heat of summer. The garden stool is charming and beautiful, and I could certainly see myself incorporating it into my own rose garden!

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  16. I LOVE THE TURKEY! and I love you for showing me this strange beauty.

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  17. I'd like to know where you got those adorable grey Wellies in the shot with Alfie. Are those from Hunter? Just curious.

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  18. Coco, Whoops! Forgot to answer your question. Yes, Hunter Wellies that I bought last year from Zappos, I believe :)

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  19. Many thanks for letting me know--yet another thing I'm going to have to from your incredible ideas!

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