A Vintage Mahogany Dresser in Antique White

Did you watch the Golden Globes last night? I tried to, but only managed to catch the last 30 minutes or so. Why, you ask, did I miss so much of an awards show I'd been looking forward to for weeks? Well, that would be because even though I PAY FOR CABLE I don't have a physical cable hooked up to a physical television set, you know, because I'm not 80, and this isn't 1994. And I, so foolishly, thought that since I PAY FOR CABLE, I'd be able to stream the show on my laptop, which (PSSST-HEY NBC!) is how every adult now watches all media content. Can you tell I'm a wee bitty bit miffed? Mhmm.
         Thankfully an Heir and Space follower from my Facebook page was an angel sent from heaven and sent me a link to a jacked up live stream of the show on youtube. It was shaky, and kept cutting out, but I did get to see my darling Eddie Redmayne present. (Thank you Elizabeth!!)
Because really, if I'd missed that, I would have burned the entire state of Connecticut down-

From my very favorite gossip blog-
Lainey Gossip

In just under two weeks I'll be walking my own red carpet, at the Opening Party of the Winter Antiques Show at the Park Avenue Armory in Manhattan. I've bought a dress, it's got a drapey sort of bodice and a blue and copper sparkly skirt. I'm worried it's too racy, but last night while we were NOT watching the Golden Globes (I have so much shade for NBC right now), I tried it on for two of my best friends and they said no, it didn't make me look hella trampy. So we'll see, I might still chicken out and wear something conservative and boring. Either way I'm dieting and hitting the gym like crazy until next Thursday. I never get to dress up, so I want to bring it HARD!

In other related news, check out this spectacular vintage mahogany serpentine front chest of drawers I just refinished custom for a client. It's from the same furniture set as the yellow china cabinet that I showed you yesterday, but is going off to a separate home. As with the cabinet, it's from September 1948. Structurally it was in gorgeous condition, but it had quite a few nicks and scratches and a few bits of missing veneer on the drawer fronts, so I didn't feel bad at all for painting it. The client opted to keep the original Federal oval brass pulls (great choice!) and we went for a antique white with distressing for the case. I sanded, stained, and sealed the wonderful mahogany drawer fronts and top.

A Vintage Hutch in Sunny Yellow

Did you get snow yesterday? We got slammed pretty hard here in East Hampton Connecticut. It's hard to say what the total accumulation was since the wind was howling the whole time the snow was falling, but I'd guess around 8 inches. I went out and shoveled our absurdly long driveway and all the walkways and parking spots this morning, which I'm officially counting as my workout for the day! Also it's something like ten degrees out right now, brutal, uncompromising January weather.

              I don't know about you, but I'm already ready for summer! I can't offer you balmy breezes, or sun soaked rose gardens, but here's a happy, sunshine yellow china cabinet that I've just finished for a client! And if there's one thing a bunch of snow is good for, it's lighting for photo shoots. It reflects the bright white sun right into my workshop, and thank goodness, because this is basically a cave.

        The yellow is custom mixed, as is the antique white on the interior. We kept the original oval Federal brass drawer pulls for the lower doors and drawer but I swapped the single knob on top for a slightly more sophisticated salvaged antique bras knob. I lightly distressed the case and sealed it with dark wax. It's staged with a set of china I found this past fall in a box on the side of the road, and some grocery stores flowers that I've used for the last six or so photo shoots (I promise this'll be the last time I use them!).

           I gotta say, I'm thrilled with how this one came out, such a happy, mellow color. It's going into a spectacular family room in an 18th century farmhouse! How fun!

Are you watching the Golden Globes tonight? My beloved Eddie Redmayne is presenting so you better believe I'm watching. Next year I plan to have made so much headway that I get invited to attend. What the hell, set big goals, see big results right???

OH! And one more neat thing about this china cabinet! It's got a date stamped on the back-9/27/48! I just love when pieces like this are dated. It's a mass produced cabinet, but it really helps to inform my date attributions to all similar pieces. I'll say that's almost exactly where I would have pegged it- Just after WWII when all the baby boomers were buying and filling their new suburban homes. It's nice that it's remained such a timeless charmer. Almost 70 years old and still looking good!

A Vintage Sideboard in Blue

I don't want to get ahead of myself. And I don't want to get too giddy, but today I've eaten a grand total of one bowl of crispix and twelve almonds, and just now sipper my way through two glasses of wine... so yea, GIDDY.
         I think *think*, all those big crazy dreams, well, I might be making a bit of progress. Just a wee bit. So since I'm tipsy on a Thursday when there's something very important but also secret tomorrow that I really should be Plymouth Deacon Sober for, this post might be a bit shaky. AND SILLY. But I swear, solemnly, that if I ever get anywhere with all this Heir and Space business, I'm going to spend it all on beautiful antiques and donations to museums, and puppies. There should definitely be lots of puppies. But puppies and antiques is a baaaaad combo, so we'll all need to work the logistics out ahead of time.
           Anywhoozle. Here's this great mid 20th century (I'd say right around 1965) Drexel sideboard that I scored at the goodwill last week. I've refinished it custom for a new client who I can already tell I'm going to be fond of. We went with a shade of deep rich blue, the original hardware, and a dark stain on the fruitwood top (pecan, I suspect).

The Winter Antiques Show!!!

Guys. I am SO SOOOOO excited! The Winter Antiques Show Opening Night Party is only two weeks from today!! And I'm going!
         The Winter Antiques Show is the big boy. It's the tippity top peak of the entire antiquing year and it's the culmination of the mad amazing week that is 'Antiques Week' in New York City. There's the incredible auctions at Sotheby's and Christie's, and events all over the city throughout the third week of January, but the Winter Antiques Show is what we're all there for. It attracts the very best antiques dealers from all over the world, and only there will you see such top shelf objects, all gathered under one lofty roof.

         AND THERE'S A RED CARPET. Yes, that's right this is not a drill, The Opening Night Party at the Winter Antiques Show has a red carpet, and loads of celebrities and socialites attend every year. AND  I'LL BE THERE TOO! It's like the Academy Awards of the antiques world, a who's who of all the major players, and everyone dressed in their chicest evening wear. It's held at the massive Park Avenue Armory, which is a spectacular bit of architecture in its own right, but for the preview party, it too is dressed to the nines. There's fancy passed hors d'oeuvres and a massive bar in the center. 

         So it's basically heaven. Antiques and a splashy party with the stars?! Yup, that ticks all the boxes. You should see the dress I bought last night, It's killer, though I'm going to need to hit the gym HARD for the next two weeks to be able to walk in it. And with 75 booths packed to the sky with breathtaking early furniture, the finest artwork, modern art, suits of armor, jewelry to die for, and folk art to make a gal's knees weak, I'm going to need to be able to hike right around and through that floor! 

          You can still buy tickets! Here's a link for the opening night party, you should totally indulge yourself, the tickets support the East Side Settlement House, which is a very worthy cause. But if you're already going to a fine or special event on Thursday January 19th, (come on, nothing is more special than the Opening Night Party for the Winter Antiques Show!), the show is open January 20th-29th, and is the most superb way to escape the blistering New York cold and transport yourself to a divine world of beauty, art, and antiques. 

           But if you live a world away and simply cannot attend the show this year, fear not! I will be covering the entire event, from the moment I leave for the lights of the big apple, to the moment I return home. I'll post a follow up with loads of pictures, and I'll be live tweeting the main event! So if I happen to bump into Eddie Redmayne, and he's gobsmacked by my fantabulous cocktail dress, and flawlessly styled hair, and waltzed me through booth after booth of antiques, until it becomes a hazy blur of color and music (which is ABSOLUTELY what's going to happen), I promise you, I will live tweet it. ;-)

            Here's a bunch of pictures from some of my favorite booths of past years and some of the treasures we'll see at the show this year, to whet your appetite. Stay tuned for more updates, I'll be sharing with you what I intend to wear that night, and all the chic places I plan to visit while I'm down in the city!

Last Year's Opening Night Party
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The view from above!
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David A. Schorsch / Eileen M. Smiles American Antiques
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From exhibitor Cove Landing
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Tillou Gallery, Litchfield CT
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From exhibitor Glass Past
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From Exhibitor Maison Gerard LTD
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From exhibitor David A. Schorsch~ Eileen M. Smiles
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From exhibitor Olde Hope Antiques, INC
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From exhibitor Rupert Wace Ancient Art
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From exhibitor Michele Beiny, INC
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A selection from exhibitor, A La Vielle Russie
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A Vintage Maple Cupboard in Gray

Last night I was the DD so I'm not in the least hungover today (it's almost 2pm and my poor husband is just now hauling himself out of bed!). Though I'm a gal who loves a stiff drink or three, I don't like rolling into the New Year drunk off my kettle, it just seems to bode ill for the year ahead. Today's been a dynamite day. I got up, cleaned the whole house, worked in my workshop to finish this sweet sideboard up, and after I post this, I'm going to go for a nice long jog as it's quite lovely out! If I'm really on the mark, I might even manage to get some laundry done today, though don't hold your breath.
         I picked up this handsome vintage maple sideboard by Bassett at the goodwill last week. They were having a post Christmas sale, and everything in the store, including the furniture was half off! The guy that does the furniture pricing at my local goodwill is kind of a buffoon and prices things about ten times higher than they should be, and then they just sit and sit and sit, cause no one's paying $400 for a coffee table at the goodwill!! Luckily this maple sideboard had been marked down a couple times already, and then with the 50% discount it was finally within a reasonable price range for flipping.
         I refinished the scratched and marred top and painted the case in Benjamin Moore's Iced Slate. I lightly distressed the case and sealed it with dark wax. For a bit of fun I painted the interior in a nice bold shade of teal. I swapped the clunky vintage pulls out for more refined salvaged brass ones, thought I kept the fantastic pierced hinges. Finally I staged the piece with an antique rocking horse I bought off craigslist years ago. At some point someone attempted to refinish it, they got as far as stripping the paint and gave up. Now it's eerie and beautiful and sculptural. I don't like to keep it in the house because I always feel like the glass eyes are watching me, and I'm terrified that some time in the dead of night I'm going to wake up to see it slowly crawling across my bedroom floor towards the bed...So it lives in my workshop, where it can't as easily steal my soul.

      HAPPY NEW YEAR!!