I’m crazy about vintage French baskets. I love the history about them, knowing that they were once carried somewhere in the French countryside, and used for berry picking, picnics, laundry and travel. I’m also crazy about dried hydrangeas, so I was delighted to find this basket full of them.

I bought this beautiful basket from Debra Hall, and she happily gave me the beautiful dried hydrangeas that were displayed inside the basket. 

I couldn’t resist snapping a few photos.

I’ll have many french baskets at the Remnants of the Past show in a few weeks. I’m really looking forward to it. I hope to see you there. Have a great week.

xo Jennifer

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                       Have a great weekend.

The history of Gustavian furniture began in 1771, when the future king of Sweden, Gustav III, returned home to Sweden after an extended stay at the court of Louis XVI at Versailles.   The young monarch was highly influenced by the Neoclassical style and sought to recreate it in Sweden.

The Gustavian style that evolved is a restrained interpretation of the French Louis XV and Louis XVI style.  Initially, Gustavian furniture was reserved for royal palaces.  However, the style soon gained popularity with the average citizen.   While palaces were graced with gilded furniture, countryside homes were decorated with painted furniture; either white-washed or painted gray or soft cream.  The light painted finishes provided a reflective quality that was desired during the long dark winters.

The Gustavian style has increased in popularity over the years.  I love the simplicity of the design and the unique patina of the aged, painted wood.

Beautiful, isn’t it? I often can source Gustavian pieces, so if you are looking for something special, just let me know and I will try and find it for you.

Enjoy the rest of your week!

xo Jennifer

I’m not usually one to fall in love with any house that doesn’t have an all white color scheme, but I  quickly changed my mind when I saw this beautiful estate, currently for sale in the gorgeous hills of Agoura, not far from the beaches of Malibu.  This beautiful French Country home has it all. Enter the home’s private gate and discover a 3 acre lot,  5,450 square feet of house plus a 500 square  ft. 11 seat free standing theatre & parking for 6 cars. Well, thank goodness.

The back of the property offers panoramic views of the Santa Monica Mountains, open space & its own nature preserve. A creek runs year round thru the property.

Don’t worry about ever missing your favorite TV shows because the home comes with 10 Plasma televisions. There are exquisite fireplaces throughout the home and 6 bathrooms. 

Let’s take a peek….

                                    I absolutely love that gorgeous sofa and the pair of French armchairs.

                                              The sisal rug creates the perfect Coastal California look.

                             I love this elegant chandelier paired with slipcovered chairs in the dining room.  

                                                                         Look at that gorgeous ceiling! 

                                               I love the black wood against the pure white of that gorgeous fireplace.

 In my next house, I definitely want to have floors like this. Aren’t they gorgeous? Love that sofa.

                                                           The whole color scheme is serene and tasteful.

                            An absolutely stunning kitchen. I love the cowhide chairs with the crystal chandelier.

Simply beautiful.

 I love the choice of high gloss white paint in the Master bedroom.

More chandelier envy. Love that marble!

                                                     Your own movie theater…..

After a long day, the perfect spot for a glass of wine as the sun sets.

The property is listed exclusively with Sigi & Pam of California Prudential Properties.

Listed at $3.295 million, the house is just a little out of my price range, and probably yours too, but  I really do hope they are considering a yard sale before they move.

Have a great week.

xo Jennifer

After church we always headed to one of three places: My Grandparent’s brownstone in Queens, my Aunt and Uncle’s house in Nassau County or to my cousins house which was just down the road from ours. The day was always filled with lots of food: platters of ham, deviled eggs, and trays of Italian lasagna and sausages. After many hours of loud chatter amongst the grownups, white bakery boxes from the local Italian bakeries would appear, and they would be filled with cannolis, and  various types of cookies covered in chocolate and sprinkles and candied cherries.

We would drive back home with our stomachs full and my Dad would turn on the radio and we’d listen to Cousin Brucie talk about the great hits of the 50′s and 60′s.

I have no family in Southern California so Easter feels very foreign to me without my New York roots to anchor me. It is an odd feeling.

So, with that in mind, I plan on heading out to the local grocery store to buy a PAAS Easter egg kit today. Eliza will get to dye her first set of eggs. I’m certain the Easter Bunny will make his way to California and hide them for us. He might even hide an Easter basket somewhere,  filled with pink grass and candy.

Eliza will find it and her blue eyes will widen.

She’ll smile that magical smile that all children do when they experience something new and wonderful.

I’ll take lots of pictures. We’ll laugh and share jellybeans together. She’ll tell me all of their colors, and her fingers will get sticky from too many treats and her hair will get tangled from running all day in the California sunshine.

I guess that is how memories get made, one little moment at a time.

Have a Happy Easter….

The company website is a great way to spend an hour. Or two. The houses are all stunning, one after another.

My favorite color is Tiffany Blue and anything in the Robin’s Egg, Seafoam family, so you can imagine how I was salivating reading about this house. And my taste has always been a cross between French country and Cottage Coastal. This beautiful house in Cape Cod  is coastal perfection inside and out. From the incredible gardens, fabulous pool, and picture-perfect shutters outside, to the light-filled rooms, nautical touches,  and elegant yet informal furniture inside.

I wish I could take  credit for this beautiful post, but  I have to say thanks to one of my favorite blogs, House of Turquoise, for featuring this one. I’m just happy to pass the photos along to you all. Enjoy.

I’m in love with the colors of these shutters!

 Hydraegneas everywhere, my favorite east coast plant. I miss it. They are hard to grow in California.

 Love the fish fabric on the sofa!

 Check out that gorgeous turquoise backsplash. The blue chairs are a lovely accent.

The perfect spot for mixing up those summer cocktails….

I love the serene colors of the bedroom.

 Oh my, love the blue Adirondack chairs!

Enjoy your week wherever you are, and remember, Spring is just around the corner.

xo Jennifer

I love white.

Some people meditate, some read, some do yoga.

I just want to look at all things white. Every shade.

ivory, cream, latte, milky white, dove white…

I’ll bet these photos will relax you in about 1 minute’s time…

You see? I told you so…

Have a wonderful week….

xo jennifer

I’ll continue to list things over the next few days. Enjoy the rest of your weekend.

xo Jennifer

Hello and Happy Monday. So, I promised my husband that I would do my best to stop decorating our house for a little while. (Translation: I’m not supposed to buy anything). I’ll admit, that’s a bit like asking a dog not to wag its tail around here. I’m constantly rearranging things and always looking for another little treasure to add,  however, this month has given me the opportunity to change up a few things around the house that I already have.

I love my dining room hutch, but I’ve never really cared for the dark wood inside. I had heard of Annie Sloan Chalk Paint, but had never tried it. I figured I’d give it a try, and now I’m hooked. For those of you who don’t know, Annie Sloan is the matriarch of an incredible paint that you can use on any surface, no prep work needed. Unlike other paint which requires you to strip and sand down the piece you want to refinish, this paint requires none of that. And once you get hooked, you can really start to have fun playing around with different colors and finishes.  A quick search on google images will reveal some pretty beautiful pieces, and they can all be easily replicated by you!

So here is what my cabinet looked like when I started…..

I chose a beautiful color called Duck Egg….

The paint is very thick, so I used a tiny bit of water to thin it out….After it dried, I applied Annie Sloan Clear Wax….

Then, I filled the cabinet with my white pottery and some coral……

My dining room has a beautiful chandelier from the 1930′s…..

The new paint color brings out the pattern in this fabric I have on a few chairs in my dining room.

The paint is available all over the country. If you cannot find a location near you, you can have it delivered right to your door.

Have a great week.

xo Jennifer

I’ve just taken out this vintage French LOTO set I have. I don’t know what it is about old paper and old games, but I love them all. I love thinking about who might have played with these LOTO cards somewhere in France and what was going on at the time in history. Was there a war going on? Were they on a family holiday? Were children and their parents gathered around the table on a rainy Sunday afternoon?

Maybe they belonged to a group of old gentlemen, sipping carafes of wine and playing in a Paris cafe. Perhaps the set  was a special Christmas gift for a child somewhere in the French countryside, who’s parents saved their earnings so that the blue LOTO box could be wrapped and sitting under the tree…. It is nostalgia that makes vintage things so special, the history and curiosity of where they came from that draws us in.

I’ve just listed this LOTO set in my etsy shop. I hope it goes somewhere wonderful to make more memories for someone…Have a lovely weekend.

x Jennifer