The Designers Have Spoken!

I recently had the privilege of going to the American Red Cross Designers' Show House in West Palm Beach. Set in Northwood, an historic neighborhood of the city, the house was a former fire station built in 1938 in an Art Deco style know as Art or Streamline Moderne. You can see in its lines the similarities to Miami's MIMO (Miami Modern) architecture, a kind of Deco-Nautical-Modern exclusive to that city.

Renovated in 2006 into a residence, it is 4,500 square feet of nothing but stunning. Large foyer, leading to a living room on the right, a dining room on the left, with a bar / conversation room behind. Kitchen, breakfast room, guest bedroom with office rounded out the downstairs. The patio and pool areas were just breathtaking. I love the use of the huge chandeliers and sexy furniture ranging from Hans Wegner wishbone style chairs to beefy armchairs with faux tortoise lucite arms.

It pained me that I couldn't take photos. Some things were just so incredibly gorgeous that no description I could offer would do them justice. But here's the best part. Many of the things showcased are already in the Sophisticated Vintage repetoire. So since I can't share photos of the house itself, I'll share some Sophisticated Vintage photos, starting with our former brick and mortar shop and followed by finds in our Etsy shop, sophisticatedflorida. Here's what the Designers were showing:

A vignette from Sophisticated Vintage, the brick and mortar version, circa 2014. Note the zebra rug and faux fur throw!

Classic blue and white chinoiserie ginger jar. The designers were showing these patterns with orange. Both the jar and the following bowl are available in the Etsy shop.

I admit to a preference for blue and white with yellow

Metallics, metallics, metallics. In furnishings, accessories and art. I could have spent all day photographing. As it was, I was so inspired by all the metallics that I ran out to my favorite haunts to see what I could find. These two were part of my finds. They sold in record time!

Organic materials, in shell boxes like these, more of my great finds, accented with brass. The dog was another score from my hunt for metallics. One of a pair, in the Etsy shop.

Mirrored furniture and accessories are still on point but what's fresh is the trend toward antiqued finishes rather than shiny. Yes, we've got that covered too.

I love the muted surface of these ribbed mercury glass candlesticks, and I couldn't resist getting in a little more metallic in this vintage tole candle snuffer. Yep, in the Etsy shop

Texture is a big part of the story, from nubby linens and faux fur to worn columns and rough hewn wood. Faux antler accessories in silvers were prolific. Lucite remains strong; I was particularly taken with a grouping of lucite frames with gold backs and tole flowers. I'm going to try and create my own version of these.

I'm a fan of obelisks and was excited to see a group of them at the Show House. Here's one offered in the Etsy shop

I'm always a fan of the unexpected. I don't mean by this the plunking down of something so out of character or doing something that's jarringly out of place. I mean, rather, introducing an element that one wouldn't expect to see paired with other things in the setting but which works. Works so well, in fact, that your initial response is "Why haven't those been paired together before?". In the modern dining room, a Murano glass chandelier. Of course. What else would you put there. In the living room full of square contemporary furniture, a wing chair with embellished Queen Anne legs; the chair covered in rough linen and the legs painted gold. Not only does it work, it's delightful. And did I mention nailhead trim? Everywhere!

Big bold graphic wall paper and art.Marble in the bathrooms? Certainly, let's take it right on up the wall. Doesn't that look lovely. There's middle eastern influence everywhere - with filigree, Moorish arches, peacocks, deep indigo and purple with rich amber gold. Love. And yellow. Oh my yes yellow. Huge ginger jars. Accents everywhere.

And we've got it too, I'm proud to say. This yellow lamp almost knocked me over, it was so rich and iconically mid century.

But if your taste is a little more traditional, we can certainly do a more classic take on a yellow ginger jar lamp. Both lamps available in the Etsy shop.

It was an affirming, inspiring and informative visit, one that will frame my thinking when I'm out on the road. Keep up with my latest finds in the Etsy shop and on Instagram  The hunt is on!