Celerie Gets Me

Have you checked out the new Lonny? I must admit it wasn't my all-time favorite issue, but it did contain an article featuring one of my favorite interior designers - Celerie Kemble. I'm not sure what it is about her style that I love - usually it's pretty much everything. She's not afraid of color and texture and taking a risk here and there. Here are some shots from the apartment featured in the newest Lonny:

Source: lonnymag.com via Kathy on Pinterest

Now, granted this is not the most saturated or colorful room she's ever designed, but I still love it. She's definitely going with the black and white and neutral thing a bit more lately. And here's the bedroom . . .

Source: lonnymag.com via Kathy on Pinterest

I think this look is very much in keeping with her new book which just came out November 1st. Have you picked it up yet? It's on my Christmas list for sure. And the title? You guessed it . . .

http://kembleinteriors.com/

Does anyone else see the similarities here? Is the apartment in Lonny the same one in the book just re-painted and re-styled? Or did the same people just move somewhere else and this is their furniture re-arranged? It doesn't really matter, but it's sort of like playing a fun little design game of Eye Spy. Just goes to show different furniture pieces can work in different rooms with different accessories. I love it. I'll have to actually get the book to investigate further.

And why do I say in the title that Celerie "gets" me? Of course, it's her use of dolphin tables in her designs.

Celerie's dolphin looks a bit more menacing than mine with the teeth and all.

Source: lonnymag.com via Kathy on Pinterest

Here's my dolphin table when it resided in our antique booth.

I'm happy to report that my dolphin table will be coming back home soon from its temporary stay at my husband's office (where I know the ladies who work there will be so glad to see it go). Look, I know the dolphin table is not for everyone and doesn't suit everyone's taste, but that's exactly what I love about it. Isn't that what makes the world go round? Anyway, I like that Celerie enjoys a little bit of the funky stuff too. Is there something that you love that raises eyebrows among your friends and family?

Who Knew?

Thank you all for your sage advice about this "fish table." I really do appreciate you weighing in. So, did I get it?

Well, sort of. I don't officially have it yet. Because of my son's birthday party on Saturday and family visiting, I couldn't make it back to the estate sale. However, the nice estate sale lady is giving me until Friday to pick it up. So, on Friday it will be mine, or some other lucky person's as it is going straight from its old home to its new home in the antique booth.

And by the way, I tried to find some examples of these tables on 1st Dibs by searching "fish table."I found nothing. But, my partner in crime Bri, of course, found some for me. She's a super sleuth/treasure hunter. It turns out these are dolphins not fish. Silly me.

Here are some examples from 1st Dibs . . .

This table is pretty darn similar to the one I found. Except there are two of these. They are selling for $5,800 for the pair!

Apparently, these dolphin tables are considered Italian "Grotto" furniture, consisting of fantasy pieces that showcase oceanic subjects. You learn something new everyday, I guess.

More examples . . . 

And I knew this type of table looked familiar, and then it hit me. One of my favorite rooms by Celerie Kemble has a pair of "dolphin" lamp tables that I have long coveted. Of course, they are a Chinese red-orange and not brass, but if you're so inclined you can always paint them (as Naomi from Design Manifest suggested).

So, if you're looking for some fantasy in your own life, stop by my booth and the Grotto dolphin table is yours. I'll give you a much better deal than 1st Dibs!

Sources: 1st Dibs, Kemble Interiors

Chair Envy

I know it's a sin to covet. I was raised Catholic, I know my 10 Commandments. 

But, oh, how I covet my friend Becky's new (old) chair. It is so cool. I love its unique shape.

What makes it even harder? She found this chair today while we were shopping together. We had hit a local school's yard sale and had barely been there five minutes when she spotted this chair and decided she needed it. I agreed immediately. If she didn't get it, I would have. Other women there were eyeballing it, but Becky got it - fair and square - for $50! In the world of treasure-hunting, you've got to be fast and fierce. As the saying goes, you snooze, you lose.

Within seconds, I knew where I had seen this same style of chair before . . .

One of my favorite interior designers, Celerie Kemble, featured a pair of these chairs on the cover of her book To Your Taste. When I made this realization, I was even a little more jealous.

After the chair was safely in the car, we made our way to a fabric store to check out re-upholstery options. We found a great little suzani print with vibrant colors that I think will really make her chair pop. Here's the tiny swatch they gave her.

Once she gets it reupholstered, I'll be sure to share an after photo. I just know it will be fabulous.

So, what do you think? Are you as jealous of her find as I am? And I'm not usually the jealous type. I threatened to steal the chair, but I only live a few houses away so I feel sure she'd find it rather quickly.  I guess visiting it from time to time will have to suffice. Sigh.