Rarely does a book come out that makes my heart beat as fast as it did when I turned the pages of Patina Style. Written beautifully by Brooke Giannetti, the creator of the beautiful blog Velvet & Linen, and her husband Steve, an artist and furniture designer, the book is a love letter to all things antique and imperfect using a subtle, elegant palette.
The pages are filled with soothing colors: earth tones, creamy whites, gray-greens and soft-colored blues. You’ll start to feel more and more relaxed as you turn each page. Never have I seen a book where every single page captivated me and took my breath away. Brooke and I share a very similar style, and I’ve had similar things both at my home and my shop. The stunning baker’s cabinet of recycled wood, the worn French chairs, the pale grey Swedish Mora clock, seashells, white coral, antique vellum books. It’s all magical.
Decorating your home shouldn’t be ridiculously expensive. I get frustrated when I flip through magazines and every item in a home is expensive and custom-made. The expensive pillows match the custom rug and the custom sofa and the custom drapes. Yes, of course you should splurge on some things, and certainly this book has a lot of beautiful things that are very high end, but I love how Brooke pairs an expensive Swedish antique settee with the flea market prints hanging over it. A large antique cabinet is adorned with inexpensive dried hydrangeas. Sea shells aren’t expensive, but when you put a few of them on a gorgeous coffee table, they become a showpiece. Lots of industrial pieces and architectural salvage make the rooms more unique and special. And the sofa might be custom-made, but you’re not afraid to curl up on it with a cup of coffee.
Brooke and Steve know how to make a small cottage look chic and elegant, and a large home cozy and inviting. The mix of stunning furnishings and their choice of soothing Farrow & Ball paints make each room serene and breathtaking.
You’ll get a lot of wonderful ideas, no matter what your budget. The back of the book lists some wonderful resources like Kymberley Fraser’s gorgeous store A Beautiful Mess Antiques and the wonderful Agoura Antique Mart, which I just discovered last week. Enjoy!
Well, I’m here in La Jolla for my second summer vacation. The beautiful homes, the gorgeous shops, the restaurants on the beach. The cove with squealing seals, the surfers riding the waves as dawn breaks. Is it a dream? Nope. It’s all real. And for a town where the median house price is 7 million, La Jolla is decidedly unpretentious and cozy. Stop into the local CVS, where a college student behind the counter might ask you “How’s your day going?” Really? Never would happen in New York. People stop their cars to let people cross the street, waiters really want to know where you’re from. The cashier at the grocery store asks “Would you like help to your car?” Well, thats pretty amazing when you’re only carrying a bag with crackers and a yogurt in it. It’s easy to see why people here are so nice. It’s slow, breezy and beautiful all year round. There’s a respect for the climate, for the sea and for each other.
The same holds true for the neighborhood antique shops. They may seem intimidating and “high end”, but make no mistake, everyone here is happy to help and really nice. My favorite store in La Jolla is Girard Avenue Collection. I met the owner Shannon Turner last year when I was dragging my 8 year old and a newborn Eliza around La Jolla. I was thick into my chemotherapy treatments. I probably looked like a mess. Yet when I walked into the store, I might as well have been the Queen of England. Shannon greeted me kindly, cooed over my baby and entertained my son while I shopped. And what a gorgeous shop! Shannon and her fellow staff have created a series of beautiful vignettes throughout the warehouse style space. Different “rooms” flow through the store that are simply beautiful. A cottage style zinc topped door turned into a long dining table that’s covered in green topiaries, an elegant linen covered sofa matched with a recycled coffee table and handblown champagne flutes. Piles of coral, oil paintings of the beach that draw their inspiration from an earlier time, mercury glass that shimmers in the light. It’s all stunning. Pick out all of your treasures and Shannon will arrange shipping for you. After my visit Shannon gave me a big hug, and I was so touched. I’m looking forward to furnishing my new home with some great finds from this gorgeous store. Don’t miss it.
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