If The Lampshade Fits

I'm always on the hunt for cool lampshades like this one. I found it at an antique show. It is handmade and one of a kind.

This lampshade is made from a vintage grain sack. It was made by the same artisan as the one above.

I found this lamp and shade at a little boutique in Healdsburg. I've since put this shade on a large vintage alabaster lamp. They seem to compliment each other better.

My latest find at the flea market. Couldn't resist this one. It also casts a wonderful glow when the light is on. I put an amber bulb in this lamp, which makes it even more romantic.

This beautiful linen shade was a resale shop find! You just never know where you might find a treasure.

I found this treasure on Ebay! It is enormous and hangs over the kitchen island.

You can read about how we installed it here.

This handmade toile shade is on a floor lamp in the living room. Talk about romantic glow!

A fun leopard shade. There are four little paper shades on my sconces over the fireplace, adding just a touch of whimsy to the serious crystal fixtures.

This black shade is the only shade that works on this vintage one of a kind tramp art lamp. I have tried other shades, but black seems to compliment the lamp the best.

One of my favorite shades on my dining room hutch was a real bargain. A Target find, believe it or not!

Which brings me to my newest and most expensive "lampshade," costing me well over $100, thank you Dr. Sutter!

I think it is just a little too unusual and quirky for my taste, but proving that if the lampshade fits, then wear it!

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Collecting Vintage Alabaster Lamps

When we bought our second home in the Wine Country, I decided to put vintage alabaster lamps in the bedrooms. I already had a few, but went on the hunt for more at flea markets, antique stores and Ebay. My criteria was that they had to have a patina to them and be inexpensive.

I love the simplicity of these lamps. The intricate carving of the marble, the weight and heft, and of course the different colors of the veins. Some are grey, some amber.

Most of the lamps were made in Italy and are probably from the 40's.

I love the subtle veining of this lamp in our guest house.

This lamp is a little too shiny, but the price was right.

A very small accent lamp on the dresser.

Then there is this one. It's probably one of my favorite pieces. Originally, it was wired, but now it is a candlestick. My friend Maureen brought back these battery operated candles from Texas and it works perfectly in this lamp. We use it as a nightlight.

Here you can see the lamp in the setting and how it relates to the other elements in the room. I think the grain sack lampshade compliments the alabaster well.

Again, the lamp as part of the vignette.

Guest house shot of the bedroom with unmatched alabaster lamps.

Our most recent purchase. This lamp is the largest in my collection and sits in the living room

And finally, this alabaster lamp in our newly painted living room at home. I found this one on Ebay.

I'm joining Cindy for "Show and Tell Friday" at

My Romantic Home.

I love Cindy's blog and recently discovered it. It is full of wonderful, romantic decorating ideas. And, she is just "down the road" from me in Northern California!

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A Little Leopard Here and There

I love a little leopard here and there -- on pillows or lampshades, it can be just the right touch. Here are a few photos of the leopard elements I have used in decorating our home.

One of two Bergere chairs in our Asti home. I splurged on the Ralph Lauren linen fabric.

The lampshades and chair are in our Master Bedroom and Bathroom at home in the city. The fabric is velvet.

Sconce in the living room. I love these shades. They are paper and I think they were all of $10 from Lamps Plus! (The red walls will be painted a more neutral "burlap" shade after Christmas.)

The stairway runner. Another splurge. The stairs make three turns which proved very difficult to install. It was worth it though. This carpet wears like iron!

I found these Ralph Lauren placemats at Marshalls and couldn't resist incorporating a little leopard (and burlap!) in the Christmas tablescape.

Perhaps I should use this photo for the next Tablescape Thursday! Afterall, Christmas is now just around the corner......

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Burlap and Grain Sack Mania

I fell in love with burlap several years ago thanks to Ballard Designs. They were one of the firsts to feature burlap fabric with their skirted table rounds. Some even fringed! Oh my! After that, I gravitated to anything burlap--especially lampshades.

My burlap phase expanded to include vintage grain sacks from Europe. At the Alameda Antique Show I found a dealer who had 7 sacks, all the same. I paid $25 a piece for them! Maggie of "Maggie's Slipcovers" was brave enough to make them into slipcovers for two Parsons chairs. She is from Hungary and remembered the grain sacks from her childhood. Using these sacks for upholstery material is a challenge as some of them are 50 to 100 years old! You can find these for sale on Ebay. There is a dealer who specializes in vintage European grain sacks, mangle cloths, linen, flax etc. Check her out!

Close up of the fabric for the Parsons chairs. Notice the rough texture. So wonderful!

I found this handmade lampshade made from a vintage grain sack at the Hillsborough Antique Show.

Another handmade lampshade from a vintage German grain sack. Also found at the Hillsborough Antique Show.

This lampshade is a reproduction. I'm starting to see more and more grain sack reproductions. Have you checked out Pottery Barn and Restoration Hardware recently? They have jumped on the burlap/grain sack bandwagon! Pottery Barn has pillows, table runners, lampshades, etc. All of which I'm afraid to admit I bought! Restoration Hardware has Belgian linen and grain sack pillows too.

Which brings me to one of my purchases I probably should have left alone. Originally, I found this burlap pendant light in Anthropologie. There was very little information about it and it was so expensive. But I couldn't stop thinking about it. Then I happened to find the same light for sale on Ebay for half the price. So I bought it. It is HUGE! I plan to hang it in our home in Asti over the kitchen island. I haven't quite made the commitment yet, so it sits on the floor still.

Is it the times? It just seems that the design trend these days is leaning toward the natural fabrics, slipcovered linen sofas and chairs, aged wood and seagrass rugs. Lots of texture. It has been called Gustavian, Belgian, European boho, etc. Either way, I love it and want to change everything now! It is time to simplify........

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