Autumn Eclectic

This eclectic seating arrangement which can best be described as "Baronial Bohemian Baroque", was inspired by none other than the autumnal hues of our vintage fabric throw pillows begun here in a previous post. A simple tea dying treatment was the perfect solution for muting the super saturated colors of this circa 1972 Schumacher fabric to something more akin to the hand printed cotton chintz of eighteenth century India.


With the pillows as a starting point we’ve amassed an assortment of autumnal art and accessories ranging from the Imari orange of a vintage porcelain shell bowl to the ox blood red of the Chinese porcelain jars flanking the arrangement. The gilded floral garland swags and antique Italian gilt metal and crystal wall sconce add a metallic sparkle to the mix that stands in stark contrast to the moose antlers that recall an old rustic hunting lodge.


The painted set of Hollywood Regency wall panels have a Chinoiserie fantasy motif complimented by the antique Chinese silk embroideries set in elaborate antique frames with incredible aged patina. The 1940’s vintage lampshade has aged to a lovely parchment like tone that casts a warm honeyed glow over the brown leather sofa and woven Scottish throw blanket.


The beautifully hand painted Italian majolica pitcher holds a perfect autumn bouquet of golden sunflowers and orange tiger lilies while nearby the last of summers velvety fruits nestle delectably into a creamy white alabaster bowl. As you can see Heidi the Rat Terrier heartily approves of her "Baronial Bohemian Baroque" surroundings and has already claimed these new pillows as her own.

Photos and staging by KS&D.

Blue & White at Balderbrae

Our recent posts on the blue and white color scheme and the sale at Albemarle House reminded us our favorite use of blue and white was that used by David Easton at Balderbrae, his Hudson River Valley country house.


This image of the lofty main room shows an envelope of warm honeyed hues punctuated by a symmetrically hung display of blue and white porcelain along the walls. Another favorite decorative device of ours are the corbels used here to display a number of jars and vases. To be honest we love just about everything about this space especially that great round table piled high with books, yet another one of our favorite things!

The Perfect Summer Color Scheme

Summer certainly is one of the busiest times of year at Knickerbocker Antiques. With the warm weather comes tag sales, flea markets, antique shows, and auctions full of unique and eclectic treasures to be discovered. Between the humidity and temperatures reaching into the nineties there’s nothing more refreshing than coming home to a cool palate of crisp blue and white.


Here a shelf of our rustic cabinet features a display of blue and white china from around the world including an oval platter by Lomonosov, porcelain supplier to the Tsars of Russia, in the Cobalt Net pattern designed for Empress Elizabeth and used at Stalin’s own table. To take off the cold formal edge of the blue and white and impart a nautical summertime feel we’ve added a pair of Venetian art glass dolphin candlesticks and two white coral branches around a Blue Willow pitcher. Filling out the display are two Blue Fjord plates, a delft box, a small Chinese dragon pitcher, and a row of intricate Chinese porcelain cups.


On the upper shelf a simple arrangement of white lily and iris in an antique delft vase continues the color scheme among a group of classical sculptures including a copy of Michelangelo’s David, a distressed antique marble bust, and a graceful female figure. One entire corner is filled by a large art glass vase which fades from cobalt blue to clear to a bold aqua at the rim. A carved gilt corbel turned upside down, and a framed antique French print, lend a metallic sparkle enhanced by glowing votives.


The ornately carved wooden chest on the bottom shelf is surrounded by a number of art and design books chosen to compliment the color scheme with all bold bindings removed in favor of blues, whites, and neutral tones.

Photos and styling by KS&D.

Refurbished Vintage Curio Cabinet

As promised here is a look at our completed curio cabinet redo.


After an unsuccessful experiment with black lacquer (too dark) and contrasting highlights (too much contrast) we decided to rethink the project entirely by moving the piece to a new space and painting it the same gray satin finish used on the walls and trim. As noted earlier the cabinets angled sides reflected in the mirrored back give a “built-in” effect, which the new paint finish only further emphasizes. Now the piece fades into the wall beautifully showcasing the art glass collection within while emphasizing the graceful slender arches I’ve admired all along.


The Elizabethan armchair is an antique reproduction from the 1920’s, a previous DIY project that was our first and last attempt at reupholstering. The architectural salvage column holds a whimsical bowl in the form of a shell supported by monkeys, which seems to have dictated an animal theme continued with a Chinese horse carving, a colorful framed bird print, and a charming folk art elephant resting atop the antique palm frond corbel.


An animal or two even turns up inside the curio in the form of a Murano glass swan and small etched bird vase, but the majority are simply random favorites from the collection including an amber glass dinner bell, a blue Art Nouveau style vase, and a stunning Deco piece of ruby cut crystal. The print perched atop the cabinet not only looks great against the wall color but also makes a fine backdrop for the unusual antique copper statue of a mysterious gentleman in elaborate Elizabethan garb.

Photos and home staging by KS&D.

Not So Mellow Yellow

After the previous post on the impact of color I came across this image from an old copy of World of Interiors showing the bright yellow study of a rustic Scottish hunting lodge. The bold yellow of the image instantly attracted me and I had to wonder how different this space would feel just by changing the color. The intriguing element of this image for me is the relationship of all those black accessories against the yellow. It’s bright and cheerful but still somewhat masculine, even with that ruffle on the chintz-covered pillow. The unusual cushion upholstery is due to the owner’s belief that it takes twenty years to break in new leather and wishing to extend the life of his chair has simply recovered the worn cushions.

Photo by James Mortimer

Experiments with Color

There is no faster or easier way to transform a space than through the simple application of paint. There is also no aspect more personal or of greater impact than the hue with which we choose to surround ourselves. Moods are often dictated by the color and light of our immediate surroundings, and the reaction between these two is important to consider.

After some years spent in the warming glow of the peach tone seen in previous posts it was decided a sleeker cooler tone was in order. Wanting to experiment with a gray we ended up with what in bright sunlight appeared to be an almost off-white. Once on the walls however, the color began to take on a decidedly lavender appearance, until after sunset when the room changed to a pale powder blue for the night. Setting out to choose the color I jokingly requested to paint the room opal after my birthstone and oddly enough that’s exactly what I got. As I sit writing this I can see off-white, lavender, gray, and pale blue from different corners of the room.

The color makes an excellent backdrop for gilding and dark woods. Over the brown leather sofa the mirrors have been replaced with a pair of beautifully detailed gilt floral garland moldings. Resting atop one of the salvaged columns is a hand carved bust depicting a stylized Native American Indian maiden similar to one displayed in the beadboard cabinet, both however have already been snapped up by a client in Europe. The carved cherub corbels and Chinese porcelain jars look great against the new color as well as the English porcelain plate at the top and the colorful gilt framed bird print below. As lovely a background as this opal makes for the rich accessories placed against it the color has proved a bit of a downer to be enveloped in all day and a lighter brighter shade has been chosen to replace it. After all you’re never more than a few cans of paint away from a whole new mood.

Photos and home staging by Knickerbocker.