Decorating with Houseplants

The pair of unexpected cacti in our last post got us thinking about houseplants and how much life and interest they bring to a room, especially when paired with antique and vintage pieces.

 

The big marble coffee table in our loft is styled with a trio of Phalaenopsis or Moth Orchids potted in Spanish moss, bringing some much needed height and vertical drama to the otherwise horizontal display of trinket boxes, small porcelain accessories, books, and sculpture scattered around them.

A column makes for a chic and elegant plant stand that can fit just about anywhere. The fluffy looking plant happily perched near this sunny window is known as a Ming fern, though oddly enough it's a relative of the asparagus and not a fern at all, while the vintage birdcage on the windowsill keeps company with a sweet African violet cheerfully basking in the sun.

The little sunroom through the French doors to the left is packed to bursting with all kinds of plants, palms, and vines. This tiny high ceilinged glass room could be thought of as sort of giant walk-in terrarium, but its come to be called simply the plant room, as it’s proved a perfect spot to winter palms or rebud orchids, including the pink and white ones in the first shot.

Antique Baltimore chairs flank a juniper bonsai tree atop on a Moroccan style accent table in this eclectic vignette. Produced mainly in Baltimore from 1820 to 1840, this style of chair incorporates Classical influences, like the curved back of the ancient Greek klismos chair as seen on the left, and elaborate hand painted and gold gilt details that result in a fantasy of the ancient Greco-Roman world by way of early American folk art. In its more heavily distressed condition, the chair holding the mandolin harp with its elegant deer-like legs and graceful gold gilt details almost resembles a relic from ancient Rome.

Many of the plants featured here including the orchids, Ming fern, and even the cactus that got this whole topic started have been purchase over the last few years from the Parkside Orchid Nursery in nearby Upper Bucks County, our favorite source for orchids that often carries other interesting houseplants as well, and definitely worth a visit if you're in the area.

Styling and photos by KS&D.

Shop the newest items and many of the ones pictured  here in our online shop.

Spring Comes to Town

With the weather at last warming up in the Delaware valley it seems that spring has finally come to town.

Here April showers bring rain boots and flowers.

Pink cherry blossoms add an extra touch of romance to white columned porches.

Cluster of sunny daffodils brighten somber brick and Victorian woodwork.

Tulips search for the sun through antique wrought iron fences.

And waves of fallen petals drift across sidewalks.

Sweeping weeping cherry tree branches have a lace-like effect against the brick façade behind them.

An elegant window box planter decorated with curly willow branches.

Colorful fish shaped Japanese windsocks known as Koinobori decorate the window boxes.

Bright clusters of tulips almost resemble Easter eggs scattered around the garden.

This lush saucer magnolia looks like a pink cloud complete with a fairy tale turret coming out of the top.

What better place to take in the pleasures of the season than a cozy wicker chair on a tall shady porch?

Then again we’ve always been partial to the well-weathered seat of an old Adirondack chair.

Photos by KS&D.

Library Nook

The recent addition of a book column to this blog shows how much our style is influenced and inspired by our collection of art, history, and design books. We hope you’ll enjoy hearing about some of our select favorites and maybe even find a new volume to add to your own library at home.


Not only are our books one of our favorite sources of design inspiration but one of our best-loved design elements as well. The rhythm of all those colorful spines filling the antique mahogany bookcase lends warmth and richness to this little library nook.


The green and burgundy hues of the fresh hydrangea echo the muted shades in the mid-century vintage print behind them. Looking down over the scene from a shabby antique palm frond corbel bracket is a charming Chinese porcelain figure of a child with a large gilded fish. Contributing to the gilded theme are an unusual gold gilt rococo scroll mirror and a carved wood corbel bracket.


The top of the bookcase provides a perch for a small famille rose porcelain table lamp a contrast in proportion to the pair of over-sized ox-blood red Chinese porcelain jars beside it. Finally it would seem every library no matter how small should have at least one classical bust, here ours is displayed with a tiny Victorian print overlapping a larger antique English print on the wall behind.

Photos and styling by KS&D.

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.

Eclectic Dessert Buffet

What better way to follow up our recent “dinner for two” post than with a generous helping of dessert? We’ve scoured the butler’s pantry for our most romantic porcelain and fine china serving pieces to create a dessert buffet as rich as any frosted confection.


Anchoring the table’s right end is a charming vintage German apothecary jar overflowing with fresh hydrangea in every imaginable shade of pink and purple. Flanking the bouquet are some beautiful Limoges porcelain compote dishes with intricate gilded floral detailing including a large cake stand layered with a scallop shell compote to create a multilevel serving piece perfect for displaying cookies and other treats. Tucked between all the Limoges sits a elegant antique Austrian porcelain serving basket and a charming antique English china sugar and creamer set.


Front and center sits an intricately painted porcelain tray of unusual shape piled high with vintage German porcelain cups and saucers adorned with colorful clusters of lush ripe fruits. Illuminating the scene from behind is a pair of elaborate porcelain candelabra ornamented with cherubic figures along their bases.


Behind the exquisite Haviland Limoges biscuit jar and vintage pewter coffee pot rests a large English ironstone platter just waiting to be put into service. The set of antique Royal Worcester bowls in the foreground are of ivory china with finely detailed gilded rims. Next to these a stack of small plates includes a set of old English Staffordshire embellished with blue ivy as well as a set of antique platinum banded Lenox. The scene is finished off with a smaller bouquet of hydrangea arranged in a classical vintage Lenox vase.

Photos and styling by KS&D.

Dinner for Two

A beautifully set table can turn the simplest meal into a memorable event. Luckily the "butler’s pantry" here at Knickerbocker Antiques and Vintage is stocked with all the little necessities for a one-of-a-kind table.


We started by taking the quilt off the bed and putting it into service as a unique tablecloth set off by a simple blown glass urn filled to the brim with lilies and irises. This simple yet elegant base makes a perfect backdrop for mixed and matched pieces selected from our antique and vintage porcelain, fine china, crystal and glassware collections.


Our place settings feature colorful French Limoges dishes sitting atop antique Austrian porcelain soup bowls with delicately gilded detailing. The dinner plates are unadorned white porcelain by Villeroy & Boch featuring fanciful molded borders perfect for mixing and matching. The white and gold bread and butter plates of English Wedgwood china perfectly match the French Limoges butter pats, a charming dining accessory rarely seen today.


The exquisite hand blown Venetian Murano glass goblets from Asprey are intended for red wine but their massive size makes them perfect water as well. They are shown here matched with antique wine glasses featuring unusually detailed stems and vintage cut crystal glasses by Tiffin.


The table for two sits framed by columns displaying potted plants, one in a large art pottery shell supported by monkeys and the other in an Italian majolica pot. The framed bird print and gilded wall swags pick up on the china’s gilded details creating a cozy vignette for a memorable meal.

Photos and styling by KS&D.

Crystal, Gilding, and Lilies

We’ve decided to bring the Waterford crystal decanter collection out of the dark breakfront to sparkle in the light of an antique carved marble lamp.


The crystal ball filled with internal bubbles also sparkles beautifully while adding a fun less formal counterpoint to the traditional cut crystal, and the polished brass stand adds a metallic note picked by the gilded bracket shelf and unusual rococo mirror. The little shelf along the top of the sideboard is just right for holding two vintage crystal vases.


Next to the decanters sits a blown glass urn brimming with lilies, a wonderful way to scent your home that’s more potent and longer lasting than candles or atomizers. At the florist buy as many closed buds as open flowers so you can toss out the older flowers as they wilt while the new blooms open over the next few days. Refresh the water every couple of days and you’ll have flowers all week.

Photos and staging by Knickerbocker.

The Work of Photographer Slim Aarons

Everyone likes flipping through a pretty “coffee table book”, and with their lavish swimming pool cover shots two of our summertime favorites have to be Once Upon A Time and A Place in the Sun featuring the work of photographer Slim Aarons.


As portrait photographer for Town and Country, Holiday, and Life magazines, Slim once described his career as “photographing attractive people doing attractive things in attractive places”. From WWII until the 80’s he traveled the world photographing the rich and famous in their natural habitat. From high society and royalty to titans of industry and Hollywood celebrities the pages of these books are filled with the one glorious image after another.


Our books are seen here with a simple bouquet of daisies, the perfect summertime flower, arranged in an antique French Country china creamer. The swirling striations of the antique Venetian glass bowl beautifully match the soft sherbet hues on the books spines. Now all we're missing is the newest book, which appropriately enough is simply titled Poolside with Slim Aarons.

Photos and styling by Knickerbocker.

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.

The Do-It-Yourself De Medici

Today being Father’s Day our post celebrates one of the forefathers of American design and one of our favorite inspirations, the legendary Tony Duquette.


The beautifully produced design books “Tony Duquette” and it’s companion “More is More” have become staples on my coffee table both for their breathtaking imagery and inspiring content. Discovered as a young man by international design arbiter Elsie de Wolfe, Duquette’s genius as an artist and designer earned him the honor of being the first American artist in history to be granted a one-man show at the Louvre.


Known as the “Do-It Yourself De Medici” for reworking ordinary objects in imaginative ways, Tony’s creations ranged from jewels for the Duchess of Windsor to sets and costumes for MGM motion pictures. Duquette designed for the opera, ballet, and theater, earning a Tony Award for costuming the original Broadway production of Camelot. His theatrical touch made him much in demand among wealthy clients as a creator of lavish parties, but it would be interior design for which he would become best known. The evocative image above shows the spectacular drawing room at Dawnridge, Tony’s jewel box of a home in Beverly Hills.


Here we’ve arranged our treasured books with a nod to Duqette style including an elaborate Chinese vase filled with bright fragrant lilies, glowing votives, a handful of seashells, and an unexpected bubble filled crystal ball just for the fun of it.

Old Cabinet New Look

After weeks of scrapping and gallons of paint remover the cloud of fumes has finally cleared to reveal a new look for our old beadboard cabinet.

While I admit to being skeptical until almost the very end I really love the way it all finally turned out. It plays up the handmade rustic feel that I loved about the piece, while looking bright, clean, and refreshed at the same time. The soft faded graining of the beadboard also makes a perfect neutral backdrop for photographing items featured in our online shop.

The unusual arched glass front display cabinet shown here with a piece of Chinese porcelain looks wonderful against the new finish. Sharing the top shelf is a wonderful hand carved bust depicting a stylized American Indian maiden along with a selection of pitchers including a lavishly hand painted one from Sicily, a beautifully detailed little one from France, and a handmade rustic one holding hydrangea dried last summer. Finishing off the tableau is an old handcrafted wrought iron candlestick, an elegant art glass bell, and a charming antique carved wooden elephant.

The middle shelf is still a symmetrical display of Italian art pottery including hand painted plates, nautical candlesticks, and a pair of cruets. The centerpiece is a lavish majolica bowl featuring monkeys supporting a giant seashell. Fanning out behind the bowl is the intricately detailed rim of a platter by Lomonosov, porcelain supplier to the Tsars of Russia. Finally the collection of heavy art and design books and the old carved chest fill out the bottom with warmth and texture.

Photos and styling by Knickerbocker.