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.

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Vintage Wedgwood Schumacher

On buying trips for our shop we often come across incredible vintage fabrics but without a specific project in mind rarely stop to take a look. On a recent trip we had a definite project in mind and were lucky enough to stumble across the perfect piece of fabric for the job.


The fine fragile silk pillows seen here in a previous post all suddenly begun to fray at once (wonder who the culprit could be?) and vintage fabrics are a wonderful opportunity for unique throw pillows. At just over two yards this bold vintage Schumacher screen print was just the right size to make three pillow covers and dates from the early 70’s when this fine old family owned textile company was supplying fabric to the White House.


The pattern known as “Golden Cockerel” for the rooster motif was inspired by a now discontinued Wedgwood china pattern of the same name. The rich saturated hues in this fabric that were so popular in the late 60’s and early 70’s give the traditional pattern a fun more casual feel but are a little intense to contemporary eyes. A simple tea dying treatment will instantly tone down the bold colors and give the fabric a softer aged feel. Be sure to check back soon to see just how the finished products turn out!

Secret Garden

Tucked away on Long Island’s Gold Coast, the enclave immortalized by F. Scott Fitzgerald’s Great Gatsby, a most unusual garden lies forgotten in the woods of a large estate.


The gardens most unique feature is a tiny Tudor house situated at its heart behind which hides a walled garden designed especially for the enjoyment of birds. Built to resemble a fairytale witches cottage, this romantic folly was built in 1917 by Mrs. Payne Whitney at Greentree the family’s country estate to serve as a private place for reading and quiet contemplation. To give a sense of age the masonry exterior incorporates beams from old Long Island barns and a deliberately sagging roof of multicolored slate specially laid to encourage the growth of moss. A candle fixture framed in the tiny window above the Tudor door romantically illuminates the entryway.


The cottage was named Cromwell House for it contains an actual Tudor room imported from a house in Gloucestershire, England believed to have once been the bedchamber of Oliver Cromwell. Upon entering the visitor is greeted by a large multi-paned window looking into the walled bird garden, the only entrance to which lies through an antique iron door tucked away on the side of the house. Looking out from this cozy paneled room the Whitney's and their guests could view the wild birds without disturbing them.


The bird garden is surrounded by nine-foot high walls crawling with wild grapevine and features a raised stage-like area at the far end. The garden is centered on a birdbath surrounded by formal paths and planted with shrubs specially selected to attract birds. Today the estate is preserved by the Greentree Foundation which has hosted high level UN-led meetings on the property as Cromwell House and its bird garden sit nearly forgotten in a copse of trees just beyond the tennis court.

Photos from House and Gardens Book of Houses.

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.

Porch Perfection

What better way to spend a lazy summer afternoon than relaxing on a well appointed porch, and we’ve yet to come across a finer one that designed by David Easton for Balderbrea his Hudson River Valley country home featured here in a previous post.


Easton flanked his jewel-like home with deep loggias featuring wide lattice panel columns and beadboard wood paneling trimmed with traditional crown moldings. The beautifully designed space is conceived as an open-air living room complete with stone flooring, circular windows, and even a wood burning fireplace to snuggle up to on cool nights.


The floor is covered with simple straw matting and the mix of metal and rattan seating features thickly upholstered cushions with coordinating throw blankets and pillows at the ready. The idea of treating the space as an extension of the interior is emphasized by table lamps and even framed pictures on the walls, while the deer antlers over the fireplace lend a cozy hunting lodge feel.


Of course one of the most important aspects of the well appointed porch are plants and flowers and here Easton doesn’t disappoint with masses of potted plants, vines, flowers, and topiaries on every tabletop and even displayed on brackets along the walls. With a porch like this who would ever want to go inside?