accessories by Amy Azzarito 7

from the archives

Just last week, I realized that after two years of writing the Past & Present column, I had built up quite an archive of photos that, for one reason or another, never made it into a full post. So I started a little Tumblr blog to keep track of them all, but I thought it would be fun to share some of the really spectacular finds here. And since Grace is spending a few weeks in Portland resting up for the book tour, I thought it was only appropriate to put a bird on it. (You have to forgive me for that one. Just couldn’t resist) — Amy A.

Image above: Chairs from Empress Josephine’s boudoir in the palace of Saint-Cloud, from Empire Splendor: French Taste in the Age of Napoleon

Image above: mid-19th century swan garden bench from Furniture

Image above: François-Xavier Lalanne, rocking chair L’oiseau à bascule, 1974

artwork by Grace Bonney 9

new: prints from banquet

Continuing with my clean and simple kick, these new prints from Banquet are perfect for adults and kids alike. I love when something is so basic but pretty that it can appeal to a wide range of ages and styles. I’m trying to swear off animal imagery for a while, but that pink rabbit (in honor of 2011, the year of the rabbit/hare) is calling my name. Click here to check out and shop Banquet’s new prints online. xo, grace

miscellaneous by Grace Bonney 73

portland bound

Print by NDT photo

Today, I’m packing up early and hopping on a flight out to Portland, Oregon, for an extended getaway. When I started looking at my book tour schedule for the fall, I felt a mild panic mode start to set in, so I decided to give myself a little time away from the city to soak up some nature and quiet time. I’ll still be working like normal, but I’m finally going to take advantage of that whole “bloggers can work from anywhere they want!” thing and get myself outside of Brooklyn for a few weeks.

I’m excited to finally have more than 2 to 3 days to check out some of my favorite shops and designers, so if you have any recommendations or events I should check out, please feel free to drop me a line or leave a note below. I’ll be in town (right around the corner from Ink & Peat — I’m so excited) through the end of July, so I hope to catch some of you around town. xo, grace

sneak peeks by Amy Azzarito 52

sneak peek: caitlin & eric flemming

Caitlin Flemming of Sacramento Street and her husband, Eric, moved into this studio apartment a little over five years ago. When they found this gem nestled in Laurel Heights, San Francisco, it was love at first sight; the beautiful hardwood floors, glass French doors leading into the living room/bedroom and the bay windows that look out onto trees were a huge plus. In their eyes, it was exactly where they wanted to make their first home together. Fast forward five years, and they’re still calling this apartment home. Caitlin’s kept the space fresh by continually reinventing it to ensure that it reflects their busy lives. Thanks, Caitlin & Eric! And thanks to Michelle Drewes for the lovely photographs! — Amy A.

Image above: Our bedroom area gets an incredible amount of light from out the bay window. The bedding changes depending on the season — it’s a mix of John Robshaw pillowcases, an Erica Tanov quilt and the brown Euro pillows are custom made. The wall color throughout the apartment is Harbor Gray from Benjamin Moore, but I should say that the paint store seemed to have mixed it incorrectly, so it definitely looks more blue than the sample suggested. That being said, it’s more gray in person and changes throughout the day depending on the light. On either side of the bed, we have mismatched side tables found at the Alameda flea market.

Image above: We have a very petite kitchen, but what makes it feel larger is a huge green house window that adds quite a bit of space for planted herbs and such. Since we rent, there isn’t a whole lot we can do with the space except add a little character with our collection of Astier de Villatte. We were able to make the kitchen pop by painting it with Galveston Gray from Benjamin Moore.

Caitlin & Eric’s home tour continues after the jump . . .

before and after by Kate Pruitt 32

before & after: chevron wall + bedroom redo

When we posted Evita’s studio makeover last August, I was immediately drawn to the pale neutral palette with a few sprinkles of dramatic dark tones and bold colors. I was very excited to see that Evita designed her bedroom in similar hues and that she added a monochromatic chevron wall. The pattern is such an incredible addition to this space, and I love the subtle shift in color. Great job, Evita! — Kate

Have a Before & After you’d like to share? Shoot me an email with your images right here! (Low res, under 500k per image, please.)

Read more about Evita’s chevron wall and bedroom makeover after the jump!

before and after by Kate Pruitt 46

before & after: a new backyard

We don’t get to see the actual process behind renovations very often, so this video version of a before & after in the making is a special treat. LA-based author and editor Jaime Morrison Curtis decided to decorate her porch for entertaining, lounging and making the most of summer. The already enviable porch space is now even more wonderful thanks to Jaime’s handmade touches, and it’s so fun to watch the process unfold on film. Thanks for sharing, Jaime! — Kate

Time: 3 hours (for installation)

Cost: $1500

Basic Steps: First, I just thought about the space and what we wanted to do out there — entertain, hang out, play with our kid — my biggest fantasy was an outdoor bed to take naps on. We wanted to be able to barbecue and to be in the shade, so I created the canvas awning to block the sun but not the grill, then I built the daybed from two pallets and some plumbing pipe (because I wanted it to have arms — I can’t handle a daybed without arms) and finished the wood for outdoors by sanding and applying polyurethane. I bought a twin-size mattress and covered it in a waterproof bed–bug cover, and I ombre dyed the bedding and bolsters in a light dusky peach. I sewed most of the pillowcases and used gold and silver thread to do some embroidery and black and white piping.

I made a side table out of paper mache and plaster, and I made all of the fabric tassel garlands to spruce it up and tie the colors together. I block-printed the chevron fabric by making a cut linoleum block and using oil–based block printing ink. I made the seat cushions by embroidering the woman in a headdress, machine sewing the pillows, then hand-sewing the rope trim. I planted all of the succulents in pretty pots and bought some airplants for the hanging terrariums. I used rugs I had sitting around, and I moved a vintage cart I had bought on a whim outside as a sort of bar/buffet. I purchased the rope table and discovered you couldn’t put drinks on a rope table, so I added some trays. Then I hand-picked flowers and veggies from my garden with my daughter, poured some wine and got to partying with some friends. — Jaime

If you want to create a similarly awesome backyard oasis for yourself, Jaime will be posting a photo spread plus a source list and tutorials here in the next few weeks, so stay tuned!