Velvet & Linen

the melrose project

For the past couple of months I've been hearing a lot of buzz about the Melrose Project. Located across from the Pacific Design Center here in Los Angeles, The Melrose Project is filled with antiques and art from some of my favorite dealers, including: Lee Stanton, Obsolete, John J. Nelson, Robuck & Co, Galerie Half, Michael Kohn Gallery, Rob & Ada Brandegee, Kathleen Clements Home, R.M. Barokh, Karla Katz, Woven Accents, Eccola, and Rose Gallery. 

Today I finally had a couple of minutes to pop in for a visit.

The Melrose Project is filled with the perfect balance of refined and rustic,  

 

masculine and feminine.

 

 The cool neutral palette is warmed by the beautiful patina of the wood pieces.

A classic sculpture is the perfect foil for two bent wood chairs.  

 

All of the carpets are wonderfully thread bare. 
 

Many of the vignettes play with scale, like these oversized finials on top of two small bed side tables.

  

  
 Sleek, modern art is balanced with a rustic bench and a more traditional curved black side table. 
 

Large scaled swing arm wall lights illuminate this antique billiard table and modern photography.

 Of course my favorite items are the worn pieces , exposing their beautiful construction.

 
 

Greg Lauren's magical artwork is sprinkled throughout the showroom.
   

Although these are new pieces, they feel timeless. Like they could have been created decades ago.
   

These hat sculptures look perfectly at home here on this shelf, or..

on the stairway wall.
 

Another art piece comprised of a series of collars. 
 

This horse sculpture has a beautiful aged gilded patina. 
 

The Melrose Project is having their grand opening on September 15th. Hope to see you there!

 
xo

Brooke

If you would like help creating the home of your dreams, email me about our design services.

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steve....

I'm taking the day off blogging to spend time with my honey. It's hard (impossible really) to believe that we have been married for 23 years. I'm very blessed to be married to my best friend, my business partner, and my biggest supporter. 

Steve is one of those people who never stops learning. He's more passionate about life today than he was when I met him. He teaches me something new every day, and I am so grateful to share my life with him.

 

So we are off to spend the day together!

I hope all of you have an inspired Sunday...

xo

Brooke

 

accessorizing with plants...

As we wait for window treatments, we're putting the finishing touches on Beth and Blake's dining room and living room. 

As you may recall, this is what Beth and Blake's dining room looked like when we first started...

 

Last week we installed a few more items...

 

This week I bribed Charlie to be my "muscle" and lug the very heavy cement urns into the dining room! 
   

On top of their pedestals, these planters are the perfect mid-level height elements in the dining room. 
   

I love how the green adds a pop of color in front of the aged wood doors. 
 

Onto the living room...

When we first met Beth and Blake, they mentioned that they didn't like this corner of their living room.

 

A couple of weeks ago, we replaced the table and chairs with a new stone table and wicker chairs.
   
 
 

Last week we added artwork...
 

This week, we placed a tree in the corner, adding to the garden feel of this space.
 

Another similar tree was added to the other side of the living room.  As they grow, these trees will add that mid-level height element to the living room, similar to the way the plants in the urns work in the dining room.

Miguel, our window treatment fabricator picked up the shades today and is now working on the drapery panels. So, we should be ready for installation in the next couple of weeks. Yay!

I hope you had a wonderful week! Here's to a beautiful last weekend in August (wow, that was fast!). 

xo

Brooke

 

If you would like help creating the home of your dreams, email me about our design services.

 

 

 

 

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flea market and farmer's market inspiration...

Our family is blessed to live in a city that has an amazing flea market once a month and an abundant farmer's market several times a week. Last Sunday, Steve and I spent the early morning hours taking in the beauty at both markets. In my last post, I shared some of the treasures that we brought home with us and placed in our bathroom. In this post, I'd like to share with you some of the  other inspiration that we saw that day...

We arrived at the Santa Monica Airport Flea Market bright and early (6:30 am!). We were greeted by a wonderful new vendor and Velvet and Linen reader, Kathee.

 

We purchased this great doctor's bag and a pair of vintage industrial ceiling lights. Nick loved the fact that they were explosion and bomb proof. Suitable for hazardous locations, like our laundry room!

 

Kathee and I share a love of succulents and old planters. 

Kathee is just starting to get her website up and running. Stay tuned!  

 

Steve and I are beginning to think about the interior design of our client's horse ranch. A group of these vintage spurs would make a wonderful display.
   

They really are works of art!

 

The same vendor had a few firemen's hats that were a hundred years old. The color and patina of this red one was spectacular.
 

I loved the shape of this captain's hat.
 

If hats could talk, I'm  sure this one could tell many amazing stories...
 

Who new that  bomb detonators from an old stone quarry could be so beautiful? 
 

These ink wells would make beautiful vases.
 

Steve had a hard time leaving this huge movie spotlight, but it was a bit too big to buy without knowing where we were going to use it.
 

We did buy a few of these 300 year old buddhas. They were carved to be used as temple offerings.
 

I'm hoping to place this vintage horn in my client's home.  The brass is aged to perfection!
 

This vendor has a great gift for display.
 

A charming bulldog print was sitting next to the prettiest top hat I've seen in a while. 
 

A pair of weathered riding boots and a set of chippy red bowling pins were two of the pieces that made this vignette so unique.
 

After a couple of hours at the flea market, we were ready to head off to the farmer's market where the flowers and produce offered colorful inspiration!
 

Stacks of purple, pink and white radishes had made a wonderful color scheme.

 Another delicious display was comprised of orderly rows of zucchini and other squash.

 

My Maryland born husband can never resist Sweet White Corn!

I thought the colors of these grapes were just stunning.

  

 I had to stop one of the shoppers to ask if I could take a picture of the flowers she just purchased. Didn't she create a lovely bouquet?
 

These simply stacked carrots and cauliflower were too pretty to pass up.

 

We brought home several of these  baskets filled with ripe summer berries.

 

Our strawberry plants have just stopped bearing fruit, so we brought some of these mouthwatering beauties home to enjoy.
 

The color of these peaches would make a wonderful color scheme for any room....

 

After shopping for produce it was time for my favorite part: the flowers...
 

Bouquets of pink peonies were waiting to be brought home to bloom.
   

A variety of roses that smelled as glorious as they looked. 
 

Rows of orchids, whose blooms stood proud and tall, filled one of the covered stalls.
 

I loved the casual beauty of these meadow flowers. 

 

These hydrangeas with hints of pale blue, green and white were too much for me to resist!

            

I love finding inspiration in every day places! Where is the latest place that you've been inspired?

xo

Brooke            

If you would like help creating the home of your dreams, email me about our design services.

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