The Past, The Present and the Princess

Last week I was driving down from Los Angeles to Palm Springs. I was in the middle of heated debate with myself, "I just don't think I can get on board with Meghan Markle!" Ty was in the car too, but I knew he had no interest and probably didn't even know who Meghan Markle was and I wasn't sure I thought she was worth explaining. I don't think she married Harry for the right reasons and I'm pretty sure all the contestants on the Bachelor would back me up. "She's no Kate Middleton," I said, again, talking to myself. I would glance at myself in the rear view mirror every now and then just to make sure I was listening. "Maybe I'm just jealous of her." I looked out the window as if Prince Harry were the one that got away. I was jealous of her, I knew I would make a better Princess, why did she get to be the one to live out the dream! And she needs to stop trying to be Diana! She'll never be Diana, not with all her time being spent resting her hands on her pregnant stomach. I reached for my phone to put on the British classic, London Bridge by Fergie when out of no where, 800 bugs hit my windshield. I didn't swerve off the road because I'm an excellent driver and I know I can't afford for my insurance quote to go up, but I did scream because I have no control over my huge mouth. It looked like we drove straight into a Stephen King novel or at least the pilot episode of Hoarders. It looked like huge grey and orange flies were swarming us.
We pulled off the freeway to get to my grandparents house, and what the fuck, there were more bugs. "They look like butterflies, but there's way too many to be butterflies." Ty said looking out the window at the little creatures flying all around us.
"Are they moths?" I asked as I tried to clean one off the windshield. "They're so gross."
"Probably. "
Fast forward a few days. The great butterfly migration of 2019. "Oh god, I killed the butterflies. I killed all the butterflies. I thought they were moths! I'm a terrible person!" Those thoughts quickly turned into questions I had for myself, "Oh my god, do I not know what a butterfly looks like. Am I a moron and no wants to be the one to break it to me?" I had intense visual flashbacks of them hitting my windshield and exploding, it was my own personal 'Nam. It's not that I love butterflies an unjustifiable amount, they're beautiful and graceful (but how graceful can they really be if they hit my car?), but if I can't pet it, I forget it.
When I heard that these bugs that were swarming the road, sitting on my bedroom window sill, floating around me while I walked, were in fact butterflies, I realized this was a sign from my mom. When my mom passed away, she told me that her animal that she would come back to me as would be a butterfly. I protested this at first and asked her to pick something a little less cliche, but she wouldn't budge. So, it was settled. If I saw a butterfly, it meant my mom was close. Or maybe the actual butterfly was my mom reincarnated. I really hope it wasn't the second one, because I just killed her 50 times over.
I believe in ghosts, but I haven't seen one yet. I actually think I was really close to seeing one this one time, but got nervous and didn't open my bedroom door. I knew there was a ghost in my bedroom but I was too scared to open my door. I haven't seen my mom's ghost yet, but I'm really hoping I'm not too scared to approach her. I picture her ghost wearing a long white gown, loafers and smoking a cigarette, like all ghosts do. This wasn't her ghost, but it was pretty close.
I kept thinking that these butterflies were my mom, all million of them. And then I realized that it's March, my mom's birthday month. This is a sign! This is special! I tried to remind myself that not everything is all about me, and these butterflies migration just happened to fall on my mom's birthday month because millions of years of science or something. But, I quickly sent that idea to the back of my brain, where I keep information on fractions and what a 401K is. This was magic. This was my mom. I knew it. And i'm going to continue believe that it's a sign, because sometimes that's what you have to do. I'm not what the sign represents, maybe it's just a check in, my mom's way of saying "hey I'm here" in the most dramatic and beautiful way possible. And just a nice thought.

Another thing that happened this month, was the sale. Wowza, I feel accomplished and thankful. Thank you to everyone who supported the shop! I want you all to know that it wasn't a one time thing either! The reason I was driving down to Palm Springs and accidentally killed the reincarnation of my mom, was because I keep all the antiques from France at my grandparents house. And there's a ton. It's overwhelming and exciting at the same time. I'm hoping to turn the sales into a once a week gig, but I need a little help. I want to know what you all want!! I will always supply the classics like the Chinoiserie, blue and whites and dishware, but I think the strong point of the shop will be the eclectic mix and match. Right now, I'm very into a mid-century and modern look. I think LA is rubbing off on me. I live right below the Stahl House in West Hollwood. I actually have a coffee table book called Case Study Houses and this house is prominently featured in it as Case Study #22. But, for the past year, I've looked up at this house on my walk to Trader Joe's and thought, "I wonder who's house that is." I could have found out years ago if I had bothered to look through the book without getting distracted by the TV in the background.
Case Study houses are really interesting. In 1945, Arts & Archtecture Magazine commissioned architects to design experimental residential houses. The homes from this program are actually homes that people live in, so they're not only stunning and interesting, they're functional. Most of the houses were built in the Los Angeles area, so I think that's why I associate this particular style to Los Angeles. While some, like the Stahl House and the Bailey House, are masterpieces, not all of them make me want to move in. I don't care for the Eames house, I love an Eames chair, but I don't love the house. Sue me.

It's impossible to look up from the bottom of the hill and look up at the Stahl house and not want to go home and throw out everything and start over with Herman Miller only. But, when I look at houses like this and get past the initial clean and cool vibe, I always think that they look cold, I wouldn't want to wake up there without socks on. Where is all the warmth? My fundamental belief right after "Do unto others as you would have them do unto you" and right before "If no one saw you eat it, it doesn't count" is "mixing is key." Mix the mid century with the antiques, do it girl, it looks great, I promise you. You don't want a house that's filled to the brim with only 17th century furniture, you'll look huge because it's all so tiny! But you also don't want a house that's only modern pieces where you don't know which way is up and which way is down. The juxtaposition between the styles is key.

This just screams cool. But, I know not everyone lives in an old chateau and can afford Hans Wegner, actually no one really can. But this look can done in a normal place too. I think a lot of has to do with the bones of a house. Lots of glass, lots of concrete, lots of light. This style doesn't have to just be modern through, many traditional and older homes focus on these three fundamentals as well. All though old French countryside homes have these aspects to it just as much as a Hollywood Hills home. With a blank canvas, oh god who am I, I hate that term, blank canvas. I sound like an asshole. Anyways, this "blank canvas" can hold any style of furniture and decor. A antique chaise lounge will pair perfectly next to the floor to ceiling windows and Lucite table. I could go on and on describing my dream home, but I won't. This is just my philosophy on design, mix and match, mix and match! And don't buy bedroom sets! The only thing I want sets of are dishes.
If this look is something you're into just as much as I am, please let me know!!!! I will source this for you, I will find the next great piece to mix things up in your home for you. The next sale is coming up this Thursday March 21st. While there are no mid century modern pieces available this time around (because I accidentally kept them all for myself), I would love to incorporate this look into the next sale.
But for now, your exclusive early admission into the sale. This sale has a plethora of Napoleon III black Chinoiserie, but there is one piece that is very very special. A tortoise Chinoiserie box and it's huge!! The piece is from the early 1900's and combines two of my favorite things in the world, vodka and Sprite, just kidding, Chinoiserie and tortoise. Look for yourself how magical this item is.

Another item that is going to go to someone very very lucky, is this horn sconce. This horn was purchased by my mom at a brocante in the 14th arrondisment of Paris a few years ago. She originally purchased it when it was just a decorative item, but because she's an interior design mastermind, she re engineered it to become a sconce. I feel like if I say re engineered it makes her sound like she sat up all night working out the kinks and did the impossible. It was actually a relatively easy task, just hire someone else to do it.

And now for my favorite finds. So, last sale, I had one ex-voto for sale and it sold in about 5 minutes. I had no idea that people loved these pieces as much as I did. I actually found that one during my most recent trip to Paris at the Marche aux Puces and took a chance on it. The booth had a few of the items and dumb dumb over here only left with one. Well this piece sold immediately and I immediately wished I bought the other two I saw there. But don't worry, I had a way. I can be very convincing over email, so I contacted the dealer and was able to get these two ex-votos shipped!!! It was the most exciting day ever!!!! They are wonderful and beautiful and whoever calls first dibs on these is clearly very smart and probably knows how to multiply in their head.

These items plus many more will be launched this coming up Thursday, but if you see anything here that you have to have like right now, please contact me at havesomedecorum@gmail.com
And also, let me know your thoughts on expanding the shop to include other decades of furniture and accessories, specifically mid-century and modern. Or you know what, actually, tell me everything you want in your home and I will find it for you. I don't have any hobbies other than this now.