This post is going to dispel a myth: it’s the one that has some of you thinking custom monogramming belongs to your grandmother’s generation. Though there is a storied history (we’ll give you a bit of a primer below), monograms can be chic, contemporary and even quite sexy. Take the monogram we created for Toma Clark Haines, aka The Antiques Diva, during her reign as our brand ambassador. She told us her wishes for her very unique insignia and we worked with her to realize it. Voila! A beautifully modern monogram with plenty of history behind it was born (she is the Antiques Diva, after all!). The top and bottom images in this post are of her...
We’re already setting up at High Point Market—yes, it has come back around yet again—and something has been on our minds as we ready our booth for those who look for us at Market twice each year. It’s a question we keep feeling inspired to ask: what is the best way to present the varied aspects of our influence in the well-appointed home? Visit Us at High Point Market We’re motivated to ask because we have a bit of a dual personality where our products are concerned—our European Sleep System, down products, spa products and sumptuous Italian sheets are contemporary complements to our antiques, and you might be surprised how modern looking our antiques linens can be so we thought...
The amount of effort it takes for us to stage our presence in the Arbor Antiques venue at the Round Top Antiques Fair every spring and fall is Herculean. The custom-built tent me call home while we’re there is a 2,100-square-foot pavilion with flooring and air conditioning that constitutes our Round Top road show. Within this environment that travels with us, we construct four bedrooms and a variety of areas where visitors can try our handmade lavender creams; sample our lavender linen spray; touch antique linens, fine laces, and museum-quality textiles; and learn about our primitive linen collections from the 17th- to 19th-centuries. The Pandora de Balthazár Dream Bedroom One of the highlights of our Pandora de Balthazár experience at Round Top is...
There are any number of excuses to hop on a plane and visit Italy—the food, the fabulous scenery, the lyricism of the language. But those things are merely the icing on the cake for our founder Pandora de Balthazár, who’s itching to get her hands on some of the remarkable antique and vintage textiles she knows she will find as she visits Parma and Venice with Toma Clark Haines, aka The Antiques Diva. She will be seeing sumptuous objects d’art like the Pointe de Venice coverlet we’re featuring images of to close this Diary entry. It's Pronto for Parma and Venice! First stop will be Mercanteinfiera, one of the most remarkable antiques fairs in Europe, and then on to Venezia...
We’re beyond excited to have a guest post by Tamara Matthews-Stephenson, the author of the Nest by Tamara blog, as our Diary entry today. She’s taking a look at the design industry's appreciation of handmade, artisanal products by sharing her recent visits to world-renowned trade shows and antiques markets, and delving into our collection of antique and vintage pillows to illustrate how she sees the trend manifesting in our substantial collection of antiques. Take it away, Tamara! Five Current Color Trends Last week I published a slideshow on Nest by Tamara blog showcasing five current, important design and color trends. These are ideologies I gleaned from travel to recent trips throughout Europe while visiting a series of design...
