Maison Bergdorf

Part cuckoo clock kitsch, part hipster cool all wrapped up in a historic Holzchalet in Interlaken Switzerland, Maison Bergdorf is the perfect guesthouse for our weekend virtual getaway. With 8 bedrooms, 3 parlours, fireplace and verandahs we can rent the entire house. Now whether to relax and do nothing, put on the hiking boots and head into the great outdoors or wind our way along Interlaken's Straßen. Time to brush up on my schoolgirl German.

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French shabby chic in a British Victorian

There is something so dreamy and magical about this home. it brings together French and shabby chic with a plethora of textures and patterns and aged patinas and sparkle and glamour. if I walked through the front door of this home I could wander around for hours running my hands over fabrics, admiring each nook and cranny and not wanting to miss a thing. An early Victorian flat fronted semi detached house in Hackney, London, available as a location home via jj Locations. 

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Ottawa Antique Show

As I mentioned last week, this spring's Ottawa Antique Show was held this past weekend. I had participated last year by taking photos and going around tagging all of my favourite items ("Kim's picks") - see the post here. This year was quite different as my husband had a booth to sell his vintage radios that he guts and modernizes. The booth was so large I decided to lug a bunch of my retro/vintage goodies to sell as well. My husband sold some of his radios (YAY!) but I unfortunately managed only to sell a few of my things (I don't get it really - I had some pretty awesome West German pottery and not one of them sold! What's up with you Ottawans?!). Regardless, the show had a huge lineup on the first day and was really busy both days it ran. We had alot of fun and it was a really cool experience being on the other side of the table for a change. I took photos again, including some of the items I managed to buy before the show even opened! (I'm hopeless - I try and get rid of stuff, only to accumulate more!)

Our booth, and some of the pottery I brought back home with me. :(

Above are photos from one of my favourite sellers at the show - Samantha Howard Vintage. Samantha's modernist/brutalist jewelry collection gets me going every time, and I always have to pick up at least one piece, and Samantha, along with her husband Andrew have amazing retro and glass pieces as well. I also picked up something from one of the photos above. (Take a guess and you'll see at the end of the post if you are right). 

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How much is too much?

I found this warehouse conversion on Location Partnership the other day and it had me cracking up. I wasn't sure whether to run away screaming or gasp in delight (although leaning much closer to running away). The site says this home is a testament to the wonderful world of kitsch. I don't even know if I'd call this kitsch - it's more just a collection of completely random vintage pieces. But maybe that's the definition of kitsch. So I goggled "kitsch" and Wikipedia says "Contemporaneously, kitsch also (loosely) denotes art that is aesthetically pretentious to the degree of being in poor taste, as well as, applying to industrially-produced art-items that are considered trite and crass." So maybe it is kitsch. :) What do you think? Love it or hate it? Would living here make you insane?

Hommage to vintage

Happy hump day folks. In order to lift your spirits on this mid-week day I thought I'd share some thrifted, vintage eclectic goodness in the form of photography by Penny Wincer. I seriously could not love all these photos more. (See more Jo posted last year here).