5 recreate furniture

South African designer Katie Thompson believes nothing should be thrown away. In fact, this student of dadaism seeks to push the boundaries of what's luxurious. In comes Recreate Furniture! Katie has created a line of furniture stemming from her collection of vintage items and it's so cool. I would have never thought of using an old suitcase to create a plush side chair or ottoman, but Katie makes it look great.




Love the color of this side table with a lucite top!



How cool is this lamp made from an old typewriter?


These are just a few Recreate collection; there are lamps, seating, accessories and even lighting to see! To learn more about Katie's design philoshophy, see the rest of the collection and maybe even buy a custom piece, check out the Recreate website.

6 a little paris in savannah

Armon and I got away from the hustle and bustle of the city over the labor day weekend and spent some time exploring Georgia's oldest city - Savannah. This harbor city is full of history and culture and we had a great time just relaxing! I really enjoyed walking around the city admiring the architecture from several different eras, and stepping into the cute little shops on Broughton St. My favorite was The Paris Market & Brocante.


Upon entering the store your greeted with divine smells of burning scented candles mixed with espresso drifting from the small coffee shop in the front.


An art nuveau Paris Metro sign stands tall in the entry way, immediately letting you know this store is filled with vintage goodness! Here are some pictures that Armon snapped while we were browsing.









This little chair was so perfect, I would never sit on it!


And Armon wanted to take this little guy home... not for $1000 though!

If you have the chance, you should definitely take the time to visit this little gem. It's two stories of a well edited vintage collection plus a little spot to rest your feet and have a drink. Can't make it to Savannah? Lucky for you they have a great website + blog !

All photos by Armon Burton

5 american high style

While at the Brooklyn Museum, I had the pleasure of checking out the American High Style exhibit featuring gorgeous vintage fashions from American designers. This collection showcases the amazing talent of designers that may not be as well known as some of their international contemporaries. Althought some were born abroad, their influence on American design is what makes them noteworthy.Tell me if you recognize any of these designers; they were all new to me!


"Evening Ensemble" by Norman Norell


More pieces from Norman Norell


A stunning gown by Charles James - the detailing was so intricate on this one!


Here is a preliminary sketch of his design.



Charles James was known for being a "sculptor" of dresses; these are indicative of his style! Don't they remind you of building architecture?


The evening jacket on the right, designed by Elsa Schiparelli, reminds me of my favorite coat!


A close up of two gowns by Micol Fontana


More Micol Fontana pieces; these all are from the mid 50s!

There was so much more to see and I couldn't get pictures of it all because there were quite a few people enjoying the exhibit. There are some great photos of other dresses featured on the Brooklyn Museum website; be sure to have a look! And of course, if you're in the BK - go see for yourself!



Photos by Niki McNeill; courtesy of the Brooklyn Museum