My Heart in San Francisco

This week's episode finds us in my favorite town, San Francisco, at one of the most enjoyable events of the season, the San Francisco Fall Antiques Show. It is a great show to attend because not only are the lamb chops and caviar delicious but the antiques are top-notch. There is always something to buy, something to be inspired by, something to covet, and I have so many talented friends in the San Francisco design community. The Fall Antiques Show also benefits Enterprise High School Students, which is wonderful. 

I work in San Francisco a lot and have just completed a great project in the city that I look forward to sharing with you in print soon. The Egyptian table I was admiring in this episode is one of the most unique things I’ve seen in a long time. The dealer is Therien, a Los Angeles-based antiques showroom. They are one of the finest resources in the world. I adore everything in their collection. They are my local go-to for my most discerning clients, the collectors of important heirloom quality furniture. I feel very lucky to have worked with them for nearly 20 years. They are a bona fide treasure trove.

The subject of this week's episode is the three-legged John Dickinson table. I am a big fan of John Dickinson’s work. He and Michael Taylor were inspirations to me when I started out in the industry. They where innovators and at the forefront of the California design style that has become so popular in world of design today. My design mantra is that there should be something unexpected in a room. This innovative, fresh, and funny table is the perfect example of just that -- what can be more unexpected than a Where the Wild Things Are table? We found it at Epoca, the San Francisco-based antiques store. They have great finds and are wonderful to work with. Their selection is diverse and interesting and always good quality. I was a little overzealous on the hunt and didn’t really think about the scale of the table. For me, the fact that I had finally found the table that was so hard to come by was my primary concern. The fact that it is to small to use as a coffee table is really not a big deal -- it makes a perfect side table, and I have room for more furniture! I’ve had a lot of questions about the fabric on my furniture line. It is from De Le Cuona. They do the best linens in the world. The quality is impeccable and the range so broad that if you are a true linen connoisseur, they will have just the right thing for you. They also make the tartan and paisley you see on the banquettes and the embroidered skull and crossbones fabric on the screen in my office. It just so happens that the company is owned by Ross’ cousin, Bernie De Le Cuona. We used their fabric on my entire collection of furniture for A. Rudin because of its comfort, quality, and timelessness. 

If you are going to be in Las Vegas the first week in August, come and say hi to me at the Vegas World Mart. I will be speaking on a panel and reviewing the show for the best finds. 

Jam