I want that lamp

I woke up and decided I hated everything around me, for real this time. My pink bow wallpaper is making me dizzy. I know, it was a choice.

(this weekend’s estate sale list is at the end)

I’m in overhaul mode like I’ve never been before. I was definitely coasting for a bit since I found myself living in Hollywood Hills (against my will, house burned down blah blah blah), but as that’s coming to a close, I would say that I am, back on my bullshit 🧘🏻‍♀️.

I look at my closet, no idea what’s in there. I look at my accent chair in the corner, this place looks like a roadside motel.

Hurl! Everything holds weight to me because at my core I think I am dramatic. A pink leather handbag is saying something I don’t resonate with. Its that deep!

I’m getting rid of a lot. Not my books…but mostly everything else.

Colby likes minimally designed furniture and decor but it turns my brain into soup. I love things that describe who you are and where you’ve been but my flashing Harley traffic light has no place here unfortunately.

We are redesigning our space, in a fun way. I’m not about to hit you with a mood board but I will show you some cool pieces I’ve seen recently, all exorbitantly priced but I’m still nosing around on eBay.

I’ve made my own furniture in the past (hang on, I designed it. Ex-boyfriend built it), and I’ll probably go that route again. Need someone to build it though so hit me up if you can use a hammer and nails. I hate too much fabric…a regular upholstered couch creeps me out. Dust mites, etc. I have three cats, etc.

Colby and I recently went to Seventh House Gallery and I tweaked over some lamps. So we’re going to start there. The gallery is in a Frank Gehry designed studio and residence, from early in his career. The Danziger Studio and Residence, designed in 1965. Its Gehry at his chillest. It has an impeccable flow to it, there are giant windows that frame tree limbs and utility poles like pieces of art. Its every tumblr girl’s dream loft.

Anyway, my lamps.

a pair of P600 table lamps by Gino Sarfatti for Arteluce (his company), from the 1960s. Give them a chance! I like that at first glance they sit there, like two fat candlesticks, or some medical device an old person needs to keep close. I really do.

Their light bounces against the wall and it feels like total harmony to me. The perfect feel for the end of your day. I think I’ve said this before when describing Italian design but they kind of look like Wall-E. The base allows you to orient them all sorts of ways. There are a few sitting on eBay for $500-700 each, I wouldn’t be opposed to selling a bag for a pair. And then I’ll drag them to the valley and have them rewired. Sell another bag.

A beautiful desk that just is. I love the sloped legs, they catch your eye and feel like sculpture. It technically is a dining table, designed by Gerald Summers circa 1935, and excels in that category too. Wow I could stare at it all day long. I think my Substacks would be way more evolved if I could hammer away at the keyboard on that thing.

This would probably be the one thing Colby and I could agree on, stylistically. The Kangaroo coffee table by Mathieu Matégot for Gubi, designed in 1954 and reissued in the early 2000s. It reminds me of the surprisingly considered outdoor spaces you’d find at trailer parks because people really value their afternoon cigarette. For Colby I think he’d like that its simple, no bells and whistles or places for me to store my zine collection. Mathieu Matégot is a guy to love. He created a world we’d be lucky to live in. This gallery had a few of his designs, it felt like a winning streak. I am definitely my most intolerable at these kinds of things, because I have to whip my head around and say, “did you see this????” 10x times in case they actually didn’t see it.

Additional Matégot’s include:

A set of perfectly rusted Copacabana lounge chairs (1955)

DREAM LAMP but its $15,000. The Java table lamp, 1950s as well. Folded and perforated metal.

PK66 coffee table by Poul Kjærholm, 1972. Why does this feel so lifelike to me, like I can tell you exactly who it would be and he’s annoying but too nice to hate. He’s pretentious but not trying to be, he’ll always bring a nice bottle of wine to dinner parties but you’re waiting for him to just come out and say he’s asexual. Anyway these typically go for somewhere between $10,000-20,000. *Not to obliterate the vibe but this was actually at Galerie Half, down the street.

Love a tripod chair. Costes Allumino armchair by Philippe Starck for Driade Aleph, 1988. The other iterations are ight. The aluminum really brings it home.

Two of Donald Judd’s Slant Chairs, 84-8, 84-7. They just have that gravitational pull.

A Dr.Sonderbar armchair by Philippe Starck for XO, 1983. Positioned across from the bathtub. A unique towel holder? Or designated perv chair.

Knubbling floor lamp by Anders Pehrson for Ateljé Lyktan, 1970s. Cute is cute and that’s enough for me.

Maybe the Universe has my back, and I’ll be doing my usual rounds through the Northridge estate sale circuit and strike gold. I saw these at last week’s Handled sale, Joe Colombo for Riedel “Asimmetrico” glasses (1964). So goofy but cool. Why do they look like they’re about to up and leave.

Furniture is on the brain this week (duh). Below are nine estate sales with mid-century furniture and decor, a lot of lighting because its important…I tried to do an equal amount of cool finds, and you know, obscure weird finds. Plus some Chanel for good measure.