I love learning from other people when we go thrifting together. Today’s edition is the latest in our Only Thrifting series where we go hunting with the BEST of the best.
Hi everyone…so excited to dive into my afternoon + conversation with Talia Mayden, the most excellent/inspiring design writer + author of the best-selling newsletter There Y0u Are, but first a few tiny treats to give you a LIFT before we get into it. 🥰
1. The bathroom inside the De Gournay showroom on 59th Street.
I was shooting an upcoming story this morning about my perfect NYC architecture tour, and coming off the Roosevelt Island tram (also such a treat!) I was so surprised to see the De Gournay showroom, makers of mesmerizing hand-painted wallpaper and textiles, literally right under the tram entrance on 59th Street. We buzzed, and the incredibly kind team let us in for a quick peek around; inside felt like stumbling upon a tiny Art Deco hotel tucked away somewhere in Brussels. I immediately fantasized they might open a teeny coffee shop just so I could hang out for a spell staring at the heavenly wall coverings. If you find yourself nearby + have a chance to pop in, be sure not to miss the bathroom ⬆…the stuff of dreams.
One of the sitting rooms at De Gournay, a tray of Murano glass cigarettes not for sale (I did find this and these tho:), and the DG team perusing ATA (ie: making sure I wasn’t a lunatic).
Just some roses I spotted for you.
2. This Donny rug by Beni with a single lightning bolt.
I’m starting to assemble a future shopping list for the Dr.’s Inn reno, and this rug really takes the cake. Mixed with some warm woods and other printed (vintage) textiles, it’s a showstopper…the price is right, too.
3. When one view closes, another opens.
I mentioned last week that I was writing something about our tiny-yet-magical view in Brooklyn being bricked over by a new apartment building. I spent two days writing it from our dining table, and thank you to Amanda Hesser and her editor Alex Redgrave for hosting it on Homeward last Friday. It wasn’t planned, but the story turned into this cherished reminder that when something goes, there’s always something new to be discovered…even if it hurts for a bit.
4. The perfect white jeans.
I told you I’d report back from what I bought at the recent Soeur sale, and while both the trench coat and blazer ended up being too big, the Eliott jeans KILLED. They’re comfortable, but with really beautiful structure that gives them trouser energy. A++.
5. I wrote today’s newsletter listening to this song on a loop. The ZONE.
Last little thing: I’ve been shooting the existing interior of our Dr.’s Inn like a mad person.
In preparation for demo starting in two weeks (yup, all this shit is going into storage OR our yard sale next Saturday the 15th, message me if you want to come 😬!!). We’ll be kicking off our reno journey right here next week—including a video tour, mood board, probably some tears, and a few suspicions about what might be living in the attic 👻. Reminder: **Dr.’s Inn reno content will be available exclusively for paid A Tiny Apartment subscribers…join us because it just won’t be the same w/out YOU. 🌹
I first read about Talia Mayden when one of the stories in her wonderful newsletter There Y0u Are landed in my feed. Once I started reading/watching/clicking, I just couldn’t stop. She has that special, very rare quality of being not only someone who possesses a lot of knowledge about the outskirts + recesses of design (ie: the GOOD stuff), but it’s palpable how much she deeply loves it, too. Her approach to space, collecting, and arranging is so intuitive and joyful, it’s no wonder The New York Times chose her to spearhead a new column called Ask A Design Obsessive.
And of course when I found out she lives just a few blocks away from me, I had to cold message her to see if she would be game to come thrifting with me at my home-away-from-home Vintage Thrift. To shop, YES. But also so we could observe how she navigates antiques + second-hand spaces, what textures/colors she gravitates to, and how she ultimately chooses what ends up in her cart (“I wanna see double digits only!” she told me w/regard to price tags…noted!).
I learned so much from Talia—about new things to hunt for as well as design moves I hadn’t thought of before. I hope you love our afternoon adventure as much as I did. Let’s get into it…xxCb
ATA: Hi Talia! Tell us a little about your life + career trajectory. Where are you from and what are some notable things that have shaped your path the most?
Talia Mayden: “I’m from Nashville, and growing up there, I always felt a little out of place. I dipped my toe into what feels like every art form: songwriting, art school (where I focused on documentary photography), studying Nordic Minimalism in Copenhagen, and eventually moving out to L.A. to work as a video director and editor. All the while, I was obsessing over the many, many apartments of my early-to-mid 20s. I never called myself an interior designer (and still don’t), but once I started posting about my own apartment online, I built a client list for one-on-one consults.”
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