Esther & Harper

A Writer’s Companion: Typewriters in the Home

There was once a time in our history when the manual typewriter was an innovation that stood apart from any other conceived to preserve our correspondences. The hand, once solely responsible for giving body to it’s voice, would be the conductor. 

It’s said that a writer’s relationship with his or her typewriter is as complex as that which they have to their work. The typewriter is the tool writer’s preform that sacred ritual of purging thoughts, expressions, desires. Spending time in it’s humble service it becomes synonymous with the human body thru gestures of hands and like any great ritual, each ceremony is individual. 

     

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It’s said that Ernest Hemingway spent his years in front of his typewriter, standing at attention, typing feverishly while his instrument stood at height with his body, the two on equal terms. After finishing the novel “Beautiful Loser’s” it’s rumored that Leonard Cohen tossed his beloved typewriter in the Aegean Sea. 

                   

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Although most writer’s have long since retired there typewriter’s, some insist upon casting technological advances aside for their simpler past. Author Cormac McCarthy continues to write his novel’s on an Olivetti Lettera 32, and up until his tragic 2005 death so did the late Hunter S Thompson. 

In the past decade, there has been a stepping back from the word processor, and once again enjoying the meditative clicks of our timeless ally, the typewriter. Below are some beautiful home spaces to sit, reflect, and write.

                        

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Calm and graceful. A clean and feminine desk top with beautiful accents. Well curated collections. Wonderful Robyn’s egg blue and buttery yellow palette. The worn image is a perfect complement to the desk’s lovely tones. 

            

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Stunning dark and sensual space. The wall art seems to mimic the bedding. The glacier scenery anchors a sense of wonder within the space. The slate walls and the maroon chest are a perfect pairing. Using the chest as a desk in a great innovation within the space. A perfect placement to jump out of bed and chart one’s dreams. 

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This is a collection of typewriter’s mounted as wall art. Fabulous colors and forms. Full of expression. They appear to have personalities!

            

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Meditative, inviting, simple. The natural light of this space is truly inspirational. The desk top is traditional without feeling confined. The machine’s size and stature are remarkable. Really anchors the space, while it’s color complements the far wall. 

Welcome a typewriter into your home. Commit to a slower pace. A more human form of verbal expression. 

Quiet Quarters: Finding Sanctuary in the Home

Although the home is a peaceful place, its often hard to find quiet. It’s important to our sense of composure to carve time out of the day for reflection, imagination, escape. All you need is a perfectly worn chair, a cup of tea and a few hundred bound pages of loves lost, rewards reaped and seeds sown. Sometimes in the midst of life’s forward motion, we just need to lose ourselves, but only for a few moments to find out where we belong. 

Here are some home spaces that provide such sanctuary. Quiet corners of the home to rewind, rejuvenate and read. 

      

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A majestic space, enveloped in low light and shadow. Serene and sensual, with a reserved nature. The books are displayed amongst a collection of personal photos and memorabilia. A very personal process with a profound palette of brooding thunderstorms and deep blue nights with sparse stars. The collection of crystal balls on the table provides a foreshadowing of insight and intuition. A space to seek the future.

                    

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A beautiful sanctuary of natural light and greenery. Limitless. Brimming. Immeasurable. To be at the side of a mountain built of our vast history of human thought. To feel weightless, delicate, stitched from the same thread. To be malleable and rest at it’s base. 

      

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An incredible contrast of aged wood and hard back books against clean and crisp bedding. It’s as though the wood and texts are one. I love how the white breaks through the center of the color palette. The portrait of the young woman reading brings your eye to believe that the space reaches further back into a second quarter, where a companion shares in your journey. To sleep and be surrounded by stories! 

      

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To lie in the light of a sunrise. Flawless, warm sepia tones. Here books are fashioned overhead, creating height in the space while drawing boundaries for structure of the room. The bedding is a collection of textile and embroidery from all corner’s of the world, inviting you to melt and mix with the indigenous world. 

           

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Here the collection of books views as a large textile piece or patterned wallpaper. It’s synonymous with the very structure of the space. The elegant sunshine tanned leather couch is the focal point, a great vessel keeping the day’s current at bay while you float freely. 

        

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Seeking quiet doesn’t always mean seclusion. This space is organized to engage with one another in a room that is both contemplative and communal.  To sit in quiet and enjoy the surrounding company of one another. To admire your companion while reflecting on oneself. 

      

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This space appears to be carved out from the rest of the home, a radiant retreat, inviting and comforting. Smelling of curled pages and warm bedding. A lived in space that is free of judgement or challenge. A place to curl up under with the watchful eye of prolific writer Virginia Wolf. 

November and the Novel

         

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Boundless, imaginative and haunting, literature is one of my greatest interior design muses. As it is National Novel Writing Month, I’ve decided to spend November highlighting great writers, the spaces where they created their best works, decor inspired by classic novels, home libraries and how to create inspiring spaces in your home to live and write your best storys. 

Here’s a sneak peak of some classics to come. 

       

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                               One of a collection of compelling and quiet home libraries. 

               

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                                                 The artistry of collecting old books.

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                                       Home Decor paying homage to the great writer’s of past. 

             

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                                                       Beautiful library interiors. 

        

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Looks into the homes of prolific writers. The above bungalow was the writing quarter’s of poet Dylan Thomas.

To November and the novel!

Astrologically Astute Spaces: The Season of Scorpio

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The Scorpio October 24th to November 22nd. 

Reputed to be the “most powerful” sign of the zodiac, Scorpios lead fate filled lives and have intense and dramatic personal relationships. Even as children Scorpios are often found to be wise beyond their years. Many astrologers call this the sign of the “oldest souls”. Passion, desire and power go hand in hand for Scorpios. Their biggest challenge and test in life is choosing between the power of love and the love of power.” Athena Starwoman.

Scorpio’s gravitate towards a palette of rich reds and earthy maroons, akin to the arid and hot climate of the animal itself. With the desert as it’s guide, here are some home decors exhibiting that same intensity, passion and lust for life. 

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This room features the whole spectrum of the Scorpio’s palette, from rich cooper tones to deep lustful reds. The space is not sparce, but rather housing only what it needs or gravitates strongly towards. There’s an ornateness to the decor that invokes mystery while presenting a strong sense of self. 

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This space is vividly emotional. The textured stone walls are reminiscent of the Scorpio’s emotional rawness. The space is open with natural light and romantic hanging lights as it’s guide. There’s nothing to hide or prove. The rugs are inviting and rich in color, leading the viewer forward into the next space. For a sense of privacy, the heavy cocoa maroon window treatments can provide complete seclusion. 

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Like the above foyer, this room possesses a sense of rawness matched with an alluring sensuality. The warm glow of the room and it’s light color palette invoke a vision of clarity and astute sensibility. It’s accessories, such as the animal pelts, stone lamp and leather satchel are primitive and powerful yet possess a soft feminine quality. 

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This room’s passion lies in its vivid wall hangings. There is a strong sense of identity and personal belief here. The room’s wall color palette and bed frame is as dry and arid as a dessert, with native plants and birds nesting in the space. The accessories and furniture are alive with bright red and rich golden hues. Like the previous living spaces, this room is full of light and is somewhat sparse. Although in these settings and socially, the Scorpio may seem withdrawn, it’s desires are distinct: to fight for what they must have or truly love.

Natural History in the Home

                                                      The Wagner Free Institute of Science

                              

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The Wagner Free Institute of Science is a Victorian natural history museum in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania that has remained virtually unchanged since it’s debut in 1891. It houses an extensive and impressive collection of taxidermy, specimens, shells, minerals, and bone all nestled in it’s original wood cabinetry. Flocks of taxidermy birds gather quietly beside insect displays hovering in formations akin to constellations. 

Here are some beautiful photos of the museum’s interior. Warm wood, expansive layout, timeless and grand intellectual decor. 

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Interior layout open, expansive, warm. Stunning cabinetry and an impressive array of specimens large and small.

                  

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Impressive array of fossil forms housed in beautiful wood and glass cabinets, inviting and reflective of our own human qualities. 

   

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Inside one of the vast specimen cases. These taxidermy works are pieces of art. Captivating and lively, with unique personas. 

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Rich wood tones, gorgeous high back chairs, lovely attention for detail. Fabulous oil portraits of past legacies. The room speaks of knowledge shared and stories told. A space with voice, history, inspiration, and passion. 

For more information on the Wagner Free Institute of Science. 

Here are some beautiful living spaces that invoke old world knowledge and our passion to explore. 

                  

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A beautiful selection of specimens with a clean backdrop. Although there is a breadth of objects, the space is organized and aesthetically pleasing. No objects are out weighing each other but rather blending together in a beautiful display. Love the light color palette mixed with the rich apple red chair. 

      

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An enamoring space! Eclectic collections beautifully curated. A feminine presence with an insight into the unique quality of our world’s natural history and historic past times. The space is full of impressive objects and has a keen sense of interior design. The space is welcoming while educational and insightful. A lovely collection with personal style.  

                     

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Simple industrial cabinet housing an array of specimens and small collections. I love the overall palette that’s evoked. It’s collections are tamed with an allure of mystery. Very reminiscent of the cabinetry in the Wagner Institute. 

                     

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The dark color palette of these quarters is reminiscent of the quietest corners of a museum or library. There’s a stillness that offers contemplation and examination. A small collection of specimens, natural prints and decor paired with beautiful dark wood furniture and a worn zebra skin rug sets the perfect backdrop. 

For more on Taxidermy. 

School + House

                             Today’s Daily Listing: Vintage Schoolhouse Cookie Jar 

               

                        (Photography courtesy of Esther and Harper & Eight Hour Day)

                     Schoolhouse. The union of growth, comfort, intelligence, identity. Wouldn’t it be wonderful to sum up our formative years in these expressions? Leave behind detention, speeches, uniforms, tattle tales, regulations and that teacher who always smelled of rose water and pencil shavings. Remember your cubby, being chosen to clap the erasers and the first note your best friend passed you. He circled “yes.”

                    Past meets present. Here is some home decor straight from the textbook of school house style. 

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                                     Lovely array of school materials on a desktop. 

     

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                                     Light, open, with hints of intellectual lore. 

                    

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             Industrial appeal mixed with the delicate lore of french wire sculptures. 

                            

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The furniture in the room, chair, stool, desk, all complement each other perfectly. The chalkboard is simple and refined. Oversized lamp is a fabulous focal point. 

     

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                                 Great relics reminiscent of a gymnasium.  

Regal & Refined: The Decor of Eleanor Roosevelt

                                    Part 2 of Easels as Artwork: Eleanor Roosevelt

 

     

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Even first (and my personal favorite) lady Eleanor Roosevelt knew the dramatic quality of table top easels. She was very interested in decor, fashion and hell, she raised sheep on the white house lawn as part of her World War 2 “Victory Garden.”

       

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A tireless activist for civil rights and working woman, heading the committee that wrote and approved the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and fluent in French, Eleanor Roosevelt was a work of art. Did I mention she was one hell of a shot? 

       

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As inspiring of a woman she was, why not inspire a decor in her honor? Think of all the things you could accomplish with Eleanor around you.  

        

                                         (Source) Eleanor entertaining in the early 1940’s.                       

                       

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I love the feel of this sitting room. The quarter’s are regal but inviting. The floor rug is in artwork in itself. 

                           

             (Source) Eleanor Roosevelt’s sitting room 1935, looking North. 

                        

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                          Clean and open, a perfect space to reflect and enjoy company. 

            

                                    (Source) Eleanor’s sitting room around 1941. 

         

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I love the color, vibrancy and life in this room. The depth of field is incredible. The photographs and wall decor assemble like a grand memory.          

                                             For more of Eleanor’s story. 

Easels as Artwork

                    Today’s Daily Listing: Eleanor Roosevelt, a woman worth displaying.

      

                (Photography courtesy of American Heritage & Esther and Harper.)

Once restricted to table tops or artworks in progress, the easel is becoming a regular focal point in an array of home decors. Whether petite and slim or tall and lush, easel’s are a stand out. In some cases, designer’s are using easels to play down modern technology (flat screen TVs, computer screens, DVD players), incorporating their functionality and form in a way that’s more subtle. Here are some uses of easels in the home. 

                 

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This space is glowing, warm, inviting. I love that the easel is as an extension of the collage. The images and worn wood are synonymous. 

                             

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Re-purposing these antique spoons into easels is a great way to find use for spare pieces of silver. I love their delicate nature. 

                    

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Here is a great technique for living with your electronics in a manner that doesn’t impede on your room’s style, but adds to it.

          

                                                         

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I love the mix of modern metal with natural wood. The varying heights of the easel’s provide great depth and an overal structure that’s profound.         

Our July Wedding

   Daily Listing: The Perfect Companion. Vintage Dresser Knobs, Heavy Lace Over Wood. 

      

               (Photography courtesy of AcuteDesign’s  and Esther and Harper.)

Lace is prolific. Season after season, it graces our wardrobes, dresses our tables, and adds allure to countless spaces in our home. Paired with worn woods or chipped paint, it neutralizes and adds warmth. Regardless of match, it’s elegance holds strong. 

I bought these dresser knobs last summer with the hopes of incorporating them into my July wedding decor. Their thick lace embellishments mirrored my early 1900’s “morning dress.” My beautiful headdress was made by my sister at the hair salon just as the hairdresser was making his final adjustments. The broach in the center was my grandfather’s grandmothers. 

                 

                         (All photography in this entry courtesy of Irene Owsely.)

My search for a wedding dress was effortless. I saw a dress very similar to this one at an antique shop, but it was in disarray. A few weeks later, a dear friend took me into Retropolitan in Ellicott City, Maryland. When I asked if they had any wedding dresses, the lovely owner Cindi spoke of a dress that had just arrived from a recent show. As soon as I put it on, it felt perfect. It cost only $250.00.

Everything involving my husband and I, whether it be our first time meeting, courting and getting married has been simple but always deeply personal. We wanted to share that same experience with our guests on our wedding day. Our ceremony and celebration were held in the backyard of my husband’s childhood home in Baltimore’s historic Roland Park. We spent the six months prior nursing vegetable plants, taming gardens, laying mulch, raiding our loved ones closets for Christmas lights and even building a pond and a deck! 

           

           

Our ceremony was short and sweet, full of readings from the Velveteen Rabbit and Kahlil Gibran’s “The Prophet”.  Our big surprise for everyone was when we sang our vows to one another, choosing song’s we had written since finding one another. 

A lot of the decorations were purchased at thrift stores or on craigslist. As a vintage decor seller, I wanted my love of old and desire for recycled materials to be ever present during our celebration. Many of the small figures and treasures from our early courting days were displayed as part of the tables centerpieces, outfitted with tags that defined their emotional connection to us. or made by a very dedicated and talented group of girlfriends. 

        

We had several get together’s over the months, drinking wine and making paper chains out of hymnals. That summer I was teaching art at a nearby summer camp. And there were many days where my kindergartners were making paper chains for the nuptials! 

            

The table’s floral arrangements were put together by my wedding party at The Waverly Farmer’s Market the morning of the wedding. All the flower’s were provided by our dear friend John at Locust Point Flowers and the blue mason jars were purchased in bulk on craigslist. 

My mother-in-law collected countless 50% off coupons for Joan Ann Fabrics to buy hundreds of yards of burlap for the tables and hanging flags. My grandmother and I spent countless weekends cutting and sewing all the flag banners. All of the beautiful lace overlay’s were purchased at Jomar, an incredible discounted fabric dealer in Philadelphia. Their selection is amazing and perfect for bulk purchases. I bought one huge roll for $20.00 which was enough to cover all twelve of our tables! 

In Baltimore, there is a fabulous non-profit, The Book Thing, which distributes donated books for free. I spent many afternoon’s after the farmer’s market searching for old hymnal books and vintage illustrated dictionary’s to make into paper sparrows, whirly gigs and hearts. We also incorporated old books from our childhood collections bound in twine. 

            

My husband’s beautiful linen suit and the bride maid’s shale green dresses were purchased from J Crew. 

 

More wedding details to come…

A Modest History of Prince Albert Tobacco

             Today’s Daily Listing: Antique Cigarette Tins, Prince Albert and Turrent. 

       

                (Photographs courtesy of Esther and Harper, and Esther and Harper.)

Although “Prince Albert” is now culturally infamous for reasons I’d rather not discuss in great detail, at the turn of the twentieth century it was the top selling cigarette brand in the country. The company was branded by a common practical joke called in to grocery stores. “Do you have Prince Albert in a can?” If the grocer answers yes, then the prankster would follow up with, “Then you better let him out!”

Because of it’s national appeal, the company’s advertising depicts a patchwork of American cultural images that make for fascinating and historically intriguing artwork. By the early 1900’s, the American Indian became synonymous with the brand, leading to an interesting intersection of culture and image. Here are a number of Prince Albert advertisements just in time for fall. 

       

(Photographs courtesy of (clockwise) What A Long Strange Trip It Still Is, Period Paper, What A Long Strange Trip It Still Is, Period Paper.)

           

                                     (Photo courtesy of The Virtual Dime Museum)

                                             For more information on Prince Albert.