McGuire Furniture San Francisco Sample Sale

This one is for all you Northern California readers or for those wanting to make a last-minute weekend trip to the beautiful city by the bay.

For the first time, McGuire San Francisco opens its doors to the public for a giant Sample Sale - it starts today! Hundreds of floor samples and other near-perfect furniture & accessories at employee pricing (up to 70% off!). Sales are as-is, first-come, first-served and final.

WHEN

Thursday, 6/25/09 - 4:00p to 7:00p
Friday, 6/26/09 - 8:00a to 5:00p
Saturday, 6/27/09 - 10:00a to 2:00p

WHERE

Sample Sale
McGuire San Francisco
1201 Bryant Street
San Francisco, CA 94103
Phone: (415)626-1414

*all images from McGuire

Making a Beeline

She has the design world buzzing! New York's award-winning and 30-year interior design veteran, Bunny Williams launched BeeLine Home earlier this year. Not only is her new limited-edition furniture collection distinctive, it's timeless. And her company name, BeeLine Home - how could I not love it! - is a nod to a beehive, busy wonderful home.

Bunny's design work brilliantly combines styles - old with new, modern with traditional, east with west - to create unexpected masterpieces. Her home collection expresses this eclectic style perfectly. BeeLine Home consists of high-quality side tables, bedside tables, lamps, chairs, mirrors, coffee tables and accessories. They encourage you to combine them to create your own statement and version of “The Mix.” It was difficult to narrow it down, but here are the pieces I selected for "My Mix":

Naturally I gravitated to this lovely Turquoise Glazed Ceramic Lamp - in my favorite color. The lamp's design is influenced by ancient Chinese ceramic temple jars with translucent over-glazes. The gorgeous gilt finished lotus base is hand-carved. I was surprised to learn all BeeLine ceramic lamps are hand-crafted in Jingdezhen where the secret of traditional Chinese porcelain was discovered 1700 years ago.

Blending several traditional design styles, including French Neoclassical, BeeLine's Eclipse Arm and Side Chairs are ageless. This transitional oval-shaped chair would look at home in either a traditional or modern setting. The chairs' tight upholstered back and seat is available in oatmeal linen or a material provided by the customer.

This exquisite Arabesque Throw is simply a work of art. The pale blue throw combines hand embroidery on Dupioni Silk with olive ribbon detail. Both pattern and color are alive. Perfect to dress up a sofa or hang on a wall.

This is it. BeeLine's Eglomise Coffee Table is my favorite piece in the collection. Inspired by 1940s Hollywood glamour, the table's gilded iron base frames the sea green Verre églomisé, (reverse gilt and painted glass - beautiful detail image below). It's divine.

Drop by BeeLine Home, take a look at this amazing collection and let me know what's in your mix!

*all images from BeeLine Home

Teeny tiny tables

I adore little tables. I don't particularly know why. I like them best when they are simple and unassuming, with clean lines. Maybe I like them so much because they lend themselves to endless opportunities to create little 'vignettes' - a spot to place a few flowers in a cup, some shells, tealights or a framed photo of someone you love. Anyway, here are some of my favourites.

This first one is a butler's tray - I have a thing for butler's trays! I like how the boxes have been stacked up. I've had this picture for years, hence the picture is a little yellow and tatty.

Next up a lovely little metal table, from Nancy Fishelson. I adore metal tables.

Here is another metal table. This was featured in Australian Home Beautiful. The whole house has a gorgeous French feel to it. I love the letter too. I have a metal C in my kitchen on top of my cupboards.

Next up, a marble topped table from Appley Hoare. Its probably a little too girly for my house, but I still appreciate it.

An unusual metal table from Eva Lindh - I've never seen anything like this in the shops before.

This little table is from an old old magazine which no longer exists - Australian Mode. This table is (was) in the home of Aussie fashion-icon Maggie Taberrer. Now this is a woman with timeless style. I am going to post more about Maggie and her fabulous houses another day.

Just love this little bamboo table with the shells strewn around, from US Better Homes and Gardens.

Next up a simple, stylish little table from New Zealands Your Home and Garden.

This next one is so unusual. It reminds me of antique iron board, perhaps it is? And the buddha on top just adds to the beauty - I love a little touch of Asia.

Now here is one of my butler's tray. This one has a twin, but it was full of books and magazines - too messy to photograph!


And my table I bought a few weeks ago - a bargain buy at $75. I love a bargain. Nothing in my house is particularly expensive, but everything is chosen with care and love.