I've been thinking of starting a blog for some time now with the aim of establishing a dynamic, fun & interactive forum in which to exchange ideas on mid century interior design, discuss our projects (the good, the bad, AND the ugly!), offer DIY tips & encouragement (especially geared to those in the struggle pulling their hair out over a restoration job gone terribly awry...we've all been there!), establish a networking community of interior professionals/ architects/ furniture designers/ etc., as well as provide an online destination for those of us a bit too ... ummm, how shall i say ... "passionate" (err, in some cases, obsessive-compulsive) when it comes to sourcing special vintage finds for our professional and/or personal pursuits (ok, ok, I'll come clean...guilty as charged, and proud of it!) LOL
So, I dreamed-up maison360 to (hopefully) provide a comprehensive and engaging online experience on everything and anything related to MCM interiors and the thrill of collecting that will accomplish all of the above and more -- particularly, that last part about us addicts who can't quite seem to say no to a fabulous find at a local flea market...or worst, those infamous shabby chic "deals" we're initially soo excited about restoring yet wind up remaining as-is gathering dust somewhere as an epitomic symbol of our extreme vulnerability to Mid-Century Modern coolness! My family & friends say I've gone overboard having both a career AND an insatiable hobby that entails constant hunting for stunning, rare, and iconic pieces from the eternally hip eras of the 1950's, 60's & 70's...but hell, I could obsess over worst things, right??
Anyhoo, enough of my jabbering (and shameless self-defensiveness, ha!) I promised myself (and my poor little Yorkie, "Romeo") that I would wade through my extensive collection of Post War treasures that have taken over most of the floor, surface, storage & air space of my modest one bedroom Manhattan apartment and divest enough of it so as to not become the next target on that pseudo-intervention reality TV show about hoarders (and YES, my family has threatened to turn me in!) Yet, little do they know, I also have four (4) huge storage units here in the city packed with even more 20th C fabulosities (and yes, it's costing me a small fortune to hold onto these lockers over the years...but ohhh, when I finally meet my elusive tall, dark and dapper "Mr. Right" and we get married and live happily ever-after, my dreamiest pieces will look soo gorgeous in our five-story Central Park West brownstone ... and of course, there will be our quintessential Hamptons beachside summer home ... oooh, and our sprawling floor-thru downtown duplex penthouse loft ... and, let us not forget, our quaint romantique Paris pied-a-terre ... and ... and ...)
Whoops, ahem....sorry, I digress. [hey, a girl's gotta dream!] Ummm, now where was I?? Ohh yes, so now my therapist (yeah, she's against me too!) has made me agree to a promissory that I will sell-off at least 1/3 (OUCH!!) of my precious wares ASAP with the end goal being able to neatly pack away the remaining inventory into just ONE -- you heard me, ONE!! -- storage locker (oy vey, dios mios!) So, wish me luck as I begin the most arduous, painful journey of my life to "de-clutter my mind, body & soul" (good grief, can't believe I just said that aloud!), and amputate an essential part of my being that's been a constant source of thrill, accomplishment and pure joy for more than 20 years..ugh!! <Weep, Weep!!> Alas, my blood, sweat and tears will be others' remarkable gains and fortune, and I just hope these amazing rarities of my collection will find themselves into fabulous new homes where they will be truly treasured, appreciated & well taken care of as I have done...and of course those before me of the Silent Generation and Atomic Age have (and yes, Rosie, we definitely can...and hook or crook, by golly, I surely shall too...I simply gotta!)
So, stay tuned and check back often (and don't forget to register as a follower of my blog to receive posting announcements by email!) I will be listing a few pieces each week to try to postpone this dreaded inevitability for as long as I can, and to enjoying the last days of my collection while still in its entirety. <Big Sigh!!> And in between, I shall share highlights of some of my new restoration projects, tips on scoring great vintage finds, favorite tools of the trade, must-have books for your personal library, cool online resources, inspiring design sites, blogs from friends & colleagues in the biz, and so on. And naturally, I welcome your posts with insightful commentary, community sharing, qualitative feedback, innovative ideas & suggestions, rallying cries, so forth and the like :-)
For now, I bid you all a happy Monday and a fine farewell until next time. As for yours truly, I gotta very important social call with my good friend Grey Goose ® to confess my sins of MCM obsession.
Talk again soon...tootles!
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