Aftelier Perfumes

In my continued quest for seeking out interesting perfumes (read more here & here), I ordered 4 fragrance samples from Aftelier Perfumes. I was completely charmed by the article on owner Mandy Aftel, recently published in T Magazine's Women's Fashion issue. Based in Berkeley, CA, each of Aftel's handcrafted synthetic-free scents are blended with a dizzying array of ingredients, that ignite your senses. Her access to some of the most coveted essences from around the world paired with herbal and floral notes from her own garden, produce such alluring fragrances. My 4 selections are included below, with Aftel's scent descriptions.....

• Palimpsest:  Scent Family: Fruity Floral .. "Captures the feeling of being in the Garden of Eden at midnight: lush, wild florals, forbidden fruit, and majestic creatures in hiding.  Featured Notes: Top: gamma dodecalactone, phenyl acetic acid, yuzu. Heart: jasmine grandiflorum, peach, ylang ylang. Base: firetree, vanilla, ambergris."

• Wild Roses:  Scent Family: Floral Floral .. "I wanted to capture in perfume the experience of walking around my garden and smelling each rose, as their perfumes blended in my nose. Featured Notes: Top: rose CO2, heliotropin, bergamot, geraniol, m-methyl anthranilate, damascenone. Heart: apricot, Turkish rose absolute, pimento berry, p-ethyl alcohol, rose petals attar. Base: tarragon absolute, vanilla absolute, indole, aged patchouli."

• Secret Garden:  Scent Family: Floral Oriental .. "Named for the 1910 novel by Frances Hodgson Burnett, about a young girl who herself blossoms after she discovers a barren secret garden and brings it back to life. Featured Notes: Top: bergamot, bois de rose, Geraniol, blood orange. Heart: jasmine sambac, raspberry, Turkish rose. Base: civet, castoreum, vanilla, deertongue (plant), benzoin, aged patchouli."

• Fig:  Scent Family: Gourmand .. "Without a true natural fig essence available, my fig contains no fig, but employs a sleight-of-hand based on a rare, almost fruity lavender from Spain, paired with the sweet and jammy fir absolute. Featured Notes: Top: grand fir, pink grapefruit. Heart: pink pepper absolute, jasmine sambac, Seville lavender absolute. Base: Africa stone, fir absolute."

Of the 4 above, my favorite is Secret Garden, with Palimpsest being a close second. The aroma of Secret Garden just drew me in -- it's soft yet spicy, absolutely intriguing and left me wanting to smell more.....  FYI, visually I tend to reach for lighter shade perfume liquids, and Fig was the darkest of all -- closer to an amber color. The samples are $6 and I found that the amount in the bottle lasts for maybe 2-3 wears depending on how much you spray on. Additionally Aftelier Perfumes offers solid and custom perfumes, body care and Chef’s Essences & Sprays.

Mandy Aftel

Images T Magazine

Family Tree

The label doesn't fall far from the tree.....  Today's post topic is inspired from yesterday's feature on Kate & Andy Spade and their new design endeavor, Frances Valentine. The pair sought out family names to create their label, combining Kate's grandfather, father, brother and daughter’s name Frances, with her mom’s dad’s middle name Valentine -- because he was born on Valentine’s Day.

I've taken note of 2 additional contemporary brands named and honoring their owners' family tree. Imogene + Willie (written previously about here) founders Matt & Carrie Eddmenson turned to incorporating the first names of Carrie's maternal grandparents for their label's moniker. Draper James, the recent fashion & accessories brand established by actress Reese Witherspoon, pays homage to her grandparents, Dorothea Draper and William James Witherspoon.

We should have known something was afoot with Reese when following the sale of her Ojai, CA retreat (written previously about here) in December of 2013, she purchased this lovely home in her hometown of Nashville in July of 2014. Draper James was officially launched online in the Spring of 2015 and Reese's first brick & mortar boutique opened in Nashville this past Fall. Design of the space was a collaboration between Mark D. Sikes and Pencil & Paper Creative Development Co.

Owners (and husband & wife couple) Ben & Gen Sohr of the Nashville based Pencil an Paper Co. (written previously about here) were tasked with overseeing the architecture and visual merchandising of Draper James. Images from their portfolio below.....

Images Leslee Mitchell

Frances Valentine

Seasoned tastemakers Kate and Andy Spade are in the midst of launching a new design endeavor.....  The pair have partnered with former Kate Spade (the eponymous fashion accessories company the couple sold in 2007) alums Elyce Arons and Paola Venturi to found Frances Valentine, a line of accessories taking style influence from the "Spade's love of feminine charm and quirk." Read more from Kate and Andy's recent Q&A with the Wall Street Journal.....   Below, check out some of the designs from the Frances Valentine Spring 2016 Shoe Collection..... 

Year of the Monkey

Happy Chinese New Year -- Year of the Monkey! Above, I've curated a collection of Monkey inspired period decor currently available on 1stdibs.....  Info below.

A Framed Drawing Depicting Two Monkeys Playing, circa 1900 / Italian White Ceramic Monkey Lamps / Important Pair of George II Giltwood Pier Glasses / de Gournay Wallpaper / HAGENAUER Bronze Monkey-Motif Lamp / Mario Torres Wicker Monkey Chandelier / Judith Leiber Hiding Monkey Swarovksi Crystal Minaudiere / Pair of Whimsical Monkey French Sconces / House of Hackney Wallpaper

Suzanne Rheinstein Book Signing

The Cathedral Antiques Show, an annual event sponsored by the Episcopal Church Women of the Cathedral of St. Philip, is happening now through February 7. Nearly 30 dealers from around the country are taking part in the show, each offering a selection of period & important furnishings and accessories. This year's beneficiary of the Cathedral Antiques Show is Literary Action.

Additionally, the show plays host to a variety of organized events.....   One not to miss, the talk and book signing -- Rooms For Living -- from acclaimed California based interior designer Suzanne Rheinstein, happening tomorrow 2/4. I've written previously about Rheinstein's first book At Home, with cover shot featuring her NYC pied-a-terre. And also highlighted Rheinstein's daughter, Kate Rheinstein Brodsky, who is the proprietor of KRB, an Upper East Side retail boutique offering a curated selection of classic & current decor. For ticket info to attend, click here.

 Suzanne Rheinstein

On The Market

I've written previously about my strong feelings (here + here) towards the importance of honoring historic architecture. Here in Atlanta, valuing & respecting period homes designed by noted local architects of the day, seems to continue to be a forgotten concept and ultimately these pieces of Atlanta's history are left to being torn down. Curbed Atlanta has been reporting the details of the current situation unfolding in Buckhead. My heart sinks to read this latest disturbing news, but a lovely 1937 Philip Trammell Shutze designed home known as The Maddox House, will be scraped on Wednesday.

Pictured above is a historic Buckhead home that has recently hit the market. The Mediterranean inspired style perhaps takes influence from its architect Lewis "Buck" Crook's (1898-1967) travels to Europe (at the time with mentor & renowned architect Neel Reid). The home was designed and built for Mr. Hugh H. Ellison in 1927. Crook was a Georgia Tech graduate and worked for the premiere southern architecture firm Hentz, Reid & Adler before founding his own company in 1923 with partner Ernest Ivey -- Ivey & Crook, Architects. In addition to the 100 residences Crook designed around the Buckhead neighborhood, over the course of his 40+ year career, he is also responsible for a great number of Churches, Academic and Commercial buildings in Atlanta.

*To learn more, read  Lewis Edmund Crook Jr., Architect, 1898-1967: A Twentieth-Century Traditionalist in the Deep South by William Robert Mitchell, Jr.

**Support Georgia's Historic Preservation Division by purchasing their license plate (pictured above), for an annual fee of $35, from which $22 will go towards preservation projects...... 

February Covers

Cook's Illustrated / Elle Spain / Vogue UK / House & Home / Dwell / InStyle