Many years ago, when I was a “young married,” I stumbled into Suzanne Cooper’s shop. I quietly looked around. She was pleasant and helpful and I ended up buying two French hand-colored engravings.
I’ve gone back and back and back. Suzanne’s eye is unfailing and she has a passion for English furniture. Brown wood as it is sometimes known.
The kind of education Suzanne has given me is invaluable. She’s pulled out drawers, showed me how to identify replaced pulls, explained and identified original finishes and why they matter.
She’s not allowed me to buy many more things than she has allowed me to buy because she didn’t think they were right for me.
And, she has learned a little bit more about the internet in order to read my blog, not because she understood it at first, but because she knew it was important to me. She even made me a “favorite.”
Suzanne received a new shipment last week and she is throwing her door open today.
The exchange rate is awful, shipping a fright and customs is an increasingly difficult endeavor.
Nearly every time I stop in to see Suzanne she tells me this could be the last year, the last shipment.
I hold my breath and cross my fingers that she, and my other favorites, will continue to love what they do just enough. I keep promising her that all that brown wood will be in vogue again soon, and while she is skeptical, the dealers in England told her the same thing on this last trip.
It’s an excellent time to buy as prices are so reasonable, here at least.
Stop in and see Suzanne and her wonderful things at 1715 W. 45th Street in the State Line Antique District.
Maybe you will get lucky and Suzanne will let you take something home. I had a good day. This pair of Chinoiserie mirrors are likely new inhabitants of the Dream House dining room. Sometimes it helps to keep your fingers crossed.
oooooh- did you get the mirrors? they’re swell!
and i think you are correct- brown wood has to make a resurgence at some point. everyone will get sick of the current trend to ebonize all wood…
There is so much to love here. So many great investment pieces: the pedestal table, that desk! I just bought one of those “brown pieces” so I definitely think it is always in vogue 🙂
Fab chinoiserie mirrors (and a box I think?) Must go to the Blandings’ home.
m21 – I think I did. They are hung by a long chain, which is not going to work in this particular room, so I need to run some frame wire through the brackets and hang them to make sure they are right. I’ll give you a peek and let you see what you think. They are pretty special.
Courtney – yes, the box, too, is on my short list. Before the mirrors were unpacked I thought that might be my purchase. We’ll see how well my budget holds out.
Thanks for the wonderful resource. Her pieces are lovely. I wish I had seen her secretary before I bought mine.
Lee – not to make matters worse, but Suzanne bought that piece for herself. It has, I think five, secret compartments. Maybe to hide your antique-purchase receipts.
You are so much fun to read! I got to your blog a while ago through the wonderful Stylecourt and you are a riot (with great taste too). And by the way, basements are supposed to be Silence of the Lambsish. They weren’t meant to be berbered entertainment centers.
Anon – thanks for stopping in – and the reassurance on the basement. I keep seeing all those “berbered entertainment centers” and they are giving me a bit of an inferiority complex.
Love the painting in the 2nd photo… anemone painting… looks Matisse influenced.
I am definately going to have to plan a trip to KC….everything looks so tempting!
Those mirrors are going to look fab in your dining room. Does that mean you’ve found consoles as well? Also, can’t wait to see your curtains.
Fifi – good eye – that was one of Suzanne’s favorites, too!
Linda – no consoles, and no curtains. They have been to measure, I just need to fax the purchase orders in. Isn’t that lame? I got a little distracted.
Mrs B, No it’s not a shame…you take your time and are truly discriminating and disciplined about your decorating approach- I love that about the dream house!
At least I won’t think I would have been able to buy the secretary since she bought it for herself. We have an antique dealer across the street and he says that mine has 2 secret drawers that we didn’t recognize, but it may take a little work to get them to open. I asked Hubby to check it out at an estate sale way out west (the 5 digit addresses) while running errands and he sent me the picture to approved on his first attempt at using a new camera e-mail phone. I approved immediately and he and Sweet Son brought it home. Love antiques, love technology that lets me see them. These are such fun and romantic pieces to use.
What fun stuff!! Looks like a great shop! What would you even choose?!!
Oh, you can’t go wrong with good brown wood. I think people are just spending less right now, coupled w/ the youths over purchase of West Elm, PB etc (I can think of a few bloggers who have good taste but seem to spend on quick pieces rather than save for life pieces) Hey, I’ve been there. But at a point where husband and I both want no more landfill…just save for the right thing.
I wish Kansas City wasn’t so far from North Jersey…
Sara L
Great post, Patricia. What a charming shop!