WASHINGTON DESIGN CENTER SALE

No, not the sale OF the Washington Design Center, which has already occurred (it's going to become a Bible museum. I am not making this up). There were fewer participating showrooms than in previous sales, but my favorites were in the game:  Century, Baker, Rist, and American Eye. I didn't expect to pick up much of anything, since all the good deals are casegoods and my little apartment couldn't handle one more stick of furniture, even if it came out of a dollhouse. But it's impossible to pass up a chance to browse the showrooms, Starbucks in hand.

Naturally, the second I set foot in Century, I dashed to the one item not on sale - Charlotte Moss' "Her Louisville Chest." Such a lovely piece! The tromp l'oeil is just charming in person. 

More Moss:  her "Baton Rouge Bunching Cocktail Tables." BTW, I found the same cachepot in the sale section - for $500. One woman's treasure is another woman's rent...

These chinoiserie wall panels were rather heartstopping in person.

As was this chair. 

Sadly, my favorite Oscar de la Renta chest (the parrot green masterpiece found here), was no longer on the floor, but the Oscar de la Renta Credenza was a nice consolation prize. I can't get over the hardware.

Baker had some of their timeless favorites in the sale, and the markdowns were excellent. 

If only I had room for more chairs!!! Cracked ice, ice baby.

At American Eye, balloons dotted the roomscape, helpfully guiding shoppers toward the deals.

In The Sample Room - I've been eyeing this chair for a year! Someday.

Willem Smith also contributed a "bamboo" chair to the sale - notice a trend here? I neglected to take pictures of anything else.

WS also had some great lamps.

Rist. I love their showroom - they have such incredibly lovely pieces, and each vignette tells a unique style story. The feel is like walking through a miniature showhouse, with a mix of new and old (and esteemed - earlier in the year, they had a dining table that came from a Kennedy estate). 

These lamps are all on sale, and I had to photograph them piled on the table - isn't the combination of jewel colors just beautiful?

A little wallpaper eye candy...

No couches for me, thanks. But I did come home with a headily-scented candle, and some wallpaper. I snatch up wallpaper remnants all the time - they make great drawer liners or wrapping paper, can be framed, used to decorate clear plastic drawers (the kind you might use in a closet of bathroom), or the back of bookcases - anything you can think of.

Earlier this year, I ruined a picture matting (I spray painted it. Can't IMAGINE why that didn't work). So I "wrapped" it with a Thibaut wallpaper remnant.

The Washington Design Center isn't scheduled to transfer to a new space for a few more years. Here's hoping for a marvelous move-out sale when they do!