we saw it in Domino

Old sign letters are showing up in some of the chicest places, including the June/July issue of Domino magazine. In "kid-tested, modernist-approved", photographer Melanie Acevedo's pictures of a renovated Rhode Island mini-compound include the shots shown here. The story describes the re-do of a rural property by a former NYC fashion designer and her husband, including the use of oversize letters and numbers to distinguish different buildings on the property and to add "graphic punch" to the surroundings. If you look closely, you can see a bright red A and a white S.

recent sightings in San Francisco

Jessica and Matteo, the delightful creative team behind the new happenin' place on Hayes Street, Bar Jules, came to Timeless Treasures to choose vintage sign letters for over their front entrance. Imagine our delight when we drove down Hayes and discovered the scene shown here!
Each letter has its own story, and best of all the colorful sign didn't require a smidgin of new materials to produce.

time to relax and kick back a while

The talk around Sutter Street seems to be much about kicking back now that the kids are out of school, the semester is over or a few weeks off are reserved on the calendar. So we weren't surprised when someone came by this week and said that she had "finally picked the word I want to spell." She wants RELAX hanging over her bed, or maybe on the wall of her living room, just as a reminder.
Here you can see a version we assembled for the wall at Timeless Treasures. It measures a hefty 18 inches high from the top to the bottom of the R, and 47 inches wide as you see it spaced here. The variety of materials, sizes and type fonts of the letters makes each combination a unique art piece.
What writing is on your walls?

Look up!

"Yes, they're for sale." That's what we tell people who ask about the luscious vintage chandeliers hanging throughout Timeless Treasures. We enjoy them immensely while they are in the shop, and we get even more pleasure seeing them leave and go to a good home.
Whether they come from the Bay Area. . . such as this elegant Italian beauty, festooned with white porcelain roses. . . or the Dordogne. . . where these petite French glass and crystal ones were found. . . each one has been carefully rewired for safety at Phil's Electric in San Francisco.
So if you have been on the prowl for a pretty light for the powder room, or a showstopper over the dining room table, stop by and see what's in store for you. If you don't see the chandelier or hallway light of your dreams, tell us what you want and we will add you to the Wish List.

7X7 magazine makes us pleased as punch!

The June issue of San Francisco's 7X7 magazine singled out Timeless Treasures for the star treatment. We were named among the Best of Home + Design 2008 for our vintage sign letters.
Click here and scroll down a bit to read Leilani Labong's comments.
The magazine is a favorite resource for people who live, work and spend leisure time in San Francisco. In the days following the arrival of the June issue on newsstands and in mailboxes, there have been a number of new faces rummaging in our letter cubbies and drawers and laying out vintage letters on the floor of the shop. And that, as Martha would say, is a good thing!
We are grateful to everyone who played a role in Timeless Treasures' inclusion in this special issue. The word for that is t-h-a-n-k-s! m-e-r-c-i! and g-r-a-c-i-a- s!

remember to turn off the lights!

Laurie Vanina, a simply spectacular San Francisco collage and decoupage artist, has come up with a charming detail to decorate a room and serve as a reminder to shut off the lights.
Her switchplate covers shown here, priced at $18 and each with a motif of sites of Paris or summer fruits and vegetables or a petite photograph, can bring a hint of color and humor to any room. Plus, the colorful little swatch over your light switch will catch your eye as you leave the room, and maybe even inspire everyone to shut off the lights.
Even those among us who usually leave all things mechanical to someone else can take delight in spiffing up the kitchen, dining area or bedroom.
We have a variety of Laurie's designs in the shop now, as well as a selection of her one-of-a-kind photo frames and cigar box clocks. If you haven't yet chosen something luscious from her collection, consider something for Dad for Father's Day or for your Francophile friends who are about to be married.

Oh, baby! This is what we call a great design guide!

Somewhere around the second trimester of any pregnancy, the thought dawns on a couple that they need to get serious about the baby's room. Where will he or she actually sleep? Play with blocks and books? Be changed at 2:00 in the morning? Be soothed at 3:30?

Nursery Style, a new book by Bay Area entrepreneurs Serena Dugan and Lily Kanter, is exactly what the obstetrician should order to alleviate the angst about how to make a nursery that suits the family-to-be.

It is a step-by-step guide to designing and furnishing the space for your new little charmer, including ideas about everything from selecting an overall design style to the smallest details.

At Timeless Treasures we were surprised and delighted when a fresh copy of the book arrived in the mail, accompanied by a charming note from the authors. Turns out that Serena and Lily chose some decor details at Timeless Treasures to include in a few of their photos.

We especially like the boldness of the letter Y, shown here propped on a shelf, from the section on Art and Accessories. And in a section on Vintage Cool, they point out that "vintage letters from commercial signs emphasize the retro vibe" of a room.

For more details, and to order the book from the authors, go to serenaandlily.com. For old sign letters and vintage children's toys and blocks to make your baby's room special, come and see us on Sutter Street!