Timeless Treasures

Taking a PBK look and making it your own

2008-08-05T13:57:00.000-07:00

Chelsey Branstetter, a young wife and mom, says she loves "to mix old and new, and find ways to reuse items" when it comes to decorating her family's home in Ferndale, Calif.

So it wasn't any wonder that she made a beeline for our vintage sign letters when she first visited Timeless Treasures in early July.

As luck would have it, we had just received several old wood letters with remnants of dark red paint that had once been part of a sign for a lawn and garden center in Pennsylvania.

Chelsey chose the letters to spell out her four-and-a-half-year-old son's name, Lane. Even the oxblood red paint coordinates perfectly with the color scheme in his room.

As she explains, her son's furniture and bedding are straight from PotteryBarn Kids, so Chelsey wanted to add decorative elements to his room that no one else would have. "The red wooden letters are old and simple, yet completely my style," she says. "The look of the letters flows with the rest of our house, mixing old with new."

Everybody who has seen the letters has loved them, according to Chelsey. Inspired, she made the 5-hour drive to San Francisco again last Saturday and picked out vintage letters for her next project. . . spelling out the word family to highlight a wall of personal photographs.

Hello, Kristen!

2008-07-31T09:07:00.000-07:00

Kristen Cronin in New York queried us a few weeks ago about spelling out HELLO, followed by a period, to use in the home she and her husband Brian are currently in the process of unpacking and arranging after many months of renovations.
Jen Price, aka Jenny Weekend, created a couple of options on the floor at Timeless Treasures, from which Kristen chose her favorite. Then quick as a wink UPS whisked the old sign letters off to New York, where Kristen promptly hung them up and emailed us the few quick snaps shown here.
Why, we asked her, did they choose this word? "It just popped into my head," she says.
She hung it in the foyer that leads to their dining room. "So when we come down the stairs first thing in the morning, all blurry-eyed and groggy, we see HELLO. right there, greeting us." And, she added, you also see it when you come in their front door.
Why did they want vintage letters? Kristen says she think "it's very special to put several things together that have stories --that weren't just bought in a store. Love and care were put into collecting them."

Come and see what's in the garden

2008-07-17T10:06:00.000-07:00

Sharon Demere spends countless hours puttering and pruning and planting in her Menlo Park, Calif. garden, and takes great pleasure in creating a space where she and her husband Mike can relax. So for many months she mulled over how she wanted to add art to the garden area, and especially where she would put vintage sign letters she had purchased at Timeless Treasures.
Then, wham! The idea came to her. . . as you see here, she spelled out dreamers, a word that conjures up so many possibilities for the future. Then she went further... she chose large, bright letters for their initials of S, M and D. But wait, there is more! She added a letter E that's trailing below, almost hidden by greenery, and created DEMERE. So like the garden itself, Sharon's outdoor art is many-layered, colorful and full of surprises for those who pause a minute and notice what's in the details.

keeping it simple

2008-07-10T09:59:00.000-07:00

If you prefer a living space that is more, say, Elle Decor than Country Home, more modern and minimalist than romantic and relaxed, a pop of color may be just the decor detail you need.
We created options on the simple theme of Hi, or Hi!, in response to a recent request from someone back east who found Timeless Treasures online. She's looking for a brightly colored word to welcome people into her home. Here you can see how a relatively simple
tweak in the choice of a letter or punctuation can achieve a very different look.
What words inspire you?

we saw it in Domino

2008-07-03T08:06:00.000-07:00

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

2008-06-26T14:33:00.000-07:00

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

2008-06-18T22:20:00.000-07:00

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!

2008-06-12T09:40:00.000-07:00

"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!

2008-06-11T12:24:00.000-07:00

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!

2008-05-29T10:10:00.000-07:00

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!

2008-05-22T08:45:00.000-07:00

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!

Cozy Up Down Under

2008-05-15T08:49:00.000-07:00

Aussie Janet Wood travels to San Francisco frequently, and a while back she popped into Timeless Treasures to find vintage sign letters for her home. We asked her to send photos, and this shot of her relaxing at home in Australia speaks volumes. How appealing to simply sit after a long trip crossing the Pacific!
Her phrase, COZY UP, looks fabulous and literally beckons a visitor to relax in this comfortable nook.
Since winter is about to begin in the Southern Hemisphere, we suspect Janet will be inspired to follow her own advice.

words that'll inspire long after the commencement speeches are forgotten

2008-05-08T08:59:00.000-07:00

When it comes to choosing a very special gift . . . one that is timeless, say. . . we are huge fans of sterling silver cuff bracelets made in Oregon by artist Sandy Comstock.
Here are two examples of bracelets that are sure to inspire your favorite graduate long after the cap and gown ceremony is over.
Believe in Yourself reverses to show the words healthy, thankful, compassionate, and strong. And Life is a journey, not a destination has Enjoy the moments inscribed inside.
If you aren't able to come and see these lusciously elegant, simple treasures in person, call us for details, as well as other inspirational messages in Sandy's series. We are happy to mail one off to your favorite soon-to-be triumphant graduate!

They made it!

2008-05-01T12:45:00.000-07:00

Some weeks ago Steve and Heidi, a delightful couple on vacation in San Francisco, stopped by Timeless Treasures and chose some vintage sign letters to take back to England.
As Steve paid for their purchases, he wondered aloud how they would get the oversize metal letters through airport security and home to London. (Scroll down to An A for ingenuity goes to the UK, from March 21.) We have been awaiting an update, eager to know how they fared at SFO.

This week we heard from Steve, who sent along photos of the return trip and their letters at home. We especially like the one of the A wrapped in brown paper nestled into a window seat of the airplane.

"Well," Steve writes, "you'll be pleased to hear the 'A' and 'E' made it safely back to the UK, even if we did get a few confused looks as they travelled through the x-ray machine. You can also let fellow visitors to your shop know that you can fit a large letter A in the overhead locker of any plane!

"We had a fantastic time rummaging around your shop," he continues. "You can rest assured the next time we come to SF we'll be sure to bring a bigger suitcase - just in case..."

Many thanks, Steve and Heidi!

PB says Ahoy! in Puerto Rico

2008-04-24T10:12:00.000-07:00

When Pottery Barn launched its newest store in Puerto Rico, design guru Harry Williams chose vintage sign letters and antique pulleys from Timeless Treasures to carry off his nautical theme for a home office bulletin board. Here you can see what he and his team created.
We found the old pulleys in Vermont, where we met a man who restores these relics of old New England docks and barns by refinishing the wood and cleaning the old metal parts.
We are enchanted at the thought of these old pulleys traveling from Vermont to California and then to Puerto Rico, where they add such realism to a store display. Ditto the old letters of Ahoy, which we had gathered from a variety of sources. The blue and white letters make a perfect complement to the marine theme.
Here we see a color palette of blue and white. But it's also very green.By designing with vintage and found objects, Harry and other photo and prop stylists are part of the earth-friendly movement to recycle, reuse and repurpose.

For Earth Week, a giant B for buzz (or Benjamin), and a SNAPpy design element

2008-04-17T11:00:00.000-07:00

Earth Week is next week, and it seems an especially appropriate occasion to feature our vintage sign letters to make a personal design statement. Depending on what you spell out, the look can be sophisticated and original, or funny and whimsical. And no matter what you spell, you will be choosing to recycle and repurpose. . . which we all can agree, is REALLY good for the planet.
This huge B, a vintage sign letter made of steel coated with chocolate brown enamel, is over two feet tall and among the tallest letters we have in stock. Imagine how colorful (and green!) it will be on a large wall or shelf.
And SNAP, shown here as photographed on the sidewalk on Sutter Street, was created as an option for an interior designer who emailed us a request earlier this week. Though we aren't privy to the details of the specific project, we think that salvaged letters make a creative statement while helping to save Mother Earth.

A gift that's shiny, simple and sentimental

2008-04-11T15:27:00.000-07:00

As a bride-to-be, one of the tasks you want to get "right" is choosing a gift for your bridesmaids and maid-of-honor. Ditto for your Mom for Mother's Day.
At Timeless Treasures, we have a possible cure for the "what would she like?" blues. Sweet and simple, and especially popular with sentimental romantics, a vintage sterling silver teaspoon with her monogram strikes a lovely balance.
Maybe you can add a handwritten note to say, "When you stir your tea, remember me," or "May your morning espresso stir memories of our fun times and good talks", or just "Love, Your daughter".
Right now we have lots of different patterns engraved with a variety of single initials. With sufficient advance notice, we can help you find what you need for your special event.

say it, spell it and say it

2008-04-04T10:36:00.000-07:00

Whenever someone begins choosing old sign letters from our walls and cubbies to arrange on the floor, we are eager to see the word or phrase they come up with. Last week Jenny M. helped someone design the word relax for her place. She chose mostly lower-case letters. . . all the better to relax? Sadly, the digital camera was nowhere to be found to record it. So Lizzy, our super clever high schooler who never met a ladder she wouldn't climb, recreated another version for the wall at Timeless Treasures, that you can see here.
Imagine these letters over your bathtub or in the foyer as you enter your home. It might be just enough inspiration to unravel the knots in your shoulders after a long day!
We were similarly intrigued some months ago as we watched a woman place a short stack of metal letters on the counter. What was she spelling? "Half full," she said. Wow! What a powerful word in just six letters! We all sighed and said how much we liked her idea.
So when Katrina Tan stopped by last week and asked for ideas for her new place, I tossed out the example of half full. Click here http://www.flickr.com/photos/puglyfeet/2384356110 to see what Kat came up with.
And if you are at a club this weekend and notice old letters on the walls, you might be viewing the work of two young interior designers who stopped in yesterday. They were looking for details to put the final touches on a new music venue opening in San Francisco. They chose letters to spell green, for the green room , coats for the coat check and a large vintage brass W & M for the obvious.
Ponder your own design possibilities. Think about a word or phrase that makes you laugh or sigh with delight. Or, if it's more your style, a collection of different type fonts that will add personality to your studio or office. Then come and see us and make a statement of your own.

Keith Wooten's designs for spring are fresh and fun

2008-03-27T15:42:00.000-07:00

San Francisco jewelry designer Keith Wooten has come up with fun, flirty necklaces for his Spring jewelry collection. Here are three of his newest ones made with layers of chain and vintage charm pieces. They are available now at our shop on Sutter Street. Wouldn't one look fabulous with a crisp white shirt on your BFF who is about to celebrate her birthday? Or on you, if you were the one who always raced through a box of Crackerjacks to get to the prize at the bottom!

an A for ingenuity goes to the UK

2008-03-21T10:39:00.000-07:00

Steve and Heidi, a charming couple from London on holiday in San Francisco, wandered into Timeless Treasures as they were exploring the neighborhood last Saturday. As Jenny Weekend (our shorthand for Jen who works on Saturday, as opposed to Jenny Weekday who works on the other days) recalls, they were "kind of overwhelmed" by all the old letters. They spent some time rummaging through the cubbies and drawers and chose some small letters to take along. But they both kept talking about a huge, flat metal letter A salvaged from an old TEXACO gas station, looking at it and trying to figure out how they would get it back to England.
As Jenny retells the story, Steve kept saying, "I know I could get it in the suitcase. It would totally go in the overhead." So he and Heidi decided to think about it and "maybe be back before we go home." We offered to put it on hold for a day so they could figure out a plan.
A few days later, Steve called and charged the big red A to his credit card, saying they will be back before they head home.
We can only imagine the stories he and Heidi will tell about where they got that enormous old letter.

And now for an update... Steve and Heidi stopped by to collect their big red A on Friday, and decided to buy a bright yellow E just like the KSR letters in the window last week. And, Jenny added, "while they were overwhelmed, they were also in awe (of the variety of letters)! Steve said he would carry that baby on-board and meant it, and I'll bet he does it!"

pretty pitchers

2008-03-13T09:20:00.000-07:00

Some weeks ago, in the midst of a rainy week in January, I discovered this simply beautiful handmade pottery from Spain while reading a favorite design blog, sfgirlbybay.com. With a little sleuthing, we tracked them down and now have them in stock, just in time for your Easter table or a gift for your host and hostess. Think ahead to Mother's Day and wedding gifts for that couple you want to celebrate without relying on a gift registry.
Turns out that Hilary, an American woman living in Europe, had discovered the family who makes this pottery while on a visit to Madrid. Smitten by their story, Hilary traveled to their village in Andalucia in Southern Spain and watched as father and son continued a centuries-old tradition of dragging clay from the local riverbank to make this pottery. Each luscious piece is completely handmade and takes on a unique shape and texture.
We, in turn, were enchanted with Hilary's story of simple, beautifully made goods. We think they are in complete harmony with our preference for vintage furniture and decor with a storied past, as well as handmade treasures that bring a certain joie de vivre to our homes.
Now these simply beautiful... or, beautifully simple... pitchers are at Timeless Treasures. Hilary brought us a small assortment of large and small ones in the yummiest shades of pale blue, white, pink and yellow. They are like crocuses or cherry blossoms. . . welcome signs of Spring!
The smaller pitchers are ideal for serving syrup or gathering a small bouquet, and the larger ones look elegant filled with spring blossoms. And, of course, each one is lead-free, so you can use it for water or juice or wine at the table. To Hilary and Victoria of sfgirlbybay.com, we say Gracias! and to you, we offer Salud!

thru the eyes of Katrina

2008-03-06T22:42:00.000-08:00

Imagine our delight when we learned that Katrina Tan, a San Francisco photographer with a marvelous eye for details, has posted images from Timeless Treasures on Flickr. She said it was fine to share them with you. For more, go to http://www.flickr.com/photos/puglyfeet.

When Zuzi and Rick got married

2008-02-22T10:18:00.000-08:00

For months we had watched the progress of their romance. Zuzi and Rick met in the city, fell madly in love and began planning a future together. Zuzi chose things at Timeless Treasures for their soon-to-be home together, Rick bought her Valentines and together they found special presents for their wedding party. Then on a weekend last fall, friends and family of the happy couple arrived in San Francisco for a few days of celebrating and a wedding at Yosemite.

Just as the final kisses and well wishes were happening on Sutter Street, Zuzi's maid of honor popped into the shop in search of a gift for the best man, "just in case Rick forgot." Something old? Something memorable? Something appropriate for a motorcycle guy? Zuzi tells the story from there.

"Joan, I've finally received my wedding photos and wanted to thank you again for carrying those unique cufflinks! As you know, I bought them at your store last minute, just in case Rick had forgotten to get a Best Man's gift for his Harley-riding brother. I didn't think I would find anything at your perfectly delicate store, but your idea of getting him the "Shift Lock" and "Back Space" typewriter cuff links made sense.

"I was right about Rick forgetting to buy a gift for his brother, but he also forgot to bring his own cuff links to Yosemite! Thanks to you, we had a unique and memorable pair ready to match his classic tux! Here is a picture to prove it (and a couple others from our wedding). Thank you so much for all your well wishes. Love always- Zuzy and Rick."

Making it Personal

2008-02-12T15:52:00.000-08:00

Some weeks ago, we heard from Tracy of British Columbia who wanted to spell out the phrase HOME SWEET HOME using old sign letters 8 to 10 inches tall. She had read about Timeless Treasures and our mad passion for old alphabet letters, and emailed to ask whether we would create her phrase and send her photos since she has no plans to be in San Francisco anytime soon.

Tracy wasn't fussy about color or material, she said, "as long as they look pleasing as a group." At Timeless Treasures we laid out possibilities, using a variety of materials and colors to give the phrase a relaxed, informal feeling. When she received the snapshots, Tracy asked for one substitution to the almost-final version shown above.... could we come up with an alternate E to replace the middle one in SWEET?
That evening, as I placed the new options on the floor at home, the family cat Aengus wasn't about to miss an opportunity to check out something new to the house. Besides he gave a sense of scale to the letters, we agreed. And from that final shot, Tracy chose her letters, which are now in British Columbia, apparently awaiting a free afternoon to hang them.

Ali Edwards, creative superstar

2008-01-22T12:13:00.000-08:00

If you enjoy photography, crafts and creative expression, you must visit the blog of Ali Edwards, a super star among scrapbookers, and a beacon of support for families of children with autism. (http://aliedwards.typepad.com)
We marvel at this remarkable woman's creativity and desire to share her talents with others.

Some months ago Ali emailed and asked us to send her vintage sign letters from Timeless Treasures to spell out Life Art in her art studio. Since then, we have been frequent visitors to her blog.

We were intrigued by the idea Ali launched a few days ago. Read about Weekend Creative, an invitation to photograph a group of letters in different settings. Visit her blog to see how she used the word ART.

While you are at her blog, take a few minutes to read about Ali's involvement in education and fundraising for autism, as well as her ideas for creating art every day. She is such an inspiration!