Urban Animal design project complete

The past year or so I've been working on the interior design of a Seattle based veterinary clinic, Urban Animal. With a perfect, centrally located Capitol Hill location, our aesthetic aim is to be the direct antithesis of other vet clinics in the region, with nary a trace of the usual veterinary interior schemes to be found. To this end, I spec'd materials, finishes, colors and furnishings not typically seen in vet clinics. 

Recycled materials (rough pallet wood lined walls & old windows), vibrant, color-saturated laminate from the Italian geniuses at Abet, and old-skool Steelcase chairs command attention in the lobby area. There, you'll also find a true-blue 1960's photo booth where you & your animal can duck into for a quick set of snapshots, and when you get thirsty, you'll find a water fountain with service for both you and the hound. Each exam room features a custom wallpaper created with vintage black & white photos of people and their pets, paying homage to that age-old, cherished relationship. And, during my past year's travels and picking adventures, I've been finding and stockpiling vintage art, signage and decor pieces. In the end, we accomplished what we set out to do, and that's to create a veterinary practice that's both unique and memorable. 

Hudson Valley, NYC & Toronto bound

larisa and i are off on an east coast jaunt, visiting the hudson valley, nyc and toronto. i'll start by saying i'm absolutely in LOVE with the town of Hudson, NY. it's as though the founders in 1785 said "we'll make this town so perfectly gorgeous that in 2014 sarah will want to relocate here." though the town has seen its share of fires, decay and misguided redevelopment, much of the original colonial and victorian architecture remains. we looked at a 15 acre property outside of town with a home on site that was built in 1745. yep, 1745. it included barns, a silo, a creek, pond and small waterfall. the home still has its original beams, posts, and wood floors, along with the rugged grey stone exterior. and, it all can be yours for $375,000! i mean, seriously. 

but, beyond the incredible structures and beautiful landscapes, for me, lies the most intriguing element of the hudson valley region- THE PICKING THERE IS INSANE. plentiful and varied beyond comprehension. like i said, this place is my jam. it's bananas.

a major highlight of where we stayed in Hudson was our airBNB apartment, named Six Ten Inn. it's situated in an ancient row house and is perfectly bright and airy with a seamless blend of old and new. it's right across the street from the saturday farmers market, and just a block from the main vintage shopping drag, warren ave. (warren also houses many restaurants, bars and boutiques. it's where you want to be.) make sure you stay here if you visit the hudson valley- you won't regret it. 

here's a few shots of what caught my eye. 

the front door of our apartment. don't be fooled- few people in hudson upgrade their facade in order to keep their property taxes down, as theyre awfully expensive as it is. but, once you open the door, you'll know you are exactly where you want to be....

seattle's Red Bear beans at Swallow Coffee, Hudson, NY. it was fantastic. 

a couple picks.

the Hudson River & the Catskills at dusk.

anyway, now it's on to nyc and then toronto.... loving my seattle junk love life. 

what's your favorite find?

people often want to know if i have a favorite item i've found, or what's the best thing i've ever picked. and honestly speaking, i'm not sure i have an answer to that. (other than the 14' nautical painting you see a couple posts earlier.... because, really you guys, that thing is an honest to goodness gem.)  i'm also asked frequently if i have a hard time parting with the things i bring home, and the answer to that is a solid YES. most days i do my best to let go of many (some?) of my finds. 

sometimes, the question as to WHY i buy particular items is a bit easier for me to pin down. almost always, the stuff i'm most attached and attracted to isn't very flashy or incredibly valuable, but, instead, has a sense of warmth and worn-out grit mashed up with a bit of tough, utilitarian charm. finding the simple stuff- like an old wool blanket, or a slightly crushed stetson hat, or a beefy cast iron lamp, or a cracked leather chair, or a faded sign for a derelict roadside attraction- these are the sorts of things that get me excited about my job. anyway, here's an assortment of some of my favorites i've picked this past year or so. perhaps you'll see something that's now living with you??!! thanks for your business, everyone. cheers.  

vintage nautical painting- my favorite find of the year

and it's only July.... but, I can honestly say this gem is in the top 3 of my most cherished picks EVER. I mean, c'mon- how often do you stumble upon a gorgeous vintage 14 foot long x 4 foot tall nautical painting on canvas??!! (it's a depiction of Hamilton Harbour, Ontario, Canada) When I brought the painting home from Toronto on the airplane, (God love Canada Airlines and their baggage crew) I was pretty intent on selling it because someone who has the proper room/wall/restaurant/bar/shop should own it so it can live in splendor for the rest of its days. But, then that thing happened where I got attached to it and couldn't bear the idea of it leaving our house. The Ballard Bunkhouse (our small Ballard home) doesn't have a fourteen foot wall to hang it on, but still... the fact remains that the painting is in my possession and if I want to go stare at it at 3am I can. So, I gently kept a couple prospective buyers at bay. (as a general rule, this is an awful way to conduct business but I was in love. I was consumed.) However, I'm feeling the guilt of hoarding such a beautiful piece of art work in the basement where it never gets the full attention and love it deserves, and am again feeling compelled to sell.  If you or someone you know is interested in seeing this beaut, give me a shout. sarahjanelittlefield@gmail.com The photo doesn't do it justice at all, but you can get a general idea of the subject matter- boats, seas, birds, an industrial Hamilton skyline, and an old airplane (that somehow got left out of the photos). It's hard to get a good shot of a 14' long painting, but, trust me- it's breathtakingly gorgeous and needs to be out in the world for people to appreciate. The pacific northwest seems like the perfect fit. Thanks, y'all. 

Old Ballard

I was born and raised in the Midwest, so it's not much of a surprise that I've settled in the friendly confines of the Ballard neighborhood here in Seattle. Ballard was founded in 1889 as a lumber and shingle mill haven (Salmon Bay was often just a sea of cedar logs), and became annexed with Seattle in 1907, due in large part to its dependence on Seattle's clean water supply. Ballard continued to grow and attract settlers from all over Europe, but mainly from Scandinavian countries who brought their skills and smarts related to boat building and fishing, further connecting Ballard to its waterfront roots. I've been finding relics from Ballard's past at some estate sales recently, and thought I'd share a few photos here on my long-dormant blog. I'm a fan of history, so anything that sheds light on my favorite Seattle neighborhood's past you know I'm going to snap up in a second. Cheers to old Ballard and hoping you survive another 125 years!