Anita has been decorating away! She scored a wonderful pair of chartreuse oriental figurine lamps – then topped them with shades from Meteor Lights. In addition, take a look at the way she’s used vintage grasscloth – and even a surfboard – in her mantletop display. I’m ready to tiki at your house, Anita!

3 more great photos…

Anita writes:

The lamp bases are opposites of each other.  I was wandering through an antiques store in Modesto when the bases caught my eye, I thought they were just figurines, but they were chartreuse so I had to take a 2nd look and I discovered that they were actually lamp bases.

They look to me like they are from the 1950s.  After several weeks of searching ebay etc for a pair of nice vintage fiberglass shades I gave up and discovered a company not too far from me in San Francisco called Meteor Lights.  They have a great website where you can create custom lampshades from several styles etc.

Since they were so close I decided to stop in and get a first hand look at their shades – I ordered 2 – they are the small size ’2-tier atomic’, with turquoise as the bottom color and caramel as the top color.  The pattern is ‘arcs’ in black and gold; the lanyard color is black.

One of the photos shows them on our family room mantle – a bit about that area – it is a combo 1950s everything – the mantle cover was my first ever attempt at tuck-n-roll; the seagrass wallpaper is vintage and framed out in split bamboo; the surfboard is a reproduction 1940s plank style that we still need to put the fin on (it’s in line with several other projects).  Enjoy the pics!

Related posts:

1. Outrageous Oriental retro lamps and decor spotted at the Louisville Antiques Mall From Louisville Antique Market On my first full day in...
2. 72 sizes and finishes of globe shades for 1960s and 1970s style globe lights Many moons ago, a readers asked me if I knew...
3. Roller shades an excellent choice for 40s 50s and 60s window treatments After much research, I bought Smith and Noble roller shades...

On my first full day in Louisville, my mom Fran and I went shopping for mid mod antiques, of course. Our destination: Five floors of eye candy at the downtown Louisville Antiques Mall. I can’t say I saw a ton of mid century modern. But one thread I captured: Outrageous Oriental lamps and such.

I have decided that I quite love love love these. The watercolors aside (lovely!), they are so on the unbearable lightness of being end of the spectrum. Let’s not take ourselves too seriously, retro renovators.

From Louisville Antique Market

One of two lovely Japanese watercolors.

From Louisville Antique Market

The second Japanese watercolor.

From Louisville Antique Market

I think you would call kitschy Siamese cats with jeweltone eyes Oriental art?

From Louisville Antique Market

These two little oriental statuettes could light up many a corner. I am a real sucker for anything with metallic gold sprinkled throughout.

From Louisville Antique Market

I think this is a lantern of some sort.

From Louisville Antique Market

Not Outrageous Oriental… but, my mom Fran in an outrageous 50s hat that we spotted. Great hat! Great mom!

From Louisville Antique Market

Cheeky boudoir lamps, in pairs, make my heart sing.

The only thing I bought all day: A fab 60s mod outfit for $10. We also had a memorable lunch in the Mall’s  5th-floor cafe, with good food, and views of downtown environs. What a fun day!

Related posts:

1. Anita’s oriental figurine lamps with shades from Meteor Lights Anita has been decorating away! She scored a wonderful pair...
2. Somewhere in Time Antiques Mall, Radliff, Kentucky — 53 photos I was in Kentucky last month, and while my mom...
3. Vintage clothes, lamps and barware at Retro Genie’s in Northampton, Mass. Yesterday (Monday) I left my icy computer cave and took...