On this weekend post, Slim Aarons’ beautiful photography, and choosing wallpaper for bedrooms.
This week it’s a short post. My son Griffin is home for a few days and I had less time for blogging..It’s been nice having him here. He’s has been working in Utah where he goes to school and enjoying some camping.
I can’t believe he’s starting is senior year of college in a few weeks. I still get happy when I see his huge shoes in the entry. ( Honestly I don’t know how his shoes get so beat.)
Last weekend we had to get back up to the cabin. Our refrigerator gave up the ghost and after Max tried unsuccessfully to resuscitate it, we had new one delivered from Lowes in Reno. I think the hard winter did it in.. There was a bright spot though, hanging with our friends Elaine and Todd who were also in Tahoe..
Tahoe Tavern
Elaine and her husband Todd invited us over to their townhouse in the historic Tahoe Tavern. We took a walk on the beautiful dock and the pool set on the West Shore of Tahoe. I shared this on my Instagram this week, but I knew right away I was looking at an iconic photo when we walked up to their pool….
I later found the photo and sure enough it was a famous Slim Aaron’s photo of Tahoe Tavern in 1959. Slim traveled all through the Tahoe region and published many of his iconic pictures are set at the CalNeva Lodge, Zephyr Cove, and the Nevada side.
I went back and with the help of Todd, took a photo in nearly the same spot! Fortunately the beautiful property at Tahoe Taverns and the pool, retain the charm. Only things missing are the diving board and at the becapped swimmers..
Since the photo on my Instagram got so much chat and attention, I thought I’d share a little more about Slim..
Slim Aarons
Long before Instagram was making beautiful people in beautiful locations a thing, Slim Aarons was creating a world of a similar sort. Slim, born George Aarons in 1916, begin his foray into photography taking photos at West Point and later earned a Purple Heart as an Army combat photographer in some brutal conflicts in North Africa and Europe.
In the post-war era, wanting escape, he shifted to shooting what he called ‘attractive people doing attractive things in attractive places,’ for Life, Town & Country, and Holiday magazine. The world was ready for fun and frivolity after the war, and he had a way of documenting it like art, making the setting as important as the subject.
I first became aware of Slim Aarons’ world when I came across this book at my grandmother’s church bazaar. Bored and sifting through some dusty books, this gem popped out at me like a ray of sun on an overcast day. Inside are vintage photos of the good life from San Francisco to Palm Beach, places like Acapulco and Capri.. ski slopes, beaches, polo fields and beyond..
I was entranced by the Kodachrome images of bright clothes, bejeweled people and aqua blue pools..No one looked perfect, but they all had a certain kind of style that was so appealing. A Wonderful Time was released in 1974. I bought the book probably in the early 90’s. Much later, maybe at the advent of Instagram or Pinterest, Slim’s photos had a resurgence again.
Slim ( a nickname due to his 6’4 stature), melded easily with the society groups and celebrities and thus was allowed in where others weren’t. It was only later revealed after his death, unknown to his wife and daughter, he was actually the son of poor Yiddish Immigrants and had a mother with mental health struggles. He was not a New Hampshire orphan as he claimed.
What a life he created! He captured a time and place, the post-war era like no one else.. A few of my favorite photos from the style book.. Many of these photos remind me of my grandmother and mom..
You can still buy Slim Aaron’s prints and originals. The originals will cost you more, some in the thousands, but official prints can be found at Ist Dibs, and Chairsh and auction houses.
Prints like Tennis in the Bahamas ( one of my favorites) and the Tahoe pic and the Neutra House in Palm Springs and more can be found here, thought I’m not sure they are licensed and you have to frame them yourself.
It seems like a new Slim book comes out every few years and often with new photos from his huge archive housed at Getty Images.
I own two newer books, Slim Aarons Poolside, and Slim Aarons Style. Adore both… I give the Style book an edge with it’s writing and background and more unique photos I haven’t seen-and both have Tahoe photos in them.
All the Slim Aaron’s books here and a new book Slim Aarons The Essential Collection will be published in October and you can pre-order it.
If you love Slim Aaron’s Style as much as I do there are a few ways to bring that same vibe to your look.. Do you own any vintage jewelry? You’ll notice in theses photos, everyone has fabulous costume gems on. I especially love the large earrings and the chunky bracelets. I have many of my grandmother and mom’s vintage earrings.. I wear them when I go to a fun party or feel festive.
I brought these to Hawaii which were my grandmother’s…
Shop for colorful pieces and things that have a vintage feel! You can find unique vintage pieces on Etsy.
Anther cool idea is to find vintage family photos and have them blown up at places like FedEx. Photos from the same era look like a Slim Aarons and are even more special if your family is in them! I plan on doing this myself and will share.. I just have to find the time.
Choosing wallpaper for bedroom…
Thanks for hanging with me through this bedroom finishing. I appreciate all the feedback and now that I have the bed.. It was good to hear your thoughts on the nightstand and though there were so many choices ( all of them here if you missed it), I think I am going with the Villandry fro Ballard below..
I am pushing through to choose wallpaper.. My normal MO at this stage would be to check out and I am forcing myself to compete this! I think the fact that it’s not a ‘public’ room, it’s easy for us to do the least for a main bedroom. I decided to wallpaper the whole space, not just one wall.
This is what it I narrowed it to..
Twiggy Sisal in Sky below left, or Fog below right, by Schumacher…
So far the Sky is our top choice…
I also adore pretty Acanthus also by Schumacher..
Aventurine has a subtle look and is a performance type that can also be wiped down. Maybe I should use that instead for my long wall and entry?
From Serena & Lily …I like this blue Deauville paper …
I also like their Palmetto paper
If we go with the Sky colorway of the Twiggy Sisal..Here’s my collage/mood board for this space..
I love this Merrin Rug . It’s hard to find rugs with aqua colors in them. This has a faded look and hopefully wouldn’t be busy with the wallpaper. The Villandry Nightstand with the bamboo and caning look is my favorite.. We already have the Bernhardt Bed and the Serena & Lily chair. I really want a full-length mirror I can lean on a wall and I think this Mallorca Mirror is so pretty. Hmm decisions! I love both lamps.. The shape of the shade small cream one is kind of nice, but then so is the pretty floral….
I’m going for serene and I think this mix feels like it…
bed/ wallpaper/ rug/ nightstand/ mirror/ stool/ chair/ pillow/ floral lamp/ cream lamp/
I’ll be back next week with On My Radar and other fun things. Hope you have a lovely weekend.
Thanks for being here,
Kim
Please visit my pals Elizabeth and Juliet’s blogs..
MAKE MINE A SPRITZER
PINECONES AND ACORNS
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