ALTERED BLOOM

CURATING WORLDS, NOT JUST ROOMS

T H E J O U R N A L

The Journal: Dark Maximalist Decor & Antique Sourcing
St. Francis Relief Found at a Thrift Store
The Dark Study
St. Francis Relief Found at a Thrift Store
The Dark Study

A carved St. Francis relief caught my attention on a thrift store shelf. A closer look at the surface, worn gilding, frame construction, and carved scene raised enough questions that the next stop is a specialist. 

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The Dark Study
How to Find and Restore a Vintage Lane Cedar Chest as a Coffee Table 
The Dark Study
How to Find and Restore a Vintage Lane Cedar Chest as a Coffee Table 
The Dark Study

A scratched 1934 Lane cedar chest, buried under a pile of antiques, became the coffee table I had been searching for. Here's how to find one, date it by its serial number, check it, and restore it gently.

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The Dark Study
A Crystal and Brass Table Lighter from Gum's Mall of Antiques
The Dark Study
A Crystal and Brass Table Lighter from Gum's Mall of Antiques
The Dark Study

A short list, a favorite antique mall in Hawaiian Gardens, and a cut crystal and brass table lighter in the second booth. For weeks I'd been hunting one for the small table in front of my bookshelf.

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The Dark Study

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W o r t h t h e H u n t

A black, shiny, tiered sculpture resembling an art deco design against a textured black wall.

Know where to hunt before the weekend.
A small edit of the estate sales, auctions, and shows worth knowing about. Free every Thursday.

C O L L E C T I O N S

Dark maximalist home decor, from Victorian antiquarian bedrooms to Art Deco glamour to sculptural black lacquer rooms. Five collections, each a world of its own.

Decorative black vase with layered black glossy panels and large green monstera leaf against a textured black wall, with a small candle and a bottle of Black Saffron perfume on a black tiled surface.

BLACK LACQUER

EXPLORE The COLLECTION
A corner of a room with a vintage wooden chair with an orange patterned cushion and a teal pillow featuring a tiger. The blue wall is decorated with numerous framed paintings and pictures, including portraits, landscapes, and historical scenes. A chandelier with ornate glass globes hangs from the ceiling, and a cream-colored curtain covers part of the window.

THE ANTIQUARIAN BEDROOM

EXPLORE THE COLLECTION
Decorative arrangement on a bookshelf including a gold swan sculpture, a small glass bottle, a black book titled 'Cecil B. DeMille', a string of green beads, a peacock feathered wall ornament, a tall white candle in a crystal holder, a mirror, and a red curtain in the background.

THE DARK STUDY

EXPLORE THE COLLECTION
Decorative mirror with floral etched design on a black wall, placed above a white console table with vases and a black sculpture.

THE THRESHOLD

EXPLORE THE COLLECTION
A decorative, ornate brass fire screen with a fan-shaped design, placed in front of a dark fireplace.

THE MANTLE

EXPLORE THE COLLECTION