Design Vignettes

Share your NYIGF favorites with me!

2012-01-27T20:11:00.000-05:00

New England Finery Magazine, Issue One, February 2011, pages 58-59

Last year I attended the New York International Gift Fair with my good friend, designer Rosanne Palazola. We stayed at her friends place in New York overnight and we walked the Javitz and the Pier on both Saturday and Sunday. I have to say it was quite the whirlwind of idea generating window shopping! I chose to feature some of my favorite items in the premiere issue of New England Finery Magazine.

This year the show falls on my son’s birthday (a big one – his 10th!), so I’m asking all of you who do attend to please post a link in the comment section and share YOUR favorite picks.

I will certainly miss the creative buzz from the event (I know there will be a lot of design bloggers in attendance) but I hope to plan an adventure-filled field trip somewhere fun in the very near future ...

Winter antique shopping

2012-01-21T13:16:00.001-05:00

New England Finery Magazine, Winter 2011, pages 42-43

Antique shopping is usually considered a summer sport here in New England, but there are actually some great winter shows worth venturing out to, even on a snowy day like today.

In the last issue of New England Finery, I highlighted the New England Antiques Design Show & Sale that was held at the Shriners Auditorium. This weekend the auditorium is home once again to a wealth of antique dealers ... check out the extensive list here. Below are some photos I took while exhibiting there last fall (read more about the New England Finery designed space here).

There are room after room of antique and vintage treasures at the show.

Each dealer sets up their own inspired vignettes.

Vintage items, like these drapery hold backs, can be repurposed in modern ways.

The key is to think creatively when touring each booth.

There truly is something for every kind of collector!

I really could have used this on a recent photo shoot ...

If you are a decorator, photo stylist or homeowner who loves the patina of vintage decor, it is worth it to get on the list to be notified of upcoming New England Antique Shows. Click here to receive discount passes and info.

58th Annual Winter Antiques Show

All this week in New York, from the 20th to the 29th, the 58th Annual Winter Antiques Show is being held at the Park Avenue Armory. Local designer, Phoebe Lovejoy, who was featured in the autumn issue of New England Finery, is on the interior design committee for Young Collectors Night which will be held on the 26th. If you get the chance to attend, look for her in the crowd and be sure to say hello!

Young Collectors Nigh: Annual Winter Antiques Show

Designers Phoebe Lovejoy and Gerald Pomeroy

New England Finery Magazine: Autumn 2011, pages 34 – 40

Michael J. Lee Photography

Tangerine tango, anyone?

2012-01-13T01:26:00.000-05:00

Have you heard the Pantone Color of the Year is Tangerine Tango? I have always appreciated a splash of orange. Do you like a little, a lot or none at all? Check out this set on Polyvore then take a peek at a few of my orange crushes ...

• Xtreme Sports Inspired

• Farmhouse Chic

• Small Space, Big Hit

I was not paid to promote this product ...

2012-01-11T00:00:00.000-05:00

Can I just share how much I love this new conditioner I found? It smells like a combination of coconut and mint (fresh yet relaxed?) and is filled with good for you ingredients like green tea and goji berry. Besides being like aromatherapy in the shower and actually making my hair feel silky smooth, I am loving the on-trend orange bottle and rockin’ graphics. And who wouldn’t want to start the day (or go into the night) with the belief that “Living the Dream” is well within reach ... just look for it on your supermarket shelves : )

TIGI Rockaholic Living the Dream

Daily Conditioner + Energy

Click here for professional styling videos

and more products available from TIGI

A green point-of-view

2012-01-08T20:30:00.000-05:00

Designer: Lisa Kauffman Tharp : Window Treatments: Acorn Interiors

Photo by Eric Roth: Design New England Magazine Jan./Feb. 2012 p.82

Have you seen the latest issue of Design New England Magazine? This lovely space designed by Concord, Massachusetts designer Lisa Kauffman Tharp was featured inside, plus the equally gorgeous bath from this eco-friendly home made the cover.

Lisa, an expert on incorporating green choices into her interior designs, was one of our eco-links in the April issue of New England Finery Magazine. She was actually brought to my attention by Paula Bakies of Acorn Interiors, who has done window treatments for my own design projects. Paula did the treatments in the above photo. I love the clean, quiet, textured look of the space.

Enjoy reading the entire article by clicking here.

A contest for my design friends ...

2012-01-04T21:55:00.000-05:00

Would you like to see your design project on the pages of a design magazine?

If you know me at all, you know how much I appreciate good design. If you grew up with me, you might say I am competitive (thanks, sis, for always reminding me!) Well, FYI, I don’t have to be the center of attention ... I like to shine a spotlight on others. So as the new marketing director at Designer Bath in Beverly, I came up with a little competition (which I cannot enter, BTW) for my friends in the design biz.

“Interior Designers Shine with Designer Bath”

Who can enter? An interior design professional who has completed a design project with products purchased at Designer Bath. What is required? Submit a photo of the end result (plus fill out a wee bit of paperwork). What is at stake? The chance to have your designed space (bath or kitchen) photographed by professional photographer Michael J. Lee which will then be used in a full page Designer Bath ad that will be placed in Design New England Magazine. In addition, there will be an event planned to announce the winner who will also receive a $500 gift certificate to Designer Bath.

Deadline for entry is May 31, 2012. In the meantime, I will be blogging about this contest for Designer Bath, and will be talking this up on twitter. Follow along and consider entering -- it is a great opportunity to get published and get noticed!

Creating an inspiration board

2012-01-02T13:42:00.000-05:00

Inspiration Board: 2012 by designvignettes

Instead of writing down what I want to happen in 2012, I put together a Polyvore set of images that mean something to me personally. I even kept a little white space in the bottom corner to leave room for the unexpected (the good variety, of course : )

What are you imagining for your new year?

Welcome to 2012

2012-01-01T14:15:00.000-05:00

Boxford Holiday Homes Tour, October 2011

New Year’s Eve room designed by Karen L. Samenuk

(see more from the tour by clicking here)

Happy New Year’s Day! Last year I chose not to pen any resolutions, except to make room for creativity, and looking back that seemed to work out pretty well : ) While 2011 certainly had its shares of highs and lows, I am grateful to be surrounded by friends and family who are there to celebrate the good times and to buoy us up during the not-so-shiny moments. Cheers to each of you and best wishes for all that you hope 2012 to be!

New England Finery Winter Issue!

2011-12-23T18:01:00.001-05:00

New England Finery Winter 2011 : cover photo Michael J. Lee Photography

The winter issue of New England Finery is now online! Filled with inspiring images of entertaining at home, it is my gift to you this holiday season. Since we are all so busy at this time of year, it is a mini-version at about 50 pages.

New England Finery Winter 2011 p16 : photo credit Yvonne Blacker

fabrics available through Calico Corners

Bold images and graphic patterns are paired with minimal text, because who really has time to read between gift shopping, package wrapping, treat baking and party hopping?!

New England Finery Winter 2011 p30 : photo credit Yvonne Blacker

And in the event that you need a secret “easy” recipe to serve up this weekend, consider giving my “Confection Cake” a try. It is so simple to make (the little ones can even help) and I think it looks really pretty! The recipe is on page 30.

New England Finery Winter 2011 p25 : photo credit Eric Roth

Design: Gerald Pomeroy Design Group

Florist: New Leaf Flores

Happy holidays, everyone! Whatever you celebrate, I hope you get to spend lots of quality time in the presence of your favorite people. Enjoy!! xoxo yvonne

All I want for Christmas ...

2011-12-18T11:59:00.002-05:00

The Be Collection from WetStyle available at Designer Bath in Beverly

If I could have one big gift under my tree this year it would be a free standing soaking tub. Oh, and a newly renovated bathroom to put it in. And it would be just my bathroom. My husband and four boys can have the old one. Just putting it out there : )

Check out my list of unique holiday gift ideas that I recently posted for Designer Bath. Maybe you’ll see an item that would make the perfect gift for someone special or to add to your own holiday wish list?

It’s (almost) a wrap

2011-12-12T00:01:00.019-05:00

Silver paper sparkles in a room filled with designer patterns.

Space decorated by Katie Rosenfeld and Rachel Reider

for the Concord Museum Holiday House Tour 2011

Naughty or nice? This wrapping paper is sure to get noticed.

Space decorated by Katie Rosenfeld and Rachel Reider

for the Concord Museum Holiday House Tour 2011

Small, brightly colored packages look right at home
nestled in a pair of dining room chandeliers.

Space decorated by Hillary Bovey of Concord for the

Concord Museum Holiday House Tour 2011

An evergreen garland strung with gifts adds
holiday charm to this traditional fireplace.

Space decorated by Kate McCusker of Theodore & Company

for the Concord Museum Holiday House Tour 2011

If only ... a place for everything and everything in its place.

New England Finery Magazine, Autumn 2011 p. 57-58

Michael J. Lee Photography

Remember this great wrapping room featured in the last issue of New England Finery? If you are in the throws of the holiday gift buying/wrapping/giving season, I bet this kind of dedicated space is looking like a must-have about now. And if there is a lock on the door it would be the ideal place to hide surprises from sneaky little (and big) ones who just have to know if they are getting everything on their list.

I have barely had a chance to do much holiday shopping myself (so boys if you are reading this you can stop looking), however I have been putting the finishing touches on some holiday gift giving and decorating ideas for the next issue of New England Finery. Look for it online later this week. Click here to subscribe (it’s free – my gift to you : )

A few client “Afters”

2011-11-29T01:00:00.004-05:00

Step one: color consultation and linen choices for the bath

Step two: find artwork to hang over the spa tub

I forget sometimes to show what I am working on with my decorating clients, so today I am featuring a few homes that I have helped transform with fresh paint colors, new art, decorative styling or design coaching. The spa tub above needed a piece of artwork that could fill the space and still make sense with the colors in the adjacent master bedroom. The bedding, which the homeowner chose, is a multicolored small print floral (scroll down below to see entrance to bath). I found this large canvas with tall flowers bordering a sandy beach. I like how it references water (i.e. being in the tub or in the ocean) plus the flowers in the painting are shown in the same rich colors that are found on the bed.

I suggested monogramming “his and her” towels
to add a personal touch to the new bath.

A cool blue was chosen for the master bedroom walls to coordinate with the bedding and to add a contrast to the warm wood tones of the furniture and the sandy palette of the bath. On top of the dresser, I created a focal point that would also anchor the flat screen wall mounted television. I added a pair of candlesticks for a touch of romance and to help bridge the visual gap between the television and the bureau.

For this vignette, I chose objects that were a variety of heights, finishes and textures. A painted vintage box acts as a pretty catch-all for small jewelry boxes along with the odds and ends that typically end up being emptied from pockets at night.

HOUSE NUMBER TWO:

A modern light blue-gray wall color was chosen to compliment the more traditional slate covered floors.

An extremely long hallway was given architectural interest by adding crown molding and wainscotting detail. Now the walls are ready for a gallery of family photos. By keeping the palette monochromatic, the focal point is on the master bedroom at the hall’s end, instead of drawing attention to the expanse of walls.

The master bedroom in this home is a
rich contrast of chocolates and creams.

HOUSE NUMBER THREE: BEFORE

Existing cabinets in this home were refinished and given new hardware to match the new stainless steel appliances. By keeping their existing cabinets, the homeowners were able to splurge on a new granite countertop and tumbled marble backsplash ...

AND AFTER

We chose a cranberry, gray and cream colored granite that would pull out the colors in the stained glass door on one of the upper cabinets. The yellow pineapple plays the same visual trick. When you work with what you have, instead of fighting it, the final design looks much more planned.

Learn my decorating tricks ...
Could your home use a little “design coaxing?” Do you have decorating questions that you would like answered? I am going to be presenting a series of evening decorating workshops at TaggArt Studio in Wakefield starting in January. If you would like to sign up, email me at yblacker@verizon.net and I will send you info.

Special holiday shopping event ...
There will be a holiday shopping open house at TaggArt Studio on this Friday night, December 2nd from 6pm to 8pm and on Saturday from 10am to 4pm. Along with fine artwork from studio owner Mary Taggart, jewelry, hostess gifts, and custom children’s clothing and accessories, my friend Beth Hylan will be there with her always creative holiday trimmings so don’t miss out! For more details, click here. I will be sending over some fliers with the information about my upcoming classes, and you will be able to get on the class list by signing up during this weekend sale. Decorating consultations also make great gifts and I will have some discounted gift certificates available for those hard-to-buy-for someones on your list!

Mentoring others in design

2011-11-20T12:30:00.008-05:00

Ted and Kim Goodnow of Woodmeister Master Builders receive

their Cumar Marble & Granite designed award from publisher of
Design New England, Steve Twombly, and editor Gail Ravgiala

While the design/build field may appear to be a competitive arena, it actually is very much about creative collaboration and the sharing of information. Every feature story that is shown in a major shelter magazine has been touched by teams of professionals who bring to the table their specific set of talents. When these industry experts take what they know and share it with those around them, encouraging others to do the same, the design community as a whole benefits. Last Thursday evening, at the Cyclorama in Boston, a number of design field professionals – who by their very nature make a point of mentoring others – were celebrated and honored with Mentors in Design Awards presented by Design New England Magazine.

Read about the honorees here
Distinguished Mentors: Lynda Onthank, Steve Durkee, Estelle Bond Guralnick Mentors of the Year: Ted & Kim Goodnow

Annabelle’s Garden, oil on linen, John C. Traynor
Fine art and flowers at the 15th Annual
Boston International Fine Art Show

Linda Merrill, Estelle Bond Guralnick, Michael J. Lee, Eric Roth
(Click on links above for their reviews of this event)

Design New England chose to pair this award ceremony with the celebration of their 5th Anniversary in print and hosted it during the gala preview of the Boston International Fine Art Show. Writers, photographers, designers, architects, builders, artists, and editors mingled amidst a backdrop of eye-catching, conversation-starting works of contemporary and traditional art. While networking and socializing with my friends and sometimes co-workers was the highlight of the evening, my only regret is not taking more time to really study the impressive galleries at this show. One of the comments made during the awards presentation was that all of us there were artists in some respect. Whether that art involves dedication to a craft, creation or appreciation, the words rang true.

While I do have a background in fine arts, I haven’t produced an oil painting since college (and they weren’t anything like this one!) At one point in the evening, I was told by Robert Brown and Eliza Tan that I should have my photo taken in front of it since my sweater complimented the colors so nicely. They know what they are talking about, so I obliged : )

Design New England, Nov./Dec. 2011
Cover photo: Jim Westphalen

Design New England, Nov./Dec. 2011, p. 47

If you haven’t seen the 5th Anniversary issue of Design New England yet, it is now available online. Turn to page 47 and you will see one of the first ads I designed as the new marketing director for Designer Bath in Beverly, MA. In this role, I handle all of their ad placements, the design of the ads, plus social media engagement like twitter, facebook and their new design blog.

How does a decorator/magazine editor end up as a full-time marketing director? When I was researching ad sponsorship for the summer issue of New England Finery Magazine, I visited the website for Designer Bath since they were incorporated by designer Pat Finn in her vignette for the Wenham Museum North Shore Design Show last May – one of my feature stories.

Segment produced by America’s Best TV

On their home page Designer Bath posted that they were looking for someone to coordinate photo shoots of high-end baths, design advertising materials, oversee production and placement of television and print media ... I thought to myself “I would love to do that!” When I met with them and shared my background in advertising and design, along with the fact that my husband is a trade professional, it just seemed like the perfect fit at the right time. But rest assured, I am still dedicated to my creative projects including this blog, decorating consultations and the direction of New England Finery. It is the sum of all these related parts that make up my creative whole, and each is essential to who I am as a designer, and an artist.

Holiday Homes Tour

2011-11-11T22:30:00.002-05:00

Laura Thomson designed vignette for the

Holiday Homes Tour in Boxford, MA

Around the same time that I was planning my New England Finery decorated space for the Boston Antiques & Design Show, I was asked if I would like to participate in the Boxford Holiday Homes Tour. I thought about it for awhile, but with a magazine to produce, a show to prepare for and a new full-time job (I will share more about that in a later post), I just didn’t think I could pull it off without cutting corners somewhere. I am just one person (my favorite new line : ) and so far have not learned how to clone myself in order to be in two places at once! But I knew someone who could really rock this type of event.

Flower arrangements in vintage red goblets

Designer: Laura Thomson

My friend, Laura Thomson, who I have watched do amazing work year after year at our garden club Art in Bloom shows, and whose home is to-die-for gorgeous (get a glimpse of it in this holiday post), was willing to step up and be one of the featured designers. And she did an amazing job!

She had an entire porch (and a large bit of front yard) to decorate. The porch itself had gorgeous stained floors and rustic looking white-washed walls. To see what Laura did to transform this veranda to an autumn cider-pressing party, visit her new blog Designing44 to read about it in her own words. And be sure to follow her – she is super talented and I can’t wait to see what she posts in the future!

Want to see more from the tour? Here are some photos that I took while enjoying this “holiday stroll” on a warm, early November day.

I never tire of a classic black urn with fall flowers, grasses, peppers and gourds. So colorful and welcoming!

This dining room was striking with fresh green walls, cobalt blue glassware and pumpkin spice damask chairs.

The designer of this space, Arlene Jaffe or AJ as she likes to be called, came right up to me and introduced herself, “Do I know you from somewhere?” Well my memory is not as good as it used to be, but after a few minutes of “were you here, were you there” we figured out we sat together at a luncheon that featured a panel of designers from the Old York Decorator Showhouse back in 2009.

I loved seeing AJ’s work in person. She has an elegant sense of style paired with a super-bubbly personality. Note to my designer friends: when showing off your work at a designer showhouse, don’t be shy! Introduce yourself to visitors and get their feedback like AJ does. You will never know what you have in common unless you start a conversation!

AJ not only decorated this home for the holiday tour, she also decorated the home for every day living. This sitting room was quite inviting. Love the artwork over the fireplace, ottoman focal point and textured floor covering.

Another friend of mine was on the tour – Liz White from Mason & Madison. She set up shop in one of the homes and had on display numerous gift items including delectables and adorables ...

One of the designers on the tour, Linda Holt, wrote a great blog post on being a part of the event. Reading it, I discovered she studied with a color consultant/designer who I follow on twitter, Maria Killam. It is a small world!

If you’d like to take in a holiday tour for yourself (I suggest you grab some girlfriends, your mom, or a design enthusiast to join you) there are a couple coming up that I know of:

Concord Museum Holiday House Tour
December 3rd

Holly Days in Sandwich:
Holiday Homes Tour on Dec. 11th

Maybe I will see you at one of them?

P.S. Click here to view more photos from Laura’s space and see some other homes on the tour that I posted about in my decorating column for Lynnfield Patch.

Mad for Mid-Century Modern

2011-11-03T19:15:00.002-04:00

Do you love Mad Men style decorating? I am really starting to appreciate the clean lines and cool vintage vibe. I recently wrote a series of posts featuring this Mid-Century Modern design aesthetic. Check them out on the Alluminare design blog.

• Can Mid Century Modern design be youthful?

• Inviting Mid Century Modern to dinner.

• A Mid Century Modern Inspired Living Room

Where do you like to shop for Mid Century Modern?

Costumes and couture ...

2011-10-30T22:30:00.005-04:00

Photo credit: Alinka Amoroso

Need some last minute inspiration for your Halloween costume? Here are a few ideas that I have collected recently ... although truth be told these are not outfits that you can whip up in a day!

Photo credit: Alinka Amoroso

Knoll Studios in Boston created these costumes out of textiles from their furnishings collections to represent the Beatles for the IIDA Iconography Fashion Show held in mid-October. From left to right: Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds, Strawberry Fields Forever, Yellow Submarine and Octopus’ Garden. Models were from Spagnolo Gisness & Associates and Knoll won “Best Use of Materials.” Very Project Runway!

I got to take a tour of the Knoll showroom while they were preparing for the show. I promise to post more about Knoll later.

Click here to see a video clip from the IIDA show.
Video by Pixelwiremedia

Steam Punk image via Wikipedia

Steam Punk by ModVic

Have you ever seen or heard about the Steam Punk movement before? It is a hot new (?) design trend that combines modern technology with Victorian-era antiques.

Computer transformation designed and executed by
Steam Punk expert Bruce Rosenbaum of ModVic

Above is an iMac that has been modified with a creative array of vintage artifacts. Yes, the old-school keyboard actually works! Along with this mash-up of old and new, there is also a fashion component to Steam Punk. Check out the video clip below that shows a parade of Steam Punk enthusiasts masquerading as VictorianProper-meets-ModernDay citizens. Curious to see more? You are in luck because starting on Halloween, there will be a Steam Punk extravaganza and exhibit at the Charles River Museum of Industry & Innovation in Waltham, MA.
Click here for more info.

Click here to view video on YouTube

Alexander McQueen: Girl in Tree/Red Coat
photo credit: Metropolitan Museum of Art

And we can’t talk out-there fashion statements without a sincere nod to the late Alexander McQueen. If I were to dress up for this “come as you wish to be” holiday, I would want to wear McQueen.

New England Finery Magazine, Autumn 2011
photo credit: Metropolitan Museum of Art

Read more about how McQueen created high-fashions designed to empower women in the latest issue of New England Finery Magazine. Now that is what I call dressing up!

Easy as (pumpkin) pie

2011-10-28T00:15:00.002-04:00

Okay, this is the easiest flower arrangement anyone can do.
The only tricky part is carving out the pumpkin : )

Ingredients:

one pumpkin
bouquet of flowers plus interesting filler plants (grasses, fall blossoms, ribbons)
square of oasis (floral foam)

How it is done:

soak floral foam in a bowl of cool water
carve pumpkin while foam is soaking
face on pumpkin is optional but will require a vase to be set in the carved out shell

set a square of wet floral foam inside pumpkin shell
cut flowers to length that reaches over the top of the shell
place flower stems in floral foam as desired
add water to pumpkin shell once arrangement is complete

That’s it! Great as a centerpiece, plus no one will walk off with it in the middle of the night : )

New England Finery at the Antique Show

2011-10-23T15:55:00.004-04:00

The New England Finery hosted space at
The Boston Antique Design Show & Sale

Last weekend was the Boston Antique Design Show & Sale at the Shriner’s Auditorium in Wilmington, MA. I was asked by the show producer, Marvin Getman, to design a 20 x 20 foot space to promote both New England Finery Magazine and the art of using antiques in interior design.

New England Finery Magazine
February 2011 p. 28 – 29
Location: The Steven’s Estate
Photographer: Elizabeth Wertz

My dining room gallery mixed traditional antiques with modern pieces. On the walls were large photographs taken from the pages of New England Finery Magazine. Next to each image, was a QR (quick response) code that when scanned into a smart phone would link directly to the photo on its page in the online issue. QR codes are being used in all sorts of marketing and advertising efforts these days, and I wanted to see what kind of response they would get. I will have to try it again at another show ... even I couldn’t get a good read off my vintage Blackberry, but visitors with the latest iPhones were able to instantly connect to New England Finery online without having to type the web address. It was pretty cool.

Carpet: First Oriental Rugs of Danvers
A set of 8 Mirage Chairs were borrowed from
Peterson Party Center in Winchester

The Mirage Chairs, a reproduction of the Kartell Victoria Ghost Chair designed by Phillipe Starck, were a BIG hit. Everyone had to touch them or sit on them (they are remarkably comfortable). I thought these would be a nice tie-in to the whole feeling of antiques having a sense of history that brings with them ghosts from the past. These see-through pieces seem to float when combined with the heavy wood furnishings of the antique world, keeping the designed space looking fresh and inviting instead of overly formal and imposing.

Transparent stacking chairs like these can be purchased through Peterson Party Center or check online (StackChairDepot, AllModern, etc.) Prices range from around $100 for a reproduction, to around $330 for the Kartell version.

New England Finery Magazine
Summer 2011 p. 24 – 25
Designer: Honey Collins
Photographer: Michael J. Lee

Tableware was borrowed from Peterson Party Center

When I was little, my parents ran a catering business – mostly weddings. My job was to place the silverware and occasionally be the coat girl. We always set the table the exact same way. When I was setting the table for the show, I stopped myself, and decided to mix it up. I decided to go with a non-conventional table setting. Traditional with a twist. Silverware was placed with two knives on the left, two forks on the right and the teaspoon on the saucer as if it had just been used. The rest of the silverware was put away. This got a lot of visitors talking! Some guests who were brought up with Emily Post and formal dinners were visibly upset and had to restrain themselves from, ahem, “rearranging.” I gently tried to explain that it is okay to break the rules every now and then. Plus it is a fun way to get the conversation started – I certainly met some interesting people at the show this way : )

Vintage and antique pieces were borrowed from The Queen’s Vault in Wakefield, MA. They carry a blend of antiques, furnishings, decorative accessories and gift items at affordable prices. I discovered them when I was researching Cordani Shoes – which is right across the street – for issue one of New England Finery. A couple weeks before the show I stopped by and selected the items I needed to fill out my “curated” space.

Settee available at The Queen’s Vault

While this wasn’t a painted furniture kind of show, I chose a couple of pieces in this style since our cover shot featured antiques mixed with white woodwork, which really captures that fresh take on tradition.

Corner chair from The Queen’s Vault

I had an inkjet copy of New England Finery on hand for visitors new to the magazine. For future events, I really should have some printed and bound through MagCloud, which is able to turn online magazines into traditional magazines. On my to-do list.

New England Finery Magazine
February 2011 p. 70 – 71
Designer: Rosanne Palazola
Photographer: Wynne & Mintz

Since I had to work with the existing dark cranberry carpet that was on the main floor of the auditorium – plus not the best interior lighting – I chose a sunny gold color for the walls (which is great behind dark woods) and then picked up the red, yellow and blue of the carpet in the rest of the space instead of fighting it.

Flower arrangement created by Laura Thomson Designs
Lynnfield, MA • 617-966-0161 • lspillane65@aol.com

New England Finery Magazine
Autumn 2011 p. 26 – 27
Designer: Jane Derby
Photographer: Michael J. Lee

One shopper wanted to buy my antique shoe forms that I found at Brimfield but they were just for display. Sorry!

Frank Hodge of F.D. Hodge Interiors, whose work was featured on the cover of our Autumn issue, was one of my first visitors on Saturday morning. He is talented, charming and SO funny! I have always loved his designed spaces at the York Decorator Show House ... I was thrilled to have him come visit me in my space for a change!

Michael J. Lee Photography

Check out New England Finery on facebook
to see who else came to visit.

And now for one last designer trick ...

Can you guess what makes the antique lace table covering unique? Look closely. One end is finished with a dropped hem, the other is straight across. Many people loved it and asked “how much?” Along with the mahogany table (taken straight out of my dining room) the table covering was not for sale as it was from our personal collection. My mom found it at a yard sale years ago. It is actually a four-poster twin bed coverlet! That is the beauty of re-purposing antiques for use today. If you are shopping for antiques – whether at a tag sale or antique show – and discover something that you like, chances are good that you will find a special spot for it. And then you will have a “treasure hunt” story of your own to tell.

SOLD: this pair of lamps from The Queen’s Vault
went home with one of the visitors to my space.

Thank you to everyone who helped me put this space together (it took a crew, and my family barely complained about not having a dining room table for two days) and special thanks goes to the dealers and designers who inspire others to celebrate antiques everyday.

What kind of antique treasures have you brought home lately?

A creative collaboration ...

2011-10-21T00:23:00.005-04:00

New England Finery, Autumn 2011, p.14
Photographer: Michael J. Lee
Design: Marcye Philbrook

Now that the autumn issue of New England Finery Magazine is complete, I can sit back and flip through the pages, which in retrospect are like a scrapbook of my summer. One of my favorite aspects of my job as editor is planning and attending photo shoots. This summer, I had the pleasure of working with Michael J. Lee on three feature stories. After individually scouting a few locations, we put some dates on the calendar when we could get together to capture the desired shots.

New England Finery, Autumn 2011, p.24
Photographer: Michael J. Lee
Design: Jane Derby, J. Covington Design

The York Decorator Show House is an annual favorite of mine. I took in the show with a couple of friends in early August then came back with Michael a few days later to shoot “Focal Point.” This property was graced with many fireplaces and each offered a creative design solution. It was so much fun to have the show house pretty much to ourselves before the Sunday crowd came in! I was able to get a close up look of each of the spaces and truly appreciate the fine details of each room.

New England Finery, Autumn 2011, p.34
Photographer: Michael J. Lee
Designers Phoebe Lovejoy & Gerald Pomeroy
at Studio 534, Boston Design Center

Michael came up with the idea of getting two local interior designers who had not met before together for a shoot at the Boston Design Center. Phoebe and Gerald were a pleasure to spend time with, and Michael staged this shot perfectly. All I had to do was show up : )

New England Finery, Autumn 2011, p.46

Photographer: Michael J. Lee

Design: Suzanne Iovanna

I am especially proud of the OMG decorating story that we shot in late August (I scouted it in June). There were so many beautifully decorated rooms to choose from, but as editor I had to pick the ones that I felt readers would respond to the most. When Michael and I were setting up shots in each of the spaces, it was easy to imagine how much fun this family must have entertaining in their “great” rooms. We laughed a lot that day -- we were like two little kids who had stumbled upon a magnificent, hidden tree fort!

Since the issue launched, I have received a lot of positive feedback on the spaces we featured including comments like “I wish I lived there!” And that is what the magazine is all about -- providing a bit of visual escape from our every day, along with some inspiration on how to incorporate what we see on the pages into our own lives.

I have to admit, most days, I spend face to face with a computer. Michael, however, gets to do this kind of work Monday through Friday, so for him it just happens to be another day at the office. And I was happy to join him, if only for a handful of vacation days : )

One day at a time

2011-10-11T18:45:00.004-04:00

Design by F.D. Hodge Interiors : Photo by Michael J. Lee

I am trying something a little different with the launch of New England Finery’s autumn issue ... it will come out in sections, kind of like a daily read instead of a view-it-all-in-one-sitting version. Chapter one is now online. Tell me what you think so far! More to come ...

Seen at the Suburban Home Show

2011-10-08T11:52:00.006-04:00

Donna Flecchia of Classic Fauxs & Finishes

Last weekend my husband and I visited the Suburban Home Show at the Shriner’s Auditorium in Wilmington. I found a number of interesting vendors there that were worth writing about for my decorating column on Lynnfield Patch. Check out the full post here. I will be at the Shriner’s next weekend for the Boston Antiques & Design Show & Sale. Contact me if you’d like free passes – there will be a full house of antique dealers plus New England Finery will be there in our curated dining room gallery. Please stop by and say hi!

Fall at New England Fine Living ...

2011-10-01T19:45:00.003-04:00

Last week, New England Fine Living celebrated one year of being open for business. Owner Linda Smith hosted a wine tasting event with some local blends from Mill River Winery of Newburyport. I have to say, the Chardonnay was exceptional!

Read more about Mill River Winery here.

The Write Expression, which shares retail space with NEFL, had a lot of gorgeous fall invitations on their shelves like the one above.

photo courtesy Lorna Bird Hood

One year ago at the New England Fine Living grand opening

It’s hard to believe that the store has been open for an entire year already! One of the best experiences I have had over the past few seasons was creating New England Finery Magazine to promote the vendors inside this charming historic property.

While the format of the store has changed slightly over the course of the year, it still stands as a home base to New England-inspired design. If you are looking to host a fall or winter gathering, stop by the store for seasonal home decor items or to have an invitation made up specifically for your list of guests. And if you need help styling your home for the event, Linda can help you with lots of great ideas. She has some neat autumn vignettes set up in the store so go check them out for yourself : )

This week I will be busy wrapping up the autumn issue of New England Finery Magazine. Look for it online by Monday, October 10th. Sign up here to subscribe and you will be notified by email when it is released. I can’t wait to share it with you!

Inside an Open House

2011-09-25T10:50:00.003-04:00

Recently I toured the brand new Windsor Estates in Lynnfield. The open house was staged in warm neutrals and fresh furnishings, with dark woods and oil-rubbed bronze finishes for contrast. The color palette included one of my favorite paint colors, Benjamin Moore Lenox Tan (which is in my home office). Below are a few glimpses of the spaces that I saw ...

Kitchen with granite counter tops, white cabinets and stainless steel.

A sunny dining area bump out with linen covered chairs.

A master bedroom on the first floor.

A generous sized soaking tub and separate shower.

To see more of this property, visit my post on Patch.com or stop by for a tour. Did I mention that Windsor Estates is a luxury 55+ gated community? I will have to wait awhile till I qualify, but it was nice to visit!

Windsor Estates
Salem Street, Lynnfield, MA

Open House
Wednesday, Saturday & Sunday
from 12pm to 3pm

Simply Cool Stuff ...

2011-09-21T23:10:00.003-04:00

Seen on Simply Cool Stuff: a design coaching project of mine

While I am often interviewing others for design stories that I write for New England Finery Magazine or the Lynnfield Patch, this week, I was the one being interviewed by Maria Wheeler of the blog, Simply Cool Stuff. I met Maria when she was offering some of her vintage treasures for sale at New England Fine Living. Along with collecting and selling antiques (find her shop on etsy), Maria is also a talented landscape designer. She shares what she knows about both of these subjects (and so much more!) on her blog.

Simply Cool Stuff in the summer issue of New England Finery

I recently featured Maria’s A, B, C’s of Antiques series in the summer issue of New England Finery, and then she turned around and interviewed me for letter I, “Interior Design Coach.”

Visit her blog and you will discover a few things you may not have known about me : )

5 under 40 Snapshots

2011-09-17T01:00:00.004-04:00

Clockwise from the top:
Debra Folz, Nima Yadollahpour,
Kelly Smith, Jinhee Park, Rachel Reider
photo credit: Michael Fein

Thursday, September 15th at The Galleria in Boston

Hosted by New England Home Magazine at the Galleria in Boston, the 5 under 40 event showcased carpets custom-designed by 5 of New England’s talented design stars (of the under 40 crowd ; ) Woven by Landry & Arcari, these unique textiles were a brilliant backdrop to a lively evening of industry socializing. Each carpet was auctioned off to the highest bidder with all proceeds donated to Barakat, Inc., a charity based in Cambridge, MA that promotes educational opportunities for women and children in central and south Asia. I took a few photos of the carpets, and a lot more pictures of the crowd ...

Carpet designed by Rachel Reider of Rachel Reider Interiors

Carpet by designer Debra Folz

With designer Rosanne Palazola of Focus on Design

With new friends of mine, Robin Davis and
Sharon Hunt of Designer Bath in Beverly

Rosanne with event sponsor Leslie Fine of Leslie Fine Interiors and
latest New England Finery cover photographer Michael J. Lee, who
with his dapper white-trimmed jacket ended up in a lot of candids!

Michael with Linda Merrill of Surroundings
and The Skirted Roundtable

Michael with New England Icons photographer Greg Premru

Michael with John Kelsey of Wilson Kelsey Design

In the middle: Joanne DiFrancesco of JD Communications
Left: Adam Graber, Vice President of Sales at GerrityStone

Chris Kelly, Fifth House PR with Sarah DiFrancesco, State Street

Julieann Covino of Jace Interiors on the left

with interior designer Katie Rosenfeld, and on
the right with Sage from Mally Skok Design

Thank you New England Home Magazine
for hosting another fun design event!

End note: Photographer Michael J. Lee will be getting on his bike to ride 100 miles next weekend to benefit the Big Brothers, Big Sisters foundation. Click here to read more about Michael’s ride and to support him in reaching his fund raising goal.
Good luck, Michael!

Brimfield: in real life

2011-09-13T00:30:00.002-04:00

sytlist/editor Stacy Kunstel, photographer Laura Moss,

Michael J. Lee Photography, and me : )

After featuring the spring tweet-up at the Brimfield Antique Fair in the last issue of New England Finery, I knew I had to check it out for myself this time around. So I headed there last Friday, and with me, I brought a sneak peek of the newest Finery cover (which is scheduled to release late September/early October) and the talented photographer behind the shot, Michael J. Lee. Michael photographed this room by designer Frank D. Hodge at the Old York Decorator Show House with me this summer. There are a lot more great pics from the show that will be featured in the Autumn issue so stay tuned!

The first twitter friends we ran into were Stacy Kunstel of New England Home Magazine and Dunes and Duchess along with her friend, photographer Laura Mos s. We were off to a great start! The weather was perfect - 70’s and sunny - and we were able to find more dry ground to cover than there had been all week at the show as it had rained non-stop for the first few days of the event. Thanks to the advice of some twitter peeps, I left my flip flops in the car and wore sneakers (I just could not bring myself to put on boots in early September!)

When we arrived at the #brimfield VIP tent, we were welcomed with a bright and cheerful space adorned with Company C fabrics on the ceiling and tables, fresh flowers arranged in Benjamin Moore paint cans, plus a well-tended bar. Snacks and drinks were complimentary including a Gimlet-style signature cocktail which was very refreshing even at 1:00 in the afternoon : )

Twitter friends gathered to chat and tweet between shopping excursions. In this photo: designer Gloria Battista-Collins of GBC Style, social media expert marketer Leslie Carothers of The Kaleidoscope Partnership and Deidre Drewes, another social media talent, of Dragon Search Marketing. I loved how the tent “walls” were painted with samples of Benjamin Moore colors. A nice touch!

I finally got to meet #brimfield tweet-up organizer/designer Gretchen Aubuchon and lifestyle designer Kelley L. Moore who were more than happy to pose for me on the luxurious linens displayed by event sponsor Pandora de Balthazar.

Custom monogramming by Pandora de Balthazar

Pandora de Balthazar also had a table with their naturally fragrant lavendar collection of products in the adjoining tent.

Kelsonthehouse (as he is known on twitter) carpenter-extraordinaire Brian Kelse y of Martha Stewart Radio, was there along with graphic designer/art director Stacey of the style blog Quintessence. Stacey recently redesigned the Pandora website so check it out – it is lovely!

photo credit: Stacey of Quintessence Blog

I was happy to meet Brian in person to thank him for providing me with his video clip and quote for the spring issue of New England Finery. He was also kind enough to encourage me via a home decorating chat on twitter that it was easy to change out a door knob (a small project that had been on my to-do-list for too long). My secret strategy to getting the job done was to get all the tools out, start the project and look just confused enough to convince my husband to take over and finish. In the end it got crossed off the list which is all that matters : )

photo credit: Michael J. Lee

Along with socializing, we did do some shopping. This is the great find that I wanted to bring home with me from Brimfield. How cool would this look in our barn? My boys would have loved it, but the price was a bit out of my range by oh, about $1,000 or so.

Instead I brought home this charming pair of wooden shoe forms. I have seen a lot of adult size ones, but this miniature pair reminded me of the little shoes my boys used to wear. They are a bit smaller than the shoes my youngest wears today ...

As I was walking around the grounds, I was collecting ideas for an upcoming design event that I am participating in, The Boston Antiques & Design Show & Sale. It will be held on the weekend of October 15th and 16th at the Shriner’s Auditorium in Wilmington, MA (just off of I-93).

New England Finery Magazine will be hosting a 20 x 20 foot space to promote interior design that incorporates antiques. When the show producer, Marvin Getman, asked me to coordinate this project I was so honored! He loved the coverage that his last show, Elm Bank, got in our summer issue in a feature titled Looking for Antiques so he asked me if New England Finery would like to be a part of his next event. Of course I said yes! I had just watched Million Dollar Decorators on Bravo and loved what LA designer Mary McDonald did with her space at the Los Angeles Antique show (see snapshots of it in this post by Kelley Moore) so I was completely inspired to design a space for this event that will celebrate antiques in a modern way.

So if you missed your chance to shop Brimfield this year, mark your calendar to attend this fabulous INDOOR antique shopping venue (no need to worry about rain, heat or cold and you can wear whatever shoes you’d like ; ) We will even have a special area set up in the New England Finery “room” to take photos of visitors with their favorite finds (similar to what they did at the Brimfield tweet up, which I thought was a great idea!) So please come to shop, and then stop by and show us your acquired treasures. You just may find yourself in an upcoming issue of the magazine!

Lunch with Holly Becker of Decor8

2011-09-07T10:44:00.009-04:00

In late August, I was invited to attend a book signing at Anthropologie in Boston featuring Holly Becker of the well-known design blog Decor8, where for the past 5+ years she has featured “fresh finds for hip spaces.”

Holly, along with lifestyle writer Joanna Copestick, has taken the design philosophy of her highly followed blog and has turned it into a really fabulous book filled with “1,000 professional design ideas for every room in your home.”

photo Debi Treloar; designer Sania Pell
Decorate is available at local Anthropologie
stores or through Amazon.com.

Peppered throughout with inspiring quotes from talented designers, and image-rich with a wide range of decorative styles, Holly has created an extensive guide that encourages readers to uncover their own personal design aesthetic while providing tips and techniques to decorate with confidence.

Meeting Holly in person was such a treat! Even with her cross-continental fame (she lived in the Boston area for 20 years but now lives in Germany with her husband) she is very approachable and truly values connecting with others. There were lots of people in line who had taken her e-course on how to establish a meaningful and creative blog (Blogging Your Way) and many others who have followed her creative journey throughout the years. She was warm and gracious to all, even after signing books for over 2 hours!

Before sitting down to sign books, Holly shared decorating tips with a group of attendees who had signed up for her mood board presentation. I wasn’t able to make it to this part of the event, but a lot of other bloggers in attendance wrote about it (see list below).

After finishing up at Anthropologie, about 20 of us headed to the Back Bay Social Club which was just a short walk down Boylston Street. We filled two long tables and Holly encouraged each of us to stand up and introduce ourselves to the group and share a little bit about why we blog and what else we do to fulfill our artistic impulses. The room was filled with a creative buzz and there was lots to talk about!

While I did not get a chance to speak with everyone personally, I was really impressed with the accomplishments and goals of these women who had gathered to meet Holly. I was happy to spend some time getting to know Rochelle Greayer, a landscape designer turned editor, who is on the verge of launching Leaf Magazine. Just like when I started New England Finery Magazine, she was full of contagious enthusiasm! Being a gardener myself, I am looking forward to reading their first issue (due out in October) which I am sure will be beautiful and informative.

Photo credit: Amisha Thakkar-Kashyap

I sat next to a handful of Boston bloggers who I have met at other design events (at the Boston Design Center and again in NYC on the set of the Nate Berkus show). I was also introduced to other area bloggers that I have been following online. Here I am chatting about blog writing and life in general with Laura of Journey Chic. Laura’s blog focuses on sharing easy and affordable design style tips. During lunch she told me she used to be roommates with Boston blogger Erin Gates of Elements of Style.

Here are some more photos from our end of the table:

Artist Sarah Ahearn with lifestyle blogger/writer Katy Elliott.
Photo credit: Amisha Thakkar-Kashyap

This was my first time meeting the two Kates who blog:
DomestiKated Life and Katy Elliott

It’s always fun spending time with Boston bloggers!

Julieann (CreateGirl)

Stephanie (Sabbe Interior Design)
Lindsay (EverythingLEB)
Katie (Domestikated)

Thank you, Julieann, for getting us all together. It is always a pleasure to connect with and support other creatives!

Photo credit: Monica Lee

Check out the blog posts below. Most of them share their personal thoughts on gathering to meet Holly Becker, along with providing insights on what it is like to travel a creative path. The first two posts are from Holly : ) Enjoy!

Decor8

HausMaus

CreateGirl

Sabbe Interior Design

Sarah Ahearn Bellemare

Journey Chic

Gorgeous and Fun Things

Pretty Neat Design

Lolalina

The Desha Show

The Patterned Peacock

Graceful Whimsy

Ellen Crimi-Trent

D.S. Brennan Photography

Next week: a Brimfield tweet-up

2011-09-02T00:00:00.006-04:00

New England Finery, issue 3, page 63

Next week from September 6th through the 11th, the Brimfield antique show will be open for the final time this season. And for the second time, there will be a Brimfield tweet-up held on the premises! To view photos from last May’s tweet-up, check out pages 63–69 of New England Finery, issue 3.

New England Finery, issue 3, page 67

Once again, celebrity guests Kelley Moore and Brian Kelsey will be there to dazzle visitors to the VIP tent with fabulous do-it-yourself projects featuring vintage finds from the grounds of what is known as the largest outdoor antique event in the USA.

New England Finery, issue 3, page 68

This season’s tweet-up, hosted by The Daily Basics and Gretchen Aubuchon Design, is being sponsored by favorite interior design sources Benjamin Moore (paint), Company C (fabrics and more), Pandora de Balthazar (European luxury bedding), and Aubuchon Hardware. There will be a trash-to-treasure shopping spree event with a pretty amazing giveaway (click here for details) and the unveiling of a design-inspired fashion contest winner (to see entries, like #brimfield on facebook).

Who will be in attendance? Look for lots of media presence including media partners Better Homes and Gardens and Traditional Home, not to mention a rocking list of design bloggers, industry professionals and twitter personalities. Put your name on the list by clicking here. It is sure to be a fun couple of days filled with treasure finding and connecting IRL!

Do you want to be a Design Star?

2011-08-29T11:30:00.002-04:00

photo from HGTV Design Star website

Have you been watching season 6 of Design Star? Do you still follow past winners like Emily, Antonio and David? Do you think, “Hey, that looks like fun! I could totally see myself creating amazing designs, entertaining a mass audience, enjoying hair/makeup/wardrobe, and getting paid for it!” Well if you live in the Boston area, then you are that much closer to achieving this entertaining-others-with-design dream!

I recently found out through the social media grapevine that HGTV will be casting for Design Star Season 7 in Boston at the Lenox Hotel on September 24th! While this is not a position I would consider for myself (although I would certainly enjoy the hair/makeup/wardrobe part) I do know a lot of fabulous designers with larger than life personalities around the Boston area who could pull this off. Are you one of them??

And while we are on the subject, who do you think will win this season’s Design Star? I like to watch the show to see how fast these designers can come up with unique design plans and how well they execute them. Because if you can’t “make it work” then you’re out (or is that another one of my favorite design/reality shows?) Either way, good design is always entertaining : )

I love that the Design Show judges require the contestants to sell their design concepts on camera after each challenge. Being able to sell your work with confidence and enthusiasm is so important, even if you aren’t taping a segment for a design show.

So if you think you have what it takes, then what do you have to do to apply? First of all show up! I think it would be fun to go to the casting call just to see who thinks a network design show could be in their future.

But before you go, there are some required items that you will have to bring along with your designer smile:

1. A COMPLETED application (click here)
2. Two recent photos labeled with your name on the back
3. Portfolio of your work
4. Resume

If you don’t live in the Boston area, they are still casting in other major cities (Austin, Charlotte, Miami, and New York City) so click here to get the open casting call information. And if you can’t make it in person to a casting call, you can submit a video of yourself ... check out this link for more information.

If you have ever wanted to see your name in lights, now is the time to act! How often does an opportunity like this knock in your neighborhood?!

And for research purposes, be sure to watch tonight’s episode at 9pm on HGTV. Nate Berkus is the guest host and they will be showing segments that the remaining four designers taped on his show which just aired this morning. They were challenged to come up with a quick and easy do-it-yourself project and one walked away the winner (I won’t tell you which one – tune in to find out!)

Labor of love ...

2011-08-22T23:30:00.001-04:00

This has been a very busy summer with
little time for rest and relaxation.

I have been wearing a lot of different hats.
Magazine editor, photo stylist, graphic designer, writer, decorator ...

Oh yeah, and mom of four growing boys
(do you have any idea how much laundry that entails?)

Good thing I love what I do,
because my work feels like play.

Truth be told, I have had the chance to attend some really
fun events lately, too, which I promise to post about soon!
In the meantime, please visit my guest post on
Decorating a Nursery on Patch.com.

– All photos taken at La Bella Baby Boutique –

How to choose fashions for your home

2011-08-19T19:53:00.001-04:00

Playful Paisley Pillow from Alluminare.com
Southport Side Table by Oomph

When picking out accessories for your interiors, are you sometimes uncertain which direction to go in? There are so many choices out there! My advice is to take a look at your favorite wardrobe pieces and pick items that reflect your fashion sense. Or if you are not very daring when it comes to dressing, pick items based on the outfits of your favorite celebrities or that girlfriend whose style you admire most.

To read my entire post on fashion inspired design, visit the design blog of the fabulous company Alluminare, an online design resource that is setting trends by offering custom designed lighting and home decor options for the most stylish homes. Jeff Lewis, of Bravo TV’s Flipping Out, has his own line at Alluminare and I happen to have a custom-designed fabric of my own on the site, too. Now if I could just get my fabric made into a dress, I would know just what to wear to all these interior design events that I am scheduled to attend!

Time for the NYIGF

2011-08-16T11:22:00.002-04:00

Dunes and Duchess International Life Saving Orange 4-arm Candelabra
paired with Diane James Home Fall Rose & Gardenia Bouquet
photo credit: Elizabeth Wertz Photography

If you are attending the New York International Gift Fair this week, be sure to stop by and say hello to my friends at Dunes and Duchess and Diane James Home. I hear they are side by side again, at Pier 94 in booths 41059 (DandD) and 42059 (DJH). Read more about them in the summer issue of New England Finery on pages 29 through 31.

New England Finery Magazine, summer 2011

Curious about the NYIGF? Check out my related post from when I attended in January and see some of my favorite items from the show in the first issue of New England Finery.

UPDATE: And here is a post on the Hamptontoes design blog with photos from both the Dunes and Duchess and Diane James Home booths this year. Thanks for the visual tour, Lisa!

Last day of the show ...

2011-08-13T11:15:00.003-04:00

Today is the last day to take in the Old York Decorator Show House in York, Maine and I highly recommend it! This has always been one of my favorite shows for its coastal design combined with New England charm.

Two designers who participated in the Wenham Museum North Shore Design Show last May also have spaces in this show. Patricia Finn of Finn-Martens Design composed a graceful foyer and stairway with an Asian flair (see the luxurious spa retreat she designed for Wenham in New England Finery Magazine). Mary O’Neill created a serene home office in the colors of the ocean for the York show (get a glimpse of her North Shore Design Show afternoon tea vignette also in the summer issue of New England Finery Magazine).

There’s lots of other great spaces with inspired design including a black-and-tan study by Boehm Graham Interiors in honor of this historical properties former life as a local tavern, a stunning library by Boston designer Frank Hodge that elegantly combines antiques with modern cabinetry, and not one – but two kitchens – with some unique custom treatments. That is what I love about design shows – there are always some new ideas to take home as a souvenir : )

Let me know if you get a chance to make it to the show and what your favorite space was!

A dozen+ digital design magazines

2011-08-09T00:37:00.015-04:00

Cover photo: Elizabeth Wertz Photography

Looking for summer reading of the eye candy variety? Below is what you’ll find in my digital library. Most of these were released over the summer and a few are from late spring. I am already working on the fall issue of New England Finery and I love to look at what other editors of digital magazines like to present in their feature stories and of course, on their covers! Maybe some of these are already your favorites? The local issues like Perspective and Surroundings are always a treat for me because I get to see what some of my design friends (and photographers) have been up to lately. Let me know what you like about digital magazines – their covers, their stories – and please share what you’d like to see improved upon by visiting New England Finery on facebook and leaving a comment or two. I’d love to hear your thoughts! Click on each of the covers below and enjoy ...

Cover photo: Grey Crawford

POST UPDATE: On August 11th, Paloma Contreras, the editor of High Gloss Magazine, posted online that they will no longer be publishing this digital magazine. The team no doubt has new creative ventures on the horizon and I wish them much success in whatever they tackle next!

Cover photo: Greg Premru

Cover photo: Michael J. Lee

Cover photo: Durston Saylor

Cover photo: Jose Villa

Cover photo of Mayme Baker Interiors

Cover photo: Carol Dronsfield

Cover illustration: Julia Denos

Cover photo: Patrick Cline

Cover photo: Frances Janisch

Cover photo: Simon Burn

Not tending the garden ...

2011-08-06T11:15:00.001-04:00

Did you know that if you leave weeds alone long enough they will flower? This is my side yard next to our barn. While most of our yard is mowed weekly, this area is allowed to grow wild. The result is a pretty swath of tall grasses, Queen Anne’s Lace, Goldenrod, Thistle, and a delicate purple flower that I can’t identify. I have been extra busy this summer on work related projects and this image says it all “I’m in the weeds!” (if you have ever worked in the restaurant industry, you may have heard this saying before : ) I particularly like how these easy going flowers have formed a bright and cheerful border along our rambling fence.

Even with the lazy-days-of-summer appeal of low maintenance backyard gardening, it is still nice to present a pretty face to people passing by the front side of the house. My mom knows I have been too distracted lately to tend to my gardening, so she surprised me the other day by decorating our farmer’s porch with a little container gardening.

Thanks, Mum, for picking up where Mother Nature left off! Now when I am coming and going, I will at least have something pretty to greet me upon my return home : )

Roundtables and discussion of NE Finery

2011-07-27T14:30:00.004-04:00

Recently there have been a number of blog posts highlighting the summer issue of New England Finery. Check them out for some background stories about the creative people and design businesses featured in issue 3. And if you spot any mentions online, please let me know in the comment section. I love to read what others have to say about some of my favorite New England design discoveries!

photo credit Michael J. Lee

Michael J. Lee discusses setting up this summer vignette with designer Robert Brown and tells the story behind a favorite poem.

photo credit Sally Wilson

John Kelsey has some nice things to say about being featured in New England Finery issue 3.

photo credit Michael J. Lee

Diane James Home: The Buzz Blog shares their thoughts on being a part of my space at the North Shore Design Show and admits that they have an “orange crush.”

photo credit Rosanne Palazola

Marie Maguire of Holly Lane Antiques expresses her appreciation of being included in New England Finery’s feature article on antiques at Elm Bank.

Thank you, bloggers, for sharing your points of view!

{See the entire issue by clicking here.}

Inspired by the coast ...

2011-07-22T18:20:00.001-04:00

Temperatures rose above 100 degrees in New England today. It is the time of year during mid-summer when one longs to spend it cooling off along the line of the seashore. We are very fortunate that there are so many beaches within driving distance that we can visit to find relief from the heat. It is always worth the trip (as long as there is parking available ; )

Interior designer Katherine Hawkins enjoys the beaches of New England not just for their ability to cool, but for the inspiration that she finds there. An avid collector of sea glass, she is constantly on the lookout for these ocean-hued treasures. Read her article on incorporating the colors of the seashore in her article “Sea Glass Serenity” in the summer issue of New England Finery Magazine. And when you click on her illustration, you will be directed to the decorative pieces she has chosen to represent her vision of a room inspired by the water’s edge.

photograph by Katherine Hawkins

Abalone Waterfall Chandelier
from Cottage & Bungalow

New England Finery extras: just a click away

2011-07-18T13:45:00.002-04:00

The summer issue of New England Finery Magazine is more than just a bunch of pretty pictures. It is filled with links to design resources, information and even some video clips. Here are some examples of the bonus material that is worth checking out:

Click here to go to the direct page, click on the bath tub and find out where to find it locally, click on the flowers to learn more about vertical gardening. Visit Patricia Finn at the Old York Decorator Show House now through August 13th or visit her website to see more of her work.

Click here and then click on the blue chair to see it being transformed by designer Lucianna Samu. And if you go to the bottom of the same page there is a link to all of the #brimfield tweetup videos. To learn more about Gretchen Aubuchon Design, click here to view her website.

Click here and then click on the above photo to learn more about these beautiful linens from Pandora De Balthazar’s collections shown at Brimfield. To learn more about designer Julie Browning Bova, visit her website.

Photo credit: Experience Farm

Martha Stewart radio personality, Brian Kelsey, was one of the guests at the #brimfield tweetup. He helped to transform vintage finds with Kelley L. Moore, a frequent guest on the Nate Berkus Show. He sent me this video clip to share with the readers (and viewers : ) of New England Finery. He shows how easy – and fun – it is to turn abandoned pieces of furniture into something fresh and new. Click here and then click on the video to view.

Click here and then click on the striped glasses to hear the Tea Lady describe what makes this vintage glass set special. To see what else this husband and wife antique collecting team has to offer, visit their website by clicking here.

That is the beauty of online magazines, you can always go back and learn more about whatever catches your eye.

Summer issue of New England Finery

2011-07-13T22:15:00.003-04:00

Cover shot by Elizabeth Wertz Photography

{Click here to read issue three}

It has been great fun getting to know the individuals involved in our summer stories on antiques, interior design, fashion and New England style. It certainly takes a lot of people to create a magazine, and I could not do it without a lot of help! Be sure to visit the websites and blogs of our contributors. Just click on their photos (see page 5) and look for links throughout the issue so that you, too, can get to know more about the people who brought this issue to life. Let me know what you think of it by leaving a comment on this blog or on the New England Finery facebook page. And if you are on twitter, feel free to add your thoughts to the conversation there. Enjoy!

ON FACEBOOK

ON TWITTER

New England Finery sneak peek

2011-07-10T12:15:00.002-04:00

My space at the North Shore Design Show
photograph by Elizabeth Wertz

New England Finery issue three is close to being complete! Expect to see a lot of summer in New England goodness in it, along with a designer’s-eye view of the North Shore Design Show held at the Wenham Museum in May. And with this issue, New England Finery has a new home. Find it here. Follow us on facebook and you’ll be notified when all of my editor/art director/proofreader chores have been completed and I have finally posted this visual treat online. Just give me a couple of days ; )

2011-07-08T13:11:00.002-04:00

{Photo by Valeria}

Making the decision to
have a child is momentous.
It is to decide forever
to have your heart go
walking around
outside your body.

– Elizabeth Stone

Happy 4th of July weekend : )

2011-07-03T13:55:00.002-04:00

I hope yours is filled with your
favorite kind of fireworks.

Flash mob for change!

2011-06-29T21:15:00.003-04:00

If you were presented with the opportunity to perform in a spontaneous flash mob or hide behind a video camera to record it, which would you choose? Tuesday night, I was standing high up on the Wakefield bandstand as a crowd gathered below me and started to dance to the tune of Katy Perry’s “Firework.” Having missed the two official rehearsals prior to our first ever mob dance, I felt much more comfortable capturing the scene on my camera than performing with what turned out to be quite an enthusiastic group! Today I created a video out of the footage and thankfully my teenage son was home to help me figure out how to do that : )

Note cards featuring the Wakefield common at sunset are available
through Gathering Change. All proceeds are donated to help
support neighbors in need. Photo credit: Roy Goodwin

Gathering Change, Inc., along with performing random flash mob dances, collects spare change to help support local food pantries and social programs. All of our volunteer performers donated their time, and many brought bags full of change to yesterday’s get together. Thank you to everyone who was brave enough to get out there, and thank you to those who support Gathering Change by spreading the word (and liking us on Facebook ; )

The landscape tamer ...

2011-06-27T20:45:00.001-04:00

Fire pit design and photo credit: DesignScapes by Drislane

How is your backyard looking? Mine appears to be awfully neglected these days. I have weeding to do, plants that need to be moved, retaining walls that need to be built, lawn furniture that needs to be dusted off ... oh, it is a long list! If only I could have someone come in and take care of it all for me.

Photo credit: DesignScapes by Drislane

If I ever did actually hire someone, I would call Chris Drislane of DesignScapes. I recently interviewed him for an article about his business on Lynnfield Patch. Read it here. Along with a solid education in landscape design, he has the eye of an artist (plus a crew and lots of heavy machinery) and can transform any outdoor space into a backyard oasis. I can only imagine how nice it would be afterwards, to simply go outside, put my feet up on the lounge chair (with drink in hand) and just enjoy the well-manicured view!

Do you like to enlist help or do-it-yourself when it comes to landscape design?

The gift of wine

2011-06-25T13:45:00.006-04:00

“I have something for you!” my younger sister exclaimed with a twinkle in her eye one Friday night when I was over her place for a visit. “What? It isn’t even my birthday?” I replied. We were sitting in her kitchen enjoying drinks and snacks. She got up quickly and disappeared into her pantry. When she returned, she handed me a tall green bottle (ooh, my favorite type of gift!) and she said with a grin, “I saw this and thought of you.” Here is what the label on the back said ...

How often do people tell you what they really think of you or how they see you, and then hand you a bottle of wine? Usually a few drinks come first before the compliments ; ) While I wouldn’t consider myself a drama queen, I do like her outfit the best of all the other Middle Sisters in the wine’s lineup of characters (check them out here) and I do like social events, and fashion shows, and fundraisers ... hmmm. Just to be sure, I took a test on the website to determine which Middle Sister I really am (I actually discovered I am a Smarty Pants, so there, although I might have some Goodie Two Shoes in me, too : ) The Middle Sisters, whose motto is “there’s a bit of middle sister in all of us,” even have a cute blog with random – and funny – posts from each of the wine girls, like the time Drama Queen was caught out in public wearing Crocs (she wasn’t happy about it!)

While on the site, I discovered that the Middle Sisters donate to organizations that support and promote sisterhood like Dress for Success and Wine, Women & Shoes, which produces socially engaging events that combines – you guessed it – shoes, wine and girlfriends to raise funds for women and children’s causes. Well, I’ll drink to that!

And while I don’t have a large supply of either shoes (I’m too practical for that) or wine in my house (if I buy it, I drink it ; ) I do think this t-shirt that Linda Smith picked out to sell at New England Fine Living is kinda cute. It is available in-store or online and will be seen in the next issue of New England Finery Magazine which, BTW, I am working on as we speak! Look for it hopefully by the end of June along with a new website devoted just to New England Finery. Obviously I have a lot of work to do over the next five days, so unfortunately I will have to keep my wine drinking to a minimum ; )

Time for summer fun ...

2011-06-22T15:30:00.002-04:00

My pics for a Summer Concert

Summer vacation has begun and it’s time to celebrate! There is always something fun to do in the summer. Even just sitting outside, enjoying a snack, and talking with friends can be enough to make most of us happy. Although a little music wouldn’t hurt ...

Boston has a great summer concert series including live music at lunch time and concerts under the stars, all presented for free. The Boston Harbor Hotel at Rowes Wharf will be hosting the band Joey Scott and the Connection from 6pm to 10pm tonight as part of its Wednesday night Timeless Tunes series. For more info on other free music events scheduled just outside of this gorgeous waterfront hotel this summer, click here.

Check your local town listings and see what is happening this summer in your community, or simply grab a picnic blanket, a friend or two, and some favorite portable tunes to stage a small concert of your own ; )

Decorating with Mother Nature ...

2011-06-20T10:00:00.003-04:00

I love this photo, not only for the abundance of home decor items that are clearly inspired by the beauty of nature, but for the almost hidden reflection of my mom in the mirror. She is clearly enjoying our visit to a local flower shop (Gregory’s in Wakefield).

My garden room with its wall of shrub roses and wisteria.

With the official beginning of summer upon us, thoughts naturally turn to spending more time in the company of Mother Nature. Take a peek at my recent post for Lynnfield Patch for some inspired tips to get out there and get gardening!

The Andover Room and Gifford Events

2011-06-16T12:10:00.002-04:00

Saints Constantine and Helen Greek Orthodox Church in Andover, MA

Photo credit: Barbara Lynch Photography

Early this spring, I helped out with an event at The Andover Room at the Saints Constantine and Helen Church in Andover, Massachusetts. Coordinated by Laura Gifford of Gifford Events, this “Spring in Bloom” open house was extended to Andover and surrounding communities to showcase what an event held at The Andover Room (which can accommodate up to 250 guests) is like. Tables were set with spring-green linens from Peterson Party Center Special Events Rental, flower arrangements were provided by Les Fleurs of Andover, and there were a number of raffled items including an interior paint color consultation donated by yours truly. Lots of delicious food was served by A Day to Remember Catering along with Ipswich Clambake, and invited guests had the opportunity to mingle and network while listening to live music by pianist John D’Ambrosio.

I brought my sister – who lives nearby – and we met fashion coach Susan Kanoff there (see a photo of us all together in this Andover Patch article). Susan has been featured in New England Finery and has been a regular on my blog (see related posts) and I knew her and my sis would hit it off since Linda always looks impeccable and her closet is beyond organized! We also ran into another friend of mine, Suzanne Roche, who I used to work with at Mullen when I was in advertising full-time. Suzanne now works for Northshore Magazine and I run into her quite often now at events like this one. That’s part of the reason why I love attending so many of these social occasions ... chances are always good that I will see someone I know or meet someone interesting : )

Event specialist Laura Gifford (in silver)

Photo credit: Barbara Lynch Photography

Below are a few images from Peterson Party Center for those of you daydreaming about hosting a future event of your own. And if you would like more information about The Andover Room, or having your event coordinated by Gifford Events, contact Laura Gifford, Event Specialist, at 978.761.0216 or email GiffordEvents@comcast.net

For a large gathering I prefer the Crystal Ballroom Chair
like we chose for the “Spring in Bloom” event, but for a more
intimate setting I would love to use the Mirage Chair.

Hybrid Frame Tent

When we finally host our backyard/barn summer bash, this is how
I would like it to look (but with room for a dance floor, of course!)

Did you know you can rent candelabras? These are just
$12 each, and will add a touch of elegance to any event.

And if you are hosting a big event and are concerned about
not having enough matching plates for everyone, consider renting
the exact amount of sets you need. Best part is you won’t have to
worry about finding a place to store them all afterwards!

Celebrating life North of Boston

2011-06-13T00:00:00.005-04:00

There is a lot of stylish shopping to be found in the suburbs North of Boston. Last Thursday, the fab marketing pros at In Full Force showcased a large group of North Shore shopping venues – including New England Fine Living – under a festively-lit white party tent at the Newburyport Harbor Marina.

Despite a pre-show fast moving thunder and lightning storm (which felt something like a mini-tornado and even lifted part of the tent right off the ground) North Shore women still arrived in record numbers to sample some of the best shopping, summer fashion, food and beauty products offered on the North Shore.

New England Fine Living
Linda Smith set up several vignettes

showcasing her design aesthetic

Stationery by Nicole Mitsakis of BeeCustom Design

Sparkly gift items from Mason & Madison

Skinny Dip and fashion presented by
lifestyle designer Amy McLaughlin

Runway fashion show hosted by Amy McLaughlin (in green)

with 2010 Miss Massachusetts Lacey Wilson (in pink)

The next In Full Force event will be at Burtons Grill at the North Shore Mall on Thursday, June 16th from 6pm to 9pm. There will be a sampling of wine and steak provided along with a presentation of gift ideas for Father’s Day and complimentary spa treatments for guests. I have been to these events before, and they are a great evening for networking with local businesses and checking out new shopping resources.

To attend: RSVP to events@infullforce.com

Like In Full Force on facebook for more information on this and other fabulous events of theirs in and around the Boston area.

Northshore Magazine Cup at Myopia Polo

2011-06-07T21:45:00.003-04:00

Have you ever attended a polo match? Right here in New England, we have the rare distinction of being home to the oldest active polo club in America. Since 1887, Myopia Polo Club in South Hamilton, Massachusetts, has been hosting polo tournaments on Gibney Field, including the first formal intercollegiate game between Harvard and Yale back in 1907.

Liz White of Mason & Madison with
Linda Smith of New England Fine Living

Last Sunday, the inaugural Northshore Magazine Cup took place on a cool and sunny late spring afternoon. For just $10 per person – with children under 12 admitted for free – spectators could put down a picnic blanket, or sit and tailgate with friends, surrounded by towering evergreens, crisp blue skies and a well-dressed crowd. Both Linda Smith and I happened to have a free afternoon, so we parked along the field with a picnic basket filled with refreshing beverages and light snacks, then later socialized under the tent with some of our Northshore friends.

Some of the Northshore’s best players and “ponies” charged up and down the field at a lively pace in an attempt to knock a small white ball through the opposing teams end posts. Each match lasts about one and one-half hours and is divided into periods called “chukkers.” The game is officiated by two umpires who ride alongside the four players from each team, with one referee positioned at midfield. Watching these amazingly graceful competitors maneuver the 300 yard long field is a site to behold. Just the sound of them galloping, turning, stopping and starting is equally moving. These horses are bred to love the game and they want to win!

Families, pets and all age groups are welcome spectators at this friendly “game of kings.” Half-time offers an opportunity for the crowd to get out on the field and mingle with one another while assisting in a bit of field maintenance by searching for, and stomping back into place, clumps of grass or “divots” kicked up by the horses hooves.

Closing remarks were delivered by Richard Sedler of Northshore Magazine and the winner’s cup was awarded to the Blue Team. I was happy to see that this is an equal opportunity game, with a number of women skillfully competing for each side.

Matches are held at Myopia Polo Club on Sundays throughout the summer and conclude with the “Last Chukkers Cup” on October 2nd. Click here for more information and to view the current schedule. I just may have found my new favorite sport!

Weathering the storms

2011-06-02T21:30:00.004-04:00

Chives blossom in a galvanized tub.

A poppy posie with perennials from my garden.

With yesterday’s threatening weather here in Massachusetts, I decided this morning that I would try to focus on what I can control in my life. Sometimes it is hard to see the big picture, or know what the future holds, but I can pay attention to and celebrate what is in front of me. After dropping my children off safely at school, I returned to the shelter of my home, with its roof securely attached, stepped outside into my debris-free backyard, where the hundred-year-old pines where still standing, and looked up at the clear blue sky and breathed in the cooled off air. I snipped some flowers from my admittedly neglected gardens and gathered them for the photo above. Sometimes I forget how much beauty is around me. Today was the perfect time to take a moment and be thankful for it.

Even though I feel like I am going through a transitional phase in my life and am experiencing more stress and uncertainty than usual, I am grateful that the problems I am faced with are not the unimaginable ones. What would you do if the roof of your home blew off? If all the contents of your life were pulled out of context and went swirling up into the sky only to land miles away from where you put them last? How would you react if you were given a brief warning period to “take cover?” What would you try to save? Who would you most want to protect?

Yesterday, I spent the day glued to my twitter stream, where I first heard about the impending tornadoes, and later spent hours in front of the television, snuggled tightly on the couch with my boys all around me, as we kept an eye on what Mother Nature was doing to the cities and towns not that far away from us. Earlier, I had texted my husband, “Where are you?” When he told me he was working in Hopkington, which was one of the Western Massachusetts towns on the take cover list, I ordered him to stay put until the storm passed. Of course he joked that they were about to get on the road and do some storm chasing, but he did manage to get home without incident despite the swirling winds and pounding rain. I honestly did not rest until the lightening showers ended which was pretty close to midnight.

Even with all of the advance notice, that a tornado may strike, how did I spend those eight or so hours? Mostly too worried to do anything productive. My main concern was that my family was safely at home. Did I pack up some family photos just in case I had to bring them down into the basement with us? Yes. Did I stop when I ran out of room in the suitcase? Yes. I decided I’d rather just sit with my kids until the storm passed than run around like a crazy person trying to preserve memories “just in case.” Because what really matters is people and not things. Just being there for each other, through good times and bad, sometimes has to be enough. None of us know when we will be face to face with a “state of emergency,” and sometimes even when we have been given notice, there is nothing more we can do than take one day, one hour or one breath at a time.

Working with professional photographers

2011-05-26T12:05:00.006-04:00

Photographers Michael J. Lee and Eric Roth

working side by side at the North Shore Design Show
held May 14th – 22nd at the Wenham Museum.

Well the North Shore Design Show at the Wenham Museum has come and gone. *SIGH.* I went in on Monday to pack up my space, and say my thank-yous and goodbyes. A lot of the designers were there, and we were all feeling a bit sad to dismantle our very personal works of art.

On the upside, last Friday I was fortunate enough to have my space shot by professional photographer, Michael J. Lee. So even though many of the pieces have been returned, put away or put back in use (my foyer was looking decidedly barren without its skirted round table and one set of drapes) at least the design moment that was created for the show has been captured with some really great photos. I was actually quite spoiled this year because at the gala preview party, Eric Roth also took photos of my vignette (along with some great people shots) which he shared with me on Friday.

I am saving the professional images for the next issue of New England Finery Magazine, but I have plenty of snapshots of my own to share with you here on the blog.

I require all of my photographer friends to put down
their cameras and have their own picture taken : )

Michael shot a few spaces that day, and it was really fun to watch him rearrange the vignettes to get their best angle. Eric was doing the same, and there was a lot of back and forth between the designers and the photographers in order to represent the spaces in a way that would use color, light and scale to visually engage a viewer. When we design our vignettes for the show, it is for a slightly different interaction with an audience who is able to walk around the spaces and then look at the pieces up close. On “film,” depth and contrast is trickier to achieve, but these guys really know how to make the rooms come alive.

Michael has recently had his work featured in New England Home Magazine (May/June 2011 p. 58-60), Boston Common Magazine (May/June 2011 p. 80-83) and Boston Globe Magazine (5/22/11) and has shot most of the covers of Surroundings Magazine for South Shore designer, Linda Merrill. Check out Michael’s blog to see what else he has been up to (he is very busy!)

I actually heard a lot about Michael’s design process by listening to him on one of the Skirted Roundtable podcasts which feature fabulous interviews with members of the design field (Linda Merrill is one of the three moderators). During his interview, Michael offered a lot of great tips for those of us who are trying to take better photos of our own, along with sharing a bit about how he went from working in the interior design field to photographing it for others. Click here to learn more about Michael J. Lee and photographing architectural spaces.

I was happy to lend some of our more colorful props to Eric who was shooting for Marshall Whitman Design. I came with all kinds of additional items for my space (per Michael’s professional recommendation) including oranges, strawberries, cherries, croissants, more plates and serving pieces. I figured whatever we didn’t use we would at least have it to eat after the shoot, but Eric sent his lovely assistant/daughter Maddie out to get us some lunch in the middle of the day, so we were well taken care of. I had the best carrot ginger soup from Grassy Roots Gourmet which is right around the corner from the Wenham Museum. I highly recommend it! Yum!!

John Kelsey of Wilson Kelsey Design also brought a “prop” for his scheduled photo shoot with Eric. This cute little guy was one of the guests at the table that John and wife Sally set for the show.

His very elegant home away from home.

Packed up and ready to head home!

Our day of taking pictures was one of the highlights of my week at the show. While the process of figuring out and executing a design is satisfying in itself, being able to collaborate with other design professionals to record our combined visual thoughts requires action and engagement in order to produce the very best still life. Thank you, Michael and Eric, for sharing your creative talents with me! Be sure to subscribe to New England Finery Magazine (it’s free) and you will know right away when the professional images from the show are online.

Sunday Special: Last Day at the Show

2011-05-22T11:50:00.002-04:00

Inspired by our photo shoot, I took this picture of the leftovers.

Today is the last day to view the North Shore Design Show. On Friday, I met photographer Michael J. Lee there and we were able to capture some great shots of my space and some others that I will share with you in the next issue of New England Finery Magazine. We incorporated some food onto my table and worked side by side with photographer Eric Roth. I promise to give you more of the behind-the-scenes details of our photo shoot later this week. It was so much fun!

Remember, if you see anything at the show that you would love to have for yourself, a lot of it is available for purchase. Several items from my space have already been claimed, however, the less inventory I have to pack up and take home on Monday the happier I will be : )

Designfest 2011

2011-05-17T22:25:00.005-04:00

Seen in New England Home Magazine May/June 2011:

With Linda Smith and Rosanne Palazola at
First Oriental Rugs Spring Floral Splash
photo credit: John LeJeune

So today I went back to the Wenham Museum to meet friends who were coming to visit. Can I just tell you how nice it was to entertain knowing that my space was going to look exactly the way it did when I left it? Besides watering the topiary rose trees, I did not have to pick up or straighten out or hide the stuff of life which is typically what happens before guests arrive in my house! While I was there, I did pick up a copy of New England Home Magazine in the entry way of the museum. NE Home is the media sponsor of the North Shore Design Show, so each visitor gets a free copy with admission. I had heard rumors that the New England Fine Living girls were somewhere in the party pictures, and I found us on page 124. Fine carpets make the best photographic backdrops, don’t you agree?

The Roman Folly Garden designed by Gallery Della Piana

Happy to see: Dorothy, Marianne, Christine, Shirley and Susan

I had lots of great visitors today! It was so fun to walk through the show with them and share a little background on each of the participating designers. Afterward we went for a hearty lunch at the Wenham Tea House. You would think portions at a tea house would be dainty, but bring your appetite if you go! I brought home half of my meal of chicken kabob over orzo with feta and grilled veggies. Next time, however, I will be going straight for the dessert ... the warm bread pudding was served in a big bowl and was piled high with fresh whipped cream! Yum!

Spending the day with my good friends took away a bit of the sting of not being able to attend Blogfest 2011 in New York. Back in January I had signed up for this design-and-lifestyle blogger behind-the-scenes tour of the New York design world. Even though my usual travel companions weren’t able to attend the event, I still put my name on the list and was able to secure a spot just before admission to the event was closed. At the time, I had not received confirmation of participation in the design show at Wenham, so I figured I would sign up and see what happened. Then when my submission was accepted at Wenham I figured maybe I could still squeeze in a few days in New York during the middle of the show.

A room for an aspiring drama queen by Timeless Interiors

But the truth is, I love every minute of the Wenham show and couldn’t leave it even for the incredible opportunity of meeting some of the best magazine editors in the industry (Veranda, House Beautiful, Town & Country, Architectural Digest) and many incredible design professionals and bloggers who I follow online.

Afternoon Tea: Mary O’Neill Interior Design

So this year I will be enjoying Blogfest vicariously through the posts and tweets of my online friends who are there right now, while I am entertaining IRL friends back home : ) I hope whoever got my relinquished (and coveted) spot is having the best possible time being inspired (and going to some really great industry parties) in New York!

Camille Garro Interiors & Couture
Pretty in Poppy Studio Suite

Maybe when my Boston friends return home from this whirlwind trip, we can sit down and brainstorm some type of Boston Blogfest? There is a lot of great design happening right in our area (especially on the North Shore this week only : )

Preview Party Snapshots

2011-05-15T23:00:00.006-04:00

The Gala Preview Party for the North Shore Design Show at the Wenham Museum took place last Friday night. It was hosted by New England Cable News personality Jenny Johnson (pictured above). We chatted about our mutual friend, Stacy Kunstel, who designed the eye-catching orange Dunes & Duchess candelabra that really stole the show. It was the last piece I added to my vignette and when I walked in with it, everyone “oohed” and “ahhed” over its dramatic scale and exquisite paint finish. Below is a better view of it ...

Not to be overlooked, the Turkish carpet in my space also received a lot of “I love it” compliments. Mary Donovan, pictured above, immediately dubbed it “zesty” when I met with her at First Oriental Rugs in April to choose my floor covering. See a close up of it in this post.

John and I enjoyed the signature cocktail which was a type of Mexican Sunset with fresh squeezed lime that I thought went rather nice with the Cinco de Mayo roses that decorate my space (which I found at Northeast Nursery which also has a designer vignette in the show). These terra-cotta red roses are deeply fragrant, and when fully opened they unfurl like the ruffles on a flamenco dancer’s dress.

Cinco de Mayo Roses

Mary with her husband (also named John)

Designer Patricia Finn of Finn-Martens Design popped over to visit. Her vignette features a to-die-for luxury spa which she created in what used to be the museum coat closet. You have to come see it to believe it!

Lindsay Diehl, the Executive Director of the Wenham Museum, is super supportive and always appreciative of the participating designers (seen here with Sally Wilson of Wilson Kelsey Design).

I have really enjoyed getting to know Sally who I first met at last year’s show. She and her husband (another John!) were recently seen in New England Finery Magazine (see page 15 of issue 2).

Leon Marten, John Kelsey, Kathy Marshall and friend (sorry --
I should write names down and not try to rely on my memory!)

Above is just a glimpse into the lovely space that this husband-and-wife design team cooked up based on the movie “Julie & Julia.” Read their posts about the process behind their design here and here. I love to see a space being enjoyed like this!

Gracyn Whitman and Kathy Marshall with significant others

Behind these beautiful people is a stunning room which includes a sparkling pantry and a colorful seaside lounge presented in the signature reclaimed barn structure of Marshall Whitman Design. There is a lot of gorgeous in this space including custom laquered aqua Shoji panels by Back Bay Shutter Company and some amazing large scale sepia tone photography.

Wenham Museum Trustee – and the graphic designer behind the NSDS – Willa Worsfold (on the right) chose to wear a piece from one of my favorite local designers to the party. Harper Della Piana of Seams Couture created this gray silk cocktail dress for Willa. It is from the Wrapture collection which was the cover story for issue one of New England Finery. Someday I will have one of these gorgeous dresses hanging in my closet (or you will see me wearing it out on the town!)

I have to say, the men were dressed to impress as well, especially Brian Hogan of the Myopia Hunt Club who was a special guest in The Gentleman’s Quarters designed by Marlene Pippins for Landry & Acari.

I couldn’t resist including a snapshot of this cute wooly little fellow from the Landry & Acari space! My vignette also includes a little lamb in honor of the 18 sheep that used to live on the small farm that is now the Blacker backyard (just 20 minutes from Wenham). If you make it to the Wenham Museum, you are likely to pass a lot of elegantly rural open spaces on your travels. It is such a beautiful town, and is still home to many horses and farm properties.

Wenham resident Elisabeth Carpenter was on hand to answer questions about the made-to-order modern pieces designed by her husband Sebastian of Sebastian Carpenter Design. SCD is also showing at the International Contemporary Furniture Fair this week, so if you are in New York for the show stop by booth 2076 to see more. SCD was also seen in New England Finery Magazine (are you starting to see a trend here ; )

The lovely Honey Collins entertaining in her warm and inviting space.
Custom wall panels are by Zoe Design.

By the end of the night, we were finally able to kick off our shoes and relax. It takes a lot of planning and teamwork to put together a design show, but it is always well worth the effort. Along with supporting the mission of the Wenham Museum which provides educational exhibitions and enrichment programs to over 35,000 visitors a year, being a part of the show is a great way to connect with North Shore creatives. There are over a dozen vignettes at this year’s show to see and enjoy up close that feature the combined talents of many local creative businesses.

Whether you are looking to hire a designer or find a talented artisan for a special project, stop in this week to see for yourself what the North Shore has to offer. The show runs through Saturday, May 22nd and tickets are available at the door. For more information, click here. I hope to see you there!

Who is joining me ...

2011-05-11T11:11:00.002-04:00

A sneak peek of the foundation of my designed space:

Turkish carpet of Mahal design from First Rugs, Danvers
handspun wool, vegetal dyes, 6' 7" x 8' 11" $5,900

This week I have been at the Wenham Museum setting up my space for the North Shore Design Show. On Monday, my darling husband, John, took time off to help me transport my items from home to the museum. He helped with all the heavy lifting and even the drapery installation. He is the best (even if he doesn’t feel the same way about design as I do : )

Fall Rose & Gardenia Bouquet 15" tall $530

One of the fabulous items on display – and for sale – is this beautiful centerpiece created by Diane James Home which is based in Connecticut. Since the show will run for over a week, I chose this permanent arrangement to grace my “town and country” setting. I would highly recommend these realistic designs to anyone decorating a second home or to those who are less inclined to water the real thing!

“Diane James Home is a luxury resource for limited-edition decorative floral arrangements and orchids, and botanically-inspired gifts. In 1997, the company launched its first collection at Bergdorf Goodman. Diane James’ designs are now sold at rine retailers and have graced many interiors, from country homes and modern lofts to chic hotels and fashion retailers. Made of the finest materials, with an artist’s attention to color and form, each seasonal collection encompasses a garden of possibilities.”

Also sharing my space will be a stunning piece from the “romance inspired” collection from Dunes & Duchess. Read all about the New England-based designers Stacy Kunstel and Michael Partenio in this month’s Lonny Magazine p. 40. I have had the opportunity to get to know Stacy through many of the design-related events that I have attended recently. She is a doll! She was just interviewed on The Hidden List blog recently. Check it out to discover some favorite things of Boston’s very own “Duchess.”

Being surrounded by such good company is one of my favorite parts of any design show. The Gala Event on Friday night will be a great time to meet the talents behind the designs while enjoying a lot of pretty spaces, delicious food and festive drinks. I hope to see you there or sometime during the week. Click here for advance ticket information : )