A Weekend with Country Living

image via Country Living

This weekend, the colorful pages of Country Living will be coming to life in Rhinebeck, NY at the Country Living Fair and Country Living 2014 House of the Year. This three-day shopping (aka treasure hunting) event opens on Friday, June 6 and closes on Sunday, June 8. From the looks of the attending presenter list, it reads like a celebrity version of Brimfield, coordinated with all kinds of guest appearances from the interior design and DIY/craft world.

Below are just a couple of the highlights ...

{Country Living 2014 HOY info here}

All Rhinebeck Country Living Fair ticket holders are invited to visit the Country Living 2014 House of the Year created by Catskill Farms builders. “This year’s project is a 1,500 square foot ‘new old home’ that captures the charm, beauty, and character of the past.” The interior of this year’s House was a design collaboration between the Country Living editors and guest designers Tilton Fenwick. A complimentary shuttle bus is provided to and from the tour via the fairgrounds.

Suysel dePedro Cunningham and

Anne Maxwell Foster of Tilton Fenwick

photo via TiltonFenwick.com

I recently had the opportunity to see Anne and Suysel of Tilton Fenwick present their new line of Duralee fabrics at the Boston Design Center. Anne is actually a Boston College alum just like myself. The “Fenwick” in their firm’s name references her first dorm on the BC campus. I heard Anne and Suysel chose to feature a piece from friend Stacy Kunstel’s Dunes and Duchess collection in the house, so look for it if you go!

Also at the Fair will be Cari Cucksey from HGTV’s Cash and Cari who will be selling antiques and repurposed goods in Barn 34 all weekend. Check out the fun sneak peek video of the Country Living Fair below (with appearance by another HGTV design-star Emily Henderson) and let me know if you make it there! 

{detailed Fair info here}

{watch the video here}

Kristin Drohan Collection @TwelveChairs

John Canopy Bed from the Kristin Drohan Collection

available at Twelve Chairs in Boston

A couple of weeks ago I attended the launch of the Kristin Drohan furniture collection at Twelve Chairs design studio in Boston. The owners of Twelve Chairs, Miggy Mason and Roisin Giese, are interior designers and purveyors of sustainable furnishings. Their pretty shop, filled with organic wares, has a warm and inviting ambience. It is the perfect spot to host a party! They recently started to carry pieces from Kristin’s line, and the rooms were filled with guests who were invited to check them out “in real life.”

Each piece from the collection is made from reclaimed woods and is marked with its own “Provence.” The fabrics are extremely durable and the eco-friendly soy-based cushions have extreme bounce back (inner coils = no bootie prints on these seats!) The upholstered pieces are also quite beautiful in design, scale and proportion.

Click here to see Kristin describe the anatomy of her collection in her own words.

The Sydney Lounge Chair available at Twelve Chairs

With Kristin Drohan at Twelve Chairs launch

Kristin Drohan Collection in New England Finery Magazine, summer 2011

Kristin was featured in the summer issue of New England Finery Magazine. Shortly after, she moved with her family to Atlanta. It was so nice to meet up with her during her return visit to Boston. Read her design story here.


One of Kristin’s goals when I first interviewed her, was to expand the offering of her collections to a variety of showrooms and geographical markets. She recently had a very successful sale on One Kings Lane in addition to launching at Twelve Chairs. Lots of designers are finding out about her custom-build options ... I think she is well on her way!

Congratulations, Kristin, and thank you Twelve Chairs for hosting such a fun evening! Below are more pics from the party.

My friends and feature contributors to New England Finery:

 designers Rosanne Palazola and Katherine Hawkins

 

Rosanne lounging on The Reagan Sofa at Twelve Chairs.

Dunes and Duchess: Michael Partenio and Stacy Kunstel

with designer Linda Merrill of Surroundings

FYI: Stacy is the honorary chair at this year’s North Shore Design Show at the Wenham Museum. Order your tickets to the Gala event now! It’s always a fun time (I will be there : ) 

This Dunes and Duchess Chappy Table was stunning,

painted in a rich, charcoal blue-gray. 

The console table by the window is another

pretty piece from Dunes and Duchess.

Photographers Greg Premru and Michael Partenio

Window treatment expert Sarah Devaney-O’Neil, designer Barbara Elza Hirsch  
and Elizabeth Wilcox who works with Sarah at Storibook Designs 

Wendy from BDCs Ralph Lauren Home with Erika Johnson from Radiant Republic

and another designer seen in New England Finery Kristen Rivoli

Katie Stinchfield From House Rules (and Rue La La)

with Kate Van Geldern from DomestiKatedLife

Yours truly catching up with Kate.

With designer Julieann Covino, photographer Sarah Winchester

and her adorable new baby girl - the youngest guest on the list!

Share your NYIGF favorites with me!

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 ...

Time for the NYIGF

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!

Preview Party Snapshots

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 ...

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 : )

What I loved at the NYIGF

Two-talented: Stacy Kunstel (aka Duchess) and
Michael Partenio (otherwise known as Dunes)

at their nautically-inspired booth at this week’s
New York International Gift Fair

Last night I returned home from a weekend trip to New York to scope out the New York International Gift Fair. This was my first time attending and I am so glad I went! My traveling companion (and guide) was Rosanne Palazola who pens Focus On Design, shares retail space with me and others at New England Fine Living, tends design clients of her own, and has been to the gift fair a number of times while working with Tuttle and Co.

Roomates Rosanne and Tina

Snacks-to-go: Blueberry muffins
wrapped in swan-shaped tinfoil

We arrived in New York just before noon on Saturday and quickly hailed a cab to the NY apartment of Rosanne’s friend, Tina. The apartment was a delightful pied-a-terre with plenty of room to entertain overnight guests, and blessed with its own courtyard garden that looked charming even while blanketed beneath a white-winter snow.

The three of us headed over to the Pier section of the gift fair on our first day and then visited the Javitz center on day two. Aisle after aisle of gorgeous home decor products and gift merchandise greeted us upon entering each section of the NYIGF. While I did not take photos of everything I saw (honestly, it would have considerably decreased the amount of goodness we could squeeze in if we stopped to photograph every booth) I did collect the cards of my favorite exhibitors for future reference (and journalistic posts!)

Find the Dunes and Duchess at this well-styled space at the NYIGF

While there, we made sure to visit our Boston design friend, Stacy Kunstel at the Dunes & Duchess booth located at Pier 94, Booth #41059.

On display were new products like cool mirrors and elegant sconces that were added to this stylish line of accessories that includes lamps, candelabras, and giant hurricanes.

I finally got a chance to meet the talented and gracious Michael/Dunes in person, and he showed me a new free-standing pedestal that I know would look fabulous in the next design show that I’m working on : )

I would love to see the eco-friendly design-conscious lighting
by Artecnica offered at New England Fine Living

The energized crowds in the exhibit halls were just as stylish as the products being displayed. It was quite the fashion show! When I called home to check in with my family, one of my sons inquired whether I had seen anyone famous. No, I did not see Nate Berkus this time, but I did meet Lisa from the design blog Hamptontoes who had a House Proud segment on his show early in the fall. I have somewhat of a photographic memory and rarely forget a face, so I noticed her right away when she was visiting the Dunes & Duchess (plus I had seen her on Stacy’s blog after Stacy saw the Nate Show last August, so it was easy to put two-and-two together.)


More designer sightings ...

While we were admiring a gorgeous room decked out in lavender and linen designed by Oly Studio, I noticed a woman strategically shooting best-angle photos of the space. I figured she must be with the press since many exhibitors prefer that photos are not taken. When she turned around I immediately recognized her as Heather Clawson of Habitually Chic. I introduced myself as a fan of her design blog, but I could tell she was just like us, trying to see and record as much of the show as possible, so we didn’t chat long.

Designer eye-candy: Little Nest by Karen Alweil Studio

Going to the gift fair can be much like visiting an amusement park for design lovers, but it is also a work-related field trip that involves research and analysis. Designers are thinking “What does my client need?” Store owners are wondering “What would my customer like?” Writers are looking for products to engage their audience, and many of us are wishing we could take home all of our show favorites and not just order slips, catalogs and memories!

When the weekend was over we were like little kids wishing we had time for one more ride on the merry-go-round. But we knew our time was up, and to be honest, all the pretty-shiny-colorful objects had left our senses overindulged (in the best way, of course!)

As I notice posts about the show this week (it goes through February 3rd) I will add them to this list. If you post about the show, please leave your blog address with the post link in the comments. I would love to see what you loved about the NYIGF.


• Habitually Chic: Gift Show Guide

• Habitually Chic: Jonathan Adler

• Habitually Chic: Favorite Things

• Habitually Chic: Oxbow Decor

• Habitually Chic: For the Birds

• Habitually Chic: Trends Report

• Ishka Designs: NYIGF part 1

• Hamptontoes: Tour of the NYIGF

• Hamptontoes: NYIGF part II

• Frugal Farmhouse Design: Gift Show Observations

• Pretty Little Green Things: NYIGF Pier 94

• Pretty Little Green Things: NYIGF Javitz Center

• ShelterPop: Roost at NYIGF

• Shelter Pop: NYIGF – Favorite Booths

• The Itsy Factor: NYIGF Baby & Child Review

• My Mom Shops: NYIGF – Best new baby & child

• My Mom Shops: NYIGF – Melissa & Doug

• IVillage Home & Garden: NYIGF – Favorite Finds

• IVillage Home & Garden: Best Kid Friendly Designs

• IVillage Home & Garden: Amazing Finds for Pets

• Pretty Pink Tulips: My First NYIGF

• The Zhush: NYIGF A Newbie’s Perspective

• Fifth Joy: The Best of NYIGF

• Maison de Ballard: Dolan Geiman Art at NYIGF

• Design Sponge: Morihata International

• The Lonny Blog: Nina’s Finds from the Gift Fair

• Design Milk: New York International Gift Fair


And from my traveling companion ...

• Focus on Design: Road Trip

• Focus on Design: Road Trip, day 2