36 photos: North Shore Design Show 2012

with Cindy Barry, manager of Circle Furniture in Danvers

One of my favorite parts of participating in a design show is collaborating with others to bring my vision for the space to life. This year, I was fortunate to have a number of North Shore area businesses partner with me to create “A Modern Family Mudroom.” Cindy Barry of Circle Furniture accommodated all of my design requests when I visited the Danvers location. Circle has so many pieces that would work in a mudroom ... from the cushioned bench to sit on, to the six-cubby storage unit (on wheels), to the small step stool with long handle (perfect for holding a backpack), to the black metal table with industrial looking crank ... I truly wanted to take each and every item home. And I can’t forget the gorgeous peacock print that set the mood and color palette for my vignette. Everyone loved it! 

photo credit: Michael J. Lee Photography

wall construction: Howell Custom Building Group

Accessorizing the space involved a few trips to Home Goods and Target along with searching through my personal collection of props-on-hand and life-with-kids artifacts. When faced with a blank wall over the cubby unit, I decided this would be a great place to effortlessly gather those bits of paper that arrive in the mail or come home in the kids backpacks (think permission slips, artwork, invitations, etc.) to the saving-in-case-I-need-them-contact-numbers found on business cards and brochures. The artful install involved some kitchen twine, clothes pins and eye hooks. Couldn’t be easier, and it ends up being much more interesting to look at than a standard bulletin board. Plus I really wanted the mosaic tiled chalkboard on the other side of the room to be the main focal point combined with the honed black granite farmhouse sink and the amazing chandelier from Lucia Lighting hanging front and center. The living terrariums showed off the inspiring functionality of this space which was designed to help organize life’s everyday moments while providing room to create.

photo credit: Michael J. Lee Photography

terrariums: Laura Thomson Design

wool carpet runner: Landry and Arcari

Stone Forest granite sink: Designer Bath

Runtal radiator panel: Designer Bath

dish towels: Turkish Towel Company

mosaic tiled chalkboard: Tile by Design

sconces + chandelier: Lucia Lighting

furnishings: Circle Furniture

skateboard: Eastern Boarder

with Lucy Dearborn of Lucia Lighting, interior designer Sue Adams,

Beezee Honan of Designer Bath and Salem Plumbing Supply

I have been working with Sue and Beezee on the logistics team for the upcoming Merrimack Valley Habitat for Humanity Home Builders Blitz taking place next week in Lawrence (Designer Bath is donating fixtures from American Standard). Lucy Dearborn is also on the list of Blitz sponsors along with being my go-to-person whenever I need to illuminate a room. 

with Jason Sevinor of Designer Bath and Salem Plumbing Supply

Owners Ralph and Jason Sevinor of Designer Bath were happy to see the Stone Forest potting sink get so much attention outside of the showroom. Designers and visitors all commented on its natural beauty and charm. If you want to see it in person, it is now back at its 97 River Street location in Beverly. Stop in or call to make an appointment (there is so much more to see with several new displays including collections from Kallista, Duravit and more being built as I write this post!)

Being able to showcase North Shore design-related businesses at the Wenham Museum Design Show this year was a lot of fun for me. Equally enjoyable was spending time with visitors, answering their questions, and meeting the other designers. Here are my promised photos from the week-long event. 

with my sister Linda 

with my dad Charles

with interior designers Rosanne Palazola and Katherine Hawkins

Same pose on two different days ...

with Suzanne Roche and Ashley Drinkwater of Northshore Magazine

a little boy who stopped by to check things out

interior designer Eric M. Haydel also checking things out

Eric in his gorgeous space: A Gentleman’s Library

with Wenham Musuem marketing director, Mary Barthelmes

in a space designed by Carpenter and MacNeille

Their space featured a 90th birthday celebration

(in honor of the museum’s 90th anniversary)

Artists and shop owners of Nightingale Arts of Salem

Interesting fact: I used to work for Marie Barron (far right) one summer when I was in college! She owned MVP Sports and I worked as a graphic designer on their weekly sales fliers. We were neighbors at the show - small design world!

I especially loved her painted windows combined with fabrics.

Camille Garro Interiors (Evie and Camille)

with Lawrence Perna, furniture maker

Pillows from Landry and Arcari, mantel and furnishings Lawrence Perna

Timeless Interiors tree house inspired space with hanging terrarium orbs

Designer Mary ONeill’s tranquil seaglass-colored summer cottage guest room

Tack room by Finn-Martens Design with an amazing antler chandelier

Honey Collins Interiors: cool blue walls, striking patterns, citrus infused

Very cool chevron floor painted by Zoe Design, table by Oomph

Designer, and ASID President-elect, Mary Beth Haggerty’s ode to My Fair Lady

An impeccable space designed by Jenn Sanborn of Sacris Design

Walsingham Gallery of Newburyport featuring North Shore art and artists 

A charming niche by John Kelsey and Sally Wilson

Two vignettes out of one: Wilson Kelsey Design 

read about the transformation of this room here

 

Director of the Wenham Museum, Lindsay Diehl

Thank you to the dedicated staff at the Wenham Museum,

plus the volunteers and show supporters who contributed

to making this year such a success. It was a pleasure

to be a part of the show!  xoxo yvonne

(for pictures from the opening night gala event, click here)

Moving day ...

How does a week long show that I prepared for over the period of several months get completely dismantled in the period of two hours? On Sunday afternoon I showed up at closing time to pack up and take home all of the accessories from my space at the Wenham Museum North Shore Design Show. This took all of one hour which included chatting with some of my fellow designers who were also there beginning to pack up. Okay, maybe I spent more time stalling than actually packing. 

Monday morning I arrived to see the new 26 foot truck from my day job at Designer Bath parked alongside the Museum to pick up the Stone Forest Salus Potting Sink that was the inspiration piece behind my vignette. 

While I really didn’t need a 26 foot truck to accomodate the three foot wide sink, it was quite nice – and comforting – to have a couple of my co-workers from the showroom/warehouse there to carry out the extremely heavy granite sink along with the number of pretty pieces from Circle Furniture that also had to be returned. 

And since I chose the graphics and designed the look of the new trucks, it was a slightly surreal moment in time for me as well. 

Like every year, I did take a lot of photos from the show. I will share them later this week. Right now I am still a little sad that it is all over. I guess I could always just turn that same attention to my own house though, right? If only I had access to the same design inventory : )

Preview Party Pics: North Shore Design Show

A corner of my vignette “A Modern Family Mudroom” being featured

through May 20th at the Wenham Museum’s North Shore Design Show

Getting to the opening night of a design show is quite a journey. Given just under one week to completely set up our 8 ft. x 8 ft. spaces at the Wenham Museum – which often includes building a wall or two (thank you, Howell Custom Building Group), painting, wallpapering, supervising deliveries, installing light fixtures, prop styling and last minute design decisions – by the time the Gala Preview Party rolls around, the designers and museum staff are all ready to celebrate!

With North Shore Design Show Honorary Chair Stacy Kunstel 

Last Friday evening the 13 designed spaces were unveiled to a full house, hosted by New England Home editor/ designer/ blogger Stacy Kunstel. It was such a pleasure to have Stacy at the show! She is always so gracious, and has a great eye for design. We all appreciated her support of and visit to the charming gem that the Wenham Museum is to all of us on the North Shore.  

This indoor/outdoor potting sink was the inspiration piece behind my design. Manufactured by Stone Forest, it is by far my favorite item from the Designer Bath showroom. It looks like soapstone, but is actually honed black granite. The terrarium was designed by my across-the-board-talented friend Laura Thomson and the tiled chalkboard was a project I collaborated on with a favorite North Shore resource, Tile by Design.

Beth Gujral and Laura Thomson relaxing amidst furnishings

from Circle Furniture and lighting by Lucia Lighting.

There is a lot more to see in my space – you know how I love details –  but I don’t want to give it all away just yet! For now, I will leave you with some snapshots from the Gala, but am saving others taken that evening for a later post.

This Thursday night there will be an on open house at the Museum hosted by Landry and Arcari (who provided the gorgeous carpet in my space) with a presentation by Wilson Kelsey design. They will change their current Belgian-style vignette (see a peek of it here) to a modern looking space right in front of our eyes! Check out this link for more details.

Maybe I will see you there?? 

With Susan Howell from Howell Custom Building Group and

friend Chris Joy. Susan is on the Board and Leadership Team

of the Merrimack Valley Habitat for Humanity Builders Blitz.

With Kevin O’Connor, host of This Old House

During the evening, I did get the chance to chat with Kevin O’Connor, host of This Old House, who happens to call the North Shore home. We discussed the upcoming Habitat for Humanity Home Builders Blitz which is taking place across the country in June. I had told Kevin that Steve Thomas, former host of This Old House and current spokesperson for Habitat International, would be visiting the Merrimack Valley Habitat build site in Lawrence on June 9th. Kevin shared some positive stories from his own experiences helping out on Habitat for Humanity projects. I am really excited to be a small part of telling the story of this wonderful organization that pulls together so many professional builders and generous volunteers to help provide affordable housing for those in need (see current issue of New England Finery Magazine : )  I tried to get a photo of my husband (who is also in the building trades) alongside Kevin, but John was being camera-shy. I did manage to get one picture of him in my space though ...

If you make it to the show, be sure to check out the amazing chandelier from Lucia Lighting that is hanging above my vignette. John installed it for me from the cathedral ceiling (and made it look easy!) That is what the show is all about, though, presenting decorating and design ideas that visitors can imagine in their own homes while connecting them with the design professionals who can help achieve “the look.”

The North Shore Design Show is the major fundraiser of the year for the Wenham Museum. All proceeds support the Museum’s continued efforts to provide educational exhibitions and enrichment programs for children and families as they have been doing for over 90 years. I am truly honored to participate once again in this year’s event! More vignette photos and designer introductions to come ...

For show hours plus visitor information, click here.  

Happy Mother’s Day!

Mom with just a handful of the dresses she is making to send to girls in the Cape Verde islands. She was inspired to sew them after learning that my aunt Mary – who recently visited these islands where my paternal family is from –vowed to send back 1,000 articles of clothing to the island children.

This Wisteria vine in my garden blossomed for the very first time today. I planted it several years ago after my mom gave it to me – it is an off shoot from a plant that I gave her on Mother’s Day over 10 years ago.

Happy Mother’s Day to all of the moms

and caretakers who love unconditionally

and are a constant source of inspiration!

xoxo yvonne

Design Show 2012 Sneak Peek!

This tile from Tile by Design in Danvers will be

featured in my Modern Family Mudroom.

Today I stopped by the Wenham Museum to begin setting up my space for the North Shore Design Show which opens this weekend. I love watching the other designers assemble their vignettes before my eyes! By Friday, the Museum will be completely transformed into over a dozen “favorite spaces” that represent some of the best design on the North Shore.


I had lots of pieces brought in today, including some fab items from Circle Furniture and a beautiful carpet from Landry & Arcari. Tomorrow I will paint and decorate while I wait on deliveries from Designer Bath and Lucia Lighting. Special thanks goes out to Brian from Howell Custom Building Group who was on-site today to create a wall to define my space. I love having a design team on my side! 


Be sure to order your tickets for the show in advance. Friday night is the Gala event with our honorary chair, Stacy Kunstel from New England Home Magazine (remember her great Dunes & Duchess candelabra in my last vignette?) The show opens to the public on Saturday. On Mother’s Day they will have treats for moms and their dates : )

Another fun event during the week of the show will be on Thursday night from 5pm to 7pm, hosted by Wilson Kelsey Design with Landry & Arcari. This will be a make-over your room type of presentation with time to network with other attendees and designers. Contact the Museum for more info.


Don’t forget the Wenham Tea House is open during the day for a bite to eat after you tour the vignettes. I am looking forward to being there on Saturday with some friends. Until then, I have lots to do to get my space ready for visitors. Let me know if you plan to attend -- I’d love to catch up in real life!