On my calendar ...

Sweet swag from Designer Bath.

March has been a whirlwind ... we have had so many after-hours social events at work that it has been difficult to keep up with posting regularly on my own blog after sharing everything via Designer Bath. If you would like to see photos from the recent ASID Gala at the Mandarin, or if you are curious about the last Passport to Design seminar at Landry and Acari, then please visit the Designer Bath facebook page and design blog to check out my photo recaps. Boston Home Magazine will be announcing the winner of the $20,000 Passport to Design Sweepstakes next week so stay tuned!  

Passport to Design seminar at Landry and Arcari, March 14th

with Lynda Onthank, Katherine Hawkins, and Barbara Bradlee

photo credit: Barbara Lynch Photography

Designer Eric Haydel at the Frette showroom pre-ASID Awards Gala

at the Mandarin Oriental Hotel in Boston, March 21st

Candice Wu fashion show sponsored by Boston Magazine

at the Peabody Essex Museum, March 27th // via Instagram

I may be working a lot of nights lately, but it certainly has been fun (hello signature cocktails, passed hors d’ouevres, and swag bags filled with design goodies!) I’d love to see YOU at our next event at Landry and Arcari in Salem MA on this Thursday night, April 4th, from 6pm to 8pm. Sponsored by Northshore Magazine, this will be another really fun event! 

Join me at the “Love Your Home Design Challenge Event”

Three lucky readers will receive virtual home makeovers and have their previously submitted design challenges solved by local experts. The winners will be unveiled that night. ALL of our guests will have the chance to enter to win a Mini Home Makeover raffle prize valued at $2,500 donated by Sue Adams Interiors, Designer Bath, Howell Custom Building Group, Landry and Arcari Oriental Rugs and Carpeting and Lucia Lighting and Design. All proceeds from raffle ticket sales will be donated to Merrimack Valley Habitat for Humanity. And if you are a twitter fan, you could win an additional prize that night just by tweeting during the event. To register to attend, click here. Dress code? Why spring colors, of course!

Design Vignettes via Polyvore

Kitchen Tour: Day Four

photo courtesy: Howell Custom Building Group

Howell Custom Building Group worked with the homeowners to create, design and build this inviting family space. The goal of the design was to improve traffic flow between the kitchen, mudroom and family room by replacing walls with half walls and columns. The centerpiece of the kitchen is an oversized island featuring one piece of black walnut for the counter top. Diagonal flooring visually expands the space and diverts the eye in the open floor plan. 

– from the Wenham Museum Heart of the Home Kitchen Tour 2012 program book

A herringbone pattern mini-subway tile backsplash creates a modern focal point above the cook top. In a large kitchen like this, a pot filler is a welcome luxury.

Columns and half walls separate the kitchen from the family room. In this photo: Steve and Susan Howell of Howell Custom Building Group.

Next up ... a NorthShore Kitchen

This traditional cherry and granite kitchen was designed by NorthShore Kitchens Plus. The custom cabinetry has many hidden features from a warming drawer under the cooktop to an uber-efficient pantry just around the corner.

The double oven pictured below is probably the most coveted item of Thanksgiving Day cooks across the country.

I still have some more kitchens to share, but before I get to them, below is a photo of our post kitchen tour snack: pumpkin muffins with chocolate chips (an unusually good combination) served with champagne (which is always good ; ) Thank you, Katherine!

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.  

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!