Show House Good Morning!

Last weekends show house brunch provided

by Linda Hentschel of i-Design Interiors

There is just one week left to visit the Designers Holiday Show House at Glen Magna Farms (ticket info here)! When I was first invited to walk through the estate back in early January to imagine how it would look renovated for a design show, I knew it would need a lot of work and TLC. Once show house preparation officially began, there were many individuals – designers, volunteers, and hired contractors – behind the transformation of each room. In my three spaces alone, I worked with over two dozen people to accomplish my design goals on time (we had just one month to work on-site). When I post final photos of my rooms, I will share the pros behind the makeover. For now, take a peek at my post for Williams-Sonoma Designer Marketplace where I share advice on “How to Have a Good Relationship with Your Contractor.” Because in the end, every great project is accomplished with teamwork!

Designers Holiday Show House Sneak Peek!

flower arrangement by Laura Thomson Design for one of my rooms

at the Glen Magna Farms Designers’ Holiday Show House

For the past month, I have truly enjoyed traveling down the long unpaved drive that leads to the grand Endicott Mansion located at Glen Magna Farms in Danvers. I have spent the last four weekends working on my suite of rooms there (with lots of help during the week from a list of others), transforming these spaces and furnishings from worn and weary to show house ready. And with each visit, every time I took the first turn off of Centre Street to follow the signs to Glen Magna Farms, I felt a little bit like I was heading home.

I am not exactly sure why the property has this strong affect on me. Perhaps the emotional imprint is simply because I worked there for a number of summers in my twenties, enjoying the view of the landscaped grounds and the fleeting luxury of being a part of the mansion lifestyle. Even still, there is something about passing the open fields, stone walls, and tall mature trees leading up to Glen Magna that just feels right to me. Most likely this strong association is a result of being New England born and raised, but there is also a part of me that tends to imagine that perhaps I lived there hundreds of years ago during a time when every day was unplugged and people dressed for dinner and danced in the evenings to live music in the ballroom. 

This past Saturday night was the preview gala at Glen Magna, and it truly felt like a step back in time. There were elegant gowns and well-tailored tuxedos, sparkling champagne being served on silver platters, a harp playing classical music mixed with traditional holiday favorites in the foyer. A large tent (heated) was set up just off the back porch where designers and guests could mingle before heading in for the guided tour.

with my honey, John, who I met while working

summers at Glen Magna over 20 years ago

my dear friend and designer of the Bride’s Room

Linda Hentschel with her husband Kurt

with new friends, fellow Glen Magna Farms Show House designers

Candy Weston and Jennifer Dunn Coen in the dining room

Matthew Martin, Buildings and Grounds Restoration Manager

with Heather King, Glen Magna Farms Special Events Manager 

A press day photo in the two story foyer at Glen Magna Farms. From left to right ...

Front row: Caitlin Flynn, Diana Kennedy, Linda Hentschel, Jennifer Dunn Coen, Donna Terry. Back row: Elyse Parkhurst, William Ralph, myself, and Michael Carter. Missing from photo: Candy Weston

Designer Candy Weston and decorative artist Karen Ward received the “traveled the farthest” prize for making many trips back and forth to Glen Magna from their homes in Vermont and Nantucket. While my ties to Glen Magna began a couple decades ago, Candy’s history to the estate goes back much further (and was somewhat of a surprise to her). You will have to come see the estate for yourself to hear and see the details!

I will post room photos after the show closes on December 15th. Please consider visiting the show and taking in the holiday and design inspiration while helping to raise funds to continue the renovation and preservation of this lovely historic property that all are able to enjoy today and for years to come.

Ticket Info Here

Celebrating Great Gatsby Style

Oh dear, I think I may have a touch of Gatsby fever ... have you seen the movie yet? It has been on my list of girls-nights-out but I have yet to make it to the theatre. I did, however, make it to the Wenham Musuem 90th Birthday Gala held at Misselwood Estate in Beverly in early May. For the past four years, I have been one of the participating designers for their annual North Shore Design Show. This year, however, they chose to have a birthday celebration off-site instead of hosting the show at the museum. And what a party they had!

The museum first opened in 1922, so the theme was very Great Gatsby. The ocean side estate charmed us with its architectural details and scenic location. Mint juleps were served. A pre-party viewing of the Kentucky Derby was the only sign of the present day. If it were not for the big screen and surround sound, I could have sworn we were in another era. An era that I could certainly feel right at home in, and so could my design friends ...

With designer Linda Hentschel of I-Design Interiors

Designers Stacy Clarimundo and Kristina Crestin

Kristina Crestin Design

Designers Jill Janasiewicz and Eric M. Haydel

ASID NE board members 

Un chapeaux switcheroo!

Two designers living in the same town meet for the first time!

Fascinators sparkle while a swing band plays dance tunes 

(love the iPhone in the foreground!) 

Engraved silver julep cups with rich red roses

Chocolate fountains were in vogue in the 20s right?

Delicious menu provided by Creative Catering

A wealth of fabulous items were auctioned off to benefit the mission of

the Wenham Museum: to protect, preserve and interpret the artifacts of childhood,

domestic life and the history and culture of Boston’s North Shore.

Cidalia Schwartz of Lyon-Waugh Auto Group

with Rick Sedler of Northshore Magazine

Linda imagining a Mini test drive

Marlene Pippins and Honorary Chair

Rita Cary from The River 92.5 

Great Gatsby fashion ... cream lace with pearls

 

Pam and Rick Sedler with Kristin Noon,

Executive Director of the Wenham Museum

Lots of dancing on the floor ... lessons were provided.

 

This sweet couple danced all night!

Wenham Museum’s Mary Barthelmes and her husband Bob with Eric Haydel

A gathering of Wenham Museum supporters and fans!

(Sally Wilson with the tiara : )

photo credit kikilarouge

If being a guest wasn’t good fortune enough, I also won the Kentucky Derby horse race raffle (thank you, Golden Soul!) and took home a gift certificate to Viola Lovely in Wenham. 

I have to say, the entire evening was so much fun! Just to be able to step outside the hectic pace of our everyday lives and go back in time to the simple glamour and elegance of another era. A special thank you goes to the board members of the Wenham Museum for hosting, and additional gratitude goes to my friend Laura Thomson for whipping up a fresh floral fascinator for me at a moment’s notice (see a great shot of the peony up close on her design blog).

I know for sure that I will be back to this gorgeous seaside estate (our nephew is getting married at Misselwood in August) and I know for sure that it will be equally fabulous!!

For a glimpse of the sights and sounds of the Wenham Museum 90th Birthday Gala, click here.

Detoxing

A typical four-day juice cleanse from Nourish Your Soul

Have you ever given a juice cleanse a try? I survived a four-day juice-only cleanse this past summer. There were definitely some moments when I caught myself fantasizing about food, but overall I felt the health benefits far outweighed the sacrifices of not being able to start the day with a cup of coffee, sit down to a meal, drink that glass of wine, or snack freely. I did miss the socializing aspect of eating, but the juices that I had to drink each day on the Nourish Your Soul program were surprisingly filling, so I never really felt hungry. I’m sure that if I had been more physically active during the four days instead of basically sitting at a computer for hours on end, I might have experienced more hunger pains, but by stretching out my five daily liquid meals to about an hour each, I was able to pass the time without feeling too deprived.

My favorite juice, Detox Lemonade, includes lemons, filtered water, cayenne pepper and maple syrup. It tastes great and has a real kick! Benefits: battles the flu and colds, aids digestion, increases circulation, fights inflammation, and revs metabolism.

Images via Polyvore.

What I consumed during the four day cleanse included lots of kale, spinach, romaine, parsley, lemon, apple, cucumber, almond milk, dates, pear, pineapple, mint, plus a bit of cayenne pepper, sea salt, and maple syrup. It can take up to six pounds of fruits and vegetables, cold pressed in a hydraulic press, to make one drink –  packing each 16 oz. juice with loads of vitamins, minerals and antioxidants. Probably my favorite part of the entire cleanse was knowing that I didn’t have to feel bad about what I put into my body. It was 100% guilt-free consumption which in and of itself felt pretty good.

photo courtesy Linda Hentschel

I definitely noticed that my energy level increased while on the cleanse (which is one of the benefits from not having to digest three typical meals a day), and I felt and looked less “puffy.” A number of pounds were lost, but more importantly, I believe I acquired a new taste for fresh greens (without any dressing) and cleansing fruits (lemons in particular). While I have not been able to duplicate the drinks on the cleanse with my blender (really need a press for this) I have been able to come up with a close match to the Detox Lemonade by combining cold water with a fresh squeezed lemon, a couple drops of maple syrup and some Red Hot sauce to taste. When I drink it from a wine glass it feels almost like a mixed drink, making it my new end-of-day ritual. Even my kids like it.

Interior designer Linda Hentschel with shop owner Susan Cabana

The suspended chalkboard hides a set of refrigerators in the main kitchen area.

Cork floor from Eco Modern Design; custom made glass counter top

My friend Linda Hentschel designed the brick and mortar location of Nourish Your Soul along with founder Susan Cabana who is a nutritionist, educator and devoted yogi (read her story here). While working on the space, Linda fell in love with the Pineapple, Pear, Mint juice along with the selection of fresh made smoothies. One that I really liked was a cherry chocolate almond butter version. I have been making almond butter smoothies at home based on a recipe I found on Pinterest: fresh spinach, almond milk, almond butter, plus a whole banana. I learned from Susan that if I peel the banana ahead of time and freeze it, I can make a chilled smoothie without having to add ice. For now, my homemade smoothies will have to do since Nourish Your Soul (located in West Medford) is a bit outside of my daily travels. But whenever I am in the neighborhood I will certainly make a point to stop in for something fresh.  

The Nourish Your Soul Green Glow Smoothie:

spinach, coconut water, dates, pear, apple, lemon, banana

Susan also teaches yoga classes.

Click here for more info.

Sugar on Top

How do you decorate for the holidays?

Decorating for the holidays is a balance of pure child-like enthusiasm and sometimes-but-not-all-the-times adult-like restraint. Last weekend I took the kids to view decorated gingerbread houses at a local church in Lynnfield and a “Parade of Trees” held by the Danvers Historical Society at Tapley Hall. The gingerbread houses were decorated by kids in town. The Parade of Trees mainly by business owners and designers. We managed to get through both events, plus some shopping in the town sponsored Country Store, without any mishap (I was picturing trees accidentally knocked down or sugar-coated houses mysteriously deconstructed.)    

Do you pace yourself?

Ben “You mean we can’t eat any of the candy off the gingerbread houses?” Mom “That’s correct.” Ben “Then I don’t want to go.” Mom “If you are good I will give you money for the Country Store and you can buy your own candy.” I gave him $10. He spent every penny.

Or does your inner elf take over?

I am pretty sure that this tree was minus a couple of candy dots when we left. Sorry about that, Cathy!

Are you a fan of all white or a mix of colors?

This wreath was hung just low enough that my 8 year old could select a pop from it, but he did put it back, reluctantly.

Do you like to think outside the box?

He did not take any candy off the gingerbread houses. That I noticed anyway. I promised him we will have a gingerbread house construction day of our own.

Designer style or country charm?

We went to Danvers to see my friend Linda Hentschel’s tree. We loved her over the top blue and silver theme which coordinates with her new logo and corporate identity: i-Design.  

Linda is currently featured in the December issue of Northshore Magazine. Read about her holiday decorating style here.

Company’s Coming Punch

2 liters of lemon lime soda

2 liters gingerale

64 oz. cranberry juice

64 oz. apple juice

1 frozen orange juice

1 frozen limeade

half gallon of rainbow sherbert

cut up lemon and lime slices

for the adults: top with Prosecco

Do you like to get away from all the holiday excess?

Or do you love every minute of it?

Let the countdown begin ...

P.S. The Country Store sold out of our Holiday Boxwood trees! These were my favorites with their ribbon candy like bows.

Designers Shine Re-cap

At the Designer Bath showroom with Ann Murdock and Linda Hentschel

of Renaissance Interiors, Nancy Faye Glass of Glass House Designs

and Laura Gifford of Gifford Events

Lindsey Wishart and Julia Frost of Chive Events  serving up designer cocktails 

A swag bag of goodies for each of our Shine Award Party guests

My summer has been a busy one. I am just getting caught up with posts that detail events that took place in July! The “Designers Shine with Designer Bath” award party was certainly a highlight of my one year anniversary as the marketing director at Designer Bath (officially on the calendar last week, but technically started with them around mid-July of last year on a freelance basis). This was a special opportunity to celebrate the relationships our showroom has with the interior professionals that use Designer Bath and Salem Plumbing Supply as a resource on their kitchen and bath projects. It was also a fun way for me to combine work and pleasure. How great was it to host a party at work and have so many of my design friends on the invitation list? To see more photos from the event – along with the announcement of the winning designer who will be featured in the next issue of Design New England Magazine – see my Designer Bath blog post.

photo by Cassandra Charest

Speaking of magazines, I am extremely happy to announce that part two of the summer issue of New England Finery is now online! I have a lot to say about how much this issue means to me, but before I start another long blog post, I will leave you with this photo by Cassandra Charest, a Lawrence high school student whose work really moved me while sourcing content for our follow-up to the Habitat for Humanity Home Builders Blitz that took place in early June. Along with her photo essay, there are some great tips on achieving designer style for less plus a scrapbook of photos that highlight the five days that it took to build a home from the ground up for two deserving families in Lawrence. It was an amazing process to witness – get a glimpse of it by checking out the time-lapse video on page 59. Wouldn’t it be nice if all of our home renovation projects were completed as quickly?