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.

Be a gem ...

Northshore Magazine, Hidden Gems issue // May/June 2013

Cover illustrated by Christian Lindemann

Northshore Magazine is hosting a silent auction on Thursday night, May 9th, at the Northshore Mall from 5 to 7:30pm to benefit One Fund, Boston.

Over 150 items valued at over $30,000 have been donated from dozens of area businesses – a trip to Italy, spa packages, sports memorabilia, health and wellness gift certificates, jewelry, theatre tickets, art, and so much more (look for a Designer Bath gift certificate in the mix).

The auction will take place on the upper level of the Nordstrom wing during the already planned Mom’s Night Out shopping event. Stop by and place your bid knowing that all the proceeds will help those injured during the Marathon bombing. 

Click here for a complete list of auction items. To donate directly to the One Fund, click here. 

When designers work together ...

Lauren Carelli of Northshore Magazine checking in guests at Thursday’s

“Love Your Home” Design Event at Landry and Arcari in Salem, MA

Thursday evening was the Northshore Magazine “Love Your Home” Design Event at Landry and Arcari. For the past few months the event sponsors worked as a team to plan a social evening that included the reveal of several homeowner submitted design challenges that were solved by the participating home design experts (Designer Bath, Howell Custom Building Group, Sue Adams Interiors, Lucia Lighting and Design, Landry and Arcari). I will be posting the floor plans and design selections that were featured that evening on the Designer Bath blog later this week. For event photos, visit the Designer Bath facebook page.

This event was a great example of how as a group, design/build experts collaborate to create a finished space that is driven by a shared vision. Behind each “after” photo, there are usually many hands and minds that come together to bring to life an inspired home that suits the needs of the people who live there. From new floor plans designed by Howell Custom Building Group to designer Sue Adams selecting new fixtures, lighting and carpeting from each showroom, the team effort resulted in three homeowners receiving individual plans to improve the way they live in and enjoy their homes.  

with Rosanne Palazola and Katherine Hawkins at Landry and Arcari

I am excited to announce that I, too, will be part of a special design team with a couple of my friends this spring and summer. As a group – Trio Design to be exact – Rosanne Palazola, Katherine Hawkins and I submitted a couple of design proposals for the Museums of Old York 24th Annual Decorator Show House and we were selected to participate! I have always enjoyed attending the York Show House and this will be the first time I will be part of the transformation. Rosanne, Katherine and I have been attending and participating in other shows together for years. We are already having a great time pooling our creative thoughts and resources together to solve the design problems that we saw on our initial walk-through of the seaside property located in Kittery, Maine that will be home to the month long show (mid July through mid August).

24th Annual York Decorator Show House // 2 Lawrence Rd, Kittery, ME

photo courtesy Museums of Old York

Starting in late April, Rosanne, Katherine and I will begin physical work on our four spaces: a teen bedroom with full bath, plus a mudroom and adjoining powder room. We each will get a chance to showcase our individual design aesthetics (I will be focusing on the bath spaces with the help of Designer Bath) but we are all working together to finalize our selections and execute our plans. Last night we got together with our husbands to make pizzas and then have a quick business meeting. I am hoping that the constructing of the rooms will be easier than the pizza making (who knew pizza dough was so finicky??) At least we had some skilled pie builders in the group, so none of us went hungry. Team effort + wine = happy designers : )

Below are the before pictures of our four spaces ...

York Show House 2013 // teen bath “before” photo

York Show House 2013 // teen bedroom “before” photo

York Show House 2013 // mudroom “before” photo

York Show House 2013 // powder room “before” photo

Be sure to mark your calendar for a road trip this summer to see the transformed home in its entirety, including an adorable guest cottage, some great porches, and lots of more. 

York Show House 2013 // guest cottage “before” photo

space will be designed by Ann Cowenhoven

York Show House 2013 // cove view porch “before” photo

space will be designed by my friend, Barbara Elza Hirsch

A couple of years ago, I featured the York Show House in New England Finery. It is one of my favorite issues! Frank Hodge’s Gentleman’s Library is on the cover. He will be doing a Study in this year’s show, which I am sure will be equally fabulous! I am really looking forward to spending time preparing for this show with the cast of talented designers that are participating this year. I will keep you posted on our progress! 

New England Finery Magazine, Autumn 2011

cover photo Michael J. Lee

New England Finery Update ...

Having the York Show House on my plate along with my full-time job, spending time with my family, plus handling weekend decorating clients, I am putting the publishing of New England Finery on hold for now. While I have loved working as editor and creative director of an online magazine, I realize that to keep publishing them I really would need to commit to a full time schedule with a dedicated team to achieve this goal. I had hoped to put forth a spring Celebrations issue this year, but my time is not as free as it used to be.

I realize I have been very fortunate to be able to work with many talented photographers, writers and contributors to put together six issues of New England Finery over the past couple of years – half of which were done while working full-time – and I couldn’t have done it without them, but to coordinate all of those creative contributions requires lots of time and attention.

While I don’t have the time to focus on a 75+ page full length issue with supporting advertising, I will, however, be happy to create mini-magazines (4 to 12 pages or so each) for individual New England based businesses who would like to increase their online presence via the New England Finery resource library. I don’t want to shelve New England Finery completely, and this is one way I can continue to promote local design businesses in a manageable way.

I often run into people who ask me when the next issue of New England Finery will come out, so it was not an easy decision to stop publishing them. Luckily, I do get plenty of opportunities to work with local design magazines as Marketing Director at Designer Bath, as I did with the Northshore Magazine “Love Your Home” Event, the recent Passport to Design program via Boston Home Magazine plus numerous monthly ad insertions, so I do not feel like I am missing out at all. And who knows, maybe this year my design work will be featured in one of my favorite glossies instead of just being shared on this blog. Which reminds me, I really should share more of my client decorating projects on my blog ...

Next post, I promise!

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

A Northshore Magazine Launch Party

Flowers by Petros of Ipswich, Massachusetts

I admit it, I love a good party! Seriously, who doesn’t? And when business and pleasure intersect, well sign me up! I recently attended the launch party for the Home issue of Northshore Magazine at Lucia Lighting. Designer Bath has been advertising with Northshore for years so a few of us from the Beverly showroom were there to toast the latest issue.

The March/April issue of Northshore Magazine

With my friends from Designer Bath: Beezee Honan and Sharon Hunt

Our most recent ad in the magazine features the work of Finn-Martens Design. Patricia Finn incorporated items from the Designer Bath showroom in her vignette for the North Shore Design Show held at the Wenham Museum last May. As the Marketing Director at Designer Bath, one of my goals is to support the work of local design professionals. We loved how Pat created a spa retreat with her favorite items from our showroom, and I knew this professional photo taken at the show by Eric Roth would look great as a full page ad. I plan on showing off more designers work in the future ... click here for more details!

Leon Martens and Pat Finn of Finn-Martens Design

Pat was at the launch party with her husband Leon. Our mutual friend, Mary Donovan, who is now working with Landry and Acari, was also among the invited guests. Mary has helped me find the perfect carpet for many of my design show spaces.

Mary Donovan of Landry and Acari

with Leon Martens

Lisa Amore of Lucia Lighting with
Kelly Schetzsle of Northshore Magazine

Along with being a fun place to host a party, Lucia’s has the most amazing selection of classic and on-trend lighting options. I have bought items from them for my own home and have sent many decorating clients their way over the years. In the works is a collaboration for the next North Shore Design Show as well as a special event that we will announce at a later date. 

Selections for the home from the March/April issue of Northshore Magazine

Timothy S. Hopkins Catering of Essex, Massachusetts

While the Lucia showroom dazzled with its ambient lighting set against a backdrop of historical elegance (the showroom is in a multi-story renovated Victorian mansion), the event itself was beautifully coordinated by my good friend, Laura Gifford of Gifford Events. The food presentation was beyond gorgeous ... click here to see mouth watering photos of the entire menu (plus launch party guests) taken by Barbara Lynch Photography. I really wish I ate more when I had the chance but as usual I was too busy chatting. Here are a couple more photos that I took (and some that I borrowed).

Suzanne Roche of Northshore Magazine with event coordinator Laura Gifford

photo credit: Barbara Lynch Photography

Sally Wilson of Wilson Kelsey Design with

Kathy Keegan of Northshore Magazine

John Kelsey of Wilson Kelsey Design with Debra LaPorte

of Debra LaPorte Communications

See this Wilson Kelsey designed space photographed by Laura Moss

in the current issue of Northshore Magazine.

We all left with a full bag of goodies (above are just a few of my favorites) including Designer Bath guest soaps (they smell like lavender and have our logo embedded in them) that I ordered through Sweet Soaps, a great company that I discovered while on Twitter. This is what they looked like before sending them off to the Northshore team ...

Cakes for Occasions of Danvers

Another favorite from the goodie bag was a sprinkle covered chocolate cake pop which was promptly eaten as soon as I got home! Thank you to the team at Northshore Magazine who put together this fabulous event and to Lucy Dearborn at Lucia’s for being such a bright and gracious host!

Click here to see the online version of 
Northshore Magazine Home section.
(I am quoted on page 27 : )