Paris in the spring

Parisian-inspired home decor with vintage

charm designed by Beth Hylan of Studio B

This week I met up with my friend, Beth Hylan, at a fundraising event held for one of the local preschools (organizing kudos goes to Brenda and Jacqui for putting this event together – nicely done!)

It was great to see Beth again! When I was helping her out with her store in Reading, I loved being able to watch her come up with unique design ideas. Since she moved her shop to Concord (she shares a space with Nesting on Main) I have missed seeing her creative collections of pretty objects. Here is a peek at some of her new offerings:



I love what Beth is doing with vintage papers and stamped text. Typography lovers take note!

Her glittery stamped votives were a big hit (I took one home myself!) She always has attic treasures to choose from as well.

Her vintage bits and bobbles in see-through jars were a favorite of mine. The well-edited palette would look pretty in any space.



Look for Beth at Nestings the next time you are in Concord, Massachusetts. She will also be doing trunk shows this spring and summer (I will let you know where and when as I hear details.)




And if you need floral arranging for weddings, events or proms ... give her a call. She is still available to whip up something fresh and fabulous for any event.

Beth Hylan Design
978.369.4133

Holiday open houses this weekend

Last night was the Holiday Stroll in Andover.
I stopped by to visit Paula Bakies of Acorn Interiors at her new retail location at 10 Essex Street.
Lots of people came in to take a look at her new space, have a few treats, and see some of the work that
is leaving her showroom ...

An array of ottomans includes a
“before” (all white) and three “afters.”These are available for purchase or can be
custom-designed by request. Let me know
if you need help choosing fabrics : )



Window treatments and ottoman for a girl’s room
designed by Lisa Pasquale (who happens to be
from my home town and is very talented!)

Paula transformed these vintage
chairs into modern beauties.



After leaving Acorn Interiors, I headed over to
another holiday open house at TaggArt Studio which
is on Salem Street in Wakefield. I took some pictures
of what you can find there on Saturday from
10am to 4pm, which is the last day
of their holiday trunk show ...

Some really pretty pieces of inspirational jewelry
designed by Linda Govostes-O’Neill

Gratitude journals and inspirational collage
gift items created by Marianne Snow

Music to celebrate the holidays
by local talent Noel Smith



Mary has a lot of beautiful original works of art available, but this one caught my eye. And remember when I said art lessons would make a great gift? Mary offers many classes for children and adults. Contact her for schedule details.




And don’t miss Beth Hylan of Studio B who is back in Wakefield just for this show. She has made a new home for herself in Concord, MA at Nesting on Main so you may also visit her there on Sunday from 12pm to 6pm during their Holiday Open House.


A gift I bought myself at New England Fine Living:
velvet purse with gold owl clasp from Vintage Wares


It is nice to know that I do not have to resort to mall-shopping this holiday season when there are so many creative shopping venues available locally.
If only I had more time to visit them all!

A new neighborhood to shop in ...

I can’t believe that I have not been doing the majority of my home accessory shopping in Concord, Massachusetts! My friend, Beth Hylan, has been telling me forever that I would love the quaint local shops filled with vintage treasures, and she was right. I took a mini road trip to Concord center yesterday to visit Beth in her new shop on the second floor of 44 Main Street (there are stairs outside the building), and met a couple of the other store owners who share this unique vantage point overlooking Main Street.

Here is the new logo that I created
to represent Beth’s new venture.

The overall decor of this shop is
very fresh and spring inspired.

There are lots of fresh greens and
organic objects to take home.

A window vignette greets visitors
both inside and out ...

while cute baby blossoms sprout
from miniature glass vases ...

Dried flowers and vintage illustrations are combined
with antique texts to create unique works of art.

All of Beth’s pieces tell a story.

You will find many new offerings in her
collection of handcrafted jewelry.

I might have to come back for these two ...




Just beyond Beth’s store window, to the left of her shop, is Nesting on Main. It is just as lovely as I have been told (Beth has been a regular there for years)! I could certainly spend a lot of time pouring over the many unique finds at this well-established vintage boutique (which I did!) The shop feels very French and is filled with curiosities. Here are some photos of what I discovered while browsing ...

Such unusual green nests!

I love the scale of this super-sized black clock.
These pillows are a popular trend right now.

I did not realize that I *need* to have
a turtle shell, but now I think I do.

This photo looks a lot like one posted by Jamilyn of Living It At Home, another New England design blogger who loves a good treasure hunt. She happily stumbled across Nesting on Main in her travels.

Very pretty.

Sweet lampshades
and interesting bugs.

I am mentally filing this image away
for when I need a bunch of antlers!



Although they do carry some
that are “ready to go.”




I certainly will be back to check on this new favorite spot of mine. I left today with a bunch of great accessories to decorate a spring mantel, plus lots of inspiration for future design projects.
I will post pictures later!




After leaving Nesting, I stopped in to take a peek at the third space in this 2nd floor location. The shop owner of The Muse’s Window, Karin Biow, recently moved into this large space on the right side of Beth’s shop (she used to be in Beth’s cozy-corner).



This store is chock full of colorful
wares from talented artists.

Many one-of-a-kind ceramic
pieces grace the shelves.

Imagine how pretty these would
look set on a spring table.

These figurines would add a
whimsical touch to any space.

Crafted out of leather and filled with sand, these heavy little guys from The Muse’s Window were my favorite. They make a sturdy and adorable door stop, perfect for a nursery or playroom (or for a designer’s office, if one felt so inclined!)


Next time you are in the Concord area, make sure you stop in to say hello to these delightful three shops located on the second floor of 44 Main Street.
Tell them I sent you!


Studio B
781.246.8552

Nesting on Main
978.369.4133

The Muse’s Window
978.287.5500