New store sneak peek!

Do you like glitz and glam? Fabulous home fashions and pretty cocktail attire? If you are looking for something with an extra bit of designer sparkle to add to your home or wardrobe than you will love New England Fine Living, a new lifestyle boutique that will be opening on October 1st at 106 Main Street in Middleton, Massachusetts. Store owner, Linda Smith, a local interior designer and event stylist, is putting together a showroom full of cool design items and gorgeous ready-to-wear fashions. New England Fine Living will be a one-stop shop where a fashionista can pick out the perfect little black dress to wear to an evening cocktail party and then grab a hostess gift-to-go at the same time! The shop will also be filled with lots of designer accessories for the home, including some “gently loved” pre-owned furnishings.

Here are a few snapshots of what you’ll see
(but there is so much more to come!)

Vintage jewelry

Fine upholstered pieces plus on-trend accessories

Decorative objects for the home

Glamorous fashions

Designs from Neptune 1 Studios

Framed art by Rosanne Palazola

Distinctive and custom-designed pieces

When I heard about this new design destination (which is practically around the corner from my home) I knew it would be the perfect location for me to both buy and sell. I have already been to the shop a couple of times to set up items in the white “cottage glam” room on the second floor (yes, there will be two whole floors of great stuff!) I will be offering a mix of unique pieces from some of my recent design show projects along with vintage-like items that have been given a touch of modern designer style (much like my favorite designer Nate Berkus is doing with second-hand furniture on his great new daytime show on ABC). There is still room for more vendors, so if you are interested in learning how you could add some of your own designer items to the mix, simply contact Linda for more information. But do it soon so that you can be there for the grand opening on October 1st!

Also in October, Linda will be styling an event for the Ipswich Rotarty Club. It looks like it will be a fun night out and it will surely be stylish! If you plan to attend and need the perfect black dress, stop by New England Fine Living and Linda will be happy to hook you up!

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

Fashion Trends: Sooki at Grange

Seen at the Boston Design Center:

“Runway To Room”

On-trend fabrics, colors and design collections were perfectly matched on Monday at an invitational trunk show held in the Grange showroom featuring the globally-inspired collections from Boston’s South End clothing boutique Sooki.

Throughout the showroom, spring fashions were casually draped over the classically designed French furnishings. This violet ensemble layered over champagne pink is a hot color trend for Spring 2010 according to the Pantone Fashion Color Report.

The Grange showroom was dressed to impress ...
this room elegantly combined nude pink and
berry sorbet with basic black and creamy ivory.

Similar color combinations were
discovered around each corner.

Brightly saturated colors are in the fashion forecast:
Aurora (Pistachio), Tomato Puree (Hot Pink, Orange),
and Violet pair nicely with neutral Tuscany (Sand).

These hand-printed Italian leather handbags
by Ransom + Scout caught my eye.

I saw one that I liked in particular (as usual,
it is difficult for me to resist a bunny!)

When I posed for this picture with Grange Showroom Manager, Diane Blackman, we did not realize that I coordinated with the black and white dress from Sooki hanging behind me!

This white felted jacket from Sooki with
delicate linen shawl collar was stunning.

Suzan Griffith, the owner and creative force behind Sooki, gave me a brief history of her life in fashion, while showing me her spring line-up of quality-constructed garments that she defines as “classic design with an edge.” Suzan’s background in both interior design and luxury retail (former Boston and Nantucket locations include Sitwell and Panache) give her a distinct eye for design that is cultured, tailored and fun. Everything Suzan selects seems to have an artistic point of view. Don’t you love the black felted vest with slate gray ruffled trim that she is wearing in this picture?!

From Sooki: handcrafted jewelry and
fancy footwear were on display.

Unique handbags stood out from the crowd ...

while stripes and solids “play nice” at Grange.

Loving this trio of multi-colored chandeliers!

Linda Cravens of Sooki and Florence artist (now residing in Boston) Rosetta Nasisi model Sooki fashions. I spoke with Rosetta about her work, and she generously offered to send me some photos!

This piece titled “Woman in black” reminds me of the rich wood tones from the Grange showroom elegantly paired with designer fashions from Sooki! Check back on Wednesday when I post
more works from Rosetta Nasisi ...

Grange, One Design Center Place, Boston

617-449-5506

Sooki, 505 Tremont Street, Boston, MA
617.536.0809