Designers take to the road.

Furniture by Sebastian Carpenter Design
I love how the round feet contrast with the
straight edges of this chair and ottoman set,
which are dressed in a new-to-the-line geometric
print and trimmed in chocolate brown velvet.

I had the opportunity to get a sneek peak at this warmly modern furniture vignette that was set up over the weekend at the home of architect/furniture designer Sebastian Carpenter. These pieces (including the very cool sculptural green wall) will go on the road to the Fine Furnishings & Fine Craft Show being held in Providence, Rhode Island this weekend from Friday, October 23rd to Sunday, October 25th at the Rhode Island Convention Center.

Admission is only $10 to view over 100 American artists showing and selling handcrafted furniture, accessories, fine art and craft. Get a chance to see a wide variety of pieces – from traditional to contemporary – and talk to the designers themselves, just like I did (I love to hear the stories behind the design process). Here is what I saw this weekend:

Sebastian’s pieces are strongly influenced by his architectural training along with an inherited artistic eye (see my previous post from June ’09).

He strives to create furnishings that honor the use of natural resources. Many of his techniques, like the rich patina achieved by actually burning the wood of the sofa frame as seen above, employ unique methods to create aesthetic pieces in a “green” way.

His lamps, with shades from Blanche P. Field, are elegantly sturdy and would certainly fit in the back of most cars if you are lucky enough to make it to Rhode Island to see the show. These pieces are also available through the Boston Design Center or contact SCD directly to plan in advance for your next fine furnishing purchase.

These always make me smile ...
a pair of Pony Cubes from SCD.

Also at the show (among other exhibits) will be some incredible work presented by students that are currently enrolled in 3 furniture making programs throughout New England (one being at Rhode Island School of Design). I always wonder if my life would have been different if I had gone to RISD when given the chance way back when. Perhaps one of my boys has inherited my artistic talent and will take that route (although to be fair, BC was very good to me!) Either way, I guess my husband and I should start saving ...

“Mom and me” by Ben, age 5


As for me, this weekend I will be in Reading, MA for
the opening of my friend Beth’s new design shop:



Check out her new website and blog (which I designed for her) and be sure to stop by some weekend to see the great stuff that she has put together. She has taken antique paper (that she has been collecting for years) and has combined it in the most amazing ways to create jewelry and home decorating items that are simply inspiring. Beth will also be offering fresh floral arrangements “to-go” along with vintage treasures. Her shop already feels very “Beth” to me. I find that I feel more creative just being around her!


This week, I will be helping with some prep work on the display areas in the shop for the Trunk Shows that will showcase guest designers over the nine weekends that the studio is open. As I have mentioned, design items from my collections will be on display in the store (thanks, Beth!). These pieces have been my own personal field of dreams (if you build it, they will come). In my case, if you are compelled to create art out of fabric and wallpaper, a store will magically appear to sell them!

From my “Best Friends” collection.


Items like these are looking for a good home ...
come check them out for a limited time at:


Beth Hylan Design Studio
159 Ash Street, Reading, MA
Open Saturdays from 10 am – 5 pm
Sundays from 12 noon – 5 pm
Call 781.246.8552 for more info.


PS...
If you stop by the store, please sign my
guest book if I am not around to say hi!

Color Stories: Back-to-school palette

With the start of the school year officially well underway, the color yellow is looking pretty good to me! Here are some design choices in back-to-school colors that make me smile ...




Paint colors from Farrow & Ball ...

Yellow Ground 218 combined with Pitch Black 256

A basic piece done with class ...

Maine Cottage Occasional Tables
from Circle Furniture




Best dressed ...

Pony Leather Chair
from Art Furniture on the Web




When fabric imitates art ...

Tango Positivo
from Calico Corners



An educated choice
(made from recycled wood)

Chalk It Up Wall Bins
from Viva Terra





This water bubbler is tres chic ...

Linea Pocieta in Yellow Lemeon
from WS Bath Collections
as shown on HomePortfolio.com

A school day is a good day ...

Smiley Happy Face Mug
from Treasured Designs
available on Amazon.com

Modern Love: Sebastian Carpenter Designs

A sun room set for inspired conversation.

Dragonfly Club Chairs, Deco FL-A Floor Lamp, Cube Ottomans in Zebra, Bamboo Coffee Table, Dragonfly Sofa in Raffia

Ahh .... serenity! I was recently invited to view the studio line of furnishings by Sebastian Carpenter at his Wenham home and studio “Dragonfly.” The property itself, one of those breathtaking sites securely rooted in history, is quietly ensconced atop a wooded hill overlooking the Wenham Lake. Modern sculptures that combine welded metal and used farm equipment designed by his late father (and renowned modernist sculptor) Harlow Carpenter, line the long curving drive and herald a display of inherited creativity to come.

Modern vignette inside the front entrance,
with antique farm-tool sculpture on top
of Kinko Chest inspired by modernist
Charles Rennie Mackintosh

Moderne T. Deco Console Table
paired with Deco T-A Lamp

This completely renovated and restored property is uniquely modern while surrounded by a setting of mature trees and gardens (the property dates back to 1916). Both the interior and the back “yard” views look like something straight out of a magazine ... oh, yeah, they were featured in a magazine article or two.

Out of the Woodwork by Regina Cole for Boston Home Fall 2007
Local designer creates new look in old house ... by Natalie Miller
for the Hamilton-Wenham Chronicle Fall 2007



While enjoying a cocktail reception/studio tour hosted by the architect-designer and his wife, Elisabeth, I was able to take a few snapshots for my blog (thank you!). The fact that another guest was my favorite high-end interior photographer *EVER* Eric Roth made me a little shy behind my pocket-size Nikon lens, but I couldn’t let the opportunity pass to show off these great pieces.


Cow Skin/Mahogany Cubes

Dragonfly Sofa (image from SC website)

The clean, streamlined look of Carpenter’s pieces are stylishly-symmetrical while being warm and inviting. The club chairs were very comfortable seating, and I loved the built-in ledge behind the luxe sofas ... ideal to perch a reading lamp/book/etc. on. The only drawback? When my husband and I returned home, I was ready to take all of our mostly traditional pieces and put them out on the curb! Although, to be fair, these modern beauties would mix very nicely with vintage pieces and would add a nice contrast to traditional settings. No need to start over, just add a piece here and there to achieve your own touch of “modern love.”



The super-stylish lamps would be a great place to start ...

Or how about this gorgeous chair that combines a modern aluminum
frame with sleek walnut and supple leather ...

EC1 Chair (image from SC website)


Love the shoji screen room dividers ...

Moderne T3 Dining Table/Desk
with EC1 Chair and Deco-T-A Lamp


The pieces look great from every angle and the materials used – ash, bamboo, white oak, aluminum, and natural fabrics – are visually sumptuous with the various elements combined in a thoughtful zen-like fashion. Fabulous lamps, custom tables and designer-y cube-shaped ottomans complete the collection. I wasn’t able to photograph all of the pieces, but look for them soon on scdfurniture.com or at the Boston Design Center.

(Lamps available at Blanche P. Field,
Desk available through EcoModern Design)



For more information on prices and availability
contact Sebastian Carpenter at 617.470.6060
info@sebastiancarpenter.com
sebastiancarpenterdesign.com

And if you love amazing photos of interior design ...

Be sure to check out the website for Eric Roth Photography to see some professionally-posh photos of Dragonfly (look for the “snooker” table beneath large scale white paper lanterns in a room with red leather walls, or the exterior shot of the glass-walled sun room at the end of a walkway covered with a wisteria-trellis canopy). While you are there, take a virtual tour of Roth’s extensive and impressive portfolio ... be prepared to sigh! Then look for his work on Sunday mornings when you sit down with a cup of coffee to skim the pages of Boston Globe Magazine (in which he was recently featured as the subject of an interview) or when you are looking at just about any important shelter magazine (Design New England, New England Home Magazine and Metropolitan Home to name a few). Roth’s photography showcases the best in architecture and interior design. For me, looking at it is like a visual escape/small slice of heaven. Enjoy the view!