Kitchen Tour Week: Day Two

Wenham Museum Heart of the Home Kitchen Tour 2012

A white picket fence adorned with little creatures posing as finials, is a sly hint of what can be found behind the vivid green door on this sunny yellow home. This was our second stop on the kitchen tour, and we could tell that the interior was going to be just as joyful.  

Once inside, we were greeted by the homeowner, artist and designer, Robin Sears. Entering her kitchen is like walking into the pages of a beautifully illustrated story book. Her artist’s hand is evident on cabinets and tiles and ceramics.  

With it’s Big Chill appliances and checkered linoleum floor it is a nostalgically whimsical space that speaks of a time when the pace of life was a little slower.

Wooden counter tops gleam beneath yellow mixers. A circus train transports vintage Steiffs along the ceiling. 

Garden furniture beckons visitors to sit for a spell. Plates are from a collection Robin designed and painted.

The family bunny is part of the visual fun, tucked beneath the custom-designed window seat.

Inside and out, this truly is a happy home!

Read more about it on Robin’s blog.

Kitchen Tour Week: Day One

Company is coming! I figured Thanksgiving week would be a good time to show off the homes featured during the 5th Annual Wenham Museum Heart of the Home Kitchen Tour last month. I took a LOT of pictures (there were 9 homes on the tour) so I will have to break this post into a weeks worth of inspiring kitchen images. It’s been awhile since I have posted on a daily basis, but I will give it my best shot. This first home, which dates back to 1765, has been thoughtfully renovated by its architect owner. Surrounded by garden-filled grounds, it is a lovely property that still maintains an historical feeling while accommodating 21st century family life. 

The well-organized mudroom is one of the new-and-improved additions to this vintage home.  

Country kitchen white beadboard walls and seeded glass cabinets are paired with a dual-fuel professional stove. The curved bow of the island provides comfortable seating while softening its visual edge. This family loves spending time on the water. They have decorated accordingly.

Soapstone sink and counter with a grooved dish drain are from Cumar Marble and Granite. Cross handle levered faucet from Salem Plumbing Supply.

The dining room welcomes with a long table, windsor chairs, and original hearth. The piano in this space reminds me of when families used to entertain each other instead of plugging in. 

A charming first floor powder room. Love the bar soap in the compote dish. More pretty styling: an embroidered hand towel.

In the side yard, an original soapstone sink has been cleverly transformed into an herb trough. I actually have one of these is in the basement of my 1904 farmhouse. If I can find a way to get it outside, I would love to do this next summer.

There were still some greens in the garden on the day of the tour. By now I am guessing it is all composted and resting for the winter to come.

Design Home 2012 ...

The Boston Magazine Design Home 2012 in Norwell is open for just a couple more days (extended thru November 18th). The interior design coordinator for this project, Vani Sayeed, was a contributor to the last issue of New England Finery (she shares her style tips here). It was a real treat to experience her thoughtful design planning throughout this well-appointed, architecturally detailed home. Here is just a glimpse of some of the spaces that I saw while enjoying the tour. If you get the chance, make the trip and see it for yourself ... there are lots of inspiring design ideas to take home. All proceeds benefit the Ronald McDonald House Charities of Eastern New England.  

Vani was recently interviewed by fellow designer Cecilia Walker.

Read it on the design blog Everything in 3’s

Yin and Yang post of the week

The Guest Bath designed by Janet Marena of JTM Interiors

for the Junior League of Boston Show House in Newton, MA

Raise your hand if you would like to end this week with a long soak in the tub? Being surrounded by water can soothe nerves and bring comfort unless of course the water isn’t where it is supposed to be. Living on the East Coast I have been following the updates from those affected by Hurricane Sandy. We were lucky this time. We did not lose power (been there before). A tree did not fall on our roof (been there, too). We never ran out of food (and to be honest I didn’t even stock up partly out of denial and partly due to being tired of being in a state of emergency). My entire family was home on Monday – school was closed and work was put off until another day. We tried to ignore the wind outside our window (not easy) that was causing the tall pine trees surrounding our house to sway back and forth. On Tuesday the sun was out and life was back to normal for us.

I am thankful.

At times like these we are reminded that home equals shelter first and foremost. Clean fresh water, a well-lit path to light our way, a place to store the food that nourishes us, and heat to keep our families warm – these are necessities, not luxuries. Being able to stay connected via email, phone, texting, etc. is also becoming something we rely on day in and day out. We feel less alone when we know others understand what we are going through. Knowing that we can quickly reach out to someone – friend or stranger – when we need help is invaluable.

While celebrating luxury, attention to detail, craftsmanship and creative vision is part of a design bloggers daily musings, I am sure we all respect the fact that we are drawn to interior design magazines and home decor eye candy out of sincere appreciation for the human effort that it takes to make our surroundings be not just comfortable and safe, but beyond our expectations. The art of imagination in the form of decoration is entertaining. When it is applied with layers of meaning based on the stories of those who live there, we are inspired by it. 

I invite you to be inspired by the following:

The Junior League of Boston Show House now through November 18th: a three-story estate filled with the imaginative designs of over 35 interior professionals with rooms dedicated to music, gardening, reading, conversation, game playing, and personal sanctuary. All proceeds will support the mission of the Junior League of Boston. Check out my related post on the Designer Bath blog for more about the historically comforting spa-like bath above.

“About Hunger and Resilience” photography exhibit by Michael Nye
 presented through November 4th at Endicott College, Beverly, MA

On the other end of the inspiration spectrum, I encourage you to attend the Michael Nye photography exhibit, “About Hunger and Resilience” on display now at Endicott College. Sponsored in part by Gathering Change, Inc. the charity that my friend Dorothy Goodwin started around the time of the last Presidential election, it presents the audio stories and arresting photos of thirty individuals who have all experienced hunger, homelessness, or lack of resources. Listening to someone share their personal story of hardship in their own voice is a very intimate and moving experience. Many of these storytellers were affected by events outside of their control. States of emergency so to speak. If you are unable to attend this event, learn more about the inspiration behind the exhibit here and see more photos from opening night of the Endicott exhibit here.

And because it is my bread and butter, I invite you to attend a seminar/panel discussion that I have helped to put together for Designer Bath. Called “From Studs to Stunning: Remodeling Tips from the Pros” it is scheduled for Wednesday, November 7th from 6 to 8pm at the Designer Bath showroom in Beverly. Local design and renovation experts will share their tips on how to plan a bath remodel with confidence.

Did I ever tell you about the day I went to help out on the Habitat for Humanity Builders Blitz and just as I was preparing to leave I noticed that my ancient second floor bath was leaking buckets full of water into our first floor powder room? Fortunately the first floor bath was gutted at the time, but it was very unsettling and slightly ironic. Seriously, I had to laugh. What else could I do? I will be taking notes while sitting in the audience on the 7th. I wish I could enter to win the $20,000 Passport to Design Home Makeover Sweepstakes, but I promise I will be sincerely happy for the lucky winner.

Visit bostonmagazine.com/passport for more details. 

A Party and a Passport

It seems like every week in the fall there is some kind of big design event going on and this week is no exception. While I love being an invited guest, I am also happy to be the host.

Join me on this Thursday night, October 25th, from 6 to 8pm at the Atrium lobby in Boston for the kickoff party to the Passport to Design program and sweepstakes that was recently launched in the fall issue of Boston Home Magazine.

Designer Bath, Circle Furniture, Landry and Arcari, Lucia Lighting, and Tile by Design are co-hosting this bit of a bash (we have been planning it for some time) and are excited to be able to hand out “Passports” to all of our guests (with design seminar information inside) and to share the details of our $20,000 Home Makeover Sweepstakes! 

You must register in advance to attend so sign up now to get your name on the guest list. Design professionals as well as those looking for interior design inspiration are invited to attend this special event. All attendees can register to win (except those of us who work at the participating showrooms, of course) and all of our guests will leave the party with a Passport of their own, plus a swag bag of goodies. Hope to see you there!

For more information, please check out my related post for Designer Bath here. 

Spotting trends at The BDC

Classic zebra patterns in the Scalamandre showroom on display

during the Boston Design Center luxury open house: The Look.

Last week I took a field trip to the Boston Design Center to catch up on the latest interior design trends as presented by BDC Vice President and General Manager, Julie Rogowski, as well as via the well dressed showrooms throughout the building. At the entryway of the first seminar “Trends 2013” we were handed complimentary Mimosa cocktails served on silver platters. I could tell that this was going to be a good day at work!

We took our seats in the crowded fifth floor seminar room, eager to hear from Julie what colors and design directions are predicted for 2013. Her lively narration entertained us while a storyboard of designer eye-candy played in the background. See the Trends 2013 report here. But first, let me show you who and what I saw at the Boston Design Center that embodied the forecasted trends.

Above is a photo from the Scalamandre showroom. Classic patterns, like their zebra wallpaper circa 1930 have been reinterpreted in new colorways and treatments – as shown it is in a silver metallic grasscloth. The spindle chair is another design classic. Upholstered in a bold zebra print graced with a pop of color accent pillow in Mellow Yellow (another predicted design trend) this vignette is a great example of what we will be seeing in upcoming issues of our favorite shelter magazines. 

With Barbara Baratz of Venegas and Company, Lucy Dearborn of

Lucia Lighting, and designer Sarah Lalone of Sarah Lalone Design  

As we know, interior design and fashion design go hand in hand. Above, we see the same sunny Mellow Yellow paired with white and black worn on Barbara Baratz of Venegas and Company. I had to capture this photo with my Passport to Design partner, Lucy Dearborn (who is wearing True Blue – also on the color chart for next year), as the Venegas showroom sparkles with fixtures from her North Shore based design destination Lucia Lighting. The twin large scale orbs hanging above the island in the picture are the cousins of the chandi she lent me for my Modern Family Mudroom vignette featured at the North Shore Design Show last spring.

Read the post I wrote for New England Home Magazine

that included this dazzling light fixture seen at The Bright Group.

Dramatic lighting is one of those design tricks that truly makes a room beyond ordinary. In the showroom above, we see how a pair of lamps in bold orange (still an on-trend color choice, especially rosy-hued versions) are the perfect counterpoint to a neutral palette. Mushrooms, creams, and caramels – or “Tea Party” colors – will maintain a strong presence in 2013.  

From the North Shore: Lisa Kawski of LMK Interiors,

Juli MacDonald of Green Bridge Architects,

Linda Hentschel of iDesign Interior Design Solutions,

 and Nancy Faye Glass of Glass House Designs

Standing in front of The Martin Group showroom, these North Shore designers are wearing colors straight from the trends report: a bit of mushroom, coral, blue and teal, along with forecasted Neo Geo patterns. Lisa, on the far left, will be presenting one of her kitchen design projects in this Saturday’s Wenham Museum Heart of the Home Kitchen Tour.

Floral patterns are also trending, as is glass tile. These shots were taken in the new 342 Designers Club. This much needed addition to the BDC will provide designers with a stylish and relaxing area to sit with their clients to discuss their projects over a cup of coffee or a bite to eat. We popped in to connect with some of the design bloggers that we knew who were tweeting, meeting and greeting as part of the days Social Media Lounge (see the list here). 

Design blogger and former Rue editor Cassandra LaValle

with Julieann Covino of  Jace Interiors and Create Girl

I had never met Cassandra of Coco + Kelley and Rue Magazine in person before – she has a lot of amazing design happenings going on in her world. Check out her super stylish lifestyle blog. 

Stacy Kuntstel of New England Home Magazine,

with Cassandra and Julieann in Designers Club 342

And speaking of super stylish, Stacy Kuntstel was also tweeting in the Social Media Lounge along with presenting her magazine editor styling tips during the lunch and learn portion of the day. While she claims she is not a designer (she spends her days staging photo shoots and creating candelabras) I am pretty sure that any room that she even casually decorates looks like it should be in a magazine.  

With Stacy and Eric Haydel of EMH Design Inc.

Last spring Stacy was the honorary chair of the Wenham Museum North Shore Design Show (see candids from the preview party here). While in the lounge, we also ran into Eric Haydel, another Wenham Museum alum. His fabulous space was just featured in the fall version of the ASID newsletter.

Don’t you just love the striped carpet in the Designers Club? That’s right, stripes in all widths and colors are also trending!

The carpet in this Webster and Company showroom vignette has a similar striped look, but in a classic animal print. Combined with a feminine color palette, floral wall paper and Tea Party neutrals this space was soft, yet warm and elegant. That’s a lot of trends working the same room, yet together they look flawless.

Throughout the day, showrooms provided a unique mix of bits and sips. I passed on the jelly beans at Venegas and Company, but enjoyed a couple of the pineapple martinis being served by Del Frisco mixologist Paul McAvoy. They were quite refreshing. Linda thought so, too.  

Designers Katherine Hawkins and Rosanne Palazola

Another trend to look out for was dubbed Femme Fatale. These fine fabrics on display at the Duralee showroom are a great example of the combination of boldly feminine colors paired with prints in elegant finishes.   

Linda with a piece from the fashion collection of Marilyn Riseman  

While black as a wardrobe choice is always on-trend with the design crowd, I also noted a repetition of gold accents in the crowd (Mellow Yellow), geometric patterns and that brilliant teal blue which pretty much looks fabulous on everyone.

Stephanie Sabbe of Sabbe Design (a guest blogger)

with designer Michelle Cortizo of Cortizo Interiors

(a recent contributor to New England Finery Magazine)

With designer Vani Sayeed who is the principal designer for the

recently opened Boston Magazine Design Home 2012. She also

shared her style tips in the last issue of New England Finery.

With Gail Ravgiala, editor of Design New England Magazine

Even the flower arrangements were on trend:

Mellow Yellow, Seeing Red, True Blue

Say it With Flowers: whether on a fabric, or in real life, flowers are always in style. Referencing their natural colorways is a great way to orchestrate a design scheme.

geometrics + bold stripes + true blue + burnt orange = perfection

While I was at the BDC, I was looking for some inspiration for the Designer Bath showroom. Our brand colors are gray, orange and occasionally blue. I just may have to use this tile-like wallpaper in our storefront windows ... 

  

Artist Susan Siefert of MadPatter Design with Linda Hentschel.

See the Chalk it Up piece she painted for Linda in this post and more

of her work in my recent post for New England Home Magazine.

If one chandelier is good, half a dozen is better.

We had a wonderful time enjoying the luxury open house at the BDC. If only every day at work could be so sparkly!

{Boston Design Center 2013 Trends Report}