Showing posts with label blogging. Show all posts
Showing posts with label blogging. Show all posts
Wednesday, March 12, 2014

Exciting News: Kips Bay 2014

Exciting news has just been released about the 2014 Kips Bay showhouse. Not only will it be held within one of the 1884 Villard Houses by the famed architectural firm of McKim, Meade, and White but the list of designers selected is stellar!  Much of the rest of the building is the New York Palace hotel which looks stunning (in case you need someplace to stay while visiting the showhouse!)
The list of talented designers with links to their websites are as follows:
Carrier & Company Interiors Ltd.
Christopher Peacock
Cullman & Kravis Inc.
Darryl Carter, Inc.
Edward Lobrano Interior Design, Inc.
Ingrao Inc.
John Douglas Eason Interiors
Juan Montoya Design
Kirsten Kelli, LLC
Mark Hampton LLC
Markham Roberts Inc.
Martyn Lawrence Bullard
Matthew Quinn
Mendelson Group, Inc.
Meyer Davis Studio, Inc
ODADA (Orlando Diaz-Azcuy Design Associates)
Robin Sacks Decorative Painting
SPAN Architecture
Vincente Wolf Associates
Villalobos Desio
William T. Georgis Architect
Young Huh, LLC

Stay tuned for more details and a history of the structure. The house will be open to the public May 1 until May 29th - I'll see you there!
Thursday, December 12, 2013

Christmas Greetings

Do you send out Christmas cards? I admit my list dwindles each year as I slowly move into the digital age (ironic as I'm an early blogger!). Patricia, that wonderful artist who writes PVEdesign and in fact did my blog banner, was kind enough to send me an image for use on my card this year!  You may remember a few weeks back I posted about adding 'That touch of black' to your fireplace and showed the change to my own fireplace at home.  Patricia magically imagined my mantelpiece at Christmas and I have to say the results are charming.   So please consider this my Christmas Greeting to you and your family with hopes for a very happy new year!
Many thanks to Patricia for this image which I treasure. You might consider contacting her to create your own image!
Monday, October 21, 2013

My latest finds!

This past weekend was terribly busy with lots of events including the 2 fun neighborhood House Tours I wrote about last week. Was nice to see some of you there! However, I still managed to get in an amazing estate sale in my own neighborhood of Cleveland Park. I hope I'm not boring you with my weekly posts of my found treasures for my still relatively 'new' condo but they're really fun for me!
My apartment is quickly becoming a wayward home for stray chairs and tables. I can't turn a good one down! I found this interesting vintage Baker furniture tea-height side table with Queen Anne styled legs but also some art deco influences that I placed in my dining room window. The floorlamp to the right was another find and one that came together nicely. The John Robshaw lampshade was found at an estate sale LAST week and the lamp finial from a 3rd estate sale last month (for a grand total of $35 in its entirety)!  I love how the floorlamp matches the antique tablelamp I got on Thomas Jaynes OneKingLane's sale seen on the table. The floorlamp will live in my bedroom next to last week's chair find!
These intriguing floral pieces stand about 4" tall each and are carved entirely out of antique ivory which was then stained and painted. They aren't something I would ordinarily be drawn to but the craftsmanship is so amazing!
I love collecting small finds like hotel ashtrays (no I don't smoke!) and they can normally be had for under a dollar. They come in handy for lots of other things after a good scrub.
These miniature brass candlesticks were really a fun find -you can see here where I had already polished the stick on the right. They're sized for birthday candles (give or take).  I debated polishing them but thought it would be a good way to clean them up. This summer I had a conversation with my good friend JCB about antique brass and how originally they were MEANT to shine and be rather 'bling'y on a tabletop to reflect the light.
One can always use another picture frame. This 8x10 wood frame with tiny gilt detailing cleaned up nicely after getting off years of smoke and grime!
This last piece took me awhile to figure out what it was but the lady running the estate sale filled me in - it's a strawberry dessert basket. Made of white porcelain for Tiffany & Co - the basket holds strawberries with cream in the small pitcher and sugar in the bowl. What fun finds; you never know what you'll find at an estate sale!
Wednesday, September 18, 2013

Beyond Chic: Truth in advertising

Of the many exciting design books out this fall one of the most highly anticipated must surely be that of photographer Ivan Terestchenko.  His book Beyond Chic has just been released by Vendome Press and I have to say the book lives up to its title.
For the past few decades Ivan has been capturing the world's most stylish interiors, people, and events for the most influential magazines. In doing so he has had privileged access to the inner sanctums of some of the most creative individuals of our day which he now shares with us in Beyond Chic. Not surprisingly these are not overly-decorated nor predictable abodes but truly personal, stylish, and creative homes; One almost feels as if they were trespassing.
If a picture is worth a thousand words this book has a billion while still short on terms. The short introductions are soulful and descriptive while letting the work, the photographs, speak for themselves.
Definitely add this book to your fall book order and you won't be disappointed.
Photographs courtesy of Vendome Press by Ivan Terestchenko.
Tuesday, July 30, 2013

New York City dreams

As a blogger one receives a lot of PR emails and every once in awhile something catches your eye. Such was the case when an apartment in the famed El Dorado building on Central Park West decorated by Alexander Doherty was sent to me last week.
The building is an icon seen from central park and has been home to many big names for decades.
The homeowners own and run Blithfield & Co, a line of luxury textiles, and evidence of this is seen throughout the personal abode. I love this living room and those old steel casement windows!
 Design Development NYC was brought on board to do the extensive gut renovation and created all of the custom millwork and mouldings seen in the apartment which give it an art deco / old New York character.
 I love their idea of floating a fuzzy white rug over a heavily patterned antique.
 Some of the gorgeous fabrics from the owner's company used throughout the apartment are seen above.
 Notice the antique brass hardware on the jib door above -such a great little detail that's so important to get right.
 Books are to be found throughout the apartment even on either side of the guestroom bed; no wonder I like it so much!
 More space for cookbooks in the beautiful kitchen.
 I think this may be my dream kitchen. I love a galley kitchen as they're so efficient especially with tons of counterspace and natural light. You can keep your islands!
I love the mixture of wood floors, painted cabinets (a custom Farrow & Ball color), wood and marble countertops with a marble slab backsplash (so clean and easy!).
 After the kitchen, the cozy library has to be my favorite space. Can't you see yourself living in here?
Tons of books, a large tv for movies, and a comfy couch to curl up with a book or favorite magazine seem like heaven to me. I love the addition of a glass desk which doesn't block light from the windows.
Also notice those herringbone floors in the library. The floors are bleached oak to best reflect the light; always important in an apartment!
The master bathroom is a refuge of gleaming nickel and soft white marble off the white and bright master bedroom.
 I love a bed like this; lots of pillows, a fluffy down duvet, and all white - no fuss no muss!
I hope you enjoyed this tour as much as I did!
Photographs courtesy of Trevor Tondro.
Monday, July 1, 2013

The power of blogging

Or maybe this post should be entitled "the power of oxi clean".  A few weeks ago my friend Meg of the blog PigtownDesign had written a post about some antique china she had won at auction which was heavily yellowed and using oxiclean to get out the stains.
Two weeks later, in fact this past weekend, I was at an estate sale and found a charming little antique plate which was heavily discolored for only $2 (see picture at top of the post). I remembered Meg's recommendation and decided to give it a try. It took about 10 hours soaking in the oxi-clean but look at the results; nearly perfect!
I'll be trying oxi-clean now on a number of other items; Thanks Meg! By chance, does anyone recognize the maker's mark on the back?
I received no compensation from oxi-clean (in fact I had to pay a premium in order to buy at my local drugstore!)
Thursday, April 25, 2013

Georgetown Housetour - this weekend!

Don't miss the Georgetown house tour THIS WEEKEND - April 28. This is the longest running house tour in the country and benefits the ministries of St John's Episcopal Church.
 Nine beautiful houses of varying styles will be featured on the tour including these 4 pictured here.
Also included is a delightful tea at St John's Parish Hall. I'm most excited by seeing inside the Georgetown Stables below, long ago converted into a quirky residence. I saw them retouching some paint in preparation for the tour just a few weeks ago and it should prove to be very interesting!
Also upcoming as part of the Georgetown Housetour is a lecture given by architect Gil Schafer on May 9th. Information is at the housetour website. Hope to see you there (at both events)!!
Photos courtesy of the Georgetown Housetour.
Monday, April 15, 2013

DC Design House teaser

Last week I attended a preview of the DC Design House which is located on Foxhall Road. Before I bring you my favorite rooms, I thought I would bring you some fun ideas from Designer Regan Billingsley.
Generally bathrooms in design houses are either filled with loud wallpaper, passed over, or simply left with the door closed.  However, Billingsley made it a prominent feature of her Teenage Boys Room.  The black painted doors were highlighted with the sides painted a bright red. That pop of color with the door open was amazing!  I also loved the message she put on the wall backwards only legible in the mirror "Don't grow up, it's a trap".  Wise words from a clever designer! More tomorrow......