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Q & A with Carolyne Roehm

Friday, November 9th, 2012

Carolyne Roehm at Home

We’ve been wondering if the fabulous Carolyne Roehm needs a lengthy introduction, given the number of fans she must have all over the world, yours truly included…

Flowers

If you haven’t seen her books about flowers, lifestyle, decorating and entertaining (eleven in all), or followed her career as a top fashion designer resulting in her election as President of the CFDA, or been enchanted by her newly revamped website and blog filled with wonderful ideas and pictures, then you haven’t experienced Carolyne’s passion for beauty and her world of gracious style.

Fall at Weatherstone

Needless to say, we were thrilled to be able to interview Carolyne as her new book, Flowers, has just been published. Better yet… she’s coming to Stamford, CT this weekend to join notable interior and entertaining designers including Vincente Wolf, Amanda Nisbet, Lulu Powers and Annie Falk at Designing Greenwich sponsored by Connecticut Cottages & Gardens at The Loading Dock. We can’t wait to visit this first-ever show of its kind in Fairfield County, featuring curated collections of fine art, modern antiques, couture jewelry and more from over 35 galleries worldwide. What a perfect venue for Carolyne to share her style secrets and introduce her new book! So, without further ado…

1. What did you want to be when you were a child?
I really wanted to be a fairy princess and only wear “formals” as they were called back in the 50′s and a tiara of real diamonds – I had a rhinestone one that I wanted to wear to school every day but my mother dissuaded me. I was not sure how to become a princess so I thought I should have a backup plan. So, at a very early age, I wanted to be a fashion designer. No tiara but lots of pretty clothes was second best.

2. What is your necessary luxury?
My necessary luxuries are lots of cut flowers.

3. What is your favorite decorating accessory?
My favorite decorating accessory is a mass of cut flowers.

4. Where do you window shop?
Every place… But my favorite place is Paris, I suppose, but I look wherever I am.

Setting a Fall Table

5. What makes a house a home?
The individuality of the owner, the more intimate personal possessions that reflect the interests and the personality of the owner. A house needs to feel alive in order to be a home – dogs, plants, flowers, scents emanating from something cooking in the kitchen, music playing, the movement of people in the house.

6. What is the most enjoyable part of your day?
I love the early morning when the house is quiet, the dogs are gathered around me and I have a cup of coffee in my hand. I also love the end of the day when the shadows are golden and long… with my dogs around me, sitting next to a cozy fire and a good glass of red wine in my hand .

Carolyne’s New Gardners

7. What is your favorite flower?
That is just too hard – I love them all. But I shall be traditional and say garden roses and tree peonies.

8. If you were a cocktail, what would you be?
I am not a big lover of cocktails. I would prefer to be a great glass of French red wine, either a Burgundy or Bordeaux, because a great glass of wine is memorable and stands the test of time.

9. If your life were made into a movie, what would be the title and who would play a part?
Calamity Jane Part II. Lord knows, maybe Robin Williams… I would like for it to be a comedy.

Last Dahlia Dinner

10. Name one thing from your “Bucket List.”
I want to swim with dolphins in clear, warm and safe waters.

A big thank you to Carolyne for entertaining us with her answers and inspiring us daily! If you’d like to see her in person this Saturday, click here for more information and tickets.

P.S. And if you’d like to see us participate in the “Secrets of Design Blogger” panel moderated by DJ Carey, we’re on today at 1 pm!

Photos via Carolyne Roehm and House Beautiful

Tags: Carolyne Roehm, coffee table books, Designing Greenwich, entertaining with flowers, Flowers by Carolyne Roehm, Q & A
Posted in Book Report, Q & A, The Latest Buzz | 8 Comments »

In The Garden (and Home) with Stacy Bass

Wednesday, November 7th, 2012

Stacy Bass – Photographer Extraordinaire

While ~~supposedly~~ tending our booth at Rooms With A View last weekend, we sneaked out to meet the hugely talented photographer, Stacy Bass, and get our hands on her beautiful book, In The Garden. The presentation opened with a gorgeous slideshow of Stacy’s work – both in the garden and in the home – immediately transporting us into the exquisite worlds she shoots. She then shared some of her favorite tips on how best to capture a space. Here are some highlights from her talk:

A Garden at Dawn

1. Shoot gardens at dawn when the sun is rising and stop when it gets too bright.

A Well Tended Bar

2. Accessories are important and better to have too many than not enough since you can always take something away when framing a shot.

Heavenly Hydrangeas in the Summer

3. Think about the seasons and what your garden will look like through the windows.

Art in the Bedroom

4. Invest in art – it’s so important to have something on the walls!

Flowers in the Kitchen

5. And last but not least, flowers finish a room (just make sure the arrangements you use are of an appropriate scale.)

It was such a treat to meet Stacy and we know we’ll be inspired by her book for many seasons to come. If you want to see more of her work, we encourage you to visit her site – but be warned, you might get lost in all the beauty!

Photos via CT Post and Stacy Bass Photography

Tags: gardens, In The Garden by Stacy Bass, interiors, photography, Rooms With A View 2012, Stacy Bass
Posted in Book Report, Inspirations | 9 Comments »

A Belated Baguette Birthday

Wednesday, August 22nd, 2012

Uncle Karl’s Vision

They say man cannot live on bread alone but we tend to disagree… As little girls, we grew up on French baguettes in Belgium (and waffles, too) and now, as adults, we’re into Fendi’s fashion version (after all, calories do count these days!) which celebrated it fifteenth birthday last month. This iconic purse was honored all over the world with celebrity-filled parties, a sketch by Karl Lagerfeld and even a book.

Baguette Specchietti – Spring / Summer 1999

Baguette Jeans – Spring / Summer 2000

Over the years, Fendi has designed over 1,000 different styles and has partnered with many artists to create one-of-a-kind designs.

Baguette Yasuko Kuramoto

For the fall season, Fendi has re-issued some of it’s bestselling baguettes so we’ll definitely be looking into one of these…

Baguette Zucca – Spring / Summer 2000

The Baguette Book

and decorating our coffee table with the book. Tanti aguri!

P.S. To see more of theses beauties, click here!

Photos via Fendi

Tags: fashion accessories, Fendi Baguette, Karl Lagerfeld, purses
Posted in Book Report, Fabulous Finds | 13 Comments »

Stencil Style

Wednesday, October 26th, 2011

Let's Stencil It!

Before the “big flood” of Spring 2011 which destroyed our wood floors in the front entrance of our house, we had every intention of rolling up our sleeves and stenciling the floor. But since we’ve replaced the floor with slate, we’re thinking that maybe the walls of our master bedroom could benefit from a little stencil style. Thank goodness Stencil It by The Stencil Library‘s Helen Morris is about to be published!

Chinoiserie Wall

This stunning book includes 20 brand new designs with 15 ready to use stencils from laminated cards. There’s also a chapter that will walk us through the stenciling process, step-by-step, which is something we’ll definitely need.

Dandelion Wall

Having seen some of the company’s projects, there’s no lack in creativity… the hardest part will be choosing a pattern from the many (over 3,500!) available.

Fennel Wall

Wisteria Skirt

Perhaps we should start off simple and practice on cookies. That way, we can eat our mistakes!

Stripes and Dots

Photos via The Stencil Library and Martha Stewart

Tags: Stencil It by Helen Morris, stencils, The Stencil Library
Posted in Book Report, The Latest Buzz | 12 Comments »

Book Report: Flair

Friday, September 17th, 2010

A Flair for Entertaining

“I grew up in rural Nebraska – literally in the middle of nowhere – yet my parents managed to carve out a pretty sophisticated lifestyle for themselves. Each month, they hosted a black-tie dinner party, for which my mother cooked a beautiful meal – on her own, without any help.

Yellow Foral Fun

She bought fresh, seasonal flowers, which she arranged, simply, but neatly.

Colorful Combination - Mottahedeh and Charlotte Moss

The table was set with one of her many collections of china, silver, and freshly ironed linen tableclothes and napkins. Nothing was showy – just elegant and comfortable.”

Tea for Eight at Four

For all of us who aren’t like Mrs. Nye, Flair: Exquisite Invitations, Lush Flowers and Gorgeous Table Settings by her fabulously talented son, Joe, is a party thrower’s must-have. Needless to say, with the holiday season just a few months away, our copy is becoming dog-eared.

Joe Nye - The Party Guy

Not only does Joe cover the important aspects of table settings, invitations, party favors and flowers, but he shares a few short-cuts (grocery store blooms – oh my!) and quick fixes (pre-printed invitations – gasp!) to create a memorable event.

Pressed Linens and Pretty Placecards

Joe believes that as a host, it’s easy to forget that “thoughtful” and “lovely” aren’t the same as “perfect” – so get out your water pitchers for your bouquets and serve your soup out of coffee cups… but be careful never to equate casual with sloppy.

So Chinoiserie Chic!

This book is a gem, a page-turner filled with beautiful pictures and practical suggestions and a wonderful source of inspiration for us all. In our minds, Joe Nye is the Party Guy!

P.S. He’s also the Interior Guy (just in case you didn’t know!)

Joe Nye - The Interior Guy

Photos from Flair, Velvet & Linen and House Beautiful

Tags: Caitlin Leffel, Flair, Joe Nye, party planning, table decor
Posted in Book Report, Inspirations | 11 Comments »

Book Report: Every Thing Design

Tuesday, April 20th, 2010

The moment we read a New York Times review of Every Thing Design, a 864 page tome dedicated to the Museum of Design‘s collection in Zurich, we knew we had to get our hands on it. With close to six hundred images and measuring five inches wide, six inches long and two and a half inches thick, this is no ordinary coffee table book. But don’t judge this book by its cover (a picture of the Rex vegetable peeler, an iconic Swiss object) as there’s so much more inside!

Every Thing Design - Christian Brandle and Irma Boom

Amsterdam-based Irma Boom, the book’s designer, is known for her adventurous creations, each a “treasure trove of colors, shapes, textures and even smells” according to the New York Times’ Alice Rawsthorn. While in the past, Irma has experimented with scented bindings and making her own paper, this time she’s chosen to give us a tour of design history through intriguing, and often connected images.

Balenciaga Dress c. 1968 / Baccarat Vases c. 1903

For example, a 1968 Balenciaga cocktail dress is placed side by side a pair of 1903 Baccarat vases – both decorated with a similar floral pattern. Or an Aristide Colotte 1930′s vase emulating the design of turn-of-the-century Peter Behrens plates. Even a Knoll wire chair is shown in the context of a Louis Majorelle bergere.

Diamond Chair, Knoll c. 1948 / Pommes de Pin, Louis Majorelle c. 1903

Every Thing Design is a delight to the visual senses and sure to become a pictorial classic!

Peter Behrens Plates c. 1902

Aristide Colotte Vase c. 1937

Photos from the Museum of Design and Amazon

Tags: Aristide Colotte, Baccarat, Balenciaga, Every Thing Design, Irma Boom, Knoll, Louis Majorelle, Museum of Design, Peter Behrens
Posted in Book Report, The Latest Buzz | 5 Comments »

Book Report: Nancy Corzine: Glamour at Home

Sunday, January 3rd, 2010

Of all the gifts opened over the holidays, one of our favorites is the new book from our fabulous client, Nancy Corzine. We sadly missed her appearance at Bergdorf Goodman in December but were so pleased to receive Glamour at Home for Christmas. Having personally worked with Nancy on several projects and with our flowers gracing her Palm Beach and Southampton stores, we know how glamorous her style can be.

Nancy Corzine: Glamour At Home

With her own gorgeous line of to-the-trade fabrics, furnishings and lighting, and her refined elegance, Nancy creates environments that are luxurious yet very livable. While her palette tends toward the paler shades, her signature accessories – a gilded mirror, a crystal sphere, a patterned pillow – add the perfect dash of glitz.

Nancy Corzine's Patterned Pillows

Nancy Corzine's Pale Palette

We so loved every page in Glamour at Home and were thrilled to see our designs in some of her interiors!

Nancy Corzine with Diane's Pale Green Hydrangea

Nancy Corzine's Palm Beach Store

All photos from Nancy Corzine

Tags: decorating books, Glamour at Home, Nancy Corzine
Posted in Book Report, Personalities, The Latest Buzz | No Comments »

Book Report: The Well-Dressed Home

Saturday, October 3rd, 2009

One of our favorite daily reads is Erin Gates’ blog, Elements of Style, and we especially love Fashion Fridays when she often pairs an outfit with a beautifully decorated room. So when Annette Tatum‘s new book, The Well-Dressed Home: Fashionable Design Inspired by Your Personal Style, arrived on Wednesday we were thrilled.

well-dressed-home

The book’s premise is that the decor of your home should reflect your unique personality and style, just as your clothing and accessories do. With gorgeous pictures and practical advice, Annette shows us how to be inspired by the colors, patterns and textures found on the runway and how to define your personal style using a great reference guide (are you couture or casual? romantic or vintage? retro or resort?).

From the runway...

home

Part III of the book is dedicated to showing these design styles in action with inspiration boards and beautiful rooms. Thank you, Annette, for such fabulous fashion. We so enjoy The Well-Dressed Home and can’t wait to bring our style out of the closet and into our living room!

Royal Charm