Archive for August, 2009

So Long, Southern Accents…

Friday, August 28th, 2009

We just received our September/October  issue of Southern Accents and after spending some time perusing the beautiful interiors, added it to the growing pile of “final issues” along with our last House & Garden, Domino, Blueprint and Country Home.  With the closing of yet another shelter magazine, especially one that had a such unique voice and point of view, our printed monthly sources of inspiration are dwindling.

Thankfully, Time Inc. will continue Southern Accents online so we can still look forward to reading the Miss Gracious Living blog, browsing articles on architecture and design, and collecting ideas for table settings and entertaining.  For 32 years, Southern Accents brought us the best in southern lifestyle, homes and gardens so we hope to have 32 more…  In this last issue, don’t miss Amelia Handegan‘s gorgeous plantation-style house in Charleston and a delightful feature on dahlias!

Southern Accents - September/October 2009

Southern Accents - September/October 2009

Amelia Handegan - Living Room

Amelia Handegan - Living Room

Summer Whites - Rebekah Johnson

Summer Whites - Rebekah Johnson

Amelia Handegan - Orange Bedroom

Amelia Handegan - Orange Bedroom

Dazzling Dahlias - Sybil Brooke Sylvester

Dazzling Dahlias - Sybil Brooke Sylvester

Photos from Southern Accents and Amelia T. Handegan

Pretty Poppies

Monday, August 24th, 2009

Anyone who drives from Florence to Siena on a beautiful late spring day will encounter a beautiful landscape not soon forgotten – fields upon lush fields of bright red poppies dancing under a bright blue sky.  This memory is one of our fondest having often visited family in Tuscany while living in Brussels for fifteen years.

Jennifer Vranes - Poppy Paradise

Jennifer Vranes - Poppy Paradise

Poppies come in many colors from softer whites and pinks to vibrant yellows, oranges and reds, and are lovely additions to any garden, in a mixed herbaceous border or tucked among rocks.  While poppies often symbolize sleep (because of the opium extracted from their seeds) or death (because of their blood-red color), we much prefer the Persian perspective where poppies are called the flower of eternal love.  We hope you’ll love these pretty poppies!

Anthropologie - Verdant Acres Plate

Anthropologie - Verdant Acres Plate

Floral Art - Orange Poppy Chair

Floral Art - Orange Poppy Chair

Jonathan Adler - Poppy Bath Accessories

Jonathan Adler - Poppy Bath Accessories

Pottery Barn - Poppy Outdoor Pillow

Pottery Barn - Poppy Outdoor Pillow

The Met Museum Store - Red Poppies Tote

The Met Museum Store - Red Poppies Tote

Photos from Jennifer Vranes, Anthropologie, Floral Art, Wrapables.com, Pottery Barn and The Metropolitan Museum of Art Store

Mmmm… Mushrooms!

Friday, August 21st, 2009

With a heat wave hitting the New York area this week (and fall a month away!), we stayed cool visiting the home floor at Barneys and taking in a matinee of Julie & Julia.

Barneys New York - Home Floor

Barneys New York - Home Floor

We fell in love with this woodland vignette, a farm house table set with Anna Weatherley ”Forest Mushrooms” plates, Michael Aram ”Twigware”, Kim Seybert bubble glasses and place mats and wonderful art glass mushrooms.

Anna Weatherley - Forest Mushrooms

Anna Weatherley - Forest Mushrooms

Michael Aram - Twigware

Michael Aram - Twigware

Kim Seybert - Bubble Glass

Kim Seybert - Bubble Glass

Inspired by this table setting and Julia Child, we thought it would be fun to add one of our favorite mushroom recipes, Champignons Sautes au Beurre, from Mastering the Art of French Cooking.  Perfect on grilled chicken and steak, or as a vegetable side, sauteed mushrooms are perfect year-round…

From our 17th Edition - Printed in 1970

From our 17th Edition - Printed in 1970

Bon Appetit!

Photos from Salliehome, Michael Aram and Kim Seybert

A Day at the Cloisters

Tuesday, August 18th, 2009

With friends in town from California, we took the opportunity to visit one of our favorite New York landmarks – The Cloisters.  Built around various rooms and chapels using original architectural elements such as lintels and corbels, columns and portals, this branch of the Metropolitan Museum of Art “provides a harmonious context” for the exhibition of European medieval works of art.  One can’t help but marvel at the vast collection ranging from ceramics, metalwork and enamels, to painting, sculpture, stained glass and tapestries.

The Cuxa Cloister

The Cuxa Cloister

The Unicorn Tapestries

The Unicorn Tapestries

"Monkey Cup"

"Monkey Cup"

Our favorite areas are, of course, the cloisters, the open-air courtyards filled with medieval and modern species of garden plants that provide color and scent from early spring to late fall.  Here the summer flowers are in bloom, as are the medicinal and cooking herbs, and the trees like the quince, pear and pomegranate are bearing fruit. Don’t miss the views from The Bonnefont Cloister over tree tops to the Hudson River and if time allows, a walk through wild flower fields of Fort Tryon Park is a treat.

Chicory

Chicory

Pear Espalier

Pear Espalier

Dwarf Pomegranate

Dwarf Pomegranate

Moon Flower

Moon Flower

Photos from The Metropolitan Museum of Art, Barbara Bell and yours truly

Fall 2009 Preview: The Spice Route

Friday, August 14th, 2009

From the dawn of civilization, the Spice Route has lured explorers and merchants, sailors and kings to the ends of the earth in search of riches in the form of pepper, saffron, ginger and more.  In our Fall 2009 collection, we pay tribute to the colors and textures of the countries along this route, from Marrakech to Mumbai, with cinnamon hydrangea, cayenne dahlias and harissa red ranunculus.

French Market Spices

French Market Spices

Cayenne Bouquet in Espresso Glass

Cayenne Bouquet in Espresso Glass

These colorful blooms are gathered in lush bouquets and paired with vases inspired by the geometric patterns of Islamic tiles.

Moroccan Tile from Saint Tropez Boutique

Moroccan Tile from Saint Tropez Boutique

Cinnamon Hydrangea and Dahlia Bouquet

Cinnamon Hydrangea and Dahlia Bouquet

No collection would be complete without a touch of pink so we added some beautiful magenta and fuchsia touches inspired by Indian silk saris.

Silk Saris

Silk Saris

Peony and Ranunculus Bouquet in Capiz Bowl

Peony and Ranunculus Bouquet in Capiz Bowl

This collection will add a touch of the exotic when travel seems like such a luxury these days.  Look for these and other beautiful designs on Diane James Home this fall!

Photos from gavinbell/Flickr, Saint Tropez Boutique, Madrasi.info and Diane James Designs

Let’s Go Shopping!

Tuesday, August 11th, 2009

What do flowered andirons, Russian needlework and Murano glass chandeliers have in common?  1stdibs, of course!  We spend a lot of time looking for unique vases, planters and decorative accents for our custom commissions and 1stdibs is one of our favorite online resources.  According to Laird Borrelli-Persson of Style.com, “Compared to 1stdibs, eBay is for amateurs” and we couldn’t agree more.  Last month, the site added vintage couture to its broad range of high-end antiques and accessories making it the online site for the design and fashion connoisseur.  If you have never visited 1stdibs, we highly recommend browsing Style Compass, which profiles designers and their inspirations, and Required Reading featuring the latest in design books.  We just love this site and all its beautiful offerings and we hope you do, too!

M. Finkel & Daughter - Russian Embroidery Picture

M. Finkel & Daughter - Russian Embroidery Picture

Epoca - Blegian Knobble Vases

Epoca - Blegian Knobble Vases

Navarro Gallery - Aesthetic Movement Andirons

Navarro Gallery - Aesthetic Movement Andirons

Rebecca Koven - Tourmaline Flower Necklace

Rebecca Koven - Tourmaline Flower Necklace

Pegaso Gallery - Murano Chandelier

Pegaso Gallery - Murano Chandelier

All photos from 1stdibs

Branching Out

Friday, August 7th, 2009

We loved reading about artist Patrick Dougherty in the May/June 2009 issue of Southern Accents and were thrilled to hear that he was creating for the first time an installation just an hour away at the Florence Griswold Museum in Old Lyme, CT.

Around the Corner - New Harmony, IN

Around the Corner - New Harmony, IN

As a child, this North Carolina native played with sticks (as any boy would do!), transforming them into wands.  Nowadays, Patrick gathers thousands of sticks and saplings, bending, twisting and weaving them into magical monumental sculptures.  His newest masterpiece, The Rambles, was unveiled two weeks ago at the Old Lyme’s Midsummer Festival and it is truly a sight to see.

The Rambles - Old Lyme, CT

The Rambles - Old Lyme, CT

While Patrick’s grand-scale pieces belong on the grounds of museums and galleries, perhaps some of these accents will help you branch out at home!

Viva Terra - Twig Flower Holders

Viva Terra - Twig Flower Holders

Twig Pencils

Twig Pencils

Company C - Twig Pillow

Company C - Twig Pillow

CB2 - Twig Swizzle Sticks

CB2 - Twig Swizzle Sticks

Pinch - Twig Bench and Table

Pinch - Twig Bench and Table

Photos from Stickwork.net, The Hartford Courant, Viva Terra, Rainbows Co., Company C, CB2 and Pinch 

August’s Necessary Luxury – Couleur Nature

Tuesday, August 4th, 2009

We first met Gaura Tibbitts, CEO of Couleur Nature, as he was setting up (or rather building!) his stunning booth at the New York Gift Show just across the aisle from ours.  Wall by wall, shelf by shelf, a French barn emerged from the numerous crates, replete with horseshoes and chandeliers.  But it was the gorgeous linens inspired by the rich traditions of Provence and its beautiful countryside that caught our attention.

Cherry Table Linens

Cherry Table Linens

Fig Table Linens

Fig Table Linens

Twenty years ago, Paris based designer Bruno Lamy was introduced to the age-old technique of hand-block printing while traveling through Rajasthan, India, and was so inspired by this ancient art form that he created his first collection of linens using this intricate process.  Thus was born Couleur Nature, now sold throughout Europe and North America in the finest department stores, boutiques and catalogues like Williams Sonoma and Sur La Table.

Tutti Frutti Napkins

Tutti Frutti Napkins

Produced in Jaipur, India, a region known for its mystical climate and royal heritage, Couleur Nature linens are printed by hand using carved teakwood blocks which apply a range of designs and vibrant colors with more than 100 studied movements for each cloth.  The cloth is washed and dried after each new layer of color is applied and once the design is complete, the cloth is cut and stitched accordingly.

Vineyard Apron

Vineyard Apron

From tablecloths to napkins, placemats and runners, each Couleur Nature design embraces the beauty of Provincial floral, fruit and fauna prints with a touch of whimsy.  We use our linens for casual and formal table settings year-round and think they are a necessary luxury for every home.  So chic, so stylish and oh… so French!

Treetop Napkins

Treetop Napkins

To learn more about this wonderful company and shop online, visit Couleur Nature.

Photos from Couleur Nature and Touch of Europe