Oyster sticks - used to cultivate farm raised oysters are now showing up recyled into furniture and accessories. I first noticed oyster stick furniture in this restful living room designed by Erin Martin and featured in House Beautiful (photography by Luca Trovato)
Yesterday, the new Wisteria catalog came (full of great, new stuff) and they're offering an Oyster Stick Mirror ($249) and Oyster Stick Lamp ($399).
The Washington Post ran a Sales Talk piece about Haute** back in Feb '09. Not sure why it took me until November to get there to check it out - especially since designer fabrics that sell for $100++ a yard can be found at incredible prices. My friend Anne walked away with a gorgeous Victoria Hagan linen for just $20 a yard! In the above picture I'm checking out trim that's $2 a yard. (**as of this post, the website still lists the old Middleburg address. The new address is 8393 West Main St., Marshall, VA 20115, 540.364.1221)
The trim collection at Haute is truly unbelievable. The wide Greek Key trim is $10 a yard, the narrow $7 a yard. The quality is extremely high. I purchased the wide yellow/grey and the narrow blue/grey.
Haute is housed in a house on Main Street with each room dedicated to different types and colors of fabric. Need a neutral?
Here's a small peek at the extensive collection of toile from top name firms. I didn't recognize all the brand names but noticed that many of the fabrics were printed in England.
Here's a pretty Brunschwig & Fils print.
I purchased this Greek Key cut velvet for $20 a yard. Love it!
This braided trim was only $9 a yard and I've sewn it onto the dark brown curtains in my office. My office redecoration is almost finished - hoping to do a post on that soon. Haute is located in Marshall, VA, just off exit #28 on 66 West. It would be a great trip to combine a visit to Haute with Matthews House and Garden in Upperville, VA and then to the shops in Middleburg. Just keep in mind Haute's website still has the old Middleburg address and the site only showcases a small fraction of the selection.
(This is my personal recommendation and I do not receive any form of compensation for this endorsement - I'm just a fabric nut!)
"Seeing isn't believing, believing is seeing." (from the film, The Santa Clause)
As 2009 comes to a close, I'm very excited to have come across a new blog, Ragland Hill Social (although a number of smart bloggers found this one before me!). Written by designer Gwen Driscoll, her collection of virtual tear sheets is incredible and her own designs are gorgeous as well. The first picture is of her library - love the dark ceiling with the gold painted design.
I think the arched panelled mirror to the side of the fireplace in this room is brilliant. Love all the pattern in the pillows and ottoman.
Here is a dining room and living room from one of her client's home. To see more from this beautiful home, go here.
Gwen uses the term appointments in reference to accessories - I rather like that. Here is a french buffet in her sunroom that she recently edited.
Finally, I'd like to point out that Gwen posted an entire week about the color green. I have never seen a more definitive exploration of that color - it is something not to be missed! 2010 is looking to be a great year for design blogs.
On our no-outlet loop street, we understand why we're always dead last on the list to get plowed. Even when they do come, County plows often get stuck on our steep road. So, as we did in 2003, we all got together and dug ourselves out! Here's the view from my house first thing this morning.
One hour later we've cleared this down hill section and rounded the corner...
another hour later to meet up with our neighbors who came down the other side...
to join up in the third hour to clear the final 100 yards to the "main" street.
Here's the view looking up to our new, snow-banked Y intersection. Hats off to all the neighbors on our street - we did a great job!
This weekend I'm hoping to start-and-finish a cushion for a small bench. The fabric is a white and gray leopard spot that I bought from Pink Wallpaper's Designer's Attic back in October. The gorgeous image of Elvira Manrique de Lara's home from Nuevo Estillo will be my subtle reminder this weekend to get going! (Although I think those chairs are covered in a cheetah print?)
If you don't live in the DC area, you might miss Washington Post journalist Terry Sapienza's great interview with Jon Hutman, the production designer responsible for the film's interiors. Click here not to miss the article, along with pics of the interiors. I usually don't go to the movies on Christmas Day but it might be hard to wait until the 26th!
Ever since my first visit to Charleston last spring, I occasionally check out the historic properties for sale South of Broad. One can imagine, right...? Here's a collection of cozy interiors. Isn't this double fireplace incredible? All images from Carriage Properties.
Love the classic, elegant feel of this room above paired with the comfortable, lived-in look of the furniture. The large bust on the tall boy really sets the tone of this room.
I think this is a well done kitchen with the dark wood cabinets contrasted with all the white painted windows. My favorite is the dark wood finish of the far countertop. Hope you're having a great week and it's not too crazy w/all the Holiday preparations.
This is a small furniture re-do but one that's been on my list for 2 years. I know that because I was picking up my son from 8th grade and spotted this 60's veneer table near his school and, much to his protest, asked him to pick up and toss it in the trunk. Between Naps on the Porch & Metamorphosis Monday gets all the credit for motivating me to finally finish this!
I sanded down the finish and polished up the brass bits that are on the legs - just above the second shelf and at the foot. I skipped priming the table as I wanted to avoid the fumes. Using a small sponge brush I was able to paint the table with 2 coats using a $7 sample pot of Farrow & Ball Down Pipe in a flat finish. (I may go back later and use wipe-on polyurethane) The gold edging was done with a tube of artist's acrylic.
Here it is all finished. All in all, I'm pretty happy with it. Be sure to check out more before and after projects at Between Naps on the Porch.
Changing a table can feel satisfying but imagine how satisfying it would feel to play a part in helping to change the lives of girls in a small village in Laos...
Several bloggers are coming together today in a collaborative effort spearheaded by Paloma Contreras of La Dolce Vita, in order to make a difference for a very deserving charity. Pencils of Promise is a wonderful 501(c)(3) organization based in New York, that partners with local communities and organizations to build schools in developing nations for some of the world’s most impoverished and undereducated children. (To watch a brief, informative You Tube video about Pencils of Promise - click here.)
Last December, the Pencils of Promise team visited a small village in Laos and by July 2009, they had built a new school for the village children who started attending classes on September 1st. This month, Pencils of Promise will be opening their third school and they hope to open the doors to education for more children in 2010.
In the spirit of the Holiday season, we are asking for your help today on behalf of these children. The donations collected through Pencils of Promise Blog Day 12.14.09 will go towards building safe, legitimate dormitory housing for girls to have access to further education. Currently, some parents are unwilling to send their children to school because of the danger of the huts currently in use. This new dormitory will house about 200 young Laotian girls.
If you would like to stay informed about the difference Pencils of Promise is making, be sure to become a fan on their Facebook page.
