Out & About: NYC20

Posted on March 30, 2012 by tammy

So, Springtime this year has bitten me with the shopping bug. And not just any shopping bug… a BIG shopping bug. And while I rather enjoy the ailments that come as a result of this “bug” (Ha!)- I have a feeling I will be experiening a bit of sensory overload by the end of April. A couple of weeks ago, I was in Atlanta shopping in the showrooms at ADAC, next week I’ll be preparing for a trip to Morocco, where I will undoubtedly be doing more shopping. The following week is the spring market in Highpoint, and then there’s a little something called NYC20 – the mecca of all Spring Fever-induced shopping sprees.

I was recently made aware of the inaugural New York 20th Century Art and Design Fair (NYC20) which is taking place next month. The event is bringing together some of the most prestigious antique and estate dealers in the world. And the best part is- 1stdibs is sponsoring this event and has exclusively selected the 40 exhibitors. If you are unfamiliar, 1stdibs is the world largest online marketplace for one-of-a-kind and antique pieces. The website hosts international vendors who showcase a highly curated selection of objects ranging from furniture to vintage clothing– all at the same web domain (a genius and very sucessful idea)!

With 1stdibs onboard, NYC20 will most definitely be a huge success! Because I tend to layer my interiors, NYC20 would be the perfect place for me to find mid-century pieces to mix in with the more traditional antiques I love. I had a chance to look through the list of exhibitors that will be showcasing pieces for purchase during the fair and I wanted to share my picks with you…

(You can see the full vendor list here)

The event begins on Thursday, April 12th with a preview party in the Tent at Lincoln Center in Damrosch Park. The NYC20 Fair opens to the public the following day and will run through Sunday, April 15th. I’m sorry to admit that my schedule doesn’t allow me to make the jaunt up the the Big Apple for the event, but I wanted to share it with you in hopes that you might be able to stop by! If you do, be sure to let me know what kind of treasures you find!

Happy shopping!


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Tea Party

Posted on March 23, 2012 by tammy

I don’t often post about personal things, but this time I just couldn’t resist! I wanted to share pictures from a tea party I recently hosted for my daughter’s fourth birthday. We invited the girls to wear their “fanicest” dress and bring their favorite doll to join in the festivities.

Everyone enjoyed coloring and decorating their own tea party hats!

I enjoyed collecting antique pink and green Majolica pottery, depression glass and creamware to set the table for the tea party. I used Sferra linen place mats and even dusted off silver flatware from my own collection for the girls to eat with. We served strawberries with whipped cream, cheese straws, chicken salad sandwiches and of course… birthday cake!

Thank goodness for Pinterest because it proved to be a huge help in my party planning process! It is such a great vehicle for inspiration (and relaxation at the end of a long day)… What would we do without it?! Here are some of the images I gathered from Pinterest:

If you’re on Pinterest, you can start following my boards here. Happy pinning (and repining)!


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Week in LA: DBC Events

Posted on March 16, 2012 by tammy

What better way to usher in the weekend than with a party recap?! My mini-series on LA wouldn’t be complete without mentioning all the fabulous parties and events I had the honor of attending while at the Design Bloggers Conference.

With Beth Brenner, Publisher of Traditional Home & Ronda Carman, All the Best Blog

Before leaving for LA, I received a fun, chartreuse green invitation inviting me to a “High Ball and Hijinks” party in honor of my dear friend, Ronda Carman and the debut of her upcoming book. The party was hosted by Suzanne Rheinstein at her shop, Hollyhock (which I mentioned on Wednesday’s post). Suzanne’s store was the perfect backdrop for such a fun party and lively group! Scrumptious little BLTs and South Carolina ham biscuits were passed on silver trays- talk about a (un)healthy dose of southern hospitality! I don’t have any pictures of myself and friends from the night, but I do have some images of how the store looked…

On Tuesday night, I was honored at the TRADhome party for being named one of Traditional Homes’ Top 10 NewTrad Designers. I am still processing the magnitude of this honor and I am so grateful to Ronda Carman for nominating me. The soiree was held at Harbinger- and like Hollyhock, it’s another one of my favorite La Cienega shops. The shop was packed with designers, bloggers and editors and it was fun mingling with everyone!

With Stacy Kunstel of StacyStyle Blog

With Kelley Copeland of The Hidden List Blog and Amy Lambert Lee of House of Wentworth Blog

As the TRADhome party died down, I hopped in a cab and headed over to Brentwood for another DBC event at Grace Home Furnishings.

With Zak Graff of Granet Associates and McCauley Bennett

What party is complete without a pup?!

courtesy of Build Your Nest Blog

We ended the night at a divine restaurant called Bottega Louie in downtown LA. One part gourmet market, one part restaurant, one part patisserie, and about five parts delicious, Bottega Louie has been voted one of LA’s best restaurants. The aesthetic of the restaurant is gorgeous–stark white marble and dark woodwork accented with brass millwork. And the colorful display of macaroons add just the right amount of wit and whimsy!

courtesy of www.bottegalouie.com


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Week in LA: La Cienega Shopping

Posted on March 14, 2012 by tammy

Being a designer who loves antiques that have one-of-a-kind detailing, I was right at home shopping in the design district of Los Angeles. It was incredibly refreshing to wander through new stores and be inspired by West Coast style. As you can imagine, shops like these are few and far between down here in Birmingham, Alabama!

I was lucky enough to have two designer friends accompany me on my shopping trip- Brooke Giannetti and Angela Williams. Brooke is the author of the blog, Velvet & Linen and being from LA, she has the insider scoop on all the best shops in West Hollywood, especially those on La Cienega Boulevard. I met Angela at an event I was attending in Atlanta for Brooke last year (read about the event here) and we became quick friends.

With Angela Williams and Brooke Giannetti- Velvet & Linen

Our afternoon started with Hollywood at Home, Peter Dunham’s shop that has a great selection of fabric and unusual accessories. The shop carries a new line of textiles called Elizabeth Hamilton Collection which I fell in love with!

I enjoyed sorting through all the Holland & Sherry fabrics at Harbinger, especially their customizable embroidered fabrics.

Another favorite is Todd Alexander Romano‘s eclectic store whose inventory ranges from fine antiques to mid-centry modern to his own reproduction line inspired by pieces he’s come across in his travels.

We were lucky enough to catch the Leotine Linen trunk show at Nathan Turner while we were out and about!

I’ve been using Elizabeth Eakins fabrics and rugs for years and it was nice to see the entire collection in one showroom. It was also fun looking at all the accessories (aren’t these baskets adorable?!)

Therien & Co. had some really unusual antiques. The sheer scale of the items in this store is incredibly impressive.

The refined, rustic aesthetic of the Lucca Antiques showroom has me itching to design a country house!

It’s always fun to pop in Hollyhock to see what new treasures Suzanne Rheinstein has found.

The tile, stone and pluming fixtures at Compas were truly unlike anything I’ve seen. The craftsmanship and detailing on their fixtures is simply beautiful!

We finished the afternoon at the lovely flagship store of Rose Tarlow Melrose House. I have always been inspired by Rose Tarlow’s designs. Her interiors and furniture designs are consistently refined, and her attention to detail seems to unfold as you study her interiors.

And, if you happen to be in the neighborhood, I suggest having lunch at Fig & Olive on Melrose Place. Interestingly enough, every dish on the menu incorporates olive oil, even the desserts! My favorite is the romaine & endive baby beet salad… it’s really delicious!


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Week in LA: Bunny Williams

Posted on March 12, 2012 by tammy

We’re changing things up a bit this week on the blog thanks to my recent trip to Los Angeles! I had such a great time meeting new acquaintances and seeing old friends, learning more about the world of social media and hearing from some of my favorite designers. All of these things have got me feeling, well….Inspired! And in honor of all this inspiration, I’m going to share 3 mini-posts on The Journal this week about my time in LA in hopes that they will inspire you as much as they have me. Enjoy!

 

(With Ronda Carman- All the Best, Jane Scott Hodges- Leontine Linens & Bunny Williams)

The primary purpose of my trip to Los Angeles was to attend the Design Bloggers Conference. This was the second year of the DBC, and it did not disappoint! The conference presented a stellar line-up of speakers including Martyn Lawrence-Bullard, Ronda Carman, Tobi Fairley, Cassandra LaValle and Brain Patrick Flynn among others! But, the highlight of the conference for me was the inspiring yet humble presentaion by one of my favorite designers, Bunny Williams. For quite some time now, I have admired Bunny’s inviting yet sophisticated manner of interiors. I realize that she has many fans out there, but hearing the details about her career path and approach to design was truly a treat!

Bunny shared about her experiences working for Mrs. Parish and Albert Hadley at the renowned Parish-Hadley Associates at the start of her career, which led her to open her own design company in 1988. Bunny has such a fantastic eye for combining texture and her ability to layer objects, color and pattern is evidence of her attention to detail. I admire the way she is able to push the limits of scale and proportion in a tasteful yet bold way. Not only is Bunny running her design firm, but she is also designing a lovely furniture and accessories line called Beeline Home and operating two retail stores.

During her talk, Bunny announced that her New York store, Treillage will soon be launching an e-commerce website! I, of course, am thrilled by this news being that both Treillage locations are among my favorite shops to hit when I’m in NYC. If you’re not familiar, Treillage is a beautiful shop located on E 75th Street in the Upper East Side that opened in 1991 as a place to buy things for the garden. Recently, Treillage expanded to a second location on Lexington Avenue that sells tabletop items and gifts for the home. Both stores carry beautiful objects and I am looking forward to seeing what they sell online. Be checking Bunny’s website for the release of their online shopping sector, or better yet, stop by Treillage next time you happen to be in New York!

PS- For more wonderful finds, visit John Rosselli Antiques. John Rosselli is not only the owner of another one of my favorite NYC shops, John Rosselli Antiques, but he also happens to be married to Bunny! And to learn more about their beautiful home, check out their book, An Affair with a House.


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