Velvet & Linen

buy what you love...

The main reason I started a design blog was to have a place to document my design style. I thought my design philosophy would become clearer if I wrote about it. Well the blog has definitely helped me with this process, but the act of writing isn't the main reason for my new found clarity. It is actually through my dialogue with you that my thoughts on my style and my design process have become more defined. 

My last post on my Wisteria lantern is a perfect example. After reading your 116 comments as well as the 50 e-mails that I received in the past couple of days, I've started to realize that my flippant "buy what you love" statement is much more complicated than I first thought. I've started asking myself "Why do I buy what I buy? Do I really just buy what I love?"

Can someone really analyze why they buy something? Maybe not, but it was an interesting exercise. Here are some of the reasons behind what I purchase:

1. Value. I won't go into this too much because I think we are all looking for value in our purchases. 

I bought my Tritter Feefer desk because I loved the style, the finish, the quality, and the price was great. 

 

2. Eco-friendly. Last week I was reading Things That Inpire's interview with Joe Niermann of Niermann Weeks. In the interview Joe explained that his company is always trying to reduce their carbon foot print through the use of farmed wood, water-based materials, and recycled and recyclable materials. 

These Gustavian Klismos chairs are gorgeous and eco-friendly too!

 

Of course, high end furniture makers like Niermann Weeks aren't the only ones jumping on the eco-friendly band wagon. Some companies, like furniture maker Cisco Brothers, promote themselves as a company that sells "sustainable living".

 
Restoration Hardware has a whole line of furniture made out of salvaged wood, like this Trestle table.

My favorite way to be eco-friendly? Buying antiques and vintage pieces. Nobody does this type of environmentally friendly design better than my friend Shane, owner of Big Daddy's Antiques. Shane is the master of turning old doors into a focal point of a room, or creating a beautiful dining table out of an old industrial base.

Another master at creating unique spaces with antiques, is Antique Dealer Mark Sage. His booth at Round Top was like an art exhibit!

 

 

Buying antiques and vintage pieces leads me to one of the main reasons I buy something:

4. Personal Expression: To create a warm and inviting home for my family that uniquely represents us. I think in today's mass design culture it can often be a struggle to create a home that reflects your unique style and not Pottery Barn's style!  

When Steve and I built our home, we searched local flea markets and antique stores to fill up our home. It was also the year that Michael Bruno started 1st Dibs. What an amazing resource that has been!

We found this French book shelf on 1st Dibs when we first built our home. I love it because of its unique curves and beautiful aged finish. I haven't seen another piece like it. 

My French settee and my vintage Murano glass ceiling fixture were also great 1st Dibs finds. My Swedish clock and French clock face were found at a local flea market. Because our house was new, it was important to me to find old pieces that would make our home feel lived in. I also chose pieces that felt "accessible" and not too "hands off" , because most importantly this is our family home. 

5. Memories. A couple of years ago we took our children to Italy. While we were in Venice we stumbled upon a little lighting store run by two charming sisters who spoke absolutely no English. Their light fixtures were beautiful. I knew that I wanted to purchase a few of them as mementos of our trip.

Steve and I bought a pair of these sconces and two sets of table lamps.

 

I love the way the sconces look in my bathroom, but this isn't the only thing I see when I look at them...
 

My sconces will always remind me of our wonderful trip and this moment in our lives.

6. History.  I love buying antiques  because of the unique story behind the pieces. I think this is why I'm drawn to our Swedish furniture. In the 1700's the Gustavian style evolved from the popular French styles of the time, but they also reflect the more humble character of Sweden. Learning about the history of these pieces made me appreciate them and want to have them in our home and our shop. 

 

7. Emotions. Yes, I must admit that ultimately I buy something because when I see it, it just makes me smile. 

When Steve and I first got married, we found this quirky little vanity at an antique store. I loved everything about it: the curvy lines, the crusty paint, the little carved legs. It came with us from our old  home....

 

to our present home, and I still love it!
  

So what have you taught me? That ultimately I buy what speaks to me. In each case it may be for one, a few or all of the reasons I have listed. It doesn't matter if a piece is old or new, cheap or expensive, from a catalogue or from a family trip. Each piece not only fills my home with the things I need, but they also reflect my personality and my values. 

As always, I'd love to hear your thoughts!

If you subscribe to my blog you can click here to get to this post and leave a comment.

xo

Brooke

  

my office and a question about personal style

When I did my post about my office, I mentioned my plan to use a the Regal French Chandelier  that I found in the Wisteria catalogue for $249.00. 

 

I got a few e-mails telling me that they thought I could do better.  I took these comments to heart. Was I really settling? Was this lantern not pretty enough? cheap looking?  too kitschy? As an interior designer, should I be above finding items in a catalogue? 

I started looking for other alternatives.  I found this great looking lantern from Authentic Provence, but at $3,500 it was a bit too authentic for my budget.

 

Suzanne Kasler's Honore Lantern is beautiful. It is one of the only lanterns that I found that had a glass bottom. This is a very important feature when looking for a lantern to put above a dining table, desk, or other work space.  At $1,050.00 it wasn't completely out of my budget, but I kept wondering if it was that much better than the Wisteria lantern. Plus I was also thinking of doing a matching lantern above my farmhouse table. Two Wisteria lanterns would be $500. Two Honore lanterns would be $2,100. I could think of a lot of other ways to spend that extra $1,600!

I decided to wait until my lantern arrived before I made my final decision. Well, it came last week, and I really liked it!

The finish is just the right color for the room, and the scale of the lantern is perfect. 

The question that I kept asking myself about the lantern has now been on my mind quite a bit. As a designer (or anyone who follows design) do I have to abandon the things I love once they hit the mainstream? Are my beloved treasures junk once they hit a catalogue?

I think many of us asked ourselves that question when we received our most recent Restoration Hardware Catalogue. Not only has Restoration Hardware discovered Belgian style, but apparently they are following us to our favorite antique shops!

Steve found these vintage eye glass molds at an antique shop in Maine...

Only to see them a month later in the Restoration Hardware catalogue!

If Aidan Gray starts ruffling the edges of books and selling them in bundles....

 

and Wisteria starts making storage boxes like these...

Does that cheapen my beautifully aged  books?

  Do I now have to pack up my books and move on?

 

My old faded sea shells, displayed in my shelves with my collection of antique books. 

What about my hotel silver? I'm sure it is only a matter of time (minutes or seconds) until I start seeing copies in catalogues. Will it be time for a garage sale?

It's an interesting time for design. I don't think there has ever been another time where beautiful design has been so accessible. In this situation, is it still ok to love the original things that are copied. What about loving the copies?

I would argue that we should do as we always have done: buy and surround ourselves with the things we love. It's the way in which we combine and edit our treasures that creates our personal style. 

I'd love to hear your thoughts on this. Do you agree with me, or do you think that mass design means it's time to move on?

If you subscribe to my e-mail feed click here to go to this post and leave a comment.

xo

Brooke

maine - the barn update and a reminder to vote for valorie!

Before I start this post, I wanted to let you know that my dear friend, Valorie from Visual Vamp has made it into the next round of the Apartment Therapy Room for Color Contest. Valorie's office is amazing. We only have 24 hours to vote for her. To vote click here.

Thank you everyone for all of your wonderful comments about Steve's project in Maine. I have saved the best for last. The barn is really a magical building.

Steve and our client, interior designer Courtney Hollander, had so much fun designing the furniture and lighting for this project. You might recognize the Leila chair at the end of the dining table. Steve also designed the two tier lantern. 

Courtney scoured the local antique shops for unique pieces to add charm to the barn.

A pair of striped Nate chairs create a seating area on the second floor landing. The lanterns are from Circa Antiques

I absolutely LOVE this bathroom. My favorite detail.....

The wood beams in the shower! How cool is that?

No barn would be complete without a bunk room.
 

This door opens to a balcony overlooking the two story space.

All of the barn bathrooms use the same materials: soapstone slabs, white oak cabinets, California One Kote walls, and a few old beams. 
 

I am looking forward to finally visiting Maine in June! 

Also, you may not hear from me for the next couple of days. I'm having some minor surgery today . Don't worry, nothing life threatening. Apparently I not only create rooms, but I also create gall stones! 

I'll be back by the weekend, I promise :)

xo

Brooke

maine update #4

Although I love working on projects with Steve, I feel like our work is really enhanced when one of us collaborates with another designer. The house that Steve just completed in Maine is a perfect example. This Maine home and barn is a project that Steve designed with our client, Interior Designer Courtney Hollander. 

On the outside it looks like a classic shingle style home that fits in perfectly in the Maine landscape.

 

Stone pillars flank the front entrance to the main home.

The interior of the home was inspired by contemporary Belgian design. Walls paneled in white oak add  warmth to the rooms. Steve painted the painting above the fireplace during this visit. 

It's such an inspiring landscape.

Courtney added color to the room through her rug selections. A pair of vintage French leather chairs and antiques found in the local antique stores bring so much character and warmth to the main living room. 

 

On top of an old safe used as a side table sits a collection of vintage lawn bowling balls in a rustic bowl. 

Leila chairs covered in a natural linen sit at each end of the dining table. Two neutral striped Nick chairs and an ottoman became as a perfect place to play chess. 

 

The kitchen cabinets are made out of quarter sawn white oak. The stone behind the oven is Canadian soapstone. The counter tops are honed Absolut black granite. 
 

Like all of the floors in the home, the floors in the kitchen are fumed white oak. 

 

All of the cabinet hardware compliments the elegant custom stainless steel hood.

Four natural linen Harper chairs create a cozy seating area in the sunroom. For a pop of color, Courtney covered the chaise that Steve designed in a wonderful citrus green linen. 

 

In each room Courtney found unique pieces to use as bedside tables, like this campaign table. The headboard is covered in woven linen accented with bronze studs. 
 

Like the kitchen the counter tops in the laundry honed Absolut black granite. 
 

The main house has a light two story entry. Other than the paneled walls, all of the walls are finished in California One Kote.  Steve designed the iron lantern. 
 

The simple iron railing compliments the lantern.
 

Two citrus green Nate chairs and an industrial table create a cozy reading nook on the landing under the antique barn beams. 
 

 

Another view of those fantastic beams from the upstairs family room. Courtney covered the Nate sectional in a soft grey chenille. 
 

I loved these vintage bathing suits so much that I bought some for the store. Aren't they fantastic!
 

With a view like that who could ever watch television? 

Steve designed this lantern as well.
 

Courtney used a  stack of vintage trunks in one of the kid's bedrooms. The bench that Steve designed sits at the end of the bed. 
 

The window seat is surrounded by white oak cabinetry with leather pulls.
 

Pietra del Cardoza marble was used in this bathroom. 
 

I love the color palette that Courtney chose for the master bedroom. I could imagine spending hours sitting in one of those chalky blue chairs looking out at the view.
 

I'm not sure how Courtney can expect anyone to get any work done looking out at the water. 
 

Ah, the master bath!
 

With another jaw dropping view. 

 

The landscape architect Bruce Riddell used boulders and natural elements to tie the house in with the landscape. He really did an amazing job. 


Of course, Steve and Courtney could never have completed this project so beautifully if it wasn't for the amazing team that their general contractor Mike Hewes assembled.

I promise to post new pictures of the barn (it looks amazing) in the next couple of days. I am off to get ready for our art show this evening. Michael Abrams' artwork is amazing. Hope you can stop by!

xo

Brooke

my interview on ivan meade's blog

I remember several months ago I stumbled upon Ivan Meade's blog. Ivan must have what us Jews call Chutzpah (translated to mean "a lot of guts", if I don't want to be more crude), because he seems to be able to get all of my favorite designers to do interviews on his blog. 

If you don't believe me, just check out his interview with: Darryl Carter, Barbara Barry, Martyn Lawrence Bullard, and Thomas O'Brien to name just a few. 

So you can only imagine how honored I was when he asked to interview me!!! I'd love you to check out my interview and please leave a comment, so I don't feel completely out of my league!!! 

I know you'll love Ivan's blog. Not only does he do wonderful interview, but he's a man who is willing to do anything for a good cause, like donning a beautiful brassiere for Breast Cancer Awareness Month!

 

Thank you Ivan for all of you support, in more ways than one!!!

xo

Brooke

my friend visual vamp

I've always heard that opposites attract, and that has never been more true than my friendship with Valorie Hart. Perhaps that is why I am so intrigued by her. For those of you who have yet to discover the blog Visual Vamp, Valorie is the writer and  wonderfully artistic woman who now lives in New Orleans with the love of her life/tango partner Alberto.  

Julie, Julie Neil, Valorie, and (the very sweaty) Me at Porch in New Orleans last April. 

Why do I think we are opposites? Valorie tells it like it is. I am a people pleaser at heart. Valorie is all colors. I am all neutrals. Valorie has learned to live her life unabashedly. I'm still learning this! I am so thankful to have Valorie in my life, so when I saw that she entered a room in the Apartment Therapy Room for Color Contest I couldn't wait to see it.  Her room  was so Valorie! It was daring, beautiful, and unexpected. I immediately voted for her room. 

I wasn't surprised to find out that Valorie's room made it to the next round! 

Not only do I love this room because it exemplifies Valorie's style, but it also perfectly reflects the beautiful spicy colors of New Orleans, the city that Valorie loves.

I don't know anyone other than Valorie that would hang these vintage educational skeleton posters in their breakfast room! I love that the one on the left is sporting a cool Mardi Gras mask.

This is Valorie's office. I haven't had the pleasure of actually being in this space, but I can only imagine how wonderful it would be to be fully surrounded in the Place Late Tomato color  on the walls and ceiling. So dramatic, just like Valorie.

If you are as impressed with Valorie's talent to create such a beautiful, fully realized and daring room a I am  then vote for Valorie!

The voting process is a bit confusing, but Valorie has made it a bit easier. Here is the advice that Valorie gave to me to pass on to you:

It's a bit of pain the way Apartment Therapy has set up their Room For Color contest.
You have to register to vote.
And now you have to vote again for those who have made it to the next round!
My room has made it to the next round.
I have lived in New Orleans for ten years now, and I bring my New York roots to my love for my adopted city of New Orleans.
The room you are looking at is my office. 
You peek through an original archway into my office, which is flanked by the pair of vintage skeleton charts. One of them sports a Mardi Gras mask.
The color palette is Late Creole Tomato (a coral based red), Vibrant Turquoise, and Sophisticated Chartreuse.
Generous  built in shelves house my collection of design books. A white cowhide rug makes the space cozy. A pair of pale aqua lamps with couture lampshades from Paris grace my desk, an antique table from France. Nestled into a corner is a Gris-Gris altar, filled with mementos found and given to her over the years. During Katrina, the home was spared, and many credit the power of this altar for saving it!
So please vote! A vote for this room is a vote for New Orleans, as well as for The Visual Vamp!
But please vote right away! You only get 24 hours to cast your vote in this round. If you pull me through to the next round, you'll be ready to make me a winner!

Go HERE to vote NOW! Look for the skeletons in the thumbnail photo.
It's a little confusing, so try to vote HERE too - but remember you can only vote in this round on Wednesday October 21.

xo

Brooke

tritter feefer at giannetti home

As many of you know, several months ago my friend Things that Inspire recommended that I  look at a new furniture line called Tritter Feefer. She had recently purchased a desk through them and was really impressed by their reasonable prices and the incredible quality of their finishes. Since Things that Inspire has impeccable taste, I checked out the Tritter Feefer website immediately and was not disappointed.  

The first piece that drew my eye was the Natalie Writing Desk. I was looking for a desk for my new office, and originally thought I would only be happy with an antique. The Natalie had the curvy feminine lines I was looking for without being too ornate. Hmmm.... maybe I didn't need to find an antique!

 

When the finish samples arrived, I fell in love with the light wood color of the Venice finish option. So I placed my order!

 

A couple weeks later I went to Atlanta. During our visit to America's Mart, we went into this fantastic showroom. The furniture pieces were beautiful... and familiar! Yes, we were in the Tritter Feefer showroom. I introduced myself to the lovely man and woman who were in the showroom and started gushing about how well designed of the furniture pieces were. It turned out that the man and woman were Mary Louise Littlefield (ML) and Bill Aultman,  the owner's of Tritter Feefer. 

ML and I chatting about the pretty Venice finish on the Paris Side Table. 

ML and I hit it off right away. She loved all of the things I love. She included these wonderfully patina-ed architectural fragments  paired with old sea shells in the showroom displays. What could be better?
 

This unique piece caught my eye.
 

It was such a treat getting to spend time with ML and Bill. They explained that their company was named after the nicknames of their two grandchildren, Tristan and Faith. How sweet is that?

The finishes were even more beautiful in person. Bill told me that Tritter Feefer is a very environmentally conscious company and all of their finishes are water based. Also, all of their pieces are made here in the United States. 

After seeing the finishes in person I began questioning my original finish choice. They were all so gorgeous. How was I going to choose? After changing my mind at least 6 times I finally selected the chalky grey blue Sausalito finish.

I also picked out the smaller Elizabeth Writing Desk for my client. We chose the creamy Toulouse finish.

Not only were we thrilled with the quality of the pieces, working with Tritter Feefer was a pleasure. All of the employees were always helpful and nothing was ever a bother (even my crazy finish changes!). It was such a wonderful experience that we decided to sell the Tritter Feefer line through our store. 

Here are some of my favorite pieces...

The Gabrielle Chest has clean lines reminiscent of the Swedish pieces that I love. It retails for $1,650.

The Gussie Demi-Lunes are another of my favorites that are inspired by simple Swedish design. They retail for $850.00 each.

My client's Elizabeth Writing Desk is the perfect little French inspired piece. It  retails for $1,250.

My beautiful Natalie desk is only $1,450!

Tritter Feefer also makes a more rustic styled Trestle Dining Table. It's available in 6', 7', and 8'. Prices range from $1,350 to $1,650.

 

The Directoire Dining Table is another cleaned up classic. I love its slim tapered legs. It's also available in 6', 7', and 8'. It retails for $1,650 to $1,850.

If you need a round dining table, their well proportioned Baluster Dining Table is a fantastic option. Available in sizes 42" through 72". Prices range from $1,350 to $3,200.

I adore the Candace Headboard because it's not big and bulky.  It comes in King, Queen and Twin and retails for $1,650/$1,450/$1,250.

The classic design of the Gabby Mirror makes it another of my favorites. I could imagine it in many of Tritter Feefer's beautiful finishes. It retails for $1,450.

Most of their pieces can also be made in custom sizes!

If you would like help ordering any of the Tritter Feefer pieces, Gina and I would be happy to help you. Feel free to e-mail Gina: Gina@giannettiarchitects.com

We can also help you pick out one of the many beautiful finishes for your piece. Oh, and of course V&L friends get 10% off! 

xo

Brooke

bloggers that i love and a linen binder update....

Every now and then I feel the need to share what my fellow bloggers are up to...

As those of you who follow Cote de Texas, know our friend Jackie Von Tobel has written a new book called The Design Directory of Bedding.

 Oh if only Jackie had written this book before I had to make this bed I wouldn't have been suicidal trying to figure out the proportions for this bed corona! 

Usually I tear apart my books and scan the images to include in my posts, but this book is too good to tear apart. You will have to trust that it is filled with Jackie's beautiful drawings that depict every bedding option every imagined. Like Jackie's book The Design Directory of Window Treatments, her new bedding book is a wonderful resource for any interior designer.  

Her directory of window treatments helped me to explain the difference between this flat roman shade...

and this soft pleated shade in a home that we are working on right now. 

Jackie's drawings are quite convincing! You can order The Design Directory of Bedding  here. To order The Design Directory of Window Treatments click here.

Onto another amazing blogger....

A few months ago I discovered Kelley's blog, The Polished Pebble. What she is creating is my dream property... a home in Ojai, California with its own sustainable garden.

Her recent post on her gravel driveway provided so much inspiration for my own gravel project. 

How charming is Kelley's drive shaded by those stunning Oaks (oh, gosh, I think they are Oaks, Kelley?). Kelley is such a generous blogger friend. We have been e-mailing back and forth about the how to's of gravel driveways. 

 

Kelley also shares her interior design projects... Her Bamboo Daybed post is just 

wonderful, and we share a love of dried hydrangeas!

I know you will love the Polished Pebble as much as I do!

Okay, so now we come to the linen binder update.... I still haven't found the binders but I did find everything else covered in natural linen at Exposures. 

Their sailcloth linen is the perfect color. It's exactly what I was looking for, although I'm not sure why they didn't do a coordinating 3 ring binder!!!

I also LOVE the steel colored Margo storage collection. They are the perfect grey blue color.

I'm off to pass out on the couch with the kids, dogs and Steve before I read with Leila (our book group is reading one of my favorite childhood classics The Phantom Tollbooth). 

Enjoy the rest of your weekend!

xo

Brooke

rose tarlow's new showroom on melrose ave.

As many of you already know I am a huge admirer of Rose Tarlow. This image of her own home pretty much explains why. Her neutral palette, combination of textures and addition of the unexpected make this room sing.

image via Veranda

Ms. Tarlow has an ability to create relaxed displays that feel collected over time. The rustic textures and aged patinas create the interest. 

image via Veranda

For the past year I have driven by the construction site of Rose Tarlow's new showroom on Melrose Avenue waiting for the construction barriers to come down. Given that the showroom was designed by Ms. Tarlow and architect Mark Appleton, I knew that it would be well worth the very difficult wait!

Finally, a couple of weeks ago the invitation for the official opening party came in the mail. I was so disappointed when I read the invitation and it said that the date of the party was during my trip to Texas! How could this be? 

Well today I finally had the chance to visit the showroom, and I wasn't disappointed. The exterior architecture is a modern clean interpretation of  traditional architecture. 

 

 

The open two story space is the perfect back drop for Ms. Tarlow's furniture line.
 

Before the showroom opened to the public, Ms. Tarlow created all the vignettes herself. No one was allowed into the showroom until she had it just the way she envisioned. Pictures were taken of the completed showroom so that all of the pieces would remain in the exact same places until Rose Tarlow decides to make a change.

 

Most of the upholstered pieces are covered in neutral textural fabrics. There are small punches of colors in pillows as well as in the foliage.

The Propeller table is one of my favorite new additions to Rose Tarlow's furniture line.

The combination of exquisite finishes and classic design makes all of the pieces in Ms. Tarlow's line feel like they are well loved antiques, even though they are new. 

The detailing of this Wallace Reading Table is exquisite. Are you sure it's not an antique? Nobody makes furniture like this anymore!

 

The pairing of the Vaucluse Cabinet with rustic pots and a gilded mirror is inspired.
 

The simplicity of the iron and wood Oppede Bed was dreamy.

A cozy blue throw is draped over a striped Louis XVI Jacob Armchair. The Paddington Sofa is upholstered in a neutral fabric and accented with pale blue pillows. The W Reeded Bois Coffee Table is new to line. 

 

The Chelsea Chair has a caned ottoman that can be stored underneath.
 

The legs of the ottoman have the shape as the back legs of the chair! The curved back makes this chair incredibly comfortable.

 

My friend, designer Courtney Hollander thought it was cozy!
 

Courtney was drawn to the pairing of the Shorter Library Chair (with a pretty green lumbar pillow) and the linen covered Picadilly Lounge Chair.

I was busy coveting this Sophia Chair. Isn't she pretty? So feminine.
 

This miniature leather chair was charmingly unexpected.

Look at the distressed finish of the Cashel Console. It looks like it's 100 years old (in a good way!)
 

Steve, we need a library so we can have one of these Dayton Hall Library Steps.
 

The finish on the iron rail is perfection too.
 

The multi-level Windsor Coffee Table is a Rose Tarlow classic.

I was exhausted by the time I got upstairs where all of the fabrics are beautifully displayed. You'll have to visit yourself to see them. Believe me, you're going to love the whole showroom. It's like Disneyland for interior design fanatics, like me. Truly the happiest place on earth :)

Thank you to Dawn for helping Courtney and me. If you stop by I know you will find Dawn to be incredibly helpful as well. She knows everything!

xo

Brooke

willow farm, a blog award and my wisteria chandelier...

I wasn't going to do a post today, but I had to thank Sara from Nantucket Home for the link to Willow Farm. How cool is this?

 

This thatched roof reminded me of my friend Greet in Belgium (of course, her thatched roof is on her gorgeous outbuilding here). If only I could fit this little hutch somewhere...

I also want to thank my friend Laura Casey for giving me this wonderful blog award!

Laura's blog quickly became one of my daily reads. This post about Suzanne Kasler's inspiration was one of my favorite posts, and so was this one (who doesn't love a little Palladio?)!

Oh, and my Wisteria Regal French Lantern was delivered today! Valorie, you may end up loving it much as I do. It really is pretty!

Thank you to everyone who left comments about my home projects. I love hearing your ideas. Design bloggers are so creative!

xo

Brooke