Tag: New England

Green UP with Fresh Wall Planters

Photo Credit: FreshHome

If you’ve been looking for a way to incorporate foliage into your interior design but just don’t have the floor space for planters, check out this idea from FreshHome. These unique wall-mounted planters grow flowers, succulents, ferns and ivies indoors right on your living room wall so you can maximize your home’s space. FreshHome notes that the plants grow in a planting grid, while a white cedar wood frame houses a watering tray on top that trickles water down to each pocket in the grid. All excess water is collected in a tray on the bottom. If you love nature and plants these wall-mounted planters and freestanding models are an easy way to add a breathtaking plant display to your home.

For more information from HM Oliver Interiors on wall planters, click here.

The Unfortunate Celebrity of the Painted Ladies

The Victorian-style and architecture of San Fransisco’s Painted Ladies is getting an unusual amount of attention this week as its size is being used as a measure of volume in relation to the recent oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico. The Architect’s Newspaper Blog created an image by Hulett Jones of the San Francisco firm Jones | Haydu. Basically, 10,000 barrels of oil spillage (approximately 2 days) would roughly fill up the size of a Victorian row house in San Francisco meaning that at this point, we’ve filled up almost 12 houses worth!

Enchant Mom With The Majesty of an Orchid This Mother’s Day

What better way to commemorate mom’s special day than with a beautiful orchid?! For centuries, these enchanting plants have captivated the attention of both flower enthusiasts and laypeople alike. HM Oliver and Marvin Gardens encourages you to consider dazzling the wonderful mothers in your lives this Mother’s Day with one of these striking blossoms. Take a peek below at some of our favorite types from Orchidaceous.

Odcdm. Catante Pacific Sun Spot

Cymbidium Kenny "Best"

Colm. Wildcat Yellow Cat

Dtps. Taida Salu "Alisan"

The History of Decoupage

The beautiful art of decoupage is one that is timeless and yet unrelentingly vintage at the same time in today’s traditional design. And it seems to be making its rounds in some of today’s most enchanted showrooms. According to out friends at Design Sponge, the craft is thought to have its roots in East Siberian tomb art and was later perfected in China where it was used as early as the 12th century for decorative objects. Throughout Europe in the 18th century, Venetian artisans developed the technique of taking sheets of engravings which were hand-colored, and cutting and pasting them onto the surface of furniture. Several layers of varnish were applied to create the high-gloss sheen reminiscent of traditional lacquer work. The Venetians called this relatively inexpensive technique lacca povera and the French later renamed it decoupage.

“Magnolia” from the Mary Delany Collection at The British Museum

Spanish lacca povera box sold at Christies

Photo Credit: Design Sponge

Not Your Grandma’s Rocking Chair

If you’re like most, the image that comes to mind when you hear “rocking chair” is probably something involving a comfortable old wooden, creaky porch chair with a grandma not too far off in the distance gathering her knitting needles and yarn.

The creative individuals at Studiobility have set out on a mission to dispel rocking chairs’ associations with ho-hum docility and have created the “Rocking Beauty.” This modern chair is an extension of the inner beauty concept, a piece where masculine meets feminine, according to Interior Complex. Designed by Gudrun Lilja Gunnlaugsdottir, Rocking Beauty is made from water-jet cut aluminum, macralon and plywood.

The vertical stripes are a precise blend of creams, grays and whites of differing widths, which create a harmonious look. The floral decorations of the side of the rocking chair are quite unique and give the inside an open and airy look. It is these unique qualities which give a definitive appeal to this modern rocking chair.

The Wilton Playshop Presents: Italian American Reconciliation

Oscar, Tony and Pulitzer prize winning writer John Patrick Shanley’s Italian American Reconciliation is coming to The Wilton Playshop this spring with performances beginning Friday, April 30 and running through Saturday, May 8. The production is being sponsored by HSBC, The World’s Local Bank.

Directed by Jeanine DeFalco of Trumbull, the play is a romantic comedy set in downtown New York that captures the emotional ups and down of love, marriage, divorce, hot tempers, and torrid romance. The production includes a talented cast and crew from throughout Fairfield County including Michael Limone of Stamford as Aldo Scalicki, Glenn Packman of Norwalk as Huey Maximilian Bonfigliano, Dana Dicerto of Norwalk as Teresa, Jessie Gilbertof Weston as Aunt May and Nancy Anderson of Fairfield as Janice.

Tickets for The Italian American Reconciliation are available for performances Friday April 30th and Saturday May 1st at 8 pm, Sunday May 2nd, at 2 pm, with Open Captioning for the hearing impaired, and Friday and Saturday, May 7th and 8th at 8 pm.

Tickets are $20 for general admission and $15 for students and seniors. For ticket information contact the Wilton Playshop atwww.tickets@wiltonplayshop.org and (203)762-7629.

For more information contact: Toni Lee, (203) 761-1268.

Get Inspired!

When you take a vacation to a new destination — be it exotic or simply different from where you live your daily life — there are plenty of adventures waiting to transpire. Maybe you take pleasure in seeing the architecture, savoring new foods, or hearing a different language. Maybe you just like the experience of a different culture and the feeling you get when listening to music and entertainment that is completely different from your own. Or maybe for you, the best part of traveling just might be the fact that it provides heaps of decorating inspiration! If so, voyage cautiously — there are definitely some common mistakes you’ll want to steer clear of.

Home Envy has put together a great DOs and DON’Ts list for travel-inspired decorating for those of you hoping to recreate that dream destination atmosphere right at home.

Inspiring design from the Villa Ephrussi de Rothschild during our trip to France

A few of our favorites are:

DO make room for furnishings that look well-traveled or well-loved. A Turkish table with inlaid mother-of-pearl and ivory suggests a trip to Morocco or Turkey, while a vintage trunk may have traveled on the Queen Mary.

DON’T copy any regional style literally or you run the risk of developing “Epcot Syndrome”. Santa Fe style looks perfectly appropriate in New Mexico and works very well in Arizona and Los Angeles, but it may fall somewhat short in eastern Canada where geography and light are vastly different. Terracotta tiles, Navajo rugs, and religious iconography can however mix well (and look appropriate) when combined with other classic American-style furnishings.

Click here for the compete list.

The Song of The Crocus Fairy

Along with Tulips and Daffodils, Crocuses are flowers most commonly associated with spring. Fittingly, “The Song of the Crocus Fairy” is the first poem in Cicely Mary Barker’s classic book, Flower Fairies of the Spring, and crocus fairies are pictured on the cover. This very book has served as inspiration for some of the world’s most notable gardeners.

Crocuses are most often found in Lilac, mauve, yellow and white and there are approximately 80 species and 30 cultivars and they are an absolute sight to see during a spring shower. Be sure to keeps your eyes out for these beauties through the month of April!