Good Bones Great Pieces

Brimfield, Spring 2013

goodbone — Wed, 15 May 2013 09:31:58 +0000

One of our favorite parts about going to Brimfield is bumping into friends and colleagues along the mile-long stretch of antique-filled fields. Considering how massive this show is, we’re always amazed by how many familiar faces we see. Yesterday I ran into my best childhood friend, Allegra, on the side of the road! Allegra is a vintage jewelry buyer for Ralph Lauren and travels all around the country, scouring antique fairs and markets for great pieces. Brimfield is one of her favorite spots. Here we are yesterday afternoon documenting this happy moment!We’ve learned from years of going to Brimfield that if you want to buy the best pieces, you have to get up early. And by early, we mean, arrive at the fields at 5:30 AM. Brimfield is made up of a series of fields along Route 1 in Brimfield, MA and most of the fields are open for the entire 6 day show. However, there are a few fields that open up for just a morning or an afternoon that you have to pay to get in to (tickets are usually about $5). These fields have more edited booths with better dealers where you can find some really great collectibles and furniture. The only catch is that you have to be there right when these fields open and you have to be ready to run around like a maniac and make quick decisions; if you don’t buy it, someone else will!We arrived late in the afternoon yesterday so a lot had already been picked over. However, there were a few things that caught our eye. This pair of antique sculptures were quite beautiful. We wish we were designing a library or den because there was a great selection of vintage leather chairs at one tent.
Anyone else at Brimfield this week? We plan on hitting the New England Motel at 5:30 AM, Heart of the Mart at 9 AM, and Pines if we have the energy at Noon. Hope to see some of you out there! Let the games begin!

Decorative Trays

goodbone — Mon, 13 May 2013 09:19:40 +0000

Hello everyone! Thanks for bearing with us last week on the posts. We spent most of the week preparing for and installing Abby Larson’s (Style Me Pretty) house in Massachusetts. After six months of working with Abby to totally transform her home, we were so excited for the final installation. Usually, over the month leading up a big install, we start collecting accessories and little knick knacks to sprinkle around the house. One of the tabletops that always gets special attention is the coffee table. For Abby’s living room, we bought an oversized wicker tray with handles on either side. Below is another client’s living room coffee table where we used one of Jonathan Adler’s chocolate-brown lacquer trays. Putting a decorative tray on your coffee table is an easy way to fill up some of the “dead space” on the table. There’s nothing worse than a totally blank coffee table!
Below, another client’s coffee table where a similar styling technique was used, adding a book, a vase of flowers, and some little bowls to create a layered effect.

Two different trays were used on this long and skinny coffee table featured in Lonny magazine, below.

Coffee table trays present a great opportunity to show off a collection of objects. When company is over, your collection moves elsewhere and the tray becomes the perfect place to put coasters, cocktail napkins and even a few glasses.

The same decorative tray you use on your coffee table can be used as a bar tray or even in your bedroom on top of a dresser or vanity to organize makeup or jewelry on. These are some of our favorite decorative trays right now (we’re especially fond of these at the moment because they effortlessly move from your coffee table to your patio or backyard):

From left to right: West Elm, C Wonder, Zinc Door, Jonathan Adler for JC Penney, Jonathan Adler for JC Penney, Two’s Company, Cost Plus World Market.

Kelli Ford’s Beach House

goodbone — Wed, 08 May 2013 14:54:01 +0000

The June issue of Veranda magazine (on newsstands now) is filled with gorgeous photography of summery interiors, but the champion is this Southampton ocean side home. Full disclosure: we don’t know sibling interior design partners Kelli Ford and Kristen Fitzgibbons personally, but we are especially interested in everything they do because they are sisters, and we know a little bit about what it’s like to work with family! We’re also fans of the blue and white combo, but featuring lavender in the mix is a brave and bold move. Below, the living room, which previous owner and Veranda contributing editor, Carolyne Roehm lined with floor to ceiling delft tile. Who does that? A genius. As designers, we are often left with remnants of past designer’s contributions when we take on a new project, and there is always a discussion about what works and what needs to change. After all, let’s not be wasteful! The decision to leave the delft tiles lining the walls of this room was a good one. It became the launching point, and as you can see, the designers made courageous choices in upholstering the furniture pieces in bold textiles, all of which are in the same tonality, so that it’s not jarring, just really interesting.
Lauren thinks I’m old fashioned, but I adore dining chairs upholstered in a large check pattern like this. and the combination of pretty blue walls and maize colored check is wonderful. Look at that view! This kitchen is the ultimate in simplicity. When your cooking is all about grilling and picnicking, this is the kitchen you need. The deck is just dreamy.
Designer Ford said wanted the house to be “a place to lure our girls back after they were grown and gone.” We can see how this could easily be achieved. The girls bedrooms are awash with prints. It’s funny to me since this look was popular at the beginning of my career as an interior designer. It’s very Sister Parish. These prints selected for the curtains and bed skirts here have been reinvented with bolder, more modern color combinations. We’re inspired.
Take a look at the combination of lavender walls with this blue and white print. Love the shape of the headboards, too. See how the upholsterer made the large leaf the focal point in the center of the headboard? These details are so well executed throughout.
The master bedroom headboard is upholstered in a Allen Campbell/Quadrille fabric that we adore, and we just love the hot pink linens from Matouk. So feminine and over the top! The bathroom is tiled floor to ceiling in this amazing blue ceramic tile. Seriously fab. Something tells me this works so well in particular because this room gets an enormous amount of natural light. Isn’t it fun to have a view into such a magical, colorful home?
What beach house are you inspired by?

the front hall

goodbone — Tue, 07 May 2013 09:28:41 +0000

Decorating a front hall or entryway with style is akin to wearing the right outfit to a job interview. First impressions matter. In our way of thinking, less is more. When it comes to front hallways, the keys to an interesting first look are crisp color, natural light, and at least one interesting surface to drop keys, phones, and mail on. Lately, we’ve been looking for inspiration from some of our favorite designers. The stand-outs contain edited, classical pieces, and few of them. Here are a few of our favorites. Below, a very architectural setting calls for an unusually graphic bench in this interior designed by Victoria Hagan.
Another center hall decorated by Victoria Hagan’s careful touch. This large room has relatively few furniture pieces, but many personal touches. The branches climbing up the stairway add some whimsy to a space that is otherwise very formal.
Hanging photographs artfully along the wall going upstairs is such a nice touch. We love that they’re a mixture of landscapes and personal photos.
This wonderful front hall, decorated by Peter Dunham (House Beautiful) caught our eye because he so successfully brought the garden inside in the form of the clay potted plant. The settee beside it adds an exotic touch, covered in a subtle Samarkand.In this narrow hallway, there’s little room for furniture. The details are in the wallpaper, the hardware (super shiny polished brass), and the elegant hanging lantern.Do you have a favorite front hall that inspires you? Please share!

ribbon details

goodbone — Fri, 03 May 2013 09:36:20 +0000

One of the things we’ve been seeing a lot of in the past year or so is upholstered furniture with ribbon detailing and contrast piping. Adding a ribbon detail on a club chair like the one below (room designed by Miles Redd) transforms a fairly ordinary chair. With just two yards of ribbon and a little imagination, this piece is immediately more interesting. At the Hickory Chair showroom at High Point last week, designer Alexa Hampton, showed an Hermes-orange sofa with brown tape ribbon on the seat cushions. On both the seat back and seat cushions, Suzanne Kasler created a graphic look with black ribbon on white upholstery. Contrast piping/welting has also become very popular. Designer Alexa Hampton freshened up a chocolate-brown velvet sofa with white piping at High Point.Contrast piping at decorator Elizabeth Bauer’s Nantucket store. We love how the white piping highlights the wonderful scallop shape of this slipper chair. Embellishing simple white or neutral window treatments with ribbon is something we love to do. We’ll often choose a mid-priced neutral fabric for window treatments and amp things up with some luxe ribbon. At the Traditional Home show house we visited in Greensboro, NC while at this past market, designer Suzanne Kasler used a beautiful mustard yellow velvet on her window treatments.

Pillows are an easy way to get in on the ribbon trend without breaking the bank. These are some of our favorites that we saw last summer in Nantucket.
What do you think about embellishing furniture and accessories with ribbon? Here to stay or passing trend?

220 Elm at High Point

goodbone — Wed, 01 May 2013 13:17:02 +0000

This trip to High Point (the furniture market in North Carolina that happens twice a year), we were lucky enough to get sponsored by a building called 220 Elm. 220 Elm houses some of the more contemporary furniture exhibitors at High Point, as well as some of the best Italian brands in the world. One of our favorite companies in 220 Elm is a North Carolina furniture company called Younger. Younger makes many of the upholstered pieces that you see in stores at Room & Board, CB2, and Crate & Barrel. They make great city living pieces, like this tufted blue sectional below. We fell in love with the freshness of this color and the perfect proportions of this sofa. Sectionals can often be so overwhelming and not suited for small spaces but this one would work in many city apartments.

A new chair by Younger in a fun, graphic pattern. We have a feeling you’ll be seeing this style everywhere.

A modern armless sofa in a cheery mustard yellow.

Another one of Younger’s well proportioned sofas, inspired by mid-century modern archetypes.

A fun little coffee table…

We’re always on the look out for affordable bed manufacturers and we discovered Skyline Furniture MFG this market. They make just about every style of headboard imaginable that can easily be made into a full bed or left as just a headboard. We love finding new resources like this!

An example of some of the headboard styles they make. We’re especially fond of the scalloped one on the top. An adorable armless settee in fun bird print.Lief Peterson is another one of our go-to 220 Elm exhibitors. They represent a number of European furniture makers. These dining chairs caught our eye because of their simplicity. Domitalia makes some fun novelty pieces like these champagne cork stools. So cute!Enjoy this beautiful Spring day!

Neoprene Laptop Case

goodbone — Tue, 30 Apr 2013 16:38:33 +0000

We’re both constantly carrying around our laptops with us wherever we go. Right now we both have boring black cases that just aren’t cutting it in the style department. Considering our laptops are a constant presence in our bags, it would be nice to have a cover with a little more cheer. After a bit of research, we’ve both fallen in love with Marc by Marc Jacobs’ new neoprene “Drew Blossom” zip case (click here to purchase). Inspired by our favorite Liberty of London prints, it comes in two different color ways (perfect for us). We’ve never been so excited to pull out our laptops in public!How great is the neon back and interior? The other available color way is navy blue, orange, and hot pink–also a great combination.
Anyone else ready for a laptop cover update? What cover do you have?

Curator’s Collection on Joss & Main

goodbone — Mon, 29 Apr 2013 09:40:51 +0000

We’re so excited to start the week off with our Curated Collection Sale with Joss & Main (click here to see it). We chose pieces for the sale that we felt represented our aesthetic, that are well made, and that are most importantly timeless. Discounts range anywhere from fifteen to fifty percent off the retail price. There are some great deals to be had so hop on over before the sale ends on 5/2! Happy shopping!

We selected an eclectic mix of pieces that could all work within one home. We saw this headboard (#1) while we were down in High Point, North Carolina for the furniture market last week and it was extremely well made. The stripe throw (#5) is the perfect summer blanket to throw at the foot of an all white bed or drape on the arm of your sofa (obsessed!). Here are a few of our favorite items of the sale:

1. Clara Headboard 2. Gemma End Table 3. Robert Abbey Claridge Table Lamp 4. Julia Pillow 5. Missoni Nicole Throw

New at High Point

goodbone — Fri, 26 Apr 2013 17:07:12 +0000

We’re back from High Point, the bi-annual furniture market in North Carolina and have lots of new pieces to share with you. Going to High Point is a whirlwind because it is huge and there are tons of vendors to see in a very short amount of time. We always come away feeling inspired, though. It’s sort of like fashion week for the design industry. Every company sets up a showroom to feature their latest designs, whether it be furniture, accessories, fabric, or other home goods. It’s fun to see what’s new for the season, but it’s also very important that we see and sit in every new piece of furniture so that we can make educated recommendations to our clients. There were lots of unique pieces that caught our eye this market, below are a few that we’re looking forward to using in future projects. We discovered Lucy Smith’s line this time. She makes these sculptural cocktail tables in lots of bright colors. They’d be great in a first apartment or even a playroom.

This is a new style of sofa from Hickory called the Marquette Tufted Dressmaker sofa shown in a new plum-colored Sunbrella fabric. We noticed lots of plums and purples being used on upholstered furniture.

A new fabric for Hickory on the Marler Tufted sofa.

Visual Comfort came out with some great new light fixtures. We were especially drawn to this new design, below, which is being made in three different iterations.

This is a bed that has been in the Bernhardt collection for a while, but we never tire of it.

CR Laine made a vintage French inspired club chair for this market with our favorite mustache back. A pair of these are definitely on our short list.

An elegant club chair by Oly caught our eye for a new client.

New slipper chairs at CR Laine in a new fish fabric. We want these for our nonexistent beach house!!

Bungalow 5 rolled out an entire line of lacquered trays and boxes in Hermes Orange, Cartier Red and Tiffany blue.

A graphic piece of art from Natural Curiosities.

A Moroccan-inspired cocktail table from Dransfield and Ross. We’re always looking for little tables like this; this one will be a good addition to our arsenal.

Bernhardt made this scalloped Lucite coffee table for Spring. It’s a nice alternative to the often boxy, more streamlined Lucite coffee tables being made.

After a long day of running from one showroom to another, we walked outside the IHFC to find a Temptations concert going on in the main parking lot. What a way to end the day! Here we are getting our soul on.

Happy weekend!

Top 10 Flat Sandals

goodbone — Wed, 24 Apr 2013 13:43:11 +0000

During the day, especially in the Spring and Summer, I rarely find myself wearing heels. When the weather finally gets warm, it’s such a relief; the last thing I want to do is strap on a pair of high heels. Before I left for vacation to Brazil (you can see more of what I brought by clicking here), I bought these simple brown leather flat sandals by Joie. I wore them everyday. They ended up being the perfect neutral that went with everything, but were also comfortable enough to walk around in all day whether I was sightseeing in the city or at the beach. I highly recommend these if you’re looking for an update to your wear-everyday sandal.
There are so many sandals on my wish list right now. Even though I could wear my Joie ones everyday (and they really do work with just about everything I own), what woman has just one pair of sandals? In a perfect world, you have one great pair of neutral, casual sandals like the ones above and another pair to dress things up at night (I love wearing fancy flat sandals at night in the summer–there’s nothing sexier!). I tried on #7 (below) at Barney’s the other day–THE perfect nighttime sandal. Over the past month as the weather’s been warming up, I’ve been keeping a running list of some of my favorite new sandals of the season. Check them out below:
1. Joie Socoa Sandal (basic, simple, flattering to all feet) 2. Matta Alta Sandal (adorable for the beach) 3. Ancient Greek Sandals Chrysso (a great transition sandal that is dressy enough to go from day to night) 4. Loeffler Randall Dree Sandal (love the pink and red combination) 5. Ancient Greek Sandals Anceiris (neutral with a twist) 6. Ancient Greek Sandals Ancearethousa (noticing a trend here? yes, I am obsessed with this brand) 7. Giuseppe Zanotti Metal T-Strap Sandal (the perfect “fancy” sandal) 8. Joie Nice Sandal (mint green feels so fresh for spring) 9. K. Jacques Pour Opening Ceremony Corvette 2-Strap Flats (exclusive to opening ceremony, the color combo of mint/gold/rose on these gladiator-esque sandals is divine and surprisingly neutral) 10. Miu Miu Embellished T-Strap Sandal (these are just plain fun).