The White House at Christmas

Am I the only one obsessed with HGTV's special covering The White House at Christmastime?  I hope not :)  Maybe it's because I worked in politics for ten years and lived in Washington, D.C. but also have a passion for design.  Whenever I see this annual special, it takes me right back to my time and work in our nation's capital and all the social events and amazing people I met.  Here are a few photos to enjoy. 

Happy New Year!

The White House gingerbread house is always amazing and the replicas of the First Family's pets are so cute!

Photo from The Washington Post

These vases are made entirely of sugar "gum paste" flowers and fruit by Maggie Austin Cakes of Alexandria, Virginia.

'Tis the season!

The New York Botanical Garden puts on a great Holiday Train Show, this is the 22nd year. Garden-gauge trains zip past 140 beloved New York landmarks, masterfully crafted from natural materials and arranged to create a dazzling world inside the Enid A. Haupt Conservatory.  If you've never gone, it's worth a visit and appeals to all ages.  My family went last month, it's a fun way to kick off the season!

 Macy's

 St. Patrick's Cathedral

 The New York Public Library

 The Guggenheim

 Enid A. Haupt Conservatory

 Empire State Building, Chrysler Building, Radio City 

 Rockefeller Center

Brooklyn Bridge

lovely desk

image from In with the Old: Classic Decor from A to Z by Jennifer Boles

What a charming set up on this desk!  Stationery and Chinoiserie are two of my favorite things, so this is perfect.  I want the kneeling man stamp holder for Christmas. :D

A feast for the eyes

First of all, if you're not on Instagram, you're missing out on a whole world of great photos.  It actually surprised me to discover all the designers and companies that have an account.  My most recent follow is 1stdibs "the most beautiful things on earth."

Wonderful inspiration and gorgeous rooms and items.  This is just one account among many for those who enjoy interiors and home design.

Sarah Nicole Prickett writes in T Magazine, "If Twitter is the street, Facebook the suburban-sprawl mall, and Pinterest some kind of mail-order catalog, Instagram is the many-windowed splendor of a younger Bergdorf’s, showing all we possess or wish for, under squares of filtered glass, each photographic pane backlit 24/7."

If you prefer a more traditional approach to browsing interiors, the December issue of House & Home (Canada) is full of beautiful images.  Issues can be purchased and read online at Zinio. 

Here are two of my favorites~

A gorgeous Tommy Smythe project

and the home of married butlers with impeccable taste.  The traditional elements of this beautiful kitchen make it a welcoming and functional space.  If I could renovate my kitchen, it would be very similar to this with marble counter tops, white cabinetry and subway tile.  The pantry with the checkered floor is amazing as well.  But that's the point of these publications and sites, to be inspired and dream about what could be . . . 

Fall Inspiration

 Yesterday was Terrain's Autumn Bounty Festival in Westport, Connecticut. In addition to being beautiful everywhere you look, they had a great line up of activities including birdhouse making for kids, a watercolor workshop, pumpkin carving (like Martha,) autumn plantings, bluegrass music,  marshmallow roasting and much more.  The cafe is worth a stop, we had one of the best puréed mushroom soups I've ever tasted. This is one of my favorite places, I'd go more often if it were a bit closer.  The original Terrain is located in Glen Mills, Pennsylvania.  You can shop, eat and 

participate. Lovely!

 The home furnishings range from vintage and antique to new.

 Love a drop leaf table and this wonderful pattern.

 Outdoors there are plants, pumpkins, gourds and a fire pit that smells amazing.

 Marshmallow roasting and elderflower tasting.

Maps as decor

Maps add interest to any room.  They can be colorful, vintage, foreign or domestic.  Everyone has ties to a place whether it's home or a favorite destination.  Maps hold meaning for their owner.  While searching out accessories for a client, I came upon these map dresses and thought they were so clever and unique.  Each one is handmade in New Zealand.

Each of these is offered through RH Baby + Child

They come mounted in a white finish shadowbox with an acrylic front. $599 

Upon further research, they can also be purchased directly from the woman who makes them at the website annex for $195.

Screened porch

I dream of having a cottage and if I had a cottage, I would have a screened porch so I could sleep outside on cool, lovely nights.

hgtv

Boutique Hotel

While searching out some summer accommodations, I came across this darling boutique hotel freshly redone for the 2013 season.  The decor is so crisp and lovely, I had to share.

The schemes were posted on on their website and twitter which was really fun to see as a decorator.  Rachel Reider did an amazing job.

Love all the blue and white and the patterned pillows are fabulous. Schumacher's Chang Mai fabric is a personal favorite of mine. Beautiful!

photos from 76 Main

Interiors by Rachel Reider Interiors.

Cottage inspired decor

The cottage is owned by designer Jeffrey Bilhuber and was featured in Architectural Digest.

Nautical rope bowl + map coasters, design darling, Nantucket map, etsy, lamp, Caron's Beach House, basket + Suzanne Kasler rug, Ballard Designs, chair + chest, Vanguard Furniture, beluga bookends, anthropologie.

Country Living Fair, Rhinebeck, New York

The Country Living Fair features antiques, vintage, handmade and unique items of all kinds as well as demonstrations and great food.  This year, Country Living Magazine added Rhinebeck, New York to its fair schedule.  It takes place at the Duchess County Fairgrounds June 7-9.  It's a beautiful drive up and the air smelled like fresh clover, it was a great day.

 The weather cooperated beautifully!

 

The Beekman 1802 booth was full of goat milk soaps, notecards, tea towels, ceramic pie pans and tin cups and Brent Ridge (pictured with my daughter) couldn't have been nicer, it was great to meet him.     

 Vintage Rolling Pins

 The Lee Brothers from Charleston, S.C. demonstrated cheese dip, shrimp + grits as well as a strawberry dessert recipe from their latest cookbook.

 Country Living tablescapes

Country Living Merchandise

 Vintage jewelry

 Items made from oil cloth

 A Picnic To Go "nosh and explore"

 Tolix inspired chairs~these have a better price tag at $95 each

 A variety of antique items

Chinoiserie fabric and antique ironing board

Sisters on the Fly vintage RV

See you next year!