One of our favorite spring traditions is designing a table for the Lenox Hill Neighborhood House Spring Gala. This year, Elizabeth wanted to create a romantic setting for guests that would transport them from the cavernous Cipriani into a garden on a warm spring night. Making her ideas a reality began with a sketch:
Move over, Jeremiah Goodman.
Elizabeth gave the drawing to her trusted friends and florists, Les Newman and Bob Mihalik of Botanica, knowing they could recreate her vision. The “foliage”, in reality plastic “cherry tree sprigs”, was affixed to a real wisteria branch “trunk”, and was carefully bent and adjusted into the shape of a canopy. The “trunk” was left spare to encourage easy conversation between guests.
Elizabeth and Les discuss the table arrangement.
Elizabeth chose a cheerful tulip fabric from Quadrille for the tablecloth and chair slipcovers, in keeping with the table name “Zip-A-Dee-Doo-Dah”. She hung lit paper lanterns amongst the branches, and placed antique mercury votive candles at the base of the tree for intimacy and warmth.
Elizabeth, Les and Bob hang the paper lanterns. The overflowing flowers and the antique mercury votives heightened the sense of romance.
Elizabeth borrowed chargers from Scully & Scully and embellished the napkins with the Quadrille fabric. As a final touch, she commissioned her talented friend Kate Pickett of Pickett’s Press to design customized McMillen notepads for every guest.
Elizabeth was very excited last year when the very cool Susanna Salk, author of page-turning design books like Room for Children, and Weekend Retreats, and producer of decorating segments for NBC’s Today show, asked for photographs of Elizabeth’s apartment for her forthcoming book, Be Your Own Decorator: Taking inspiration and cues from today’s top designers . A year later, the book is out, and Elizabeth is thrilled that the apartment she designed with her mother is published in the same book as interiors by some of her decorating idols.
Above, the kitchen of designer and Million Dollar Decorator star, Jeffery Alan Marks. Below, a corner of Elizabeth's apartment.
This is one of Elizabeth’s favorites places to sit. In the late morning, the sun streams in through the east-facing windows, making this spot one of the most peaceful in her apartment. She loves working at this table and at the desk at left.
To see more you’ll have to buy Susanna’s book! We can’t wait to get our own copies!
Lately the weather has been pushing 70 degrees here in New York, and even though today is 55 and rainy, we could not be more excited for spring! Here are some ideas for a pretty garden (indoors or out), to help tide you over until the flowers start to bloom.
Tristan often talks about how much she loves Anthropologie. Their house and home section is adorable and they always have a great variety of furniture, objects, and even kitchenware. Happily for us, a new Anthropologie has opened on the Upper East Side. Elizabeth went to check it out and came back with these photos of the space:
The dramatic double-height ceiling here (this was the old Loews movie theater on 72nd and Third, after all) allows for some striking installations, like this cascading neon sculpture.We love how the store used different construction materials, like repurposed wood and glass.The vegan-friendly version of the animal trophy motif!We love this whimsical candelabra. It would make a great centerpiece!These ceramic "cartons" are a colorful and playful take on an everyday item that's sure to brighten any kitchen.
There is also always the website. And for those of you who need a visual, Tristan made a collage of a room decorated exclusively with Anthropologie items. The best part is, every item is available online!
There are few things more important to a finished interior than good lighting. And there are few lamps more beautiful than those made by my good friend Christopher Spitzmiller and the talented artists with whom he works.
The studio is a visual delight! There are hundreds of different lamps in the most vibrant, saturated colors.
I went down to Christopher Spitzmiller yesterday afternoon for what I thought would be a quick visit, to look for some lamps for a big project we’re doing. I ended up staying for over an hour, admiring the stock, touring the studio, and even looking at a few new designs, a couple of which I’m not yet allowed to show you!
The Three Ball, Cameron and Ming Lamps
One of my favorite artists in the studio is Roy Hamilton. He layers different glazes to create lamps with extremely tactile, lace-like surfaces.
Roy Hamilton Lamps on display
On my visit, Chris gave me a behind-the-scenes tour. I feel so lucky to have been able to see where everything is made!
Chris in one of the workrooms. On the wall behind him you can see all of the different lamp bases, ready to be gold or silver-leafed.
Chris in front of the pots of colored glazes for which his lamps are justly famous. Behind him to the left you can see some of his flower plates. We have a set of six at our house in Southampton. They are great for serving hors d'oeuvres!
The highlight of my tour by far was seeing a new prototype that Chris is working on…and he gave me permission to show it to you! I think these pieces are extremely elegant, and I cannot wait to see how they look after glazing!
The new pieces.
Christopher Spitzmiller lamps are available to the public through Mecox Gardens and HB Home; and to the trade through their showroom at 248 West 35th Street.
While perusingfrankie magazine, I read an article about the extremely talentedRosemary Milner. She is a textile designer inspired by her home in the North Yorkshire countryside. She also creates “handmade wallpapers with a narrative feel to the concept.” She begins with drawings, then uses a variety of techniques like screen-printing, copper etchings, and collage to create her prints. Soon you’ll be able to purchase her wallpaper at Anthropologie and at her online shop on Etsy. I, for one, will be the first in line (unless one of you beats me to it)!
Her designs have the wonderful feel of Victorian decoupage, and are also reminiscent of artist sketchbooks like those of Beatrix Potter. I would happily cover my bedroom walls with these whimsical, beautiful renderings of flora and fauna.
All photos are from Rosemary’s website. Be sure to check out her fabrics and beautiful embroidery work as well!
We love the work of our Brazilian import Suzana Monacella! Before joining McMillen, Suzana was a model in Brazil and a fashion designer in New York City.
Vogue's profile of Suzana and her glamorous style. Look at those little girls! (Both are now older than Tristan...)
Suzana’s fashion sensibility translates perfectly to interior design. Look at this photograph of her living room, taken by House and Garden in the 1980s. It’s timeless! We love the stone color of the walls punctuated by the crisp white moldings, and the chairs with their whimsical “rope” legs.
A photograph of Suzana's living room from an issue of House and Garden.
Thankfully, she’s brought that talent to McMillen!
This Pottery Barn table lamp and Tony Duquette-style light fixture show you don't have to break the bank to get a chic look.Antiqued mirror adds warmth to this contemporary living room.This work of art is a powerful evocation of Brazil, and is in perfect accord with Suzana's style.
Today is the last day of the NYGIF, so I thought I’d better hurry up and post my favorite finds!
Like many designers, I love fun combinations of color and textures, and I chose objects that play with those combinations.
I liked the Fay Lamp from the Mr. Brown line by Julian Chichester. I would put a pair of these on either end of console table in an entry hall or living room. I would replace the shade shown here with a black opaque shade to emphasize the silver tones of the antique glass and to make the lamp look more bold.
The Fay Lamp.
I’m a big fan of Bungalow 5, and I loved these vases! The aqua blue butterflies are so whimsical and feminine.
Our next stop was Oomph, whose playful lacquered furniture and brightly colored accessories always make me smile! I love the fretwork on the Newport Mirror and Console…both are available in 16 different highly lacquered colors. And those white pillows with fuchsia and orange grosgrain-and-button trim are adorable! (They would look fantastic on my own sofa…)
The display at Oomph
While scouring the many booths at The Gift Fair, I ran into my friend and fellow interior designer, Drew McGukin, who pointed me towards Lance Wovens. And boy, am I glad he did! Lance makes woven leather pillows, benches, rugs and tote bags. Their products are a merging of two cultures: the beautiful, soft leather is distinctly Italian; the graphics – plaid and chunky stripes – are iconic American designs.
The display at Lance
The totes bags below are a perfect example this Italian / American fusion. A cross between a Bottega Veneta handbag, and an LL Bean canvas tote, these bags are seriously stylish. And the price is much closer to LL Bean than Bottega Veneta!! (I’ve already ordered the purple one for myself, and I cannot wait for it arrive…)
Lance Tote Bags. I've already ordered one, and I have a feeling I'll order more!
Elizabeth, Christine, and I had a great time at theNYIGF on Saturday. We ran around trying to see as much as we could, and took photos of our favorite finds. My taste tends to run all over the place, but I have always been a major Anglophile and a Francophile, which makes for some fun combinations.
There were some pieces I loved from the Tara Shaw Maison collection. I really like these chairs, which you can view on the websitehere.
The Grisaille Mid Century Chair
I think these would make a fun pair of side chairs, or you could have just one in your bedroom for a dreamy and romantic grisaille accent.
I love the rounded legs and the studs. Benches can be pretty standard, but this one would add a nice touch of glamour to a bedroom or living room. Any animal skin (zebra, leopard, gazelle, etc.) can be used as a neutral. However, if you are leery of sticking it all over your floor or sofa, using it as an accent is a good way to go.
I also fell in love with this chest from Halowith a union jack emblazoned on its front, complete with gold accents and ornate pulls. If your living space, for whatever reason, needs a little punky Vivienne Westwood kick, this would probably do the trick.
As for accessories, I loved this pillows from Kevin O’Brien Studio. The prints are based on hand sketches by Kevin himself!
And, for trinkets and display pieces, Michele Varian had some wonderful displays:
I am totally in love with anything that looks like it belongs in a Kunstkammer(also see our post on the Cabinet des Curiosites), so these skulls, gunmetal animal figurines, glass cases and other such ephemera are absolutely up my alley. It’s like having Pamela Love jewelry for your house.
