by the hearth

I love this fireplace--it doesn't overwhelm the room but it really is the standout amid lots of great architectural elements (photo: Polly Eltes/Melin Tregwynt at Red).

To give your fireplace a period look like this one, search locally or online for Delft tiles (c. 1930s examples below found here), old iron baskets and grates, and summer covers, as seen here.

 

Visit my previous post here for hearth decorating inspiration.

vintage kitchen

Aren't these vintage kitchen tins great? They were made in Germany and will finally give you the excuse you need to store barley in your pantry! Find them and more fun vintage wares (including hobnail milk glass pieces, enamelware, and Bakelite items) at Barking Sands Vintage.

a warm thanksgiving

It's unseasonably warm here in Georgia--we could have Thanksgiving outside! It's nice to be able to enjoy the outdoors more this time of year. I love these images from the Hudson River Valley home of Katherine Whiteside, author of The Way We Garden Now. She's surrounded by a beautiful landscape and says, "I never put away my tools." Top photo: Katherine collects and displays finds from walks around her property. See more fall colors from her landscape here.

Now, for those feeling stressed about the holiday cooking, I'll share this with you (though it may be too late for those who start prepping days in advance!): Hostess extraordinaire Ina Garten, aka Barefoot Contessa, once said she makes only two items for a party menu, buying the rest and reserving time and energy to focus on guests' (and her own) enjoyment of the gathering. Two special, scratch-made dishes sounds pretty good to me.

Bon appétit!

bathroom of the week

Vintage charcoal drawings keep a watchful eye in this Napa Valley bath designed by Ken Fulk (photo: Victoria Pearson).

{Find it!}

Drawings: Lost Art Salon

Tub: Sunrise Specialty

Wall-mount faucet: Etoile collection from Waterworks

let there be brass!

It's currently enjoying a renaissance, but it seems like brass has always been classic and right for all kinds of spaces--from industrial to traditional to eclectic. Here are a few recent finds for your brass inspiration files!

Clockwise, from top left: Antique Georgian tea canister-turned-lamp with brass fittings, Palm Beach Antique & Design Center; 19th-century brass coach lantern sconces, Marvin Alexander, Inc.; 1920s cast brass pendant light with vining thistles design, Revival Antiques; Peacock feather motif brass switchplate from Switchplate Factory; Emerson library lamp in brass, J. Covington Home; Brass outdoor wall lantern from Haysom Interiors.

For more lighting sources, check out my previous post here.

felix doolittle

You may already be a fan of the beautiful papers of Felix Doolittle. Felix Fu's original, whimsical watercolor designs grace personalized note cards, labels, bookmarks, and gifts in the Felix Doolittle collection. I especially love the junior camp postcards (top) and canning labels (here and here). There is so much more to see and love in the online shop here.

I'm going to use the "mistletoe" baker's labels (with slightly different text) as holiday gift tags:

Be sure to view a gallery of custom work commissioned for stationery and invitations here. Below is a sampling from that gallery:

 All images and illustrations: copyright Felix Doolittle.

amy merrick

More beautiful styling from the talented Amy Merrick (see previous post). Find more of her inspiring work here; check out her blog here.  

bathroom of the week

A fabulous farmhouse washroom via Brooklyn-based stylist Amy Merrick.  Bonus: Check out Amy's beautiful floral stylings below. Enjoy more here.

gifting: put your stamp on it

I'm crazy about these stamp kits. Simple, creative gifts for anyone...including yourself! Shown above: the mistletoe and pine cone kits. Find them at Yellow Owl Workshop.

gifting: for the cook

This charming letterpress kitchen conversion chart is frame-worthy! Find it at Wildhorse Press.


Click on the image for a detailed view.

inspired by: great camp sagamore

Great Camp Sagamore is a c. 1890s National Historic Landmark in the Adirondacks; it's open to the public from Memorial Day through mid-October for day visits, educational seminars, and overnight retreats. William Durant, the original owner, incorporated local tree limbs into the architecture and furniture. Top to bottom: The scoreboard and c. 1914 two-lane bowling alley; the butler's pantry; the boat house; the main lodge (photos: marthastewart.com).  

Learn and see more here. Enjoy photo tours of more historic properties in the Martha Stewart "American Treasures" series here.

gifting: lovely old books

Holiday gift idea: Lovely, old books. I love finding used books with notes in them or the name of the original owner. Then it's like getting a bonus story as you imagine the earlier life of the book. All books shown above in the "book quilt" are from AbeBooks. If the bindings appeal to you most of all, you may also enjoy Richard Minsky's The Art of American Book Covers: 1875-1930, a compilation of striking book cover images. 

dolphin studio calendars

Time to order your 2012 Dolphin Studio calendar! Each calendar is really a collection of 12 prints--each one designed and hand silk screened by members of the ffrench family. The 2012 calendar is the 41st edition! Order here. See more images of their designs in my previous post here.

bathroom of the week

A serene bath with a view in a 1940s Illinois home (Photo: Roger Davies for Country Living). Fun fact: The homeowner is the head buyer for Jayson Home and Garden.

See more of the home here.

rachel whiting

London-based photographer Rachel Whiting (who photographed the entryway in the previous post) shoots beautiful, perfectly lit interior and exterior scenes. I find elements of comfort and inspiration in each of her images. See more here.

Her cover shot for Country Living UK features a wonderful fall mix of callicarpa berries, ginkgo leaves, rose hips, pink crab apples, and beech leaves on a glass pedestal. Find the hobnail rim glass pedestal/cake stand at Touch of Europe.

entryway solution: pattern, color, texture

Green- and blue-patterned tile makes such a statement in this entryway, but also blends well with the white stairwell, greenery, and colorful artwork. No rug needed! (Photo: Rachel Whiting for Gap Interiors/Red).

Enjoy more entryway and foyer inspiration here, here, and here.

the station house

A thoughtful, sweet old house in Denmark spotted at Tant Johanna for Elle. The carefully edited vintage elements really stand out against the gallery-white walls. The painted wood floors showcase stencilling done the old (best!) way.

It's for sale here if you really fall in love with it!