On Mothers and Mother's Day

OK - on the surface a post on Mother's Day doesn't exactly seem to be about design but my mother has been a huge part of my love for fabrics, stylish clothes (check out the fab hat!) and beautiful furniture. My mom taught me from an early age to appreciate art and dragged me to every museum, opera and symphony she could find. Mom always loved mid century modern furniture even when the trend was for traditional. She taught me that it's better to have few really great things that you really love than a lot of so-so stuff. I learned that it's OK to leave a messy house if it's a nice day and your children want you to play. I learned that girls can be confident and strong and that a sense of humor will take you far.

I'm lucky too that I have an amazing mother in law who has taught me how to garden and how to be (a little more) patient. She has introduced me to the simple things that can make you incredibly happy - baking amazing bread, picking blueberries and eating them straight from the garden, the satisfaction of a great scrabble game. Keep fresh flowers in the house.

Both moms taught me to do it myself - whatever IT might be. Power tools and a sewing machine are your best friends.

Now I am honored to be a mom too and I'm hoping to pass all the things learned from my two favorite mothers on to my girls. I've got big, stylish shoes to fill......

One thing I'll pass on that I've learned as a Mom is to make sure you are actually in front of the camera sometimes. I've got a million shots of the girls and Daddy but very few (decent) shots of me


Happy Mother's Day!

Happy May Day!

Whew! We finally got all of our May Day baskets made and delivered to neighbors and friends. I love May Day and the Annapolitan tradition of May baskets. The girls made paper cones this year and Mother Nature supplied tons of azalea, lilac and alium. If the number of baskets keeps growing though, we may have to switch to candy next year.

There are lots of May Day traditions but we follow the one where we hang the basket on a friend's door and then try to get away without being seen. It's supposed to be about giving but I have a sinking feeling that my girls just like the 'ring and run' aspect.

What do you do for May Day?

Featured: Designaddictmom

Apparently Stacey from designaddictmom.blogspot.com shares my addiction for fabric and pillows! Check out her post on "Pillow Talk" and my fabric line. Thanks, Stacey!

Passport to Style: Global Interiors

I've always been intrigued by the vivid colors and beautiful patterns of Indian textiles. Whether you call it global, ethnic or Asian-inspired, the trend towards a well-traveled look for interiors continues (and I for one am thrilled!)

As seen in this recent issue of Canadian House & Home, interiors are taking on a global feel with a mix of materials and spicy colors. The yellow garden stool really makes the framed ikat fabric pop.

Uzbek ikat adras fabrics, natural woven materials and asian influenced furniture and accessories seem to be popping up everywhere. Here are a few of my current favs.

clockwise from top: elephant print, winterberry cottage on etsy; pjas bowl, ikea; elephant pillow, john robshaw; vintage fretwork daybed, jayson home & garden; Uzbek chess set, antiquarian textiles; vintage loveseat, jayson home & garden; pagoda umbrella, fast furnishings.

Happy Earth Day and a Terrarium Project

"It is always in one's power to cut a tree down, but time only can place them where one would have them, after the ground is stripped...." George Washington

The girls and I took a trip to Mount Vernon yesterday and immersed ourselves in all things George Washington. I was reminded about Washington's keen sense of nature and its protection. We all agreed that Mr. Washington was quite "green" and we had some great discussions about preserving what we have.

In case you haven't noticed, terrariums are back in a big way and Mugsy was keen to try one. We found lots of tutorials on line but this one at Apartment Therapy is one of the best. This was a really fun and easy project, and perfect for our house as we don't have enough of the right light to keep indoor houseplants.

Enjoy your Earth Day!

Lilly Pulitzer Feature

I'm so excited to be mentioned in today's blog post on Lilly Pulitzer! Check out the Guest House with Molly Andrews of Chairloom and enjoy a sneak peek at some of the new Lilly fabric for interiors. Thanks Lilly and Molly!

We love Print and Pattern and so do you. Tell us why.
I’ve always had an appetite for color and pattern as found in textiles. I know I’m not alone with that. I remember discovering Hable Construction in the early 90′s when they had a tiny store in the west village. Their patterns and colors have always been a favorite of mine. Living in the east village in Manhattan I bumped into Virginia Johnson’s design, too and eventually John Robshaw & I was hooked. So when I moved to Philadelphia and learned that vintage & antique furniture in need of re upholstery was everywhere & affordable – I found a way to involve myself in the textiles I had such a love for and back to a city I felt so connected to. The Brooklyn Flea was perfect for me to grow Chairloom and feed a creative part of me that was longing to express itself. A very rewarding part of running this business for me has been getting to know the textile designers and owners of Hable Construction, Rubie Green, Mod Green Pod, Studio Bon, Oliveira textiles, Victoria Larson, Michael Devine and others.

Click here to see the full post.

Inspiration: St. Bart's

Aaaaahhhhhh....St. Bart's. Surrounded by intense turquoise water and shell laden beaches, St. Bart's offers up constant inspiration. Visiting the island is almost like stepping into a watercolor.

Interiors are an island-inspired blend of asian and european. Our house was a great mix of natural materials - beautiful ipe and teak wood floors, lots of woven textures contrasted with crisp white walls and bright accents.

A close up of Shell Beach. The entire beach is made of shells dredged from the harbour. A bit hard to walk on but gorgeous to see. Orchids and other tropicals explode with color.

In contrast to the serene backdrop of sea and sand, houses and boats are brightly painted, almost cartoon-like. The effect is cheery and playful - right on the edge of overwhelming. Vivid color combinations are typical like this boat in the Gustavia Harbour.

Even the little french sugar packets are bright and stylish!

Everything on St. Bart's is done well. Fireworks over the fort on our last night to celebrate le Voile de Saint Barth Regatta.

It was hard to leave but I 've returned with enough inspiration to create an entire new line of fabrics. I'm already missing the little bakery at the bottom of the hill with the chocolate croissants and the strong coffee but as they say on St. Bart's, "c'est la vie...."