Hearst Design Group Inside Design Event At ADAC

The Inside Design Event at ADAC was a compelling case for Dovecote Decor to embark upon a spring road-trip. With two days of design luminaries and publishing pundits discussing our favorite topics, we headed down to Atlanta anticipating the prospect of hearing and meeting Hearst Design Group's editorial director Newell Turner, among others. In addition, daughter number 3 was down in Atlanta assisting House Beautiful's food editor, Alex Hitz, test recipes for his second cook book. We could not resist the prospect of poking our heads into his kitchen, to watch a culinary maestro  direct his gastronomic alchemy and hopefully sample some of the results.

 Alex Hitz, author of the best selling cookbook, My Beverly Hills Kitchen: Classic Southern Cooking with a French Twist, with his new assistant. 

Believe me when I say that sampling his recipes from the day before prompted an instantaneous proposal of marriage, and yes it was a humble potato salad that sent me over the edge. A man fluent in mirepoix short circuits my synapses. His curried chicken salad and cold asparagus soup leave me wondering where these recipes have been all my life. We were in the illustrious Soiree Catering space owned by the legendary chef, restaurateur and caterer, Mary Boyle Hataway. Mary mentored Alex as a lad--starting him as a dishwasher during his school holidays. Decades later, they collaborate with the same cooking brain in two separate bodies. D3 (daughter #3) says they are seamless. 

I haven't mentioned Mary Boyle Hataway was a Vogue model in the 1960's, a business woman and is a very kind, soft spoken person, who so dazzles me I lose myself in the moment--without being in a tortuous yoga pose. Right, and it is only 10:00 a.m..... Christine, my wing-woman, and I motor off to ADAC high on life. 

This is the first time Hearst Magazine's trifecta shelter trio: Elle Decor, House Beautiful and Veranda have hosted an Inside Design series. To say the least, there was nothing half hearted or scattered in this inaugural design fest. The first keynote presentation was Amy Preiser, digital web editor for Elle Decor hosting Susan Ferrier and Capella Kincheloe to discuss how the web has been a game changer for the interior design industry.

Our take away from this discussion was to become familiar with the wide array of social media options, then to pick a few that you are comfortable with and use them. Susan and Capella use pinterest in very different ways to connect with clients successfully illustrating the fluidity of applications. There is no right way but the path that works for you. Social media is a tool, but we are not its tool if you get my drift.  Amy is a person who is comfortable in her own skin and clearly loves her work. Four days before her wedding she was an animated and funny moderator who is fast on her feet, go figure. Most women in this position are dotting calamine lotion on their hives. Happy wedding day!!

Newell Turner gave a stunning presentation exploring the visual ways we make sense of our lives. Drilling down to the impulse to both build and chronicle we were treated to a compendium from stylish birds nests to the unbelievable actual cocoons by Hubert Duprat.  Humans are not the only species with a predilection for  decoration. Duprat noticed the cocoons for the larvae of the caddisfly were eclectically chosen from their environment. His question was: "What if we change that environment?"

Placing the flies in an aquarium at the delicate moment, filling it with gold flakes, turquoise, small pearls and opals, those little pests went to work like any self respecting prospective parent preparing a nursery.    Duprat is Kafkaesque--absolutely, combining the surreal with the ethereal. 

The male Bower bird builds a nest and decorates it with colorful objects to attract a mate--yup. This bachelor pad is guaranteed to attract the Kate Middleton of Bower babes. Kidding aside, actual humans have a powerful desire to create an environment around ourselves that expresses our sense of beauty and reflects our lives in the thousands of ways we've found to forge that idiom. As technology evolves, we create endless vehicles to chronicle that journey. Newell Turner built on this theme with an informative history of the scrapbook, diarists and journals culminating in the work of Peter Beard.

I am also fond of the Baron de Cabrol illustrated diaries, that I found in Thierry Coudert's Cafe Society:  Socialites, Patrons, and Artists 1920 to 1960. The real fun is in the creation of the ever evolving stage for the times of our lives. We have magazines, bloggers, instagram, pinterest, tumblir to show us every creation from the coolest dorm room to the ultimate burger (Alex?)

We have a tsunami of information overwhelming us. We can drop in and filter that avalanche through the shelter magazines. They are the front line of taste. Even if you detest a house or garden, there is a reason to see it. The magazines are scrapbooks of people's homes, dogs, and dinner parties inspiring us to create glorious memories for family and friends. It was great to meet all the wonderful editors and publishers from the Hearst shelter team.

Thank You Hearst for Elle Decor, House Beautiful, and Veranda and all the work that went into the new Inside Design Series! 

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Inside Info: House Beautiful's 101 Designer Secrets May 2012 Issue-

You won't go to "Club Fed" for reading the House Beautiful  May 2012 round-up of 101 Designer Secrets, by Lisa Cregan. Inside information is what Dovecote Decor's clients are looking for, and I selected some interesting solutions for our demographic--younger families that educate themselves through design media and know how to search for product and ideas online. Here are the Cliff Notes directed towards our clientele with some super stylish design concepts, on a budget.

image and instructions via Lansdowne Life

Marshall Watson said: "To give rooms architectural detail when they don't have any, paint a 1/2" to 2"lining stripe around the ceiling and up the walls in the corners. It's a rich touch, a way to get a lot of look with just paint." This conveys brilliant style and detail on a dime. Paint and mirrors are a budget friendly way to add interest, architectural detail and light.

via apartment therapy

Barry Dixon recommends: "Slather a reflective, glossy glaze on any lower ceiling to create the illusion of height. Conversely, if a ceiling seems too high in a space us a matte-finish paint, preferably in a cola or darker tone, or cover the ceiling with raffia or a paper." Often times a high gloss paint shows imperfections in the ceiling or plaster. The ceiling above from the Kipps Bay Designer Showhouse in 2008 uses a vinyl stretchy product called Extenzo.

I love this look, and James Dolenc's simple solution to a common quandary will send you running to the nearest hardware store: "3M Command Strips are fantastic to use when hanging art over mirrors, millwork panels or vintage wallcovering."

Christopher Spitzmiller's House via NYSD

I have always lived in bright colorful spaces, so I agree wholeheartedly with Richard Keith Langham's dictum: "I get bored without color in a room. Interesting, strong, clear colors are easier to live with in the long run than pale colors. People always think it's the opposite, but in actuality soft colors get boring much quicker." Again a big mirror brightens and expands the room and makes the sofa look like it is floating in front of another space. 

I love my living room fabric so much, this photograph became my logo. Orange is my favorite color and it wanders throughout my house, so I loved Stan Topol's quote about how to use color to create flow in a house: "....I recently did an orange foyer. I chose a particular shade of orange because my client has brown hair, and brunettes look great in orange. Then I took that exact same orange--not just any orange, that exact shade--and ran it through the house. It keeps popping up in different ways. A color has got to move--it can't look like it's landed." 

Alexandra Angle suggests: "If a great art collection isn't in your budget, hang a framed cutting of a beautiful fabric or wall paper." 

via better decorating bible blog

Framed panels of vintage papers are less expensive than doing a whole room, and adds major bang for the buck. I enjoyed the video with designers Alexa Hampton, Miles Redd, Jeffrey Bilhuber, Mary McDonald, Nick Olsen and Lindsey Coral Harper. Click HERE for the link

More Later! 

Liz Morten

Visit Our Online Store or call us for items you liked at market. 

House Beautiful's April 2012 "Making it in L.A.

House Beautiful did an in-depth round-up titled "Making it in L.A. " by David A. Keeps, describing Los Angeles's  thriving home furnishings industry. Hutton Wilkinson's adorable intern, Berry, toured us through the La Cienega Design Quarter. Who knew that California ranks #1 in the U.S. for the number of cabinetmakers, bench carpenters and furniture finishers? As a North Carolina furniture manufacturing, High Point black belt, this article was an amazing eye-opener. Here is our take away, but you must get this issue and keep it on file.

After a delightful lunch at the Ivy, we strolled the three block district of vine covered shops. Touring design districts to see how top talent combine fabrics, textures, colors, lighting and accessories is a sure path to your own interior inspiration. Even if the feast of deliciousness is over your head financially, there is much absorb and apply to your own projects.

OHWOW:  "OHWOW was established in 2008 by Al Moran and Aaron Bondaroff to encourage artistic innovation and provide a platform for progressive art of all media, featuring both emerging and established artists’ work." The piece below by Terry Richardson recreates the red carpet experience.

As you walk past this super sized interactive photograph, the cameras start noisily flashing and clicking as the paparazzi call out and the crowd roars. Quite the ego boost to say the least. We took a few gracious turns in front of it, then we popped our glamorous selves over to Hollyhock.

Suzanne Rheinstein's, Hollyhock, carries la creme de la creme in accessories, antiques, as well as her eponymous upholstery and fabric lines. We shop all the time, but these accessories and vignettes are breathtaking.

This container garden of Vladimere Kanefsky porcelain flowers would be a stunning perennial accent to any room. Suzanne's insistence on quality hand made goods is what makes all the difference in her well curated store and client's homes. Shop for accessories that are artisanal and pleasing to your eye, and it will all go together in the end. I will mix high and low, as I am trying to gather a collection. If a piece has a chip I just turn it, so that it will be invisible. Slowly, I will find good pieces over the years and nudge the illusions out of the room.  Crossing the street we spent a good amount of time digesting the vintage furniture, art and lighting at Paul Marra design.

Paul Marra is a lively raconteur and shared his connoisseur's eye. Here is a classic blackamoor, the quintessential Hollywood Regency accessory. Originally from New Orleans, it held a torch in the raised hand. He pulled out Albert Hadley's "The Story of America's Preeminent Interior Designer" and illustrated how the maestro used them in one of his famous installations.

Do not dismiss expensive shops as out of the realm. Training your eye prepares you for great finds at consignment shops, estate sales, salvage yards and even flea markets. Carry your camera and keep files. I am filing this tole chandelier and smart sconce that are in Marra's lighting line.

This handsome stitched red leather sconce has made it into my staple file. 

Original Fornasetti floor lamps circa 1950, in painted malachite have a price tag of $10,500.00 so, keep your eyes open. Treasures like these can turn up anywhere. The La Cienega district is beautiful, and full of gorgeous little alley ways. At the end of February, the jasmine and wisteria are blooming and their spring flowers are abundant. It is the perfect respite from dreary winter!

In our next post we are heading over to Harbinger to take a lesson from designers Joe Lucas, Parrish Chilcoat and Bunny Williams

Visit Dovecote Decor's online shop to see more beautiful selections

Dovecote Decor Online Store Launch and Giveaway

Dovecote Decor is excited to announce our online store launch to our blog friends and followers. We have been quietly open for business since October, processing orders, talking to our very first internet clients, and watching Dovecote Decor take on a life of its own.  Partners Viive Ralston, Benji Gaines and I envisioned a hybrid shopping experience that seeks to blend the convenience of online shopping, with the traditional interior design approach. Understanding that currently, most people do not decorate an entire room or house, immediately, we have created an a-la-carte portfolio of our interior design resources, for the client that wants to methodically create a decorating scheme, one beautiful piece at a time. We create access to our gifted, atelier vendors, who uphold the aesthetic of merging quality, sustainable materials with affordable craftsmanship. 

Gustavian Lattice Front Server

Having shopped High Point and regional markets cumulatively for over 30 years, we were enchanted when the smaller manufacturers began incorporating reclaimed wood construction with small batch production, applying painstaking, hand applied finishes. The result has been well priced reproductions, that are often indistinguishable from the original antiques.  The instant gratification of the online retail experience is exchanged for budget expanding, thoughtful planning and selection. 

A stunning example of one of our perfectly executed modern reproductions. 

We strictly adhere to manufacturers online price guidelines. With a more expensive piece like this we encourage shoppers to telephone us for our design client rates.  Beautiful home design emerges slowly, over time, developing patina and character reflecting the owner, embracing family and friends. The art of living is a loving process creating cherished memories, reflecting our souls. Analogous to the slow food  movement, we encourage clients to step back and approach their home decor projects in a "new" old way. 

Our Regatta wing chair with maritime flag panels is featured in the November 2010 House Beautiful and advertised, as carried by ABC Carpet. A client call confirmed today, that ABC has no inventory, a much heftier price and no free shipping. We are currently offering sharp pricing, although in accordance with vendor guidelines, and free shipping, to inaugurate our client dialogue. There are 8 left, so if you love this chair, it is time to pull the trigger. 

Our Mirrored Buffet is a superb, geometric nod to the Hollywood regency period. Our client was having trouble visualizing how this vignette would translate, and as part of our service we performed a little photoshop magic, so she could see just how perfectly the mandrel lamps look with the buffet and Abalone Mirror: "Here's looking at you kid." 

Another client was trying to visualize a grisaille  European dining room, for a "rustic" house in California, balanced with strong architectural bones. Benji translated the mixed metaphor, combining our provincial dining table with these elegant French dining chairs  and chandelier. 

Our antique,  Suffolk Dresser comes from our new partner, The Wind Rose!

We are elated to also announce our new partnership with The Wind Rose, a trade only antique resource for many high profile designers and shops around the United States. I have been stalking their trove for myself and my clients for 25 years. Ned White and Cary Wright have been scouring Europe for 30 years, importing timeless pieces and sensitively restoring them for everyday living. They have shared their encyclopedic knowledge with us for years, and the pieces I have slowly added to my home over time, mean so much more when provenance, age and unique regional characteristics are explained. This versatile Suffolk dresser is identified by its even shelving, heart pine construction and is dated 1850-1860--a fantastic 160 year old timeless heirloom, with simple lines that work with multiple genres. 

The spectacular Wind Rose showroom is an early destination for savvy High Point designers. As we add to our collection on the website, please call us for requests that may not be posted. 

Accessory English boxes are classic and useful stacked on shelves and on tables for storing party invitations and love letters. Mine, holds the television remote control. They make thoughtful and memorable gifts. Old wash tubs have been transformed by Wind Rose artisan journeymen repurposed for elegant new lives.  Ned redesigned the antique chest in the background, with a modern, mid-century modern graphic. 

While this armoire is not posted, we can offer you photographs, dimensions, pricing and shipping on any number of beautifully restored cupboards. The Wind Rose policy of pricing based on their cost versus what the market will bear,  has fueled their reputations as shrewd buyers and fair merchants. I have never found an antique resource with this combination of quality, function and price. Trust me on this, we shop!

Our 1880 English country chest with the original paint is rare, as over the years many simple, functional country pieces were changed or stripped to suit contemporary tastes. At a price of $1,745.00, it is an amazing value. As with all Wind Rose product, the drawers have been "retuned" to stand up to everyday use. When we can find an antique for a better price than a new piece, we recommend the character and finish values old furniture provides.  

Prattware Pitcher

For the flower arranger on your Christmas list, this exquisite Prattware pitcher dating from the late 18th-early 19th century, would make a thoughtful and cherished gift. We have a huge inventory of antique gifts for Christmas, and a fantastic Wind Rose giveaway to celebrate the season and our new beginnings!

Our Blog Launch Giveaway!
The Wind Rose has generously donated this lovely English box with inlay!

Here are the Rules of the Game: 


Become a follower of our blog, if you are not one already, by clicking the link.

Visit Dovecote Decor and describe a desired object, not from this post.

Comment by clicking the faint link at the bottom of the post, which says comments, telling us what you covet on the website.
Let the Wild Rumpus begin!


The winner will be selected on December 20th