Atlanta Market and Scott's Antiques January 2014

"Nothing comes cheap though the educated eye

 will always spot very nice things for the least money."

                                             Albert Hadley

The Atlanta Market for me always begins with a trip to one of my favorite antique sources-- Scott's Antique Markets on the South side of the city near the airport. It is the perfect destination for loading up on furniture, paintings and other accessories. The best time to attend is during the Atlanta Furniture Market downtown at America'sMart in January and July, as more dealers participate to accommodate the design congregation.  It is a huge and I would allow time for shopping Thursday before market. It opens to the public at 1:00p.m.

This bucket made my list. I was looking for an attractive container for firewood for my family room as I am converting my fireplace back to its original old school function.  For under $100.00, it was a no brainer.

O.K. so shoot me now. I saw this map in a booth and was quite taken with it. My picture is terrible so I uploaded this image for you. It was unbelievably fascinating as it maps the largest engineering project of  17th Century Europe. The Canal Languedoc Royal which connected the Mediterranean to the Atlantic provided safe inland passage for cargo that was endangered by rampant piracy on the high seas--yes maties, the Barbary Pirates.  The cross sections along the perimeter depict the numerous locks, aqueducts, tunnels and dams. The circular emblems flanking the center medallion illustrate the heraldic crests of the families contributing to this massive project. The royal landed houses of the region had compelling reasons to finance and provide labor for the endeavor. Le Midi is dry and their crops and other commodities were precarious at best. Other than navigation, irrigation was possible by managing the water assets that could be moved at will, or stored in reservoirs.

People think shopping and collecting is a flibbity-gibbet activity. The price for the map was $1,800.00 at Scott's. I am not making a purchase from Sotheby's or an established dealer. While the price is low for a potentially fabulous possession the question is: Is it worth the gamble? Do I want a fake print in a bad frame? Not one article or auction resource described the underlying material. It was not hand made paper and it looked like velum to me, but I couldn't quite confirm. So, I walked. I regret it and should have trusted my eye. One finally sprung up for sale on Monday for $10,500 so I am a tad ill. I saw that one sold recently at auction for $2.300; a fairly wide spread in price. So much for the drama of collectibles. I know a great deal more because of my agony than I knew yesterday. The highly vertical AmericasMart is on the docket for the next day. While horizontal High Point Market is my metier, I am braving AmericasMart for the third time by scheduling design events.

Annie Selke image via Pinecone Hill/Haskell Harris image via CalderClark 

I could not resist the Annie Selke, textile genius founder of Pine Cone Hill  and Dash and Albert, interview with Haskell Harris, contributing editor to  Garden and Gun and author of the blog Magpie by Haskell Harris. Who can resist a discussion titled: "Great In Bed?" I met Annie at The Design Bloggers Conference a couple of years ago and she is hilarious and brilliant company. Annie is one of those authentic people whose taste and style goes repetitively viral. I honestly think her secret is that she lives fearlessly with enthusiasm, has personality and is always delighted by seemingly random passions. For example: visit Annie's YouTube video's  documenting her new love for tractors, chainsaws and other heavy equipment.  Haskell, I have known since she was an adorable toddler--legacy to a delightful, eccentric Southern family. The interview could only be symbiotic and entertaining--birds of a feather and all of that!

The Atlanta Market launch for Bunny Williams new rug collection for Annie's Dash and Albert line is a marriage made in heaven. The quality of Dash and Albert combined with Bunny's exceptional taste and livable elegance will make this line hopefully eternal. It was riveting to hear about the photo shoot at Bunny's beautiful home in the Dominican Republic and her incredible hospitality--hint: anticipate guests every need! Visit Annie's blog to see more tropical eye candy from B.W.'s gorgeous get-away.

I also attended the Steven Stolman/Scalamandre event sponsored by their Port 68 collaborators. Steve has been the president of Scalamandre since July 2011 and has written an iconic history of this eponymous fabric house. Scalamandre Haute Couture is a must-have book for your design library. I will say Port 68 is greatly enhanced by the iconic fabric patterns. I need those tiger ottoman/cocktail tables.

On Saturday, I wandered around Building 2 to view the beautiful table top options. I started on the ground floor of the gift building to taste all the food, which surprisingly gets old rather quickly. As I ascended through garden and outdoor, I found myself delightedly in the D. Gaber and Associates showroom and had the great good fortune to meet the renown equestrian artist, Julie Wear, as I admired her beautiful china. I have seen a great deal of sporting art over the years, and Julie's work defines the apotheosis of this genre in our time.

Photo by John Nation

 Julie Wear's painting for Queen Elizabeth II of her beloved Stallion

The Broodmares of Woodford County

Since I seem to have gotten on to an animal riff, the Lacefield Designs dog beds are the best--ever. 

They are not quite up on the website yet, but call us if you want them!! 

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liz@dovecotedecor.com

Dovecote Decor's Most Popular Posts of All Time

Happy New Year!! While we take time in the New Year to make resolutions and choose direction, we also reflect upon highlights of the past. So.... looking back on the blog, here is a round-up of our most popular posts of all time. Thanks to the magic of Pinterest, these are the articles that get pinged with delightful regularity.

#1:Fashion and Decor Boldly Collide - Equestrian Style endures

By Liz Morten 

and Christine Storch

#2: Bobby McAlpine: A Sense of Place

#3  Nieuw Neo Georgian! Ruard Veltman's Mountain Masterpiece

House Beautiful has a fantastic spread on this beautiful mountain retreat in the April issue. We posted this article in August of 2010 and thought you would enjoy our thoughts on the subject as well.
Ruard Veltman collaborated with my friend "Mrs. G.," creating a spectacular home for her family of 6 in the English country vernacular of Sir Edwin Landseer Lutyens:  "Sir Edwin, father of  neo-Georgian architecture, please meet Dutch born, Ruard Veltman, of nieuw-neo-Georgian architecture!"

#4: Devotion: The Country Farm Estate of Blitz and Dick Reynolds

As many of you know, I live across the street from the Historic Reynolda House Museum, Gardens and village. Our pastoral, small city is highly cultural and well preserved greatly, by the perseverance and generosity of the Reynolds family. I noted in my last post, on the Reynolda Estate,  that R. J. Reynolds was a highly progressive thinker who married an educated and energetic wife, to whom he accorded a great amount of personal autonomy. The estate was purchased in her name and Kate had full control over the vision, execution and management of this self sufficient enterprise--in 1917.  R.J. Reynolds died soon after the house was completed, which was a terrible loss.

#5:  Old Long Island Estates: A surviving James W. O'Connor Playhouse

Long Island is famous for its Gilded Age Estates, immortalized by F. Scott Fitzgerald and chronicled, with vigilance by Zach L. in his blog Old Long Island.  The American Country house movement was propelled by the tremendous fortunes earned in steel, railroads, shipping, coal and oil. Vanderbilts, Whitneys, Phipps, Morgans, Pratts, Graces and Hearsts, to mention a few, erected spectacular weekend estates in Nassau County as private country clubs. Palatial homes in every idiom sprouted with architectural stables, polo fields, and Playhouses. Architect James W. O'Connor  cornered the Playhouse market. A Playhouse is a separate house, containing an indoor tennis court, occasionally a swimming pool, guest rooms, and a large gathering living room overlooking the tennis courts. This Playhouse survives today, and is one of the few private Playhouses remaining in the country.

#6: 17th and 18th Century Prints Leap from Old Volumes onto Lamps, Furniture and Fabrics

#7: Luther Lashmit's Adamsleigh: The Junior League of Greensboro and Traditional Home's Showcase House April 2013

 #8: Glorious Palm Beach and Shopping the Dixie Highway

I have been following fellow blogger, Jane Schott of Empress of the Eye, since she had her Fortuny pillow giveaway. I'm still sulking, since I was not the winner, but I've gained a bird's eye view into, literally, some of the best shopping in America. Jane is The Dixie Highway Chick, no question. Like High Point, it is a great jumble of shops and junk with some serious steals, but... you need to know where you are going. Jane knows.

#9:  High Point Market at Hickory Chair with Alexa Hampton--Video Tutorial

We have been saving the highlights from last April market to get everyone geared up for October! Watch our video of the always inspirational Hickory Chair space and listen to Alexa Hampton's take on the importance of scale in furniture selection.  We are touring with Pat Bassett who has taught me every thing I've ever needed to know about shopping High Point. 

#10: "A" List Design Destinations in L.A.: Hutton Wilkinson's Casa Contessa

The Bloggers conference was a glorious excuse to visit L.A. at the end of February. Daughter number 2 and I arrived early to see some of our favorite haunts.  The highlight was visiting Hutton and Ruth Wilkinson's new masterful Hollywood Regency Palazzo, Casa Contessa. It is next door to Tony Duquette's iconic Dawn Ridge which Hutton uses as a design studio for his fabulous jewels and his HSN reproductions.

A fantastical chandelier floats down the stairwell beneath the skylight at the roof level, like a magical underwater creature. This shot is actually looking down the stairs and the skylight is reflected in the high sheen of the floors.

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Holiday Entertaining With A Joyce Farms Black Heritage Turkey

"For the Truth the Turkey is in Comparison {to the Bald Eagle} a much more respectable Bird, and withal a true original Native of America... He is besides, though a little vain and silly, a Bird of Courage, and would not hesitate to attack a Grenadier of the British Guards who should presume to invade his Farm Yard with a red Coat on."

Benjamin Franklin

1784

With my three domestic divas in the kitchen conjuring mouth watering recipes over Thanksgiving, I can say with confidence that we had our best holiday meal ever, ever.  We began with a Joyce Farms Heritage Black Turkey, a first for me. Recognized as one of the original American Turkey breeds, Joyce Farms raises these pheasant family cousins on small farms in North Carolina--the old fashioned way--free range, antibiotic free, vegetarian fed, small batch, under a watchful eye. As the preparation begins,  I don't care what anyone says--I stuff my bird for the symbiotic effects that the moisture, herbs, and juices marry to create a succulent whole. Trust me, I've done this before.

Trussing the bird with sturdy kebab skewers and kitchen string works easily for me, especially on a big bird like this. Because I use convection and the bird browns rapidly, I drape cheese cloth drenched in butter and protect the bony tips of the wings and drum sticks with foil. Chopped onions beneath the turkey help brown the juices and add flavor to the gravy. I'm a baster, so I pour more melted butter over it approximately every 40 minutes.... And Voila!! There is a great deal of debate regarding basting but old habits die hard. I'm going to have to buck up and try to restrain myself for reasons of comparison.

Our tried and true menu is below: 

Fresh Cranberry and Fig Chutney

Food and Wine Magazine

Kale and Butternut Squash Tart

(adapted from The Sprouted Kitchen Cookbook)

Brussels Sprouts with Shallots and Wild Mushrooms

(Gourmet 2006)

Tyler Florence's Roasted Chestnut and Sausage Dressing

We topped off our beautiful meal with

Ina Garten's Apple Tart

with vanilla ice cream.

The question is, would I spend the extra money for Joyce Farms Heritage foods again, and the answer is a resounding yes!  While you pay a premium to cook a bird that takes twice as long to reach maturity, it is still a bargain compared to the price of visiting France or the very top restaurants that buy from this very special family farm.  Saveur Magazine calls their poultry Bird's of Paradise and we wholeheartedly agree. 

Thank You for joining our virtual feast.

We are thankful to our readers, online clients, interior design customers and blogger friends! We wish you blessings for the holidays!! 

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Our Wake Forest University Intern Reports From Abroad: Mallorca

By Danielle Adler

Dovecote Decor is fortunate to be a short walk from Wake Forest University and as a result we have had a wonderful group of interns who help us build and manage our online store. Danielle has been a terrific asset on our team, and while we have missed her during her junior semester abroad, we are delighted she has shared some of her travels with our readers. Danielle also has interned for Sue at The Zhush and Madeline Weinrib.

One of the first trips of my semester abroad was to Mallorca, an island off the coast of Spain. I was fortunate enough to stay at “Es Cap Blau,” a unique home tucked away in the mountains. There, my two friends and I were able to relax by a serene infinity pool and take in the island’s famously picturesque landscape.

Not only did our refuge provide incredible views, perfect weather, and a much needed sense of tranquility, but we were also treated to delicious meals. On my first day, after snoozing until 10 a.m. I enjoyed a cappuccino while gazing at the “naturaleza” and snacking on poffertjes with an added touch of Grand Marnier! For lunch, we dined on fresh pasta tossed in a parmesan-salmon sauce, and for our evening meal we devoured a savory truffle flatbread pizza. For special occasions, a stone path leads up to a secluded area on the mountain overlooking the sea, creating an idyllic atmosphere for memorable celebrations.

 

The setting and cuisine were enough to have me begging to stay for another month, however, the ultimate element of stylish home decor had me wishing Es Cap Blau was my permanent home! Our host combined gifts from guests, items from world travels, artwork from creative friends, and favorite books to create a comfortable eclectic ambience. Each item in the home had a memory or meaning attached to it, further enhancing the warmth and appeal.

Love this ice bucket!

Not only is Es Cap Blau a hidden gem, but when we ventured down from our oasis, hiking out to Port Vell and taking a dip in the Mediterranean, we found the island to be a magical unforgettable adventure.

“The earth is covered with bands of magnetism; wherever these magnetic lines cross we find places with an exceptional energy. Mallorca is such a place.” - Diandra Douglas

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Hillbrook Collections Bespoke Garden Houses Delivered to Your Home

Social Media is truly a crossroads for interesting new encounters. No, I am not on Match.com, much to my friends derision, but while scrolling through Instagram I came across this image which immediately piqued my curiosity.

Is this what I think it is? As I scroll down I discover that yes, it actually is an outhouse that seems to be going out for delivery. We work with custom orders all the time, but this is a truly unique project and being the sleuth that I am I needed to know more. 

So, I clicked over to Alison's website, Hillbrook Collections, and was dazzled by her stunning array of garden houses, potting sheds, pool houses, gazebos, playhouses and trelliage. I fired off an e-mail to her and within about an hour we were chatting like old friends on the phone. I mean really old friends. We know people in common, our children have attended the same school, and we like the same artists, designers, galleries etc.. However, I am truly enamored with her beautiful garden houses, so I was treated to a wonderful story. 

Alison was raised on a wonderful old original Penn land grant property with a lovely outbuilding for storing firewood. Lamenting the unattractiveness of contemporary storage and potting sheds on many properties Alison's Mother, Nellie Ahl, studied numerous follies, pavilions and garden houses in Great Britain, Europe and America compiling ideas for their design and decoration then.... fire literally struck. Their barn burned down and the local Amish builders came to replace it, and she says: "Exactly like in the movie Witness." I am imagining a handsome Alexander Godunov in the mix! 

Back to reality! The friendships with the Amish craftsmen created the solution of how to provide quality architectural garden buildings to a wide audience. 

Alison, has recently revived her Mother's artisanal business and is busy creating more unique and beautiful garden houses. The Amish craftsman build these perfectly scaled and pitched buildings on their farms from the custom options worked out between Alison and her client. They are constructed within about a month and delivered on site for the final installation on the client's property. Here is where the magic began:

Amish culture epitomizes the practice of slow-living and informs the quality and detail  of each creation at Hillbrook Collections. The hardware, finials and lanterns are all hand forged in Lancaster County. Clients can specify whether houses need to be fitted for electricity and heat. Sometimes a working team of Belgian horses will come by for a visit! Some of my happiest memories of childhood are in my playhouse. With five brothers, my childhood apotheosis was when my Mother shocked me on a day that was neither Christmas nor my Birthday and said: "I have something for you." Incredulous, I looked up at my very tall and yes, intimidating Mother, and asked: "What?" When she smiled and tucked an old fashioned key into my little hand and told me I could have the playhouse for myself, I died and went to heaven. I had my own personal space! I could kick people out, invite them in, serve tea, clean feverishly, and conduct leisurely conversations. There is power in a playhouse. 

My "bit of earth" had an old fashioned pipe constructed swing set within a twenty foot privet hedge.  It was a Mighty Fortress. I believe garden houses, gazebos, pool houses and follies are little destination shelters from the storm of family life--a touch of punctuation and needed privacy. 

Even when you are 16 going on 17, but really. only.... in proper dinner attire! However, on a utilitarian note, non-basement/garage aesthetic space is good for the soul. Hillbrook Collections has multiple internal fittings for tools and projects. 

Below, a stylish Alison poses in front of the beautifully landscaped hexagonal garden Shed that she has been telling me about all fall. The height of the finial adds a stately exclamation point and the subtle dentile molding at the base of the roofline defines the subtle bespoke finish, like a beautifully hand stitched button hole.  

And here is the completed masterpiece compelling visitors to peek in as the destination for a tidy axis plan garden.  Be sure to visit Hillbrook Collections website, as in addition to the portfolio, Alison has compiled a wonderful image library of inspirations from all over the world. 

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