Monthly Archives: April 2022

Lose Farther and Faster

Posted in Architecture, Coastal Design, Interiors, Uncategorized by

I lost three properties in a seven day span. Mary Oliver would be proud of me, the Art of Losing isn’t really hard to do at all, not when you practice as I do. It does require a special quality nonetheless that I call “detached investment”. You can’t get cavalier about what you choose to bid on just because you may not be successful in your quest to obtain it. No, you need to tip toe across a tightrope – not quite a forever property but a property that you are going to spit, polish and shine into something for which you can be proud, not regretful. You can’t fall victim to your competitive instincts to win, if that winning isn’t keeping pace with reality. How much work does it need? How easy will it be to build it? Will permits or variances or condo approvals be required? If you are starting to get a headache, good. It will dissipate nearly as soon as you stop reading this, but if you win that bid for a property in which you overpaid and underestimated what it was going to take to convert it, well you better get accustomed to living with it.

This post is not meant to dissuade you from the hunt, just to keep you from the buyers remorse that some people may be feeling right this second. Three flights up a narrow, uneven staircase, the unit without air conditioning when we are moments away from sleepless nights, damp sheets and the always precarious installation of an in-window unit with its awkward distribution of weight, sharp edges, and need for two people to execute what should be a solo effort. Enough about that. You get the point. You don’t want to be that “guy”.

Continue the hunt does, and it does offer something exciting even if that something isn’t a win. I love the process of imaging how I will design these spaces and get pretty far along in the process between the offer and the verdict before ball up the trace paper and make a three point attempt from outside the paint toward the circular file. It’s not an entire loss, while every property has its quirks which lend themselves to particular furnishings layouts, art placement, lighting schemes and the like, color palettes can travel from property to property with relative ease.

Melinda Headrick . Owner and Principal Designer

I was super excited to learn that Chatham Interiors is coming to Boston, and not just anywhere in the city, but on the very same street that I currently live. Melinda Headrick is both the Owner and Principal Designer. I have frequented her two shops on Main Street in Chatham for years. I consider my style to be a happy cross pollination between Melinda (her first shop) which is all about sophisticated elegance and TA . TA, a younger, hipper, poppier aesthetic for those that have money.

Those striped pillows – available at TA.DA

Melinda is a beautiful designer, and offers an array of options for accessing her talent. Full design services aren’t for everyone as it can be prohibitive for those working with tight budgets. There are virtual consultations and room by room options with the extra added benefit of having them order and track all your purchases for you, ensuring they arrive at your home. Ah the possibilities, keep bidding, keep believing, keep on dreaming.

On Point . AKDO x Jill Rosenwald . Fort Point Collection

Posted in Color Trends, Uncategorized by
A Twist on an old classic. 5 x 5’s shown in Harbor and Salty with an undulating surface that shines.

When it comes to the tried and true lovers of blue, Mark Sikes and Summer on the Coast seem to love these hues the most. As the days get warmer my excitement for the sand, sea, light linens, and fresh cut flowers outpace our New England weather. No worries, as the temperature bounces around like the metal ball in a pin ball machine I’ll be planning my next summer home renovation for a home I don’t yet own, in a place I am not entirely exists, with a fervor that defies all reason. It will be fueled by Jill Rosenwald’s new line of tiles entitled, Fort Point – the name of the section of the city in which her eponymous pottery shop resides, and from whence her inspiration is derived.

Flora in the making.

In partnership with AKDO, a NYC dealer of luxury tile and stone, Jill created a small but mighty line of tiles that are both an ode to our revolutionary ways, our coastal location, our love of tea and hatred of taxes. I for one often feel that I have a little revolt in me, adore tea, am calmed by the sea and salt water, and hate taxes as much as the next hot blooded American, so would feel a kinship with the tile even if I were blind, which I am not. They are gorgeous.

Sublime elegance in the elongated subway tile. You can never go wrong with this selection.

Five colors, two patterns, two sizes, endless inspiration. Hello Sailor, you had me at navy blue stripes. Is there anything that is more quintessentially nautical than that. Don’t answer, or do, I won’t hear you argue with me. It’s the number one, number one, plus it’s very French, which makes me adore it even more. Brushy and Flora the two patterns are simple yet inspired. The color palette which includes Hello Sailor, Tea Party, Harbor, Salty and Wharf is serene and cheerful. Whether you are rinsing off in a cool shower after a hot, sandy day at the beach or prepping chilled margarita’s and a mint, feta and watermelon salad in your sublimely tiled kitchen, this tile will offer you a safe harbor.

Refined meets easy breezy.

I think I will go in search of a wallcovering to place in a nook inside my imaginary pantry for good measure. Aren’t you just begging for an invitation?

Hello Sailor in 5 x 5 and Brushy.

Dream in Color

Posted in Interiors, Uncategorized by
Carissa of A Bold New Hue

Not everyone can make you wish you could pull off pink hair. Some people just have that flare about them. They ooze creativity, and that creativity won’t stay in its lane. It’s nothing short of fantastic. From the pretty pink painted toe that slips into a leopard velvet flat, mixes high and low, texture and print, color and pattern like a tornado swirling around her petite frame, her style is a centrifugal force pulling you in. Instead of reemerging with a tumbleweed on her head, Carissa looks like she’s ready for tea with the Cheshire Cat in Alice and Wonderland. I am left wondering alright – how does she mix and match the full spectrum of pattern and texture with the colors of the rainbow?

An Interior Designer she is not. Not in the classic sense that is, but classic is so last century. Creativity is all about breaking the rules so why would one let a degree get in the way, I ask you? Knowing that I have loads of followers that are in fact Interior Designers – in the classic sense, and being a lover of education i would never disrespect a degree. I do wonder if you applaud or disdain the untrained. Please do weigh in.

Note the Van Gough Style Painting and the way she pulls the color palette straight from the artwork.

Trained or not, Carissa’s style, while not for everyone, is a master class in the complex layering of hue, color blocking and pattern. I suspect that my next statement will cause some of you to become red-faced and argumentative, but an entire room in a series of whites, off-whites, ecru, and pale cream is safe, formulaic and predictable. It screams lack of self-confidence in either the owner or the designer or both. Of course it works together, its tonal, but I dare you to tell me it wows.

Again see the painting for color inspo. Black is always a welcome and grounding addition to a room. Check out the mix of patterns, leopard is practically a neutral and works well with the curtains. She didn’t miss a texture beat either with the sofa and rug.

Quirkiness is part of her charm and evident in her design aesthetic, the naming of her animals – a cat named Hot Dog, a dog named Waffle and another named Queso. Her irreverent, funny, and educational Instagram posts, and her willingness to share some of the tricks of the fashion and graphic design trades that have helped her excel in the world of interiors.

If maximalist style isn’t your thing you can still test the waters with color.

Reinvention is the catchphrase of the 21st century. I applaud Carissa, want to take one of her design classes, Zoom her into my living room for a strategy session all the way from Dallas, and thank her for pointing out a few color hacks that will have you building your own color confidence. Select a favorite piece of art, a scarf, or something straight out of nature and start playing.

Spring Has Sprung

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Except here in New England where spring is more likely to still be caught in a long winter’s nap, and be skipped over entirely for summer. My fever for the season has not diminished an ounce despite my regions unwillingness to embrace renewal.

Ah renewal, an opportunity to dust off the doldrums and bunnies that have surely collected in the darker corners of your house and give it a proper cleaning. Root around in the shed or the storage closet to see what potting soil remains to plant a happy row of tulips or daffodils, a perfect urn placed at your front door, punctuated by pussy willows, and a trail of ivy. Polish up your bike, grease up the chain and launch off for a ride to the beach or farmer’s market and fill your basket with honey.

I like to give my decore a refresh while I am at it and Spring always makes me long for a coastal cottage to call my own. Perhaps that dream will have to remain a little further down my dirt path than I would like as I am currently without a primary home, and while I am not homeless, my restlessness for a renovation project feels like it’s reaching a feverish pitch, which no amount of house hunting has yet sated. Touch market. I got a punch in the gut when I saw that the only property I placed an offer on since the start of the year went for $100K over ask. It’s a one bedroom. Instead of a fresh start, I feel like I’m back to square one.

Fortunately I possess a vivid imagination and am happily putting it to use designing a home of my imaginings that would make the Equinox come-a-knocking for cocktails.