Tableuxs & Tablescapes

Where does the line get drawn between simply piling things onto a surface or actually being able to create a fabulous tableux or when entertaining, a tablescape? I admire those who can create an arrangement of items on a chest or table that looks effortlessly arranged or collected.....but, abhore those who pile endless amounts of stuff onto a surface in the hopes that it looks ......hmmm, well 'nice.' As Steven Parissien says in his recent book, Interiors: The Home Since 1700, 'True clutter is very different from those artfully arranged tablescapes ... aimed to give an instant lived-in look.' That's what I think I try to achieve when creating a tableux, that "lived-in look" with an arrangement of items loved, collected, and memory provoking. I tend to lean more towards the sparser arrangements of things loved and collected; especially in the summer months when dust seems to collect more heavily like on the entrance table above (forgive the poor photography, it looks much nicer in person.) I like being able to focus on the objects d'art themselves as opposed to seeing books piled up in stacks with objects on top of them, making the literature completely useless as you are too afraid to move the objects on top to actually read the books! Don't get me wrong, in a library, stacks of books on a central table are good -- as long as the reader doesn't have to wade through chotchkas on top to get to the books. I love old tea boxes or antique wooden boxes in general, but on a larger space, struggle to put something so low next to something higher, like a lamp for example without stacking them on top of each other. Well, hopefully as I see more and develop more - perfecting the tableux will come to me! Until then, there are great books out there and tons of websites, of course, to browse through for inspiration! Happy tablescaping! For some amazing ideas, see Phillip Sides Interior Design in Alabama (http://www.phillipsidesinteriordesign.com/PSIDDefault.html). He has some beautiful tablescapes using very calming colors, like the first image below. And, of course, if you want to see more perfect tablescapes, please check out Phoebe Howard's creations at http://www.mrshowardpersonalshopper.com/mrs_howard_personal_shopp/page/2/ - perfection in every image.  I've included several of her tableuxs below, along with my favorite etagere with an artful arrangement of items by Phoebe and her team.  Enjoy!

What's In My Library?

I always enjoy posts from other blogs talking about what is in everyone's library. Whether they have a physical location they call a library or not, who cares. Any chair, bed, or space that lets you become totally engrossed between the cover of a good book works for me. I also get a good chuckle at some of the pics of the library owners holding their favorite reads. Really, who looks that sexy when curling up with a good book or shelter mag? Is that perfect PR shot really necessary? But, lets not be catty, what matters is that the list of books in my Amazon shopping cart grows and shifts with each new blog because cheesy pic or not, they are fascinating titles and beyond informative. I am very fortunate in that I actually have a formal library which holds my growing collection of books of all types.

With much blood, sweat and some begging and pleading (no tears please, that just doesn't work on my better half) I've been able to transform an unused, large formal dining room into a well used, working library space enjoyed by myself and my children immensely. It is undoubtedly the most well used space in the house. After clipping every picture I could find and making many trips to the local do it yourself warehouse store (which was a complete joke, both price-wise and design wise, which is why they shall remain nameless), I secured several estimates from local carpenters.
A pair of brothers who were just starting a business were able to take all the clippings and many suggestions and give me the library of my dreams. Custom shelving, beautiful moldings, and an open mind to my ideas were just the tip of the iceberg with these guys.
They had never done a space like this, so there was a learning curve for all of us. The result is a room that I know my children and I will be using well into the years. Thanks Steve and Pete of Jaxon Construction, Huntington, NY. Doesn't the dining room look so lonely before renovation?

American Classic On Long Island

Here is a great article in House Beautiful about designer David Kleinberg's work in a 1920's East End home. This home truly looks family friendly (user-friendly he calls it) and so amazing how he mixes antiques with the upholstered pieces and dark modern pieces! I love what he calls "Dick Van Dyke moments." Check it out!
http://www.housebeautiful.com/decorating/kleinberg-american-classic-0408

What Is Long Island Style?

While images and perceptions have definitely changed regarding Long Island (for the most part positively), some things remain the same. Here is a great excerpt from an essay written by Susan Isaacs for the New York Times in 1998.

"So what is Long Island style? A mix of gritty urban ethnicity, garden club manners and middle-American taste. We still take our cue from New York City: Socially, most of the Island is a verdant improvisation on Brooklyn and Queens, while the non-agricultural world of the South Fork takes its cue more from modish Manhattan. (Manhattan-domiciled Hamptons homeowners weigh fifteen pounds less per capita than other Long Islanders. However, to view that area solely as a chic playground for wolves of Wall Street and media darlings is an error. Like the borough to which it perpetually correlates, the Hamptons are made up of many worlds in which everyone aspires to be a hotshot. Each weekend, there are gatherings of the glitterati of endodontia, the jet set of the bankruptcy bar, the intelligentsia of preteen sportswear...Long Island is literally, an extension of New York City. Like that great, gray city, it tolerates a wide range of styles and behavior. No, it is not the East Village, but neither does it force its residents into one particular mode of behavior. I have heard that the garden maven-Gold Coast socialite C.Z. Guest has as neighbors the novelist Victoria Gotti and the raconteur Howard Stern. While such a mingling delights me, it does not surprise me. It truly exemplifies the Long Island lifestyle, albeit the high-rent version. Guest and Gotti and Stern, like us, have the freedom not only to pursue an American dream, but to make that dream a distinctly personal vision — one that does not break faith with the past." (http://www.susanisaacs.com/bib/long_island.php)

Ah, Home Sweet Home.

My Obsession With Mr. & Mrs. Howard

Never before have I been able to look at a designer's portfolio and honestly been able to say that I LOVE EVERYTHING they have done! Every room setting, arrangement, fabric, flower/accessory choice, light fixture, rug, piece of art simply screams at me when I visit Mrs. Howard Personal Shopper or the Howard's interior design websites. While I love color, bright and vivid, I think I appreciate the calm and serenity of creams, neutrals, and soft beach hues and Mrs. Howard and Max and Company have proven that to me with each and every image posted between their websites and blog. You must visit and I am hoping to visit in person at the end of the month on a trip to Florida. If not then, I might just grab a girlfriend and fly down to their Charlotte store when it opens! I simply must have a sunburst mirror above my bed! Give yourself at least an hour to appreciate all the beautiful images on their websites -- the craftsmanship of the millwork and carpentry at James Howard's website is mind blowing! Above is just an example. Enjoy!

Our New Addition!

We are proud to announce the newest addition to our home --- a custom, hand-crafted tall case clock by Chris Harter of The Country Furniture Shop in Madison, NY. Chris is an amazing craftsman who specializes in handcrafted American windsor chairs and 18th century furniture reproductions. Chris works with Kathi Edwards of The Dial House in Georgia, who hand paints the dial face however the customer would like to create one of a kind tall case clocks that are heirlooms for generations to come. We placed our order several months ago and were so excited when Chris emailed to say it was ready for delivery! So worth the wait! Our clock is now placed in our foyer along side our tiger maple, serpentine front chest - Yummy! Thank you Chris and Kathi for an amazing piece of craftsmanship that I know will be in my family for generations!

From Levittown To The Hamptons

We've come a long way from the Levitt houses of the 1950's to the multi-million dollar homes that are still being built in the Hamptons. Our Gold Coast history is steeped in blue blood names and massive mansions, many of which could not escape the ravages of time and taxes (see one of my favorites http://www.oldlongisland.com/). Our architectural landscape is as diverse as our population. Driving the length of Long Island, one can see stucco with heavily ornate moldings to match, alongside a 1950's Cape Cod and more contemporary renditions, culminating in farm land transformed to wineries and the classic "Hamptons Style" homes out East. We are truly a diverse community in more ways than one and our style reflects it in each and every way.

For more images of Levittown in it's early days, see this NY Times Slideshow. http://www.nytimes.com/slideshow/2007/10/12/nyregion/20071013_LEVITTOWN_SLIDESHOW_index.html

This Strange New Land!

Well, I am addicted. I admit it. I spend way too much time reading design blogs and oohing and aahing (is that a word?) over the beautiful images and laughing at the talented, witty writings that I see and read on my favorite blogs. I am also addicted to shelter mags, just ask my other, better half - I am so bad, that sometimes I buy the same magazine twice, not realizing I have it at home already. So, I figure that while the time is right (freezing cold temps still grip the North Shore of Long Island), I would attempt to help debunk the myth that Long Island is full of 'mica' and smokey mirrors, and every other pre-conceived notion that exists regarding the style of my fellow inhabitants of my home for the last 15 years. Hope you enjoy the ride and that I might be able to post images, ideas, and writings that inspire and motivate or to simply enjoy!