Tag Archives: Designers

Shelf Life

March 3, 2010Uncategorizedblogs, Designers, Product, Vintage DesignMrs. Blandings

Jennifer Boles at the Peak of Chic recently posted about how fresh Albert Hadley’s work is. Even ten years after his apartment was published in Elle Decor it appears current. Timeless.

As I have been having a fantasy love affair with “Trixie” – the Red/Black on Off-White has been on my desk for months – I have noticed Hadley’s wallpapers popping up hear and there.

Here is Trixie in chic black and grey in Kate Rheinstein Brodsky’s New York kitchen.

Splatter in Eddie Ross’s window at Bloomingdale’s.

Reddish Rose in Elizabeth Mayhew’s daughter’s bedroom.

And local designer, Ann Egan’s, kitchen in the December/January issue of Spaces.

Christopher Spitzmiller has a stylish lamp named “Hadley,” and while I love it in this matte finish

I can’t help wondering what it would like like with the “Miro” pattern applied tone-on-tone

by Roy Hamilton.

Images from top, Elle Decor, February 2000, photography by Fernando Bengoechea, via the Peak of Chic, Hadley’s Connecticut home from Albert Hadley, The Story of America’s Preeminent Interior Designer by Adam Lewis, photography by Fernando Bengoechea; Brodsky’s apartment, Elle Decor, March 2010, photography by William Waldron; Bloomingdale’s window via Eddie Ross; Egan’s kitchen, Spaces, December/January 2009/10, photography by Aaron Leimkuehler; Hadley lamps from Christopher Spitzmiller; last image, my own.

Mud Pies

February 25, 2010UncategorizedAntique Dealers, DesignersMrs. Blandings

I was just telling local antique dealer, Rich Hoffman, “I have all these brown things. I don’t think I have enough stuff, yet I look around and I have all these brown things. And if you asked me, ‘Do you like brown things?’ I would say, ‘No, not really.'” I was telling him because I was admiring something brown at his and Christopher Filley’s shop.

Then, I ran across this picture of Steven Gambrel’s Sag Harbor entry. Featuring a bunch of brown things. Maybe I’m on to something.

Image from Annie Kelly’s Rooms to Inspire in the Country; photography by Tim Street-Porter.

American Modern

February 3, 2010UncategorizedDesigners, ProductMrs. Blandings

One of the biggest treats while in New York was being able to stop in and visit Thomas O’Brien at Aero, his studio in Soho. He devoted an amazing amount of time to this near-stalker/blogger, giving me a tour of the shop and his design studio.

The shop is a wonderful jumble of vintage and antique pieces with O’Brien’s own designs seemlessly mixed in. He is a collector. Personally, and in the store. You can see his hand in everything.

When we sat down to visit I asked him why he thought he had been named as a designer who will “last” in my Enduring Style series. “Huh. I don’t know,” was his reply and then he went on to discuss his design process in everything from product to interiors to his book.

O’Brien wears his soul on his sleeve and his is not the manic creative energy that you might expect from someone who is executing this inspiring amount of work. He is exacting and passionate, but in a very low-key way. He talked a great deal about process and inspiration; he spoke not at all of himself nor did he ever mention the word “brand” though I am sure he is quite aware of this buzz word and its significance.

O’Brien had a copy of his new book, American Modern, there for me to flip through while we talked. It is a beautiful book featuring some favorite projects, but also homes that have not been published. As Dick Diver, O’Brien is a man with repose. His gaze is steady and his hands are still even when he speaks intently about the need to be inspired. Even though many of us are struggling he notes, “The great buildings still need to be built.”

Thomas O’Brien has new lamps for Visual Comfort that should be hitting retail locations by Spring. His new collection for Target is rolling into stores now, including some very chic bedding. He has several new pieces for Hickory Chair that will debut at Highpoint and be in stores by late Summer/early Fall.

You can pre-order his book, American Modern, here. You should. It’s terrific.

I received no compensation for this post other than the complete delight of the experience. All images courtesy of Thomas O’Brien and Aero.

Team Eddie

January 24, 2010UncategorizedDesignersMrs. Blandings

Some folks read one blog. You know, someone reads a blog maybe because her friend writes it. Some people read a few blogs. They have a specific interest, they’ve clicked around a little. Some people read a lot of blogs. Like me. I checked my blog reader and I read seventy blogs. That’s insane. Really. But, all these bloggers don’t post every day and, well, I like them.

But some bloggers are friends. Real friends. Eddie Ross and his partner Jaithan Kochar are my real friends. I’ve entertained, shopped, dined, cooked (well, Eddie and Mr. B cooked; Jaithan and I stood by) and laughed with these guys.

In case you missed my pitch last week, Eddie and Jaithan are involved in a contest sponsored by Bloomingdale’s and Apartment Therapy. They’ve cooked up a little window dressing on behalf of Elle Decor and I wish you’d take the time to give them your vote. Click here to vote on line AND text 89800 and put a “1” in the body to vote by text. (I know, you can do both. Go figure.) And, if you would, do it every day until the 28th. I know, I know, it’s a lot of days, but it is a more is more kind of town.

Once you’ve done that, hop on over to Eddie’s blog to see the process of framing that eye-catching piece of art work over the sofa.

All images courtesy of Eddie Ross.

I Spy

January 20, 2010Uncategorizeddesign books, DesignersMrs. Blandings

I’m changing things around in the dining room and went back to hunt for this image from Mariette Himes Gomez’s Rooms. I’m considering ordering brackets to go under the Chinoiserie mirrors.

While on the search for the image I noticed this for the first time. (I have looked through this book, truly, dozens of times.) I have that. No, not the frieze, the wine cooler. Yes, those wine coolers were available through Williams Sonoma when I got married. I have one. I don’t love it enough to put it on my mantle. Heck, I’m not sure I even like them placed here all that much, but I think this is a nice reminder that everything doesn’t have to be precious. I keep forgetting that.