Tag Archives: Product

Long Lost Buddy

March 6, 2008UncategorizedProductMrs. Blandings

Estate Chair

It’s funny, writing the blog, to stumble across someone with whom you share something. Every now and then, I find out someone went to KU, or grew up in Kansas City, or is my best-friend-from-growing-up’s little sister.

Biedermeier Chair

I recently started a new project, and was waiting at one of the showrooms for memos. (Oh, how I love looking for fabric. I have to shake my head in disbelief at anyone who claims it “overwhelming.” It is pure heaven for me.) While I was milling about, waiting to get my mitts on those samples, this little promotional piece caught my eye. So, I stuffed it in the bag and I was off.

Temporarily forgotten, yesterday, as I was unloading my treasures, it drifted to the floor and I thought, “There’s something so familiar…”

Drinks Table

I know absolutely nothing about Bolier & Company, other than their things are lovely. The collection highlighted on the flier, however, is by Michael Vanderbyl.

Vanderbyl has had a long and successful career. I had run across his designs several years ago when I was working on my first project. He had designed the Archetype Collection for Baker, and one sofa in particular was just the thing.

A few of his pieces for Bolier are reminiscent of the previous collection. The tag line is, “A modernist’s interpretation of classic Biedermeier forms.” Apparently, it’s a combination that appeals to me, as I am struck by the elegance of these pieces.

And, just in case you thought I was the first Kansas Citian to sit up and take notice, nope. Vanderbyl was awarded the Joyce C. Hall Distiguished Chair at the Kansas City Art Institute in 1989. We might have run into each other. If he was hanging out at the Peanut.

BFFs, Me & Martha

March 5, 2008UncategorizedProductMrs. Blandings

You know, I’ve always liked Martha Stewart. I’m not saying I think everything she does is fabulous. In fact, I’ve never had a Martha Stewart recipe turn out well. Mr. Blandings claims she holds back one ingredient in everything so it comes out a little off. He thinks this is how she maintains her illusion of superiority.

But, you have to take the bad with the good. With every friendship you have to expect a little, “Gosh, it makes me crazy when she does that.” One assumes one’s friends might even feel the same way.

So I was not a bit surprised when I dropped in on I Suwanee this morning and saw Martha’s absolutely adorable beach towels. (I let you check them out there, she has so many great things to see.)

I went searching and look what I found. Fabulous rugs.

Don’t assume that because they are at Macy’s they are inexpensive, because they are not.

But I do think they are pretty jazzy. (Anon, I almost said rockin’ or fierce, but I didn’t want to be reminded of how old I am, yet again.)

This lavender is especially pretty.

And, if Courtney is right, the jewel tones of this rug will put you ahead of the crowd.

Perhaps the animal print in a neutral colorway will help you dip your toe. That Martha, she knows things.

Bazaar Bizaare

February 27, 2008UncategorizedProductMrs. Blandings

The yummy little number on which Tinsley Mortimer has her elbow propped in this month’s Bazaar is Clarence House’s Noveau Bizaare. Issued a couple of years ago, I originally saw it in the New York Times Style section. Memo, please!

It’s still in my “house” bag. I wanted to use it just as Mrs. Mortimer has done, with one other something, here a damask, of similar scale. And the tassel fringe. Are you paying attention? If you aren’t familiar with passementarie, now is the time to learn.

Is the grommet hilarious? It’s to deter cheaters like me from skirting the two yard minimum, ordering the memo and whipping up a pillow at virtually no cost. At 400 + retail, it’s probably wise.

Oh, Happy Day!

February 21, 2008UncategorizedMrs. B at Home, ProductMrs. Blandings

This does not look like it could possibly be the beginning of a very good day, but in fact, it was. To begin, we had some lovely “new” friends to dinner Saturday, and despite the coq au vin being a bit purple (at first, by the time we served it, it seemed much better, and tasted devine) we had a wonderful time, so I already had a spring in my step.

Also, I had had a little retail therapy. There are upsides and downside to making friends with antique dealers. The upside is, they are usually happy to see you, fun to talk to, and, if you are lucky, they often have something really yummy you might need. Mr. Blandings might question the definition of “need,” but I think you know what I mean. The downside is, sometimes you drop in just to say “hi” and things happen. Perhaps you want to put something on the wish list for the next buying trip, and it turns out you are on a buying trip yourself. This happened to me at Suzanne Cooper’s on Saturday. I’d been eyeing these vintage jars for a while and she finally “gave” them to me. Sort of. But they are quite big, very heavy, and will be fabulous filled with holly or sunflowers, and absolutely glorious when the peonies bloom. Which may be never as it is a ridiculous 17 degrees here.

My subscription for domino finally arrived. I not sure my pregnancies lasted longer, or ended with at much relief, as this process. I danced a jig at the mailbox.

And, the rug came. I have a wonderful receiving company that I use, and one of the nice things about them is they don’t balk when you say, “Um, I do have a couple of things that need to be moved.” and the things are a 200 pound desk and a 500 pound chest that you didn’t get around to emptying. Well, you saw the living room, it’s not like I didn’t do anything. And I Swiffered. And picked up no fewer than fifty Legos.

I have to say, I love it. I wanted to do wall-to-wall, but Mr. Blandings furrowed his brow, which means he’s highly concerned and I conceded. I still think I was right, because that is how I am, but I’m very happy with the results.

If you are wondering if he noticed, he did. He said it wasn’t the new-carpet smell that gave it away, but the first thing the boys said when they came home from school was, “What stinks?”

And darling Rosie. What a day. First she had to follow me back and forth through all the emptying out. Then meeting her new friends, the delivery guys, was very exciting. Then the following back and forth to put everything back. Days like that can really wear a girl out.

Hearts and Flowers

February 14, 2008UncategorizedProductMrs. Blandings

Eighteen years ago this week, I called Mr. Blandings from my miserable, temporary, call-center job, to see if he had our big city friend’s current phone number. This was before he was so big city and when Mr. Blandings and I were friends.

We’d been friends since college. Not talk-on-the-phone friends, but hang out when you’re out friends. Anyway, he gave me the number and asked if I wanted to get a beer on Wednesday. Hmm-umm. Couldn’t. You see Wednesday was Valentine’s Day and I had a very pretty little pity party planned for myself, including old movies and ice cream.

Mr. Blandings suggested we ignore the fact that it was Valentine’s Day (in fact, his initial response was, “Is it on the 14th this year?”) and go out anyway. Leave the pity at home. Agreed. Good plan.

When I got home from work that day it was dumping snow. I was nervously getting ready. Would he really want to go out in this? Then the phone rang. Darn. Mr. Blandings, he would be late, he had to take his grandmother candy on his way to pick me up. Can you hear the violins swelling in the background?

I don’t know what changed. We had known each other – pretty well – for five years. Maybe I grew up. I had certainly had my fill of scoundrals. But I was sunk. We’ve spoken to each other every day since.

Yesterday, a reader on another blog was asking about a rug, and I thought it was a Rug Company rug, but it doesn’t seem to be. But while I was flipping through their gorgeous catalogue, I was stuck by how pretty and romantic it is. By how many images contain hearts or flowers or “love” itself.

The company is owned by Suzanne and Christopher Sharp, who are married. I’d love to think their catalogue is a reflection of how they see themselves. And how they see marriage.

Marriage is the most romantic love there is.

All images, The Rug Company catalogue.