Trendspotting >>> Clarence House Flowering Quince

Flowering Quince by Clarence House

Taking queue from blogger Chinoiserie Chic's previous post - click here to read - from July '10 highlighting Flowering Quince, a wallpaper & fabric offered by Clarence House, I've spotted the floral print in 2 recent shelter magazines.  The August 2010 issue of Atlanta Homes & Lifestyles features the design work of Betty Burgess - she has chosen to use Flowering Quince in a Bathroom on both walls & upholstery.  Elle Decor October 2010 features the home of Patricia Herrera Lansing (daughter of legendary fashion designer Carolina Herrera), who has opted for Flowering Quince on drapery and pillows in the Living Room of her Locust Valley, NY home.  Check out of the images below.

Interior Designer Betty Burgess has selected Flowering Quince for a Bathroom (upper right corner) in the home of Derek Lowe.  August 2010, Atlanta Homes & Lifestyles Magazine, click here to read more.

Elle Decor, October 2010 - The Living Room of Patricia Herrera Lansing.  Flowering Quince is found on both drapery & accent pillows.

Trash to Treasure ~ An Art Auction Benefiting the Atlanta Beltline Project

Hey Atlanta Friends...  IIDA (International Interior Design Association, Georgia Chapter), is hosting Trash to Treasure, an art auction benefiting the Atlanta Beltline.  Come check out & bid on custom pieces crafted from salvaged materials, created by local designers & artists.  Tonight @7:00 pm, tickets available at the door, Knoll Showroom, Westside.  Click here for more info.  Come see Jim's submitted work....  reclaimed bicycle parts meets chandelier.  Stop by!

Astor Courts ~ The Historic Estate & Site of Chelsea Clinton's Wedding is Up for Auction

Astor Courts, the historic Beaux Arts style estate located in Rhinebeck, NY and set on 50 acres overlooking the Hudson River, is up for auction.  This week-end's NY Times showcased 2 adds for the auction details - bids are due by October 8 & selling to the highest bidder above $7.5 million.  Astor Courts' 30,000 square feet comprises of 5 bedrooms, 4 and a half baths, an indoor swimming pool, and indoor clay tennis court.  This home's most recent claim to fame is that it played host for Chelsea Clinton's summer wedding.  Astor Courts' history starts with its architect Sanford White, who designed the home in 1902 for John Jacob Astor IV.  Unfortunately for Astor, he only had a short time to appreciate his commissioned home, having gone down with the Titanic eight years after its completion.  Astor's eldest son Vincent, inherited the home and in the 1940's began renovation work to the property.  Upon Vincent Astor's death in 1959, his third wife, Brooke Astor (the legendary NY socialite), donated the estate to the Catholic Archdiocese of New York, where it became a nursing home & convent.  By the 1980s, Astor Court returned to its original private home status and current owners Kathleen Hammer & Arthur Seelbinder purchased the home - which had fallen into a dilated state -  in late 2004 for $3.2 million.  Following a tasteful full scale renovation, Hammer & Seelbinder placed Astor Courts on the market in the Fall of 2009 for $12 million.  It was taken off the market prior to Chelsea's wedding, and now put back on within this auction format.  Click here for more info and auction details, click here to read more from the NY Times Home Section article published in November 2008 about Hammer & Seelbinder's renovation, and check out below the images of Astor Courts.

Halloween Costumes ~ Simon Doonan for Target

Simon Doonan Pictured with his designs for Target

Simon Doonan, Creative Director of Barney's, has partnered with Target in designing fun, flashy, and whimsical Halloween costumes.  Available in stores now and online, offering styles ranging from Diva Witch to Candace Corn to Glamour Ghost. Ever the tongue in cheek personality, Doonan offer styles for your pups as well!

Glamour Ghost

Meatball

Candace Corn

Pet-arazzi

Spaghetti and Meatballs

Doonan is the longtime partner of ceramics designer and potter extraordinaire, Jonathan Adler (above on right).  Photographed on the terrace of their Palm Beach getaway with their rescue terrier, Liberace.  Check out the published photos of the couple's home featured on the cover of the November 2008 Metropolitan Home magazine.

My Favorite Toffee ~ Toffee To Go ~ Named Best Dessert

The Atlanta Fall Gift & Home Furnishings Market and The Atlanta Gourmet Market were held this past week-end, September 11-13, at the AmericasMart in downtown Atlanta.  Of the more than 60 gourmet food products showcased, my very favorite toffee - Toffee To Go - was honored with the "Best Dessert" award for 2010.  Judges particularly singled out Toffee To Go's Dark Chocolate Pecan combination.  Be sure to check out their website for easy ordering and keep Toffee To Go in mind for office & holiday gift giving.  My favorite is their White Chocolate Macadamia, but if you can't decide be sure to order the sample box with all 3 toffee combinations - Dark Chocolate Pecan, White Chocolate Macadamia, and Milk Chocolate Almond.

Your New Favorite Snack > Nutty Girl Nut Mix

Nutty Girl Nut Mix

A holiday family tradition of roasting nuts as a party snack pleaser, quickly turned into a full time business for owner and creator of Nutty Girl Nut Mix, Carolyn Cary.  Carolyn credits her sister for Nutty Girl's delicious success. Her sister's store in Newnan, GA was the first to carry packages of Carolyn's Original Nut Mix - an assortment of roasted nuts & dried cranberries infused with rosemary - and customers couldn't get enough of it!  In 2004 Carolyn established Nutty Girl Nut Mix and has since added 3 additional nut combinations to her label - Exotic Nutty Girl, Sweet Nutty Girl, and Spicy Nutty Girl.  The bright, fun, and whimsical illustrations on the packaging are all drawn by Carolyn.  I got a chance to meet Carolyn and sample Nutty Girl back in January 2009 at the Atlanta Food Show and was instantly smitten with her choices of savory and sweet ingredients. You can find Nutty Girl at specialty food & gift stores as well as purchase online through their website.

Nutty Girl Original Nut Mix with Rosemary

Spicy Nutty Girl with Roasted Almonds

Exotic Nutty Girl with Cashews

Sweet Nutty Girl with Ghirardelli Chocolate

One to Watch > Lucinda Scala Quinn

I'm a huge fan of the PBS show Everyday Food.  It's produced by Martha Stewart and hosted by 5 chefs that rotate through out the 30 minute program, demonstrating recipes from appetizers thru dessert.  One host, Lucinda Scala Quinn, has branched off to her own show on the Hallmark Channel - Mad Hungry.  Mad Hungry takes its title from Lucinda's third published cookbook Mad Hungry - Feeding Men and Boys.  Hosting her own TV show and book author adds to an already impressive and chock full resume...  She is a wife, mother to 3 sons, Executive Food Director at Martha Stewart Omnimedia, and host of her own radio show EatDrink on Martha Stewart Living Radio found on Sirius and XM.  The premiere of Mad Hungry was Monday and I got a chance to check out yesterday's episode, watching her prepare a delicious roast chicken with side dishes of roasted veggies - beets, carrots, mushrooms, shallots - and white rice cooked with onion and sundried tomato.  I find her cooking techniques and delivery style to be straight forward, easy to incorporate in my own kitchen, and most importantly her recipes really work.  Check out Mad Hungry everyday at 12:00 noon and click here and here to watch Lucinda prepare recipes from past episodes of Everyday Food. Click here for a link to her blog and become a fan of Mad Hungry on Facebook.

Acrylic Design ~ Alexandra Von Furstenberg

Today's post takes inspiration from Friday's post's subject matter....  the accomplished and artistically driven Miller Sisters. Friday I discussed the second of the three Miller sisters, Princess Marie-Chantal of Greece, and her children's clothing Marie-Chantal.  Today, highlights youngest Miller sister, Alexandra.

Following her global upbringing - Asia, Europe, and the US - Alexandra's path to hone her artistic eye led her to academic pursuits at Parsons (costume design) and Brown (art history).  In 1995 she married legendary women's fashion designer Diane Von Furstenberg's son, Alexander.  Alexandra assumed the position of Creative Director at Diane Von Furstenberg for 10 years and is credited with the success of bringing back into stores Furstenberg's cherished design creation, the Wrap Dress.  Cut to 2007, divorced and transplanted to LA, Alexandra's personal designs of acrylic furniture for her home became the inspiration to launch her own line of home furnishings and accessories - Alexandra Von Furstenberg.  Her first collection - Fearless - released in 2008, consisted of acrylic neon tables.  In 2009, her second collection - Voltage - a 9 piece limited edition, offered acrylic tables in smokier tones.  Her success has led to designing additional pieces for the line - specifically tabletop accessories.  The October 2010 issue of Town & Country Magazine highlights one such piece, Alexandra's Charm candy bowl, acrylic material offered in an assortment of colors.  Check out some of the images below of Alexandra's work.

Alexandra's Blacksmith Acrylic Desk

Alexandra's Acrylic Side Tables

Alexandra's Sledge Acrylic Coffee Table

Alexandra's Neon Acrylic Trays

Town & Country, October 2010.  Alexandra's Charm candy bowl featured in Design Trends.

Scout Mob's Deal of the Day ~ 50% Off at Mooncake Clothing Co.

Hey Atlanta Friends....  Scout Mob's Deal of the Day ~ 50% Off at Mooncake Clothing Co.  Mooncake is a long established & cherished retail clothing shop at the crossroads of the Virgina-Highland neighborhood of town.  Known for their eclectic mix of designers, highlighting smaller specialty labels, and styles, including stunning bridal wear - always offering something unique not typically seen in department stores.  Click Here to Get the Deal.

Style Setter > Princess Marie-Chantal of Greece

The Fall clothing catalogs are arriving daily in the mail, most of which stack up on my bedside table to get a read before ending up in the recycling bin.  My quick scan through the titles had me stuck on one we hadn't received before - Marie-Chantal - a children's clothing catalog filled with classic European style.  I recognized her name instantly, but more often I've seen it referred to in a formal manner as Princess Marie-Chantal of Greece.  Her personal fashion style and beautifully decorated homes have always been featured subjects of lifestyle magazines.  But, I hadn't realized that Marie-Chantal had launched her own children's clothing line.  How appropriate for a mother of 5, she offers the right blend of timeless style with the needs of everyday baby & children's wear.

The Cover of Marie-Chantal Clothing Catalog, Fall/Winter 2010

The Inside Cover Photo from the Marie-Chantal Catalog - Featuring Prince Pavlos of Greece, Princess Marie-Chantal of Greece and their 5 Children - Olympia, Constantine, Achileas, Odysseas, and Aristide.

Marie-Chantal's discerning taste and polished sophistication seemingly takes influence from a lifetime of travel - born in London, raised in Hong Kong, Switzerland, and Paris, and pursued her undergraduate studies in New York City.  Her father, Robert Miller, is the successful businessman behind duty-free shopping - founded in the 1960's, by 1970 was generating a billion dollar a year profit.  Early on in the society pages, Marie-Chantal and her two sisters, Pia and Alexandra, were referred to as "The Miller Sisters" - all 3 beautiful and accomplished.  But it was a kismet blind date set up by friends with whom she met the man that became her husband, Prince Pavlos of Greece.

I keep stacks of plastic bins filled with torn out pages of inspiring photos from various shelter magazines.  I've included the images I saved from Marie-Chantal's London town house featured in the November 2006 House & Garden Magazine. Check out the photos below for a look into her elegant family home.  Click here for more info on the Prince and Princess from Vanity Fair's 2008 article.

House of Turquoise Highlights the Work of Atlanta Interior Designer Meg Adams

Meg Adams

I happened upon the House of Turquoise blog yesterday and was smitten by its subject matter...  blogger Erin writes of her love (and obsession) of the color turquoise and seeks to showcase interior spaces that utilize the color in all aspects of room composition.  Her blog post from Tuesday 9/7, highlights the work of Atlanta designer Meg Adams and the room she created for the 40th Annual Decorators' Show House & Gardens held back in the Spring of 2010.  Meg's design of the Breakfast Room - with turquoise toned fabrics and accessories - is the perfect fit for inspiration and focus on the House of Turquoise blog.  I couldn't be more happier to see Meg's work applauded.  Meg was my first boss at my first job here in Atlanta back in the fall of 1997.  I had recently moved to Atlanta after living in Singapore and knew I wanted to focus in on some sort of job in the interior design field.  I applied for a job at Pineapple House Interior Design, where Meg was a senior designer and I became her assistant.  I can't say enough wonderful things of working with her....  not only did I learn from her design eye - the right mix of putting together color, texture, and accessories (she can accessorize a bookcase like nobody's business) but ultimately respected the way she handled clients.  Meg knew how to set the right tone of ease and approachability while also making it clear that she was a hard worker, determined to meet the goal of her clients' needs & wants.  Meg's completed spaces speak for themselves, always exceeding the client's expectations.  Check out the images.

Spring 2010 Decorators' Show House & Gardens, Tuxedo Road, Atlanta, GA

The Breakfast Room at the Decorators' Show House / Meg Adams Interior Design.  House of Turquoise blogger Erin loved the Marjorie Skouras chandelier and the Osborne & Little fabrics.

Osborne & Little Drapery and Accent Pillows

Marjorie Skouras Chandelier