November 20, 2009
Posted by Kevin Sharkey
1 Carolyne Roehm filled a pair of Franch transferware pedestal bowls with rose hips, berries, wild grapes, and chestnuts. It certainly makes for a robust arrangement. I love that she made a pair of arrangements and used them to flank a hurricane votive.
2 The mixture of dahlias and roses in bright oranges and reds is perfect for fall and winter arrangements. I love the clash between the warm hues of the flowers and the blue and white china. Definitely a showstopper and perfect for an entry hall sideboard.
3 The golden glass of this pedestal looks gorgeous in the sunlight and works well with the fuchsia goblets in the background. Filled with pears and chinaberries, it is a stunning centerpiece for Thanksgiving - made even better by the fact that it is half-edible (do not eat the chinaberries!)
4 A trio of arrangements made from clusters of yellow mums looks stunning and fresh in cobalt blue Venetian glass. I really like these arrangements because of the unusual color combo and the fact that you don't need to spend a lot of money. These three arrangements are very affordable and will last a very long time.
5 We lose a lot of greenery during the fall and winter, when the leaves begin to turn. It's refreshing to find a bright green display such as this one, which includes bowls filled with Granny Smith apples, and a wild arrangement of immature persimmons with magnolia leaves and peppercorn branches. This arrangement would like especially nice on a front porch.
6 Roehm used this arrangement to decorate her own Thanksgiving table. She used iron pedestal vases to fill with lemon leaves, eucalyptus berries, olive-shaped hypericum berries and roses. The combination of textures is particularly appealing.
While I won’t be hosting Thanksgiving this November (my apartment is not exactly holiday-ready), I am certainly going to get in the festive mood by decorating with fall and winter flower arrangements. One of my all-time favorite designers/authors is Carolyne Roehm. In searching for inspiration for Thanksgiving arrangements, I scanned my color-coordinated bookshelf until I came upon her “Fall Notebook,” which is a comprehensive look at some of the best flowers and plant material to bring indoors during the Fall and Winter months (the spine of the book is brown, by the way). I also love her decorating tips for setting the dinner table, as well as the delicious seasonal recipes she provides. This is a book that every one of you should reference during the upcoming holiday season. Her entire collection of books would make a fantastic and endlessly inspiring Christmas gift, as well.
Posted on November 20, 2009 in Miscellaneous | direct link to this entry |
November 19, 2009
Posted by Kevin Sharkey
1 Here's the simple signage for Aero studio in SoHo.
2 That's me checking out a few items.
3 There's such a fine array of items in the shop.
4 J'adore this glass objet.
5 A cabinet of treasures.
6 Love, love, love this pair of etched glassees.
7 I liked the look of this simple, modern clock.
8 Lighting! I love and want it all!
9 I really like the way the storage runs up the stairway wall.
“Vintage Modern” – This perfectly describes the style of designer, merchant and collector Thomas O’Brien. I recently visited his Manhattan shop in Soho, Aero Studio – always an inspiring stop, where I saw some lamp options for my apartment as well as some great accessories. As always, I took tons of photos as a reminder when I am ready to think about lighting and final touches.
The retail space, newly renovated, is like a curiosity shop, well-edited and curated to show off the best of the best. From wood to glass to upholstery and textiles, the mix of old and new provides a lovely array of objects and inspiration.
Now, while I am sure you’ve seen the interiors of his apartment (as it has made the magazine and blog rounds) and you’ve checked out his line at Target, Thomas’ true genius is at the store, where he can play around with design ideas; mix and match styles; and provide style aficionados with direct access to good design.
Posted on November 19, 2009 in Miscellaneous | direct link to this entry |
November 18, 2009
Posted by Kevin Sharkey
1 First stop, Brentano's.
2 Here I am discussing my options with Joseph Brentano.
3 The choices seem to be endless - I'm so happy that I had an expert there to help me navigate.
4 Brentano's has a lovely selection of traditional frames.
5 As well as more sleek and modern frames, which appeal to me as I search for frames to use in my apartment.
6 Here we have a simple white frame next to a photograph I took of the wall in my hallway -- I taped out twelve frames for the Albers prints I want to frame and mount.
7 I also like this darker option.
8 This is very close to the style of frame I would like to put around the artwork above my bed, but I'm not sure which finish I should go with.
Meet today’s expert: Joseph Brentano, proprietor of Brentanos in Manhattan’s Soho (121 Crosby to be exact).
Joe’s knowledge of framing and the skill and artistry surrounding it amazes me, as he has been in the business for more than 30 years. So, it was no surprise on one of my trips downtown, I would stop by and see what he thinks I should do with the Albers images that are going to fill my hallway wall and the large-scale piece above my bed.
While the shop specializes in Sgraffito frames (scratching paint away to create a design), Brentano’s has an enormous display of traditional and modern frames. We talked about the thickness of the frame (a thicker one for above the bed as a showstopper and thinner ones for the Albers so they almost disappear) as well as matte size and shade and glass options. It can be overwhelming but we narrowed it down. Sorry, you’ll have to wait and see what I chose at the final reveals.
Posted on November 18, 2009 in Miscellaneous | direct link to this entry |
Kevin Sharkey 
