Posts filed under 'decorating'
The Museums of Old York just announced their lineup of designers (both inside and outdoors) for their 2009 Decorator Show House. You’ll recognized some familiar faces and meet some new talent:
Back row, left to right: Debby Ronnquist, Valerie Jorgensen, Linda Hentschel, Patricia Finn, Chuck Hugo, Michael Jones, Janet Swanson, Margareta Claesson and Eric Anderson. Front row, left to right: Nicole Yee, Frank Hodge, Amy Thompson, Diane Hughes, Amanda Colosi, Sarah Duquette, Maya Travalgia, Michaele Boehm, Andrea Maher, Jen Spencer, Tom Dunn and Joyce Jordan. Not pictured: Anne Cowenhoven, Nichole Donovan, Annie Kiladjian, Jay Goldsmith, Georgie McGowan, Kacey Graham, and Christine McGill. Photo courtesy of Jay Goldsmith of Goldsmith Fine Portraiture.
Want to really meet the designers? Come to the annual preview gala on July 17 where you can meet the designers and enjoy food from the Green Monkey/Brazo, drinks, and live music! Accent will also be announcing our 2009 best of award winners so it should be an exciting and fun time. Tickets are $75 and can be purchased by calling the Museums of Old York at 207-363-4974.
In the six weeks leading up to the show house opening, you’ll also be hearing from the designers on Accent’s blog, where they will share updates on how their rooms are coming along, what inspires them, what challenges they face, and anything else that comes to mind. If you’ve ever visited a show house, I think you will enjoy hearing from the designers as they get ready for opening day on July 18. The list of designers and their rooms is below.
The Dooryard Garden
Maya Travalgia
Charles C. Hugo Landscape Design, LLC
P.O. Box 263
South Berwick, ME 03908
(207) 752-3046
www.charleshugo.com
Barn Patio
Tom Dunn/Jen Spencer
Stoney Brook Landscaping
138 Woodside Meadow Road
York, ME 03909
207-408-2705
stoneybrookllc@yahoo.com
Farmer’s Porch
Brian Howland and Margareta Claesson
Eldredge Lumber Company
627 U.S. Route One
York, ME 03909
(207) 363-2004
www.atlanticdesignctr.com
Powder Room
Nichole Donovan
Distinctive Tile and Design
1132 U.S. Route One
York, ME 03909
(207) 351-3300
www.distinctivetileanddesign.com
Annie Kiladjian
Annie K. Designs
www.anniekdesigns.com
Living Room
Sarah Duquette
Duquette & Company, Inc.
7 Lilac Lane
York, ME 03909
(207) 363-1827
www.duquetteandcompany.com
Reading Room
Diane Hughes
Diane Hughes Interiors
150 Lafayette Road
Rye, NH 03870
(603) 964-9543
Dining Room
Anne Cowenhoven
Accent & Design, Inc.
P.O. Box 352
York, ME 03909
(207) 363-7949
www.accentdesignmaine.com
Main Stairway
Jay Goldsmith
Goldsmith Photography
32 Cottage Street
Portsmouth, NH 03801
(603) 436-2343
Savannah’s Room
Joyce Jordan
Joyce Jordan Interiors
Shoppers Village, Unit 8
Hampton Falls, NH 03844
(603) 929-7700
www.joycejordaninteriors.com
Marjorie’s Room
Frank Hodge
F.D. Hodge Interiors
748 Tremont Street
Boston, MA 02118
(617) 267-8103
Family Bath
Amy Thompson
Standard of New England, LLC
100 West Road
Portsmouth, NH 03801
(603) 436-1400
www.standardne.com
Jim Wood
Signature Builders, Inc.
173C Dover Point Road
Dover, NH 03820
(603) 749-2188
www.signaturebuilders.com
Charlotte Rose’s Nursery
Andrea Maher and Michael Jones
Andrea Maher Interior Design
111 Seamist Lane
Wells, ME 04090
(207) 216-0287
Frankie’s Room
Janet Swanson and Georgie McGowan
Fiona’s Porch
7 York Street
York, ME 03909
(207) 363-6270
www.fionasporch.com
Secret Hideaway
Linda Hentschel
Renaissance Interiors
P.O. Box 142
North Reading, MA 01864
(978) 664-0064
www.renaissanceinteriors.com
Master Bedroom and Balcony
Nicole Yee
NY Interiors
62 Whipple Road
Kittery, ME 03904
(510) 326-5390
www.nicholeyee.com
Sitting Room
Michaele Boehm and Kacey Graham
Boehm Graham
25 Darby Lane
Bedford, NH 03110
(603) 472-5830
Mudroom
Amanda Colosi
Diane Hughes Interiors
150 Lafayette Road
Rye, NH 03870
(603) 964-9543
Kitchen and Pantry
Frank Hodge
F.D. Hodge Interiors
748 Tremont Street
Boston, MA 02118
(617) 267-8103
Trophy Room
Patricia Finn
Finn-Martens Design
1 Bridle Path Lane
Beverly Farms, MA 01915
(978) 927-9959
www.finn-martensdesign.com
Family Room
Valerie Jorgensen
V. Jorgensen Design, LLC
241 Preble Street
Wells, ME 04090
(207) 251-0447
www.vjorgensendesign.com
In addition to the wonderful items brought in by the interior and landscape designers, items will be available to purchase through a boutique and at a juried art exhibit in the barn:
Boutique
Christine McGill
Christine’s Crossing
1000 Washington Road
Rye, NH 03870
(603) 964-6063
www.christinescrossing.com
Barn Art Exhibit
Debby Ronnquist
611 Haley Road
Kittery Point, ME 03905
(207) 439-3981
June 3rd, 2009
Supporting local farming and organic agriculture while reconnecting with your family is easy: just flip your calendar back to 1945, the age of the victory garden.
Victory gardens came about during World War II as a way to lessen the hardships of wartime rationing, providing wholesome nutrition and improved morale for those left on the home front. The campaign was so successful that at the height of the war, there were over 18 million victory gardens nationwide, supplying nearly 50 percent of America’s fresh produce. New Hampshire alone had 80,000 registered victory gardens by 1945.
- Emma Pecunies
By contrast, less than 6 percent of fresh produce consumed in New Hampshire today is grown in the state. Strawbery Banke Museum hopes to demonstrate how easy it is to grow organic produce at home with their WWII-era victory garden. Planted in 1944 by the Pecunies family, the garden is one of the only recreated Victory gardens in the country and is original to the site.
“The plantings in the victory garden are based on oral history from the Pecunies family, photographs, publications from UNH (University of New Hampshire) and the Cooperative Extension, as well as back issues of Portsmouth Herald and other newspapers,” explains John Forti, curator of historic landscapes at Strawbery Banke. The garden includes such nostalgic vegetables as Mortgage Lifter Tomato, Kentucky Wonder Bean, Bloomsdale Spinach, and Ruby Perfection Cabbage, among many others.
But the garden is much more than a pleasant trip down memory lane. “It’s just a great model for looking into the future of sustainability,” John says. “The historical garden is blended with perspectives on the slow food movement and the local food movement, teaching people modern ideas using historical examples.”
Daily programs will engage visitors in hands-on experiences to learn about the processes of gardening, composting, and canning, as well as the historical and cultural significance of victory gardens.
“In the 1940s, people realized that there was something fundamentally wrong with being told to go spend in a time of adversity. The victory garden movement arose out of people looking for a way to pitch in,” says John. “Victory gardens gave people a sense of achievement and participation in a national movement.” That idea still appeals today, which is partly why victory gardens have regained popularity. “People are starting to re-learn the pleasure of the productive garden.”
For more information about the victory garden at Strawbery Banke, visit www.strawberybanke.org.
Tips for growing your own victory garden at home:
1. Getting Started: Consider where you have the most sunlight in your lawn. The right place for your garden will be bright, with not a lot of tree roots competing with your plants.
2. Planning the Plot: Figure out how much you can manage, whether it is a big or small garden, whether you are gardening alone or with your family, make sure it is something you can handle.
3. Grow Your Favorites: Make up a list of your favorite plants. Sit down with your family and decide what vegetables and herbs you like eating, and also what plants are meaningful to you. Consider heirloom varieties, plants that you have a personal history with. It’s good to find plants that strike a chord with you, that way you’ll take better care of them, enjoy the process of gardening, and have fun with recipes.
4. Extend the Season: Plant multiple times in the year, and plant to extend the season. There are 10 months during which you can enjoy fresh vegetables from your garden, and you can preserve some foods so that during the winter you can enjoy summer in a jar.
5. Look for New Recipes: It’s good to know how to use the produce you grow. Do research; find interesting ways to prepare your vegetables.
May 11th, 2009
Are you a fan of “before and after” stories? You can see one in person when the Museums of Old York hosts a “Before Tour” of the 2009 Decorator Show House this weekend. The tour is a special opportunity to see the rooms before top local designers transform the house into a spectacular decorator showplace.
I’ve been to the house, and I can’t wait to see what the designers do to it. This year’s show house will be held at McIntire Farm, a farmhouse located on 270 Cider Hill Road (Route 91) in York, overlooking the York River and approximately 300 acres of fields, woodlands and marsh.
The McIntire Farm
I’ve been to the house, and I can’t wait to see what the designers do to it. This year’s show house will be held at McIntire Farm, a farmhouse located on 270 Cider Hill Road (Route 91) in York, overlooking the York River and approximately 300 acres of fields, woodlands and marsh.
Personally, I’m most interested in the kitchen, which is a 1940s original, with appliances and countertops to match. It reminds me of my own grandmother’s farmhouse kitchen, which, though charming, was never updated unless absolutely necessary. Since the kitchen will retain most of these original features, it will be interesting to see what the designer can do with the space. I’ve pasted some photos I took at the house, but it should be seen in person to be fully appreciated.
A before shot of the kitchen.
One of the front rooms.
Part of an addition, the master bedroom boasts amazing views of the river and marsh.
This table of Legos will be gone by the time of the tour, but I couldn't resist taking an action shot.
While you’re there, don’t forget to take to check out the surrounding landscaping, which will also undergo a makeover, and the barn, site of this year’s preview gala on Friday, July 17. With a high ceiling and huge chandelier, the barn will also be home to this year’s boutique and may also include an art show while the show house is open.
The Before Tour will be held May 2nd and 3rd from 11 a.m to 4 p.m. On-site parking is available and a donation of $5 is requested. The show house will be open to the public from July 18 through August 15. All proceeds support the museum’s education programs, exhibitions and preservation initiatives. For more information, visit www.oldyork.org.
Also, check the Accent blog for regular updates direct from the designers as they create this year’s Decorator Show House. They officially begin work on May 4, and they have their work cut out for them!
April 28th, 2009
Old-fashioned brick buildings, cobblestone streets, and the salty ocean breeze in the air – this is Portland. As Maine’s cultural center, Portland is always changing, but great shopping is a constant. The diversity and vitality of the city’s residents make for a unique shopping experience, from fashion to home goods. Here are a few of my favorite shops in Portland that offer necessities – and indulgences – for the home.
Blanche & Mimi Home
184 Middle St. 207 774-3900
Walking into Blanche & Mimi is like stepping into a seaside cottage in southern France. The space is light and airy, and filled with beautiful, and sometimes odd, treasures. Owner Hilary Sinauer stocks her shop with new and antique pieces, including glassware, accessories, and furniture from around the world. On a recent trip, I spotted gorgeous vintage glasses etched with French hotel logos and Belgian linen kitchen towels with subtle red stripes around the edges.
Simply Scandinavian
75 Market St. 207 874-6768
At Simply Scandinavian, which is celebrating 10 years in Portland, you can find the best in Scandinavian design, like stunning Iittala glassware, Royal Copenhagen collectibles, and furniture by Stokke. The shop also has an extensive selection of colorful, boldly patterned Marimekko products, including bags, linens, and tableware.
Furniturea
75 Market St. 207 774-7472
Brian Haddock’s sleek modern furniture is the focus at the company’s first retail store, which opened in 2006. Located right next to Simply Scandinavian, Furniturea is colorful and bright, like an artsy loft apartment. With years of woodworking experience, as well as decades in the furniture business, Haddock has hit his stride with Furniturea, which manufactures each piece to order in their Portland workshop. Custom orders are also welcome, and with so many colors, materials, and styles to choose from, it is not difficult to find a piece that will live in your home for many years to come.
Oyster
2 Free St. 207 253-8008
Tucked between the Old Port and the Arts District, Oyster truly feels like a pearl in the middle of Portland. The small shop is overflowing with meticulously chosen goods, from Maine and beyond. Oyster sells an impressive amount of oyster plates, naturally, as well as other tableware from names like Arte Italica and John Derian. The handwoven blankets created in Maine are soft and comforting, and perfect for a picnic on the beach. You can always find a great selection of handmade jewelry and gift items like books of ocean themed poetry.
July 31st, 2008
I was searching for footwear but discovered some interesting pieces of home decor. One of my goals for this summer (besides losing 10 pounds before bathing-suit season) was to find a pair of flip flips that wouldn’t be on this earth for another thousand years. But when I typed “recycled flip flops” into Google, some unique items of home decor popped up on my screen:
These colorful round baskets are handmade from recycled flip flops in the Philippines. I think they’d be perfect for storage in a kids’ room or a fun touch of color in an office. Also made from recycled flip flops, this doormat would be great reminder to wipe off that extra beach sand before you enter the house.
Both are examples of upcycling–products made from discarded materials. They are available from Uncommon Goods (www.uncommongoods.com), which has other upcycled products that include furniture made from wine barrels and necklaces made from baseball stadium seats. Some of the things you can tell exactly what they were made of before they were upcycled, but others are not quite what you’d expect. It’s worth checking out, but you might get stuck browsing for a while like I did. By the way, I did find a pair of eco-friendly flip flops, but not online. Footnotes in downtown Portsmouth, N.H., sells biodegradable Tevas for $21 (you have to look on the back of the tag to tell if they are the biodegradable ones). Let me know if you have any upcycled products to recommend. Thanks!
May 19th, 2008
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