Archive for the ‘1st Dibs’ Category
Tuesday, March 12th, 2013
Gang:
And how is your week going?
John and I are always thrilled to receive coverage in magazines, especially publications in Europe and abroad (maybe that will get us a client in London or Beijing, and then we could then spend months abroad!).
So here’s a lovely feature in the Dutch magazine Residence on our Brooklyn home that has just hit top Amsterdam newsstands.
Who know what the Dutch folks wrote about us, but, hopefully, it is all about how fun we are and why we should be hired to design top Dutch households…
Here's the first spread of the multi-page feature on Madcap Cottage in top Dutch design magazine Residence. Our den is a fabulous mix of patterns and hues. The chandelier hails from a flea market in Miami, Florida. The ottomans will be up for sale on our next One Kings Lane Tastemaker Tag Sale on May 4. The rug is from Merida, and the coffee table is for sale on our 1st Dibs boutique.
Tags: Den, Europe, Jason Oliver Nixon, John Loecke, Madcap Cottage, Merida, Residence
Posted in 1st Dibs, Antiques, Color, Demystifying Design, Design Guru, DIY, Entertaining, Fabrics, Hanging artwork, Interior Design, New York Interior Designer, News Flash, One Kings Lane, Paint the ceiling | No Comments »
Wednesday, February 6th, 2013
Here's a selection of the Madcap Cottage wares that went "live" on One Kings Lane today. Shop our sublime sundries...
Gang:
I hope that everyone is having a fabulous week…
Have you bookmarked our two online boutiques?
One Kings Lane
https://www.onekingslane.com/shop/madcapcottage
AND
1st Dibs
http://madcapcottage.1stdibs.com
We have gleefully giddy new items going up daily and weekly, so look us over…
Bring some Madcap Cottage home, and right this very second.
On another note, I wanted to show you how to take a white wall and oomph it up with wallpaper. Here’s a “before” and “after” of our guest bedroom in Brooklyn. Why not “wow” a dull space with a deliciously patterned paper.
And, no, that was not a suggestion.
Here's our guest bedroom at Chester Court with a wallpapered ceiling but before we decided that the space needed extra "punch" courtesy of wallpaper on the walls.
Here's the very same guest room with the formerly white walls done up in Thibaut's Baron wallpaper from their Residence collection. Click on the image, above, to see the paper on the Thibaut website.
Tags: 1st Dibs, DIY, Jason Oliver Nixon, John Loecke, Madcap Cottage, One Kings Lane, Thibaut, Wallpaper
Posted in 1st Dibs, Antiques, Before and After, Color, Demystifying Design, Design, Design Guru, Design Lessons, DIY, Framing, Hanging artwork, Interior Design, News Flash, One Kings Lane, Paint, Pets, Tastemaker, Uncategorized, Wallpaper, Weekend warrior, Welting | No Comments »
Saturday, January 12th, 2013
Gang:
Happy weekend!
John and I are happily ensconced at Madcap Cottage in upstate New York, and it’s deliciously snowy. I am blaring Ellie Goulding and drinking Southern Comfort, and John is watching the original Brideshead Revisited series that ran on PBS back in the day. We are a study in contrasts.
On another note, the fabulous Mandarin Oriental, New York hotel recently asked me how I would spend 24 hours in NYC, and they graciously featured my responses in the “Fan Mail” e-mail blast that goes out to their database.
Check it out, you might discover a few design-driven spots that you don’t know.
Enjoy!
Click on the image, above, to read the story that the Mandarin Oriental, New York hotel did on me and my favorite must-visits in New York City.
Tags: 1st Dibs, 1st Dibs@NYDC, Frick Collection, Indochine, Jason Oliver Nixon, Jayne Wrightsman, John Loecke, Madcap Cottage, Mandarin Oriental, New York, NYDC
Posted in 1st Dibs, Color, Demystifying Design, Design, Design Guru, Interior Design, New York Design Center, New York Interior Designer, Tastemaker | No Comments »
Wednesday, December 19th, 2012
Gang:
Happy holidays!
As you might know, John and I have just unveiled a retail space at 1st Dibs @ NYDC, situated on the 10th floor of the New York Design Center on Lexington Avenue in Manhattan. The floor is a treasure trove of 1st Dibs dealers, and there is something for every taste and sensibility. Best of all, the floor is open to the public AND is open on Saturdays.
If you are looking for glorious holiday gifts, the Madcap Cottage space at 1st Dibs @ NYDC offers loads of colorful and bespoke options.
Here are some shots of us pulling together the vest pocket-sized space.
Come pay us a visit!
Here's our tiny "booth" at 1st Dibs @ NYDC. We painted the white walls a creamy hue and then set about giving the walls horizontal stripes in jaunty colors to make the space really magical!
After taping the walls with painter's tape, John and I painted the space in Madcap Cottage signature pink-and-orange stripes. We plan to change the booth monthly to give it a very fresh and editorial quality.
Here's our booth with the painter's tape removed. The stripes look amazing, n'est-ce pas? Why not stripe a room in your own home--it's easy!
John installs a groovy rug from Urban Outfitters that perfectly matches our sensibility. The mirror on the wall is for sale and is truly a stunner.
Our Madcap Cottage goodies are in place. All that is missing is our logo upon the wall.
John installs our Madcap Cottage logo upon the walls of our booth at 1st Dibs @ NYDC, and we are open for business! The two vintage Venetian-style chairs are from Baker Furniture, and note all of the beautifully priced objects upon the whimsical side table.
Tags: 1st Dibs@NYDC, Baker Furniture, Jason Oliver Nixon, John Loecke, Madcap Cottage, New York Design Center
Posted in 1st Dibs, Antiques, Before and After, Color, Demystifying Design, Design, Design Lessons, DIY, Flooring, Hanging artwork, Interior Design, New York Design Center, New York Interior Designer, Painted Furniture, Renovations, Tastemaker, upholstery, Weekend warrior | No Comments »
Monday, August 20th, 2012
Here's a showhouse that John and I designed in New Jersey a few years back. Note the tole foxgloves in little tole pots upon the mantel. Tole is fabulous and requires no maintenance.
Gang:
Apologies for not giving you any updates last week… It was a whirlwind of activity! But I am back… So get ready for lots of fun and fabulous installments.
As you know, John and I are crazy-ass gardeners, and we love nothing more than plodding about in our garden. But since we are constantly traveling, it really makes no sense for us to have lots of houseplants at our home in Brooklyn. So how do we bring a taste of the outdoors in?
Tole!
Er, tole? Never heard of tole?
Tole, dear friends, is enameled or lacquered metalware–often from Italy–usually with gilt decoration for trays, lampshades, etc. And tole can often be found crafted in the form of fabulous flowers and plants that adorn chandeliers, table lamps, and follies. Best of all, tole requires no watering, just the occasional dusting.
So if you want some floral flavor at home without the maintenance, try some tole. You can find tole at your local antiques store and often at a delicious price. I was just in California and snapped up some tole-laden goodies at a jumble sale…
Here's a massive tole sconce that John and I are currently selling on 1st Dibs. There's nothing like a bough of steel magnolias to add some oomph to your walls, n'est-ce pas? Click on the image, above, if you'd like to purchase the sconce.
A glorious room at the incredible Sanssouci Palace at Potsdam near Berlin. John and I lapped up this palace like it was free wine at the package liquor store. This room was loaded with motifs culled from nature, including this tole chandelier.
I snapped up this tole lily of the valley at an antiques shop in Pasadena, California. I plan to use this as a centerpiece upon our dining room table. No fuss, no muss, n'est-ce pas?
Tags: 1st Dibs, antiques, Chandeliers, Jason Oliver Nixon, John Loecke, Madcap Cottage, Tole
Posted in 1st Dibs, Antiques, Color, Demystifying Design, Design Lessons, DIY, Gardens, Interior Design, Landscaping, New York Interior Designer, Tips for Design Small Spaces, Weekend warrior | No Comments »
Thursday, July 12th, 2012
The fabulous folks at 1st Dibs have run a feature on the Madcap Cottage boys in their "House Hunting" section... Check it out. Click on the image, above, to read the multi-page feature on little old us. Click through the various pages of the feature at the bottom of the page. What a delicious treat!
Gang:
Whew, John and I are just back from a few weeks in Florida, and, as you can see from our Pinterest posts, we had a lovely drive up the East Coast back to NYC as we hit various antiques and consignment shops (and BBQ joints!) along the way. Frankly, I plan to spend more time in Tampa: Life in NYC is just too complicated and stressful. And there are such amazing sources for vintage furniture in the F.L.A! But more on all of that later.
We returned to Brooklyn late last night and received a lovely e-mail from the divine folks at 1st Dibs that our “House Hunting” feature had just gone live. Assuredly, you know the 1st Dibs website, THE go-to source for the world’s finest antiques and vintage jewelry and fashion… as well as real estate listings for the world’s chic-est homes. But if you don’t know 1st Dibs, let this be an introduction.
I hope you enjoy our usual sass and wit as John and I discuss a few of our favorite properties for sale on the 1st Dibs website.
And now I have to go deal with a mountain of mail…
Tags: 1st Dibs, BBQ, Brooklyn, Consignment shops, Florida, House Hunting, Jason Oliver Nixon, John Loecke, Madcap Cottage, Tampa
Posted in 1st Dibs, Antiques, Color, Curb appeal, Demystifying Design, Design, Design Guru, Gardens, Interior Design, New York Interior Designer, News Flash, Road Trip, Tastemaker, Tips for Design Small Spaces, Weekend warrior | No Comments »
Monday, June 11th, 2012
Browse the Madcap Cottage selection of one-of-a-kind items for sale on our website. Simply click on the image, above, and get ready to browse an exceptional selection of fabulous finds, all of which are currently for sale courtesy of the Madcap Cottage gents.
Gang:
How’s everyone?
Any good stories to tell? Any dirt to dish? Bring it…
Meanwhile, I hope everyone has browsed our fabulous selection of one-of-a-kind finds on the “Shop” section of our website, www.madcapcottage.com… Um, you should be shopping, and how!
Click on the “Shop” tag, and you will be taken to our shopping portal that resides within the divine 1st Dibs website… If you want to know more about, say, the almost-lifesize brass deer or the gorgeous hood chair done up in a sublime Tony Duquette fabric, simply click on the product and then click through “Contact the Designer” and fill out the easy-breezy form. John or I will get back to you with details on the product and its price within minutes.
So look us over!
Tags: 1st Dibs, Glamour, Gorgeous, Jason Oliver Nixon, John Loecke, Madcap Cottage, shopping
Posted in 1st Dibs, Antiques, Color, Demystifying Design, Design, Design Guru, india, Interior Design, New York Interior Designer, News Flash, Painted Furniture, upholstery, Wallpaper, Welting | No Comments »
Sunday, April 29th, 2012
Click on the image, above, to visit our just-opened "One of a Kinds" boutique on 1st Dibs. John and I have searched the world for an amazing selection of goods that will transform your home.
Gang:
As you know, John and I love doing sales, both online and off…
We are constantly scouring the globe (and we mean, the globe) for fabulous finds… We have unearthed divine textiles in Turkey, furnishings in India, and table lamps in the hinterlands of Florida. Each of these items receives the Madcap Cottage tweak and twist, and then we offer them up to you to bring some magic, color, and verve into your own home.
So bring on the sales!
John and I are hosting a Tastemaker Tag Sale on One Kings Lane on May 8th, so MARK your calendars.
And we will be hosting our World-Famous Annual Yard Sale over Memorial Day weekend at Madcap Cottage in Hobart, New York, smack in the center of the Catskill Mountains.
And, now, drumroll please…
The Madcap Cottage boys have unveiled our “One of a Kinds” boutique on the fabulous 1st Dibs website. I am sure that everyone is familiar with 1st Dibs, but if you aren’t it’s the most divine collection of antiques, real estate, fashion, and jewelry to be found under the sun. We are truly honored and excited to be included in the 1st Dibs mix.
Here are some of the fabulous items that John and I have collected and are now offering up through the 1st Dibs portal. Each item is truly unique and special. So get ready to shop!
Look us over, and tell your friends!
John and I unearthed this simply stunning vintage wicker hood chair in Pennsylvania, and we poked and prodded it back into shape. The chair is amazing, and now boasts Tony Duquette fabric and signature Madcap Cottage flourishes such as shocking pink welting. We are sort of sad to part with this lovely looker.
A vintage shell-shaped console table with a glass top. Does your front entry need a terrific table to create some visual verve? Um, this plucked-from-the-sea beauty would fit the bill, and how.
A vintage tole metal lamp shaped like a delicious leafy plant with a bold black shade. Every room needs a whimsical and wonderful table lamp, and this oversized beauty is a stunner.
A nearly life-size brass deer with Asian flair and flourishes that would make a real impact in the corner of a room, perhaps a den or library. This piece is really special.
A fabulous vintage table with a tree trunk-like base and utterly charming feet in the form of birds. This table is just so unusual and stunning, n'est-ce pas?
Tags: 1st Dibs, cottage, fabric, Flea market, Jason Oliver Nixon, John Loecke, Madcap Cottage, One Kings Lane, Online sales, Vintage, Welting
Posted in 1st Dibs, Antiques, Color, Demystifying Design, Design, Design Guru, DIY, Fabrics, Furniture Recovering, india, Interior Design, New York Interior Designer, One Kings Lane, Painted Furniture, Powder coating, Road Trip, Sustainable, Tastemaker, Turkey, upholstery, Weekend warrior, Welting | 1 Comment »
Saturday, February 18th, 2012
Here's the family striking a pose for the 1st Dibs "Saturday Shopping" section. Jasper gives a masterful gaze... Weenie was snoozing, so you can barely see her asleep in my lap on my Liberty for Target shirt. Look over our Saturday Shopping selections, we pulled some fun stuff. Thank you, 1st Dibs! Click on the image, above, to go directly to our "Saturday Shopping" picks. Enjoy...
Gang:
John and I hope your weekend is rocking…
We were upstate last night at the actual Madcap Cottage, and tomorrow morning I zip off to Minneapolis for a week and, from there, on to Los Angeles for the Design Bloggers Conference, oops, #dbc2012. Fun, fun, fun!
And what a delicious treat to be featured in the fabulous “Saturday Shopping” section on that super-cool site 1st Dibs that went live today.
Wow, John and I are over the moon…
Check out a few of our 1st Dibs selections, from fashion and accessories to furnishings, and let them inspire you to create your own Madcap, Madcap, Madcap, Madcap world.
John is ape-shit for this terrific vintage patchwork rug... This would be such a stunning focal point in a library or den and adds a revved-up folksy touch. J'adore!
I am crazy for this high-backed chair created by Italian designer Gio Ponti. I would add some crazy-ass fabric and welting upon the pillow, and, voila!, Madcap Cottage
John and I simply adore New York- and LA-based interior designer Todd Alexander Romano, and how about his painted Louis XIII-style chairs with their jaunty green-and-white upholstery. Stunning!
I am mad for this Valentino Couture buttercup-yellow cashmere coat. This would have looked so smart upon Sunny von Bulow before she had her little run-in with that coma, n'est-ce pas?
Tags: 1st Dibs, Jason Oliver Nixon, Jasper, John Loecke, Madcap Cottage, Minneapolis, Saturday Shopping, Weenie
Posted in 1st Dibs, Antiques, Carpets, Color, Demystifying Design, Design, Design Guru, Design Lessons, DIY, Entertaining, Fabrics, Flooring, Interior Design, Lighting, New York Interior Designer, News Flash, Painted Furniture, Pets, upholstery, Weekend warrior | 1 Comment »
Friday, May 13th, 2011
The fabulous view of Westwood from my room at the Hotel Palomar Los Angeles.
What a fabulous day in LA!
I feel like I finally have a handle on how to navigate LA parking and valet services (“Wait, you have to PAY for valet on TOP of a tip? $8?!”), so off I set to explore the fabulous wares to be had on North La Cienega and Melrose Avenue. And let’s just say that I parked in the garage at the Pacific Design Center so I wouldn’t have to deal with toting bucketloads of tip AND cash bribes to valet my car. Too confusing.
Walking up Melrose I ran into Newell Turner and Sabine Rothman from House Beautiful magazine at Inner Gardens. I scoped the fabulous photographs at M+B, I shopped for fabrics at Harbinger in charming Almont Yard, and I popped into Jasper, Michael Smith’s newish shop (where the staff seem to have been hired from Barneys New York and don’t seem to have to have time to help a potential client out. “I have money to spend,” I wanted to say a la Julia Roberts in Pretty Woman.).
Then it was over to La Cienega to check out the doings at Downtown, Dragonette, Hollyhock, Todd Alexander Romano, Barclay Butera, and Hollywood at Home (I love HH’s owner, Peter Dunham, he is currently shopping at Brimfield in Massachusetts).
And then it was time for a glass of rose wine at Fig + Oliver with shelter photographer Karyn Millet.
Back to the hotel to do some writing, and then I headed to Elle Decor‘s kick-off party for the 2011 Legends of La Cienega at stunning Therien & Co. where I hob-knobbed with my pals Ruthie Sommers and Christos Prevezanos and Barclay Butera, Susan and Ali from One Kings Lane, always-dapper Ron Woodson, Elle Decor‘s EIC Michael Boodro (he’s so nice), and other design-minded heavies.
Superstar interior designer Ruthie Sommers and I hit the town in Lanvin and a bad-ass sportcoat. I have known Ruthie since we both started out Conde Nast Traveler almost 20 years ago. We were children. In fact, indentured servants. We looked better in person that we photographed, me thinks. Anyone have PhotoShop for a little retouching on my face, good god.
Ruthie, Christos, and I finished off the night with dinner at Ray’s & Stark Bar at LACMA, where we chatted with uber-designer Suzanne Rheinstein of Hollyhock who was dining with her husband. Yummy!
And now it’s another day, and I am ready to paint it a fabulous Farrow & Ball red.
Charming, tucked-away Almont Yard houses designer Joe Lucas' Harbinger, a showroom with amazing antiques as well as far-flung fabrics and so much more. You just want to sit in their courtyard and bliss out,
Browsing for artwork at M+B, situated just off Melrose. Here, photographs of Indian jewelry designer Waris Ahluwalia by photographer Carlo Van de Roer.
A fabulous monkey-and-chair-combo at Downtown. Look at that glorious fabric upon this chic dome chair. So John Loecke, Inc., n'est-ce pas? And I am mad for singerie.
Gorgeous delphiniums in a planter upon La Cienega. I love the colors of the plantings in LA. Everything seems Technicolor.
I love the street numbers painted upon the entrance to Todd Alexander Romano's wildly chic shop.
A fabulously chic "moment" at Todd Alexander Romano. I am smitten.
Tags: LA, Legends of La Cienega, Parties, Wine!
Posted in 1st Dibs, Color, Demystifying Design, Design, Design Lessons, Entertaining, Interior Design, Paint a front door, Road Trip, Tastemaker | No Comments »
