Archive for the ‘Entertaining’ Category
Tuesday, April 30th, 2013
Here we are with the absolutely delicious and innovative Lisa Hanly, the wonderful vice president of communications at Furniture Brands International, the parent company of Thomasville.
Gang:
John and I are just back from an amazing two weeks in North Carolina for the High Point Furniture Market… We launched our fabulous new Madcap Cottage pillow line (available on our website for now, Madcap Cottage, and coming soon to a very chic retailer near you) and crafted a room for the Junior League of Greensboro/Traditional Home magazine showhouse. We also met many amazing folks, including the terrific Lisa Kahn-Allen and her spot-on husband, Phillip Allen; gorgeous and fun Lisa Mende; Southern spitfire Anita Phipps; antiques guru Todd Nabors; and so many other wonderful folks. Lots more to tell on that front.
A highlight of our visit to furniture market was the tour of the stunning and really exciting Thomasville showroom. John and I used to drive out to the Thomasville factory-cum-showroom in tiny Thomasville, NC during Furniture Market, and the experience wasn’t very illuminating… The Thomasville brand was a bit tired and needed a big kick in the butt. The best thing about our visit to Thomasville was the giant Duncan Phyfe chair sculpture downtown (John and I would scamper about the enormous chair and pose provocatively, natch).
Well, that was then, and this is now.
Fast forward a few years, and Thomasville now occupies a high-style showroom in the High Point nexus, the IHFC tower. And it is headed up by two dynamos: Lisa Hanly is the head of corporate communications for Furniture Brands International, the parent company of Thomasville, and she really gets “it.” Lisa is a dynamo, capital “D.” And Greg Heller is Thomasville’s vice president of retail, and he has brought his beautifully trained eye to the furniture company.
And, folks, the results are stunning.
Thomasville is back, and in a big, bold way. And not just for Heller’s gorgeous furnishings, but also for bed linens and all sort of other delectable home goods.
Here are a few of our favorite Thomasville introductions…
And just to come clean, Thomasville did “host” my hotel room for three nights at High Point in their role as a blog sponsor, but I wouldn’t write about the brand if I wasn’t goo-goo, ga-ga for it. A stay at a Sheraton can only go so far, n’est-ce pas?
Greg Heller, the creative force behind the "new" Thomasville, gives the Madcap Cottage gents a tour. And, wow-ee!, we were smitten.
The gold-flecked good looks of the Rhombus Accent Table had us wanting to sip cocktails so that we could perch them just-so upon this libidinous looker.
Wow, the Tang Etagere left me reeling. Chic, and an amazing price point, to boot!
John and I fell in love with the arresting Broome Tray Table, and we want two of these for our home upstate. Faux bamboo and a deep red, delicious.
Tags: Furniture Brands International, Greg Heller, Jason Oliver Nixon, John Loecke, Lisa Hanly, Madcap Cottage, Thomasville
Posted in Bar Cart, Color, Demystifying Design, Design, Design Guru, Entertaining, Flooring, Lighting, Lucite, Mirror, New York Interior Designer, News Flash, Painted Furniture, Tastemaker, Tips for Design Small Spaces, upholstery | No Comments »
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 »
Tuesday, December 25th, 2012
Gang:
Merry Christmas!
John and I are happily ensconced in Des Moines, Iowa, and it’s a wonderfully snowy holiday…
As you start to think about your 2013 resolutions, why not consider giving some oomph to your kitchen. The fabulous folks at Kohler asked me and John to visit our local big box store to offer up some cheap and chic ideas to take your kitchen from tired to tip, top terrific.
Refresh, refresh, refresh!
Click on the image, below, to read about our kitchen transformation…
Enjoy!
Click on the image, above, to read about our adventures in kitchen design at our local Lowe's in Oneonta, New York.
Tags: DIY, Jason Oliver Nixon, John Loecke, Kitchen renovation, Lowes, Madcap Cottage, Refresh
Posted in Before and After, Color, Demystifying Design, Design, DIY, Entertaining, Flooring, Interior Design, New York Interior Designer, Paint, Tips for Design Small Spaces | No Comments »
Sunday, October 21st, 2012
A pair of stunning and custom ikat-upholstered chairs that we are offering at our next One Kings Lane Tastemaker Tag Sale on November 13th. Think pink, folks! This sale is going to kick some major ass.
Gang:
Have you marked your calendars for our next One Kings Lane Tastemaker Tag Sale on November 13? It’s going to be an extravagant extravaganza, and how, and how!
NOVEMBER 13.
NOVEMBER 13.
Crank up the Siouxsie and the Banshees’ “Dear Prudence,” and get ready to shop. Think gorgeous. And there will be LOTS of small and affordable holiday gifts, too!!!
Cocktail sets. Mirrors. Chairs. Lamps. Out-of-this-world objects. Sofas. Tables. Whimsical wonders.
Here’s a taste of our stash… We have 300 items going into the sale.
Vintage brass seashells and a shell box to add some briny brilliance to a table in your home.
A vintage floral-embellished coffee set with a matching tray. Total fetch!
Our One Kings Lane sale will offer gobs of gorgeous lamps, like this pair of beautifully detailed Chinoiserie table lamps.
John and I crafted this wingback chair in marvelous Indian-inspired fabrics. Anchor a room that lacks pizzazz with this perch. Who needs pie when there's India?
A pair of armchairs upholstered in multiple Indian-influenced fabrics... Comfort. Check! Clever. Check! Totally unique! Naturally.
A Chinoiserie-styled bench with a fetching floral pillow that the Madcap Cottage gents crafted from a fabulous retro fabric. Jason's mom had this fabric in her bedroom circa-1975.
A wonderful burled wood card table with Chinoiserie chairs done up in a pink upholstery that are totally bananas.
A gorgeous armchair with all sorts of floral patterns as only the Madcap Cottage boys can do. Push some petals, blossom dearies.
Tags: chairs, Chic, fabric, Gorgeous, Interior Design, Jason Oliver Nixon, John Loecke, Kick-ass clever, Lighting, Madcap Cottage, Mirrors, November 13th, One Kings Lane, Stunning
Posted in Antiques, China, Color, Demystifying Design, Design, Design Guru, Entertaining, Fabrics, india, Interior Design, Lighting, Mirror, One Kings Lane, Powder coating, Tastemaker, Turkey, upholstery | No Comments »
Sunday, August 12th, 2012
Here is a "before" shot of one of the red chairs on my parents' front porch that I decided to overhaul. The rattan caning on the seat looked fine, but it was beginning to rot in the Florida humidity and needed to be replaced. Hence, a trip to Hancock Fabrics was a must! John and I had had the chairs powder coated bright red a few months before when they had begun to flake.
Gang:
I am currently down at my parents’ home in Tampa, Florida, but I fly to Los Angeles tomorrow and I can’t wait. Stay tuned for some West Coast design updates.
Meanwhile, whenever I come down to Tampa I always like to get a few projects going. But I am just not sure if I terrorize my Mom and Dad with my myriad putterings-about. For example, Lois and Jary (aka, Mom and Dad) do not seem to be too keen on my idea to transform their guest house into a Chinoiserie Chateau, a Palace of Pagoda Perfection. Stay tuned to see if I win this battle and get to lacquer their furniture and wallpaper their bathroom with a scenic scene from Peking back in the day.
Well, here’s one project that I did tackle today. My parents have terrific vintage French cafe chairs on their front porch, but they were getting a bit downtrodden and the rattan caning on the seats was beginning to rot. A few months back I had my parents powder coat the chairs as the original red paint was peeling off.
And then more recently I tackled the rattan caning. The rattan was not especially comfortable and was crumbling, so John and I decided to create custom seat covers with a very graphic indoor-outdoor fabric that we picked up for a song at Hancock Fabrics. I took one of the original rattan seats up to New York after my last visit to Florida to have our terrific upholstery guru craft five matching seat cushions in a festive Carnival print.
And, voila!, here are the results. The chairs offer a big punch of color and are far more comfortable than before. Success!
Now how do I convince Mom and Dad that a Chinoiserie-styled, painted bar and matching disco ball are must-have accessories for the guest house. To be continued…
Here are the new seat cushions crafted of an indoor-outdoor fabric from Hancock Fabrics awaiting their star turn.
Jary removes the old rattan caning with a saw so that we could re-use the wood frame that sits within a lip in the chairs.
While my Dad and I worked on recovering the front porch chairs, my Mom practiced her hula hooping skills.
After my Dad used the saw to remove the edges of the rattan caning, I peeled off the remaining fibers and nails to create a clean base that could be then attached to the new seat cushions.
Getting ready to screw the new upholstered seat cushions to the original wooden frame that sits within a narrow lip on the chairs. I had the cushions made with a hollow center in their wooden frame to allow them to drain if they get wet in the rain or after a good hose-down.
The big reveal! And here are the five front porch dining chairs in all of their recovered glory. The seat covers can be popped off the chair to be hosed down, and the new fabric adds a "pop" of color that was lacking with the rattan caning, n'est-ce pas?
Tags: DIY, Front porch, Hancock Fabrics, Jason Oliver Nixon, John Loecke, Madcap Cottage, Porch furniture, Powder coating, Red, Seat cushions
Posted in Antiques, Before and After, Color, Curb appeal, Demystifying Design, Design, Design Guru, DIY, Entertaining, Fabrics, Furniture Recovering, Gardens, Interior Design, Landscaping, New York Interior Designer, Paint, Painted Furniture, Powder coating, Sustainable, Tastemaker, Tips for Design Small Spaces, upholstery, Weekend warrior | 2 Comments »
Wednesday, August 1st, 2012
The dynamic Julia Buckingham Edelmann of the Material Girls blog asked me about my upcoming adventures in Style Spotter land at the fall High Point Market in North Carolina. To read what I have to say, click on the image, above. Thank you, Julia, for the very lovely mention.
Gang:
John and I are up in Maine and having a blast bopping about the myriad antiques shops on Route 1 and stopping for fried clams along the way. J’adore Maine. But more about our divine Down East finds in a post later this week.
On another note, I was recently thrilled to find out that I had been named a Style Spotter for the fall High Point Market: Basically, I will wander around the show and, along with my fellow Style Spotters, get to select my favorite items.
Let’s go, and how, furniture manufacturers: I am ready for some BIG, BOLD TECHNICOLOR MOMENTS AND NO BEIGE, so you better give me furnishings in all sorts of acid hues and mirrors festooned with bananas and coconuts, or this Style Spotter will not be happy. And make sure to have comfortable seating in your showroom or perhaps a bed so that I can take a breather and then serve me a big glass of wine to keep me running like the Energizer Bunny. And I like that southern pimento cheese and other nibblies scattered about to keep me fortified.
One of my fellow Style Spotters, the lovely Julia Buckingham Edelmann of the Material Girls blog, asked me a few questions about how I plan to approach my Style Spotting adventures in High Point, so read my responses by clicking on the image at the top of this installment.
Meanwhile, I am off to enjoy a lobster roll and a glass of Sancerre. Giddyup!
Tags: furniture, high point, Jason Oliver Nixon, John Loecke, Julia Buckingham Edelmann, Madcap Cottage, Style Spotters, trends
Posted in Antiques, Color, Demystifying Design, Design, Design Guru, Design Lessons, Entertaining, Interior Design, New York Interior Designer, News Flash, Road Trip, upholstery, Weekend warrior | 3 Comments »
Tuesday, July 24th, 2012
The summer issue of Do It Yourself magazine features John's renovation of his brother and sister-in-law's kitchen in Minneapolis. Scroll down to the "Kitchen Wisdom" link at the bottom of the installment to access the pdf of the story, packed with loads of ideas.
Gang:
As you probably know, John is a contributing editor at several of the Meredith Corporation’s various magazines, including Better Homes and Gardens. He also produces articles for the likes of Do It Yourself magazine, a terrific and color-filled publication that gives readers gobs of, natch, do-it-yourself options.
The summer issue of Do It Yourself features a fun and whimsical kitchen that John designed for his brother and sister-in-law in Minneapolis.
Here are some of his tips:
-Be bold with color.
-Top it with tin.
-Clean up your cabinets.
To read the whole story and to get some terrific ideas to bring into your home, click on the pdf, Kitchen Wisdom.
Enjoy!
P.S. We are so excited to follow our good pal and Meredith Corporation editor Lacey Howard’s upcoming trip to London and the Olympics on her blog, Howardgirlshopthepond. Check it out!
Tags: DIY, DIY ideas, Jason Oliver Nixon, John Loecke, Kitchen, Kitchen renovation, Madcap Cottage, Minneapolis, renovation, Weekend warrior
Posted in Color, Demystifying Design, Design, Design book, Design Guru, DIY, Entertaining, Flooring, Framing, Hanging artwork, Interior Design, New York Interior Designer, Paint, Paint the ceiling, Painted Furniture, Pets, Sustainable, Tastemaker, Tips for Design Small Spaces, upholstery, Wallpaper, Weekend warrior | No Comments »
Thursday, July 19th, 2012
Read my story in the current of Delta Sky magazine on throwback eateries in New York City. I love dining out old-school style, n'est-ce pas? Put on the suit and pour me some cocktails and pronto. Curiously, John never wants to give me $50 for a trip to the powder room... Click on the image, above, to read the whole story.
Gang:
Let’s put on another hat today, my hat as a lifestyle writer… Of course, it’s a big old hat with lots of feathers and bows and trim and such. Would you expect anything less?
In the current issue of Delta Sky magazine, I penned a story about Old School Eats, places where you can dine to channel NYC back in the day, a day when there were captains at restaurants and waiters wore tuxedos and tables were well-spaced. Think restaurants with glorious interiors and gobs of flowers and barstools perfect for perching.
Oh, the glamour! I love nothing more than dining out at a throwback joint.
Take a read, and be sure to visit these spots on your next trip to NYC, if only for a cool cocktail at the bar.
Tags: Delta Sky magazine, Four Seasons, Jason Oliver Nixon, John Loecke, Madcap Cottage, New York City, Restaurants, The Lambs Club, The Lion
Posted in Bar Cart, Color, Demystifying Design, Design book, Design Guru, Design Lessons, Entertaining, Fabrics, Interior Design, New York Interior Designer | No Comments »
Wednesday, July 18th, 2012
The lovely and talented Nashville style setter Madison Murray Carlos featured our Brooklyn home on her fabulous blog, Cozy Majestic. Wow, what a glamorous treat. Click on the image, above, to see Madison's whole posting. So fun!
Gang:
My “Dining Chair Dilemma” post sparked lots of feedback, and the consensus seems to be that I did the right thing by buying the plastic sleeve covers for the chairs. Ghetto fabulous, n’est-ce pas?
Moving on… Today, the lovely Madison Murray Carlos showcased our Brooklyn row house on her divine blog, Cozy Majestic, and John and I are over the moon. Madison has such lovely things to say about the Madcap Cottage gents.
Let’s see:
“If I could have anyone swoop into our little bungalow on the hill here in Nashville and put their magic touch on everything, it would be them.”
“Some commonly used phrases on their blog, Demystifying Design, include “Egads!,” “How droll!,”"Ooh la la!,” and “Bang bang, babycakes.” Does it get any better than that, y’all?”
I am just crazy for Madison. I think need a stiff cocktail right this very second to toast this fabulous post. Let’s bust out the Popov and pour 12 fingers. But no ice, it takes up too much room that the vodka could be occupying, n’est-ce pas?
Thank you, Madison! Bottoms up…
Tags: Color, Cozy Majestic, Jason Oliver Nixon, John Loecke, Madcap Cottage, Madison Murray Carlos, Nashville, Wallpaper
Posted in Antiques, Color, Demystifying Design, Design, Design Guru, Entertaining, Fabrics, Flooring, Furniture Recovering, Interior Design, New York Interior Designer, News Flash, Paint the floor, Painted Furniture, Pets, Renovations, Tastemaker, upholstery, Wallpaper, Welting | 1 Comment »
Monday, July 16th, 2012
Here's our dining room in Brooklyn. John and I were inspired by the famous Gritti Palace hotel in Venice to craft something of an indoor garden with lots of Venetian references and whimsy in the space, and I think the results are wonderful. But the dining room chairs needed some work so that they wouldn't scratch the painted floor...
Gang:
Happy Monday! Um, er. Well, anyhow, the week is off and running…
I am just crazy about our dining room. There’s a fabulous mix of patterns and colors, and the whole space is very soothing and cool and offers a sanctuary from the urban scene just outside the front door. I am especially partial to our vintage Venetian-style dining chairs that we purchased from our dear pal Frannie in California a few years back.
However, the dining chairs had me flummoxed.
Here’s the deal: Our dining room is floor is painted with Farrow & Ball paint, and I didn’t want to scratch the floor when we used the dining chairs. Hence, I hightailed it to Lowe’s for chair pads, the kind that have stickers and attach to the bottom of furniture. But after trying several different types of pads, none would stay put on the bottom of the chairs so I was constantly replacing them. How droll!
My solution? I found a company that creates clear plastic sleeve floor protectors. The small plastic “cap” slips over the leg of each chair and hugs the chair leg, and the felt pad at the bottom of the “cap” stays put as a result. It’s a little like a condom for a chair, albeit with a felt pad at the end.
And I am smitten! Our dining chairs now have felt pads that stay perfectly in place, and the floor has nary a scratch.
John thinks the sleeve floor protectors are sort of ghetto and remind him of slipcovering furniture with plastic, but I disagree.
Thoughts?
The clear plastic sleeve protector slips up over the chair leg and hugs the leg thereby keeping the felt pad at the bottom of the sleeve in place. Genius! Before you order a sleeve protector, double-check the measurement of your chair leg to make sure you purchase the correct size as the plastic doesn't have much "give."
Here's a dining chair with the clear plastic sleeve protector attached. I barely notice the plastic "cap" that wraps each chair leg. The cushion of felt on the bottom of the sleeve protector slides wonderfully across the painted floor and has solved my woes. John disapproves, but I made an executive decision and the sleeve protectors are staying put.
Tags: Brooklyn, dining room, Dining room chairs, DIY, Gritti Palace Hotel, Jason Oliver Nixon, John Loecke, Madcap Cottage, Sleeve protector, Venice
Posted in Antiques, Before and After, Color, Demystifying Design, Design, Design Guru, Design Lessons, DIY, Entertaining, Fabrics, Flooring, Furniture Recovering, Hotel design, Interior Design, Kid-friendly design, Mirror, New York Interior Designer, Paint, Paint the floor, Tastemaker, Weekend warrior | 4 Comments »
