Archive for the ‘Landscaping’ Category
Thursday, January 31st, 2013
John enjoys a late lunch at Terrain's amazingly chic Garden Cafe, housed within a vintage greenhouse that spills over with flowers and candles. Terrain really "gets" the details. The bread, for instance, arrives in a terracotta pot. Divine.
Gang:
If you follow this blog regularly (and God help you if you don’t!), you know that I am obsessed with the nursery-cum-lifestyle store Terrain located outside of Philadelphia. Last February I did two blog posts on this amazing spot, and I am here today to write yet another installment.
John and I were in Philadelphia last week to do some antiquing, and we made a pilgrimage to the Urban Outfitters-owned Terrain outpost in nearby Glen Mills, Pennsylvania. The first of the two Terrain outposts–the other opened last year in Westport, Connecticut–sits on the busy Baltimore Pike and occupies what was once the Styer family farm. Surrounded by urban sprawl–including several big-box stores–Terrain is a gem-like sanctuary that will wow you and definitely provide heaps of inspiration.
Here are some images from our visit.
It was a cold and damp afternoon when John and I arrived at Terrain, but the whimsical decor quickly transported us to far warmer and more inviting climes. Look what some outdoor curtains and a Moroccan-styled lantern can do to take a space from nice to knockout.
While Terrain boasts incredible plants, it also stocks gorgeous furnishings and lighting. Soak up the wonderful displays, too, such as this wonderful shelving unit that houses firewood. Why not bring this idea home?
Check out this genius espaliered tree that has been trained to grow in the shape of a heart. What a fabulous Valentine's Day gift for the plantsman/woman! And FYI: Espaliering is the horticultural practice of controlling woody plant growth originally for the production of fruit, by pruning and tying branches to a frame so that they grow into a flat plane, frequently in formal patterns, against a structure such as a wall, fence, or trellis.
Tags: Glen Mills, Jason Oliver Nixon, John Loecke, Landscaping, Madcap Cottage, Morocco, Nursery, Terrain, Urban Outfitters
Posted in Antiques, Color, Curb appeal, Demystifying Design, Design, Design Lessons, DIY, Gardens, Interior Design, Landscaping, New York Interior Designer, Road Trip, Tastemaker, upholstery, Weekend warrior | No Comments »
Friday, November 16th, 2012
One of the stars of our HGTV television shoot for the program "You Live in What?" was our brand-new Sofa.com Descartes two seat sofa in Cookie House linen-cotton. If you don't know British import Sofa.com, you should! Newly arrived in NYC, Sofa.com crafts the most gorgeous and bespoke sofas, chairs, and footstools in wonderful fabrics--and at a delicious price point.
Gang:
Happy weekend!
John and I were lucky enough to have HGTV film our home upstate last weekend for their fabulous show “You Live in What?.”
Madcap Cottage was once an 1840s-era schoolhouse, so the home perfectly fit the show’s concept. The day went swimmingly… Thanks to producer Toni Donaldson and her terrific team for making the shoot a lot of fun.
Apparently, Madcap Cottage will appear on HGTV in early 2013, so stay tuned!
Weenie snoozed during the entire HGTV shoot upon her custom Madcap Cottage dog bed while Jasper ran about and caused a bit of a ruckus. Did you know that John and I craft custom dog beds? Well, now you do!
Here's another view of our Sofa.com two-seat sofa that John and I adorned with custom Madcap Cottage pillows.
Tags: HGTV, Hobart, Jason Oliver Nixon, John Loecke, Madcap Cottage, NY, Sofa.com, You Live in What?
Posted in Antiques, Before and After, Color, Curb appeal, Demystifying Design, Design, Design Lessons, DIY, Fabrics, Interior Design, Landscaping, New York Interior Designer, News Flash, Paint a front door, Paint the ceiling, Painted Furniture, Renovations, Road Trip, Sustainable, Tastemaker, Television, Tips for Design Small Spaces, Weekend warrior | No Comments »
Monday, October 29th, 2012
Here's the former garage at Madcap Cottage in upstate New York when John and I purchased the property. The garage was a mess and was totally shrouded with out-of-control greenery. Our goal was to take this forlorn folly and make it fabulous. Hopefully, you can pluck ideas from our plan of attack to employ in your own home.
Gang:
John and I are hunkered down in Brooklyn as Sandy terrorizes the East Coast… We have wine and I made tacos, and I am cleaning out my closet and am still wearing my pajamas at 1:30pm so it’s not all bad… John is listening to Christmas carols on Pandora for some reason. Curious, n’est-ce pas? Weenie and Jasper are snoozing.
As the day is totally drab and dull, I thought I would offer some color, a Technicolor-hued punch…
Here’s a photo tour of our former garage at Madcap Cottage in upstate New York that John and I transformed from a tumbledown structure into a rainbow-hued screened-in porch.
I hope you enjoy the journey…
Stay dry, and stay safe!
New roofing, screened doors, and a cupola that John and I purchased online take the exterior of the garage and make it gorgeous. The cupola is vinyl-clad, so it will never need painting. I am not a fan of vinyl siding, but here it makes total sense.
John and I had the interior patched and a new cement floor poured. And we carved-out screened windows that look onto our backyard. A pale blue ceiling helps open up the space.
John and I found some beat-up old garden furniture and had it powder coated a bright lemon yellow. The results are perfectly sunny and delicious! Find garden furniture at a yard sale, and have it powder coated to give it new life.
John and I came up with a fun fabric scheme that mixes lots of easy-to-care-for indoor/outdoor fabrics in big, bold hues.
Jasper eyes the work in progress. Almost complete!
And here's the finished product... John and I were lucky enough to have the screened-in porch appear in the magazine DIY. Jasper makes himself right at home in the finished screened-in porch, now renamed The Little House. Floor paint transformed a cement floor into something fabulous. John crafted the window treatments from Ikea using a stamp that he picked up at a flea market with fabric paint.
Note the inexpensive Chinese lanterns that dangle overhead, an inexpensive way to add "punch" and "pizzazz" to any space. The cupola adds further "architecture" to a roofline that was sorely lacking interest.
Tags: Color, DIY, Jason Oliver Nixon, John Loecke, Little House, Madcap Cottage, renovation, Sandy, whimsy
Posted in Before and After, Color, Curb appeal, Demystifying Design, Design, Design Guru, DIY, Fabrics, Flooring, Gardens, Interior Design, Landscaping, Lighting, New York Interior Designer, Paint, Paint the floor, Painted Furniture, Pets, Powder coating, Renovations, Tastemaker, Tips for Design Small Spaces, Weekend warrior | 2 Comments »
Sunday, October 7th, 2012
Extensively renovated by fashion designer Pierre Cardin, Lacoste, France's historic Chateau de Lacoste is infamous for being the home of the Marquis de Sade back in the late 1700s. The chateau sits high above the tiny village of Lacoste in Provence.
Gang:
A few weeks back when John and I were bopping about the Provence region of southern France we paid a visit to the tiny and wildly charming hill town of Lacoste. Lacoste is picture perfect, largely thanks to the ministrations of fashion designer Pierre Cardin who has renovated much of the town, including its fabled chateau, once home to the infamous Marquis de Sade.
Lacoste boasts stunning vistas that overlook the Grand Luberon Mountains and the equally quaint village of Bonnieux that perches across the valley. The town is all windy streets and artists’ studios: The town packs in the crowds in July during the annual festival that sees performances of world-class theater, opera, and music.
The highlight of our visit was the tour of the Chateau de Lacoste, the 18th-century home of the Marquis de Sade that has been largely renovated from ruins by Pierre Cardin. The chateau boasts Cardin’s furniture collection as well as arresting metal statues of animals scattered about the ramparts. John and I adored the furnishings, and the vistas were astonishing.
Here’s a little tour!
A contemporary sculpture of the Marquis de Sade sits outside the chateau. Genius!
John and I loved this novel grouping within the chateau that includes two elegant sofas and an Indian-styled armchair. There's nothing better than an eclectic, far-flung arrangement of furnishings, n'est-ce pas?
The Chateau de Lacoste features Pierre Cardin's eclectic furniture collection, including this terrific grouping. I especially liked the wood lampshades in this vignette.
Amazing metal sculptures of animals dot the grounds of the Chateau de Lacoste. Pierre Cardin has helped transform the sleepy village of Lacoste into an arts mecca.
The chateau, while largely renovated, still has its crumbling moments, including this stunning view onto the nearby valleys and mountains.
Tags: Chateau de Lacoste, France, Jason Oliver Nixon, John Loecke, Madcap Cottage, Marquis de Sade, Pierre Cardin, Provence
Posted in Antiques, Color, Demystifying Design, Design, Design Guru, Interior Design, Landscaping, New York Interior Designer, upholstery | No Comments »
Friday, October 5th, 2012
John heads into London's verdant Battersea Park to pay a visit to the thrice-annual Decorative Fair. The Fair is truly a treasure trove of delicious finds!
Gang:
This past week John and I made a pilgrimage to the fabulous Decorative Fair that takes place three times each year in London’s stunning Battersea Park on the south side of the Thames.
And, wow!, we were so inspired, and not only by the fabulous goods but also by the very approachable prices. I am not one for “important” antiques unless you inherited them, so it was great to see that there were so many pieces at the fair that John and I could actually afford.
Here’s a little tour…
A pair of floral-patterned armchairs that felt very "Madcap Cottage," n'est-ce pas? There's nothing like multiple fabrics and delicious details to take furniture from ho-hum to super-ho.
A gorgeous Chinoiserie-styled lantern. Swoon!
John and I adored this oversized concrete basket, one of a pair. These baskets would be perfect for sitting atop pilasters at the back of a yard.
A stunning tole metal palm tree! If John and I could have carried this back to NYC with us on the plane, we would have snapped it up!
A very yummy pair of green chairs with terrific nailhead detailing.
There were lots of dogs at the Decorative Fair. We wished that Weenie and Jasper could have been in attendance, too.
Tags: Battersea Park, Decorative Fair, Jason Oliver Nixon, Jasper, John Loecke, London, Madcap Cottage, Tole, Weenie
Posted in Antiques, China, Color, Curb appeal, Demystifying Design, Design, Design Guru, Design Lessons, Fabrics, Furniture Recovering, Gardens, Interior Design, Landscaping, New York Interior Designer, News Flash, Painted Furniture, Pets, Road Trip | No Comments »
Wednesday, October 3rd, 2012
Here's a totally non-sequitur image of Weenie, just because. Says Weenie, "The dog days are over." Get it, Weenie!
Gang:
I hope you are having a sin-filled week.
John and I are in London and running around like modern-day Sloane Rangers and scoping out design trends and shopping for a client.
And while I am one half of the Madcap Cottage terrible twosome, I am also the Global Lifestyle Editor at Delta Sky magazine with its six million monthly readers. Wow, six million! Um, yep.
With that said, I thought you might enjoy reading a story I penned in the October issue of Delta Sky about my passion for the Cotswolds region of England. The Cotswolds simply rock. Chic, and picture perfect. And the gardens are simply glorious!
If you have never visited this fairy-tale region of England, book a trip. And pronto.
Here’s the piece!
I love nothing more than the Cotswolds region of England except maybe listening to some Lana del Rey. Read my story on the bucolic region in the October issue of Delta Sky magazine. Click on the image, above.
Tags: Barnsley House, Cotswolds, Hidcote, Jason Oliver Nixon, John Loecke, Madcap Cottage, Weenie
Posted in Antiques, Color, Demystifying Design, Design, Design Guru, Design Lessons, Gardens, Hotel design, Interior Design, Landscaping, New York Interior Designer, Pets, Road Trip, Tastemaker, Weekend warrior | No Comments »
Sunday, September 30th, 2012
London calling! John and I are crazy for this big, bold, and bodacious address that we spotted painted upon a terracotta-hued column near Sloane Square in the heart of London.
Gang:
As you know, I cannot emphasize enough the importance of making a statement with your front door.
Paint your door a bright color.
Add interesting plantings in pots.
Hang up a big brass door knocker…
Or take a page from our perambulations around London…
John and I are in the British capital again this week shopping for a client, and we love the painted door numbers that your favorite two-some has spotted all over town. Simple, chic, and MAJOR impact!
Why not order a stencil kit from Martha Stewart, and create a totally bespoke door number with a little paint and a paint brush.
Genius!
If you have a column or a planter in front of your home, why not paint a street number upon it? Or paint a big number directly upon your front door.
This number 47 was totally wow-ee! I love the use of a primary color and a background hue to really create an impact.
Tags: DIY, Gorgeous, Jason Oliver Nixon, John Loecke, London, Madcap Cottage, Sloane Square, Street numbers
Posted in Before and After, Color, Curb appeal, Design, Design Guru, Design Lessons, DIY, Landscaping, New York Interior Designer, Paint, Paint a front door, Renovations, Tips for Design Small Spaces, Weekend warrior | No Comments »
Sunday, September 23rd, 2012
John and I spotted these delicious pistachio-green shutters in the charming Provencal town of Eygalieres. See what some colorful shutters--and a painted front door--can do to the facade of your home...
Gang:
John and I are gamboling about Provence, France… Don’t you just love that word “gamboling?” We certainly do. Provence is so lovely, and the folks are so much nicer than those jaded Parisians with whom I am up to here…
But more on the Parisian poubelle in another blog.
As John and I have skipped from Avignon to Gordes, Menerbes, and Les Baux, we have taken in so many wonderful architectural details that have inspired us.
Take Provencal shutters, for instance.
Does you home boast shutters? And, if so, are they black or white? Why not take them up a few notches with a glorious color like Christian Dior gray, periwinkle, or Fortnum & Mason green like they do in a mountain town like Lacoste?
Your overhauled shutters will take the exterior of your home from so-so to simply stunning…
I am not always a fan of pale blue when used in an exterior scheme, but these pale blue shutters perfectly accentuate the stone facade of this home in the town of Menerbes in the heart of Provence.
A jaunty yellow shutter strikes a dramatic contrast behind lush ivy in the charming, vest pocket-sized village of Venasque.
Here's an extreme version of a colorful facade that John and I spotted in the famous, ochre-hued village of Roussillon. I love the pairing of the burnt-orange facade and the deep red shutters. Wow-ee!
Tags: France, Gordes, Jason Oliver Nixon, John Loecke, Lacoste, Madcap Cottage, Menerbes, Painted shutters, Provence, Roussillon
Posted in Antiques, Color, Curb appeal, Design Guru, Design Lessons, DIY, Gardens, Interior Design, Landscaping, Paint, Paint a front door, Renovations, Tastemaker, Tips for Design Small Spaces, Weekend warrior | No Comments »
Thursday, September 13th, 2012
John heads into the glorious landscape that comprises Queen Mary's Gardens in the heart of London's Regent's Park. Queen Mary's Gardens overflow with flowers and gorgeous planting beds, and we always make a stop at this urban sanctuary when we hop across the pond.
Gang:
John and I are in London and doing all sorts of shopping for one of our clients…
Happily, the weather is absolutely delicious, so John and I took some time this afternoon to visit one of our favorite spots in the British capital, Queen Mary’s Gardens in Regent’s Park. Regent’s Park is a stunningly maintained urban oasis in the heart of the city, and Queen Mary’s enclosed gardens–housed within the larger park–feature stunning vistas, fountains, and gobs of roses and begonias. There’s also an open-air theater in the gardens where John and I have seen Shakespeare performances in summers past while picnicking al fresco.
Next time you are in London, be sure to visit this stunning landscape. Here’s a little tour.
An intimate "moment" in the garden with John perched atop a bridge wrapped in wisteria. I love the mix of large public spaces and cozy "moments" in Queen Mary's Gardens.
A glorious garden figure crafted of succulent plants takes a central place in Queen Mary's Gardens. Why not push the boundaries in your own garden, and have some fun!
A stunning fountain in the heart of the Queen Mary's Gardens. I love the tropical plants that surround the fountain beneath a row of towering poplars. John and I used this row of poplars as inspiration for a new garden that we recently created at our Madcap Cottage in upstate New York.
Here's John in the fabulous rose gardens. Note the climbing roses that dangle from the looped ropes that hang from poles in the background. What a genius way to enclose a garden, n'est-ce pas?
Tags: Curb appeal, Jason Oliver Nixon, John Loecke, Landscaping, London, Madcap Cottage, Queen Mary's Gardens, Regent's Park
Posted in Color, Curb appeal, Demystifying Design, Design, Design Guru, Gardens, Landscaping, New York Interior Designer, Tips for Design Small Spaces, Weekend warrior | No Comments »
Thursday, August 23rd, 2012
Welcome to Kennebunkport, Maine's wonderful Snug Harbor Farm!
Gang:
A few weeks back, John, Jasper, Weenie, and I made a pilgrimage up to southern Maine to enjoy some R&R beside the rocky coast. And, oh!, what a delicious time we had in Kennebunkport and environs.
One of our must-visit spots is the delightful Snug Harbor Farm, a glorious nursery-cum-garden store just outside of Kennebunkport… If you love plants and all things green-related, Snug Harbor is nirvana. John and I want to move in. Not only do we love all of the topiaries and gorgeous annuals, but there are chickens and peacocks roaming about. It’s like the chic-est of gentleman’s farms.
Here are images from various visits to Snug Harbor Farm, including a tour from a few winters back.
I take in the landscape at charming Snug Harbor Farm in Kennebunkport, Maine a few winters back. While the exterior of the Farm is somewhat bleak in the winter, the greenhouses are alive and bursting over with greenery.
John inspects the annuals and perennials at the front entrance to the Farm. Snug Harbor has a terrific selection of unusual plants that you can't find at your local big-box store.
An espaliered apple tree that I photographed a few winters back. Espaliering is the horticultural and ancient agricultural practice of controlling woody plant growth originally for the production of fruit, by pruning and tying branches to a frame so that they grow into a flat plane, frequently in formal patterns, against a structure such as a wall, fence, or trellis, and also plants which have been shaped in this way.
Here's that same espaliered apple tree on our recent visit. John and I love a good espaliered tree, n'est-ce pas? So chic! In fact, we are creating a row of espaliered apple trees at Madcap Cottage in upstate New York. Stay tuned for images of that project-in-the-works.
A pair of theatrical tropical plants decamp from the greenhouses during the summer and create some drama in a corner of Snug Harbor Farm.
A tucked-away fountain crafted from a watering trough. Brilliant!
A potting shed at Snug Harbor Farm boasts Chinese lanterns that sway in the breeze. Why not recreate a "moment" like this in our own home. Take a blah-and-boring workspace and give it some "oomph."
Tags: Espalier, garden, Jason Oliver Nixon, John Loecke, Kennebunkport, Landscaping, Madcap Cottage, Maine, Nursery, Snug Harbor Farm
Posted in Antiques, Before and After, Color, Curb appeal, Demystifying Design, Design, Design Guru, Design Lessons, DIY, Gardens, Interior Design, Landscaping, New York Interior Designer, Road Trip, Tastemaker | No Comments »
