Archive for the ‘Sustainable’ Category
Sunday, June 2nd, 2013
Welcome to Chester Court, our historic dead-end street next to Prospect Park in Brooklyn!
Gang:
As you may know, John and I live on a historic cul-de-sac in Brooklyn in an up-and-coming neighborhood called Prospect-Lefferts Gardens. It’s a neighborhood that’s on the move, but it still has some “rough and tumble” moments. Not that it’s violent, but we need some street calming on our major artery of Flatbush Avenue (the Broadway of Brooklyn) and there’s a real problem with littering. But it’s definitely getting better… And John and I are helping…
As one of the folks spearheading the Chester Court Block Association, I am always thinking global and acting local. Little by little we are taking Chester Court from nice to knockout, and lots more on all of this later, including some history on this wonderful oasis. Last summer, for instance, I helped get street trees planted, and the city put in a new sidewalk and repaved the streets.
This morning, I tackled the two tree beds on my side of the street that really need some TLC. Last summer, these just-installed beds were covered in mulch but over the winter they got rather nappy and have been “used” both by dogs and careless cigarette smokers to throw their butts. So I brought home some 90 iris and day lily plants that I dug up at Madcap Cottage upstate, and I planted the stash bright and early before it got too hot. P.S. By using plants already in my arsenal, I was able to transform a space dramatically without spending any money… Do try this at home!
Check out my handiwork.
Here are the two tree beds on Chester Court that really needed some TLC. Scroll down to see what two hours and about 100 irises and lilies can do to a once-forlorn space.
Here's the tree bed on the other side of Chester Court that I planted with irises last summer. The irises have held up swimmingly and inspired me to use them on the two tree beds across the street. I gave this tree bed some weeding today, and it looks great.
Here are garbage full of iris and lily plants that I dug up last weekend at Madcap Cottage in upstate New York. Irises don't need much water and require an annual thinning out.
I crafted signs that I laminated at my local FedEx Office outpost to remind folks to clean up after their dogs. Plastic ties keep the signs in place.
I turned all of the dirt over in the tree beds to aerate the soil and make planting easier. The soil is surprisingly rich...
And here's the finished results with the lilies and irises in place. A few neighbors will help water the tree beds, and the hearty perennials should take off quickly. I petitioned the city for metal tree guards, and those should be installed by October... I will report back on how the plants are doing.
Tags: Chester Court, Curb appeal, Jason Oliver Nixon, John Loecke, Madcap Cottage, Planting
Posted in Before and After, Color, Curb appeal, Demystifying Design, Design Guru, Design Lessons, DIY, Gardens, Interior Design, Landscaping, New York Interior Designer, Pets, Sustainable, Tastemaker, Tips for Design Small Spaces, 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 »
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 »
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 »
Friday, June 8th, 2012
Thursday's New York Post featured an article about local up-and-coming designers and mentioned your favorite gents at Madcap Cottage. The Post also included an image of the Paris When It Sizzles armchair that John designed... Click on the image, above, to read the entire story.
Gang:
John and I woke up on Thursday to have a very chic mention in the New York Post… And the story featured an image of the Paris When It Sizzles armchair that John designed.
What fun!
Here's the blurb about us in the New York Post. I think they captured our spirit and sensibility perfectly, n'est-ce pas?
Tags: fabric, Jason Oliver Nixon, John Loecke, Madcap Cottage, New York Post, Paris When It Sizzles armchair, Welting
Posted in Antiques, Color, Design, Design book, Design Guru, Fabrics, Furniture Recovering, Interior Design, New York Interior Designer, News Flash, Paint, Sustainable, upholstery, Wallpaper, Welting | No Comments »
Tuesday, May 22nd, 2012
Our basement at Madcap Cottage in upstate New York is overflowing with delicious treasures, so come take a look... This weekend!
Gang:
What’s on your agenda for Memorial Day weekend?
If you happen to be anywhere near New York’s Catskill Mountains, be sure to beeline it for Jason & John’s World-Famous Annual Yard Sale and Vintage Finds Bonanza that will take place at Madcap Cottage in Hobart, NY this Saturday and Sunday (May 26 and 27) from 8am-5pm.
Expect loads of treasures…
Furnishings! Lighting! Fabric! Wallpaper! A fountain. An amazing crafts table. A glorious day bed. A totally snug rug.
Plug this address into MapQuest, and come visit…
286 Maple Avenue
Hobart, NY 13788
Whether you stop by or no, we wish you an absolutely delicious and divine Memorial Day weekend!
Here's last year's yard sale in full swing... If you're really nice, I just might give you a tour of Madcap Cottage and maybe a glass of wine.
Tags: Hobart, Jason Oliver Nixon, John Loecke, Madcap Cottage, Memorial Day, Yard Sale
Posted in Antiques, Carpets, Color, Curb appeal, Demystifying Design, Design, Design Guru, Design Lessons, Fabrics, Furniture Recovering, Interior Design, Landscaping, Lighting, New York Interior Designer, Pets, Powder coating, Sustainable, Tastemaker, upholstery, Wallpaper, Weekend warrior, Welting | 2 Comments »
Wednesday, May 2nd, 2012
A gorgeous red-and-green floral pattern paired with orange welting--a Madcap Cottage signature--bolsters this fabulous and deliciously comfortable armchair.
Gang:
John and I are driving back from Tampa, Florida to Brooklyn today, so that will be us tooling up I-95 with tables and suitcases tied to the roof of our Subaru like high-end okies.
But let’s talk design. Does your home lack stellar seating options?
Do you need some color in your chair selections?
Do you crave comfort and good looks paired with the pizzazz that only the Madcap Cottage gents can bring to fruition?
Well, you are in luck since our May 8 One Kings Lane sale has gobs of seating options…
Our One Kings Lane sale starts at 6pm on May 8, so mark your calendars and get ready to shop. We have 330+ items for sale this go-around, so there’s sure to be something for everybody and at every price point, too.
Peruse a few of our color-kissed perches…
A PAIR of glorious armchairs upholstered in a fabulous floral pattern with hot pink welting and buttons. Although these chairs don't have exactly the same shape (although the upholstery is the same on both), they would look terrific if paired together in front of, say, a fireplace or in a den. Plus, they are wildly comfortable and have the most amazing lines.
A PAIR of vintage metal faux bamboo chairs that your friends at Madcap Cottage had powder-coated in a bold pink hue. We then upholstered the chairs in a fun brown-and-white and vaguely ethnic print with a gorgeous welting. Once outdoor chairs, these lovelies should now serve as focal points indoors.
A faux bamboo chair that the Madcap Cottage boys have tweaked with a fresh green-and-white graphic pattern fabric and lemon-yellow welting. The perfect occasional chair to use in various rooms of your home.
John and I love nothing more than a fabulous ikat fabric, so here we have covered a PAIR of gorgeous and comfortable armchairs in a blue-and-white ikat pattern with rainbow-hued welting for a little extra kick. Chic!
A quartet of vintage armless dining chairs done-up in a frondy palm print that reminds us of the coffee shop at the Beverly Hills Hotel. Plus, a gorgeous vintage faux bamboo, glass-topped game table. Wow, what a stunning set, n'est-ce pas?
Tags: Beverly Hills Hotel, Design, Eco-chic, Faux bamboo, Game table, Jason Oliver Nixon, John Loecke, Madcap Cottage, May 8, One Kings Lane, Tastemaker Tag Sale, upholstery, Welting
Posted in Antiques, Color, Demystifying Design, Design, Design Guru, Design Lessons, DIY, Fabrics, Furniture Recovering, Interior Design, New York Interior Designer, One Kings Lane, Painted Furniture, Powder coating, Road Trip, Sustainable, Tastemaker, upholstery, 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 »
Tuesday, March 20th, 2012
Weenie strikes a winsome pose in our guest bedroom "after" with its patterns-upon-patterns and gobs of wallpaper. The room is always evolving, so much of this furniture has already moved on to other spaces and places. The coral-hued table to the left of the bed, for example, will be available for purchased at our May 8 One Kings Lane sale.
Gang:
I hope your week is going along swimmingly… We have Lykke Li on the sound system at our Chester Court offices, and Jasper and Weenie are rocking out.
I was digging through some “before” and “after” photographs of Chester Court this morning, and I thought it would be fun to revisit what our guest bedroom looked like “before” and “after” the Madcap Cottage boys had their way with the space.
The “before”s and “after”s are quite dramatic! Let us know what you think!
Here's the very boring guest bedroom before we tackled the space. This room was calling out for color and verve, and we answered the clarion call. And how!
Another angle of the guest bedroom "before." Snooze, n'est-ce pas?
Guests love to check into Chester Court... Our guest bedroom is super-inviting and comfortable. And, yes, there's lots to look at it! I am especially partial to the necklaces that we picked up in India and draped over the lampshade next to the bed.
Tags: Before and After, Chester Court, Jason Oliver Nixon, John Loecke, Madcap Cottage, Wallpaper
Posted in Antiques, Before and After, Carpets, Color, Demystifying Design, Design, Design Guru, Design Lessons, DIY, Fabrics, Flooring, Hanging artwork, india, Interior Design, New York Interior Designer, Paint, Painted Furniture, Renovations, Sustainable, Tips for Design Small Spaces, upholstery, Wallpaper | 8 Comments »
Saturday, March 17th, 2012
John and Ellen Warfield, the fabulous One Kings Lane photographer, arrange a glorious custom-upholstered armchair on the white seamless "set" at our storage unit in Brooklyn. This super-comfortable chair is upholstered in a terrific fabric from Cowtan & Tout. Mark your calendars for our May 8 One Kings Lane sale.
Gang:
Happy St. Patrick’s Day! I am wearing green underwear and contemplating a Midori-splashed cocktail. Is it noon somewhere in the world?
John and I have spent the past few days photographing items for our MAY 8 One Kings Lane Tastemaker Tag Sale. Have you marked your calendars? MAY 8!
Anyhow, I thought it might be fun to show you some of the work that goes into photographing the Madcap Cottage duo’s items for our upcoming sale. It’s a lot of work and a lot of fun.
We spent about 20 hours this past Thursday and Friday photographing our One Kings Lane merchandise with the fantastic Ellen Warfield, one of OKL’s many talented photographers. From small items–including cocktail sets and whimsical bric-a-brac–to our fabulous furniture, we plowed through some 273 items that needed to be photographed.
Did I say 273 items? Yes, 273 items.
So get ready to shop our Tastemaker Tag Sale.
It’s going to be glorious. And so much fun!
John preps the "Green Goddess," a vintage chest of drawers with amazing hardware and an emerald hue. We love the Chinese-inspired lines of this functional piece.
A vaguely 70s-ish chair that John and I custom-upholstered in a vintage ikat fabric with a rainbow-hued welting. This chair is a stunner! And there will be a pair of these chairs in our sale, perfect for situating in a library or in front of a fireplace.
A gaggle of chairs and tables awaits their turn in front of Ellen's camera. When John and I produce our One Kings Lane photo shoots, we basically take over the entire floor at our storage unit near JFK Airport in Brooklyn. It's quite a production!
John and I custom-upholstered a pair of arm chairs in a fab fabric from Rose Cumming with bright orange buttons and acid-pink welting. Um, these ladies are just lovely.
Ellen arranges a pale-blue secretary--let's call it an "assistant," that's so much more PC--that John and I custom-colored with coral-hued shelves and insets. This piece is super functional and totally a looker.
A faux bamboo game table topped with glass accompanied by four fabulous arm chairs done up in a fabulous, frondy fabric that reminds us of the coffee shop at the Beverly Hills Hotel.
John fluffs a fabulous Monet-inspired sofa in polished chintz that we found at an estate in Palm Springs, California. There will be a pair of these glorious Giverny-like couches at our May 8 One Kings Lane sale.
Tags: Jason Oliver Nixon, John Loecke, Madcap Cottage, One Kings Lane, Tastemaker Tag Sale
Posted in Antiques, Bar Cart, Color, Demystifying Design, Design, Design Guru, Design Lessons, Entertaining, Fabrics, Framing, Furniture Recovering, Interior Design, Lighting, Morocco, New York Interior Designer, Paint, Painted Furniture, Party Planning, Portraits, Powder coating, Sustainable, Tastemaker, Tips for Design Small Spaces, Turkey, upholstery, Welting | 1 Comment »
