Archive for the ‘upholstery’ 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 »
Thursday, April 18th, 2013
Jasper and Weenie loll about the front yard at Adamsleigh, the site of the 2013 Junior League of Greensboro showhouse. The 14-acre estate was built by High Point textile magnate "Hamp" Adams and boasts amazing details and stunning architecture. Jasper and Weenie approve.
Gang:
Morning!
John and I have been down in the High Point, North Carolina area for the past week preparing our room for the Junior League of Greensboro showhouse. We have designed the breakfast nook in the amazing, circa-1930 Adamsleigh estate, and we have been hanging curtains, steaming, scrubbing, and propping.
John and I are thrilled to be working with our dear pals at Thibaut, and we employed their fabulous fabrics, wallpapers, and upholstery in the room. Plus, we added loads of vintage case goods and “props” to add a layer of dimensionality to our room and take it from looking like a showroom.The showhouse opens tomorrow night with a Gatsby-themed gala, and we are so excited to show off our wares.
Here are a few photos from our room in progress.
See you at High Point Market!
Here's the exterior of the breakfast nook... The fabulous leaded-glass windows let in loads of light and make the breakfast nook airy and delicious.
The breakfast nook at Adamsleigh “before”… I can’t wait for you to see the “after” shots.
Here's the fabulous jute rug that we picked up at a World Market in Florida and drove up to the showhouse. There's a World Market just down the street from the showhouse, but it did not have the rug that we needed. Happily, we were in Florida, so it was easy for us to swing by the WM outpost near Orlando. John and I just love World Market!
Our workroom in Iowa crafts a stunning valance in Thibaut fabrics...
So what does our room look like now? Come to the Junior League of Greensboro showhouse, and pay us a visit. The showhouse opens this Saturday... See you there!
Tags: Adamsleigh, High Point Market, Jason Oliver Nixon, John Loecke, Junior League of Greensboro, Madcap Cottage, Thibaut
Posted in Antiques, Before and After, Carpets, Color, Curb appeal, Demystifying Design, Design, Design Lessons, DIY, Fabrics, Flooring, Hanging artwork, Interior Design, New York Interior Designer, News Flash, Paint, Renovations, Road Trip, Tastemaker, upholstery, Wallpaper, Weekend warrior | No Comments »
Tuesday, February 12th, 2013
The March issue of Elle Decor magazine raves about the designs of African designer Duro Olowu that will soon be appearing at J. C. Penney. Channel Africa right now, and you will be right on-trend!
Gang:
John and I are having a total Africa “moment”… And it seems that publications like Elle Decor are, too. Plus, we have spotted African prints in the windows of the sizzling Selfridges department store in London…
Speaking of Africa, the Madcap Cottage gents are so inspired by wax-print African fabrics with their colorful hues and magical patterns and have been incorporating these textiles into our pillow designs and upholstery. Many of the African prints actually hail from Holland where famed companies such as Vlisco craft these color-packed textiles.
Check out some of our wax-print pillows, all available for sale on our Madcap Cottage website…
John and I took a jaunty teal-and-red wax-print African fabric and paired it with a zippy green welting and backing, and the results are pillow talk perfection.
A pink-and-purple wax-fabric pattern with a deep purple welt and backing makes for the perfect Madcap Cottage pillow.
A custom-crafted Madcap Cottage throw pillow in a jaunty aqua-and-red pattern with a zingy yellow welt and backing.
Tags: Africa, Elle Decor, Jason Oliver Nixon, John Loecke, Madcap Cottage, pillows, Vlisco
Posted in Color, Demystifying Design, Design, Design Guru, Design Lessons, DIY, Interior Design, New York Interior Designer, Tastemaker, Tips for Design Small Spaces, Uncategorized, upholstery | No Comments »
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 »
Wednesday, January 16th, 2013
The La-Z-Boy truck arrives at Chester Court in Brooklyn. The delivery men were so lovely and nice and accommodating... They must not be from New York.
Gang:
Morning!
As I mentioned on Facebook yesterday, John and I were invited to design our own La-Z-Boy chair when we were in High Point, North Carolina in the fall for the twice-annual furniture market. And we were thrilled to create something fresh and fun, with a dash of the Madcap Cottage flair.
Frankly, John and I were surprised by the range of La-Z-Boy products… I had always thought of La-Z-Boy as being stuffy recliners that maybe my grandparents owned and that sat in front of their honker-sized stereo-cabinet television set in Sarasota, Florida. Actually, this is an exact portrait of my grandparents in Florida, ha!
Well, La-Z-Boy has come a long way. John and I chose a lovely spindle chair and selected fabrics from the La-Z-Boy range. Sadly, we couldn’t add different weltings or tweak other elements of our chair, but we are still deliciously happy with the results. We had hoped to customize the lumbar pillow on the chair to match the ottoman fabric, but that wasn’t possible… We should do a pop-up collection for La-Z-Boy, n’est-ce pas? It’s all about the details, folks.
The chair? The Caroline Stationary Occasional Chair.
The ottoman? The Caroline Ottoman.
The fabrics?
Chair upholstery: Bronze Q959148
Ottoman: Raja Q974107 Zamira
What do you think of the results? Chic, comfortable, and a great price point!
The La-Z-Boy delivery gents carry our new chair and ottoman into our basement office on Chester Court. We couldn't wait to see our creation.
The very nice delivery man from La-Z-Boy unwraps the Caroline chair and ottoman. Note the photo of me and John with design editor Tori Mellott in the background.
Here's our brand-new La-Z-Boy chair with the Madcap Cottage "tweaks." Apparently, John and I are the first people ever to create a La-Z-Boy product where the chair fabric and ottoman fabric don't match. Go figure! The black finish on the frame provides a bold, but works-anywhere neutral tone.
Tags: furniture market, high point, Jason Oliver Nixon, John Loecke, La-Z-Boy, Madcap Cottage
Posted in Before and After, Color, Curb appeal, Demystifying Design, Design, Design Guru, DIY, Fabrics, Interior Design, New York Interior Designer, News Flash, Painted Furniture, upholstery | 1 Comment »
Sunday, January 6th, 2013
Gang:
How’s your early New Year coming along? Are you sticking to those resolutions? My diet is going swimmingly, and I have already lost 5 pounds. 15 more pounds to go!
As you think about possibly purchasing new furnishings in the year ahead, why not look over our BRAND-NEW SHOPPING SECTION on our Madcap Cottage website.
We offer loads of bespoke pillows and private-label furnishings in wonderful paint treatments. And the price points are really terrific!
Click here to browse our Madcap Cottage wares!
The Let's Go to Grey Gardens chair, a stunning and comfortable bobbin chair crafted by the Madcap Cottage gents with lots of love. Foam cushion wrapped in down.
The Evening in Byzantium ottoman, a beautifully tailored ottoman or occasional table upholstered in a bold zigzag linen fabric. Bespoke brilliance courtesy of the boys at Madcap Cottage. Tight seat.
The Jewel in the Crown armchair. A gorgeous and beautifully proportioned chair custom-crafted by the Madcap Cottage gents with turned legs and rich detailing. Tight seat and back.
The Sunnyland Sojourn chair. A stunning turned-leg and uber-comfortable chair custom-crafted by the Madcap Cottage gents that can be painted in any Benjamin Moore color for extra-bespoke brilliance. Foam cushion wrapped in down.
Tags: Jason Oliver Nixon, John Loecke, Madcap Cottage, pillows, Private-label furniture, upholstery
Posted in Color, Demystifying Design, Design, Design Guru, Design Lessons, DIY, Fabrics, Furniture Recovering, Interior Design, New York Interior Designer, News Flash, Painted Furniture, Tips for Design Small Spaces, upholstery, Weekend warrior, Welting | 1 Comment »
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 »
Sunday, December 2nd, 2012
Here's a "before" image of a project that John and I tackled on Long Island a few years back. The iVillage website has featured this project as part of their "before" and "after" series. Click on the image, above, to see the "after" image of our design and to view the projects of some of our peers...
Gang:
I hope you had a splendiferous weekend! John and I are still in London and head back tomorrow… It’s been an amazing trip.
On another note, the iVillage site recently invited us to submit a “before” and after” project, and the project has just gone online. Take a look, and let me know what you think. This was a fun project because John and I tackled much of the fix-it work ourselves, including painting the beat-up wood floors and thinking up creative ways to mask the wonky walls.
We love to hear feedback!
Tags: Before and After, DIY, Jason Oliver Nixon, John Loecke, London, long island, Madcap Cottage, Painted floors
Posted in Before and After, Color, Demystifying Design, Design, Design Guru, Design Lessons, DIY, Flooring, Framing, Furniture Recovering, Hanging artwork, Interior Design, New York Interior Designer, Paint the floor, Painted Furniture, Tastemaker, upholstery, Weekend warrior | 3 Comments »
Monday, November 26th, 2012
Here's John with the divine Lydia Pomey in the swatch room at Eastern Accents, a sprawling factory in Chicago's Avondale neighborhood that makes the most amazing pillows, bed linens, headboards, and other home goods.
Gang:
I hope that everyone had a fabulous Thanksgiving!
John and I were in Baltimore for the holiday are are now currently in London and loving every second of it.
But let’s backtrack two weeks (we certainly keep you on your toes, n’est-ce pas?)…
John and I flew out to Chicago to tour the amazing Eastern Accents factory in the city’s Avondale neighborhood and to discuss some possible business. Might there be private label Madcap Cottage pillows in the works?
Do stay tuned!
Meanwhile, here’s a little tour of Eastern Accents.
John goes bananas for the vast selection of trims to be found at Eastern Accents, including the myriad ribbons.
Eastern Accents boasts massive machines that cut the fabrics with lasers.
Here's the immaculate and light-filled sewing room at Eastern Accents. John and I love anything Made in America.
An Eastern Accents worker sews delicious details into a pillow.
Here are bundles of down feathers ready to be stuffed into pillows.
John and Lydia peruse Eastern Accents' vast fabric library. We unearthed some real treasures that reflect the Madcap Cottage duo's passion for color and pattern.
Tags: Baltimore, Chicago, Design, Eastern Accents, Jason Oliver Nixon, John Loecke, London, Madcap Cottage, pillows, Private label
Posted in Antiques, Color, Demystifying Design, Design Guru, Fabrics, Interior Design, New York Interior Designer, upholstery, Welting | 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 »
