Happy Fall!

Janet Lorusso September 23, 2015

Crisp fall days ... perfect weather, sunny skies, fall colors starting to appear in the landscape and the scent of apple cider ... all cause to revel in this beautiful, quintessentially New England season!

Adding fall touches throughout the house seems an ideal way to celebrate.

Mercury glass pumpkins, fall leaves and fruit, and a trio of pillar candles combine to create a stunning, sparkling arrangement on a sideboard in this dramatically eggplant-toned dining room. Odd numbers of like items, and variety in shape, size and texture strike just the right balance for a visually interesting display.

This family room mantle was given a fall makeover with the addition of ceramic pumpkin and sunflower pieces and a fall colored whimsical burlap sunflower wreath hung on the mirror.

Three ribbon textures; burlap, metallic gold, and burgundy organza, combine to create lavish bows for the fall wreath on the front door and the leaf garland on the lamp post.

Enjoy every minute of this glorious season!

Ingredients for a Fresh New Guest Room

Janet Lorusso August 31, 2015

Recently, a client requested our help in planning a bedroom overhaul to create a fresh new guest room space for the impending visit of her daughter and brand new grand-daughter. She wanted something that would be youthful and welcoming, but also pay tribute to her close knit family. We suggested a color scheme derived from a fun throw pillow that seemed to fit the criteria well, and we were off and running!

Walls were freshened with a light spring green paint color, white wood blinds add privacy and light control and the cordless feature ensures safety for the growing grandchildren. Black iron curtain rods echo the style and finish of the headboard and hold simple white curtain panels trimmed in turquoise.

A colorful wicker chair and upholstered stool pair with a floor lamp and side table to create a cozy reading corner.

Eminently washable (and bleachable!) white matelasse covers the bed, while the comforter and shams and a tailored bedskirt inject a dose of vibrant turquoise. One bedside table is a reclaimed piece painted a bright highlighter yellow, and a new cabinet piece serves as the other bedside table and adds a touch of storage close at hand.

A pair of oversize white lamps have bases that contain nightlights - a useful feature for a room that will house grandchildren in the years ahead. And the final touch is an artful arrangement of black and white family pictures in a mix of frame styles.

The result? The perfect guest retreat!

Fabric Love

Janet Lorusso August 20, 2015

It is no secret that I LOVE textured fabrics, and that I am especially fond of embroidered fabrics. The lush textures of embroidered patterns on silk or linen or cotton immediately convey either refined or relaxed elegance depending on the fabric, fiber content and pattern. So without further ado, here are a few current favorites!

Organic florals on silk or linen textured backgrounds

Curvy geometrics on cotton or linen

Embroidered branches add a more transitional feel

Elegant trellis patterns reminiscent of filigreed ironwork lend a European sensibility

Cocktails Anyone?

Janet Lorusso August 11, 2015

My friend, Nancy, discovered this cocktail at a pub while vacationing in Meredith, NH ... with her rave reviews and the information that it contained American Harvest Organic Vodka and organic lemonade, we tracked down the recipe on the vodka website. They call it Harvest Basil Lemonade ... we call it Tipsy Lemonade ... you can call it whatever you want - but it is smooth, refreshing, and delicious on a hot summer evening!

2 parts American Harvest
4-5 parts fresh or organic lemonade
3 fresh basil leaves
2 slices of lemon

How to mix this cocktail

Muddle basil and lemons in a tall glass. Add ice and American Harvest and top with lemonade. Garnish with lemon wheels and basil leaves.

NOTE: Inspired by a ginger lemonade we tasted at the new Boston Public Market, we also tried a non-alcoholic version of this by mixing in ginger beer in place of the vodka with stellar results!

ENJOY!

Opening Day at Boston Public Market

Janet Lorusso July 30, 2015

It was a grand opening day at the new Boston Public Market, the indoor farmers market of locally sourced foods that replaces the Haymarket stalls of yesteryear in an exciting new venue. Granted, it is not the same as the cranky vendors you had to watch carefully to make sure they bagged the same produce you pointed to instead of grabbing something slightly less perfect from under the table ... and it is certainly pricier than the Haymarket I remember, but the array of beautifully displayed wares is a delight for the senses. After entering with the throngs of people milling around at the prime lunch time hour, we sampled gourmet stone ground chocolate at Taza, fresh fruit vinegars at Mange`,

salty sweet nuts at Q's Nuts, and cider donuts at Red Apple Farm as we shuffled along with the crowd. The atmosphere was festive; Siena Farm, with their lavish produce displays including the tiniest baby eggplants, was giving away sunflowers. Beautiful flowers, fresh produce, gourmet honey, organic meats and fish, fresh pasta, and glorious cheeses abounded alongside a variety of baked goods, lunch foods, beverage vendors, and sweets.

After a complete walk thru we decided to divide and conquer for lunch fare - vendors were pleasant and friendly, if a bit overwhelmed by the onslaught. Lines were quite long, but the grilled cheese sandwich from Jasper Hill was worth the wait and we were equally tempted by the other options of mac and cheese and racelettes (potatoes topped with the melted artisanal cheese). A sample of their blue cheese was melt-in-your-mouth buttery, tangy perfection. We also sampled the Vietnamese sandwich along with an outstanding ginger lemonade from Bon Me which was delicious and quite efficient despite the long lines, and an excellent falafel pita sandwich from Inna's Kitchen. Disappointingly, the Noodle Lab was sold out from the initial lunch rush, but we'll try that next time - along with the luscious looking pastrami sandwiches from the Beantown Pastrami Company. As we left, we investigated the ginger ice cream from Crescent Ridge Farm and took a bag of those aforementioned irresistible cider donuts from Red Apple Farm to eat on the way home.

All in all a terrific opening day and an exciting new high quality market worth the visit if you are in the city.

Beautiful Bedding, Sweet Dreams

Janet Lorusso July 13, 2015

As I have confessed before, I LOVE the luxury of beautiful bedding. I hadn’t given it much thought until I vacationed at a bed and breakfast that had the softest, silkiest bedding I had ever encountered – I ripped the bed apart the next morning in search of the labels so I could duplicate the beautiful feel when I got home. I have been a sheet snob ever since.

Beautiful bed linens are pricey, I discovered, but in the scheme of things, you use them more than any article of clothing you may own. You spend about 1/3rd of your life on them and they need to hold up to and even improve with each laundry cycle. So, how do you choose wisely?

These 3 factors contribute to the superior feel and wear of luxurious sheets

FIBER

Cotton is the most widely used fiber for luxury sheets, but not all cotton is created equal. The highest quality cottons are woven from extra long staple cotton fibers. These fibers create a very strong thread resulting in a soft durable sheet that doesn’t pill and just gets softer and silkier with each laundering. Some of the finest extra long staple cotton is grown in both the southwestern part of the US (labeled Supima cotton) and in Egypt. NOTE: Beware of bargain priced sheets labeled ‘long staple Egyptian cotton’ as these may only contain a small amount of the premium fiber.

WEAVE

The two common weaves for sheets are percale and sateen. Percale is a plain weave and is characterized by a matte finish and a crisp feel. Sateen fabric is woven to create a silky smooth surface and is know for its luster and drape. Sateen is usually a little thicker and more tightly woven than percale. High quality sheets are available in both of these weaves, the feel and weight is a matter of preference.

THREAD COUNT

This is the number of vertical and horizontal threads per square inch. Thread count labels began in the mid ‘90’s as a marketing tool for luxury bedding. Does a higher thread count automatically make them better, softer, more durable? No, not necessarily. Bargain sheets boasting high thread counts may just be made with inferior fibers woven into thinner threads to allow for a higher volume of threads per square inch. Like many things, in luxury bedding, you get what you pay for. Quality sheets can be found in thread counts ranging from 200-800. France and Italy are considered some of the best sheet makers in the industry, although the fibers are not from those countries, and a 200 thread count sheet from Italy is almost certain to be a higher quality than an 800 thread count sheet from Pakistan.

The bottom line? price and quality go hand in hand. Buy from a reputable luxury brand. Favorite brands to consider? Peacock Alley, Frette, Matouk, and Sferra would be good places to start.

Here are three beauties from Sferra…click on the image for more information.

*Please note that this page contains affiliate links meaning that if you make a purchase, I might make a small commission at no extra charge to you.

UPDATE: check out Quince for great value on quality bedding. Not nearly as many options for color nor the beautiful embroidered borders of some of these luxury brands, but an excellent value for affordable, tailored, well made bedding.

Sweet Dreams!

XO,

Janet

Sunny Brookline Condo Project Part 2: Office and Bedroom

Janet Lorusso June 11, 2015

Okay, back to our Brookline condo and one of our favorite clients! We are still working on some rooms on the first floor and we don't have those pictures yet, but meanwhile - let's head upstairs to a couple of really great spaces that show how custom built-ins can sometimes be the ideal solution.

First, the office. Givens: a great room, lot's of sunlight, high ceilings, a working fireplace, stunning millwork, and a curved wall. All in all great assets but the curved wall and fireplace presented some challenges for fitting furniture into the room for the list of activities the clients wanted to accommodate here. They wanted 2 desk spaces, plenty of office supply storage and file space, comfy seating for the fireplace and space for books, a fairly large television, and media equipment. Custom built-ins to the rescue!

A double door opposite the fireplace that had been walled off in the adjacent room, became the perfect size already-framed niche for a custom console cabinet and shelves to house the television, media equipment, and bookshelves.

The curved wall was built in under the windows with a stone countertop and white cabinetry that matched the existing wainscot paneling to create two generous desk spaces with ample drawers and cabinets for file and office supply storage.

Chairs, a table and a fluffy rug complete the seating area by the fireplace that has a perfect view for reading, relaxing, or watching TV.

Next up, the master bedroom. Possibly the most challenging room in the house, the room has few perpendicular walls and an array of assorted doors, closets, windows and alcoves. The client requested bookshelf space so they could unpack some of the boxes of books they have amassed, and the ability to make the room completely dark for those occasions when she needs to sleep during daylight hours. The only piece of furniture that she wanted to reuse was a lovely sleigh bed. Below is the design concept:

Again, the built-in solution was the best way to accomplish all of the desired outcomes. Building around a door and the headboard allowed for a wall of bookcases with integrated lighting and nightstand space. Painting the built-in, the door on that wall, and all the remaining walls a striking marine blue contributes a cozy, dark, library feel to the room.

We also made sure the dark color was not oppressive by specifying a gloss paint for a lacquer-like finish that reflects light. Blackout Hunter Douglas shades at the windows offer complete light control as well as provide insulation value.

The resulting space functions perfectly AND beautifully!

Sunny Brookline Condo Project Part 1: Living Room and Kitchen

Janet Lorusso April 17, 2015

We have been working with this delightful client for several years on making this spacious and sunny condo into a functional family home. Our first order of business was to provide blinds and shades for the dozens of windows for privacy and light control. Shortly after that we turned our attention to the living room. It was of paramount importance that this room be a welcoming space - equally comfortable for snuggling up for storytime reading with the children and for cocktails with a group of friends. Taking inspiration from the client's oriental rug and marble coffee table, we recovered a daybed sofa in a soft cut velvet, updated an antique chair with a black lacquer finish on the frame and a tailored linen upholstery, and added two new club chairs in a touchable chenille stripe.

The windows were framed in simple panels in a trellis textured pattern. A gilded onion shaped table lamp is a striking finishing touch.

The mix of renewed, reused and new pieces in a variety of touchable textures make this living space warm, inviting, and functional.

For the kitchen we designed a new L-shaped built-in banquette faced in white painted beadboard with seat cushions in hard wearing indoor/outdoor fabric and a custom zinc topped table.

This new table area now creates a play alcove behind the half wall, and provides worry free space for the couple's young children to eat or work on art projects. Stay tuned for part 2; a post on the master bedroom and office that were transformed with built-ins and paint!

We have a project featured in Merrimack Valley HOME magazine!

Janet Lorusso April 8, 2015

One of our favorite projects was just published in the latest issue of MV Home. After over a year of working on this project designing beautiful rooms in the 10,000 square foot home for our client, the house was ready for its closeup. Making stunning pictures is a major undertaking; the homeowners graciously allowed us access for a full day to style and shoot these photographs. Photostyling is a huge amount of work, and three of us spent the day running in and out, up and down stairs to change out details. Flowers and food and dishes were brought in and arranged, furniture placement was tweaked to balance the shots, shelves were styled for the pictures - what looks great standing in the room must often be edited for the camera. Capturing the essence of the space and the natural light is a great art and our photographer, Eric Roth, is one of the best. In the end the collaboration resulted in spectacular photographs, some of which were selected to appear in a 10 page article in the magazine. Here is a sneaky video clip taken by one of our team that captures a few seconds behind the scenes working with the photographer and his assistant on setting up a shot...

MF photoshoot

And here is the final article:

"The Caretaking of Meredith Farm"