Hardware Made Spectacular!

P.E. Guerin, an age-old company that specializes in custom hardware, opened their current New York City location in Greenwich Village in 1892. The firm, one of the only foundries of its kind in the United States, creates exclusive products that transcend the definition of hardware with their signature artistic design.

Once you purchase your first P.E. Guerin cabinet knob or faucet, you are hooked for life. 

The company also makes furniture such as this fabulous metal etagere that I used to decorate a showhouse for Charlotte Moss.

When starting a new project, I like to begin by specifying materials for the home at P.E. Guerin. Beautiful hardware sets the tone for the type of furnishings and wallpaper I choose for each room. A special doorknob will entice a guest to enter a glorious room filled with cremone bolts and custom hinges with unique finials on each cabinet.

A variety of door handles laid out on a counter for sampling.

This masculine lion door knocker makes quite a statement.

These beautiful French cabinet knobs, not only feel great to the touch, but also add character to any new piece of furniture.

Cabinet Knobs with custom acanthus leaf details.

You can customize a P.E. Guerin faucet for any theme. This elephant spout works well with the bone tusk handles for an African themed Powder Room.

Have fun at the beach with this sea turtle and frog spout that lifts and lowers for the drain pull.

Make an appointment to visit P.E. Guerin at the start of your next design project, and you will be set to go!

“My life is like a stroll on the beach...as near to the edge as I can go.”

                                                            ...Thoreau

Enjoy your weekend!

Shell Art

On your upcoming Memorial Day getaway to the nearest ocean, take in some design inspiration along with the calming sea breeze. Explore the beach and sand dunes for magnificent shells that wash in from the ocean - you might even find a starfish or two. Collect your favorite shells to create a piece for your home that will always remind you of this summer.

I found the oyster shell lamps below at Patrick Jefferson in London,

along with the beautiful work of art above.

Shell box through Coco House in West Palm Beach.

Above is a wonderful mirror composed of shells in various colors and shapes. Design your own mirror by starting with a plywood wooden base, then simply glue on your own shells in patterns. Take your creation to a frame shop to add a piece of antique glass mirror in the center. 

Custom Mirror by Peggy Green

Great way to decorate your shelves with seashells.

Shell mirror in this tropical Entry designed by Charles Faudree.

 Simply pile large shells in a French urn and display on a skirted table like this elegant example from Veranda magazine.

This tall shell sculpture is available from Knollwood Antiques in New York.

A beautiful way to show off your shells on a lucite stand available at the Accessory Store.

Cache Pot of shells.

 I visited the Musee d'Orsay on a trip to Paris last Fall and loved this glorious shell sculpture in the entrance!

Terrain at Styer's

Terrain

This past weekend, I was driving to Philadelphia and decided to stop by this nursery that I had heard so much about in the Brandywine Valley of Pennsylvania.  Terrain was designed by the masterminds behind Anthropologie and Urban Outfitters.  It is an exquisite nursery with several small buildings designed to suit everyone's needs.  Each small clapboard house sells a variety of different products...oils and essential soaps, books, a furniture gallery, artwork, jams and sauces, garden footwear and clothing, pots and plants...Terrain is a one stop shop. 

Furniture Gallery

 Potting Shed

 

Gift Shop

Ball of succulent plants...would be great to hang a bunch of these in trees!

 

For the Hummingbirds!

Table full of planting soils and solutions. 

Take your pick of plants and herbs!

 

The wood shed.

Furlow

It's a name that you may not have heard recently.  However, Furlow Gatewood is known in the design idnustry as a master of the design domain.  Partnering with John Rosselli almost fifty years ago, Furlow was a principal in the famous John Rosselli International in New York City.  Following many years of New York City life, Furlow moved back to the small rural community of Americus in his native Gerogia a few years ago, where he has joined urban chic with beautiful southern rural surroundings to create a magical home which he enjoys with his peacocks and dogs.  The picture below on the cover of this month's Veranda magazine is just one example of the latest product of his exquisite talent.

As revealed by the other pictures below, Furlow's flair for creating custom painted finishes and collecting and utilizing decorative objects, both traditional and esoteric, is superb.  He clearly possesses a great sense of proportion and scale which he incorporates throughout his home.  As an example of Furlow's creativity, the wooden floors of this cottage house were probably worn out with age, so he designed a modern brushstroke pattern in subtle hues to be painted on the floor in place of a rug.

In another example of how design genius can make a difference, notice how the mirrored doors in this photo of the breakfast room are outlined in a dark grey finish to make this small room seem twice as big.

The eclectic mix of Indian batik pillows and delft blue porcelain, along with English, Swedish, and French furnishings, exemplify the talent it takes to make these styles work together.

As an Americus native myself, my occasional visits with Furlow - with my mother when I was younger, contributed to my ambition to seek out the bright lights of New York.  With Furlow's help and the gracious generosity of John Rosselli, I was fortunate to have the opportunity to begin my career at John Rosselli International.  Furlow, John, and the marvelous Bunny Williams remain close friends, and John and Bunny are often guests at Furlow's enchanting digs in Americus.  Furlow (at a very young ninety years old) and John & Bunny continue to travel the world in search of inspiration and to hunt for that unique find that makes a room so special.

Furlow's beautiful creation in Americus is a treasure that only adds to the beauty of the natural setting of this wonderful area of the country.  This home confirms my belief that the sophistication of New York can be transported to enhance the style of any place, just as Furlow proved throughout his career that the beauty of other places can be transported to New York to add to its flair.