HOME TOUR: Meet Gleason

05.14.2010

Gleason is a friend of a friend. She lives in Charleston. She went to school for interior design. Gleason also sifts through trash to find treasure. Gleason will now be providing her design wisdom every so often in form of a Salvage Challenge. The way it works is… I take pictures of items curbed on the streets of NY (or elsewhere). I send to Gleason. Gleason emails me back with ideas for how to make the items workable in the home. It’s an exercise in creativity. And this girl has plenty to spare.

Gleason’s first Salvage Challenge will be posted on Monday. But until then, Gleason takes us on a tour of the work she’s done in her fabulous home.

These are pictures from what I refer to as the “Morning Room”. It gets great light in the morning & if I can get myself up early enough I will fix my breakfast & eat it in here while reading magazines. I used to work for a frame shop & the owners would make me these small frames out of scraps. After that I was hooked & started buying a variety of frames whenever I came across one that caught my eye. I still have a few gaps to fill but I am almost done with the frame wall.

The Iron pot I bought at a local shop with the stand. I loved the idea that it would sit over a fire & now it sits in a stand & can be filled with one of my collections-drift wood & buoys collected from as far North as Nova Scotia down to Charleston.

The doors I also bought at a local shop & was drawn not only to the color & depth of the doors but also to the price tag. I like the fact that they just lean up against my wall as a piece of art for now but in the future I may hang pictures from them, turn them into head boards or hopefully be able to use them as functional doors!

The trash can in my kitchen came from the best consignment shop in Boulder, Colorado. It is an old flour sifter from Cleveland, Ohio.

I was immediately drawn to the bright orange color & the fact that its original purpose was no longer needed. It is a great height & such a better look for a trash can. Absolutely one of my first & favorite purchases.

I love living at the beach – I am drawn to the feeling of calm it brings me. I am a 10 minute drive to Folly Beach & cross lots of bridges daily. One of my favorite things about my morning is while waking up & fixing coffee, breakfast & feeding the animals, I get to look at my collection of sand dollars. They remind me of walks I have taken on different southern beaches & the people I visited.

I love my bedroom! It is the first time that I feel I have made it cozy & with my dark curtains it is very hard to get out of that room in the morning! I paid about $90 for the headboard at the Antique shop I was running in town.To the right of the bed I have this great Edisto table that I found at an antique shop in Walterboro, SC. It is hard to tell but there is some blue & green paint on the table! I love the roughness of it & that it was made within 45 miles of where I live. To the left of the bed is a dressing table my sister kindly gave to me & I plan on sanding it down & repainting it one day soon.

I am fortunate to have a 4 bedroom home but there is not a need to use them all for sleeping. One of my favorite rooms is my Dressing Room!

I removed the door & put up a heavy curtain, added sheers to the windows to bring in lots of natural light, found a double caned day bed for overflow guests & afternoon naps & added a wall with an eclectic mix of mirrors.

For Christmas one year my Mother made me this purse rack, since she knew my collection was getting out of control. According to her the finials were left over from a French Castle (she also knows what a romantic I am) & she designed the base & pole & attached the finials to it.

These letters were scooped up out of my neighbors trash pile. They were from an old jewelry shop that closed. I carted them home & dumped them in my backyard. My friend & I spent some time moving all of the letters & coming up with this wording-”Mellow Jersey Beer Bar Y’all-MGJ” (which are my initials). I plan on hanging them on my fence for color & depth.

Thanks for the tour Gleason (and Queen Elvira!). See you Monday for Gleason’s first Salvage Challenge. Have a great weekend!

READ: The Selby Is In Your Place

05.13.2010

I started following The Selby by photographer Todd Selby back when there were maybe 5 home tours total on the site. I’d check back obsessively but Selby usually posted somewhat sporadically, though oftentimes a few at a time.

So it was quite a treat to get my copy of the book based on the blog; The Selby Is In Your Place last week, and be able to see a whole slew of tours at one time. I completely devoured it. Like, I took the hardcover book with me on the subway because I didn’t want it to stop.

The Selby sometimes profiles the rich and famous, but just as often, he photographs the homes of just regular people, his friends. Though admittedly he seems to have fallen into an uber-creative group. The book is chock full of examples of how the homeowners repurposed items or used reclaimed materials.

Actually it’s more than that, The Selby Is In Your Place is full of examples of real people being creative in their spaces and figuring out how to hold on to and incorporate the things that they love.

And that, my friends, is what I like to see.

Yoo hoo, Uhuru

05.12.2010

I’ve been holding off writing about Uhuru Design for one of the dumbest reasons ever – I couldn’t figure out how to embed a video showing how they make their Stoolen (created using hardwood scraps.)

Unacceptable! And with their splash of a presentation at Brooklyn Designs, I can’t be held back by my own technological inferiority any longer.

Inspired by the iconic Coney Island, and aided by the demolition of it’s boardwalk, Uhuru created a line to pay homage to the “desolate dreamscape.” May I introduce you to the Cyclone Lounger:

(Wendy not included.)

And the Wonder Coffee Table:

I think the little girl in this picture perfectly captures the spirit and fun of Coney Island, and of this line.

And then there’s this lady, the Trocadero Dressing Table made with the bottom of a vintage sewing machine.

Image via Uhuru Designs

Need I write more?

Brooklyn Designs!

05.11.2010

After all the fun at the Fort Greene House Tour the weekend before, I was very much looking forward to yet another awesome Brooklyn design event. Brooklyn Designs is an annual show featuring home design by Brooklyn based designers. And boy, are they a talented bunch! Accompanied by the ever lovely, Wendy, I think we ooh’d and aah’d over every booth.

I was so glad to find that many of the designers work with salvaged wood from fallen trees, or utilized vintage or antiques within their pieces. Here are the highlights. And check back tomorrow to see one final exhibitor, who was inspired by a New York landmark.

One of the first booths we went to was that of Katch Designs. We got to speak with Stephanie, one of two sister designers, about their new eco-friendly line. I think she had me convinced when she started talking about the movement of wood. My picture isn’t great, check out the one below from their website.

Yes, those are industrial felt layers with lacquered panels and a cold rolled steel top. Fabulous.

Most of Aviva Stanoff’s pillows were luscious velvets and silky wonder pillows. But I was drawn to the corner of pillows made from old grain sacks. Go figure.

I stared up at this fixture thinking just one thing, “Gosh, I hope those globes are vintage so I can write about this on Salvaged Grace.” You guys, interior and lighting designer Michelle James designed this beauty using antique globes purchased on Ebay. She noted that her only regret was that they didn’t finish the piece in brushed gold. (If you look at the finial on the far left, you can see the color she’d wanted.) Still… I would take it in a heartbreak!

OK, couldn’t you see this set in the middle of a cavern of a living room with thick stone walls, armchairs covered in antique kilim fabric gathered around this table, a giant fireplace to one side, and a thick iron chandelier hanging above? Rustic. Cozy. About half of Andre Joyau‘s work is made of salvaged and reclaimed wood materials, check out his website for more.

With babies on the brain (I’m spending the upcoming weekend in NC with Master Dylan!), I took one look at this and thought. This is the perfect nursery rocker. It was made by Eric Manigian, from salvaged elm.

The Frameicarium is a vintage frame (with artwork or a painting) filled with sand and ants, which becomes an ant farm. The ants build tunnels and go about the routine of their lives, all under the microscope. I was slightly disturbed by the ant graveyards but the girl in the booth (presumably one of the designers, Katie Vitale) assured me that the sand could be dumped out and the ant farm restarted once the 4 month lifespan of the piece ended. Really neat concept, eh?

If there is such a thing as a wood whisperer, I’m certain Palo Samko would be one. I’m don’t think either of these two pieces qualify, but on his website and in the picture below, I found examples of the magic this man can do with reclaimed wood. Those holes in the side are pencil holders, by the way.

And finally, there was one other item by KWH Furniture that I totally fell head over heels for. It is in no way recycled, repurposed, or salvaged, except perhaps in concept, but good golly, I couldn’t stand NOT showing it to you.

It’s just the perfect balance of an old shape but with a totally modern feel. Stunning, right?

We ended a great afternoon with a trip to Vinegar Hill House. And fittingly, behind the bar was the inside of an organ (including the pipes) and most of the restaurant was outfitted with repurposed and recycled objects.

Again, check back tomorrow for one more (super awesome) Brooklyn Designs exhibitor. You’re going to love it!

M.O.M.

05.10.2010

The other night I had a dream that I was at a boxing camp… only it was apparently a dance camp. I know this because during the camp I did a leap across the floor… and floated up to touch the ceiling. My mom came to pick me up from this “boxing camp” and I was proud to tell her I was first in my division. This was a big deal to me, because in my dream my mom was also a boxer, and also first in HER division. My mom’s first in most divisions, to tell you the truth.

I thought of her when I saw this antique hammered spoon by Hammerman. It is almost as special as my mother.

Knick Knack Paddywack

05.07.2010

Give a me any of these refinished pieces from Knack Studios. It’s in the details, ya know? The faux aged wood, rosebud doorpulls, textures, color… sigh.

All images via Knack Studios.

Happy Friday ya’ll! Have a great weekend!

Flushed

05.06.2010

This is going to sound a little strange. For some reason, I always feel a little wistful throwing empty toilet paper rolls into the recycling bin. I really don’t why. Maybe it’s because my roommate always tosses them into the decorative basket that holds the toilet paper in our bathroom so the empty rolls collect. And it’s like; I have all these rolls, it seems a shame to just throw them away. Even if it is to recycle them.

Apparently, someone else had these exact same thoughts.

Artwork by Yuken Teruya:

DIY project by Tali at Growing Up Creative:

via Design*Sponge

Steam Heat!

05.05.2010

One last inspiration from the home of Jonas and Ursula Hegewisch, from the Fort Green House Tour…

Those old school radiators sure can be an eyesore, not to mention a pain to place furniture around! Everybody’s got a solution for covering them up, but I really like this “blending it in” approach…

Or what about making the heater a colorful piece of art in itself, like this radiator by Bisque?

Bisque Classic Radiator found via Remodelista

All Hung Up

05.04.2010

Last weekend I finally started my spring cleaning. Including a total excavation of my closet. It’s gotten so crowded in there that I resorted to keeping hangers from the dry cleaners. And I have a strict no wire hangers rule!

I’ve been holding onto this image of personalized wire hangers by Lila Frances for a while, knowing there must be something I could write about involving hangers.

And then I walked into the home office of Jonas and Ursula Hegewisch during the Fort Greene House Tour last weekend.

What an artful display, I love it! And the good news is… I didn’t immediately throw away those wire hangers.

In Greener Pastures

05.03.2010

Good morning! I hope you had a lovely weekend!

My mom, aunt, 11 year old cousin and 83 year old grandmother visited New York for the weekend. We had a really great time: matinee of Billy Elliot, lunch at Landmarc, carriage ride through Central Park… And I learned something important: if you have a grandmother in a wheelchair you can get in the front of ANY NYC line.

On Sunday, I was excited to attend to the Fort Greene House Tour (tickets courtesy of Wendy & Paul, thanks guys!).

My neighborhood may have been rated most livable by New York Magazine, but I’ve got to tell you, I’m always a little enchanted by Fort Greene. It has a fabulous park, great restaurants (No. 7 is a personal favorite), the always awesome Brooklyn Flea… On a beautiful summer (80 degree spring?) day, it was the place to be.

The Fort Greene House Tour featured about 11 homes, all very unique and interesting. Most homes on the tour did not allow photography, but in the few that I could shoot, I found some inspiring, Salvaged Grace worthy, ideas.

I made a beeline for the first house solely because of this chandelier. I’ve posted about this before… I adore the idea of using old letters or pages from a favorite novel for chandelier lighting.

Since most of the homes on the tour were renovated brownstones, there were a lot of great details: crown moldings, tin ceilings…

I especially loved the bright color added to the ceiling of artist Motti Lerer‘s home.

I also enjoyed seeing doorways and other little nooks with historic features fancied up with some modern accoutrements.

The home owned by Jonas and Ursula Hegewisch was simply amazing, with an assortment of great collections (birds, gnomes, hangers… more on that tomorrow!) displayed in all manners.

As well as this vibrant painting on wood artwork displayed at center in the breakfast nook.

BC joined me for some of the tour and noticed this little half painted dresser in the home of educator and furniture-maker, Chris Cavallaro and his family.

Sometimes the best way to finish a piece, is to not finish it.

Many of the homes were in the process of being completed. Again, I like unfinished. I thought these stairs had a certain je ne sais qois of their own, even if the look wasn’t intended.

Artist Motti Lerer‘s brownstone was especially creative. He made this little bench out of his old bed!

Motti was also incredibly gracious and super friendly. He lamented how pieces of his brownstone had been sold off over the years by former owners: original pocket doors, classic marble fireplaces. Motti’s renovation was a testament to salvaging where possible and marrying old to new.

Motti was the perfect example of the Fort Greene resident; welcoming, creative, engaging, and dynamic, with a lot of soul.