What to do if you have a paint chip on your shoulder

Posted on November 7, 2015 by Slocum and Howell under gray, paint

Brady goes gray for his Spanish-style casa to reflect a masculine, modern and moody vibe.
Images via stylebyemilyhenderson.com.

StylebyEmilyHenderson.com has an imaginative and informative story about Brady and his quest for picking the right shade of gray (or grey if you’re a Brit) to affect just the right mood for his 1920’s Spanish abode.

Brady shares his process of picking the right shade of gray for his home.

Placing 12 paint samples on the wall helped Brady determine which shades of gray he favored for his home.

Downsizing, celebrity style

Posted on November 3, 2015 by Slocum and Howell under One Kings Lane, Steve Martin

You have exactly six days from today to get noted raconteur and all around bon vivant, Steve Martin, on sale. Well, that is, his prized possession of vintage antiques, of course.

Actor/comedian Steve Martin. Image via npr.org.

One Kings Lane has curated an inviting selection of the actor’s enviable collection of antiques, for its Tastemaker Tag Sale. The collection features furnishings and art the actor has treasured for more than 40 years. Items range the gamut in price – including a $100 antique lithograph, bronze snake figures for $1,225 and two Tole flower candleholder sconces for $1,499, to a gold-colored sofa for $3,499 and a set of seven, Robert Crumb original artwork for $69,995.

Many of the pieces are French, English and Italian antiques purchased from high-quality dealers in Europe that were subsequently shipped stateside. Martin also states the mix of eclectic curated furnishings were accumulated during different cycles of his design appreciation and include Santa Fe, Mexican and Indonesian styles

But if you were itching to purchase his two director’s chairs from his movie, “Cheaper By The Dozen,” too late. They’ve been sold.

English turned-leg side table.

A black, red and white clay vase is one of the many items owned by Steve Martin, available for purchase in One Kings Lane’s Tastemaker Tag Sale. Photos via One Kings Lane.

Mother-of-Pearl opera glasses are part of Martin’s curated collection.

Gray Matter

Posted on October 30, 2015 by Slocum and Howell under boudoir, gray, neutrals

In today’s design détente, staying neutral is the aim.

When it comes to fashioning the look of a master bedroom, a relaxing, soothing color palette is the order of the day and night, as vibrant, bolder hues can ignite feelings more volatile than passion – turbulent unrest.

Fortunately, a neutral shade like gray, in all its dimensional warm and cool glory – smoky gray, blue gray, pewter, slate gray – is an intoxicating, sleep-inducing chill color that is not only stylish and elegant, but chic and sophisticated, according to interior designer Linda McDougald’s Postcards From Paris.

Harmonizing such a reserved and quiet color into a visually appealing, yet tranquil bedroom however, requires a design methodicalness that considers both the room size and all its elements: furniture, art and accessories, ambient and natural light, and wall paint.

So if you’re searching for a neutral palette for the master bedroom, but the homogenized hues of beige tones signal an uninspiring boudoir design death, liberate yourself: go gray.

A hazy shade of gray. Image via Postcards From Paris.

Home on the range

Posted on October 24, 2015 by Slocum and Howell under unique homes

Next time someone tells you they live in a shoebox, you might want to take them seriously.

From tiny houses and monolithic domes, to real-life cave dwellings, subterranean abodes and yes, even the classic treehouse, the design concept of home is whatever you wish it to be.

Eco-friendly subterranean home. Image via boutique-homes.com

Pittsford, NY is home to the Mushroom House. Image via Forbes.com

Leaning toward more conventional conversions, however, Apartment Therapy takes an interesting look at 10 homes with history.

A new way to cut and paste

Posted on October 22, 2015 by Slocum and Howell under tiles

It is a widely accepted fact that nothing is more permanent than change, which is why it’s good to embrace a ‘peel-n-stick’ concept when re-imagining your interior spaces. Moreover, peel-n-stick anything is the perfect alternative if you like to change your interior look with the seasons, dwell in an unimaginative rental or are simply, unabashedly fickle.

Pictured is Smart Tile’s Stainless selection. Image via Smart Tile.

One solution making an aesthetically pleasing life more possible is Smart Tiles. Easy to apply, Smart Tiles are mess-free self-adhesive wall tiles that are easy to apply to smooth, clean flat surfaces that are non-porous and non-textured. And the tiles are simple to clean. All that is needed is a sponge and regular dish soap or a glass cleaner.

Smart Tiles mimic the look of glass, are humidity resistant (after a 48-hour curing period) and are heat resistant, which means they can be applied to the wall surface behind kitchen stoves. While the product is resistant to bathroom humidity, Smart Tiles are not recommended for use in shower areas as the tiles should not be submerged in water. Nor should the product be applied to non-recommended porous surfaces like unpainted plywood, unless you prepare that particular type of surface with primer or paint.

Smart Tiles are available in a range of palettes in modern, classic and contemporary designs. Tiles also can be applied to existing glass or ceramic backsplashes and are easily removable by using a blow dryer to soften up the adhesive.

Smart Tiles can be purchased through its website or in America, at Home Depot and Lowe’s.

Enamored with enamelware

Posted on October 18, 2015 by Slocum and Howell under ceramics

Somehow I feel much better about the world knowing that somewhere, on a 65-acre former dairy farm that overlooks Cayuga Lake in central New York, a little bit of whimsy is percolating. It is there, amongst the Scottish Highland cattle, roosting birds, picturesque gardens and a plethora of hay fields that the artisans of MacKenzie-Childs are fashioning new delights for the table, gifts and home furnishings.

Celebrated for creating handcrafted ceramics, the company also features hand-decorated home furnishings and other one-of-a-kind collectables. How do you tell a true piece? The tell-tell sign of a MacKenzie-Childs treasure is its signature black and white Courtly Check pattern incorporated into each design.

Images via MacKenzie-Childs

A new way to play ‘dress up’

Posted on October 15, 2015 by Slocum and Howell under DIY, home decor, Restoration

The Anne overlay for O’verlays’ IKEA’s Koppang kit. Images via O’verlays.

Injecting new life into old plain-looking furniture can be expensive, laborious and time consuming, if the restoration reins are handed to professionals or done by yourself. But an easy to facilitate, time-saving method to elevate the look of furniture and décor in home interiors and commercial spaces, with a uniquely custom finish, is O’verlays.

This is a plain Koppang chest from IKEA.

The company offers decorative solutions through its product line of lightweight fretwork panels featured in myriad sizes and patterns. Panels easily affix to surfaces including walls, glass, furniture and mirrors, and can be resized, painted and attached with plain craft glue. Should you have a change of heart about adhering a panel to a surface, no need to stress; panels are removable. And if, in the removal process, the glue lifts the paint, simply sand and repaint the affected areas. O’verlays are available in white, but can be spray painted or painted with chalk, latex or acrylic paints.

To elevate and customize your design even more without using the panels, O’verlays are available in pattern strips, pattern corners and frames. In addition to the company’s selection of pre-cut fretwork panels, O’verlays can be custom ordered.

The panels are made from lightweight composite material called white PVC sheeting substrate, which frees customers from worry about splintering and flexibility issues.

Along with transforming old, used furniture, O’verlays are ideal for transforming and customizing IKEA-brand furniture and accessories. The company features a number of kit selections that are pre-sized for popular IKEA pieces.

This design uses O'verlays' Grace overlay kit for this IKEA Koppang three-drawer chest.

This design uses O’verlays’ Grace pattern for the IKEA Koppang three-drawer chest.

This IKEA Koppang three-drawer uses the Greek Key O’verlays kit.

Lovely ranch home in Texas, priced to sell at $725 million

Posted on October 13, 2015 by Slocum and Howell under Uncategorized

The legendary Waggoner Ranch is on the market for $725 million. Situated on 510,527 acres, the ranch is smaller than Texas' other iconic property, the King Ranch.

The legendary Waggoner Ranch is on the market for $725 million. Images via Briggs Freeman-Sotheby’s International.

Situated on 510,527 acres, the ranch is smaller than Texas’ other iconic property, the King Ranch.

The bucolic views are legendary. Every angle of the horizon is visible from the property. Owned by one family. For more than 160 years.

Yes, the iconic Waggoner Ranch is on the market.

Located 175 miles northwest of Dallas-Fort Worth in Vernon, Texas, this 510,527-acre spread extends over six counties in the North Texas region. The legendary property, built in 1849 by cattle rancher, Dan Waggoner (who in turn left it to his son, W.T. ‘Tom’ Waggoner), features more than 1,000 oil wells, 30,000 acres of cropland, 6,800 head of cattle and 58 homes on two compounds. One of the lakes on the property is so abundant that the City of Wichita Falls sources it for its water.

Consignment portal expands to Big D

Posted on October 9, 2015 by Slocum and Howell under online merchandise, stores

Yes, Virginia, there really is a Santa Claus, but its name is Viyet.

If ever there were a match made in design heaven this is it. A buyer’s playground, Viyet is an online consignment marketplace that features individually sourced high-end, pre-owned furniture, lighting and home accessories, from furniture owners in New York and Los Angeles. Now, the company is turning its attention to the Dallas area by opening the door to consignment opportunities from the city’s well-heeled clientele.

Viyet benefits not just sellers looking to sell their furniture when they move or redecorate, but online buyers in search of below-retail priced pieces of high-end brands typically found in showrooms. And the benefits to online shopping through the Viyet portal only get better for buyers who want to go easy on their pocketbooks: furniture and accessories are priced 50 to 80 percent off the regular retail price. Buyers with an instant gratification bent will find even more joy as purchases are available for immediate delivery.

This custom wood bureau is from Patina. Images via Viyet.

In addition to scouting items from NY and L.A., Viyet’s experienced curators discover and vet merchandise from homes, showrooms and interior designers in New Jersey and Connecticut. And while all furniture pieces must be delivered through the company’s White Glove Delivery, some items – artwork and accessories – can be picked up locally in L.A. and NY.

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