::Surroundings:: Guide to Decorative Living - Spring 2012 by Linda Merrill Decorative Surroundings

Surroundings

Spring 2012

Decor * Events * Travel * Trends * Ideas

Issue #10

Guide to Decorative Living

ANTIQUES

When I decided that the focus this issue would be on Antiques, I could think of no better spot for the cover photo than the gorgeous Trianon Antiques showroom. Owners Scott and Diana Cooper regularly travel to Paris and other European destinations, selecting some of the most gorgeous pieces one can imagine. A chandelier and pair of sconces grace the living room of one of my clients and working with Diana and Scott is always a dream. Their knowledge is first rate and their taste exquisite! Their location in The Boston Design Center gave photographer Michael J. Lee and I the perfect opportunity to mix the rough urban feel of the old factory building with the genteel elegance of a few selected antiques and some lush pillows and a throw provided by The Patterson Group.

Behind

Belgian Linen pillows and fringed throw provided by The Patterson Group at The Boston Design Center.

http:// www.pattersongroup.org/

Photographer Michael J Lee se2ng the shot.

COVER SHOT: photography by: MICHAEL J. LEE • styling by: LINDA MERRILL 2

::Surroundings:: Guide to Decorative Living

the Cover

h t t p : / / www.trianonantique s.com/

Old Paris Porcelain Coffee Service with Napoleonic emblems - details

Set of 4 Biedermeier Chairs, Austria, 19th Century - details French Highly-Carved Louis XVI Style Sofa, circa 1880 - details

Marble top table with snails - A very charming table with bronze ‘twig” legs and gilt-bronze snails. France, recent. details

Pair of English cast-stone urns, stamped “Doulton”, in the neo-classical style. Circa 1900. Contact Trianon Antiques.

::Surroundings:: Guide to Decorative Living

Spring 2012

IN THIS ISSUE

Behind the Cover

Page 2

Antiques & Vintage Experts in Conversation

Page 5

Page 6

Page 10

Page 14

Page 15

Trianon Antiques

Spring Greetings!

Design Podcasts

I think it’s quite fitting that I am releasing this Spring edition of my magazine in a week that it’s going to be 80 degrees out. Winter was fairly mild for us in the North East, which was a welcome relief from last winter!

As usual, I’ve been busy working on client projects and have just finished a wonderful project - photos are soon to be released! I have time in my schedule for some new projects, so if you or someone you know is ready to bring some fresh elegance and high-style to the home, please give me a call to discuss your plans. I’d love to chat.

Postcards from the Road

The Antiques Diva® shares her secrets

Design Glossary

Antiques & Vintage terminology defined

Surroundings. Finds. Style This week, I’ll be attending the Architectural Digest Home Show in NYC where I’ll be meeting up with many of my design and blogging industry colleagues. In late April, I’m speaking at the IWCE Visions12 Expo in Chicago, which is the largest show for the window treatment industry. I’ll also be attending KBIS, the Kitchen & Bath Industry Show, at the same time. I’m looking forward to learning about all the amazing new home design products that are available in the marketplace. The online world is great, but there is nothing like seeing and touching products, and people!

Curated finds from $50-$5,000

Credits and Contacts Who, What, Where & When

I hope you enjoy this issue of ::Surroundings:: magazine. Since the best interiors are a mix of old and new, I am focusing on antiques and vintage finds.

Warmly,

Join me

Linda linda.m.merrill@gmail.com

::Surroundings:: Guide to Decorative Living

Facebook

Twitter

Talking Antiques & Vintage Judith Miller, Antiques Expert

Design podcasts

Eddie Ross & Jaithan Kocher, Lifestyle & Vintage living guru’s

In 2009, I partnered with Megan Arquette of the blog Beach Bungalow 8 and Joni Webb of Cote de Texas and created a “radio” podcast chat series that we called “The Skirted Roundtable” (with a little nod towards The Algonquin Roundtable). We fashioned ourselves after “The View” (only nicer) with conversation about design and blogging. Sometimes it’s just the three of us; at other times, we invite other interesting people to join us. Since we began, we’ve been lucky to have hosted some of the biggest names in the design field today. These episodes have become something akin to a “masterclass” in interior design.

X LISTEN HERE

Brooke Giannetti, Designer, Vintage & Antiques Shop owner, author Patina Style

http:// www.rege ncyboston

You can also subscribe via iTunes!

::Surroundings:: Guide to Decorative Living

Postcards from the Road

Linda: Tell us about The Antiques Diva® & Co European Tours

Toma: We oﬀer tours in

We oﬀer everything from one-‐day, one-‐city tours to multi-‐day, multi-‐country tours. We negotiate on purchases, advise on what to buy – or sometimes, what not to buy. We liaison with the shippers, helping clients transport their purchases across the pond. While a fair number of tourists book our tours to experience the ﬂea markets abroad many antique dealers book this tour to stock their stores while interior designers love being able to partner with The Antiques Diva® & Co to bring their clients to Europe or shop in Europe on their clients behalf. We coordinate the details, allowing our design partners to stretch their reach into Europe and giving their clients access to a broader range of inventory. While our standard tours run regularly in 6 countries we also sometimes go beyond our borders to help the clients 6

ﬁnd what they’re looking for. Our asset is our truly awesome address book with contacts worldwide. Last year when a client wanted 17th C Spanish antiques, we were able to organize a 9 day trip to Spain to help them score what they were looking for even though this tour wasn’t on our a la carte menu. Meanwhile another client, who shopped with us 14 days last June, loves Sweden and Denmark, and so this year she’s rebooked our services to shop with her in an exclusive trip to Scandinavia. The most important thing a client booking our tours can do is to tell us their dreams… our job is to make them come true! photo credit Laila McCubbin

6 countries -‐ France, England, Italy, Belgium, Holland and Germany. As Chief Executive Diva, not only do I have quite possibly the coolest job title in creation, but I also work with an amazing team of 8 professional “stylistas” – Diva Guides -‐ leading customized antique shopping excursions.

A Chat With “Antiques Diva” Toma Clark Haines About Her Adventures In International Antiques Shopping

Linda: Tell us what a typical tour day is like

Toma: There is no such thing as typical. In an average week we have a handful clients – my favorite week last year went like this… a couple from California spent a million dollars in 3 countries in 9 days, while another client with his own HGTV show ﬁlled half a container in Paris in 2 days. Meanwhile 2 girlfriends celebrating retirement traveled to Belgium from the Midwest with a budget of $300 each and managed to ﬁll 3 suitcases ::Surroundings:: Guide to Decorative Living

with bric-‐a-‐brac and bargains to bring home with them and at the same time we had a single girl in her 20’s from Australia on the search for costume jewelry in London. Each tour is as individual as the client who books it.

Linda: What is the value of going on a guided tour vs. just going antiquing on one's own? Toma: Everyone loves French antiques – it is as if one of the Louis’ put a spell upon the treasures of la republique so all future generations would be drawn helplessly to French décor! But the Paris flea market is intimidating – first off, it is located in a scary, crowded part of town! Often clients tell us that they’ve tried to go to the Paris flea market on their own but could never find it – instead only finding the tourist tack market that is located before the real puce de Paris! Our Paris Flea Market tours take clients by the hand past the tack weaving through the 13 districts, 2000+ vendors and 7 miles of antique filled alleyways – we know where to go and we show clients the ins & outs of the market. We start each tour by asking our clients their shopping desires and then we plan a route that guarantees they’ll see the vendors that are most likely to have products their interested in! And once the client finds what they’re looking for we negotiate on our clients behalf and help clients to organizing their international shipping so they are not limited by what fits in their luggage!

Get to know the glamourous life of Toma -‐ The Antiques® Diva

! that capture the essence of their European travels.

Linda: What is your favorite tour you oﬀer?

Linda: If one is traveling on their own, Toma: My favorite European An;que Shopping Tour we oﬀer is our “ To The Trade Tour” in Belgium or England – which we are able to make available to the public! I love being able to oﬀer clients access to addresses they could never gain entry to on their own, allowing them to skip the middle man and buy direct at the top an;que sources in Europe & the UK.

can you list some 5ps to get the best deals, or service?

Toma: • Always ask “Is that your best price?” • Tell them if the item you are purchasing is for export so they don’t have to charge tax! • Be friendly. Express interest. People often say “don’t be too interested”, but vendors are more motivated to sell if they know you love something!

Linda: What style/period/5me are you most drawn to in your own personal collec5ng?

Toma: Anything Louis XV with exuberant curves catches my eye and I’ve a proclivity for all things French. My personal style is an eclec;c juxtaposi;on of over-‐the-‐top Rococo pieces paired with modern elements. I find when contras;ng opposing styles pieces pop, punctua;ng their designs. In my office, for example, I’ve paired Dutch Baroque gilt thrones with a white glass IKEA conference table. IKEA & An;ques? Absolutely. What makes a house a home is a contrast of elements, then and now, highbrow vs low, ma\e next to gloss, gilt beside glass. I love the evolu;on of the English country home where each genera;on layers their ;meline onto the décor. I believe people should walk into your home and know where you’ve been and what moves you – and my business is based upon helping clients find those one-‐of-‐a-‐kind pieces

• Don’t carry a back-‐pack as many of the stores are small. Vendors worry about theft & accidents. • Hit the ﬂea markets early but the antique shops late – many vendors like to sleep in! • Don’t go antique shopping on a Monday unless that’s a market day! Thursday – Saturday are the best days to go

::Surroundings:: Guide to Decorative Living

With a shopping bag in one hand and a champagne glass in the other, Toma Clark Haines is The Antiques Diva® -‐ Chief Executive Diva of The Antiques Diva® & Co European Tours. As an American living and working abroad for over a decade, Toma’s greatest challenge is remembering whether to greet the day with a Buongiorno, Bonjour, Guten Tag or simply Good Day. In addition to running a successful tour company in France, Belgium, E n g l a n d , I t a l y, H o l l a n d a n d Germany, Toma is a freelance writer, international public speaker, interior decorator, champagne connoisseur and social media addict.

“People should walk into your home and know who you are, where you have been, what you feel and what moves you.”

Contact: Toma Clarke Haines The Antiques Diva toma@antiquesdiva.com www.antiquesdiva.com Blog: http:// antiquesdiva.com/blog/ Facebook Twitter

• The ﬂea market in Tongeren is simply sensational http:// antiquesdiva.com/tours/belgium/ • The ﬂea market in Arezzo makes Italian Antiques Accessible! http:// antiquesdiva.com/ tours/italy/

try to shop in a local boutique! You can obtain an international pin for your credit card by contacting your credit institution.

Linda: Are there good or bad times of the year to travel for shopping trips?

Linda: Name your top 5 ci5es in Europe to go an5quing

Toma: • Tourjour Paris http:// antiquesdiva.com/tours/france/

Perhaps it’s easiest to say the best months for ﬂea marketing are March-‐ June and September-‐ November. The months to avoid for ﬂea marketing are August in France and July & August in Italy.

• Around Bath England in the Cotswold’s and Wiltshire http:// antiquesdiva.com/tours/england/

Linda: Name some essential items

• Antwerp is one of my favorite weekend getaways http:// antiquesdiva.com/tours/belgium/

Toma: Bring a pin # for your credit

travelers should bring with them.

card as many places in Europe no longer allow you to swipe your credit card and sign but require you to enter a pin additionally. This can prove tricky when you go out to dinner or

Bring cash – or access to it. Most ﬂea markets require your purchases to be made in cold hard cash! However, the good news is if you’re buying larger items and using our liaison serves to ship internationally we can coordinate so you pay the shipper one lump payment (via bank transfer or credit card) for all your purchases post tour.

photo credit Laila McCubbin

Toma Clarke Haines 8

::Surroundings:: Guide to Decorative Living

Tomaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s photo album

S van Leeuven, The Hague, The Netherlands

Neetje Twiss, The Hague,

The Netherlands

* * *

National Fair at the Flea Market & Ham in Paris - my favorite

House of Porters, Antwerp, Belgium

::Surroundings:: Guide to Decorative Living

Fruitwood•Marquetry•Federal•Eglomise•Chippen dale•Trumeau•Tole•Regency•Hepplewhite•Patina•Ve rdegris•Beidermeier•Recamier•Directoire•Duchesse B r i s e • Fruitwood•Marquetry•Federal•Eglomise•Chippen dale•Trumeau•Tole•Regency•Hepplewhite•Patina•Ve rdegris•Beidermeier•Recamier•Directoire•Duchesse B r i s e • Two of Boston’s finest antiques shops Fruitwood•Marquetry•Federal•Eglomise•Chippen contribute their definitions for dale•Trumeau•Tole•Regency•Hepplewhite•Patina•Ve rdegris•Beidermeier•Recamier•Directoire•Duchesse common terms and phrases. B r i s e • Fruitwood•Marquetry•Federal•Eglomise•Chippen dale•Trumeau•Tole•Regency•Hepplewhite•Patina•Ve rdegris•Beidermeier•Recamier•Directoire•Duchesse B r i s e • Fruitwood•Marquetry•Federal•Eglomise•Chippen Regency Home dale•Trumeau•Tole•Regency•Hepplewhite•Patina•Ve Antiques rdegris•Beidermeier•Recamier•Directoire•Duchesse B r www.regencyboston.net i s e • Fruitwood•Marquetry•Federal•Eglomise•Chippen dale•Trumeau•Tole•Regency•Hepplewhite•Patina•Ve www.trianonantiques.com/ rdegris•Beidermeier•Recamier•Directoire•Duchesse B r i s e • Fruitwood•Marquetry•Federal•Eglomise•Chippen dale•Trumeau•Tole•Regency•Hepplewhite•Patina•Ve rdegris•Beidermeier•Recamier•Directoire•Duchesse

Antiques

GLOSSARY

http:// 10

::Surroundings:: Guide to Decorative Living

Antiques GLOSSARY

Acanthus -‐ A an ornamental

Chaise vs Fauteuil vs Bergere -‐ A “Chaise” is a side

Chippendale -‐ Named acer English

carving of a leaf used in classical

chair (no arms), whereas a “Fauteuil” is an armchair.

cabinetmaker Thomas Chippendale,

architecture such as Corinthian columns, or in furnishings such as

A “Bergere” is a chair where the low-‐set arms are ﬁlled in with upholstery and has a separate loose

the furniture style was popular in both England and the United States

carved wood or cast bronze.

seat cushion.

throughout the middle part of the 18th Century. American furniture of the period was more conserva;ve in style; the claw-‐and-‐ball foot was incorporated into the style; woods used included mahogany, walnut, cherry and maple. Chairs frequently

Biedermeier -‐ Biedermeier style

Chaise

(1815-‐1830) came about acer the

had a yoke shape back splats with intricate piercings.

end of the Napoleonic wars in Germany, Denmark and Austria as a turning away from the French inspired over-‐the-‐top Rococo style. There was no Biedermeier; the name came from a combina;on of names that siced down to mean Beider (Plain) + Meier (common German name, think Smith).

C o m m o d e -‐ L i t e r a l l y m e a n s

Fauteuil

“comfortable” or “convenient” and is a term for a chest of drawers, a type of furniture ﬁrst introduced in France in

Furniture for every day people, the bourgeoisie.

the late 17th century.

Bergere

Chinoiserie -‐ A French term Cabriole leg -‐ A double curved leg on a table or chair. The upper curve is convex (bows o u t w a r d ) a n d t h e lower is concave (bows inward), not unlike a curvy human leg.

signifying “in the Chinese t a s t e ”. I t d e s c r i b e s a European style of decora;ve ornamenta;on that has been popular since the 17th century. Mo;fs included Chinese people in elaborate robes, intricately detailed pagodas, fretwork, tassels, bells or various animals

Enfilade -‐ In architecture, an enfilade is a row of rooms formally aligned one acer the other. In a piece of furniture, an enfilade is a buffet or sideboard where the doors o p e n t o r e v e a l c o n n e c t e d compartments within. From the French “enfiler ” meaning “to thread.”

dressed in costume.

::Surroundings:: Guide to Decorative Living

Antiques GLOSSARY

Escutcheon -‐ An ornamental shield-‐

like plate that surrounds a keyhole, or is behind a drawer pull or knob.

Marquetry -‐ Ivory, mother-‐of-‐pearl or

complementary woods are inlaid piece by piece into a wood surface in an intricate design and veneered to another surface, especially furniture for decora;on. Dates back to the 17th century.

“Period” vs. “In the Style Of” -‐ Period, or “epoque” pieces were made during the period in which the deﬁning characteris;cs of the style were ﬁrst created. Furniture with the same a\ributes but made acerwards are known as “in the style of”. “Period” pieces are much rarer and therefore typically more expensive.

Fruitwood -‐ Any of various woods from fruit bearing trees used for

Marquetry vs. Parquetry -‐ both are veneers to

furniture making. Examples include: Apple

decorate high-‐end pieces of furniture, using ivory, mother of pearl or exo;c woods such as rosewood, sa;nwood or ebony. Marquetry is

Provincial vs. Provençale -‐ A

Cherry

veneers that make a ﬁgural pa\ern, whereas Parquetry creates a geometric pa\ern.

Peach

country, outside of Paris. “Provençale” pieces are provincial, but speciﬁcally

Pear

“Provincial” pieces were made in the

made in Provence, in the southern part of France. Provençale pieces are usually heavily carved and among the most desirable of provincial furniture.

Hairline or Ageline -‐ Some;mes small and almost invisible breaks in glass, po\ery or ceramics. These can be the result of improper storage or dras;c temperature ﬂuctua;ons. It is a good idea to repair or stabilize these cracks, even if they seem minor, as they can grow and eventually ruin the piece.

Ormolu -‐ An 18th century term for applying ﬁnely ground high-‐carat gold in a mercury amalgam to an object of bronze. Also known as “gilt-‐bronze” or “bronze dore”. The process was outlawed in France in 1830 due to the toxicity of mercury fumes.

PuPo (PuR) -‐ La;n for “li\le boy”, it is a term used in art and an;ques to describe the babies or children, ocen winged, represen;ng the disciples of Cupid. A secular version of angels, the a popular mo;f represents love, marriage and fer;lity.

::Surroundings:: Guide to Decorative Living

Antiques GLOSSARY

Regency -‐ The English Regency period

Rock Crystal -‐ Quartz stone, originally added to

Trumeau -‐ A wall mirror originally

spanned approximately 1790-‐1820.

embellish chandelier frames prior to the inven;on

manufactured in France in the 18th

Regency furniture has plain, slender, elegant lines. The use of carving and

of blown glass and then lead crystal. An;que chandeliers with their original rock crystal pendants

century. The mirror has a painted or carved panel above or below the glass

elaborate forms of decora;on and ornament, such as marquetry,

are very rare today and highly-‐valued. Many an;que chandeliers seen with rock crystals have been later

within the same frame.

declines during the period. Woods

embellished with new rock crystals.

such as mahogany, rosewood and zebrawood were used for their striking colors. There was also a great deal of brasswork.

Sabot-‐ means “shoe”, a protec;ve and ornamental bronze piece on the feet of a piece of furniture.

Verdegris -‐ Literally meaning “Green

Restora5on v. Reﬁnishing -‐

Grey” with shades of teal and green

Restora;on is a process used to

highlights. Naturally occurring color of the natural pa;na on copper or

restore the original ﬁnish. This does not devalue the piece by removing

bronze, Verdegris can also be replicated with paint.

the original finish. Refinishing involves completely stripping off the old finish and applying a new more durable finish or perhaps replacing a leg or foot. Though the result may look fine, it is likely to affect the value of the item.

Tole -‐ A type of lacquered or enameled metalware popular in the 18th century. Today, it is reproduced for trays, lamps and decora;ve accessories.

::Surroundings:: Guide to Decorative Living

Surroundings. Finds. Style.

Under $5,000

Under $1,000

Under $50

A curated collection of amazing antique & vintage finds

3-Footed Silver Plated Oneida Covered Bowl,

Neo-Classical Bowl, Wedgwood Jasperware

Vintage Fines & Linens on Etsy, $35

Style, 1950â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;s Pigtown*Design on Etsy, $20

Large Hammered Bronze/Copper Vase, 1970â&#x20AC;&#x2122;s

Vintage Fortuny Fabric pillows,

- Machine Age, Boston. $600

Regency Antiques, varied pricing

Gustavian Period Sofa, 19th Century,

Large Latticework Jardiniers, France,

Sweden, Giannetti Home, $4,550

20th C, Trianon Antiques, $4,875/pr

::Surroundings:: Guide to Decorative Living

Gui de t o orat ive L iving

Dec

MICHAEL J. LEE, COVER PHOTOGRAPHER

Linda received her design education at the acclaimed Boston Architectural College after a long career in public television marketing and product branding. She has decorated homes throughout Greater Boston, the South Shore & Cape Cod and across the globe via her virtual design services. Her love of interiors is but one of her artistic pursuits, and her studies in music and the fine arts continues to influence her design aesthetic. In addition to her blog ::Surroundings::, she has written a regular newsletter to a mailing list of nearly 1,000 (and growing) loyal readers for nearly 8 years, and is a regular writer for Networx.com. She is the founder and moderator of radio/podcast series called “The Skirted Roundtable”, available on iTunes. www.lindamerrill.com

Michael received his design training at the Wentworth Institute of Technology and, prior to becoming a professional photographer, worked as a interior designer for award winning designers Richard FitzGerald and Celeste Cooper. His design training has given him a unique perspective as he approaches a photography assignment. He understands a space and knows how to make it shine. His work regularly appears in all the regions’ major publications. www.michaeljleephotography.com

INTERIOR DESIGN :: Portfolio :: Design Services :: Virtual Decorating :: Press :: Bio

SPEAKING :: Jr. League of Boston on Decorating “Secret Splurges” :: Boston Society of Architects RDC show on Social Networking

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BLOGS :: Surroundings:: :: Silverscreen Surroundings:: :: Master of your Domain :: The Skirted Roundtable - podcast

PRESS :: ShelterPop :: The Boston Globe Style :: The Boston Globe Magazine :: Alluminaire :: The Decorating Diva

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CREDITS :: Written and edited by Linda Merrill :: Cover photography by Michael J. Lee

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Linda Merrill Linda Merrill Decorative Surroundings PO Box 1206 Duxbury, MA 02331 781-585-0275 linda.m.merrill@gmail.com www.lindamerrill.com

::Happy Spring::

ÂŠ2012 Linda Merrill Decorative Surroundings www.lindamerrill.com