Table Top

Flora Danica Royal Copenhagen

I spent four years working at Martha Stewart Weddings and during that time I developed a deep love of table top.  I had such fun going to the table top markets and selecting what I'd have when I own a home.

The great thing about table top now is that the same old rules no longer apply.  You don't need only one pattern for all your pieces.  You can mix and match to make a statement.  Get a funky charger, tea cup and saucer but balance it with an understated dinner and salad plate.  A few hints, make sure you pick a clear concept so it looks cohesive.  And make your silverware is a matching set.

We are coming up on a big entertaining season so before that arrives, go through your table top and see what might be missing or need updating.  Here are some of my favorite patterns that range from traditional to modern.  All photos are from vendors own websites.

Waylande Gregory available at The Summer House now

Waylande Gregory jars special order at The Summer House

Arvington Orange William Yeoward

Flora Danica Fungi Royal Copenhagen

Darley Abbey Royal Crown Derby

Blue Fluted Royal Copenhagen

Blue Dragon Mottahedeh

Ballet Icing Pearl Waterford

Ashbourne Royal Crown Derby

Ruche Royal Crown Derby

Signature Platinum Royal Doulton

Dentelle Blush Waterford

Kilim Wedgwood

Roof Deck

contemporist.com

I visited The Whitney museum this weekend and through one of the windows I saw the most beautiful roof top deck in the middle of Manhattan.  These roof top decks can be an urban oasis or offer a stunning ocean view.  Regardless of town of country, they are perfect for evening cocktails, dinner parties, and some day time lounging.  Summer has flown by but it did get me thinking about projects for next summer.  There are so many creative ideas out there and here are some of my favorites!

designscouting.com

apartmenttherapy.com

elledecor.com

elledecor.com

dornob.com

housebeautiful.com

housebeautiful.com

housebeautiful.com

housebeautiful.com

housebeautiful.com

houzz.com

inhabitat.com

pinterest.com

veranda.com

pinterest.com

decktiles.org

New Cocktail Tables Arriving

Autumn is such an exciting time at the store.  Things are constantly arriving at the store and finding their way into happy homes.  Many of our cocktail tables have sold recently so we need to replace them and we can't wait to get these awesome pieces in!  They should be arriving in the next few weeks so make sure to come in and check them out.

The Cognac Coffee table measures 65"W x 35"D x 18"H and has a solid walnut top with a cognac finish and an iron base. This piece is $2,178 and a great way to add a rustic flare in a room.

 

The Bayswater is another fun table we can't wait to get in!  The Bayswater cocktail table is 40"Diameter x 18"H made of steel with a gold leaf finish and a glass top and the cost is $2,450.  We wanted to bring in a round cocktail table and love the simple look of this piece.

The Elin is a wonderful classic piece and the simple lines offer an understated beauty.  The second shelf is great for some added storage.  The table is 48"W x  26"D x 19"H made of Acacia and Cherry wood with a Sante Fe finish and the price is $2,400.

FALLing for Faux Bois

Faux Bois has been making an appearance in home decor this fall. Directly translated from French, faux bois means "false wood" and refers to the imitation of wood or wood grains in an object. This trend, while not new, has been popping up all over the place recently. From furniture to wallpaper, pillows, candles, and even tableware faux bois is definitely having a moment. At The Summer House, we're embracing the faux bois trend as well with one of our favorite home accessories.....PILLOWS! 

 

Faux Bois Pillow in Gold available in store now

 Faux Bois pillow also available in Ebony (pictured left) and Lake (pictured right) available by special order

Here's a few fabulous pics of what others are doing with Faux Bois this Fall

This Faux Bois Floor Lamp from Lamps Plus is simple but unexpected

Love how enchanting this white faux bois dining table is from Global Views

This Gus Modern acrylic timber table adds a modern touch to the Faux Bois trend

Add some Faux Bois to your walls with this wallpaper from Martha Stewart Living

Decorative Boxes for all your Needs

For as long as I can remember I have had a slight obsession with boxes... From storage boxes to jewelry boxes to little trinket boxes, I have always been attracted to them in all colors and finishes. Maybe it's the idea of hiding my treasures away and being able to organize and find them easily. Mostly though, I think it's the memories of going through my Grandmother's jewelry boxes as a child and exploring all the treasures she had collected over the years. From simple pearl earrings to large statement necklaces and lavish pins to foreign currency from her travels abroad to old family pictures, going through my Nana's many storage and jewelry boxes always took me on a journey through her life.

Luckily, one of the perks of owning a store is I get to surround myself with the things I love, in this instance decorative boxes! 

Here's a sample of some of the charming boxes we currently carry in the store.

Elle Lacquer Storage Boxes in Black & White 

Elle Lacquer Storage Boxes in Orange & Brown

Elle Lacquer Storage Boxes in Turquoise & White

Cococozy Black & White Lacquer Box

Black & White Pattern Boxes

Silver Finish Glass Boxes

New Handbags

We already got our first order in from the Gift Show and are so excited!  It's our first venture into some fashion pieces.  I loved this bag so I had to get it for myself.  It's big enough to put Wally in but not so oversized that things will get lost in it.  The bag is $340 and available a ton of different colors and styles.  

While in the process of transferring my possessions I started thinking about all the things I tote around.

Obviously, chapstick, lip gloss, and mints are necessities.  I'll keep those things in one of the cosmetic bags ($48) shown above.  But what else do you keep in your bag?  I always keep a safety pin.  I've had the same one since 2004 and it has saved me more times than I can count.  You can MacGyver anything with a safety pin.  

Owning a furniture store I also keep a tape measure in my bag at all times.  You never know when you'll need to measure some treasure you find.  Next up is tape. I like to have duct tape but anything will work in a pinch.  I like to keep tissues too because again, they have such a variety of uses.  You get the point.

Come check out the new bag and cosmetic bags that we just got in!

Taking on the New York International Gift Fair

After a busy few days at the New York International Gift Show we can finally sit down and put up our feet...at least long enough to go over our orders. This being our second year at the gift show as store owners, I'm glad to say that it was a lot less stressful than last year. This could be in part due to the fact that I wasn't up in the middle of the night with my 4 month old daughter (she's now 16 months and sleeps through the night... well at least most of the time). I also didn't have to go through the awkward ordeal of finding an appropriate and comfortable place to pump. Although, I am glad to say and I’m sure all the mothers among us can appreciate that the Javits center did have a room set up to be used for just this purpose.  

New motherhood aside, the gift show can be a quite tiring experience for anyone, especially for your feet. I'm grateful that this year I decided to wear my TOMS.  They kept me blister free and comfortable for the past two days, while being stylish all at the same time. I now know what all the hype is about. And who doesn’t love the fact that for every pair sold they give a pair of shoes to a child in need? I will definitely be picking up multiple pairs.

Besides being exhausting though, the gift show can be exciting. Finding new vendors, seeing new items from old vendors as well as seeing what the new trends are kept me going through what at times felt like never-ending aisles. It also helped that I got to spend the day shopping with my BFF, something Margaret and I don’t get to do together often these days.

All in all I would say this year's gift show was a great success for The Summer House. We're bringing in some new lines as well as some great new items from the amazing vendors we already work with. 

I'll leave you here with a few of the great items you'll be seeing coming soon to the store! 

Megan 

 

This large tray is such a brilliant blue and can help add a pop of color to any room

 Simple yet elegant tableware with gold interior and porcelain exterior

 

  

This gray chain cosmetic bag is just one of many styles we picked up while at the show

 

These aren't for sale, I just thought my TOMS deserved some extra credit!