Rural Chic: Country Gents

We see ouselves there--on cold country mornings fetching wood from a stack on the porch in duckboots and a well-worn plaid robe. Maybe not the Ralph Lauren idea of gentlemen on their country estate, but a New England chic that's born from comfort, the smell of woodsmoke and beams across the ceiling of our 18th century home.

Seymour Antiques

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Roadside farm, upstate New York

Rural Chic: Seeing Red

From houses and barns, to tartan blankets, reds are a reoccurring country theme. Historically, "barn red" was created by adding rust to a wood sealant made of linseed oil. While the rust would kill off the moss and fungi that might grow on barns, it also turned the mixture red...and created a staple color in the rural palette.

Seymour Antiques

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Rural Chic: Connecticut Cottage

We had a wonderful time this weekend, traveling to Litchfield County, CT. and the surrounding areas. We've written about local palates effecting decorative color schemes in Maine and Pennsylvania; though true in Connecticut, we think a consciousness of local history and an appreciation for textures is what is most apparent in the shops and homes here. Traveling along Routes 6 & 7, the abundance of 18th and 19th century homes was astounding. The next few blogs will be focused on the architecture and design we found...

Seymour Antiques

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Lovely Bones

After becoming reaquainted with Jan Mankes (Keulse Pot met Reigersneb en Judaspenning, above), we've become a bit obsessed with his palatte, composition and rendering style. The bird skull, a common motif in his still lifes, is such a beautiful element that we searched out a bit more skeletal imagery. Here are a few of our favorites:

Jan Mankes, Reigersneb en Boekje

Mankes, Stilleven (buffelschedel)

Mankel, Witte Muizen op Perkementenboek

Mankel, Stilleven mit Schedel op Boek

Karsh, Georgia O' Keeffe

Alberto Giacommetti, Head-Skull

Daniel Spoerri, Nicky Langhase

Alan Magee from Forum Gallery

Pattern in the Everyday

In looking through our archives tonight, we noticed beautiful patterns in seemingly mundane subjects. Inspiration can truley come from anywhere...

 

Bedsprings from vintage bed; Melong Batik from the China Seas collection.

Stack of firewood; Textura from the China Seas collection.

Antique home in Wiscasset Maine; Criss Cross from the Alan Campbell collection. 

Leaves; San Marco from the China Seas collection.

Real Life and Still Life

Lemons, 1906 by Jan Mankes.

Our table at August in the Village Tuesday night.

Cairn II, oil on canvas by Alan Magee, courtesy of The Forum Gallery.

From the rocky coast of Wells, Maine.

It's All in the Details

Familiar Faces, NYC

Back in NYC in January...among the cold glass highrises, there are always a few familiar faces. Along 15th Street in Chelsea:

Woven history, repurposed

DIY stair runner at Remodelista.

Ottoman from Restoration Hardware.

French Kilim upholstery at Remodelista. 

Pair of upholstered stools by Karl Mann circa 1970 at 1st Dibs. 

A Kilim accent at Door Sixteen.

Pair of upholstered stools at Live Auctioneers.