Dream Vacations

Sitting at our country home in Litchfield, CT, watching the snow and temperature fall.  Loving the beautiful picturesque scenes created by all the white stuff, but dreaming of our vacation we took this past fall a little bit north of Los Angelas.


Our first stop was the fabulous Bacara Resort in Santa Barbara, CA.  What a spot... The old world Spanish Colonial architecture and the magnificent gardens.  The spa is the center of the world at Bacara.  We worked out in the gym with our trainer, Barbara, then had a great breakfast at the Spa Restaurant.  What a way to start the day.  Then, a hike at the 1100 acre private ranch, another spa treatment, lunch on the terrace overlooking the ocean, take a nap, get ready for dinner, and repeat, repeat, repeat.

Residence #10, Michael Jordon's favorite!

Pool Deck overlooking the Pacific on overcast morning!  Fires were just North of the Bacara! 

Great Spanish Architecture looking at the Spa in the Dome building.

Stairs to our magnificent Suite!

Our second stop was the Biltmore Four Season Santa Barbara.  Over the top!    More Spanish colonial architecture and real sophisticated style.  This place is elegant, yet relaxed.  The staff cater to your every need, without going over-board.  The gym and spa are much smaller than Bacara, but has a real intimate feel.    Visit both places and tell us what you think!

 

Front Entry into the Biltmore - Santa Barbara

Outside Courtyard overlooking Pacific.

Pool Area in the center of the Biltmore - Very Private!

We stayed at the Bacara for five days and the Biltmore for another week.  We mixed this up between business, working on an interior design job in Palm Springs and the best vacation ever!  On a day like today, can't wait to go back!

Merry Christmas

Hope everyone had a wonderful Holiday Season.  Lots of left overs and time for returns and exchanges!  Talking this week off to spend with the family, then going down south for a bit of sunshine!   Happy New Year!

Arte Italica Added to Cobble Court Home Website

Cobble Court Home has added Arte Italica to our website.  We are so impressed with this hand made Italian line of tabletop including dinnerware, flatware, glassware, and many very impressive home accessories.  We wanted to highlight a few of the beautiful new products:

The Bella Bianca Collection is crafted using a delicate white glaze over a rich, black clay. The patterns were exquisitely designed by an Italian fashion designer using details found in fabrics and accessories. The scalloped edges, antique lace, beading, emblems and subtle floral motifs all combine to create this elegant, unique tablesetting. Handmade in Italy.

 

 

The elegant beading and hammered detail, of the Arte Italica Bella Bianca flatware collection, showcase the natural beauty of Italian pewter. This collection is made from 18/10 stainless steel and paired with the highest quality, pewter handles. Like all Arte Italica flatware, Bella Bianca is handmade in Italy.

This Arte Italica Bella Bianca stemware collection, shown above, continues the tradition of simplicity of form and handcrafted uniqueness. These delicate pieces have fine rippled glass detail and elegant shapes. Handmade in Italy.

Check out the entire collection of Arte Italica on our website:  Cobble Court Home

Cire Trudon

Cobble Court Home is so excited to announce the addition of Cire Trudon on it's website, the oldest candlemaking company, dating back to 1643. Candlemakers to the kings of France, the Trudon candlemaking process was considered the most exclusive, using solid beeswax.

Cire Trudon has a rich history and is still in existence today. Founded by merchant Claude Trudon, the company has built a solid reputation dating back to the time of Napoleon and throughout the revolution and final hours of King Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette. There are so many delicious fragrances to choose from.

The  Cire Trudon 'Trianon' candle, which was inspired by Marie Antoinette is described as follows, "The picking of jacinth, roses, white flowers, wild herbs from the meadows and graminaeceous plants, this bunch of flowers reminds us of an ideal nature, that of the Nouvelle Heloise and the country life dreams of Marie Antoinette. Vibrating with the memory of a summer evening and the warm musk scent of torches, this candle is a homage to the Queen of taste who inspired so many candles to Maison de Cire Trudon."

I love the "Les Bustes de Cire" molded wax bust candles of those who marked the history of France, such as Napoleon, Marie Antoinette and L'esclave. Expensive? Yes, but beautiful with a rich history.

My favorite

Cire Trudon La Grande Bougie

Over six pounds of natural wax are filled in a hand-blown glass container which is engraved with gold lettering. This extraordinary 3-wick candle will burn for hundreds of hours and makes a luxurious gift.

Check out:  6.3 pound candle at Cobble Court Home.

Pick of the Week: Great Holiday Gifts

Another great holiday gift from Match Pewter.  Yes We Can Lidded Box (4.5L, 3.1W, 1.2H) by Match Pewter!  Put a note inside for a special friend and give an inspired holiday gift that will always be remembered!

Inspired by the President, Yes We Can relays hope and positivity. Match pewter is handmade by artisans in the North of Italy. Its classic forms harmonize with both traditional and modern settings. Its warm reflections recall celebrations at well laid tables and storytelling by candlelight.

Match pewter does not contain lead and is completely food safe. Not recommended for the dishwasher. Hand-made in Italy. Pewter tarnishes very slowly and requires almost no maintenance. Should you want to polish your pewter almost any polish will do (read the directions before using). Match recommends Cape Cod Metal Polish.

Free shipping on all orders.

Holiday Gift Pick of the Week

We are posting great holiday gifts, at great price for friends and family.  Check out this new Friendship Tray from Juliska for $36.  They also have trays for Courage, Love, and Integrity!  Packaged in Gift Box!

Juliska Cornerstones Friendship Large Rectangular Tray-GIFT BOX


Cornerstones Friendship Large Rectangular Tray (8L, 6.5W) by Juliska. We are an Authorized Dealer.



Reverse Side Reads: friendship is a sheltering tree



Juliska Cornerstones has created elegant and insprirational trays with subtle quotes on the reverse side of classic Juliska designs. Celebrate the cornerstone values of a life well lived. Packaged in Juliska Gift Box.

Pick of the Week

Since Rob is constantly discovering chic furniture and accessories, we are going to start publishing a weekly blog featuring a "pick of the week."

This week, our pick comes from our website CobbleCourt.com, the source for Modern English Country Lifestyle. This understated tufted Rive Gauche Chair is a great piece that can be placed in your living room or master bedroom. Let us know what you think about our pick this week!

Cobble Court At Rooms With A View

Each year, ROOMS with a VIEW--the brainchild of interior design icon Albert Hadley--transforms Southport Congregational Church into a dazzling showhouse featuring twelve miniature showrooms. ROOMS with a VIEW will celebrate its 15th anniversary this year with an extra-special group of talented designers, including Eddie Ross, the former senior style editor at Martha Stewart Living turned rock-star designer after appearing on Bravo’s Top Design, and Alexa Hampton, president and featured designer of Mark Hampton LLC, the world-famous design firm founded by her late father, Mark Hampton. Each interior designer is allowed total artistic license to create a unique vignette around this year’s theme: “These Are a Few of My Favorite Things.”

While the twelve designer vignettes are the centerpiece of ROOMS with a VIEW, the show provides many other attractions. Throughout the show, visitors will have an opportunity to start their holiday shopping early in The Marketplace, featuring over 30 high-end vendors selling jewelry, home accessories, antique prints, art and unique items of clothing, or to relax over a delicious lunch or other treat in The Marketplace Café.

A Gala Preview Party, featuring both live and silent auctions, kicks off the event on Thursday, November 5th, from 6:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. Tickets for the Gala Preview Party start at $100.

The fun continues on Friday, November 6, when Tina Dragone of Westport will put on a fashion show in the tent while a gourmet luncheon is served. There are two seatings for the fashion show and luncheon, at 11:30 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. The price of the fashion show and luncheon is $35.

To celebrate its 15th year, ROOMS with a VIEW has added a new Holiday Decorating Seminar on Saturday, November 7, at 10:30 a.m. This special holiday-themed seminar, entitled “Home for the Holidays,” will feature floral inspirations by Marna Ringel of Flowers by Marna and Swedish Country-inspired home décor by Rhonda Eleish and Edie van Breems of Eleish van Breems Antiques. Rhonda and Edie will also be available to sign copies of their new book, Swedish Country Interiors. Tickets for this special event are $20 per person.

Bunny Williams BeeLine Home at CobbleCourt.com

Cobble Court is excited to announce the addition of BeeLine by Bunny Williams to our website Cobble Court Home. Below is a note from Bunny Williams:

This is an idea I have had for quite some time and as a designer for over 30 years, it has often been challenging to find those much needed pieces to make a room special. This motivated me to design my own line which is a collection of traditional and modern pieces that can be combined in many ways to create your own statement. Each piece is meaningful to me and was inspired by something either I coveted or I own. The collection consists of limited editions of each item and my goal is to introduce a new collection every year, to keep the product “fresh” and interesting. BeeLine Home will be available in shops across the country beginning in March of 2009. I hope you will enjoy it as much as I have creating it.



BeeLine Home Philosophy

BeeLine Home’s title is a nod to a beehive, a busy, buzzing, wonderful home; a tribute to honeybees who are industrious and create something delectable; and a reference to “making a beeline” – to be the fastest toward a goal.

As an insatiable collector who has shopped for furniture all over the world, I’m always searching for items with unique design, character, wonderful hand finishes, beautiful workmanship and amazing woods; anything that makes a piece distinctive and holds my attention. The hallmark of my design work is combining pieces of varying quality and provenance, creating interesting combinations and unexpected juxtapositions….my tastes are unabashedly eclectic.

The collection is expressive and unique and as I’ve found in my design work, pieces often work together not because they are alike but because they are different. BeeLine Home consists of: side tables, bedside tables, lamps, chairs, mirrors, coffee and drinks tables as well as unusual accessories, and I encourage you to combine them in ways that create your own version of “The Mix.” Our goal is to ensure that each handcrafted item is constructed of the highest quality, yet competitively priced. Because each piece will be part of a limited edition, they will be numbered by year of introduction. In addition, new collections will be introduced each year, which will entice the buyer to make a more urgent and satisfying purchase of exclusive and stylish products.

Updated Modern English Country

Well, finally a photo to share will you... this is a project I've been working on.

Remember my tips to give your home that updated modern English county look:

• Use a mixture of fabrics to add texture to your room. Throws and cushion covers in floral or hand-embroidered fabrics are ideal.
• Use drapes rather than blinds, and again, choose floral patterns or rich fabrics such as velvet.
• Traditional fireplaces are a key element of English style. Even if you don't have a coal fire, a carved wood fireplace accessorized with candles and horse brasses will provide the right look.
• Cover coffee tables with cloth with reaches the floor, and arrange ornaments or flowers on top.
• Look out for antique furniture to add authenticity to your room

These were some tips from my previous blog and as you can see they all have come in handy... But also remember rules are to be broken. Check out the over stuffed drapes hung on ornate hand carved hardware finished in a old gold to add that certain drama, and comfy, to this more formal living area. Also, a splash of color, moss green, to add a little bit of color surprise.

I can go on about each piece in this gorgeous living area, some of the pieces are new and some have been collected, and as you can see they've blended all so beautifully. There are many options that can make your room incredibly beautiful and all yours. Have Fun!

Plant a Tree and Watch!

The weather has finally turned and planting and gardening has begun. It's so much fun to see how what you planted last year comes back in full form, beautiful flowering trees, fertilized grass all lush and green. It's totally amazing!

This past weekend we had a incredible sugar maple tree delivered from Litchfield Horticultural. Let's say it's about 25 feet tall and has all its leaves. That sound weird right, but when we purchased this nursery grown tree it was winter, so there where no leaves. I'd say the tree trunk has about an 8 inch diameter. How cool it was when it arrived on a big truck with 5 men and it's full with lush green leaves.


They got up the driveway just fine, wondering how they were going to get the tree on the other side of the yard next to the cutest small white barn with its wood roof and rooster weather vein. And then all of a sudden there's another tracker (not sure what the correct term for it is), this tracker carried this giant sugar maple tree across the back of the house, of course with the guidance from all the guys. Again, pretty cool to watch this giant tree hover across the yard.

It made it to its new home and these guys made it look so easy. They dug the hole with the same tracker and within about a half an hour the beautiful sugar maple was planted, tied and with the green garden hose water was flowing.

Now, I get to look out my windows or sit on the back porch and watch. See the birds chirping all around, see the leaves blow in the wind, see the leaves turn colors come fall and see my little dog, Digby, all curious to see what has been going on in the yard, he runs up to our new tree, sniffing and in his own way welcomes this tree, by lifting his leg, to our yard.

Plant a tree!

WOW!! Design District 2009 New Canaan, CT

At Home, a national-quality regional shelter magazine in Fairfield County spear headed the first annual "35 Reasons to Shop" in New Canaan, Ct. It was held last night, Thursday May 7th from 6 to 9PM. The town was in a buzz!

I have to tell you it was really great to see so many people out in town with smiles.

At Cobble Court Interiors we had a party in mind. Our theme for the evening was "Weekend Style", relaxed, fun and cozy. In addition we had Sussana Salk, the author of "Weekend Retreats", a fabulous new book about celebrating country weekend homes and the people who retreat to them, signing copies.

Before you enter, our sidewalks had all custom outdoor furniture (Janus et Cie and all Osborne and Little fabrics, totally lush) set up to get people enticed to come in and visit, not to mention the rockn' tunes. Once you enter, the entire first floor had the relaxed elegance of someones home entry foyer and living room covered with blue and white, the entrance foyer table draped in a blue and white stripe, all the pillows on the sofa and chairs in blue and white and a fabulous floral wool and silk rug on the floor. It really set the tone for an incredible night.
For a little added aroma, the large light blue glass soy candles burning in both rooms, helped to put people in a great mood, of course, the candles are called Beach House. Totally will put a smile right on your face.

As everyone entered we encouraged them upstairs to see my design studio and what we offer here at Cobble Court Interiors, and all I had to say was that there are margaritas and food. We had a packed house.

So, BIG, BIG KUDOS to everyone At Home Magazine for putting together such a fun night and kudos to everyone who came out. Please come out and support our town!

More of Design District.... The FAB! party at Pimlico with Jill and Melissa (the very pregant one)!

More Tablescape!

The Garden Center of New Canaan's 70th Anniversary Celebration!

This week I had the privelage of participating in designing a tablescape for The Garden Center of New Canaan's 70th Anniversary Celebration! I could not be more happy, tabletop is such a passion and of course it's for charity, why not.

The theme of this table was "Gosford", the name of one of the dinner plates from William Yeoward dinnerware collection. I love all the spring colors and thought it would work perfectly for the Garden Center Celebration. What's really amazing about these plates is how you can dress them up or down depending on the occasation, here I went for the fun afternoon lunch.

When planning a tablescape or party you really need to think of a game plan beforehand. I did not have this amazing tablecloth seating around. So I went shopping and found this incredible Nina Campbell fabric, which set the tone. But I do have to say, it's a little formal for me so I designed the tablecloth similar to how a bebskirt would be made with inset corners and 9 inch box pleats around the base which just touch the floor and of course added an accent, a gorgous 3 inch tape from Osborne and Little. Worked Perfect!

Then I went crazy with my favorite William Yeoward crystal, flatware and dinnerware. (All available at Cobble Court Interiors and CobbleCourt.com) The design inspiration for the crystal is drawn from antique pieces originally made in England and Ireland during the 18th and early 19th centuries. Every piece of William Yeoward crystal is entirely made by hand using the same traditional methods employed over 150 years ago. Unusual hand cutting and engraving are distinctive elements of William Yeoward Crystal, producing beautiful yet practical pieces. Perfect for this afternoon lunch!

Mixing the old and the new I've created a creative and memorable tablescape, which in the long run... A) you had fun preparing and B) your guests will thoroughly enjoy.

I know I left a couple of thinks out from the pictures above but please comment and I'll get back to you with any information. Have a great day planning your next tablescape!

Photography to Admire and Inspire

I've been so lucky to have such great friends. We all seem to help each other out. A new friend, Kathy, runs a great art gallery in Washington Depot, CT called KMR galleries. She is being so kind to place some incredible pieces in my showroom. It's a great way to see how the artwork will work in a space that looks like a home.

Take a look at some of these beautiful black and whites taken by Marcia Lippman from her West Point Collection. Have fun and think where you might place in your home!

For the Love of Horses

Looking at these incredible photos of the wild horses of Sable Island, taken by Roberto Dutesco, all you want to know is, how did he do that? and please can I have one! Each photo puts you in a trance, each amazing close-up, each incredible long shot. Especially if you love horses, which I do. I also love to incorporate something "horse" in my interior design jobs whenever I can, if my clients have the same love.

My showroom, having a definite horse influence, Cobble Court Interiors, located at 13 South Ave in New Canaan, CT has the privelage of showing Roberto's amazing shots. If you're in the area, definitely well worth the stop, to check out these wonderful pieces of artwork. Maybe you'll love one enough to enjoy at your home.