The Accessorator: August 2009 Archives

Quack, Quack, Quack!!!!!!!

August 31, 2009 1:00 AM

Last week I went to visit my friend, gallery owner Julie Saul, at her bay front house in New Suffolk, on the North Fork of Long Island. After two delightful ferry rides and driving past a number of beautiful vineyards, we arrived at Julie's charming "beach bungalow"!!!!" It was the perfect summer late afternoon.....we took a walk to the bay for a swim, followed with a peek at the local chic summer boutique, and then cocktails facing the bay, to be followed by dinner..... Between drinks & dinner, I decided to check out her 'hood.......that proved to be an outstanding idea!!!!!!!

When I reached the corner.......I saw a mesmerizing and magical shingle house, each window frame painted a different color!!!! The side yard was accessorized with frolicking bears wrapped in ivy; a twiggy tree that had brightly patterned, painted shells hanging from it; mosaic mounds & side walks; and a wonderful set of ducks, each on its own stalk!!! Naturally every detail caught my eye and I furiously began taking pictures, as any good "accessorator" would!!!! Among all of the fabulous "finds," this sculpture of five metal, welded ducks ...... each perched on a metal rod, stunning in their finery, and looking very regal sitting in repose beside the house ..... made me smile!!! On the old, wooden railroad tie base was the title....."Get Your Ducks in a Row".... by Ellen Nora Goldstein. I loved it and wondered how to get it back to East Hampton!!!!

As I was photographing the house (pictured on Friday's post) and the divine details from every possible angle..... the owners appeared, back from the beach. I explained that I was not casing the house for a robbery, but was absolutely fascinated by their eccentric abode!!! They introduced themselves, Ellen Nora and Gil Goldstein, and invited me in to see their garden.....................more about the Goldstein's, the house, and the incredible garden tomorrow!!!!!!!!!!

My own Jeff koons is calling me!!!! I answered......but something came up!!!!

August 28, 2009 1:00 AM

It's that time again....the roads, beaches, movies, restaurants, and Round Swamp are beyond packed!! It's the last week of summer and the world is on vacation in the Hamptons!!!! AND I AM JEALOUS!!! So I'm taking matters into my own hands!!! I am going to sit in traffic on the back roads....lay blanket to blanket on the beach....stand on line for the movies....eat dinner at an unreasonable 6PM at Nick & Toni's....and continue fighting my way into Round Swamp!!! Yep. the Accessorator is joining all of you...... AND TAKING A VACATION!!!

So, I'll see you back at school on September 8th..... with a new blue 3-ring notebook, new dividers, a new fountain pen with peacock blue ink, shapened #2 pencils, a pink eraser, and loads of fresh & fabulous ACCESSORATIONS!!!

Wait a second ....... a week off is a great idea ...... but, I just got back from New Suffolk, a town on the North Fork of Long Island, where I saw this incredibly, outrageously, outrageous house, (notice each window frame is a different color, bears are frolicking on the lawn, and there is a shell Christmas tree!!!) and I have to put it into the universe!!! It is so wonderfully crazy, has so many fantastic details & ideas, that it will will take several days to really do it justice ....... So, I am going to forgo my vacation and devote next week to this wild and wacky abode!!!! You gotta see this!!!!

IT'S OVER THE TOP AND OUT OF THIS WORLD!!!!!!! And it starts on Monday!!!!

Dianne B....Retailer to Garden Guru...now Garden Retailer!!!

August 27, 2009 1:00 AM

These four "gardener musts" are part of a selection of The Best @ Dianne B, a wonderful new on-line store for garden mavens. Dianne B, fashion trensdstter and "garden guru," selected her 10 favorite garden accoutrements and has replaced shopping at the local garden center, with shopping on her chic and stylish new website. Dianne's passion for gardening began twenty plus years ago when she purchased her first house in the East Hampton. According to Dianne, she took "a weedy, woody tangle and created a garden-tour worthy shady exotic acre in her own inimitable way." She documented her path in Dirt: The Lowdown on Growing a Garden with Style, which has become a gardening cult classic. Dianne is particularly proud of the Tool Belt she designed, available exclusively for her site, and the Yard Bag, also her design and exclusive.

I think that one of the most innovative and unusual gifts for this holiday season is on DB's website....a handmade, stainless steel, Gardener's Shovel, which can be personalized!!! The shovel, made in Idaho, has a 4' long ash handle and can be hand stamped with up to 16 letters. It can have a monogram or name, the name of your farmhouse or ranch, or a personal message!!! In addition to being the perfect gift for a gardener.....it is the absolutely perfect present for someone who has everything and needs nothing!!!

Another of my personal favorites is this stunning pair of French, panther print, gardening boots. Chic in the muck or on Madison Avenue, even the non gardener, me especially, would love a pair!!!

The Best @ Dianne B website

Three coins in this fountain???

August 26, 2009 1:00 AM

In 2008 French-born landscape designer, Nathalie Karg, created a company, Cumulus Studios, that invites emerging and established contemporary artists to create functional objects for the outdoors. According to Nathalie "people are looking for whimsy.....gardens should be whimsical." Nathalie's close connection to the art world, she was formally an art advisor, makes her the perfect person to marry functional art and the garden.She has given the artist's complete freedom to create their own personal fantasy, the only limitation being functionality and weather resistance. The result is a delightfully witty selection of garden objects and furniture.

The first collection, previewed this past spring, included eighteen artists. The work is created in very small editions, three for the most part. The works include.... Rikrit Tiravanija's polished steel and glass ping pong table; Jan Mancuska's metal beach umbrella encircled in text; Mary Heilmann's cabana green table inlaid with broken ceramic; Rob Wynne's mushroom table and chair; Aaron Young's gold chained tire swing; Ugo Rondinone's magical giant scarecrow. One of my particular favorites is this wonderful fountain, pictured above, that is created from tires, by Rob Pruitt. This ecologically correct fountain recycles it's own water, has a simple pump mechanism, and is an edition of 3. I would be thrilled to have it in my garden.......or in the center of my living room!!!!!!

The rest of the pieces in the first collection are equally as inspired.... and according to Nathalie we can expect a new collection for this coming fall!!!!

Cumulus Studios website

Rolling Racks or Bookcases, does it matter?????

August 25, 2009 1:00 AM

My affinity for book shelves is a very well documented fact and rolling racks only come to mind for me when I think about packing, changing closets, moving, or the cheapest, fastest way to build a store! But, never have I thought about them both at the same time, or as having any relationship to each other......until I visited my friend Nicoletta at my favorite design store, Rossana Orlandi, in Milan. I think the correct name for these units should be "book racks".....bookcases that can be added to or subtracted from with these shelves that hang on to one another. They can be any length or as wide as you need them to be....just add another rack!! The "shelves" are sold in packages of 12 hangers.... you provide the rolling racks yourself!

I think this shelving system is one of those terrific ideas that we all wish we had though of....at least I wish I had!!!

Rossana Orlandi website

Accessorating the great outdoors at my house!!!!

August 24, 2009 1:00 AM

It was never my idea to blog about my own home, and certainly not by name.....but, when my friend the Editor in Chief was here and he said if he blogged he would most definitely post my backyard....I just had no choice!!! So here it is!!!

The concept of my outdoor space is a giant flower garden...without the garden!!! I was not born with a green thumb and have never grown one...but, I do know how to recognize someone who does, divine flower maven, Paul Goetz. Paul and I discuss my feelings for color, design, placement, and shape every spring. He knows I want bright, hot colors, never white, except my very old white hydrangea trees that came with the property, and that I love sweet potato vines for color, as well as how they drape. The pots have hibiscus trees, matching by the patio and a different color, but still matching, by the pool!! I love, love, love hibiscus trees....for me, they are the ultimate hot and sultry summer flower. In addition, I have a small grass garden and huge, ancient trees that are wrapped in vines. I love all of the variations of green and the depth of color. For accent, even tho black pool liners are the rage, I stayed with the traditional blue.....I love a good shot of turquoise!!!!

Enough said about "the green & growing part"!!! For me, the best and most important part of the magic is the furniture and fabrics on the patio and by the pool. I adore mixing these chic, vintage Indian quilts for pillows and as upolstery, even tho they are not water resistant and have to be covered every night, with the antique wicker. I have been collecting wicker for years, and have painted it black, making it more contemporary and because I hate white in the garden...especially white wicker!!! The pool is surrounded on one side by "ancient" teak lounges that came with the house ten years ago. Every couple of years I add new forest green pads, same color every time, and recently, I have had bright colored Sunbrella pillows made for each chaise. The umbrellas on the patio are also forest green, of course the same color as the lounges!!! For accent, I have wrapped the stems of the umbrellas in strips of fabrics from old Lisa Corti table cloths!!! I am not drawn to crafts.....but having dressed several thousand store windows I know the value of the neon colored 8" cable ties from Gardner Bender.....they hold all the fabrics in place!!!! The final touch, no matter what the weather, is covering the dinning table with fabulous printed table cloths from Lisa Corti!!!

Okay...enough about my yard..what about your's??????

Les Girls de soir!!!!!

August 21, 2009 1:00 AM

I brought these "femme fatals" back with me from my last trip to Barcelona. They are three of the most sophisticated ladies in Spain, possibly ladies of the night!! They are dressed in the brights, this summer palette of choice and accessorized appropriately for their career!!! Unfortunately, as lovely as they look.... to be available for dinner or dancing they have to be peeled off the walls!!! These shapely, but flat, beauties accessorize the streets around the Museum of Contemporary Art!!!!!

A divine summer party & everyone is invited!!!!!

August 20, 2009 1:00 AM

There is no tastier way to design a fête d'été than by bringing out all of the Lisa Corti linens!!! Nobody loves a gorgeous table as much as I do, and this mix of pattern and color is my favorite!!! Starting with a charming garden setting, gorgeous weather..... adding colored glass dishes, mixing Lisa's cloths & napkins, patterned silverware from French Bull, colored French press glass, and multi colored candles from Point a La Ligne resulted in this amazing ambience. Adding delightful guests, myself included, and a wonderful meal....made this a party to remember!!!

Oh, by the way...the hostess never duplicated a table cloth!!!

Lisa Corti available at j.roaman

Alice would look awfully good sitting on these mushrooms!!!!

August 19, 2009 1:00 AM

These are the most delicious mushrooms I have ever seen and they are all gone!!! They were made by New York artist Jason Middlebrook for artCrush, the fundraising summer event for the Aspen Art Museum. There were twenty five of the yummy "lawn-sculptures" available for sale to benefit the museum. Each piece was unique..... and they were all sold within an hour!!! These multi color, fiberglass fungi range from 14" to 48" and a number of them are covered in glass mosaic tiles. In addition to the twenty five that were sold, the Aspen community showed their enthusiasm for the mushrooms by commissioning Jason to "grow" a whole new crop!!!

Never having been known as "the girl with the green thumb," I am thrilled at the thought that I might be able to have a trio of them growing in my garden too!!!!!!!

Jason is a highly respected artist, whose work has always had a direct link to the environment. The work crosses over all mediums including painting, sculpture, and drawing. He has had a number of solo and group shows....as well as having shown in a number of institutions. He shows in NYC at Sara Meltzer Gallery.

Sara Meltzer Gallery website

Rare, Rarer, Rarest.......10,000 books and counting!!!!!

August 18, 2009 1:00 AM

This is a glimpse into my most favorite bookstore....Arcana Books. It is located on the Third Street Promenade in Santa Monica, California and it is incredible!!!! I remember a number of years ago seeing the Eva Hesse retrospective at the Tate Modern and having a "must have" moment and calling Arcana, from London, for the catalogue of the show.....it was in NYC by the time I got home, and I even stopped in Paris!!! I also must admit that the store is in my iphone and has been in all of it's predecessor's as well!!! I cannot imagine not being able to attach at a moment's notice! When I was living in Aspen, Arcana was on my speed dial....books were being delivered sometimes daily! Another fond memory was trying to make an impression on a "date" and having an obscure photography book delivered after I went back to New York... it was very impressive and I scored a few points, but no second date!!!!

Celebrating it's 25 birthday this year, Arcana, the world's premier visual bookstore, is owned by Lee Kaplan. It's the last of a dying bred, an independent bookstore! It celebrates the arts.....art, design, architecture, photography, fashion, music, and cinema. It's sort of a secret society where artists, art collectors, film folk, and fashionistas find rare, new, and out of print books resting side by side. In addition to the store, Arcana is in the process of listing it's inventory on line. But, there really is nothing like browsing this book mecca in person! I seem to get there at least three times during any one trip to Los Angeles! It is a MUST for collectors of every kind...books, art, photography...anything that says ART!!!!

"Arcana specializes in catalogue raisonnes, artists monographs, photography, modern art and most notably a locked-glass of hard-to-find collectables. The store is filled wall-to-wall, but is lovingly well-organized and attended by a friendly, knowledgeable staff." -Alex Worman , Artnet

Arcana Books website

Collectable Creatures!!!!!!!!!

August 17, 2009 1:00 AM

As the "Queen of Collectables" I am shocked to find something I have never collected, much less never heard of!!! When I walked into Maison 24, a divine shop in Bridgehampton owned by my friends Allison & Louis, I saw these unusual plastic creatures lined up and ready for a bookshelf! I asked who or what they were and was told they are Be@rbricks, a highly collectible, limited edition designer toy produced in Japan by MediCom Toy Incorporated. They are molded plastic figurines of a bear with an extremely simplified form and a pot belly. There are a variety of sizes, though 7 centimeters is standard, and each has nine moveable parts.... head, waist, torso, arms, legs, and wrists. There are a variety of artists and designers who have created design schemes for the standard molds, including Karl Lagerfeld and Vivienne Westwood. In addition, several famous faces have been immortalized, including Elvis who is in the newest line up. Once an addition is sold out, it is "retired" and becomes highly prized. There are 30 plus pages on e-bay alone!!!! Maison 24 has this newest, most prized edition and several very, very special pieces that are stand outs....a ready made collection!!!

Now that I've met these quirky creatures, they seem to be calling to my bookshelf...."take me home, take me home"....or maybe that's me, calling them longingly!!!

Maison 24 website

Midnight musings from the accessorator #2.......No origional thoughts here at home!!!!!

August 16, 2009 1:00 AM

I think of myself as the real mccoy, a true individual, unique, one of a kind.......eclectic & eccentric...but me!!!! I believe that is in part because I am an American, thus given the freedom to be me.... unique, slightly off center, a creative thinker who works with new and exciting ideas. My stores have always been thought of as "special" and I try to do the same on my blog. So, imagine my surprise when this photo on the right was sent to me from the furniture show at High Point....yep, very very surprised, or maybe not!!!

I spent two years working with a wonderful furniture company in London, Squint, we created a collection of one-off pieces that are available exclusively in the U.S. at my store, on my website, and at Barney's. The chair on the left is one of these pieces. The collection was designed around upholstering vintage furniture with old and new textiles. I shipped two containers from London and set up shop!!! I knew that this was an interesting and unique idea.....and I guess in my heart I knew that it would be knocked off someday!!!! But, I never expected it to be done so fast and in the actual shape of the chair that I had!!!

No wonder we are suffering in American.....we have the freedom to be unique & create the unusual......but often times large companies are afraid to try......it seems easier to copy others!!! Gee,I wonder if they plan to send us a design fee?????

Original Squint furniture available on j.roaman website

TOOOOOOOOO MANY DEER HERE!!!!!!

August 14, 2009 1:00 AM

When I drive in East Hampton, I constantly worry about hitting a deer. The deer population has gotten so enormous, that I spend a great deal of driving time on the look-out for "Bambi & her Mom." Anything to avoid a giant splat!!! All this thinking about deer has resulted in my stopping counting sheep, but rather naming deer to put me to sleep.........deerly beloved, deerheart, deerest, deerling, deer me, and so on!!!!

There seem to be no way to avoid these creatures whether in your garden, where they dine.....or on the streets that they cross. So imagine my glee when found myself diving behind this truck yesterday!!!!! I think it is so timely for summer 2009 that I took this picture!!! A memory in the scrapbook of Summer 2009!!!

The accessorator yearns for an antique english bookcase!!!!

August 13, 2009 1:00 AM

Nothing gets me as excited as an empty bookcase!!! When I found a pair of these amazing vintage library bookcases in London, I was in heaven and knew I had to ship them home! Their design is spectacular.... the moveable slate shelves, the side braces for holding books in, and the bar at the bottom that is used as a step-up for reaching books on the top shelf....it all makes me quiver!!! And then I got to do what I do best.....accessorize them!!! I loved them bare, but after I propped & played.....they are magnificent!!!! I can't imagine any room that would say no to these bookcases....especially now!!!!

Available at j.roaman

Old McDonald never had a farm like this!!!!

August 12, 2009 1:00 AM

This summer's trend, organic farming at home, was started at the White House by Mrs. Obama...... but, here on the East End of Long Island (Amagansett to be exact) the real trendsetters are two delightful young women, Amanda Merrow & Katie Baldwin....."lady farmers!" They have started Amber Waves Farm, a non-profit farm with the mission "to produce organic, healthy, nourishing food for the local community and to provide the public with an educational outlet to learn about the joyful process of growing food by using the land as an outdoor classroom." Their other goal is to reintroduce wheat into the local foodshed. In addition to planting over 100 varieties of fruits and vegetables on about two acres, they plan to plant organic heirloom wheat on approximately four acres. After the harvest of the wheat, next July, the plan is to locally mill the wheat into whole grain flour which will be available to the local community. Wouldn't it be really fabulous if the wheat was milled in the Old Mill in East Hampton!!!

These inspiring and innovative women have created a way in which the local community can join the coop.....by becoming a member of Community Support Agriculture (CSA) you get to buy local, seasonal. organic food directly from the "farmers." Every Friday, members pick up their weekly basket of organic fresh fruits, vegetables, and herbs. In addition you get two loaves of bread, fresh from the ovens at Eli's Market, just next to the farm. A farm newsletter and selection of favorite recipes also appear by email weekly!

For me the fruits, veggies, & herbs are a wonderful treat, but I adore the way the basket looks as a dinner party centerpiece (last week's basket is photographed above).......it's worth every bit of the membership fee to have these divine treats & the chicest looking table week after week!!! Not to mention the chicest "lady farmers" in town, with the best signage accessorizing their fields!!!!

Amber Waves Farm email

A,B,C,D.........what letters shall it be?????

August 11, 2009 1:00 AM

Twelve years ago, my friend Valerie Smith opened The Monogram Shop in East Hampton. In a community of rather jaded folks, who thought there was nothing new for them to buy, she curated a remarkable new store! Thinking back to the concept of a classic monograming shop that she remembered from her days of living in London, she began a non-traditional business! She bought a monograming machine, enlisted her daughter as a partner and "monogramer", and went into business! The result is East Hampton history, resulting in, I think, the most unique and successful store in our beach community.

In addition to monograms, Valerie writes names, zip codes, street numbers, and various texts on a variety of topics. Anything can be written, on almost any surface..... including beach bags, towels, cocktail napkins, note pads, kids sweaters, and coasters. Each summer, she adds & subtracts items that are "monogramable," finding wonderful new accessories for her loyal customers. Last year, during the Presidential campaign, there were plastic glasses that had the names of both candidates....and a list was tallied of how many were sold of each. Needless to say the quantity sold by candidate reflected the election results!!! This summer among the new items and best sellers are cutting boards, white buckets for storing flip flops, and divine plastic glasses with such bon mots as "No Pool," and ""Almost Ocean," codes for where you live and what you have in the Hampton's!!!"

This summer my personal favorite, as a former East Hampton retailer, is the napkin that also works as a store sign.......Unattended children will be given a cup of espresso and a free puppy!!!!

The Monogram Shop website

Mirror, mirror on the wall...isn't this the fairest light fixture of them all!!!!

August 10, 2009 1:00 AM

For as far back as I can remember, my desk of choice has always been my dinning room table!!! Sitting here, I am surrounded by files, magazine "tear-outs", pens & pencils, and a variety of scraps of paper, all covered with illegible notes!! Sometimes, I think that I would be thrilled to finally have a real "desk!!!" If this dream desk were to become a reality, I would adore having this fixture from French designer, Pierre Guariche, to light it. This wall light, designed in the 1950's, is painted metal & brass, and that is black, white and grey. When I saw it at the Gallerie Perimeter in Paris, I felt an immediate rush of love!!! This is my favorite furniture gallerie in Paris, the focus is on mid-century French industrial furniture design. In addition, they are as creating a portfolio of edition pieces designed by today's leading European furniture designers. A"go-to" gallerie on any trip to Paris.....but please leave this fixture for me!!!!

Perimeter Gallerie website

Birds of a feather flock together!!!!!

August 7, 2009 1:00 AM

The Sunset Beach Motel on Shelter Island is "the perfect escape, simple, unspoiled, and unpretentious" according hotel guide Hip Hotels. This former 1960's motel has been transformed into a clubby, chic get-away, with a European flair. The restaurant has a tasty

summer menu, with a great bar scene...very islandy... and I don't mean Long or Staten!!!

After a divine lunch there last week, my "color radar" was working overtime........I realized that in addition to the stylish guests that reside at the hotel, these trendy "birdie bungalows" were available for our feathered friends!!! Each a different color combination, these birdhouses "accessorize" the tress that dot the parking lot!!! What a cool & colorful place to "fly away" to!!!!!

Sunset Beach Motel website

Fresh is soooo much better than canned!!!!

August 6, 2009 1:00 AM

Who would have thought that the most divine accessory for a truck could be a raddish!!! These giant vegetables could accessorize any moving vehicle....how about a pineapple Porsche or an asparagus Audi???? Or to take it a step further....maybe you could put a hamburger on you Honda!!!

Divine plastic plates from france.....viva la france!!!

August 5, 2009 1:00 AM

Combining my African addiction, mixing my love of batik patterns & hot colors, with my plastic passion.......this table setting screams summer 2009 at my housel!!! The plastic plates, from innovative French giftware company, Sentou are very well priced and of course, durable! The dinnerware is mixed with placemats, napkins, and napkin rings from Dransfield & Ross. In addition, the glasses are vintage, the silverware is from French Bull, and the pitcher is from Amen Wardy Aspen. So, if I invite you to dinner this summer......be prepared to sit down to this table!!!

Sentou website, Dransfield & Ross website, French Bull website, Amen Wardy website,

Dishes from j.roaman

India- where color is a natural resource!!!!

August 4, 2009 1:00 AM

We were in Veranasi, on the banks of the Ganges River, the holiest city in India. It is treasured as the place that Buddha gave his first sermon. In addition, it revered because it is the most sacred place to die in India. There is an enormous flow of people in and out of the city, yet it has a feeling of total serenity. Daily life in Veranasi centers around the river.... crematoriums on it's banks, morning & evening prayer services on the terraces above the river, bathing in the river, and ....... clothes washing!!! I was transfixed by the laundry that was hung by the river.....is it really possible that it is hung in this tonal rainbow.....light to dark, peach to orange!!! I find this absolutely amazing......trust me, there is no one in Veranasi who, in their wildest moment, would ever think about "color coding" their laundry!!! This is totally an act of instinct!!!

Chairs don't just call to me.....they scream my name!!!

August 3, 2009 1:00 AM

I am a "chair freak".....it is just another thing that I am and I accept it!!! I received a lovely email from English designer, Melanie Porter.....who, like me, has moved from the world of fashion to the land of interior design! Melanie has gone from designing knitwear in London, to creating a collection of bespoke furniture. Bespoke, by the way, is the English word for unique or one of a kind. She has collected an array of vintage chairs, which she strips back to the frame, restores & refinishes....and reupholsters with hand knitted,felted panels that are designed especially for each chair. I think her designs look wonderful and am so glad that I am here in NYC, and not London....as I am sure one of these "reclaimed beauties" would be making it's way to my house!!!!!

"To a certain extent. I let the chair lead the design and knit structure. I'll sketch a rough idea but it's quite an organic process and so I allow myself the freedom to change things as I go along." Melanie Porter, July 2009

Available directly from Melanie Porter

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