Awesome New Stock (Shop Update!)

Over the last few months, we've been working OVERTIME to bring awesome new products to the store.  New blankets, new lighting, pillows, wall decor, home accessories-- you name it.  :)  We've brought in pieces at all different price points and styles to appeal to each and every one of you.  And, with the Holiday Season right around the corner, there's no better time to stock up!

 

Check out some of the NEW pieces at High Street Market:

 

 

Large Silver Beetle  /  Chunky Weave Knit Blanket, Navy  /  White Porcelain Artichoke Votive Holders  /  Decorative Pewter Tray  /  English Bluebird Print  /  Tripod Table Lamp, Polished Nickel  /  Gate Embroidered Throw Pillow, Navy  /  Black Ceramic Faceted Vases

Gold Wheat Sheaf Sconces  /  Gold Bamboo Mirror  /  Petite Faux Bamboo Brass Tray  /  Large Crewel Trellis Pillows, 24" x 24"  /  Belmont Brass Table Lamp  /  Chevron Knit Throw Blanket, Gray  /  Gold Leaf Agate Coasters, Set of 4

 

 

Among all of the new stock, a few of my personal favorites include this Hammered Nickel Drum Table (which also doubles as extra seating in a pinch!), this adorable Brass Schnauzer, and this gorgeous Glass Orb.   To shop all of our new pieces, CLICK HERE.

 

 

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Also, we've added some great new vintage finds this week...

 

 

 

Shop all of our Vintage Finds HERE.

 

 

 

 

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Client Sneak Peek, Babies, and Alligators

It's been a busy two weeks over here (and Thanksgiving is right around the corner?  How on earth did that happen so fast??).  Amidst regular work days and shop related activity, I managed to schedule a client installation and a quick trip to Florida.  I thought I would share some of the pictures today!

 

Here's a sneak peek of a little boys room I designed here in Philadelphia.  Our big installation happened a couple of weeks ago...

 

 

 

Custom made windowpane drapery panels and matchstick blinds

 

 

Giant "map print" floor pillows!  They're perfect for these two little explorers.

(we'll be carrying these pillows in the store soon)

My clients' vintage kid's chair, upholstered in shiny red vinyl.  It's perfect.

 

 

And, new chinoiserie Euro shams for a different bedroom in the house-- love the way these turned out against the chocolate headboard.  :)

 

Then, last weekend, I packed my bags for a quick trip to South Florida...

Sisters Weekend!

outdoor lunch, under palm trees and sunny skies...

Lo and behold!!  We spotted an alligator!!!  We were pretty excited.  That guy was about 9 feet long, sunning himself near the deck.  He made the day more exciting, that's for sure.  I've never seen anything like that before.

I spent lots and LOTS of time with my nephew, Mickey.  I'm crazy in love with this one and wish so badly we lived in the same city!!  He's 5-months old, and pretty much perfect in every way.

 

 

My sister and her husband are renovating a modern home, and right now it's down to the studs...

 

Their new entry and staircase!

 

 

 

When we weren't playing with the baby, or having lunch with alligators, Alyssa and I spent most of our time shopping for tile, appliances, flooring, doorknobs, sinks, etc etc etc...

 

We loved this ready-to-go vanity from Martha Stewart's Home Depot Collection.  It's perfect for Alyssa's downstairs bathroom.  It comes already painted in Martha's signature "Sharkey Gray", and we love the drawers, hardware, and faucet.  Thanks, Martha.

Hello, pretty marble tiles.  You're coming with us.

This modern, polished nickel bin pull is pretty much perfect for her new kitchen.  Add that to the list, please.

 

 

And, a side by side refrigerator/freezer combo.  Check, check!  The house will be coming together over the next few months and I'm so excited to see the results!  (I've already picked out my bedroom, so Dave and I can come visit whenever we want.)

 

 

As Sunday night rolled around, I packed up my things and sadly said goodbye to this little nugget...

 

(Please forgive the stain on his shirt. 

He's not a huge fan of homemade pumpkin puree)

 

 

And just like that, it's back to the grindstone. 

 

 

 

I hope you all had a lovely weekend!  I'll be back this week with regular blog posts, so stay tuned.

 

 

Happy Monday!!

 

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On The Backside of Hurricane Sandy

 

 

Hurricane Sandy is over, and it's nice to finally be on the backside of that terrible storm.  We are safe and our house is safe.  Miraculously, all of our trees stayed strong.  Some of our neighbors weren't as lucky and are dealing with more serious storm damage.  But all in all, I think we dodged a bullet.  We were prepared for this storm (especially after dealing with the emotional roller coaster of Irene last year).  I stocked up on water, flashlights, and non-perishable food.  Over the summer, Dave installed a sump pump and rerouted our gutters.  As a result, we never had a drop of water in the basement (yay!).  Our power went out on Monday and thankfully came back on last night.  We are so grateful for power! 

 

 

from CBS3 here in Philadelphia

 

On Monday night, the eye of the storm passed over southen New Jersey and then over Philadelphia.  The screen shot above was posted on CBS Philly's facebook page.  Pretty crazy, isn't it? 

 

 

 

Instagram shot of a neighbors uprooted tree...  this is sadly, one of many around here.

Last night, the brigade of clean up trucks coming into town.  There must have been 6 or 7 in this line up, one after another.

 

If you live on the East Coast, I hope that you made it through with minimal damage (and that your power was quickly restored!).  My heart goes out to the residents of New Jersey and New York who suffered such tremendous loss.  Please donate to The Red Cross to help those who need assistance.  You can donate HERE.

 

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Thom's Lake House (second edition)

I'm calling this post, "Thom's Lake House (second edition)" because this is the second time I've posted about a Skaneateles Lake house, owned and designed by Thom Filicia.  The first time we visited this topic, was back in 2009.  That house was stunning, and perfectly livable, while still feeling tailored and polished and preppy (my favorite combination).  Thom's newest Skaneateles acquisition is also amaaaaazing and is featured on the cover of House Beautiful this month.  I am a huge fan of Thom Filicia and think that he has a tremendous perspective on interior design. 

I'm devouring every photo of this home-- check out my favorites...

This room is crazy-- love the wallpaper, mix of pattern and color, excellent upholstery fabrics, modern furniture, cushy seats, etc, etc, etc.

   

Hello, navy linen upholstered walls!!  And, Thom's stunning dining chairs that he's designed for Vanguard Furniture.

 

 

Rope railing and seagrass runner-- perfect for a lake house.

I've seen Thom use Phillip Jeffries wallcoverings in many of his designs.  I suspect that this woven paper is from that collection (maybe it's this one?).

 

 

Love those walls, that ceiling, and the black barn-style door.  Also, I really like how Thom mixes colors and patterns, but everything remains within a similar tone.  It's good.

 

 

dogs & a lake view

 

Insanity.  I'm liking this modern group (and would never guess that this shot was from a lake house, would you?).  That terrific console is one of Thom's designs for Vanguard.

 

Panelled ceiling, wallpapered walls, black doors and windows.  Incredibly chic mix of color.  Love the modern furniture and different wood finishes (plus, that pop of red).

 

So much to see in this room.  The chairs are to die for.  Of course, he designed them.

(also, the ottoman coffee table)

 

 

boat dock and fire pit!

 

 

I bought Thom's book, Thom Filicia Style, back in 2009.  And over the years, I've referred to it repeatedly for inspiration and fresh ideas.  As a result, the cover is partially ripped and it's full of dogeared pages and blue post-it notes (not joking).  Now, I am SO EXCITED to see that he has a NEW book coming out next month.  We can buy it here.  

 

American Beauty: Renovating and Decorating a Beloved Retreat

(I must have it.)

To see more pictures from the House Beautiful feature, click HERE.

 

 

Also, a note to House Beautiful:  Thank you for bringing happiness to my life and filling my heart with joy.  The newest issue does not disappoint.  I love every feature, and every single article.  Keep it up.  :)

 

 

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Our New Carriage House

We have a carriage house folks.  Can you believe it?  I still find myself surprised when I look at the backyard.  It's there!!  Our Amish crew arrived last Monday, and the building was completed on Wednesday.  They pre-fabricated the first story in their Chester County warehouse.  It was delivered in two pieces and the rest of the building was built/assembled on site.  Watching them put the pieces together was mesmerizing, and I snapped LOTS of pictures.  If you follow me on Instagram (@kellyrobson), you've already seen a few of these photos.  But, here's a play-by-play of last week's momentous build.  :)

Day 1:

It's 1:30pm and the truck arrives...

The first floor of our carriage house, separated in two pieces, on the back of a big rig (my jaw dropped when I saw this).

 

 

Each piece was wheeled in place onto our concrete foundation (!!!).

 

 

One half down, another to go.

 

 

Here comes part 2.

 

 

Now, they're lining the two parts together.  The mule looks like this up close (the entire machine was specifically designed for these types of Amish builds).  It was very fun to watch.

 

 

 

Day 2:

 

7:30am - a team of four Amish men arrive to build the second story.

 

 

Within a couple of hours, we had a roofline.

 

Progress on the backside.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Around lunchtime, our dormers were built,

 

And, by the end of the day, there was tar paper on the roof.

 

Day 3:

 

The guys worked all day, installing the roof shingles, hanging gutters, finishing electrical work, etc.  It was truly amazing to watch it all come together.

 

Benjamin Moore "Gray Owl" is the color we chose for the exterior.  The bucket also makes a nifty step stool when installing some electrical work.  :)

 

Our new lanterns, ready to be hung.  These fixtures are made by World Imports (the Sutton Collection) and we ordered the largest size possible, which measured 21.5" high. 

This is what the carriage house looks like today:

 

 

 

It's finished! 

*We still haven't selected a light fixture over the side door.  We'll find something soon, I hope.

We chose insulated carriage-style garage doors with an extra foot of height (just in case we ever want to park a monster truck inside).  The handles are functional and I love the way the hardware looks from the house.

 

our new cupola, with a cast iron eagle weathervane.

 

 

 new lanterns.

 

 

The shed dormer allows for SO MUCH head room on the second floor, we had to include it in the design.  Since it doesn't totally relate to the architectural style of our home, this dormer faces the backside of the property.  So, you can't see it from the house.  I like that.

It's hard to tell from the photo, but there is a TON of space on this level.  We're so excited to set up a workspace for Dave near the back.  :)

Here is the second story.  This room is massive, measuring the entire footprint of the garage itself (24' x 28').  Right now, we'll use it for storage space.  But someday, we'll insulate it and drywall.  I would love to make it an office...  or, a play room.  Or, a separate guest house.  :)

 

 

so much space!

(love the head room provided by our new hipped dormers)

 

 

 

 a note about our builders:

 

We hired Stoltzfus Structures to build our carriage house, and our entire experience with them was TREMENDOUS.  Located in nearby Chester County, Pennsylvania, this family-run Amish builder specializes in pre-fab and custom-designed garages, carriage houses, barns, pool houses, and sheds (they also build cabanas, gazebos, and chicken coops!).  I can't say enough about these people.  We first met with Jonathan in February.  Dave and I were in the "research" phase of this project, and had narrowed it down to a small handful of potential builders.  After we toured the facility and experienced the professionalism and warmth of the staff, we immediately knew that we wanted to work with them.  Over the next several months, we exchanged a few emails with Jonathan, keeping him updated on our schedule.  We never felt pressured.  When we finally felt ready to begin the project this summer, we worked with him to customize our design.  He was so extremely professional, friendly, and easy to work with (even with our last minute changes to the front elevation!). 

 

Like I mentioned above, the carpenters at Stoltzfus Structures built half of our building off-site, in their Chester County workshop.  The carriage house was installed in modular units and then the rest of the building was built on site.  The crew that showed up to our house was AWESOME.  These guys worked from morning til night, they were friendly and courteous (some of the finest young men you'd ever hope to meet).  Dave and I are truly thrilled with the end result and hope to work with Stoltzfus Structures on future projects (pool house anyone?!).

 

If you are considering a build like this (garage, carriage house, pool house, whatever!), I highly recommend Stoltzfus.  Even though they're based in Eastern Pennsylvania, they work with customers all across the country (and just recently finished a project in California!).  I feel like I need to disclose that Stoltzfus is not paying me to write this, nor did they discount our project-- I am just so honestly THRILLED with the service, I want you to benefit as well!  Ask for Jonathan and tell him that Kelly sent you.  ;)

 

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So, our carriage house is complete!  What do you guys think?  If you have any questions about our experience, please feel free to email me personally or you can leave a comment at the end of this post.  Thanks so much for following along with this project, dear readers!  It's been so fun relaying ideas with you and sharing updates on the blog.  Now, I look forward to starting our NEXT home project and sharing all of the progress here with you.

 

xoxo

Kelly

 

 

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