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The wonderful folks over at The Coastal Table magazine asked us to weigh in on the top design trends we're seeing this spring, Of course, you should definitely grab a copy of the magazine so you won't miss one bit of their artful take on savoring all the best of the coastal lifestyle...
But until you get that in your hands, here's a taste of what we shared with them.
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Happy Easter!
Are you hosting breakfast, brunch, lunch, or dinner this year? Regardless of the meal, you can set the happiest of Easter tables in a million different ways, just by changing out one little thing here and another little thing there.
We got together with a few of my favorite brands, The Coastal Table magazine and Simon Pearce, makers of all things glass, tabletop, lighting, and home decor, to prove that point.
Watch this!
Here's our fantastic Easter table setting with silver flatware, Teaselwood pottery plates, Simon Pearce wine glasses, and Pottery Barn napkins in Wisteria.
And here it is with gold flatware (both sets are from Crate and Barrel).
Now here it is with 3 white plates and a black napkin from Target's Smith and Hawken line...
... and with the middle plate swapped out for something a little snazzier and a green napkin.
With the snazzy plate moved on top of the Wisteria napkin...
... and with the green napkin.
Isn't it amazing how simple it is to make a table setting look so different?! So fun!
With those little tricks up your sleeve, you could host breakfast, brunch, lunch, AND dinner and never have the same table setting twice!
Don't you love these hurricanes from Simon Pearce?
I'll be sharing the recipe for that spring salad in an upcoming post (that is, if it's fair to call the instructions for throwing a salad together a 'recipe'!). The black salad bowl is from Target's Magnolia Home collection.
We're currently featured in the spring issue of The Coastal Table. In the magazine, we talk design trends for 2018 (don't worry - we'll share some trends with you in an upcoming post right here on The Farmhouse Blog!).
If you don't yet subscribe to The Coastal Table, you must! It's a gorgeous quarterly magazine with a mission to "capture the true essence of the coast" using beautiful photography and storytelling. It's a total breakout star on the indie publishing scene. They've just won the IACP Publication of the year for 2018, along with multiple other awards since their inception in 2016. Whether you live on the coast or not, see where you can grab up a copy here or learn how to subscribe to the print edition here and the digital edition here.
The pewter platter is from Pottery Barn. It's technically called a 'Cookie Platter' but it's just right for a loaf of crusty bread.
These lovely flowers really set the mood for a cheerful spring celebration.
Are you inspired to change things up on your table for Easter? Snap a pic and tag us @teaselwooddesign on Instagram!
Nevermind that we just had two nearly apocalyptic snowstorms here in Skaneateles - and that we currently have a forecast for more snow all week long!
My mind is set firmly on springtime, which also means I'm longing for vases and vases of blooms fresh from the garden!
And that all got me thinking about how much the mood we're trying to set when we entertain is impacted by the types of flowers we use.
Read MoreMeet the folks from Graft Journel...
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Photography by Whitney Nichols
Sometimes I hesitate just a little to call my aesthetic 'farmhouse.'
While it's clear I'm in the farmhouse category - and I love all its warmth and charm - I don't always want my designs to be quite as casual and vintage-y as farmhouse style is at times.
Instead, I'm aiming for spaces with homespun, artisanal, reclaimed touches alongside high-quality, current pieces for results that are well-designed, modern, and polished (which I think our latest project captured perfectly!).
So how do I create spaces that exude warm farmhouse charm but still feel intentional - and maybe even a little luxurious? Read on for my not-so-secret method!
You've probably heard this advice before, but it's especially true for 'modern farmhouse' spaces.
Antiques, vintage items, and homespun elements are all hallmarks of farmhouse style. But by mixing them with more sophisticated furnishings and decor, you magically create a look that's totally fresh and modern.
Who ever heard of a farmhouse where you don't feel like you can make yourself at home?!
The casual nature of farmhouse style is inherently welcoming with a come-in-and-put-your-feet-up vibe.
That means the seating you put in your farmhouse style spaces should be cozy, cushy, and delightfully comfy. Since high-quality sofas and chairs tend to be infinitely more comfortable and durable than cheap, 'throw away' versions, you'll want to zero in on these when choosing seating.
The good news is that higher quality furnishings also come with tons of options! Buying made-to-order, customized pieces from trade sources allows you to choose pieces that will pull everything together. That means you end up with a cohesive finished look and feel (as opposed to being stuck shoehorning the wrong size, style, or color into your room's design simply because nothing else was available).
If it's comfy enough for the animals in your house, it's just right (did I mention those high-quality pieces also come in performance fabrics?!).
You might think farmhouse style means all things chippy paint and rusted tin.
But when you mix those rustic textures with contrasting textures like smooth brass, velvety upholstery, or sleek stone, you create rich layers for the eye to feast on.
And those luxe textures also serve to make your farmhouse space feel a touch more modern and well-designed.
So often farmhouse style color palettes consist only of chalky neutrals and a few watercolor pastels.
While I'm all for both of those color categories, I like them even better when they're punctuated by a high-contrast color or two.
For instance, to break up an expanse of weathered floors and white walls, add dark-stained wood beams or glossy black cabinets. Or bring in a few fabrics or some artwork in bright or deep hues.
Or bring in a few fabrics or some artwork in bright or deep hues.
I think it's always the details that make a space's style. From lighting to flowers, little touches can make the difference between just farmhouse and 'modern farmhouse.'
Flowers can be the ultimate farmhouse statement. You can read my trick for perfectly imperfect arrangements every time here. Beautiful herbs and produce make great arrangements too.
Flooring in tribal and geometric patterns feels so fresh right now for casual spaces.
You could go the utilitarian, 'schoolhouse lighting' look, but gorgeous statement lighting is right at home in modern farmhouse spaces.
And don't forget things like cabinet hardware and plumbing fixtures!
So there it is! That's what I do to create Teaselwood style. I mean, that and hours and hours of behind-the-scenes design work, haha! What will you add to your farmhouse spaces to give them a well-designed, modern, and polished look?
We recently transformed our clients' living room, kitchen, foyer, mudroom/laundry room, and downstairs bath with a major - and I mean MAJOR! - renovation project.
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What?! You say you didn't get our 2017 Holiday Gift Guide??? (insert cry face emoji)
If that's the case, it's probably because you haven't subscribed to The Farmhouse Blog yet. (you can do that right here, right now!)
Not to worry! While you may have missed our full gift guide, here are a few of our top picks:
Everyone loves a great candle! Ours come in 4 cozy scents: Christmas Orange, Holiday at the Cape, Highland Forest, and Winterwoods
The Endeavor Single Rope Bracelet in White is our new winter wardrobe staple (other versions available)
Wooden spoons as a gift? Yep, as long as they're sculptural and chic like our artisanal Round Tear Drop Spoons!
Whatever the weather where they live, everyone on your list will love our Washed Linen Throw. It's just right for a touch of warmth by the fire or for a breezy summer evening on the patio. Choose from Blue or Grey.
Use it every day or just to adorn your kitchen counter, The Farmhouse Honey Pot and Wooden Dipper set adds true farmhouse charm to any home.
Of course, there's so much more to pick from in our online shop, so browse away! Since we ship everything, you'll be able to take care of all your holiday shopping in one fell swoop!
Oh, and remember to subscribe so you never have to miss out on specials, goodies, and announcements again!
Happy Holidays!!!
Charity
Teaselwood's values of LIVE | NOURISH | CELEBRATE came together in this holiday party space's design
I pulled inspiration from my Scandinavian roots, fusing their cozy-yet-minimalistic style with a classic farmhouse look and feel.
Read MoreHere at Teaselwood, there's nothing better for marking the official start of the holidays than hanging a gorgeous fresh wreath on our front door.
While the ready-made wreaths you find at your local Christmas tree lot or plant nursery can be lovely, there's no telling how long they've been sitting around.
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As you probably already know, I can't get enough of fresh flowers. I keep our farmhouse pretty well stocked with them everywhere you look year-round. They just make a home look and feel so much more beautiful and welcoming!
photo by Alice G Patterson
photo by Alice G Patterson
photo by Whitney Nichola Photography
The key is in mixing together store bought flowers (I happen to love Trader Joe's bouquets) with flowers, branches, and greenery from your own yard or garden!
Seriously, mixing it up is the absolute easiest way to make inexpensive bouquets look just a little bit undone, while still having a finished, luxurious feel (which sounds a lot like Teaselwood's room designs, too, doesn't it?!).
photo by Whitney Nichols Photography
Do you remember I told you I had a secret about where the flowers for the Harvest party (above and below here) came from? Well, my photographer Whitney and I totally raided her beautiful yard and my garden for them! She did the arranging on these.
photo by Whitney Nichols Photography
Ivy, flowering branches, and just about anything else that's growing in your outdoor spaces are fair game - even edibles like kale, potato vines, and herbs.
Trust me, forget about that tired baby's breath - sage and basil are THE BEST with roses!
In addition to Trader Joe's, we always check in at our regular local haunts just to see what's in.
Being able to have fresh flowers around the house is truly one of those 'simple pleasures' in life and a touch of luxurious beauty for our homes that's really accessible when you approach it this way.
photo by Alice G Patterson
Again, it's no big secret, but if I had to point to another 'key ingredient' to getting the Teaselwood look for your own floral arrangements, it would be to use simple containers - like the stoneware pitchers and vessels I design exclusively for Teaselwood - with fancy flowers.
Creating that little bit of tension is what makes it interesting and not overly fussy.
photo by Alice G Patterson
photo by Whitney Nichols Photography
So take out your garden shears and head to your yard the next time you're having a get together or you just want to treat yourself (and your home) to the simple pleasure of fresh flowers!
Once we finished the design of my friend, Geraldean's equestrian chic-meets-mountain retreat den, we couldn't wait to celebrate both the beautiful space and the start of fall!
If you're going to celebrate the 'Teaselwood way,' you only need 4 things:
So Geraldean and I got a few ladies together and got our party on!
Geraldean dressed everyone up in clothes from her shop, Skanaeteles 300'. She offers personal styling services there, so she knows her fashion. We even got our makeup and hair done. It was a true girls' night!
Doesn't everyone look amazing?!
I put together this charcuterie tray in minutes using fresh fruit (simple grape clusters and figs sliced in half are so pretty + fall-ish!), salami, prosciutto, and cheeses from - wait for it! - Trader Joe's.
Seriously - they have the absolute best tasting cheeses there. And I love their rosemary and fig crackers. Yum! (This is not a sponsored post, by the way - I just shop there all the time!).
It's so easy to put a gorgeous spread like this together. You can do it too, I promise! (full disclosure: the sage leaves from my garden help make it gorgeous)
By the way, this particular tray isn't from my online shop, but I often use my wood cutting boards in the same way. You can choose from several sizes, shapes, and colors here.
I also made my cranberry and brie bites. It's one of my favorite party recipes because they work all the way from October to New Year's. I promise to post the recipe for you soon!
We let everyone serve themselves cocktails from Geraldean's new bar setup (we just repurposed her den's existing built-ins!).
You'd think we spent a fortune on the fresh flowers I put all over the room, but I've got a secret about that - you'll never believe where they came from! Stay tuned for a post on that soon.
We all had such a great time. I just can't think of better reasons to celebrate than enjoying the simple things - friends, home, and the beauty of the season. We totally brought the Teaselwood idea of 'Fine Living Simplified' to life!
Are you inspired to celebrate too? There's still time to snag some great partyware (not to mention hostess gifts, if you're the invitee!) from the shop before the season's over!
When my stylish friend and owner of Skaneateles 300', a local specialty fashion and gift boutique, wanted to redesign her den, we put our heads together to come up with a cozy, mountain retreat-inspired space that would also give a nod to her days of competitive riding.
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